Former Egyptian Ambassador to Tel Aviv, Atef Salem, stated that mounting speculation suggests Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be sheltering in fortified underground sites in Jerusalem – possibly even beneath the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. These comments come amid a surge of rumors regarding an assassination attempt on the Prime Minister. The uncertainty is exacerbated by stringent censorship and restrictions on media coverage within Israel, creating an information vacuum that allows unverified news to proliferate. Salem observed that the current conflict between Iran and Israel is a prime example of this dynamic. He pointed to recent reports suggesting that Israel’s interceptor missile stockpiles were depleted—a narrative promoted by Iranian sources to unsettle the Israeli public, which Israel promptly denied while reaffirming its defensive capabilities.

Source: Egypt Independent March 16, 2026 14:29 UTC