'Dead for coffee': Netanyahu appears in video, mocks social media rumours of death

[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a short video on Sunday making light of rumours on social media that he was dead.

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"I'm dead for coffee," he said sarcastically on his official X account as he received a steaming cup at a cafe outside Jerusalem, employing a colloquial Hebrew expression meaning to love something to death.

He then raised his hands to the camera, asking, "Do you want to count the number of fingers?" — a reference to speculation on social media that his latest televised address was generated by AI as he appeared to have six fingers on one hand.

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The premier then urged Israeli citizens to respect safety instructions in the event of incoming rockets, adding their resilience "gives strength to me, to the government, to the army, to the Mossad (spy agency)."

Watch the video, here:

"We are doing things that I cannot share at this moment, but we are striking Iran very hard, and also Lebanon," he added.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) threatened on Sunday to kill Netanyahu, as the war against the Islamic republic led by Israel and the US entered its third week.

"IRGC vows to pursue and kill 'child-killer' Netanyahu if he is still alive," Iran's IRNA news agency said in a post on X.