Amid the recent Israeli military attacks in Gaza and Lebanon, a video showing the armed Hezbollah fighters cheerfully posing with weapons is going viral on social media. The users who share the video claim that it is recent. The caption of the post states, “This is Hezbollah’s mood right now…Pray for Israel”.
Fact Check-
We started the investigation with a reverse image search on Google and we found a similar video on a twitter post from 21 May 2023. This indicates that the video was at least a year old and not recent. These posts stated the video showed a military exercise by Hezbollah.
Using this hint, we looked further and found a report on Militant Wire, a Substack publication focussing on analysis of militant activity and armed conflict around the world. The report, carrying a screenshot of the viral video, stated that Hezbollah conducted a military drill in South Lebanon on May 21, 2023. During this session, the group showed different equipment and weapons used by its fighters.
Moving forward, we found several other reports regarding this drill. According to them, On May 21, 2023, Hezbollah organized a military parade in southern Lebanon between the villages of Melita and Armata, some 20 kilometers north of the Israeli border and the community of Metula. This event, which Hezbollah described as “a military maneuver in which high-quality weapons will be presented,” was held to mark 23 years since the liberation of southern Lebanon from Israel (May 25, 2000) and the “great victory” of the Lebanese resistance over Israel”.
According to i24NEWS English, “Hezbollah put on a show of force in southern Lebanon, where it staged a simulated military exercise. Masked fighters jumped through flaming hoops, fired from the backs of motorcycles, and blew up Israeli flags posted in the hills above and a wall simulating the one at the border between Lebanon and Israel”.
Taking account of all these evidences, we can say an old video of a military exercise held by Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon shared as recent.
Conclusion-
Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral video to be Misleading. This viral video is from a military drill held by Hezbollah in South Lebanon in May 2023; it has no link to the recent conflict.\
Title:Old video of a military drill held by Hezbollah shared as they posed with weapons during the ongoing conflict.
Written By: Usha ManojResult: Misleading
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