A dramatic image showing a city skyline illuminated by flames with the caption “Sunrise in Sialkot” has gone viral amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor. However, multiple verifications confirm that the image is not from Sialkot, but rather from Gaza, dating back to earlier conflict footage from 2023.
The image in question was initially shared widely on social media, purporting to depict the aftermath of alleged Indian air strikes in Pakistan’s Punjab region on May 7, 2025. These claims gained traction following unverified reports of explosions and red alert warnings issued by Pakistan in Sialkot.
What’s the truth?
Prominent journalist Aditya Raj Kaul was among the first to clarify the misinformation. He tweeted,
“This photo is from Gaza!”
This photo is from Gaza!
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 7, 2025
A quick reverse image search on Google confirms his claim. The same image had previously appeared in news coverage related to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza in 2023, not in any context linked to India-Pakistan tensions.
AI Verification:
Even Grok AI, a news interpretation bot, noted that while Operation Sindoor and related military activity on May 7 are credible developments, the video and images circulating claiming to show Sialkot under attack are fake. Grok confirms:
“The video shared is fake, showing unrelated Gaza footage from 2023, not Sialkot.”
@grok what is this is this true
— hello (@iamgreat01) May 7, 2025
Images from Gaza shared as strike on Sialkot in Pakistan. Images are 4 years old. https://t.co/sI6JyZhGJW pic.twitter.com/SD8a2quToR
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) May 7, 2025
Why the confusion?
The confusion appears to stem from the tense atmosphere along the LoC and IB, with reports of sirens and increased military activity near Sialkot. However, no official statement from either Indian or Pakistani authorities has confirmed fresh airstrikes on the city itself.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has claimed civilian zones were hit, while India maintains that only terrorist infrastructure in PoJK was targeted during Operation Sindoor.
Verdict:
The image claiming to show “Sunrise in Sialkot” is false. It is an old photo from Gaza, unrelated to the current India-Pakistan situation. Always verify such sensitive content using reliable news outlets and reverse image search tools.
