Did Israel Bomb A Helicopter Painting? How Iran Might Be Fooling Enemies

Did Israeli forces hit a painted decoy instead of real Iranian helicopter? This has become a topic of debate online after the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) posted a video of strike supposedly hitting an Mi-17 helicopter in the ongoing conflict. The grainy infrared footage, posted on March 4 on IDF's official X handle, shows blast at two locations in Iran and destroying Iranian assets and buildings. But users were quick to point out that the black and white video doesn't show an actual helicopter being hit, but a drawing of the chopper.

Watch the video:

חיל האוויר ממשיך לפגוע ביכולות האוויריות של המשטר האיראני: סוכלו חיילים איראנים שהפעילו מערכות הגנה אווירית נגד מטוסי חיל האוויר pic.twitter.com/f6hg6FV5at

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 4, 2026

"Why would you post this self-own? If this was a real chopper the wings wouldn't look exactly as they did before the bombing. You bombed a painting, you retards," said one user.

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"Israel is great at bombing schools full of children and chalk paintings on the ground," said another.

Others, however, pointed to smoke's movement to claim that IDF indeed destroyed a real military asset.

Some reports in local media claimed that Iran has successfully tricked Israel's forces by painting decoys of helicopters on the ground. And IDF's silence is fuelling the debate around the video.

The post still exists on the IDF handle.

The point being highlighted by users criticising Israeli forces say it would have cost them millions of dollars. On an average, an Israeli missile can cost around $3 million, whereas the decoys would only cost a few dollars to produce.

One of the posts claimed IDF did not hit an actual Mi-17 chopper, but a decoy. However, a community note below the post says "thermal signature, including cool shadows, seen here would be difficult to impossible to fake with a painting".

Looks like the Israeli Air Force struck a decoy of an Iranian Mil Mi-17 helicopter painted on the ground. pic.twitter.com/mtEznE308A

— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) March 4, 2026

It's been a week since the conflict in the Middle East began after US and Israel attacked Iran. On Friday, intense Israeli airstrikes pounded the capitals of Iran and Lebanon as the US apparently struck an Iranian drone carrier at sea. Iran launched new retaliatory attacks, which US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned was "about to surge dramatically".