No, This Image of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Sitting Was Not Taken by Iran

The original image dated back to 2009 and showed the Israeli PM sitting with his father.

Fact-Check | The image has been altered to make it appear like it shows a target on Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Amid the recent Israel-Iran conflict, an image which shows a target on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being circulated on social media platforms.

What did the viral post say?: The photograph was shared with a caption that said, "The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps captures a photo of the Israeli Prime Minister inside his office, publishes it, and writes: "Do not test our capabilities — we intend to keep you living in a state of constant anxiety!"."

An archive of the post can be found here.

(Source: X (formerly Twitter)/Screenshot)

The post had gained over seven lakh views on the platform at the time of writing this report. More archives of similar claims can be found here and here.

Is the image real?: No, the image has been altered to make it appear like a target on Israeli PM Netanyahu. The original one dates back to February 2009 and showed him sitting with his father Benzion Netanyahu.

How did we find that out?: We noticed that the viral image showed a person next to the Israeli PM. A lamp could also be seen in the background.

• However, we did not find any reflection on the window's glass.

• This pointed towards the possibility of the image being an edited one.

The image appeared to be edited.

(Source: Viral image/Screenshot/Altered by The Quint)

Finding the original visual: We conducted a keyword search with the words "netanyahu sitting inside room photo" and found a set of images uploaded on stock image website — Getty Images.

• It was captured on 8 February 2009.

• The photo's caption suggested that it showed Netanyahu meeting his father, Benzion Netanyahu, in the latter's house in Jerusalem.

The photo was taken on 8 February 2009.

(Source: Getty Images/Screenshot)

Comparing visuals: Team WebQoof compared the viral image to the one shared on Getty Images and found that the former had been altered to make it appear like PM Netanyahu was seated near a window.

• We further noticed multiple similarities, which can be seen in the comparison below.

A comparison clearly highlights the similarities.

(Source: Getty Images/Screenshot/Altered by The Quint)

Conclusion: It is evident that the viral image had been edited.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9540511818 , or e-mail it to us at [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.