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Fact Check
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) takes a covert photo of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu sitting in his office, publishes it with a chilling warning.
Viral image is edited; original photo is from February 2009, taken during Netanyahu’s election campaign.
Several social media users are circulating an image, claiming that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a branch of the Iranian armed forces, has captured a photograph of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu sitting in his office, apparently taken by a marksman, and then allegedly publishing it with a warning: “Do not test our capabilities — we intend to keep you living in a state of constant anxiety!”
The archived version of the post can be seen here, which has clocked 712.2K views so far.
Newschecker noticed that the image looked like it was edited, considering the glossy texture of the window pane and the difference in clarity with the image of Netanyahu. We ran the image past Fake Image Detector, which found it looks like a computer-generated or modified image, raising our doubts. Also, we did not find any credible news reports about IRGC publishing such a photograph and a warning.
A further search led us to this Getty Images photo, dated February 8, 2009. “In this handout photo, Benjamin Netanyahu (R), head of the right-wing Likud party, confers with his father Ben Zion Netanyahu in his father’s house February 8, 2009 in Jerusalem. Netanyahu is the favourite to become Prime Minister in today’s election which was called early by outgoing Prime Minister Olmert after an attempt to form a new government without elections failed,” read the caption of the photo.
A side-by-side comparison of the Getty Images photo (left) with the part of the viral image featuring Netanyahu confirms that it is the same photo.
We also came across this report by Arab fact-checking platform Misbar, dated August 6, 2024, debunking the same photo that had gone viral then with the false claim that it was taken by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Misbar, too, identified the original image as being from February 8, 2009, showing Netanyahu in conversation with his father, Ben Zion Netanyahu, at his father’s home.
Also Read: 2025 Bihar Elections Dates Announced? No, Viral Claim Is False
A viral image claiming to be a covert photograph of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, taken by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and issued with a chilling warning, was found to be edited.
Sources
Getty Images photo, February 8, 2009
Altered Photo/Video
Runjay Kumar
July 9, 2025
Vasudha Beri
July 9, 2025
Kushel Madhusoodan
July 9, 2025
