Lebanese media reported Monday that a 13-year-old schoolgirl from the Beirut area contacted the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, online and claimed that Hezbollah weapons were being stored at her school.
The girl and her father have since been arrested and are under investigation. Adraee, for his part, published a post asking that the girl not be punished.
According to the reports, the student attends Choueifat National College in Choueifat, near the Lebanese capital. A screenshot of the report circulated on social media after the appeal to Adraee became public.
Security forces conducted a thorough search of the school building, but found nothing suspicious. One of the student’s friends reportedly alerted the school administration to the incident. The school later issued a statement saying that any student "found to have defamed the institution through actions or statements that violate the law or school regulations, including on social media, would face legal proceedings and disciplinary action."
One Lebanese report described the incident as “a childish act” meant to avoid an exam, but said it was taken seriously by Israel, which it claimed added the school to its “target bank” and could strike it under the pretext of targeting weapons depots. The report also claimed Adraee “took the joke seriously” and sent a drone to survey the school’s airspace.
Despite those claims, the IDF said there was no connection between drone activity in the area, including near the school, and the student’s report. According to the military, drones routinely operate in the area because of Hezbollah activity and were unrelated to the incident.
Adraee addressed the matter on X, writing: “I saw this post, which caused a stir in Lebanon. I read carefully between the lines and considered its implications. The spread of such messages carries deep consequences that must be addressed: First, it seems an idea is taking root in Lebanon: that for every problem, no matter how big or small, the solution lies with the IDF and ‘Avichay.’ Second, the public is convinced, even children, even if this post is only a joke or a game, that the possibility that the Hezbollah terrorist organization holds weapons inside schools and civilian facilities is not far-fetched. In fact, it is a reality everyone is aware of.”
The IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman continued: “But most important, my message to the school administration is this — I am speaking to you as a human being, regardless of differences: Do not look for the boy or girl who wrote this just to punish them. Let your conversation with the student be based on empathy, not punishment. Someone may harass her and put pressure on her. Teach students to tell the truth. To young people and children, I say: Tell the truth and be bold in expressing it, but inform your families and the relevant authorities about any danger or anything that troubles you, or about Hezbollah’s offenses against you, your future and your lives.”
Adraee has become a familiar figure during the years of fighting against the Shiite terrorist organization, including among Lebanese children. Even critics of Israel follow him on social media for evacuation warnings and updates on the fighting. Many children from families displaced from southern Lebanon have been studying remotely for extended periods.
The episode suggests that not all Lebanese children view the prospect of IDF surveillance over their school as unwelcome — and that, for some, Adraee has become an unlikely way to avoid class.