Fact Check: CNN Did NOT Air Graphic Claiming 'Pakistan Strikes India's Air Defense'

Digital Edit

Did CNN broadcast a graphic touting Pakistan's supposed military success against India, including a caption that read "Pakistan Strikes India's Air Defense"? No, that's not true: A CNN spokesperson told Lead Stories it was a "fabricated image". India has denied Pakistan's claims of having inflicted significant damage on their S-400 air defense system.

The fake CNN graphic was presented as real in a May 15, 2025, post on X (archived here). The text embedded in the graphic read as follows:

SOUTH ASIA REPORT

PAKISTAN
DISRUPTS INDIA'S AIR SHIELD S-400 SYSTEM

Pakistan carried out a strike that was "executed using hypersonic missiles launched from the JF-17", a Chinese fighter jet.
Footage released by Pakistani authorities shows two CM-400AKG missiles being used to carry out the mission. They were made by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, or CASIC.

The Indian air defence system destroyed last week -- the S-400 Triumf -- is one of the world's most advanced, made by Almaz-Antey, Russia's largest arms maker. It costs around US$1.5 billion.

INDIA'S RESPONSE

Meanwhile, India attempted to debunk this information. As part of a working visit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to the Adampur air base to refute the reported strike and appeared in front of one of the S-400 air defense system's launchers.

In doing so, he arguably confirmed the damage to components of the system more than he denied it.
This is because Pakistan had claimed it struck radarr and command post, not a launcher, of which there can be up to 12 units in a single regiment.

INDIA-PAKISTAN CONFLICT
PAKISTAN STRIKES INDIA'S AIR DEFENSE
CNN NEWSROOM

This is what it looked like at the time of writing:

(Source: X screenshot)

CNN did not report those claims, and the graphic including the network's logo along with the phrase "Pakistan Strikes India's Air Defense" was fake.

Lauren Cone, senior director of CNN Communications, told Lead Stories in an email:

This is a fabricated image. CNN did not report this.

Pakistan has claimed that it targeted and destroyed part of India's S-400 air defense system, but India has firmly denied such claims.