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Does this video really show Iran attacking a U.S. base in Kuwait? Fact Check

Claim: Video purportedly shows attack on a U.S. base in Kuwait by Iranian forces.

Conclusion: The claim is misleading. While Iran did attack Kuwait in response to a U.S. strike, the video in the claim does not show any attack on a U.S. base in Kuwait. It is misattributed footage from a fireworks factory explosion in Malta on June 1, 2026.

Rating: Misleading


Several social media users have shared a video clip and claimed that it showcases Iran attacking a U.S. base in Kuwait. Verified X user ‘IranMilittary’ shared such a post with the caption : “JUST IN: Dramatic footage appears to show the reported attack on a U.S. base in Kuwait as regional tensions continue to escalate.” The 55-second clip depicts a massive explosion with a towering plume of smoke and fire. View the post below – 

Other users have shared similar claims that can be seen here and here

FACT CHECK

DigitEYE India decided to investigate this claim and found it to be misleading. While Iran did strike Kuwait,  the viral video is unrelated to any alleged strike on a U.S. base in Kuwait. The footage actually captures a fireworks factory blast in Malta on June 1, 2026 and has been incorrectly presented as evidence of the attack. 

Details:

We first conducted a web search using the phrase “Iran attacks U.S. bases in Kuwait” to understand the context. According to a TOI report published on June 3, 2026, ‘Iran on Wednesday launched strikes on U.S. military bases in Kuwait in retaliation for what it described as American “hostile actions” in the Persian Gulf.’ The report further notes that the U.S. denied claims that Iran had successfully attacked an American military base in the Gulf. A section of the report is shown below – 

Following this, we conducted a reverse image search on various keyframes of the video shared in the claim. The search took us to an Instagram post dated May 31, 2026 with a part of the caption : “BREAKING | Major Explosion Reported in Naxxar–Salini Area, Malta.” The caption further stated that “A powerful explosion was reported in the Telgħa t’ Alla u Ommu area between Naxxar and Salini, prompting a major emergency response.” View the post below – 

Another search result took us to a BBC report that is titled “Watch: Explosion at fireworks factory in Malta.” The report showcases the same video which is falsely shared in the claim as an Iranian attack on U.S. bases in Kuwait. The report observes that “An explosion occurred at a fireworks factory in Naxxar, Malta on Monday, local authorities confirmed.” View a screenshot of this below – 

Lastly, we searched for the actual footage of the Iranian strikes on U.S. bases in Kuwait on Youtube. India Today has included the footage of the strikes and has credited the IRGC in a video titled : “ON CAMERA: Iran Fires Missiles At U.S Bases In Kuwait And Bahrain As West Asia War Reignites.”

Another clip has been shared by The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting which claims to show a missile hitting Kuwait after American air defenses fail to intercept it.

Thus, the claim is misleading.


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Shelton Rozario

Shelton Rozario is a final-year graduate student from the St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, enthusiastic in pursuing a career in journalism. He has joined Digiteye India in July 2025 as an Intern. He can be reached at sheltonr@digiteye.in More »

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