What was claimed
A video shows a new ‘iron beam’ system in operation in Israel.
Our verdict
False. This footage is taken from a video game called Arma 3.
Clip claiming to show new ‘iron beam’ system in Israel is taken from a video game
23 October 2023
A video which has been viewed 5.8 million times on X (formerly Twitter) claiming to show a “New Iron Beam” defence system in Israel is actually taken from a video game.
The clip, which has also circulated on Facebook, shows explosions taking place in the air at night, which some on social media have claimed shows a new defence system, called the “iron beam”, in operation in Israel.
The “iron beam” is a laser weapon developed in Israel. It has not yet been used in the country.
However, the video in question is actually footage from the Arma 3 military simulation video game.
The clip is part of a longer video with footage from the game shared on YouTube on 11 October, intended to replicate Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system. The video description states “This Video is an created Simulation in ArmA3! [sic]”.
We’ve seen several social media posts claiming footage from Arma 3 shows recent real-world events in Israel and Gaza, and have also previously fact checked posts claiming footage from the game was filmed in Ukraine.
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.
Misleading videos and images often spread widely online in the wake of significant global events. For further advice on how to verify videos before you share them, read our guide.
Image courtesy of Israel Defence Forces
This article is part of our work fact checking potentially false pictures, videos and stories on Facebook. You can read more about this—and find out how to report Facebook content—here. For the purposes of that scheme, we’ve rated this claim as missing context because the video in question is actually footage from the Arma 3 military simulation video game, and does not depict a new ‘iron beam’ defence system in operation in real life.