Israeli Aircraft Conduct Low-Level Flights Over Beirut, Distribute Propaganda Leaflets to Residents

Multiple Israeli military aircraft conducted low-altitude flights over Beirut, Lebanon, distributing leaflets containing propaganda messages to residents. According to AFP reporting on Friday, 13 March 2026, the incident also produced loud explosions in the sky. AFP correspondents heard four successive explosions in quick succession before clouds of paper leaflets appeared high in the air.

Government media attributed the noise to Israeli aircraft flying at extremely low altitude and dropping leaflets across several districts, particularly Verdun, Hamra, and Ain al-Mreisseh in west Beirut.

One leaflet, directed at the Lebanese people, stated: “You must disarm Hezbollah, Iran’s shield” and “Lebanon is your decision, not someone else’s.” The leaflets included a QR code alongside the message: “Unit 504 works to secure the future of Lebanon and its people.” Unit 504 is an Israeli military intelligence unit. The leaflet-dropping tactic has previously been employed in Gaza.

According to Al Jazeera, the Lebanese government responded to the Israeli action. The Lebanese military warned Beirut residents against scanning the QR codes on leaflets dropped by Israeli aircraft. In a statement, the military stated that the codes contained links to WhatsApp and Facebook groups directing users to the Israeli military intelligence unit responsible for recruiting agents.

The Lebanese military warned that scanning the codes and clicking the links posed legal and security risks and could result in their devices being compromised.