Old Image Of Drone Shot Down In Yemen Falsely Shared As Indian UAV Intercepted By Pakistan

Claim

The Pakistani Army has successfully intercepted an Indian UAV in Gujranwala.

 The archived version of the post can be seen here.

Fact

Newschecker noticed that the text on the top of the viral image read, “this image is just to show how the wreckage might look like,” raising our doubts.

We then ran a reverse image search, which led us to the same photo featured in a Newsweek report, dated September 22, 2022, headlined, “Iranian-Linked Drones Downed as Russia Ramps Up Air Attacks: Ukraine.”

“A damaged drone is pictured in the streets of Sana’a, Yemen, after being shot down on May 23, 2022. Ukraine’s military said on Thursday that it had destroyed several Iranian-made “kamikaze” drones,” read the caption, crediting the photo to Getty Images. We found the same photo on Getty Images’ website, uploaded on May 23, 2022.

“People inspect a downed drone on Haddah street in Al-Rowaishan Round on May 23, 2022 in Sana’a, Yemen. According to a Houthi military spokesperson, the Saudi Air Force drone was shot down by the Houthi-run air defense system, killing three and injuring another three as it crashed into the neighborhood. There is currently a 2-month truce between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebels that went into effect on April 2^nd,” read the caption, further contradicting the viral claim of it being an Indian drone intercepted in Pakistan.

We also came across this PIB Fact Check post on X, dated May 8, 2025, confirming that the image is from 2022 and not related to the ongoing India-Pakistan clashes.

Also Read: Deepfake Video Of Pakistani Army General Admitting Loss Of 2 Fighter Jets Goes Viral

Source
Newsweek report, September 22, 2022
Getty Images photo, May 23, 2022