The Iran-US war in 2026 escalated after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites on February 28.
Iran retaliated with missiles and drones targeting US bases and regional allies. Tensions also spread to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global energy, where threats and attacks disrupted tanker traffic and raised fears of oil supply shocks.
In the above context, a video is being widely shared on social media in which a ship is seen on fire in the middle of the sea. The video is shared with a caption suggesting that it shows a fire on a US ship after it was hit by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
A social media user shared the video with a caption that reads, “An American oil tanker has been struck by Iran and is on fire in the Strait of Hormuz. We’re winning so much.”
SouthCheck found the claim to be false. We found that the viral video is old and is of a Middle East tanker collision in Hormuz.
On doing a Google Reverse Image Search, we found that the same video was shared by a YouTube channel on June 18, 2025. In the video at around 12 seconds, we could see the same video as in the viral video. The video is shared with a caption that reads, "Two oil tankers collided near the Strait of Hormuz amid rising regional tension. No injuries or oil spill reported, but GPS interference is raising serious concerns."
Since, the Iran-Israel war escalated on February 28, 2026 and the viral video preceded the date, we can ascertain that the viral video is old.
A screenshot of the video was also shared by a website, Shipping Australia, on June 20, 2025.
The report suggests that the collision between the oil tanker Adalynn and the cargo vessel Front Eagle near the UAE coast was an accident caused by navigational misjudgment. The ships collided about 24 nautical miles off Khor Fakkan, causing minor hull damage, a small oil spill, and a fire on one vessel. The UAE Coast Guard rescued 24 crew members, and authorities found no evidence of sabotage or external attack.
Another website, Peninsular Qatar, also shared the screenshot of the video on June 19, 2025.
The report suggests that a collision between two oil tankers, Adalynn and Front Eagle, in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz triggered an oil spill that Greenpeace warned could become an environmental disaster. Satellite images showed an oil plume spreading over nearly 1,500 hectares. The tanker Adalynn may have been carrying around 70,000 tonnes of crude oil, raising concerns about serious damage to marine ecosystems.
Hence, we can ascertain that the viral video has no links with the ongoing Israel-Iran war.
