Hoax Pentagon explosion image causes confusion and market dip

A fake image of an explosion near the Pentagon went viral on social media, causing markets to fluctuate. The Arlington Fire Department confirmed that there was no explosion near the Pentagon. The image was spread by various Twitter accounts, including a verified account impersonating Bloomberg news. The S&P 500 fell but quickly bounced back once it was proved the image was fake. Observers pointed out signs of generative AI in the image. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.