FACT CHECK: Video of Malta factory blast falsely shared as Iranian strike on US bases in Kuwait

ISLAMABAD: A video circulated on X with claims that it showed Iranian missile strikes on United States military bases in Kuwait is, in fact, footage of an explosion at a fireworks factory in Malta, according to a fact check originally published by iVerify Pakistan, a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.

Multiple social media users shared the clip on Monday as tensions remained high in the Middle East. One post, shared by a user described as appearing to be pro-Iranian based on past activity, carried the caption: "Just in: Iran hits US bases in Kuwait again; tensions reach critical level. Reports indicate Iran has launched a new missile strike on US military positions in Kuwait, marking a major escalation in the standoff. The region is now on edge as fears of a broader confrontation intensify."

That post drew 538,000 views. Another user shared the same footage with the caption: "The brave forces destroyed an American base in Kuwait in response to the American strikes against Iran."

That post received 49,000 views, and the same clip was later reposted by several other users making similar claims.

How the video was verified

The verification process began because of strong public interest in the worsening crisis in the region and expectations of a peace deal. A keyword search did not find any reporting by mainstream international, American, Kuwaiti, Gulf or Iranian media outlets supporting the claim that the footage showed strikes in Kuwait.

A reverse image search then traced the video to a clip uploaded by Al Jazeera English on YouTube on June 1 under the title Huge explosion at Malta fireworks factory. The visuals matched those used in the viral posts. The description on that video stated: "A large explosion has torn through a fireworks factory in northern Malta, damaging buildings several kilometres away. No workers were inside at the time, but authorities reported two men in nearby fields were injured."

The same footage was also published by The Guardian on its official YouTube channel under the title Explosion at Malta fireworks factory sends plumes of smoke into air. The Guardian’s caption said the blast took place at the Ta’ Lourdes factory on the north side of the Mediterranean island on June 1, 2026. Two men suffered minor injuries while working in nearby fields and were taken to hospital, while people living nearby reported shattered windows and buildings shaken by the force of the explosion.

Maltese outlet Times of Malta shared the same video on Facebook in the same context. The explosion was also covered by Malta Today and Euro News.

Regional backdrop

Fighting between the US and Iran had intensified over the past week despite an April 8 ceasefire. The US military reported striking Iranian radar, drone and air-defence sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island after Tehran allegedly shot down a US drone over international waters.

Iran, meanwhile, said it targeted a US-linked airbase involved in an attack on a communications tower on Sirik Island in Hormozgan Province. The same source added that Iranian-backed attacks and interceptions were reported in Kuwait on Monday, and that Kuwait condemned Iranian attacks on its territory.

Tensions at sea remained elevated around the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran had continued to challenge commercial shipping and the US had kept up pressure through a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

iVerify Pakistan concluded that the claim was false and that the viral footage was unrelated to the current Middle East crisis, showing instead an explosion at a fireworks factory in Malta.