Govt Fact-Checks Fake Photo Of Delhi Blast Circulating Online

PIB clarified that the picture was not from Delhi, but from an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburb in Lebanon on September 27, 2024.

Fact-checkers noted that the Lebanon airstrike image had been repeatedly misused through 2024.

Source : PIB

As panic and misinformation spread following Monday evening’s deadly car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check unit swiftly stepped in to debunk a viral falsehood. In a late-night post on X, PIB exposed a widely circulated image, showing a massive fireball and mushroom cloud, being falsely shared as footage from the Delhi blast.

The agency clarified that the picture was not from Delhi, but from an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburb in Lebanon on September 27, 2024.

“Some propaganda accounts are circulating an old image on social media, falsely claiming it to be linked to the blast in Delhi,” PIB stated. “#PIBFactCheck: The image is from a 2024 blast in Lebanon, not from Delhi.” The post included a direct link to a Lebanese news outlet that had originally reported the context, “A new Israeli airstrike targeted Beirut’s Dahiyeh.”

Fake Photo Of Delhi Blast

The misinformation began circulating within an hour of the 6:52 pm explosion, which killed eight people and injured over 25 near Lal Qila Metro Station Gate No. 1. Several unverified handles, including some with blue check marks, amplified the fake photo with alarmist captions such as “Delhi under attack” and “Terror returns to the capital.” By 9 pm, the image had crossed 1.2 million impressions, fuelling panic and a surge of conspiracy theories, ranging from alleged foreign involvement to domestic sabotage.

Some propaganda accounts are circulating an old image on social media, falsely claiming it to be linked with blast in Delhi#PIBFactCheck:

✅ The image is from a 2024 blast in Lebanon, not from #Delhi

🔗 https://t.co/RuGArnfHYM

🔍 Always verify such claims through credible… pic.twitter.com/g0IeypSy34

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) November 10, 2025

PIB’s intervention came as Home Minister Amit Shah visited the blast site and Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued condolences. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police appealed to citizens not to share unverified content, warning that such posts could “hamper ongoing investigations.”

Fact-checkers noted that the Lebanon airstrike image had been repeatedly misused through 2024, including during unrelated incidents in Syria and Iraq amid the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Authorities have since flagged over 40 accounts for spreading the fake image, with action under IT Rules expected soon. As the NIA and Delhi Police Special Cell continue to probe the real cause of the Red Fort blast, PIB reiterated a reminder for the public: “Always verify such claims through credible and official sources before sharing.”