By Sabiu Abdullahi
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a threat against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it will pursue him and kill him.
The threat appeared in a statement released on Sunday through Sepah News, the official website of the IRGC. In the message, the Iranian military body described Netanyahu as a “child-killing criminal” and warned that it would continue efforts to locate him.
“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 reads.
The development came as speculation circulated on social media about the Israeli leader’s health and whereabouts.
Israel’s prime minister’s office dismissed the claims. It said the reports spreading online were false and confirmed that Netanyahu was in good condition.
“These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine,” the office told Anadolu Agency in response to claims circulating on social media that Netanyahu had been killed in retaliation for the strikes.
The rumours intensified after a video of Netanyahu circulated online. Some social media users claimed the clip showed him with “six fingers”.
The unusual detail raised suspicion that the footage might have been created with artificial intelligence. This added to the speculation about the Israeli leader’s condition and location.
The IRGC’s threat comes as the confrontation involving Iran, Israel and the United States continues. The conflict has now entered its 16th day.
On the morning of February 28, the United States and Israel carried out air strikes inside Iranian territory.
Iran responded with military action. Its forces launched ballistic missiles and drones toward Israel. The country also carried out missile and drone attacks against United States bases and targets in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan.
