An image of an Israeli leaflet dating from 2006 warning residents of Beirut's southern suburbs to flee before airstrikes is being circulated in October 2023. (Credit: image circulating on social media)
BEIRUT — Photos of Israeli army leaflets asking residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs to leave before planned Israeli airstrikes have been circulating on social media in Lebanon these past few days. However, the images date from the July 2006 war, the head of Ghobeiry municipality, Maen Khalil, told L’Orient Today on Friday.
L'Orient Today did a reverse image search on the internet with the photo circulating and managed to confirm that the footage dates from 2006.
The 2006 leaflet notes that it is “directed to the residents of Haret Hreik, Beer al-Abed, Rwiess, Hay al-Selom, Burj al-Barajneh Chiyah, Ghobeiry, Sfeir, and al-Radoof.”
“For your safety, you must evacuate these neighborhoods immediately and evacuate any place where Hezbollah members or their accomplices carry out terrorist activities. Know that the expansion of terrorist operations by Hezbollah will lead to a painful and severe response, and its painful consequences will not be limited to Hassan's gang and its criminals,” the 2006 leaflet reads.
Khalil emphasized that “the photo circulating is old and dates from 2006, and residents in Ghobeiry, and the suburbs, have not received any such leaflet [this week]."
"The security situation in Beirut’s southern suburbs is normal,” he added.
