Hezbollah warns Lebanese public not to scan ‘very dangerous’ Israeli barcodes amid attacks

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – Hezbollah warned the Lebanese public on Tuesday against scanning QR codes attached to leaflets dropped by Israeli warplanes in various areas across Lebanon.

In a statement, Hezbollah's media department said Israeli leaflets were dropped in the Bekaa Valley.

"Please do not open or share the QR codes; they should be disposed of immediately as they are very dangerous. This code can extract all the information on your devices and poses a threat to your safety. We urge everyone to exercise caution,” the statement said.

At least 558 people have been killed, including 50 children and 95 women, and 1,835 others injured in the Israeli attacks in Lebanon since Monday morning, according to Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad.

"The majority of the victims in the Israeli attacks since Monday morning are defenseless civilians in their homes. This refutes the enemy's allegations of targeting fighters," the minister stressed.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed over 41,400 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas last Oct. 7.

The international community has warned against the strikes on Lebanon, as they raise the specter of spreading the Gaza conflict regionally.