Thousands of Israelis received fake text messages urging them to go to shelters, Israeli media reported Thursday.
“You must enter the protected area,” reads the message quoted by The Jerusalem Post.
The Israeli army’s home front command denied sending the messages.
Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported that Iran is suspected of sending fake warning messages.
Israel remains on high alert awaiting Hezbollah’s response after two waves of communications device blasts on Tuesday and Wednesday killed dozens of Lebanese across the country and injured thousands, including Hezbollah members.
The blasts came amid an escalation in the cross-border war between Israel and Hezbollah following the start of Israel’s deadly war in the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 41,200 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7 last year.