Video claiming Iranian 1,800-rocket attack on Dubai’s Burj Khalifa is AI‑generated

Thai PBS Verify found the piece of misinformation on: X

A screenshot from an X account which shared a video showing Burj Khalifa on fire amid public chaos.

Thai PBS Verify found an account on X which had shared a video showing a building on fire amid public chaos. The video caption reads: “Iran fired 1,800 missiles at Burj Khalifa. Every single missile hit the target. #USAirForce #Russia #SaudiArabia #Netanyahu.” 

The post received 50,000 views, 57 comments, and 59 reactions. 

Indicated beneath the video, the source of the video was another verified account “Mojtaba Khamenei.” When the team clicked on the link, the exact video was found with a note: “Readers added context to this video on another post — Misinformation! The video is AI-generated. Nothing to do with reality.” This led to further investigation whether the video in question was really fake.

The original video was posted by an X account named “Mojtaba Khamenei.”

Was Dubai’s Burj Khalifa really attacked?

Thai PBS Verify examined the video closely and identified suspicious signs suggesting it was AI-generated.

1. Smoke patterns: The smoke rising from the building appears in repeated “loops” and moves with an unnatural stiffness, inconsistent with the height of the structure and the strength of wind at that altitude.

2. Light and shadow: The flames do not reflect naturally on the building’s surfaces or nearby glass. In addition, the fire origin seems to “float” away from the structure.

3. Condition of the building: A world-class skyscraper like the Burj Khalifa is equipped with highly advanced fire-suppression systems. In the event of a blaze of this magnitude, the glass and exterior structure would show clear physical damage or breakage — far more than what appears in the video.

How to spot that Burj Khalifa in the video was not real?

In addition, when comparing the building on Google Maps with the Burj Khalifa shown in the video, Thai PBS Verify found noticeable differences at the lower part of the structure.

Comparison of the building in the video in question (left) and the Burj Khalifa on Google Maps (right).

At the same time, Thai PBS Verify analysed the video with HIVE Moderation, AI-video detection tool, and found that it was identified as AI-generated with a probability of 99.9%.

A screen shout of the video tested with HIVE Moderation, which identified it as AI-generated with 99.9% certainty.

Current situation in Dubai following the Iran–U.S. clashes

On March 1, 2026, the official Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported that the city’s Civil Defense and Disaster Management team successfully contained a minor fire on the exterior of the Burj Al Arab Hotel. No injuries were reported. Authorities in the Emirates stated that the incident was caused by debris from a drone that had been intercepted and fell onto the site.

What is the truth?

Thai PBS Verify examined the video of the alleged Burj Khalifa explosion. The team found, through both initial visual inspection and AI‑detection tools, that it was AI‑generated with 99.9% certainty. In addition, a comparison with Google Maps showed that the building in the video does not match the actual Burj Khalifa. Meanwhile, the real situation in Dubai involved debris from an intercepted drone falling onto the façade of the Burj Al Arab hotel.

Impacts of misinformation

1. Public panic: Claims that 1,800 missiles struck a landmark building can trigger chaos, resource hoarding, or disorderly evacuations, potentially leading to injuries or traffic accidents.
2. Truth obscured: In times of unrest, accurate guidance on fire exits or safe zones is critical. Fake news confuses the public, making it unclear which instructions from authorities should be trusted.
3. Loss of confidence: As a global hub for business and aviation, Dubai’s reputation is directly affected. Images of the Burj Khalifa in flames undermine investor and tourist confidence, leading to hotel and flight cancellations.
4. Air traffic disruption: Even if airports remain partially open, false reports of severe attacks may prompt airlines to suspend flights longer than necessary, harming the global economy.
5. Escalation of conflict: Exaggerated claims about missile numbers or targets can be misused as justification for intensified military retaliation, worsening misunderstandings between different parties.
6. Erosion of state credibility: Fake news often aims to make citizens feel their government cannot protect them or is hiding the truth, undermining internal stability and public trust.

Translation edited by: Peerachai Pasutan