At least 13 people have been killed in an Israeli strike near a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, the country's health ministry says.
The Israeli military stated that the operation targeted members of Hamas operating in a training compound... in the Ein el-Hilweh area. It alleges that the site was used for planning and executing attacks against Israel, although no evidence has been provided to support these claims. Hamas has yet to comment on the incident.
This airstrike is part of a series of regular operations by Israel aimed at various targets in Lebanon, particularly focusing on Hezbollah but also involving Hamas.
In addition to the fatalities, Lebanon's health ministry reported that at least four individuals were wounded following the attack. Images from the scene show emergency responders at the entrance of the Ein el-Hilweh camp, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. Online footage depicts ambulances navigating through the tightly packed streets of the camp as smoke rises from the struck area.
Preliminary reports suggest that the attack occurred near a mosque, typically busy during evening hours, where Palestinian factions are known to be present.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) remarked that measures were taken to reduce the chance of harm to civilians, including the use of precision munitions, aerial observations, and additional intelligence information. This incident comes in the wake of significant violence that erupted in October 2023, following Hamas's attack on southern Israel, which resulted in many casualties and an extensive Israeli military response that has since heightened the ongoing conflict.
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah saw escalated tensions after the Lebanese group launched rockets at Israeli positions in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. In the months that followed, Israel’s intensive military campaign in southern Lebanon led to considerable loss of life and displacement.
