No, AI-generated video of burning aircraft is not Pakistani F-16
What's the story
A video claiming to show a Pakistani Air Force F-16 fighter jet shot down by Afghan forces has gone viral on social media. The footage shows burning wreckage of an aircraft with Pakistani markings and the tail number "85510." However, visual analysis suggests that while the video may be real, it has been manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
Video analysis
Aircraft in video doesn't look like an F-16 jet
Social media users have pointed out that the size and structure of the aircraft in the video do not match those of an F-16 fighter jet. Additionally, the serial number "85510" on the tail does not correspond to any known Pakistani F-16 inventories. This further raises doubts about the authenticity of the footage.
Twitter Post
The video purporting to show a downed Pakistan F-16
🚨 BIG BREAKING NEWS💥
— Afghanistan Defense (@AFGDefense) February 27, 2026
This is a Pakistani military F-16, American-made, that Afghan defensive forces have shot down. pic.twitter.com/7qBAjv89rk
Conflict escalation
Video comes amid rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan
The video comes amid rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The conflict has intensified with Pakistan conducting airstrikes on major Afghan cities, including Kabul. Pakistani officials claim to have killed 133 Taliban fighters and wounded over 200 in these strikes, even as the Taliban claims 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed.
Military actions
Pakistan claims to have killed over 130 Taliban fighters
Local media reported Pakistani security officials confirming that their air and ground operations targeted Taliban positions, headquarters, and ammunition depots along the border. The latest strikes follow earlier Pakistani air raids that Islamabad said targeted Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State camps in eastern Afghanistan. However, the Taliban regime contested the claim, alleging the airstrikes inflicted casualties on civilians.
Rising tensions
Taliban threaten retaliation against Pakistan's actions
Taliban officials have again threatened retaliation against Pakistan's latest actions. Clashes intensified on Thursday night when Taliban forces claimed to have attacked Pakistani military positions along the border. In response, Pakistan announced the launch of "Operation Ghazab Lil Haq." Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif posted on social media, "Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you."