Israel drops flyers warning Lebanese against helping Hizbollah

BEIRUT — The Israeli forces dropped leaflets on parts of south Lebanon on Friday for the first time since the Israeli war on Gaza began, warning residents not to help Hizbollah, inhabitants said.

Since October 8, the frontier between Lebanon and Israel has seen deadly exchanges of fire, mainly between the Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hizbollah movement, which says it is acting in support of Hamas.

"Early Friday morning, a drone dropped leaflets over the village that landed between the houses," said a resident of Kfarshuba near the border, requesting anonymity due to security concerns.

Another resident said leaflets were dropped twice after the wind blew many from the initial batch away.

"To the residents of south Lebanon, we inform you that the terrorist Hizbollah is infiltrating into your homes and your lands," read a copy of a leaflet seen by AFP.

"You must stop this terrorism for your own security," the text added, warning the population that assisting Hizbollah would expose them "to danger".

Residents along the Lebanese border have said the Israeli army has stepped up its bombardment of frontier villages in recent days.

Israel also dropped leaflets over parts of south Lebanon during a 2006 war with Hizbollah.

Since the cross-border exchanges of fire began in October, more than 120 people have been killed on the Lebanese side of the frontier, most of them Hizbollah fighters but also including a Lebanese soldier and 17 civilians, three of them journalists, according to an AFP tally.

More than 64,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon, mostly in the south, figures from the International Organisation for Migration show.

On the Israeli side, at least six soldiers and four civilians have been killed, authorities there have said.