Rumours circulating on social media about the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been dismissed as false by his office, which confirmed that the leader is “fine”.
The speculation began after a video posted from Netanyahu’s account on X triggered online conspiracy theories. Some users claimed the footage looked manipulated after noticing what appeared to be six fingers on one hand, leading to claims that the video was generated using artificial intelligence.
The Prime Minister’s office, however, rejected the claims and clarified to Anadolu Agency that the reports of Netanyahu being assassinated were “fake news.”
The platform’s AI chatbot Grok also addressed the viral rumours, explaining that the supposed extra finger was simply a visual illusion rather than evidence of a manipulated video. It further noted that reports about Netanyahu’s death were unverified misinformation circulating on social media.
Additional speculation was fueled by posts claiming that Netanyahu’s office had deleted a statement about the rumours. However, Grok fact-checked those claims as well, stating that the screenshot being shared online was fabricated and that no such tweet had been deleted.
The rumours gained traction amid heightened tensions in the Middle East during the ongoing US–Iran conflict 2026, when misinformation and conspiracy theories have been spreading widely online.
Netanyahu’s son, Yair Netanyahu, also became a topic of discussion after users noticed he had not posted on X for several days. Some accounts linked the silence to a supposed “family tragedy,” but there has been no evidence supporting those claims.
With the Israeli Prime Minister’s office publicly confirming that Netanyahu is safe, the viral assassination rumours have been widely debunked.