#FactCheck-Viral Video of Monkey Saving Child Hanging From Balcony Is AI-Generated
Research Wing
Innovation and Research
PUBLISHED ON
Apr 30, 2026
10
Executive Summary
A video showing a monkey dramatically rescuing a child hanging from a balcony is being widely shared on social media. In the clip, a small child appears to be on the verge of falling when a monkey suddenly arrives, grabs the child, and saves them from falling. Many users praised the monkey’s bravery, while some even described it as a miracle. Research by CyberPeace Research Wing found that the viral video is not real and was created using AI technology before being shared with misleading claims.
Claim
An X user shared the video claiming that a monkey saved a child from falling off a balcony just in time, astonishing onlookers with its intelligence and quick action. The post described the monkey’s act as heroic and compassionate.
To verify the claim, we extracted keyframes from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. During this process, we found the same video uploaded on April 16, 2026 by an Instagram account named Instagram user mojilo_vandro. The caption described the scene as a “miracle of God.”
A closer review of the account revealed several similar monkey-themed videos. More importantly, the account bio clearly states that it creates AI-based fictional content. We also analyzed the clip using AI detection tool Hive Moderation, which assessed the video as having a 97.6% probability of being AI-generated
Conclusion
Our research confirms that the viral video of a monkey saving a child hanging from a balcony does not depict a real incident. It was digitally created using AI and shared online with misleading claims.
A video is rapidly circulating on social media following claims that Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani was killed in an Israeli airstrike. The viral clip is being shared with the assertion that it shows the moment Israel launched a powerful attack on Iran to eliminate Larijani, allegedly shaking the ground due to the intensity of the strike However, research by CyberPeace has found the claim to be misleading. The viral video is AI-generated and has no connection to real-world events.
Claim:
Social media users have shared the video with alarming captions. One such post by Deepak Sharma reads:
“WAR UPDATE… Iran is in its final phase… Israel is striking selectively… This attack will leave you shocked… Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani has been killed in this attack… The intensity of the strike shook the Iranian الأرض.
To verify the claim, we extracted keyframes from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search. During this process, we found the same video on Instagram, uploaded on March 9, 2026, by the account “_iranwar_2026” without any descriptive caption.
According to a BBC report, Ali Larijani died on March 17 in an Israeli strike. This establishes that the viral video predates the reported incident, making the claim factually inconsistent. Further examination of the Instagram account revealed that it frequently shares pro-Iran content, including gaming visuals and AI-generated clips, raising doubts about the authenticity of the video.
To strengthen the verification, we analyzed the viral clip using the AI detection tool “Zhuque AI Detection Assistant.” The results indicated a 91.71% probability that the video is AI-generated, confirming that it is not real footage.
Conclusion
The viral claim linking the video to an Israeli airstrike that allegedly killed Ali Larijani is misleading and factually incorrect. Multiple layers of verification show that the video existed online before the reported incident, ruling out any direct connection. Additionally, AI detection analysis strongly suggests that the video is artificially generated. The source account’s pattern of sharing AI and gaming-related content further weakens the credibility of the claim. There is no verified evidence to support that the viral clip depicts a real attack or any event related to Larijani’s death. Instead, the video appears to be a digitally created visual circulated without context to amplify misinformation.
Amid heightened tensions following Israel and US actions against Iran, a video is being widely shared on social media. The footage shows thick black smoke rising into the sky from a location, suggesting a major explosion or attack. However, research conducted by the CyberPeace found the viral claim to be misleading. Our research revealed that the video is not recent and has no connection to the current Israel-Iran tensions. In fact, the footage is nearly a year old and shows a fire at a casino in Mexico, now being shared out of context.
Claim
Users circulating the video claim that it shows an attack on Tel Aviv, Israel. On March 1, 2026, a user on X shared the clip with the caption, “Iran has drained the oil out of Tel Aviv,” implying a devastating retaliatory strike. (Post and archive links provided above.)
To verify the authenticity of the video, we extracted key frames and performed a reverse image search using Google Lens. During the search, we found the same visuals in a Spanish media report published on January 16, 2025. This confirmed that the video predates the ongoing geopolitical developments.
According to the report, the footage shows a fire at the Royal Park Casino located inside the Cinépolis plaza in Culiacán, Mexico. Local outlet Meganoticias Culiacán reported on X that the casino was “completely burned down.” The structure reportedly collapsed following the blaze, and emergency responders confirmed that several people were injured. Further keyword searches led us to the same footage on the official YouTube channel of Milenio, uploaded on January 17, 2025. The report clearly states that the fire occurred at the Royal Yacht Casino in Mexico and is unrelated to any recent military developments.
Evidence gathered during our research clearly establishes that the viral video is not related to any missile attack by Iran on Israel. The claim is false. The footage is from a fire incident at a casino in Mexico and is being misleadingly shared in the context of current international tensions, potentially creating unnecessary panic and confusion.
Amid ongoing tensions in West Asia and concerns over the safety of commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members, a purported ABP News video clip has been circulating on social media. The clip, along with an accompanying image, claims that in response to alleged US attacks on ships carrying Indian citizens, the Indian government removed security arrangements outside the US Embassy in New Delhi and withdrew identity cards issued to American diplomats. The viral post also includes an image showing a JCB machine near the US Embassy, which users are sharing as alleged evidence of recent government action against the United States CyberPeace Research Wing research found the claim to be misleading. The probe revealed that both the video clip and the image are not recent and are in fact related to events from 2013, during the diplomatic tensions following the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade.
Claim:
On X (formerly Twitter), a user shared the viral clip alleging that India strongly condemned the US over reported attacks on a vessel carrying Indian citizens and, in response, removed security from the US Embassy in New Delhi and revoked identity cards issued to American diplomats.
A keyword search related to the alleged removal of security outside the US Embassy did not yield any recent credible reports supporting the claim. We also observed that the ABP News logo visible in the viral clip is an older version that is no longer in use, raising further doubts about its authenticity and timeline. To verify the footage, we checked ABP News’ official YouTube channel and found a report dated December 17, 2013. The report stated that Delhi Police had removed security barricades outside the US Embassy in New Delhi following diplomatic tensions between India and the United States over the arrest and treatment of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York. The visuals in the 2013 report closely match multiple segments seen in the viral clip. The footage originally aired as part of ABP News’ “Fatafat” bulletin.
Further search also led to a PTI-reported article published by Times of India on December 17, 2013. According to the report, barricades outside the US Embassy were removed as part of India’s response to the Khobragade incident. The report also mentioned that India had sought the return of identity cards issued to American consular officials and rolled back certain diplomatic privileges.
The image being shared alongside the claim, showing a JCB machine near the US Embassy, is also old. Getty Images carries photographs dated December 17, 2013 showing barricades being removed outside the US Embassy in New Delhi during the same diplomatic episode.
The research clearly establishes that both the viral video clip and the accompanying image are not recent. These visuals are from 2013 and are linked to diplomatic developments following the Devyani Khobragade case. The claim linking them to recent events involving US Embassy security arrangements is misleading.
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