Pakistan-flagged oil tanker destroyed in Hormuz? Unrelated video falsely shared

Amid the escalating tensions in West Asia, a video showing a vessel engulfed in flames and billowing smoke has been widely shared across social media platforms with claims that Iranian missiles struck and destroyed a Pakistan-flagged oil tanker while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The video, which has been circulating since March 27, has been shared by multiple accounts, including pro-BJP X handle Jaipur Dialogues, run by retired IAS officer Sanjay Dixit. Jaipur Dialogues posted the clip, asserting that it depicted the aftermath of an Iranian missile strike on a Pakistan-flagged oil tanker "just a few hours ago." The post garnered around 264,000 views.

Another X account, The Unknown Man, also shared the video with the same claim, stating that the destruction of the tanker was a reply by Iran to Pakistan for betraying the country by re-routing Iranian oil to the US. This post amassed nearly 4 million views. Co-convenor of media management and media relations, BJP Punjab, Dhruv Wadhwa, also shared the video, claiming that the tanker was destroyed as a reply to Pakistan's betrayal. Several other social media users made similar claims by sharing the same video.

However, the video in question is not related to the Strait of Hormuz incident. Fact-checking efforts have revealed that the video actually shows the destruction of the USS Cole, a US Navy destroyer, in the port of Aden, Yemen, on October 12, 2000. The attack was carried out by al-Qaeda-linked terrorists using a small boat filled with explosives. The incident resulted in the deaths of 17 sailors and the wounding of 39 others.

The misinformation surrounding the video has been amplified by accounts with a history of sharing misinformation and propaganda. Readers are advised to exercise caution when encountering such claims and to verify the authenticity of the content before sharing it. The Strait of Hormuz remains a volatile region, with ongoing tensions between Iran and other nations in the area. However, the video shared widely on social media is unrelated to the current situation and should not be taken as evidence of any recent attacks.