Hundreds of thousands of Israelis received a message on their phones last night calling on them to enter protected spaces. The message, sent under the name 'Home Front Command Alerts', read "Emergency alert. Enter the protected space immediately."
Many citizens panicked at first, but when they noticed the embarrassing spelling error - "trhcab" instead of "merhav" (space) - they suspected it might not to an actual message from the Home Front Command. However, many believed the message and posted it on social media to ascertain if it was a genuine alert.
The Home Front Command quickly issued a denial and reassured the public. In a message published on the Home Front Command's platforms, it was written: "In recent hours, false messages have been circulating calling on citizens to enter protected spaces - the message was not issued by the Home Front Command or any other official body. To remove any doubt - no instruction was given in the last hour to enter protected spaces."