The conflict between Yemen's Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia has sharply escalated in recent days, with Houthi forces making rapid gains along the Red Sea coast and taking control of key areas around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
asserted
forces → escalate → Strait
Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes.
asserted
Arabia → respond → airstrikes
Houthi forces have launched drones and missiles towards Saudi territory.
asserted
forces → launch → territory
The renewed fighting has also raised concerns about global trade via the Red Sea.
asserted
fighting → renew → Sea
The conflict has also spread online, where significant disinformation has circulated.
asserted
disinformation → spread → ?
DW's fact-checking team examined what is circulating and why a conflict that is so hard to observe independently leaves so much room for this kind of disinformation.
asserted
that → check → disinformation
One nine-second clip has gone viral.
asserted
clip → go → ?
It shows a huge explosion between buildings, with fireballs and screaming in the background.
asserted
It → show → background
Claim: A user posted the video on X with the Arabic caption "Yemeni forces are carrying out the strongest strikes in various areas in Saudi Arabia, including Abha."
uncertain
forces → post → Abha
The video has more than 340,000 views.
asserted
video → have → views
It was also posted in other languages, falsely claiming that it showed real footage from the current fighting.
asserted
it → post → fighting
DW Fact check: Fake and AI-generated
The video is not only old, but also artificially generated.
asserted
video → generate → ?
There are several visual clues in the clip such as the pattern of the explosions and the uniform way the smoke spreads.
asserted
smoke → be → explosions
A large-scale explosion of this kind would also have generated a very bright flash, and nearby buildings would likely have collapsed or at least had their windows shattered.
asserted
windows → generate → flash
Neither appears to have happened.
asserted
Neither → appear → ?
One can also see, in the final seconds of the video, how a lamppost appears out of nowhere in the middle of the frame.
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lamppost → see → frame
The audio is mostly unintelligible, but the speaker's tone does not appear to change after the huge explosion.
asserted
tone → appear → explosion
Such a large explosion would normally be expected to trigger some audible reaction in the speaker's voice.
asserted
explosion → expect → voice
On the technical side, Hive Moderation's AI detection analysis also confirmed that the video was artificially generated.
asserted
video → confirm → side
The very same video was shared this June, then claiming to show explosions in Iran, as we found with a reverse image search.
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we → share → search
Not enough verified information from Yemen
The recycling of old or unrelated footage is not new to the Yemen conflict.
asserted
recycling → verify → conflict
Hannah Porter has spent years researching fake news and disinformation in Yemen and the country's wider information environment.
asserted
Porter → spend → Yemen
She says this has been happening for years.
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this → say → years
And, because there is not sufficient attention paid to Yemen, I think that allows more space for disinformation to spread not only within Yemen and in the region, but globally about Yemen," Porter told DW.
asserted
Porter → be → DW
The Houthis seized Yemin's capital, Sanaa, and expanded their control in 2014.
asserted
Houthis → seize → 2014
Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in 2015 in support of Yemen's internationally recognised government.
asserted
Arabia → intervene → government
A UN-brokered truce in 2022 sharply reduced fighting, but it did not resolve the conflict.
asserted
it → broker → conflict
Fighting has since intensified again.
asserted
Fighting → intensify → ?
The Houthis now control large parts of northern and western Yemen.
asserted
Houthis → control → Yemen
Saudi Arabia supports forces opposing them, while Iran has provided the Houthis with military support.
asserted
Iran → support → support
Experts and media watchdogs such as Reporters Without Borders have repeatedly pointed out that reporting from parts of Yemen remains extremely difficult.
asserted
reporting → point → Yemen
Journalists face threats, and independent media outlets are under intense pressure.
asserted
outlets → face → pressure
This contributes to the spread of disinformation.
asserted
This → contribute → disinformation
It is "very difficult to get reliable information, especially now and especially in the north [of Yemen]," Porter said.
asserted
Porter → get → Yemen
She said researchers and the international community were struggling to establish what is happening in northern Yemen.
asserted
what → say → Yemen
Military exercise becomes ambush
asserted
exercise → become → ?
The second video that DW Fact check examined shows how genuine footage can become a source of disinformation.
asserted
footage → examine → disinformation
Claim: A 30-second clip posted on X shows a convoy of military vehicles passing through a desert.
uncertain
convoy → post → desert
Moments later, large explosions erupt and several vehicles are engulfed in smoke and flames.
asserted
vehicles → erupt → smoke
The caption reads: "The most beautiful thing I've seen: Houthis ambush against the Saudi-Backed Mercenaries' convoy in Yemeni."
asserted
Houthis → read → Yemeni
…and 15 more, not listed.
The Aporia
