Fact Check: Israel’s nuclear reactor destroyed by Iranian missiles? No, here’s the truth
A video claiming to show explosions at Israel’s nuclear reactor following Iranian missile strikes is being widely shared.
By - M Ramesh Naik
Claim:The video shows Israel’s destroyed nuclear reactor power plant due to attacks from multiple Iranian ballistic missiles, causing radioactive leaks.
Fact:False. The video shows explosions at an ammunition depot in Balakliya, Ukraine, in March 2017.
Hyderabad: Tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran have escalated sharply in recent days, following joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets. Iranian state media reported that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the strikes on February 28.
In retaliation, Iran launched missile strikes on Israeli targets. While several projectiles were reportedly intercepted, limited casualties were reported, including deaths in Tel Aviv and near Jerusalem.
Amid this backdrop, a daytime video showing massive explosions and thick smoke plumes rising over a town began circulating on social media. Users claimed the footage showed the destruction of Israel’s nuclear reactor following Iranian ballistic missile strikes.
One X user shared the clip with the caption: “BREAKING: Israel’s Nuclear reactor power plant has been DESTROYED by multiple Iranian ballistic missiles, leaking radioactive material. (sic)” (Archive)
Similar posts can be seen here and here. (Archive 1, Archive 2)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The viral video does not show Israel’s nuclear reactor or any incident linked to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. It is unrelated footage from Ukraine.
Examination of the visuals
A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led to a report published by KTAR on March 25, 2017, titled ‘Videos show massive explosions at Ukraine arms depot.’ The video embedded in the report matches the viral footage.
According to the report, a massive explosion occurred at a munitions depot in Balakliya, Ukraine, forcing the evacuation of approximately 20,000 people within a six-mile radius. The depot reportedly stored thousands of tons of missiles and artillery. Authorities stated that no deaths or injuries were initially reported, and airspace in the region was temporarily closed. The footage includes drone-captured visuals of the explosions.
Further verification led us to similar footage published by Global News on March 24, 2017, in a report titled, ‘One dead after explosion at Ukraine ammunition depot forces evacuation of 20,000 people.’
The compilation video includes multiple angles of the same incident, including scenes matching the viral clip.
The report stated that Ukrainian officials confirmed one death and the evacuation of around 20,000 residents in the Kharkiv region near the Russian border after a massive fire broke out at a military ammunition depot.
The viral video does not show Israel’s nuclear reactor under attack during the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict. It is an older clip from an arms depot explosion in Ukraine recorded in March 2017.
Therefore, the claim is false.
