&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Netanyahu 'ordering' Iran strikes in new command centre photo as Israel fights death rumours")
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."
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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.
Escalation in West Asia
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.
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.
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.
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.
(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.)
