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Social media claims about U.S. airstrikes targeting mock Iranian fighter jets have sparked controversy amid ongoing military operations in the region, with millions viewing footage purported to show ineffective bombing campaigns.
A viral post on X (formerly Twitter) claimed that “the US has been bombing drawings of F-14s this entire time,” suggesting that Operation Epic Fury had wasted expensive munitions on fake targets. The post, which featured an 11-second clip of bombs striking what appeared to be aircraft outlines, rapidly gained traction online.
The account “Korobochka” elaborated on the claim, stating, “The Iranians put their jets underground before the war began,” and adding that “Trump thought he destroyed the entire Iranian air force… it’s literally a drawing. I can’t believe it.” By Thursday morning, this post had amassed approximately 10 million views.
X’s AI assistant Grok further amplified these claims, telling users that the video depicted “U.S./Israeli strikes on painted 2D decoy F-14 silhouettes at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport.” Grok’s explanation, which received over 450,000 views itself, added that Iran routinely deploys these low-tech decoys to draw enemy fire while protecting operational aircraft in underground facilities.
However, investigation reveals that the footage in question matches a video released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on June 16, 2025, showing infrared targeting camera footage of what the IDF identified as two F-14A Tomcat fighters at Mehrabad airport. In their statement, the IDF claimed they had conducted “a strike on two F-14 fighter jets that were located at an airport in Tehran,” adding that “these jets were intended to intercept Israeli aircraft.”
The F-14 Tomcat, though long retired from U.S. Navy service, remains in limited operation with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF). Iran has maintained a small fleet of these aircraft since acquiring them before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, making them significant military assets despite their age.
Defense analyst Babak Taghvaee shared the same footage on June 16, 2025, but with a different interpretation, describing the targets as “full-scale mock-ups” rather than operational aircraft. Taghvaee noted that such mock-ups are commonly deployed across tactical fighter bases of the Iranian Air Force as part of their defensive strategy.
The viral claims come at a time when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been highlighting American military capabilities during Pentagon briefings, including statements about raining “death and destruction from the skies all day long.” These official communications stand in stark contrast to the social media narrative suggesting ineffective targeting.
While accounts differ on whether the strikes shown in the footage targeted decoys or genuine Iranian aircraft, fact-checking confirms that the viral clip does not show recent U.S. bombing runs as claimed. Rather, it appears to depict an Israeli strike from June 16 last year during what’s known as the 12-Day War.
The spread of this misleading content underscores the challenges of information verification during military conflicts, with social media platforms enabling rapid dissemination of unverified claims that can shape public perception of ongoing operations. Military experts note that the use of decoys has been a common tactic throughout modern warfare, with nations often deploying dummy targets to confuse enemy intelligence and preserve valuable military assets.
For the time being, claims that U.S. forces have been systematically bombing drawings rather than real military targets have been determined to be false, as they rely on misattributed and outdated footage from a different conflict.
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8 Comments
This sounds like a creative strategy by Iran to protect their air assets. Decoys and deception are age-old tactics in warfare. Though the US should be able to distinguish real targets from fakes, it’s impressive Iran can pull this off.
If the reports are true, this is a clever and low-cost way for Iran to defend against US airstrikes. Painting silhouettes to draw fire is a clever ruse, though I wonder how often it can realistically work. Curious to see how this develops.
You’re right, it’s an ingenious tactic. But the US military should have advanced enough sensors and intel to avoid being duped too easily. Though I suppose anything that sows doubt or frustration can still be valuable for Iran.
Curious to see the evidence behind these claims. Deploying fake targets is a time-honored strategy, but the US should have sophisticated enough capabilities to distinguish real threats. Though I suppose even advanced militaries can sometimes be fooled by simple deceptions.
This is an interesting development in the ongoing military tensions. While Iran’s use of decoys is clever, I’d be surprised if the US can’t eventually adapt and find ways to reliably target real threats. But it’s a good reminder that even high-tech militaries can sometimes be outsmarted.
Interesting claims about the US bombing decoy Iranian jets. Seems like a clever tactic by Iran to mitigate the impact of airstrikes. I wonder how often they use this type of low-cost deception.
It’s surprising the US would fall for such a basic ruse. Though I suppose air forces can’t always be certain what they’re hitting, especially with precision strikes. The optics of wasting munitions on drawings can’t be good though.
That’s a good point. Even advanced militaries can be fooled by simple countermeasures. I imagine the Iranians are hoping to demoralize the US forces and erode public support for continued strikes.