Video claiming destruction of Iranian airbase turns out to be 2025 Dubai warehouse fire
Thai PBS Verify found the piece of misinformation on: X
A screenshot of the X post in question.
Thai PBS Verify found an account on X circulating a clip of the fire with the caption:
“Airstrikes continue across Iran as reports claim Iranian airbases have been destroyed and hundreds of missile attacks have hit the country. Innocent civilians are once again paying the price of war.”
That post was published on May 26, 2026, and has already gained 6,612 views, 180 reactions and 88 comments.
The fire incident in the video actually took place in Dubai
Thai PBS Verify conducted an image search via Google Lens and discovered that the visuals match a report on the Newsflare website, headlined “Exclusive- Warehouse fire erupts in Dubai’s Umm Ramool district; no injuries reported.”
The video’s caption reads:
“A warehouse in the Umm Ramool district caught fire around 7:00 p.m. on 24 November, with dramatic footage recorded from across the road showing flames and emergency teams rushing to the scene.
“Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) swiftly brought the blaze under control, and officials confirmed that there were no injuries or fatalities.”
A comparison between the fire incident from the X post in question (left) and the Newsflare website (right).
Subsequently, a keyword search for “Umm Ramool warehouse fire” led to another report titled “Umm Ramool warehouse fire contained in under 40 minutes by Dubai Civil Defence”, published on November 24, 2025, by Gulf News website.
The details are as follows:
“Dubai: Dubai Civil Defence teams swiftly brought under control a fire that erupted in a cluster of warehouses in the Umm Ramool area on Monday [November 24, 2025], preventing the blaze from spreading.
“The fire was contained by responding units in less than 40 minutes following their arrival at the site. According to a post by the Dubai Media Office on X (formerly Twitter), no casualties or injuries were reported.”
Meanwhile, a cross-check of the incident location using Google Maps confirms that the geographical site perfectly matches the Umm Ramool warehouse in Dubai.
A comparison between the image from the X post (left) and Google Maps Street View (right).
The real location on Google Maps
What is the current situation?
On May 26, 2026, the United States launched airstrikes targeting Iranian missile launch sites and naval vessels trying to place mines. These actions were claimed as self-defense in the Middle East. The strikes happened amidst the peace talks and negotiations in Qatar. Despite military operations, the U.S. Secretary of State believed that diplomatic agreements could be achieved within days to end the current conflict. Regardless, the situation remains uncertain due to the U.S. government’s unclear gestures and pressure from the upcoming midterm election. This could affect the sustainability of the present ceasefire, which has been active for six weeks.
What is the truth?
Thai PBS Verify has investigated the video circulated with claims of “an attack on an airbase in Iran” and found it to be false. The footage captures a warehouse fire that erupted in the Umm Ramool district of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on November 24, 2025. Emergency personnel managed to bring the blaze under control in under 40 minutes, and no injuries or fatalities were recorded. Nevertheless, the video was repurposed with a new caption regarding the conflict in Iran to mislead the public. While geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran remain critical, marked by military strikes and policy retaliation, they bear absolutely no connection to the 2025 Dubai fire footage currently making the rounds.
Verification Process
- Verification via Google Lens: A reverse image search conducted revealed that the visuals perfectly match a report on the Newsflare website titled “Exclusive – Warehouse fire erupts in Dubai’s Umm Ramool district; no injuries reported.”
- Keyword search: A keyword search for “Umm Ramool warehouse fire” led to a news article titled “Umm Ramool warehouse fire contained in under 40 minutes by Dubai Civil Defence,” which was published on November 24, 2025, by Gulf News.
- Verification via Google Maps: A geographical cross-check of the incident location using Google Maps confirmed that the site corresponds precisely with the Umm Ramool warehouse in Dubai.
Potential impacts of disinformation
- Misleading public perception of wartime situations: It leads the public to believe that Iran has suffered a severe military onslaught. Since reality involves a completely unrelated incident, such misinformation can result in a distorted assessment of global affairs.
- Fueling panic: News concerning warfare or military strikes inherently carries a heavy emotional toll on people. When fabricated, it amplifies fear and anxiety completely without cause.
- Eroding the credibility of information ecosystems: The repetitive sharing of false data leaves people bewildered as to what is authentic or fabricated, ultimately degrading public trust in the media and news sources.
- Potential manipulation for political agendas/propaganda: Repurposing footage from an entirely different event to fabricate a military attack can easily be weaponized to generate hype or sway public opinion regarding international conflicts.
What to do with this misinformation?
- Don’t share immediately: Pause and think before hitting share, particularly with news that triggers intense emotional responses, such as warfare, violence, or disasters.
- Verify the source: Examine who published the post, check if it comes from a reputable media outlet, and look for clear, verifiable references.
- Cross-check the date, time, and location: Outdated news or events from entirely different locations are frequently stripped of their original context, like this specific instance, which actually took place in Dubai, not Iran.
- Consult multiple sources: Cross-reference the claims with coverage from mainstream news organizations or official entities.
- Beware of viral images and videos: Visual media can easily be manipulated or repurposed out of context; therefore, running a reverse image search is highly recommended.
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