Smoke billows after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, near the Beirut airport, Oct. 20, 2024. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient Today)
Since Sunday evening, a wave of Israeli strikes on branches of Qard al-Hassan, a financial organization linked to Hezbollah, has sparked widespread discussion on social media about two images that went viral. The first shows a plane belonging to Lebanon's national airline, Middle East Airlines (MEA), landing in front of a fireball following an Israeli strike. The second depicts a strike purportedly in Ghobeiri, in Beirut's southern suburbs.
These images, which have been shared hundreds of times, should be approached with caution.
According to the "Is it AI" software, there is nearly a 90 percent chance that the image of the plane landing amid flames is fabricated. Since last night, several users have deleted the image. Lebanese photographer Rami Rizk posted a quick analysis on X, demonstrating that the image appears to have been generated by artificial intelligence, citing a blurred area on the aircraft's fuselage and the lights on the tarmac that do not correspond to the reality of the setting.
While the image may be AI-generated, it reflects a troubling reality in Lebanon: MEA planes continue to land at Beirut Airport, despite the ongoing and often violent airstrikes on the southern suburbs.
On Sunday night, the Israeli military conducted a series of airstrikes targeting branches of the Hezbollah-affiliated Qard al-Hassan foundation. At least twelve Israeli strikes hit locations in Beirut's southern suburbs, including Haret Hreik, Tahwitat el-Ghadir, Hay al-Sellom, Ghobeiri, Burj Barajneh, Amrousieh and Mreijeh, as well as areas south of the capital in Choueifat (Aley district). At least two Israeli strikes occurred near Beirut airport, according to photos taken by our journalist Matthieu Karam. Despite these attacks, air traffic at the airport remained normal, however, rumors spread about planes experiencing difficulty in landing. A source from Beirut airport later denied rumors about a civilian aircraft being unable to land.
The second image, widely circulated on Sunday evening, purports to show a strike in the Ghobeiri neighborhood, in Beirut's southern suburbs. It features a fireball rising above a block of buildings. However, while the area was indeed targeted, this image does not depict Beirut or its suburbs. The Sawab fact-checking platform revealed that the photo is from March 25, 2019, and was published by Reuters following an Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
The image was also circulated by Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, in a post on X, where he threatened Hezbollah. "Beirut in flames," wrote Katz, asserting that the group "will continue to pay a high price until it collapses."
