Video does not show recent footage of Israeli tanks moving to the Israel-Lebanon border

24 September 2024
What was claimed

A video shows tanks being moved north from Gaza to the Lebanese border in recent days.

Our verdict

This video is 11 months old and actually shows tanks being transported to Re’im, near the border with Gaza, after the 7 October attacks.

A video being shared on social media with claims it shows recent footage of Israeli tanks being moved north from Gaza to the Lebanese border is almost a year old, and actually shows tanks moving to Re'im in southern Israel in the aftermath of the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel.

Posts being shared on X, formerly Twitter, and Facebook, say the video shows “new tanks that were recently in training in Gaza are now heading to the north as part of Division 98, the elite division of the IDF”. Other versions have the caption: “IDF's 98th Ha'Esh Division completes arrival at Lebanese border from Gaza Strip”.

Israel has reportedly moved its 98th division to the country’s north, on the border with Lebanon, in recent days due to heightened tensions with the armed group Hezbollah. However, the footage being shared does not show this. The video is much older, and was first shared on 9 October 2023 by Forbes on YouTube with the caption “Tanks Are Moved To Israeli City Of Re'im Where Hamas Militants Attacked”. 

As part of wider attacks on 7 October 2023 Hamas gunmen struck a music festival near Re’im kibbutz in southern Israel, as well as a military base in the region. 

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are the armed forces of Israel. On Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 September at least 39 people were killed and thousands injured in Lebanon after communication devices, some used by members of Hezbollah, exploded. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the attacks, and cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has since intensified. On Monday 23 September Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon killed at least 492 people.  

It's important to consider whether a post shows what it claims before sharing it online. You can read more about this in our guide to fact checking misleading videos relating to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

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