
Recently, a video went viral on social media claiming it was from the Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia after Yemen’s Houthis allegedly launched missiles at it.
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However, upon investigation, we found that the claim was false. The viral video is old and unrelated to the Abha International Airport. Here’s the fact check.
Fact Check
We started our investigation by taking screenshots from the viral video and conducting a reverse image search. This led us to a Facebook page where the viral video was uploaded on July 8, 2021.

The caption of the video read, “#BREAKING: Massive explosion on ship reported at Jebel Ali Port in Dubai
A fire caused by an explosion within a container on board a ship at Jebel Ali Port has been brought under control; no casualities have been reported, says Dubai civil defence”.
Taking this clue, we conducted a relevant keyword search that led us to a report published in The Irish Sun on July 7, 2021, containing the viral clip.

The report read, “THIS is the dramatic moment an “oil tanker” explosion sent flames shooting into the sky in a towering inferno.
The explosion at Jebel Ali Port in Dubai was heard several miles away with the glass in many buildings close by being shattered due to impact, according to reports. A Tweet from Dubai’s state-run media office said that a fire was reported to have erupted on a ship and that a team of firefighters was working to control the blaze.
Two fire trucks and other emergency vehicles could be seen heading south of Dubai on the main road that leads to Abu Dhabi, Reuters reported…”
A report published in The Guardian on July 8, 2021 read, “A container ship anchored at Dubai’s Jebel Ali port caught fire, causing a huge explosion that sent tremors across the United Arab Emirates’ commercial hub. The explosion was seen kilometres away and unleashed a shock wave through the city”
Other reports can be read here and here.
This makes it clear that the viral video is old and unrelated to the Abha International Airport.
Conclusion
From our investigation, we can say that the claim is false. The viral video doesn’t show an attack on the Abha International Airport. This is an old video of an explosion on a container ship at the Jebel Ali port, Dubai.


