In the wake of a large-scale missile attack from Iran on Israel Tuesday night, social media erupted with claims of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly fleeing to a bunker. The attack, which included hypersonic missiles, triggered sirens across Israel as citizens rushed for safety.
Pro-Iranian social media accounts circulated a video purportedly showing Netanyahu running inside a bunker.”Moments in which the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, flees to a bunker in the face of the Iranian response,” one post claimed. Other posts went further, mocking the Israeli leader, accusing him of abandoning his people during the crisis.
Despite the viral narrative, the video in question appears to be unrelated to the recent events. Fact-checkers pointed out that the clip, which has resurfaced on platforms like Facebook, dates back to 2021. It allegedly shows Netanyahu in the halls of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, rather than running to safety during the latest missile attack.
Reacting to the assault, Netanyahu remained defiant, labeling the attack “a big mistake” on Iran’s part and vowing retaliation. “Iran made a big mistake tonight and will pay for it,” he said. “Whoever attacks us, we attack them.”
Tuesday’s missile barrage marks the second such direct confrontation this year between the two nations, with the previous strike in April swiftly neutralized by Israeli defenses. Iranian officials have claimed that this latest assault was in response to the deaths of senior Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, Hassan Nasrallah and Ismail Haniyeh, in Israeli military operations.