March 15, 2026 | 08:05 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the social media claims that he had passed away.
A correspondent from Anadolu Agency, as reported by NDTV, asked the office if they had a statement regarding the increasing claims on social media that Netanyahu had been assassinated.
“These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine,” the office responded.
On Friday, Netanyahu shared a press conference video about the US-Israel-Iran war on his X account (formerly Twitter). In the video, some social media users claimed to have seen six fingers on Netanyahu's right hand, sparking rumors that the video was AI-generated.
At the 0:35 mark, when Netanyahu raises his hand, extra flesh is visible next to his pinky finger, which many social media users claim to be a sixth finger, a 'classic AI finger glitch.'
American conservative political commentator Candace Owens asked, "Where's Bibi?", referring to him by his nickname. "Why is his office releasing and deleting fake AI videos from him, and why is there mass panic at the White House?" she wrote in a post on X.
One user also questioned the movement of the curtain in the background while both Israeli flags remained static. "Notice how the blackout curtain moves in the exact same pattern throughout the entire video, almost like it's looping. While the two flags don't move at all. Clear indicator of AI," the user wrote.
However, this claim was refuted by another user who stated, "Many people use fake backgrounds these days, like news broadcasters. Doesn't mean he's fake."
Israel and the US launched a joint attack against Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war. Iran retaliated by striking neighboring oil exporters.
Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil supplies, disrupting trade. This narrow waterway is one of the most important energy passages in the world, typically handling about 20 million barrels of oil shipments per day and around 20% of global liquefied natural gas trade.
Read: US Prepares for 100 Days of War Against Iran
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