The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran on Sunday threatened to hunt down and kill Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a statement published on its official website, Sepah News, the IRGC called Netanyahu a “child-killing criminal” and vowed to target him with force.
“If this criminal, the killer of children, is still alive, we will continue working to hunt him down and kill him with all our strength,” the statement read.
The threat emerged amid online speculation about Netanyahu’s health and whereabouts.
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office dismissed the rumours, assuring that Netanyahu is in good health. “These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine,” the office told Anadolu Agency, responding to social media claims that he had been killed in retaliation for strikes.
The speculation grew after a video of Netanyahu circulated online, with some viewers noting he appeared to have “six fingers,” leading to suggestions that the clip might have been artificially generated, further fuelling doubts about his condition and location.
The IRGC’s statement comes as the conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States entered its 16th day. On February 28, US and Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Iranian territory.
In retaliation, Iran’s military fired ballistic missiles and drones at Israel and carried out attacks on US bases and targets in Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan.