Israeli PM Netanyahu Shares Coffee Video to Debunk Death Rumors from Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu filmed himself drinking coffee at a Jerusalem cafe to counter false reports from Iranian media claiming he had died. The video was posted to his social media after the death rumors circulated online in Iran.

JERUSALEM, March 15 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu filmed himself enjoying coffee at a Jerusalem area cafe on Sunday to counter false death rumors that originated from Iranian state television and circulated across Iranian social media platforms.

The video, which Netanyahu shared on his Telegram social media account, shows him at a cafe on Jerusalem’s outskirts where his assistant brings up the circulating rumors about his supposed death.

Using a play on words in Hebrew where “dead” can also mean being enthusiastic about something, Netanyahu made light of the false reports while reaching for his coffee cup.

“I’m crazy about coffee. You know what? I’m crazy about my people,” Netanyahu said to his aide in the recording.

Reuters confirmed the video’s authenticity by matching the cafe’s interior with archived images of the location. The timing was also verified through multiple posts and photographs the cafe shared on Sunday documenting Netanyahu’s visit.

Following the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, Netanyahu has made public appearances at Iranian missile impact sites in two communities, along with visits to a medical facility, shipping port, and military installations. However, media coverage of these visits has been limited, with video content distributed exclusively through his official office.

The Israeli leader, who seldom grants interviews to domestic journalists or conducts press briefings, held his first media conference since the conflict began on Thursday via video connection. This mirrored the remote format he employed during Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran last June.

Wartime emergency protocols currently in effect throughout Israel prohibit large public gatherings and have resulted in most citizens remaining near their homes, shelters, or designated safe areas. Educational institutions remain closed across the majority of the nation.