This Video is Old and Misidentified as Saudi Celebrations Following Sinwar’s Assassination

Misbar investigated the allegation and found it misleading. The video is old and unrelated to any celebrations in Saudi Arabia after Israel announced the killing of Yahya Sinwar.

Saudi National Day Celebrations

The video was originally published on a YouTube account in September 2023 and was presented as footage of fireworks celebrating Saudi Arabia's 93rd National Day.

On September 23, 2023, fireworks lit up the sky in Saudi Arabia during events organized by the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) to celebrate the 93rd Saudi National Day, themed "We Dream and Achieve." The fireworks were launched simultaneously at 9 PM.

Israeli Occupation Announces the Killing of Yahya Sinwar

The claim emerged after the Israeli military announced that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed during a military operation in Rafah, in southern Gaza. 

In a joint announcement, the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security service declared, "Following a year-long pursuit, Israeli forces successfully eliminated Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, in southern Gaza yesterday."

The statement detailed that the army and Shin Bet "carried out numerous operations in recent months, effectively restricting Yahya Sinwar's operational capabilities and ultimately leading to his elimination."

The Israeli army also reported that on Wednesday, they identified three individuals in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood, west of Rafah city. According to their account, the occupation forces attempted to engage with these individuals but could not ascertain their identities. During this encounter, one of the individuals—later revealed to be Sinwar—managed to escape alone into a nearby building before an Israeli drone began monitoring the area.

Scenes from Yahya Sinwar's Final Moments

The Israeli army published images and footage claiming to show the final moments of Yahya Sinwar after he was killed during the clashes.

The footage shows Sinwar, wearing a mask, seated on a bench as he hurls a wooden plank at an Israeli drone that had entered the building. Moments later, he was targeted by tank shelling directed at the building.

The Israeli army reported that they found Sinwar's body the day after the clash while searching the building, at which point his identity was confirmed.

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