"Sixth Finger" Mystery: Did AI glitch just reveal that Netanyahu is missing?

TEL AVIV: Following the escalation of the Iran-Israel conflict, rumours began circulating online suggesting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was missing or deceased. These speculations intensified after a video of the Prime Minister addressing the nation was released on Friday, marking the 15th day of the war.

Social media users, including American political commentator Candace Owens, pointed to a specific moment in the video where Netanyahu appeared to have six fingers on his right hand. This led to widespread allegations that the footage was an "AI glitch" or a "deepfake" created to hide the Prime Minister's true status.

However, X's AI chatbot, Grok, and several independent fact-checkers have debunked these claims. They clarified that the "sixth finger" was merely an optical illusion caused by a specific camera angle and lighting at the podium during the press conference.

The rumours were further fueled by the sudden departure of US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a live broadcast to attend an urgent meeting with the President, as well as a brief social media hiatus by the Prime Minister’s son, Yair Netanyahu. Despite the viral conspiracy theories, Netanyahu has made several verified public appearances this week, including a visit to Ashdod Port and a televised press briefing on March 12. These tensions follow the February 28 assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which has left the region in a state of high volatility.