The police have raised concerns about the phenomenon of SMS messages in Arabic that have been sent to Israeli citizens from unfamiliar numbers.
According to the police, the messages are designed to create panic among the public during wartime.
In response, the police are urging the public not to engage with these messages and to take steps to block the numbers from which they originate.
A criminal offense
“The Israel Police will utilize all available resources to enforce the law prohibiting the distribution of such messages, which is a criminal offense carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison,” read a statement by the police.
“We will hold accountable anyone involved in spreading panic during wartime,” it added. “The Israel Police is actively working to trace the origin of these messages, block them, and prosecute those responsible.”