Amid rumours of his assassination, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Sunday (March 15) vowed to “pursue and kill” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who they described as a “child-killing criminal,” as the war with Israel and the United States continues on the 16th day.
“If this child-killing criminal is alive, we will continue to pursue and kill him with full force,” said the Guards on their website Sepah News, as cited by AFP news agency.ย
Israeli PM’s office denies assassination rumours
The threat came just hours after the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office dismissed viral social media claims about Benjamin Netanyahu’s assassination, stating that the premier is safe. “These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine,” his office told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency when asked if they had a statement on the increasing claims on social media that “Netanyahu has been assassinated”.
Several unverified claims and reports circulating online had suggested that Netanyahu was killed or injured in an Iranian strike.ย ย
Grok, X’s AI chatbot, clarified that the extra finger was a visual illusion and not evidence of manipulated video. It also debunked claims circulating on social media and Iranian media that Netanyahu had died.ย
Rumours were further amplified when Netanyahu’s son, Yair Netanyahu, did not post on X for several days. While his inactivity led some to suggest a family tragedy, there is no evidence linking his absence to any harm to the Prime Minister. The Israeli PMโs office reaffirmed that Netanyahu is safe and continuing his duties.
US-Israel-Iran war
This comes amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, which has widened beyond Iran, with Iranian retaliatory attacksโusing missiles and dronesโtargeting US military bases, embassies, and civilian and energy infrastructure in neighbouring Gulf countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
The regional conflict intensified after the killing of 86-year-old Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28. In response, Iran carried out missile and drone attacks on Israeli and US targets across several Gulf nations. The escalation has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor, impacting international oil supplies, energy markets, and global economic stability.
The escalation has also disrupted global energy supplies, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime route through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil is transported. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical shipping routes, through which a significant portion of global oil and gas supplies passes.
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