Fact Check: Has Benjamin Netanyahu Fled Israel After Iran's Attack?

Tel Aviv: Amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, social media platforms were flooded with rumours suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet were fleeing the country in "Doomsday plane" as Iran launched a barrage of drones towards Israel. However, these reports surmised from a screenshot of a  flight tracking service, flight radar  have been unequivocally debunked.

Prime Minister Netanyahu took to his official social media handle to share a photo, showcasing the War Cabinet convening at Kirya in Tel Aviv. This public confirmation directly contradicted the circulating rumors, providing clear evidence that the Prime Minister and his cabinet were actively engaged in addressing the situation domestically.

Furthermore, inquiries into the existence of such a "Doomsday plane" yielded no substantial evidence. Israeli defense and aviation authorities dismissed these claims as baseless speculation. The ministry, as per media reports  added that no such aircraft was in use for evacuation purposes.

In fact, it was Israel's long-dormant "Wing of Zion" official state plane or it's "Air India One" equivalent plane that finally took flight from the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel, as reported by the flight tracking website. Originally commissioned for Benjamin Netanyahu, the aircraft had remained unused since its transfer to the Israeli Air Force several years ago.

This flight was undertaken to ensure that civilian infrastructure is not harmed as tensions remain heightened following the Iranian airstrikes.