Do Netanyahu's latest videos on X prove he's alive?
Is Benjamin Netanyahu dead or alive? Social media users are curious as conspiracy theories flooded the internet amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Tehran's media has been pushing theories that the Israeli Prime Minister may have been killed or wounded in a claimed strike.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has posted a series of videos from his official X handle, which have left the internet divided.
In his latest video posted on Tuesday, Netanyahu said, "I'm here with Israel's Defence Minister, our Chief of Staff, the head of the Mossad, the Chief of Air Force, our senior commanders. In the past 24 hours, we knocked out two of the terrorist chieftains, the top terrorist chieftains of this tyranny."
He added, “Our aircraft are hitting the terror operatives on the grounds, in the crossroads, in the city squares. This is meant to enable the brave people of Iran to celebrate the Festival of Fire. So, celebrate. And, Happy Nowruz. We're watching from above.”
In an earlier video also posted on Tuesday, Netanyahu is seen alongside US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, laughing off the rumours. Huckabee can be seen saying that US President Donald Trump personally asked him to make sure that Netanyahu was ok. "Yes, Mike. Yes, I'm alive," replied Netanyahu.
Grok initially claimed the video was AI-generated. "This is satirical AI-generated content, not a real meeting clip. It mocks "proof of life" videos Netanyahu posted today amid viral rumors he died in recent Iranian missile strikes during the escalating Israel-Iran war," it said in response to a user's query.
Huckabee issued a rejoinder on X, posting, “Sorry Grok. You blew it. It was very much a real meeting held today. I should know. I was there. No AI on this at all!”
Grok made a U-turn in reply to a similar question by another user, saying, "The video is authentic, real-world footage."
It added, "Frames show natural walking gaits, consistent indoor lighting/shadows on marble floors and wood walls, fluid hand gestures (including the deliberate 5-finger handshake reference), realistic facial expressions/blinks/mouth movements synced to dialogue, and no blurring, distortion, or uncanny artefacts. Background elements (doors, distant person) remain coherent. Subtitles match spoken English... not AI-generated."
On Monday, Netanyahu in a video had sent wishes to Iranians for the upcoming Nowruz holidays, marking the Persian new year, as his country presses its war on Iran.
"To the brave people of Iran, I wish you, as I do every year a happy holiday season, beginning with the Festival of lights," said Netanyahu, referencing Chaharshanbe Suri, an ancient Iranian festival of light and fire.
"It signifies the age-old belief of the Iranian people that light will triumph over darkness, that good will triumph over evil," he said in English, with subtitles in Farsi.
"This year this holiday has special meaning... I take this opportunity to wish you a happy Nowruz -- a year of freedom. A new beginning of hope to all of you," he added.
Earlier, on Sunday Netanyahu had released a short video to quell rumours that he was dead amid claims by netizens that a video of him was generated by AI as he appeared to have six fingers on one hand.
"I'm dead for coffee," he said sarcastically on his official X account as he received a steaming cup at a cafe outside Jerusalem, employing a colloquial Hebrew expression meaning to love something to death.
He then raised his hands to the camera, asking, "Do you want to count the number of fingers?"
The premier then urged Israeli citizens to respect safety instructions in the event of incoming rockets, adding their resilience "gives strength to me, to the government, to the army, to the Mossad (spy agency)."
"We are doing things that I cannot share at this moment, but we are striking Iran very hard, and also Lebanon," he added.