What was claimed
A video shows an Israeli helicopter being shot down by a shoulder-launched missile during the recent conflict.
Our verdict
False. The footage is from a video game, not a real-world incident.
Video game footage used to falsely claim clip of missile hitting helicopter is in Gaza
12 October 2023
Multiple social media posts feature a video claiming to show a man using a shoulder-launched ground-to-air missile to shoot down an Israeli helicopter during the recent conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip.
The clip, which has been shared hundreds of times across Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) is not of a real event. It has been taken from a military simulation game called Arma 3.
A higher-quality version of the sequence showing the helicopter being downed was uploaded to YouTube in February 2023, months before the recent hostilities began.
The description attached to the YouTube video states: “It's Just a Military Simulation. Not Real life.”
Scenes from Arma 3 have previously been used in misleading claims linked to global conflicts. We’ve written several fact checks about social media posts claiming footage from the game was filmed in Ukraine. We have also seen another video using game footage claiming to depict recent events inside Gaza.
The developer of the game, Bohemia Interactive, has published a blog post addressing the issue and providing tips on how members of the public can distinguish in-game videos from real-world footage.
For further advice on how to verify videos before you share them, read our guide.