The content of the messages included threats and instructions to enter protected areas. One of the messages, pretending to be an “emergency alert,” instructed recipients to stay in shelters, with a noticeable spelling error: “Please enter a tahrab (instead of ‘protected’) area immediately.” Another message, allegedly signed by Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, urged recipients to “say goodbye to your loved ones; but don’t worry, you’ll hug them in hell in a few hours.”
Some of the messages also contained malicious links posing as referrals to official IDF websites. It is important to emphasize that these are fake messages, and despite the tension in the north, the IDF clarified that no new instructions have been issued by the Home Front Command.
The National Cyber Directorate responded to the incident and clarified: “In the past hour, a fake message is being spread, calling on citizens to enter protected areas. This message was not issued by the Home Front Command or any other official source. To clarify, no instructions have been given to enter protected areas in the last hour.”
The directorate advises the public to verify the authenticity of messages through the official channels of the Home Front Command, including Telegram, WhatsApp, and other social media accounts.
This incident underscores the importance of vigilance and verifying sources of information during security tensions, reminding the public to only follow official instructions from authorized security communication channels.
