Daijiworld Media Network - Beirut
Beirut, Nov 19: At least 13 people were killed and four others injured in an Israeli air strike near the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon late Monday, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The attack marks yet another escalation in cross-border tensions as Israeli forces continue targeting armed groups operating inside Lebanese territory.
The Israeli military said its strike targeted Hamas operatives allegedly using a “training compound” in the Ein el-Hilweh area to plan and execute attacks on Israel. Hamas strongly rejected the claim, calling it “fabrication and lies” and insisting that no military installations exist inside Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.
Eyewitness videos circulating online showed ambulances navigating the narrow, crowded lanes of Ein el-Hilweh as thick black smoke rose from the strike location. Local reports indicated that the attack hit an area adjacent to a mosque, a spot usually teeming with people during the evening hours.
Emergency responders were seen rushing victims away from the camp entrance, with several buildings near the strike zone reportedly sustaining damage.
Hamas condemned the attack sharply, saying the targeted zone was nothing more than an “open sports field” used by residents. The organisation accused Israel of attempting to justify civilian casualties with false claims.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that “measures were taken to reduce the chance of harm to civilians,” including the use of precision-guided weapons and real-time intelligence. However, the scale of casualties has intensified outrage in Lebanon.
Israel has carried out frequent strikes on Lebanese territory in recent months, primarily targeting Hezbollah positions. However, Hamas sites have also been hit as the conflict’s spillover continues following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has since claimed over 69,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Tensions with Hezbollah escalated sharply after the group launched rockets at Israel on October 8, 2023, declaring solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Israel and Hezbollah were locked in a 13-month confrontation, culminating in a major Israeli ground incursion into southern Lebanon in October 2024.
Lebanese officials say Israel’s operations during that period killed nearly 4,000 people—many of them civilians—and displaced more than 1.2 million residents. Israel, on its part, reported losses of over 80 soldiers and 47 civilians.
Monday’s strike near Ein el-Hilweh has raised fears of renewed escalation along the Lebanon-Israel border, with regional observers warning that the humanitarian fallout could worsen if the cycle of retaliation continues.