Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in a video on Sunday enjoying a cup of coffee and chatting with an aide, dismissing rumours circulated by Iranian state media claiming the Israeli prime minister had been killed or injured.
The video, posted on Netanyahu’s Telegram account, shows him sitting at a café on the outskirts of Jerusalem while joking about the reports that spread widely across Iran.
In the clip, his aide asks him about the rumours of his death. Netanyahu responds with a playful pun using the Hebrew slang meaning of the word “dead,” which can also mean being extremely enthusiastic about something.
“I’m crazy about coffee. You know what? I’m crazy about my people,” Netanyahu says while reaching for a cup of coffee.
The video was verified through imagery of the café interior that matched previous photos of the location. The timing was also confirmed through additional photos and videos of Netanyahu’s visit shared by the café on Sunday.
The rumours emerged as tensions remain high following military strikes launched by United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, escalating the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Since the start of the war, Netanyahu has made several visits to areas impacted by the hostilities, including towns struck by Iranian missiles, a hospital, a port and several military bases. However, media access to these visits has been limited, with footage largely distributed by the prime minister’s office.
Netanyahu, who rarely holds press conferences or grants interviews to Israeli media, held his first press conference since the conflict began via video link on Thursday. The format mirrored the remote press briefing he used during Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran last June.
Israel remains under emergency safety restrictions as the conflict continues. Authorities have banned public gatherings, closed schools across most of the country and advised residents to remain close to shelters and secure rooms in case of further attacks.
