Real or Deepfake? Netanyahu emerges in the high-security Kirya command center to prove he’s alive—while announcing the deaths of Iran's top leaders. Here is the breakdown of the video that Tel Aviv wants to serve as proof that Netanyahu is alive.

Real or Deepfake? Netanyahu emerges in the high-security Kirya command centre to prove he’s alive—while announcing the deaths of Iran's top leaders. Here is the breakdown of the video that Tel Aviv wants to serve as proof that Netanyahu is not dead.

Real or deepfake? Netanyahu mocks death rumours with Kirya war room video after wiping out Iran's top 'terror chieftains'

Iran on Tuesday (March 17) claimed that it launched a missile attack which struck near Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem, state-affiliated Press TV reported. The strikes come as Israel claimed that it killed Iran's national security chief, Ali Larijani, though Tehran has not confirmed his death.&nbsp;Israeli media reported that Iranian missile fragments fell across Jerusalem's Old City, landing near major religious sites. Sirens had sounded in the Jerusalem area and parts of central Israel. However, the Prime Minister's office has not sustained any damage.&nbsp;Iranian missile debris has struck the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of Christianity's holiest sites, located in Jerusalem. Shrapnel damage has also been reported near key religious landmarks, including the Temple Mount, NDTV reported.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Israeli PM Netanyahu said that the killing of Tehran's national security chief Ali Larijani was part of efforts to give Iranians a chance to remove their rulers.&nbsp;"This morning we eliminated Ali Larijani, the boss of the Revolutionary Guards, which is the gang of gangsters that actually runs Iran," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.&nbsp;Also Read: ‘<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-nobody-thought-they-were-going-to-hit-trump-on-iran-s-strikes-on-gulf-nations-but-experts-clearly-warned-him-beforehand-1773757268350">Nobody thought they were going to hit’: Trump on Iran’s strikes on Gulf nations. But experts clearly warned him beforehand</a>&nbsp;He said the overthrow of the clerical authorities by Iranians "will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we persist in this -- we will give them a chance to take their fate into their own hands."&nbsp;Earlier in the day, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) released a high-profile photograph showing Netanyahu in a military command centre, appearing to direct a fresh wave of strikes against Iran. The move comes as the government aggressively pushes back against viral social media claims suggesting the Prime Minister had been killed or incapacitated.&nbsp;(Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.)&nbsp;

Israeli media reported that Iranian missile fragments fell across Jerusalem's Old City, landing near major religious sites.

Iran on Tuesday (March 17) claimed that it launched a missile attack which struck near Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem, state-affiliated Press TV reported. The strikes come as Israel claimed that it killed Iran's national security chief, Ali Larijani, though Tehran has not confirmed his death. Israeli media reported that Iranian missile fragments fell across Jerusalem's Old City, landing near major religious sites. Sirens had sounded in the Jerusalem area and parts of central Israel. However, the Prime Minister's office has not sustained any damage. Iranian missile debris has struck the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of Christianity's holiest sites, located in Jerusalem. Shrapnel damage has also been reported near key religious landmarks, including the Temple Mount, NDTV reported. Meanwhile, Israeli PM Netanyahu said that the killing of Tehran's national security chief Ali Larijani was part of efforts to give Iranians a chance to remove their rulers. "This morning we eliminated Ali Larijani, the boss of the Revolutionary Guards, which is the gang of gangsters that actually runs Iran," Netanyahu said in a televised statement. Also Read: ‘Nobody thought they were going to hit’: Trump on Iran’s strikes on Gulf nations. But experts clearly warned him beforehand He said the overthrow of the clerical authorities by Iranians "will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we persist in this -- we will give them a chance to take their fate into their own hands." Earlier in the day, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) released a high-profile photograph showing Netanyahu in a military command centre, appearing to direct a fresh wave of strikes against Iran. The move comes as the government aggressively pushes back against viral social media claims suggesting the Prime Minister had been killed or incapacitated. (Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.)

Israeli media reported that Iranian missile fragments fell across Jerusalem's Old City, landing near major religious sites.

Netanyahu's office hit? Iran claims launched strikes near Israel PMO

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) released a high-profile photograph on Tuesday (March 17) showing Benjamin Netanyahu in a military command centre, appearing to direct a fresh wave of strikes against Iran. The move comes as the government aggressively pushes back against viral social media claims suggesting the Prime Minister had been killed or incapacitated.&nbsp;The image, captioned "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordering the elimination of senior Iranian regime officials," depicts the leader in an active operational role. It follows days of intense online speculation, dubbed the "death buzz", which peaked over the weekend with unverified reports from Iranian state media and conspiracy theories involving "deepfake" AI videos.&nbsp;The release of the photo coincided with a major claim from the Israeli Defence Ministry that Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official and former Speaker of Parliament, was killed in a targeted strike. While Iranian sources initially disputed the report, the IDF later declared Larijani "eliminated," describing him as a central figure in directing recent crackdowns.<h2>Proof of life campaign</h2>Israeli PMO’s strategy to debunk rumours has involved a flurry of public activity:&nbsp;Cafe Video: On Sunday, Netanyahu posted a casual video from a cafe near Jerusalem, joking about the rumours by saying he was "dying for coffee." Nowruz Message: On Monday, he recorded a direct address to the Iranian people, wishing them a "year of freedom" for the Persian New Year.&nbsp;Command Centre Photo: Tuesday’s photo is seen as the "hardest" proof of life yet, placing him at the helm of Operation Roaring Lion.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Photo: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordering the elimination of senior Iranian regime officials. <a href="https://t.co/av6rIqNOFt">pic.twitter.com/av6rIqNOFt</a>&mdash; Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraeliPM/status/2033836294145446128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Escalation in West Asia</h2>These developments come as several barrages of Iranian missiles and drones made it through Israel's famed air defence system, with analysts crediting Tehran's strategic launching of these strikes and the saturation of Israel's defence system.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-stands-firm-as-west-asia-conflict-fails-to-dent-trade-momentum-piyush-goyal-1773747201092">India stands firm as West Asia conflict fails to dent trade momentum: Piyush Goyal</a>&nbsp;The war in West Asia, sparked by joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28, has entered its 18th day with no sign of either side being ready to back down.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the opening day of the military campaign, US-Israeli forces targeted the top leadership of the Islamic Republic, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a decapitation strike on a high-security compound in Tehran.&nbsp;In retaliation, Tehran resorted to launching missile and drone strikes on strategic locations, including US military bases in Gulf nations and key energy and financial centres in these countries, along with closing the Strait of Hormuz to put pressure on Washington.&nbsp;(Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.)

The image, captioned "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordering the elimination of senior Iranian regime officials," depicts the leader in an active operational role.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) released a high-profile photograph on Tuesday (March 17) showing Benjamin Netanyahu in a military command centre, appearing to direct a fresh wave of strikes against Iran. The move comes as the government aggressively pushes back against viral social media claims suggesting the Prime Minister had been killed or incapacitated. The image, captioned "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordering the elimination of senior Iranian regime officials," depicts the leader in an active operational role. It follows days of intense online speculation, dubbed the "death buzz", which peaked over the weekend with unverified reports from Iranian state media and conspiracy theories involving "deepfake" AI videos. The release of the photo coincided with a major claim from the Israeli Defence Ministry that Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official and former Speaker of Parliament, was killed in a targeted strike. While Iranian sources initially disputed the report, the IDF later declared Larijani "eliminated," describing him as a central figure in directing recent crackdowns. Proof of life campaign Israeli PMO’s strategy to debunk rumours has involved a flurry of public activity: Cafe Video: On Sunday, Netanyahu posted a casual video from a cafe near Jerusalem, joking about the rumours by saying he was "dying for coffee." Nowruz Message: On Monday, he recorded a direct address to the Iranian people, wishing them a "year of freedom" for the Persian New Year. Command Centre Photo: Tuesday’s photo is seen as the "hardest" proof of life yet, placing him at the helm of Operation Roaring Lion.

The image, captioned "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordering the elimination of senior Iranian regime officials," depicts the leader in an active operational role.

Netanyahu 'ordering' Iran strikes in new command centre photo as Israel fights death rumours

Speculation around the whereabouts of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is refusing to die down. Several conspiracy theory is circulating on social media, ranging from the idea that Netanyahu was killed or severely injured or replaced by an AI clone. There are videos with serious digital glitches with extra fingers, oddly filled coffee cups, and vanishing rings, all making it hard to comprehend the reality. Even though there is no credible evidence for a hasty conclusion that the Israeli Prime Minister is dead, the attempt by Netanyahu or his team to counter the social media narrative seems to be falling flat on its face.&nbsp;&nbsp;It all started with a set of pictures of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, bloodied, injured and covered in dust, which went viral on social media. These images were circulated with false or unproven claims of the Israeli Prime Minister's demise and were branded as fake by X's AI-tool Grok. These claims were coming at a time when a war was raging with Iran after joint strikes with the US took out Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.To quell those conspiracy theories, a press conference livestream was hosted by Netanyahu on Friday. A clip of the broadcast was widely shared by social media users, with distortion while gesturing near a microphone. Observers alleged that the footage was a "deepfake," with the anomalies of a "sixth finger" on Netanyahu's hand. Most of the generative tools can not properly render seamless anatomy.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/antonio-aguto-pentagon-report-classified-map-misconduct-1773737277510">US general got drunk, fell three times, lost classified map in Kiev</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: LATEST VIDEO RELEASED BY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SHOWS THAT IT WAS AI GENERATED BECAUSE NETANYAHU HAS 6 FINGERS Is Netanyahu dead? <a href="https://t.co/5wYFt6OZIn">pic.twitter.com/5wYFt6OZIn</a>&mdash; Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaykhSulaiman/status/2032414411281805315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Better luck next time bibi !! <a href="https://t.co/UBsHzmRXiE">pic.twitter.com/UBsHzmRXiE</a>&mdash; ✎𝒜 πundhati🌵🍉🇵🇸 (@Polytikles) <a href="https://twitter.com/Polytikles/status/2033246380551250342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">How did the ring disappear in thin air in the video? <a href="https://t.co/isRlOnZ02S">pic.twitter.com/isRlOnZ02S</a>&mdash; Nehr_who? (@Nher_who) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nher_who/status/2033549899460198779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

To address the claims of those deepfakes, Netanyahu released another video, this time in a local cafe, mocking the rumours of his death. Observers again pointed out several visual inconsistencies, such as a bottomless gravity-defying coffee cup from which Netanyahu was drinking. The video had several references to death and at the end a Hebrew greeting L'Chaim, which means to life. The comments, even though dismissed as misinformation, can be seen as having some merits, as again X's generative AI tool Grok identified the video as “deepfake”. The background counter in the video had a date from 2024. Netanyahu is usually left-handed, but he can be seen drinking using his right hand. The Prime Minister's office dismissed these claims as “fake news; the Prime Minister is fine.” Soon, the cafe where Netanyahu drank coffee posted a photo of Netanyahu and his team within the cafe. Next Day Netanayhu posted another video talking to citizens, but the video had another anomaly. While speaking, Netanyahu gestures with his left hand and his ring vanishes mid-air and reappears again.The most uncomfortable truth is that these videos, which are posted on social media platforms that can't verify the use of AI or the source of generation. Most social media platforms strip the Content Credentials from the videos while transcoding or uploading them, thus removing the metadata of the video. So it is almost impossible to detect or flag deepfakes. Again, most of the AI detection tools are reactionary. They tend to provide false positive ocassionally. So, in a volatile atmosphere lack of clear evidence of manipulation is being used to spread misinformation and disinformation quickly.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Conspiracy theories about Benjamin Netanyahu’s whereabouts surge online, with deepfake claims and AI glitches fuelling misinformation despite official denials.

Speculation around the whereabouts of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is refusing to die down. Several conspiracy theory is circulating on social media, ranging from the idea that Netanyahu was killed or severely injured or replaced by an AI clone. There are videos with serious digital glitches with extra fingers, oddly filled coffee cups, and vanishing rings, all making it hard to comprehend the reality. Even though there is no credible evidence for a hasty conclusion that the Israeli Prime Minister is dead, the attempt by Netanyahu or his team to counter the social media narrative seems to be falling flat on its face. It all started with a set of pictures of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, bloodied, injured and covered in dust, which went viral on social media. These images were circulated with false or unproven claims of the Israeli Prime Minister's demise and were branded as fake by X's AI-tool Grok. These claims were coming at a time when a war was raging with Iran after joint strikes with the US took out Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. To quell those conspiracy theories, a press conference livestream was hosted by Netanyahu on Friday. A clip of the broadcast was widely shared by social media users, with distortion while gesturing near a microphone. Observers alleged that the footage was a "deepfake," with the anomalies of a "sixth finger" on Netanyahu's hand. Most of the generative tools can not properly render seamless anatomy. Also Read: US general got drunk, fell three times, lost classified map in Kiev

Conspiracy theories about Benjamin Netanyahu’s whereabouts surge online, with deepfake claims and AI glitches fuelling misinformation despite official denials.

Why Benjamin Netanyahu is finding it hard to prove he is not an AI clone?