Tensions in the Middle East escalated further on Sunday as Iran threatened to “pursue and kill” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even as speculation swirled online about his whereabouts amid the ongoing conflict.
Iran Issues Direct Threat Against Netanyahu
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday warned that it would continue to hunt down Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him a “child-killing criminal”.
“If this child-killing criminal is alive, we will continue to pursue and kill him with full force,” the IRGC said in a statement as hostilities between Iran and Israel entered the 16th day.
The remarks came amid continued exchanges of strikes between the two sides in the widening Middle East conflict.
Social Media Speculation Over Netanyahu’s Whereabouts
The statement also coincided with a wave of speculation on social media about the Israeli leader’s whereabouts, with some users claiming that Benjamin Netanyahu had not been seen publicly for several days.
Questions intensified after a video released on March 12 surfaced online. In the clip, some users claimed the Israeli Prime Minister appeared to have six fingers on one hand, fuelling speculation that the footage may have been edited using artificial intelligence.
In the video, the 76-year-old leader was seen addressing what was described as his first press conference since US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran began on February 28.
During the address, Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s military operations and issued a veiled threat against Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
Israel Rejects Assassination Claims
Amid rising rumours online claiming that the Israeli Prime Minister had been assassinated, Netanyahu’s office dismissed the reports as false.
“These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine,” his office told Anadolu Agency when asked about the circulating claims.
However, Netanyahu’s office or aides have not yet released a detailed official statement addressing the speculation.
