What was claimed
A video shows a plane at Riyadh airport exploding after being hit by a missile.
Our verdict
False. The video is AI-generated.
AAP FACTCHECK - A video purporting to show a plane in Saudi Arabia exploding after being hit by a missile is actually AI-generated.
The video shows clear signs of AI generation and contains an invisible watermark confirming it was created with Meta AI.
The video was posted by an Australian Facebook account that has previously posted misleading content online.
The video begins with a plane docked at an airport with the word "SAUDIA" on its fuselage. A projectile hits the rear of the plane and explodes.
"Aviation Authorities Investigate Alleged Missile Incident and Aircraft Damage at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport Amid Disruption," the video caption reads.
The clip has been widely shared on social media, but contains several visual errors typical of AI-generated content.
The placement of the plane’s windows doesn't match any of the five models in Saudia's fleet of 149 aircraft.
Additionally, some of the rubble caused by the blast appears to change shape or disappear as it flies across the tarmac.
Meta's AI detection tool also confirms the video contains an invisible watermark indicating it was made with Meta AI.
The video has also been debunked by UK fact-checking organisation Full Fact.
While the video is fake, there have been several attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport amid an ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen-based organisation Ansarullah, also known as the Houthis.
Strikes in early October killed more than a dozen people and damaged aircraft, according to reports by CNN and The Guardian.
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