The claim: Israel’s defense minister was killed in Iranian missile attack
An Oct. 2 Facebook post ( direct link , archive link ) includes a photo of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant standing in front of the nation’s flag.
“Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant killed during Iranian missile attack,” reads the caption on the post.
Other versions of the claim spread on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter .
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Our rating: False
Gallant was not killed in the Oct. 1 Iranian missile attack. He appeared in public days after the strike. A man in the West Bank was the only reported fatality.
Photos, video shows Gallant in meetings after attack
Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel on Oct. 1 in retaliation for Israel's killing of Hezbollah leaders. Israel's air defense systems intercepted most of the missiles.
There has only been one reported death from the attack − and it wasn't Gallant. Various news outlets, including The Times of Israel and The New York Times , identified the one fatality in the attack as Sameh al-Asali, a Palestinian man who was staying in the Israeli-occupied West Bank .
There are no credible news reports about Gallant being injured or killed in the attack. There are likewise no statements about him being injured or killed on the Israel Defense Forces’ website or social media accounts . On the contrary, there is an abundance of evidence showing he is alive.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he spoke with Gallant after the missile attack and "committed to remain in close contact" with him in an Oct. 1 X post .
Gallant also shared a photo of himself meeting with air defense fighters on Oct. 2 and a video of himself addressing a group of soldiers on Oct. 4 on his X account. He also met and was photographed with Israel Defense Forces officers in northern Israel on Oct. 4, as reported by The Times of Israel .
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USA TODAY has debunked an array of claims about the conflict unfolding in the Middle East, including false assertions that a video showed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fleeing to a bunker in October, that a video showed Israeli strikes in Yemen in September 2024 and that none of Iran’s rockets hit Israel in its April attack.
USA TODAY reached out to several users who shared the post for comment. One user told USA TODAY they later realized the information was incorrect.
Reuters also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
- Israel Defense Forces, accessed Oct. 4, Facebook account
- Israel Defense Forces, accessed Oct. 4, IDF Media Releases
- Israel Defense Forces, accessed Oct. 4, X account
- The Times of Israel, Oct. 4, Defense Minister Gallant: Israel has ‘more surprises in store’ for Hezbollah
- The Times of Israel, Oct. 1, Shrapnel from Iranian missile kills Palestinian man near Jericho
- Yoav Gallant, Oct. 4, X post
- Yoav Gallant, Oct. 2, X post
- Yoav Gallant, Oct. 1, X post
- Lloyd Austin, Oct. 1, X post
- The New York Times, Oct. 1, Laborer From Gaza Is First Reported Fatality of Iran's Missile Attack
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is alive, unharmed in Iran attack | Fact check
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