Donald Trump shared an image on social media depicting a large fire and smoke, claiming it represented the U.S.’s response to Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The image, posted on his Truth Social account on July 8, was accompanied by a caption stating it was “retribution” and warning of further escalation if such attacks occurred again. The post was subsequently amplified by the official White House X account and the Pentagon’s Facebook page, as well as the news outlet Newsmax.
However, a verification of the image reveals it is an altered version of an older photograph. A reverse image search led to a Getty Images photo dated June 2025, which shows smoke and flames rising after what is described as an Israeli attack on the Shahran oil depot in Tehran, Iran. The account that initially shared the image on X later issued a correction, admitting it was not from the current events.
Furthermore, analysis using AI detection tools, including OpenAI’s verification tool, indicated that the image shared by Trump likely contains AI-generated content.
This development follows Trump’s declaration on Wednesday, July 8, that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was over. This announcement came after the U.S. launched additional military strikes against Iran, citing recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated these strikes were intended to further degrade Iran’s capacity to endanger freedom of navigation in the critical waterway.
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