IRGC threatens to hunt Netanyahu as Israel denies assassination rumours

The IRCS's statement comes as viral posts question Netanyahu's whereabouts and claim his latest video was AI-generated, while his office insists the Israeli prime minister is 'fine'

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Sunday said it would continue efforts to “pursue and kill” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as online speculation about his whereabouts and alleged assassination spread across social media platforms.

 

“The unknown fate of the Zionist criminal prime minister and the possibility of his death or his escape, along with his family, from the occupied territories reveal a crisis and the faltering situation of the Zionists,” the IRGC said in a statement, reported state media Press TV.

 

“If the child killer is still alive, we will strongly keep chasing and killing him,” the statement added.

 

 

Israel rejects assassination rumours

 

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office, however, dismissed claims circulating online that Netanyahu had been killed.

 

Responding to queries from media outlets about viral posts suggesting the Israeli leader had been assassinated, the office said, “These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine.”

 

The rumours intensified after Netanyahu posted a video of a press conference discussing the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran. Some social media users alleged the video was AI-generated, claiming the footage appeared to show six fingers on his right hand.

 

Several users pointed to a moment where Netanyahu raises his hands, arguing that an apparent extra finger was a typical “AI finger glitch”. However, fact-checking by X’s chatbot Grok said the effect was likely caused by shadows, hand angles or the natural shape of the palm.

 

Regional escalation continues

 

The IRGC statement also said Iranian forces had targeted positions in Israeli-controlled territories and struck three US bases in the region as part of the 52nd phase of retaliatory operations.

 

According to the IRGC, missiles and drones targeted locations where American troops are stationed, including the al-Harir base in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and the Arifjan and Ali al-Salem military facilities in Kuwait.

 

The attacks, the IRGC said, were in retaliation for US–Israeli strikes on Iranian industrial towns that killed workers.

 

(With inputs from agencies)