People in Saudi are using Iranian Shahed drone sounds to prank each other
India Today
Viral videos from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries show people playing the distinctive buzzing sound of the Shahed-136 drone on their phones to prank friends and family.
In the middle of a tense geopolitical moment in West Asia, viral video clips from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations show people playing the unmistakable buzzing sound of the Shahed-136 drone on their phones, only to prank unsuspecting friends and family into thinking a drone is overhead.
The videos, widely shared on platforms like Instagram and X, follow a similar pattern. A faint, moped-like whirring fills the air, prompting people inside homes to panic and rush out, fearing a possible aerial threat. Moments later, the tension dissolves into laughter when it’s revealed to be nothing more than a prank.
The trend has quickly snowballed, with dozens of such clips surfacing online, often captioned with references to “drone prank wars.” (India Today, however, can't confirm the authenticity of the videos shared on TikTok)
Check the videos:
Saudis pranking each other with the sound of a Shahed drone.Shows they've still got a sense of humor despite repeated attacks from Iran.pic.twitter.com/bb9Ie1uYVI https://t.co/Qxb7YcK6hb— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 26, 2026
The sound being mimicked is not arbitrary. The Shahed-136 drone has become one of the most recognisable auditory signatures in modern conflict zones. Its low, persistent buzz has been widely reported in war coverage, particularly during the Russia-Ukraine War, where Ukrainian civilians likened it to the hum of a moped. That association has now carried over into popular culture in the Gulf, albeit in a much darker, ironic form.
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