BEIRUT — An Israeli airstrike on Tuesday killed at least 13 people in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, local officials reported. The strike, the deadliest on Lebanon since January, injured dozens more and heightened fears of renewed regional violence that could strain the fragile Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the attack targeted a Hamas training compound. “The military compound that was struck was used by Hamas terrorists for training and exercises in order to plan and carry out terrorist attacks against IDF troops and the State of Israel,” the IDF said in a statement. The statement added that precautions were taken to minimize civilian casualties, including the use of precision munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence.
Hamas disputed Israel’s claim, asserting that the site hit was not a military facility but a sports field. The Lebanese Ministry of Health does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its casualty reports, making the exact breakdown unclear.
Mohammed Arqadan, a civil defense spokesperson in nearby Sidon, said dozens of injured residents were being transported to hospitals both within the camp and in Sidon. A resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, described hearing a loud explosion followed by a continuous flow of ambulances responding to the scene.
Ain al-Hilweh, home to approximately 80,000 people according to humanitarian organization Anera, has long been a flashpoint for tension. Sidon Mayor Mostafa Hijazi said the city was “a bit tense after the strike” and that several schools and institutions had announced closures for the following day. He added that he had been touring hospitals to check on the wounded.
Hamas condemned the strike, stating that civilians had been killed, while Israel maintains its position that the strike was a necessary response to militant activity. The attack comes a day after the United Nations Security Council passed a U.S.-drafted resolution supporting President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza, amid increased pressure from Israel and the United States on militant groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, to disarm.
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