Israeli airstrike on Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon kills 13, several injured

Lebanon: At least 13 people were killed and several others injured after Israel carried out an airstrike on a Palestinian refugee camp in south Lebanon on Tuesday, according to Lebanese government officials.

The attack, which struck the parking lot of a mosque inside the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp on the outskirts of the coastal city of Sidon, marks the deadliest assault in Lebanon since the ceasefire that ended last year’s Israel–Hezbollah conflict. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, a drone strike hit a car parked at the site, triggering a powerful explosion.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed that 13 people were killed in the strike, though it did not immediately release further details on casualties. Ambulances rushed to the scene to transport the dead and the injured, while Hamas fighters in the area reportedly blocked journalists from entering the attack site.

Israel says it targeted Hamas training facility:

The Israeli military said the strike targeted a Hamas training compound, claiming the group was preparing attacks against Israel. It added that the army would continue to operate against Hamas “wherever it functions.”

Hamas, however, condemned the Israeli strike, stating that the location was a sports field, not a military training ground. The group accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians in violation of international law.

Rising attacks on militants:

Over the past two years, Israel has intensified airstrikes on Lebanese territory, targeting senior Hezbollah commanders as well as operatives from Palestinian factions including Hamas.
One of the most high-profile killings occurred on January 2, 2024, when Saleh al-Arouri — Hamas’ deputy political chief and a founder of the group’s military wing — was killed in a drone strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Several other Hamas officials have since been killed in similar attacks.

Background: Escalations since October 2023:

Tensions have remained high in the region since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a major assault on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people. Israel responded with a massive military offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Tuesday’s strike on Ain al-Hilweh threatens to further destabilize southern Lebanon, a region already tense due to sporadic clashes between Israel and Hezbollah. Analysts warn that continued cross-border attacks risk plunging the region into a broader conflict.

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