'Zionist Naftali Bennett killed' in overnight Iranian missile strikes on Israel?

Propaganda warfare is in full swing in the Middle East, with Iran particularly keen on waging a disinformation campaign against its enemies. This is expected to get worse after the Islamic Republic lost Ali Larijani, Gholamreza Soleimani, and other senior Basij figures in the latest rounds of air strikes by the IDF.

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Meanwhile, pro-Iranian social media handles have started celebrating the death of Naftali Bennett, the former Prime Minister of Israel. They claimed he was killed in a targeted airstrike by Iranian forces using ballistic missiles. According to the posts, he was eliminated by Iran during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

"Zionist Naftali Bennett is said to have been killed in a targeted Iranian airstrike in the past few hours. Netanyahu had planned to entrust him with major new tasks in the near future. That probably won't happen anymore now. The Iranian attacks on top Israeli politicians continue," one such social media post said.

Is Naftali Bennett alive?

Israel, meanwhile, has not issued any official clarification on the matter. Given the circumstances, it is unlikely for a democracy with thriving media to keep the demise of an important public figure under wraps.

Bennett's X (formerly Twitter) handle remains active. Amidst social media posts about his death, Bennett published two posts on his account on Wednesday—a brief video congratulating a civilian who saved people following a strike, and a write-up condoling the loss of life and property in the overnight Iranian strikes.

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"Our hearts ache for the murder of the couple from the Iranian missile strike tonight. Sending wishes for recovery to the wounded and condolences to the family. May their memory be blessed," the translation of his Hebrew post read.

Thus, there is no strong evidence to believe the businessman-turned-politician was harmed in the Iranian strikes.

Who is Naftali Bennett?

Naftali Bennett served as the thirteenth Prime Minister of Israel from 2021 to 2022, leading a diverse coalition government that ended Benjamin Netanyahu’s long tenure in office.

His association with Netanyahu has been complex and often tense. Bennett, who has held several high-profile ministerial positions, including Minister of Defence and Minister of Education, was once a close ally of Netanyahu but the two became political rivals over time. Bennett broke away from Netanyahu’s camp and eventually joined forces with a broad coalition—including parties from across the political spectrum—to form a government that removed Netanyahu from power in 2021. 

He is a hardliner known for his right-wing views, particularly on security and settlements, and he previously led parties such as Yamina.