FACT CHECK: Did Israel Track Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Using WhatsApp?

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

A viral post shared on X claims Israel purportedly tracked Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh using WhatsApp.

Verdict: False

The claim is false. Neither the Israeli Mossad nor Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have shared social media posts that support the claim. In addition, WhatsApp has been banned in Iran since September 2022, according to both Misbar and EuroNews.

Fact Check:

Iran said Haniyeh was killed using a “short-range projectile” and a “severe explosion,” according to CNN. While both the Iranian government and Hamas have blamed Israel for Haniyeh’s death, Israel has not said if it was involved, the outlet reported.

The X post, viewed over one million times as of writing, claims Israel purportedly tracked Haniyeh using WhatsApp. “BREAKING: ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE TRACKED HAMAS LEADER ISMAIL HANIYEH THROUGH WHATSAPP,” the post begins.

“Israeli intelligence successfully infiltrated Haniyeh’s phone by sending a WhatsApp message containing spyware. This allowed them to determine the precise location of Haniyeh’s residence, enabling a drone to target and launch a missile strike on the house,” it continues. The post does not provide a source to support its claim.

The claim is false. Check Your Fact did not find the claim referenced on the website belonging to the Israeli Mossad or its verified social media accounts. Likewise, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not publicly commented on the claim.

In addition, Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. Actually, the opposite is true. On August 4, Misbar reported there was no evidence to support the claim that Israel had purportedly tracked Haniyeh using WhatsApp. The outlet also indicated WhatsApp has been blocked in Iran since September 2022. (RELATED: No, Video Does Not Show Hamas Leader Before His Death)

According to Euro News, both WhatsApp and Instagram were blocked in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who’d been arrested by police in September 2022. Amini’s death sparked anti-government protests in Iran and the country’s then-President Ebrahim Raisi announced in January 2023 that Iran would continue to restrict access to both platforms, Euro News reported.

On August 1, Axios reported Haniyeh was killed by the Israeli Mossad who’d planted a bomb in the bedroom of the official government residence in Tehran.

Check Your Fact has contacted the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

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