2021 video shared as Israeli PM Netanyahu’s reaction to Lebanon pager explosions

What’s the claim?

A video of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu whistling a tune while traveling in a car has been circulated with the claim that it shows his reaction to recent explosions involving handheld devices used by operatives of the militant group Hezbollah across Lebanon.

The death toll from the attacks in Lebanon, including the initial pager explosions on September 17 and the subsequent walkie-talkie explosions, has risen to over 32.

One user on X (formerly Twitter) shared the video with a caption in Arabic that translates to: “The first reaction of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the bombing of Hezbollah communications devices. He whistles a song and says, 'Did you know her?'” Archived versions of such posts can be found here and here.

Another user suggested the video shows Netanyahu "celebrating the success of the operation" in Lebanon. At the time this story was written, the post had amassed over 292,000 views, 230 shares, and more than 1,200 likes. Archived versions of the post can be found here.

The video has also circulated on Facebook and Instagram with similar claims linking it to the recent pager blasts in Lebanon. Archived versions of these posts can be found here and here.

Screenshot of claims made online. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, our investigation revealed that the video is not related to the September 17 explosions in Lebanon.

What we found 

Logically Facts conducted a reverse image search using keyframes from the viral clip and discovered the same video posted by Netanyahu's official TikTok account (archived here) on March 11, 2021. The Hebrew caption under the clip translates to, “Do you recognize the song?”

Screenshot of the video shared by Netanyahu's official TikTok account in 2021. (Source: TikTok)

A report from Israeli news outlet Kikar, dating back to March 2021, confirms that the video was initially shared by Netanyahu ahead of the March 2021 parliamentary elections. During this period, Netanyahu frequently interacted with his supporters via live Facebook chats while traveling, using social media to support his campaign.

Similarly, on March 11, 2021, Netanyahu posted a video of himself whistling a melody and inviting the public to identify the song. The report noted that the tune was the anthem of his political party, Likud. Israel's elections were held on March 23, 2021, and the Likud party secured a victory.

The same video was also posted on the Likud Party's official Facebook account (archived here) on March 11, 2021, with a caption that translates to, “The Likud jingle is in a slightly different way.”

All evidence confirms that the video of Netanyahu currently circulating on social media is unrelated to the recent explosions in Lebanon.

The blasts in Lebanon

The situation in Lebanon remains tense following the September 17 and 18 explosions, which involved thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah operatives, resulting in many injuries and fatalities. Around 32 people have died, and thousands have been injured in these incidents. 

Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon, has blamed Israel for the attacks and vowed to retaliate. Israel has not commented on the incident, but the explosions occurred shortly after Israel pledged “military action” against Hezbollah. The two sides have been engaged in cross-border exchanges since Hezbollah expressed support for Palestine amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which began with the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

The verdict

The video of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu whistling is being misrepresented as if it were recorded in response to the September 17 pager explosions in Lebanon. In fact, it was originally filmed and shared in March 2021.