The paper confirmed in a statement that it “did not publish a headline or story titled, 'Why the Glorification of Luigi Mangione Is Inherently Anti-Israel'.”

Mangione has been charged with killing United Healthcare chief executive Brian Thompson. He is yet to enter a plea.

The incident has sparked widespread reactions online, with Mangione receiving praise from some who view the attack as targeting a symbol of corporate greed.

The fabricated headline has been widely shared, with some social media users claiming it exemplifies an attempt to inject unrelated political narratives into Mangione’s case.

“The op-Ed hits keep coming,” one Facebook user said, sharing a screenshot of the fake headline. 

“Why do they make everything about Israel??” another Facebook post said.

A New York Times opinion article with the same publish date and subheading - “The shooting of Brian Thompson marks a new era of rage for this country” - does exist. 

The legitimate article is titled: “What the Glorification of Luigi Mangione Reveals About America”.

The article is an edited transcript of an episode from New York Times podcast The Opinions featuring political scientist Professor Robert A. Pape from the University of Chicago. 

The transcript shows Prof Pape exploring themes of political violence in America in relation to the murder of Mr Thompson.

Both the audio and transcript of the episode make no mention of Israel.

The fake headline has also been debunked by USA Today and Lead Stories.