Where is Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu?
India Today
Over the past week, social media has been abuzz with rumours claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was killed in an Iranian missile strike. However, there remains no credible evidence. It coincided with his reported absence from cabinet meetings. However, Israel has released videos and images to assert that Netanyahu is alive.
The 'six fingers' claim. Vanishing ring. Alleged deepfake videos and claims of his absence from Israeli security cabinet meetings have made Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the most scrutinised leader on social media in the past week. There have been fervent rumours that Bibi, as Netanyahu is fondly known, is dead or critically injured amid the Iran conflict. Since last week, there have been no live TV addresses by Netanyahu, and the videos released by Israel to debunk his death rumours have been dissected in microscopic detail. 'Is Bibi dead or alive?' has been among the top trends on X.
The unusual silence on X by Yair Netanyahu, the Israeli PM's social media-savvy son, has only added fuel to the speculation. A "Twitter addict" who usually posts around 30-35 times per day, Yair's X account has fallen silent since March 9. Moreover, a recent viral video of US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent being abruptly pulled from a live interview to attend a meeting with Trump and his visibly shaken voice on returning have only added grist to the rumour mill.
? >> pic.twitter.com/ijHPkM3ZHZ— Benjamin Netanyahu - (@netanyahu) March 15, 2026
But how did rumours about Netanyahu's death start circulating? Since February 28, when the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 75-year-old PM has stuck to video addresses. While the Israeli PM has visited two towns hit by Iranian missiles, a hospital, and military bases, there has been little to no media access. Even the first press briefing he held was conducted via a video link on March 12.
However, hawk-eyed social media users noticed something was amiss. One particular frame quickly generated widespread debate. In that image, Netanyahu's left hand appears distorted, with several users claiming it appeared to show six fingers.
Now, such distortions are known to be a tell-tale sign that an image is generated via AI. Generative AI tools are known to struggle to render human hands accurately.
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Over the past week, social media has been abuzz with rumours claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was killed in an Iranian missile strike. However, there remains no credible evidence. It coincided with his reported absence from cabinet meetings. However, Israel has released videos and images to assert that Netanyahu is alive.
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