Up - up - up and away in my beautiful balloon....

More of the Middle Eastern paranoia problem....

Balloons released in Israeli promotion sow panic in south Lebanon
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent

"An Israeli promotional campaign involving balloons caused panic among Lebanese civilians Saturday when the wind carried them over the border into southern Lebanon. The Lebanese media reported that some civilians were hospitalized after inhaling the gas in the balloons. (Editor's note: This is a sure way to liven up a birthday party! Suck some helium out of the balloons and serenade the birthday boy/girl. Works like a charm.) However, the photographs published on the Web site of Hezbollah's TV station Al-Manar show green balloons from a promotional campaign for Ha'ir, a Schocken group newspaper.

Lebanese sources said the balloons reached the southern Lebanese cities of Nabatiyeh and Tyre, and the Lebanese army warned civilians not to touch them. Some were brought to Italian UN troops for examination. Lebanon's official news agency claimed that they were "poisoned balloons" dispersed by IDF aircraft.

Bwa-ha-ha-ha!