X Is Drowning in Disinformation Following US and Israel’s Attack on Iran
#Disinformation#X (Twitter)#US-Iran conflict#Misinformation#AI-generated content#Verified accounts#Social media manipulation#False claims
📌 Key Takeaways
X is flooded with disinformation following the US-Israel attack on Iran
Many viral posts contain old footage, AI-generated images, or video game footage presented as real
Most viral posts come from verified accounts that can monetize engagement
Despite some community notes correcting false information, misleading content remains visible
This pattern of disinformation on X has been observed during other major global events
📖 Full Retelling
US President Donald Trump announced that the United States and Israel had launched a 'major combat operation' against Iran in the early hours of Saturday, February 28, 2026, prompting a flood of disinformation about the attack and Tehran's response to inundate Elon Musk's social media platform X, where hundreds of posts containing misleading claims about the locations and scale of the attack have been reviewed by WIRED. The misinformation ecosystem on X has reached unprecedented levels, with some posts racking up millions of views despite containing demonstrably false content. One viral video claimed to show ballistic missiles over Dubai but actually depicted Iranian missiles fired at Tel Aviv in October 2024, accumulating over 4.4 million views before being corrected. Another clip falsely portrayed an Israeli fighter jet being shot down by Iranian air defense systems, generating more than 3.5 million views despite no credible reports of such an incident occurring. The platform has become a breeding ground for manipulated content, including AI-generated images and recycled footage from previous conflicts, with many of the most misleading posts originating from verified accounts that pay for premium services and can monetize engagement through the platform's monetization program.
🏷️ Themes
Disinformation, Social Media, International Conflict, Misinformation
A false accusation is a claim or allegation of wrongdoing that is untrue or unsubstantiated. False accusations are also known as groundless accusations, unfounded accusations, false allegations, false claims or unsubstantiated allegations. They can occur in everyday life, in quasi-judicial proceedin...
Misinformation is incorrect or misleading information. Whereas misinformation can exist with or without specific malicious intent, disinformation is deliberately deceptive and intentionally propagated. Misinformation is typically spread unintentionally, mostly caused by a lack of knowledge, an error...
Internet manipulation is the use of online digital technologies, including algorithms, social bots, and automated scripts, for commercial, social, military, or political purposes. Internet and social media manipulation are the prime vehicles for spreading disinformation due to the importance of digi...
Disinformation is false or misleading information deliberately spread to deceive people, or to secure economic or political gain and which may cause public harm. Disinformation is an orchestrated adversarial activity in which actors employ strategic deceptions and media manipulation tactics to advan...
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Original Source
David Gilbert Politics Feb 28, 2026 5:40 PM X Is Drowning in Disinformation Following US and Israel’s Attack on Iran WIRED has reviewed hundreds of posts on X that promote misleading claims about the locations and scale of the attack. U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States and Israel had launched an attack on Iran Saturday morning. PHOTOGRAPH: Anna Moneymaker/GETTY IMAGES Save this story Save this story Minutes after Donald Trump announced that the US and Israeli governments had launched a “major combat operation” against Iran in the early hours of Saturday morning, disinformation about the attack and Tehran’s response flooded X . WIRED has reviewed hundreds of posts on X , some of which have racked up millions of views, that promote misleading claims about the locations and scale of the attack. Elon Musk’s social media platform is a verifiable mess: In some cases, alleged video footage of the attack shared in posts on X are actually months or years old. In several posts, video footage of apparent attacks have been attributed to incorrect locations. A number of images shared on X appear to be altered or generated with AI . Other posts attempt to pass off video game footage as scenes from the conflict. X did not respond to a request for comment. Under Musk’s stewardship , X has become a haven for disinformation , especially during major global breaking news events. At the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, and more recently during anti-immigration enforcement protests in LA , the platform has drowned in inaccurate and faulty posts. Almost all of the most viral posts reviewed by WIRED on Saturday came from accounts with blue check marks, meaning they pay X for its premium service and could be eligible to earn money based on how much engagement their posts generate, even if the content is false. While some posts with disinformation have a community note appended beneath them to correct the record, they remain up on the site, and it’s unclear how m...
