Benjamin Netanyahu has released a ‘proof of life’ video to show he’s not dead, following claims by Iranian media that he was killed in a missile strike.
The Israeli prime minister posted a short clip of himself in a coffee shop to his official X account.
He asked the person filming to count his fingers in direct response to online conspiracy theorists who alleged that a video he posted last week was AI-generated and showed him with six fingers.
The caption of the post read, “They say I’m what? Watch.”
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Aftermath of Netanyahu’s video
For several hours on Friday, Iranian state media reported that Netanyahu had been killed or seriously wounded in an Iranian strike.
Tasnim, Iran’s semi-official news agency, also claimed that Hebrew media had published a video of the Israeli prime minister that was “likely made using artificial intelligence”, suggesting that the authorities were covering up his death.
The claims appear to be a propaganda effort to counter the confirmed deaths of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other high-level Iranian officials as a result of U.S.-Israel attacks.
Soon after the video was posted, Iran-affiliated outlets and other pro-Iran accounts began claiming that the video was an AI-generated deepfake, citing supposed anomalies in Netanyahu’s face, the level of the coffee in the cup, the lighting and shadows, and a perceived distortion in Netanyahu’s coat pocket.
Some posts shared screenshots from an AI-detection tool as purported evidence. However, it should be noted that Anti-Israel accounts on X and other social media platforms have repeatedly made false claims that senior Israeli figures have been killed since the start of the war.
Some of the conspiracies have been aired on Iranian state media, which for many citizens is the only source available because of an internet blackout.
BBC’s breakdown of Netanyahu proof of life video
So, what is real, and what is fake? Is Netanyahu alive?
The BBC has posted a video with a breakdown of events.
“Since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, false claims that Netanyahu has been killed or injured have swirled online.
“Fake, AI-generated pictures claiming to show Netanyahu in the aftermath of an air strike have been viewed millions of times.
“Hard line Iranian media have amplified the false claims, inciting speculation about his injury or death. Then the Israeli prime minister did a press conference, with some online claiming it was an AI version of Netanyahu, by saying he has six fingers, which is a common problem for many AI-generators.
“But when you play the original video you can clearly see, it’s just the bottom of his hand.
“In response, Netanyahu posted the clip of himself in the Jerusalem coffee shop, debunking the claims himself. And we know he was there because the coffee shop posted multiple angle [shots] and behind the scenes photos of his visit.”