Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the conspiracy theory claiming his death in a video posted to his official X/Twitter account on Sunday afternoon.
The theory was originally pushed by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, and did not present evidence of a strike on Netanyahu or any official confirmation of harm.
In the video, Netanyahu is seen picking up a coffee order before being asked about the rumors by the person filming.
“I love coffee, I love my nation,” Netanyahu said in the video, using the Hebrew slang word “met” meaning “love,” which is the same as the Hebrew word for “dead.”
Netanyahu asked the person filming if they want to “count his fingers,” before raising both hands to the camera, directly responding to online theorists who’ve circulated the rumor that a Friday video published on his X account was AI generated and allegedly showed him with six fingers.
Public should continue to follow HFC guidelines
He followed this by urging the Israeli public to stay near sheltered areas even as they go outside, and that the public’s strength “gives him, the government, the IDF, and the Mossad strength.”
“We are doing things that I can’t share at the moment,” he said, adding that the IDF has and will continue striking Iran and Lebanon “very hard."
“You tell me to keep going?" he said. "I’m telling you also. Keep going.”
“Keep listening to the Home Front Command’s instructions all the time, the mayors, and to always stay near shelter,” Netanyahu concluded, adding that restrictions will ease when the situation allows.