Rumours about Benjamin Netanyahu’s health — including claims he has died — continue to spread online despite a lack of credible evidence. Israeli officials have repeatedly denied the reports.
On March 18, Netanyahu’s office published a video showing him at the Kirya command centre in Tel Aviv, meeting with senior defence and intelligence officials. In the footage he discusses military operations and offers Nowruz greetings to Iranians, saying: “Our aircraft are hitting targets across the region… Happy Nowruz. We’re watching from above.”
A separate appearance on March 17 showed him meeting the United States ambassador, and his office posted a tweet saying he was working “shoulder to shoulder with our American friends.” Those public engagements have been cited as signs of his ongoing role in government.
Social media users have alleged the March 18 clip is a deepfake, pointing to perceived inconsistencies in lighting, reflections and room details. However, there is no independent forensic verification or confirmation from trusted experts that the video is AI-generated; such claims remain speculative and largely driven by online commentary rather than verified analysis.
Similar rumours about Netanyahu’s death have surfaced earlier in the conflict, often amplified by unverified sources. In recent weeks he has made several visible appearances — including interviews, a café visit and recorded messages — and at times has addressed the rumours with humour, apparently to counter the false narratives.
The episode highlights how misinformation and suggestions of deepfakes can spread rapidly during conflict, complicating efforts to separate fact from speculation. Official Israeli statements maintain that Netanyahu is alive and directing wartime operations, and no reliable international authority has reported otherwise.
