The official Twitter account of the Israel Defence Forces has posted a mocking picture featuring a map of the Middle East with an arrow drawn pointing at Syria and captioned "where Iran is" and several arrows pointing to Iran on the map with the caption "where Iran belongs" in an apparent reference to Israeli claims that Tehran has sent units from its Quds Force to the Arab Republic.
Iran, you seem to be lost. Here: pic.twitter.com/ByrDyUjWDr
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 21, 2019
The tweet itself was stylized as if the map was intended to help Iran, which "seem[s] to be lost", further intensifying the mockery.
READ MORE: Iran Ready to 'Eliminate Israel From Earth' — Air Force Commander
The IDF post exploded on Twitter, with netizens forecasting the beginning of a "holy meme war" and "trolling games".
The holy meme war has begun
— Scharo (@ScharoRoth) January 21, 2019
Best troll game in the business. https://t.co/JKtRndMfzx
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 21, 2019
And if war is somehow necessary, just start a meme war
— Yoav Shati (@YoavShati) January 21, 2019
Much fewer casualties
One twitterian suggested that since Israel was so good at giving directions to those who are lost, it could also help Turkey, hinting that its military operations in northern Syria were not sanctioned by Damascus.
While you're at it, please send Turkey where it belongs, too.
— T A M A M — STOP ERDOGAN (@NEIN_HAYIR_NA) January 21, 2019
Other netizens noted that Israel itself seems to be "lost" and present in occupied territories, such as the Golan Heights.
— John Brown (@brown_johnbrown) January 21, 2019
Sounds right but uuuh, shouldn't you so stop occupying Palestine, Lebanon and Syria before telling others where they could stay?
— Fabrizio (@FChev22) January 21, 2019
My bad 😅 pic.twitter.com/rnpcmgMNcS
— كريم (@Karim__Elg) January 21, 2019
Some social media users recalled other states that are in places where they "don't belong".
— matheus (@Ihaveaneurysm) January 21, 2019
And your friends? I did not know that the US had a border with Iran pic.twitter.com/SLxD0vVPwB
— David Domínguez (@DvD_Dominguez) January 21, 2019
Hey can you help me? pic.twitter.com/T2dYVHjQQC
— Horus (@Alejvndrxx) January 21, 2019
The IDF's tweet comes in wake of recent airstrikes carried out by the Israeli Air Force on 21 January, with Israel claiming to have targeted Iranian military objects in Syria. Iran has rejected the claims, stating that it only has military advisers deployed in the Arab Republic and is not going to withdraw them in light of Israeli threats.
READ MORE: Syrian Air Defences Destroyed 30 Israeli Missiles, Guided Bombs — Russian MoD
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Iran to "get out of [Syria] fast", warning that Israeli airstrikes against Tehran's alleged military targets would continue.
