The situation in the Middle East is one of the topics followed with great interest in Kosovo, where various individuals and media outlets share information, sometimes not supported by facts. On October 1, 2024, Iran announced that it had launched hundreds of rockets towards Israel, following the escalation of the months-long conflict between Israel and Iran backed groups – Hezbollah and Hamas.
On the same day, theologian Mustafë Bajrami, a regular panelist on a show that covers global events through conspiracy theories, made a Facebook post with claims that have not been confirmed by official institutions or credible international media.
"An hour ago, 43 rockets passed over Amman, Jordan, heading towards Tel Aviv. So far, 250 rockets have been launched by Iran. It is reported that the Commander-in-Chief of the Israeli army, Herzi Halevi, has been killed. The number of casualties in Israel is rising. Meanwhile, a few hours ago, Hezbollah struck the Mossad headquarters inside Israel with rockets. A major war is breaking out there...!!!" wrote Bajrami.
First, the claim that 250 rockets have been launched by Iran is inaccurate. According to a BBC article, Iran fired nearly 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel.
Furthermore, Mustafa claims that the Commander of the Israeli army, Herzi Halevi, has been killed. However, in no international mediareports or Israeli government data is it mentioned that Halevi was killed in these attacks. In fact, one day after the attack, Halevi was reported to have communicated with the Commander of U.S. Central Command, General Michael Erik Kurilla. It was stated that they discussed the preparations made before and during the attack through coordinated defense between Israel and the U.S.
The claim that the number of casualties is increasing in Israel is also unfounded. Most media outlets, including the BBC, reported only one fatality caused by rocket debris. "Millions of people rushed to shelters before explosions lit up the night skies above Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. A man was killed by falling missile debris in the city of Jericho in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said,” wrote the BBC.
Another media outlet, "The Guardian," cited a statement from the Israeli government, which said that some of its air bases were hit in the central and southern parts of the country, but without major consequences.
In addition to his post, Bajrami shared headlines from Arabic-language media in the comments section, allegedly to support his claims.
Mustafa Bajrami is a panelist on the show Komplot, along with Arianit Sllamniki, where they spread conspiracy theories.
Global leaders also confirmed that the attack had minimal consequences. U.S. President Joe Biden stated that “the attack was defeated and ineffective.” The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that its forces had assisted in intercepting the rockets. Despite the risks of escalating the conflict, the UN and the EU have called for de-escalation.
Iran’s attack on Israel came after the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the commander responsible for transferring weapons from Iran to the militant group, Muhammad Jaafar Qasir, in an airstrike in Beirut on September 27, 2024.
*This article is published as part of the Western Balkans Regional Initiative against disinformation. “Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Hub: exposing malign influences through watchdog journalism.”
