Government Exposes Fake Delhi Blast Image: How Lebanon Airstrike Photo Spread Viral Misinformation

Delhi Blast: Several propaganda accounts have been sharing an outdated image across social media platforms.

New Delhi:

In the wake of Monday evening's devastating car explosion near Delhi's Red Fort, the Press Information Bureau's Fact Check unit quickly moved to dispel viral misinformation circulating online.

Through a late-night announcement on X, PIB exposed a widely shared image depicting a massive fireball and mushroom cloud that was falsely being represented as footage from the Delhi blast.

The agency clarified that the photograph actually originated from an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's Dahiyeh suburb in Lebanon that occurred on September 27, 2024.

"Several propaganda accounts are distributing an outdated image on social media, incorrectly claiming it shows the blast in Delhi," PIB announced.

"PIBFactCheck: The image depicts a 2024 explosion in Lebanon, not Delhi." Their post included a direct reference to a Lebanese news source (mtv.com.lb) confirming the original context: "A new Israeli airstrike targeted Beirut's Dahiyeh."

The misleading information emerged within an hour following the 6:52 pm explosion, which claimed eight lives and injured more than 25 people near Gate No. 1 of the Lal Qila Metro Station.

Numerous unverified accounts, including some with verification badges, amplified the Lebanon image with alarming captions such as "Delhi under attack" and "terror returns to the capital."

By 9 pm, the fabricated visual had accumulated over 1.2 million impressions, triggering panic and spawning conspiracy theories ranging from foreign involvement to domestic sabotage.

PIB's intervention coincided with Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the blast site and Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath issued statements of condolence. Delhi Police urged citizens to avoid sharing unverified content, cautioning that such posts could "impede ongoing investigations."

Fact-checkers observed that the Lebanon blast image—originally associated with escalating Israel-Hezbollah tensions—had been repurposed multiple times throughout 2024, including during unrelated incidents in Syria and Iraq.

Authorities have identified over 40 accounts for disseminating the fake image, with enforcement actions under IT regulations imminent.

Meanwhile, the NIA and Delhi Police Special Cell continue their investigation into the actual explosion.

As the nation grieves, PIB emphasized: "Always verify such claims through credible and official sources before sharing."