Jerusalem: The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed viral social media claims suggesting he had been assassinated, calling the reports “fake news” and confirming that the leader is safe.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, rumours circulating online about Netanyahu’s alleged death were baseless. In a clarification issued to Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansı, officials stated that the “Prime Minister is fine” and the claims were false.
The rumours reportedly gained traction after a video posted on Netanyahu’s official X (formerly Twitter) account triggered conspiracy theories, with some users alleging that the footage appeared manipulated.
Social media speculation fuels rumours
Online speculation intensified after some users claimed the video showed Netanyahu with six fingers, leading to allegations that the clip was AI-generated or digitally altered. However, these claims were dismissed as misinterpretations.
Claims about deleted posts also rejected
Additional speculation suggested that the Prime Minister’s Office had posted and later deleted a statement regarding the rumours. These claims were also fact-checked and found to be false, with reports indicating no such post had been removed.
The only recent update from the Prime Minister’s official account was said to be related to a National Security Council announcement, contradicting viral screenshots circulating online.
The rumours surfaced amid heightened tensions in the Middle East during the ongoing conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran.
Iran has also shut the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that normally carries around 20 million barrels of oil shipments daily and roughly 20 per cent of global liquefied natural gas trade.
The closure has disrupted shipping across the Gulf. It had raised concerns about the stability of global energy supplies.
