Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a strong warning against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it will continue to hunt him down as the war in the Middle East enters its 16th day.
The statement was released on the IRGC’s official news platform Sepah News while unconfirmed speculation circulated online about Netanyahu’s location and safety.
“If this child-killing criminal is alive, we will continue to pursue and kill him with full force,” say the Guards on their website Sepah News.
Questions raised after Netanyahu absence
Speculation intensified after Netanyahu had not appeared publicly for several days. Some social media users also questioned a video released on March 12, claiming it appeared to contain unusual visual details that led some to suspect the footage might have been altered using artificial intelligence.
In the video, the 76-year-old Israeli leader was speaking at his first press conference since Israeli and US strikes on Iranian targets began on February 28.
During the address, Netanyahu defended Israel’s military operations and hinted at efforts aimed at weakening Iran’s leadership.
“I will not detail the actions we are taking. We are creating the optimal conditions for toppling the regime but I won't deny that I can't tell you with all certainty that the people of Iran will topple the regime - a regime is toppled from the inside,” Netanyahu said in Hebrew.
Office rejects assassination claims
Officials from Netanyahu’s office have rejected claims circulating online that the prime minister had been killed.
"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".
Despite the denial, no extended public clarification has been issued regarding the rumours surrounding his absence.
Online discussion grows
The speculation was further fueled by the silence of Netanyahu’s son, Yair Netanyahu, who is usually active on social media. His last post on the platform X was on March 9.
US political commentator Candace Owens was among those raising questions online, asking, “Where’s Bibi?”, using Netanyahu’s commonly known nickname.
War continues across the region
The current conflict began after joint military strikes by the United States and Israel targeted Iranian facilities in late February. The attacks reportedly killed Iran’s long-time supreme leader Ali Khamenei, after which Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the country’s top leadership position.
Iran has since launched missile and drone attacks against Israeli territory and US military sites across the Gulf region. Israel and the United States have continued strikes on Iranian targets in response.
According to various reports, the fighting has already resulted in more than 2,000 deaths, most of them in Iran, as the conflict continues to escalate across the Middle East.
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