Lebanon warns citizens to avoid communication with Israeli media, army

Lebanon warned all citizens on Saturday, particularly influential figures, artists and journalists, to avoid any form of "direct or indirect" communication with Israeli army spokespersons or affiliated media outlets, regardless of the reason.

The Information Ministry issued a statement following the release of a video message by Lebanese actress Nadine al Rassi that was addressed to Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee, Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported.

The statement warned all citizens against interaction, whether direct or indirect, with Israeli military representatives or associated media.

It underlined that the interactions constitute a clear violation of Lebanese laws, particularly those related to the boycott of Israel.

The ministry noted that false news and anonymous voice messages have been spreading on social media to create confusion and unrest among the Lebanese public.

Citizens were urged to follow reliable news sources and to refrain from sharing suspicious or unverified content.

In her video message Thursday, Rassi asked Adraee to specify exactly which areas the Israeli military intended to target, in order to prevent widespread panic among the Lebanese population.

In response, Adraee claimed that Tel Aviv "never had a problem with the Lebanese state or people" and it did not want to harm Lebanese tourism or its image.

Following evacuation threats issued Thursday, Israeli warplanes carried out eight airstrikes on Beirut's Dahieh district.

It marked the fourth major attack on Dahieh since a ceasefire agreement that took effect last November.

Civilians in Dahieh have begun fleeing the area in the wake of the Israeli threats.