Rumors of the death of the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, Herzi Halevi, have spread widely on social media following a Hezbollah drone attack near the Binyamina area in Israel on Sunday evening. These rumors began circulating quickly after the attack, which left more than 60 people injured.
Dr. Anastasia Maria Lopes, a verified social media personality with over a million followers, posted that Halevi’s death had been confirmed, although this was later proven to be false. “Initial reports confirm the assassination of the Israeli Army Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi,” Lopes wrote, accompanying the post with a picture of Halevi.
American commentator Jackson Hinkle, who has over two million followers on the X platform, also shared unverified reports claiming that Halevi had been assassinated using “advanced Fiber-Optic Drones.” Additionally, the verified account SilencedSirs posted a fake graphic showing Israeli commanders with a red X over Halevi’s face, labeling him as “eliminated”.
Despite these false reports, there has been no official confirmation from Israeli authorities regarding Halevi’s death. The rumors have caused significant panic and speculation, highlighting the rapid spread of misinformation on social media platforms.
Herzi Halevi, a seasoned IDF officer, has been at the forefront of Israel’s military actions, particularly in the recent conflicts with Hamas. He took command of the IDF during a turbulent period and has been leading the response against Hamas following the October 7 attacks.
