Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Sunday issued a stark threat against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they would “pursue and kill” him, as hostilities between Iran and Israel entered the 16th day.

The statement came amid a wave of speculation online about Netanyahu’s whereabouts. The 76-year-old leader has not appeared publicly for several days, prompting questions on social media and in political commentary circles.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards described Netanyahu as a “child-killing criminal” and warned that if he remained alive, Iranian forces would continue efforts to target him “with full force.” The statement was released as Iran maintained strikes against Israel during the ongoing confrontation.

The remarks followed Netanyahu’s recent appearance in a video address recorded during what was described as his first news conference since United States and Israeli airstrikes on Iran began on February 28.

In that message, delivered in Hebrew, Netanyahu defended Israeli military operations and signalled pressure on Iran’s leadership. He also issued a veiled warning directed at Mojtaba Khamenei, who was described as Iran’s new Supreme Leader.

“I will not detail the actions we are taking,” Netanyahu said in the video. “We are creating the optimal conditions for toppling the regime but I won’t deny that I can’t tell you with all certainty that the people of Iran will topple the regime — a regime is toppled from the inside.”

Attention quickly shifted to the video itself. Some social media users claimed an image from the recording appeared to show Netanyahu with six fingers on one hand, raising suspicions among critics that the footage may have been edited using artificial intelligence. Those claims have circulated widely online, though no official confirmation of manipulation has been provided.

The uncertainty around Netanyahu’s visibility also fuelled commentary from public figures abroad. American conservative political commentator Candace Owens was among those questioning the situation, posting on the social platform X: “Where’s Bibi?” — using Netanyahu’s widely known nickname.

Owens further asked why the Israeli prime minister’s office was “releasing and deleting fake AI videos” and alleged “mass panic at the White House,” though she did not present evidence to support those claims.

Israeli officials have rejected rumours suggesting Netanyahu had been killed. His office told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency that reports circulating online about the prime minister’s death were false.

“These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine,” the office said in response to questions about the claims.

Despite that denial, neither Netanyahu’s office nor his aides have issued a broader public statement addressing the speculation in detail.

Online discussion has also focused on the silence of Netanyahu’s son, Yair Netanyahu, who has roughly 284,000 followers on X. Known for frequent activity on the platform, Yair has not posted since March 9, adding to the online conjecture surrounding the family.

As the conflict continues and official communication remains limited, the claims and counterclaims circulating across social media appear to be intensifying alongside the war itself.

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For now, Israeli authorities insist the prime minister is alive, even as tensions with Iran escalate and public attention remains fixed on developments both on the battlefield and in the information space surrounding it.