Netanyahu Shares Video Address Amid Death Rumor Rumblings

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On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared a video showing him grabbing coffee and chatting with his aide, following rumors circulated by Iranian state media and online platforms in Iran claiming he was dead or injured.

The clip, filmed at a café on the outskirts of occupied Jerusalem and posted on Netanyahu’s Telegram account, shows his aide inquiring about the rumors. Netanyahu responds with a pun on the word “dead,” which in Hebrew slang can mean “crazy about” someone or something, as he reaches for his coffee.

“I’m crazy about coffee. You know what? I’m crazy about my people,” Netanyahu says to his aide.

He then raises his hands toward the camera, asking, “Want to count my fingers?”—a nod to ongoing social media speculation that his latest televised address was generated by AI and that he appeared to have six fingers on one hand.

Reuters confirmed the video’s location through matching imagery of the café’s interior with publicly available photos, and the date was verified with multiple videos and images of Netanyahu’s visit posted by the café on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) issued a threat Sunday, vowing to kill Netanyahu as the conflict between Israel, the U.S., and Iran reaches its third week.

“IRGC vows to pursue and eliminate ‘child-killer’ Netanyahu if he is still alive,” reported Iran’s IRNA news agency on the social platform X.

Since U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran began February 28, Netanyahu has visited several locations struck by Iranian missiles, including a hospital, port, and military bases, although media access has been limited, with his office distributing videos.

In Israel, Netanyahu rarely participates in interviews or holds press conferences, but he held his first since the conflict’s start via video link on Thursday, similar to his approach during Israel’s 12-day war with Iran in June.

Since the conflict began, emergency safety measures have restricted gatherings, keeping most Israelis indoors or near shelters. Schools across much of the country remain closed.

Additional reporting from AFP