According to reports from Lebanese authorities, an Israeli airstrike has hit the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon, resulting in multiple civilian casualties. The strike reportedly targeted a highly populated area within the camp.
Lebanese health authorities confirmed that an Israeli airstrike on the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp killed at least 13 people and injured several others on Tuesday, November 18. Other initial reports from state media and the Lebanese Health Ministry cited a death toll of 11 people, with four others wounded. The strike targeted a car in a mosque's parking lot within a densely populated neighborhood, leading to a significant emergency response with ambulances rushing to transport the injured to local hospitals.
The Ain al-Hilweh camp, often described as the "capital" of the Palestinian diaspora in Lebanon, is the largest of the country's 12 Palestinian refugee camps and is known for its extremely crowded conditions. This is not the first time the camp has been attacked. It was established in 1948 following the displacement of Palestinians during the Nakba and has been targeted by Israeli airstrikes on several occasions throughout its history, including major bombings in 1974 and during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Experts note that such attacks are often justified by Israel as targeting militant factions, but they historically lead to "widespread destruction and civilian casualties".
The Israeli military stated that the airstrike targeted militants "operating in a Hamas training compound" in the Ain al-Hilweh area, alleging the site was used to plan attacks against Israeli troops. Meanwhile, Hebrew media has reported that this strike did not succeed in killing any senior officials, and thus, a failure. Local sources also report that the strike was conducted on an indoor football ground that is usually crowded with civilians at the time of the strike. This incident occurs amidst a significant escalation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon. In recent weeks, Israel has launched extensive airstrikes across the country, and the latest attack on Ain al-Hilweh coincides with the Israeli military confirming the start of a ground operation in southern Lebanon. In Sidon, however, the number of casualties is expected to rise, as ambulances make the trip back and forth to recover the dead and wounded.