The Image Claiming Iran Shot Down a B-2 Bomber is Fabricated
Emerging story
Social media accounts circulated an image claiming it shows Iran shooting down a U.S. B-2 bomber and capturing its entire crew.
Publishers
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s team at Al-Araby TV investigated the circulating image and found the claim to be fake. The image is AI-generated and does not document Iran shooting down a U.S. B-2 bomber or capturing its crew.
AI-Generated Image
The image was posted on March 7 by several X accounts, where it was labeled as AI-generated.
The image also contains several indicators that show that the image is not authentic. For example, it shows three captured individuals, even though the B-2 bomber is operated by only two crew members: a pilot seated on the left and a mission commander seated on the right. The presence of three prisoners is therefore inconsistent with the aircraft’s actual crew configuration.
The image also displays clear distortions, particularly in the hands of the figures, as well as similarities in the facial features of some of the soldiers depicted as Iranian—artifacts commonly seen in AI-generated imagery.
In addition, the aircraft appears relatively intact despite the claim that it crashed. There is no visible impact crater or significant explosion damage around it, while small scattered debris pieces appear inconsistent with the crash of a large strategic bomber.
Comparing the circulating image with known photographs of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber also reveals clear design differences. The real aircraft features engine inlets embedded within the wing behind the cockpit, whereas the aircraft in the circulating image shows large, prominent openings on top of the fuselage.
The cockpit in the image also appears more swollen and elevated than the known shape of the aircraft, while the wing appears thicker and the structural lines less consistent than in the real design—further suggesting that the aircraft depicted does not match the known engineering characteristics of the B-2.
An analysis using the AI-detection tool Hive Moderation also indicated a high likelihood that the image was generated using artificial intelligence, estimating a 99.9 percent probability that it was AI-generated.
No credible reports of Iran downing a B-2 bomber
A review of official statements and credible media coverage found no reports indicating that Iran shot down a U.S. B-2 stealth bomber or captured its crew.
Meanwhile, U.S. bombers—including the B-2—have reportedly been used in strikes targeting Iranian sites as part of the ongoing war involving Iran.
The claim circulated as the military escalation entered its ninth day, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continuing to launch successive waves of ballistic missiles and drones toward Israeli targets and U.S. bases in Gulf countries, in response to strikes carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran.
On Sunday, the IRGC announced the start of the 28th wave of Operation “True Promise,” stating that the scale and depth of Iranian armed forces’ attacks against Israel would increase.
Read More
Does the Video Show an Iranian Attack on an Industrial Facility in Israel?
Video Does Not Show an Explosion in Abu Dhabi Amid the Recent Iranian Strikes