Viral ‘Iranian Missile’ video actually shows China’s Tianzhou‑9 spacecraft
A video circulating on social media claims to show an Iranian missile. However, a Dismislab fact-check finds the claim to be false. The footage does not depict any Iranian missile; it shows China’s Tianzhou‑9 cargo spacecraft.
A Facebook page calling itself a news outlet, “News Flash 71,” recently posted the video. The clip shows a glowing jellyfish‑like object moving across the night sky. Text inside the video reads: “What kind of missile did Iran fire?” At the time of writing, the video had been viewed at least 9 million times, shared more than 2,000 times, and received over 150,000 reactions.
Reverse image searches of several key frames led Dismislab to a matching video on the YouTube channel of China’s state‑run media outlet CGTN. Uploaded on July 16, 2025, the video is titled: “Watch how China’s Tianzhou‑9 creates a mesmerizing jellyfish‑like scene in space.”
The same footage appears in a July 17, 2025 report by India’s Economic Times, which identifies the scene as the Tianzhou‑9 spacecraft. According to the report, the cargo vessel created the jellyfish‑shaped plume during its launch, and the visuals quickly went viral on social media.
The Economic Times report notes that Tianzhou‑9 successfully docked with China’s Tiangong space station, delivering essential supplies and scientific equipment as part of the mission.
In short, the viral video being shared as an Iranian missile launch is not related to Iran or any military activity. It shows China’s Tianzhou‑9 spacecraft during launch.
