Prime Minister Netanyahu Alive as Prime Minister's Office Dismisses Assassination Claims

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vigorously dismissed social media rumors claiming his assassination.

“The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied on Saturday the allegations circulating on social media about his assassination in an Iranian response to the American and Israeli strikes, describing them as 'fake news'”

Al-Jazeera Net

The official denial came in response to inquiries from Anadolu Agency regarding widespread social media speculation.

Al-Jazeera Net

The Prime Minister's Office consistently stated 'These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine' across multiple communications.

The rumors gained significant traction during a period of heightened regional tensions.

Coordinated responses from official channels and fact-checking entities worked to counter the misinformation.

The assassination rumors originated from a video Netanyahu posted on his X handle during the ongoing Israel-US-Iran conflict.

Social media users claimed to have spotted what appeared to be six fingers on his right hand.

Asianet Newsable

This visual anomaly led to speculation that the clip may have been generated using artificial intelligence.

Some users interpreted the extra fold of flesh as a 'classic AI finger glitch.'

The video became the focal point for numerous conspiracy theories that spread across social media platforms.

The rumors emerged amid sharply escalating hostilities in the Middle East.

“Israel Denies Viral Rumours Claiming Netanyahu Was Killed Several unverified posts on social media platforms claimed that Netanyahu had been assassinated or had disappeared The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected widespread social media rumours claiming he had been killed or had gone missing, describing the allegations as “fake news”

Deccan Chronicle

They followed coordinated US-Israeli strikes on February 28 that killed Iran's then-supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with waves of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and neighboring countries.

Iran also shut down the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global energy flows.

The timing coincided with reports about Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's absence from public appearances.

AI fact-checking tools, particularly X's Grok chatbot, played a significant role in debunking the assassination rumors.

Grok stated that what appeared to be an extra finger was actually a visual illusion.

Firstpost

The AI reiterated that 'Netanyahu is alive; death rumors from Iranian media and social posts have been debunked by Snopes, Times of Israel, and others as unverified misinformation.'

Grok also fact-checked claims that the Israeli PM had deleted tweets, verifying such screenshots were 'fake'.

The AI confirmed the only recent post from the official profile was a National Security Council announcement.

Multiple conspiracy theories and social media speculations further fueled the assassination rumors.

“‘PM is fine’: Netanyahu's office dismisses ‘fake’ social media claims of assassination X's AI chatbot, Grok, had also debunked several social media speculations and reiterated that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is alive”

Hindustan Times

Claims emerged about Netanyahu's son Yair Netanyahu's sudden absence from posting on X.

Hindustan Times

Yair typically tweeted 30-40 times per day but had not posted for five days, suggesting some users this indicated a 'family tragedy.'

Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported unverified claims that Iran had struck Netanyahu's residence.

Additional conspiracy theories focused on video background analysis where curtains moved while Israeli flags remained still.