Did Israel use WhatsApp to locate Ismail Haniyeh before killing him with a drone-fired missile?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Israel used WhatsApp to locate + kill Ismail Haniyeh
Some people are claiming or suggesting that Israel used WhatsApp to locate Ismail Haniyeh before killing him with a drone-fired missile!
Megatron : 🇮🇱🇮🇷 Israeli intelligence managed to identify Hamas politburo chief using WhatsApp messenger*
He was f**king using an app owned by Meta, which has a Jewish boss. Madness.
Lebanese journalist Elia Manier spoke about it. She explained that with the help of spy software embedded in the phone, the house where Hania was located was discovered, and then a rocket attack was launched from the drone.
Recommended : Did Sylvester Stallone just die suddenly in hospital?!
No evidence Israel used WhatsApp to locate + kill Ismail Haniyeh
This is yet another example of fake news circulating on social media, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Elia Manier does not exist
Many of these claims referred to female Lebanese journalist Elia Manier as the source. However, there is no Lebanese journalist called Elia Manier, male or female.
The truth is – it was Elijah J. Magnier – a Brussels-based war correspondent who made that claim. Magnier, as far as I can tell, isn’t Lebanese. Magnier is also male with he/him pronouns.
If these people cannot even get the name, gender, and nationality of their source correct, how trustworthy do you think they are???
Fact #2 : WhatsApp message to Ismail Haniyeh is fake
Some people are sharing a screenshot of a WhatsApp message which was purportedly used to install spyware in Ismail Haniyeh’s smartphone, which appears to be an iPhone.
While we have no idea whether Ismail Haniyeh actually uses an Apple iPhone – “evil” American product and all that, this WhatsApp screenshot is most definitely fake, because:
- WhatsApp does not show the person’s profile photo in the chat. Instead, the video and call icons are on the upper right corner of the chat.
- The back button does not have a Chats label. Depending on the version of WhatsApp being used, it is either empty, or shows the number of chats with unread messages (e.g. 34)
- If the unknown sender was the Mossad trying to trick Ismail Haniyeh into opening the message, they would not likely message him in English, and so casually at that – “Hey what’s up, you arrived yet?“
On top of that, no one actually explained how they came by that screenshot. They certainly did not get it from Elijah Magnier, or the non-existent Elia Manier.
Did the Mossad published it publicly? Obviously, not. Did they obtain it from a Mossad insider? They didn’t say. Did they hack it from Ismail Haniyeh’s smartphone, which would have been blown to bits? That would be quite a feat…
What is certain is – that WhatsApp screenshot is fake, and the actual person who made the claim, Elijah Magnier, did not post it on his X account.
Recommended : Did LAPD Say Matthew Perry Was Murdered By Friends?!
Fact #3 : Magnier never said Ismail Haniyeh was killed by a missile
On 31 July 2024, Elijah J. Magnier claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that Israel used WhatsApp to introduce spyware into Ismail Haniyeh’s smartphone, exposing his location.
#Israel’s Use of Spying Software to Target #Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh:
Israel reportedly planted sophisticated spyware through a WhatsApp message sent to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. This software allowed Israeli intelligence to localize his exact position within his apartment. Subsequently, Haniyeh was assassinated following a conversation he had with his son, during which his location was pinpointed.
The spyware in question is believed to be similar to the notorious Pegasus software developed by the Israeli cyber-intelligence firm NSO Group. Pegasus has the capability to infiltrate smartphones, allowing the operator to access messages, photos, and location data, and even control the phone’s camera and microphone without the user’s knowledge.
Such advanced technology enables real-time surveillance and precise targeting, making it an invaluable tool for intelligence operations. The successful use of this spyware highlights the ongoing cyber warfare tactics employed in modern conflicts, showcasing how digital tools are increasingly pivotal in gathering intelligence and executing targeted strikes.
Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination underscores the effectiveness of these methods and the lengths to which state actors will go to neutralize perceived threats. This incident also raises significant concerns about privacy and the potential misuse of such powerful surveillance tools for illegal activities and assassinations.
As you can see, Magnier did not claim that Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated by a missile fired by a drone. So where are those people getting their information from, since their actual “source” never made that claim???
Recommended : Did LAPD Say Matthew Perry Was Murdered By Friends?!
Fact #4 : Ismail Haniyeh was allegedly killed by a pre-planted bomb
In fact, The New York Times just published an investigation, in which five Middle Eastern officials confirmed that Ismail Haniyeh was killed by a bomb that was smuggled into the Tehran guesthouse where he stayed, approximately two months earlier.
The bomb was then remotely detonated once it was confirmed that Haniyeh was inside his room. That’s why the blast only killed Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard, who were staying in the same room, but did not kill people in the adjoining rooms. A missile would have caused far more catastrophic damage.
Two Iranian officials who were briefed on the attack, confirmed that the explosion took place inside Ismail Haniyeh’s room, and the initial investigation showed that the explosives were placed there sometime in advance.
Yet again, those who claimed that Ismail Haniyeh was killed by a missile or rocket fired by an Israeli drone never provided any evidence.
Fact #5 : Elijah Magnier did not provide any evidence / source
While Magnier’s allegations that a WhatsApp message was used to deliver spyware is plausible, he did not actually provide any evidence to back up those claims. In fact, he didn’t even mention his source(s), or whether he managed to verify their account.
Now, I’m not saying that he should name his sources, but at least he should mention them – two senior Iranian officials, or a Mossad hacker, for example, so we have an idea of how credible his sources might be. Or whether he was able to independently confirm their account from a different source.
Magnier may or may not prove to be right, but those viral messages claiming that a Lebanese journalist called Elia Manier confirmed that Ismail Haniyeh was killed by a missile fired by a drone after being located by spyware installed using a WhatsApp message are definitely fake news.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Recommended Reading
- Is Stallone opening anti-woke coffee shops to counter Starbucks?!
- Is your watermelon rubbery because it’s fake or GMO?!
- Did Joe Biden + Kamala Harris offer 9/11 terrorists plea deal?!
- Why COVID-19 vaccine autopsy paper got retracted again!
- Did Mel Gibson criticise Olympics + Pope for mocking his faith?!
Go Back To > Fact Check | Crime | Tech ARP
Support Tech ARP!
Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!
