At least 13 individuals have reportedly been killed in an Israeli strike near a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, according to the nation’s health ministry.
The Israeli military has stated that its forces targeted members of the Palestinian armed group Hamas “operating in a training compound… in the Ein el-Hilweh area.”
The IDF claims the location was utilized by Hamas for planning and executing attacks against Israel, an assertion Hamas has refuted as “fabrication and lies.”
Israel has conducted a series of air strikes targeting individuals and locations within Lebanon since an agreement was reached to end the prior conflict with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group. While most strikes have been directed at Hezbollah, Israel has also targeted Hamas operatives within the country.
In addition to the fatalities, Lebanon’s health ministry has reported that at least four individuals sustained injuries in the strike.
Images circulating depict emergency personnel at the entrance to Ein el-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon.
Footage appearing online shows ambulances navigating the narrow streets of the densely populated camp, with a significant plume of smoke rising from the impact site.
Initial reports indicate that the strike impacted an area adjacent to a mosque, which is typically heavily trafficked during evening hours.
Hamas has condemned the attack, asserting that it maintains “no military installations in the Palestinian camps in Lebanon” and that the targeted site was, in fact, an “open sports field.”
In its statement, the IDF maintained that “prior to the strike, measures were taken to reduce the chance of harm to civilians, including the use of precision munitions, aerial observations, and additional intelligence information.”
Hamas launched attacks on southern Israel from Gaza on 7 October 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 251 individuals. Israel’s military response has resulted in the deaths of at least 69,169 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah followed a rocket barrage launched by the Lebanese group at Israeli positions the day after 7 October 2023. Hezbollah stated its actions were in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel and Hezbollah engaged in a 13-month escalating conflict, culminating in an intensive Israeli bombing campaign and ground incursion into southern Lebanon in October 2024.
Lebanese authorities have reported that Israeli attacks caused approximately 4,000 deaths, including a significant number of civilians, and led to the displacement of over 1.2 million residents. Israeli authorities reported over 80 military personnel and 47 civilians killed in the hostilities.