The Israeli military is being mocked for positioning mannequins of soldiers in jeeps along the occupied territories’ border with Lebanon, as it prepares itself for a retaliatory attack by the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.
The mannequins in the jeeps were first spotted in photos released by Ali Shoeib, a correspondent of the Lebanese TV channel Al-Manar.
In his widely-shared tweet, Shoeib describes the photos as a new scandal “which is enough to oust the Israeli military’s top brass.”
خلصنا المزح بموضوع الجيب ✋
هذه الفضيحة كفيلة بإسقاط رؤوس كبيرة في جيشكم !! لأنها تدل عن "غباء وحمق"
لأنكم لم تتعلموا بعد انكم بمواجة رجال لديهم من الحكمة والحرفية والشجاعة والإيمان مايكفي لهزيمتكم !!#انضبوا
وضبوا تماثيلكم .. هالحركات حتى الأطفال بلعبة الغميضة ما بيعملوها ✋ pic.twitter.com/0FqVHC0hF9— علي شعيب ?? (@ali_shoeib1) August 29, 2019
He says the move indicates Tel Aviv’s “stupidity”, as the Israeli military has yet to “learn that it is facing a smart, professional, courageous, and faithful group that can defeat them.”
The Lebanese journalist’s tweet was later confirmed by an Israeli TV correspondent, who tweeted a photo of another doll in an apparently Israeli jeep.
וכך ניראות הבובות בקו, בתמונה שחבר צפוני צילם. ברקע: ההבנה בצהל שנארסראללה סינדל את עצמו לתגובה על תקיפת הרחפנים בדאחייה. בדפוסי הפעולה האפשריים שלו: מטען, ירי צליפה, או ירי טילים נגד טנקים. pic.twitter.com/0jJ3QGc2iB
— Or Heller אור הלר (@OrHeller) August 29, 2019
The Lebanese news website Al-Ahed also tweeted, “Fearing Hezbollah’s awaited response, the Israeli occupation army places statues inside military vehicles on the border with Lebanon.”
Ali Mortada, a reporter with Al Mayadeen TV, also posted several pictures, including a selfie along the border.
Fearing Hezbollah's awaited response, 'Israeli' occupation army places statues inside military vehicles on the border with Lebanon @ali_shoeib1 #انضبوا #خلي_عينك_عالحدود https://t.co/rJbxZuF7EG pic.twitter.com/QLr6ZpLaQy
— Al-Ahed (@AlahednewsEn) August 29, 2019
“No Israelis on the borders,” he tweeted. “Where’s the army that can’t be defeated? They’re placing toys instead of real soldiers. Start distributing diapers because your day is nearing.”
According to Israeli media, the regime’s military had earlier placed mannequins in bunkers to trick enemies “into thinking that these positions are full of soldiers and thus serve a deterrent effect.”
The ridiculous move comes as the Hezbollah resistance movement has warned Israel of a “surprise blow” in retaliation for the regime’s recent drone incursion into Lebanon.
In an interview with Russia’s RT television network on Tuesday, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said that the recent Israeli drone attacks on the Lebanese soil could not be considered “a passing issue.”
He also refused to provide details of Hezbollah’s response, adding, however, that the reaction would be “a surprise” for the Tel Aviv regime.