How one ambiguous IDF tweet led to false reports of Gaza ground attack

An ambiguous statement tweeted by the Israel Defense Forces gave the impression that its troops had entered Gaza – leading media outlets worldwide to report about a ground incursion.

“IDF air and ground troops are currently attacking in the Gaza Strip,” the tweet in English read, leading many outlets to believe ground troops were operating in the enclave, The Jerusalem Post reported. In Hebrew, the tweet also was unclear but more specific – announcing heavy strikes on Gaza in which ground forces launched artillery barrages but not a troop entrance, according to the newspaper.