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Where is Benjamin Netanyahu now? Debunking ‘assassination’ and ‘fleeing to Germany’ claims
Claims that Benjamin Netanyahu fled to Germany or was assassinated after Iran strikes are false; official updates and photos show him Tel Aviv.
Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu was the first to claim in a video address that the US-Israel strikes on Iran Saturday resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But since then, Netanyahu has not made any more live public appearances.
Amid his absence, reports surfaced on social media Saturday that Netanyahu's aircraft, the Wings of Zion, had allegedly flown to Germany. The reports were based on alleged flight radar data of the aircraft used by the Israel PM.
However, no confirmed reports suggest that Benjamin Netanyahu has left Israel for Germany after the US-Israeli strike killed Ali Khamenei. An update posted on the social media account of the Prime Minister's office of Israel stated that Netanyahu met the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff, and the Director of the Mossad in Tel Aviv on Sunday.
The posts suggest that Netanyahu continues to be in Israel despite claims of him leaving Germany. Photos of the meeting were also shared.
"Yesterday here, in Tel Aviv, and now in Beit Shemesh, we lost dear people. My heart goes out to the families, and on behalf of all of you, citizens of Israel, I send my wishes for a speedy recovery to the wounded," a statement from Netanyahu in the update read.
Here are photos from the meeting:
Debunking Netanyahu Assassination Claims
Claims of Netanyahu being assassinated are also going viral on social media, with many accounts falsely reporting that the Israeli PM has been killed in retaliation involving Iran.
Also read: Did Iran shoot down US B-2 Bomber amid the ongoing conflict? Here's the truth behind viral videos
But the reports are false and are deliberately being spread to mislead users. Most of the posts seemed to have originated from Iranian-linked account. For instance, here is one.
Here's another:
Israel and Hezbollah Exchange Fire
On Sunday, a day after the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei, militants' group Hezbollah attacked an Israeli army base south of Haifa. In a statement. In a statement, Hezbollah took responsibility for the and said it was “in revenge” for Khamenei's killing.
Shortly after, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that they were conducting strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. In an update, the IDF said that the strikes hit “senior Hezbollah terrorists in the Beirut area" and a "central Hezbollah terrorist in southern Lebanon.”
