Israel Distributes Leaflets Cautioning Lebanese Citizens About Assisting Hezbollah

The Israeli military distributed leaflets in parts of southern Lebanon on Friday, marking the first such incident since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict. These leaflets cautioned residents against aiding Hezbollah. The border area between Lebanon and Israel has experienced lethal exchanges of fire since October 8, predominantly involving the Israeli army and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group that has declared its support for Hamas.

A resident of Kfarshouba, a village close to the border, reported that a drone dropped the leaflets early on Friday, scattering them between houses. Due to the wind, a second round of leaflet drops occurred shortly after the first.

The leaflets warned the residents of south Lebanon about Hezbollah’s presence in their homes and lands, labeling the group as terrorist and urging the local population to resist its activities to ensure their safety. The message cautioned that aiding Hezbollah could put them in danger.

Locals have noted an increase in Israeli army bombardments targeting villages along the Lebanese border recently. Kfarshouba’s municipality criticized Israel’s actions, claiming they were unjustified attacks on civilians. According to the municipality, four houses with civilian inhabitants were bombed, with no weapons or armed militants present. They also called for the liberation of the occupied Kfarshouba heights and territories.

This tactic of dropping leaflets was also employed by Israel during the 2006 conflict with Hezbollah.

Since the start of cross-border hostilities in October, more than 120 people have died on the Lebanese side of the border, including Hezbollah fighters, a Lebanese soldier, and 17 civilians, three of whom were journalists, as reported by AFP.

In Lebanon, particularly in the south, over 64,000 people have been displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration.

On the Israeli side, authorities report the deaths of at least six soldiers and four civilians.

The Israel-Hamas war was triggered by an attack from the Palestinian militant group on Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths, as stated by Israeli officials. Israel’s subsequent extensive military offensive in the Gaza Strip has led to over 18,700 fatalities, predominantly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry.