Lebanon Downplays Israeli Evacuation Alerts As Psychological Warfare
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Lebanon’s caretaker Information Minister Ziad Makary downplayed recent evacuation messages received by citizens, linking them to psychological warfare tactics employed by the Israeli regime amid ongoing tensions.
He urged citizens not to overreact to evacuation messages that many have received via landline, advising that these warnings are part of Israel's psychological warfare.
Makary stated, "In the context of the psychological warfare adopted by the Israeli enemy, a large number of citizens in Beirut and other regions received random unified phone messages via the landline network, calling on the respondent to evacuate his place of residence."
Makary emphasized that normal operations continue within the ministry, urging citizens to "not give the matter more attention than it deserves," and assured the public that the situation is being monitored by relevant authorities.
The warnings are reminiscent of similar tactics used by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank. These messages often aim to suggest that civilians are being used as human shields by those fighting on their side, including accusations against Hamas and other resistance groups in the West Bank.
The ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has seen exchanges of fire across the southern Lebanese border since October 8, with Hezbollah attempting to deter Israel's genocidal military operations in Gaza, which have claimed over 41,000 lives. Israel has responded with varying intensity against Hezbollah, one of the region’s most experienced resistance groups.