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How Iran is spreading 'cloud theft' lies
False claims that the US-Israel war with Iran has disrupted 'cloud theft' operations in the Middle East are being widely shared on social media.
TL;DR
- False claims about 'cloud theft' operations disrupting weather due to the US-Iran conflict are spreading on social media.
- An Iraqi lawmaker alleged that the US used aircraft to 'steal' clouds, causing drought in Iraq, which he linked to the war.
- Scientists state that there is no known technology for 'stealing' clouds and that such claims are unscientific and illogical.
- The claims echo online discussions in Turkey linking heavy rainfall to the closed airspace preventing 'cloud theft'.
- Experts attribute unusual weather patterns, including drought in Iran and heavy rainfall elsewhere, to climate change, not deliberate weather manipulation.
- 'Cloud seeding,' a technique to increase precipitation from existing clouds, is being misrepresented; its effects are limited and do not control weather.
- Climate change is identified as a significant factor, increasing the likelihood and intensity of extreme weather events in the Middle East.
- Public anxiety over water security and the complexity of climate systems contribute to the spread of conspiracy theories.