Iran's Guards vow to hunt 'child killing' Benjamin Netanyahu
What's the story
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran has threatened to "pursue and kill" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The IRGC described Netanyahu as a "child-killing criminal" in their statement on Sepah News. This threat comes amid rumors about Netanyahu's assassination, which his office has dismissed as "fake news." The Israeli PMO confirmed that he is "fine" to Turkey's Anadolu Agency.
Public scrutiny
Speculations about Netanyahu's health
Speculations about Netanyahu's health were fueled by a video posted on his X handle, which made it appear as if he had six fingers. This led to suspicions of AI manipulation or editing. American political commentator Candace Owens also raised concerns over his absence from public view and the release of "fake AI videos." "Why is his office releasing and deleting fake AI videos from him and why is there mass panic at the White House?" she posted on X.
Family silence
Debunking the rumors
Further fueling the rumors was the inactivity of Netanyahu's son, Yair, on social media since March 9. However, X's AI chatbot Grok dismissed claims about the video being manipulated and clarified that it was an optical illusion. The Israeli PMO also dismissed rumors surrounding a deleted post on his official X handle as "fake news," assuring that the Israeli PM was "fine."
Escalating tensions
Israel-Iran conflict
The threat from the IRGC comes as the Israel-Iran conflict intensifies. The two nations have been at odds since Hamas, an Iranian proxy, attacked Jerusalem on October 7, 2023. Tensions escalated further last year when Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war with US involvement. The conflict has resulted in over 2,000 deaths, mostly in Iran.