Iran Claims To Hit Israeli Jet, Mocked After Video Turns Out From 'Arma 3' Game

Last Updated:June 16, 2025, 08:30 IST

Iran falsely claimed to have downed an Israeli jet, sharing a video later revealed to be from the video game Arma 3. The blunder drew widespread mockery on social media.

Video by Iran claiming to have shot down an Israeli jet (Screengrabs/Social Media)

Iran faced embarrassment hours after it claimed it had shot down an Israeli jet and captured a pilot, and posted a video supporting their claims. As Israel denied Iranian claims, it was later revealed that the video shared by Iran was nothing more than an excerpt from a video game.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Iran’s claim came amid the rising Iran-Israel conflict.

“We shot down an Israeli jet," the report said, some sources in Iran claimed.

Hours later, a new announcement from Iranian sources read, “An Israeli plane was shot down and there is also a video," the report stated.

Within 40 minutes of the claim, which was shared on X, Facebook and even two Lebanese satellite stations, the Israeli Defence Forces’ Spokesperson’s Unit issued a rare on-the-record denial.

“No Israeli aircraft have been downed. The footage is fake," the statement said, adding that every pilot who took part in Friday’s raids “landed safely at base."

Later, social media users began correcting Iranian claims, saying that the video was from a video game, Arma 3.

The realistic images, among other things, are cyclically re-proposed to document alleged jet shootdowns. The plane inserted in the video game is not even Israeli, but, apparently, it would be a Russian model, the report said.

Politician and political commentator Josh Lafazan, taking to his X handle, reposted a video of the Iranian claim, saying, “I am truly laughing at accounts on here using really amateur AI to lie about what’s happening in Israel."

“Pro Tip – if you’re going to make a false claim, at least try to use an advanced AI generator to do it," he wrote in a dig.

THE IRAN-ISRAEL CONFLICT

Meanwhile, in the latest, Iran has told mediators Qatar and Oman that it is not open to negotiating a ceasefire while it is under Israeli attack, an official briefed on the communications told Reuters on Sunday, as the two foes launched fresh attacks and raised fears of a wider conflict.

“The Iranians informed Qatari and Omani mediators that they will only pursue serious negotiations once Iran has completed its response to the Israeli pre-emptive strikes," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the conflict.

Iran made “clear that it will not negotiate while under attack," the official said.

Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran on Friday morning that wiped out the top echelon of Iran’s military command and damaged its nuclear sites, and says the campaign will continue to escalate in the coming days.

Iran has vowed to “open the gates of hell" in retaliation for what has emerged as the biggest ever confrontation between the longstanding enemies.

The official told Reuters that media reports that Iran appealed to Oman and Qatar to engage the US to broker a ceasefire and renew nuclear talks were inaccurate.

Oman has in recent months mediated nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, though the most recent round was cancelled a day after Israel launched a sweeping air offensive against Iran.

Qatar has also played a role in facilitating talks between the two foes in the past, most recently mediating a prisoner swap agreement in 2023.

Oman and Qatar have good relations with both Iran and the US, and they also have communicated directly with Israel.

News world Iran Claims To Hit Israeli Jet, Mocked After Video Turns Out From 'Arma 3' Game