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Are Benjamin Netanyahu and his brother Iddo safe? Debunking viral 'assassination' claims
False rumors continue that Benjamin Netanyahu, and his brother Iddo Netanyahu were hit in an Iranian strike, but both claims are untrue.
Benjamin Netanyahu and his family have been subjected to wild rumors since the US-Israeli airstrikes in Iran on February killed former Ayatollah Khamenei.
With Iran launching a slew of missiles and drones at Israel, claims about Benjamin Netanyahu being assassinated are viral. Recently, another set of viral posts claimed that Netanyahu's brother, Iddo Netanyahu, was killed in an Iranian air strike in Tel Aviv. Some posts also claimed that Israel's National Security Minister Ben Gvir was injured in the same air strike.
However, the claims are false, as Benjamin Netanyahu or his brother Iddo has not been hit in an Iranian airstrike. Claims about Itamar Ben Gvir's being wounded were also a hoax doing the rounds amid a slew of misinformation around the Iran war.
Benjamin Netanyahu Fleeing and Assassination Claims
Shortly after strikes on Tehran killed Ali Khamenei, social media accounts claimed, citing flight radar data that Benjamin Netanyahu has left Israel for Germany. Along with it, claims that the Israeli PM was assassinated also surfaced.
However, Netanyahu was spotted in Tel Aviv over the next few days visiting sites damaged in attacks and taking part in different events. He was most recently spotted on Tuesday, March 9, at Ashdod Port, Israel's largest port, with Israel's Transport Minister Miri Regev.
Check live Iran war updates: Fresh explosions heard in Tehran; North Korea backs Mojtaba Khamenei
Netanyahu "conducted a professional tour and assessment regarding the continuity of Israel's maritime trade in the midst of Operation Roaring Lion," an update on the official social media handles of the Israeli Prime Minister read.
Iddo Netanyahu Assassination Claims
Many viral social media posts claimed that Iddo Netanyahu, the brother of Benjamin Netanyahu, was targeted and killed in an Iranian attack on Tel Aviv. The posts claimed that David Barnea, the chief of Mossad and Israel National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir were also targeted.
Here's a post:
However, the claims are false. As no reports or official updates confirm that they were hit in Iranian air strikes.
Iddo Netanyahu is a physician and author. Trained as a radiologist, he studied medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and later worked in the US. Apart from medicine, he has written several plays and books.
