#FakeNews? Israel admits Hizballah arms map was 'self-created'

Israel's military has admitted that a "declassified map" it released earlier this week showing alleged armed deployments by Hizballah fighters in southern Lebanon was merely an illustration.

Officials said the map, which Israeli media said was circulated to foreign diplomats as evidence of its Lebanese foe's hostile intentions, was not based on any new intelligence.

The admission came after the data it contained was picked apart by online activist Judge Dan.

When questioned whether the map was an illustration or based on specific information, the military said it was "an illustration of Hizballah's intentional abuse of the civilians of Lebanon".

On Tuesday, Israel released the map with symbols showing alleged rocket launchers, infantry positions and tunnels belonging to the Lebanese resistant group, in almost every village in the south.

Lebanese activists said this showed Israel has pre-planned targets for its war planes in any future wars.

An accompanying Tweet accused the group of "hiding behind Lebanon's civilians" while adding "this is a war crime".

A UN ceasefire resolution that ended a devastating 2006 war between Israel and Hizballah required the Lebanese army to deploy to south Lebanon - including areas which had previously been the militant group's exclusive preserve.

Hizballah agreed that its fighters south of the River Litani would not display weapons, but the area remains a stronghold of the group.

A decade after the conflict, Israel remains deeply sensitive to Hizballah's arsenal and has vowed to take military action if necessary to prevent deliveries of heavy weaponry.

It has carried out sporadic air raids against the group's targets inside Syria, where the group has deployed thousands of fighters in support of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.