CLAIM: Israel is bombing Beirut’s international airport. The photo shows a passenger plane attempting to land amid the bombings.
CONCLUSION: While there were explosions nearby but not within Beirut’s airport, after visual and digital examination of the photo, it appears that it is not real but was created using an AI tool.
A photo claiming to show a commercial airplane landing amid bombings at Beirut airport spread widely on social media:
Analysis
In October 2024, Israel conducted airstrikes in various areas of Beirut, including locations near the Rafic Hariri International Airport. Some of the attacks targeted strongholds of Hezbollah in southern Beirut, causing flight disruptions. However, Beirut’s International Airport was not directly hit by the Israeli attacks.
The following map shows recent strikes near the airport area in Beirut:
HIVE AI tells us that the photo in question has an 88.9% likelihood of being AI-generated.
Regarding the aircraft, which resembles a Boeing 777, it bears the tail insignia of Lebanon’s airline (Middle East Airlines). According to the FL360aero account, the photo was AI-generated.
When comparing the photo of the “airplane” landing in Beirut with actual images of Boeing 777s, several inconsistencies are noticeable. For example, the nose wheel does not seem to have doors that close when retracted, the MEA logo is poorly shaped, there is a bulge on the plane’s back, and the number of rear wheels, which should be six pairs, appears to be fewer.
Conclusion
While there were explosions nearby, but not within Beirut’s airport, after visual and digital examination of the photo, it appears that it is not real but was created using an AI tool.