An Israeli Strike Near Palestinian Refugee Camp Kills 13 people in southern Lebanon, marking the deadliest attack since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah began one year ago. The strike hit the Ein el-Hilweh camp near the coastal city of Sidon on Tuesday evening, sparking international concern about the fragile peace in the region.

Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed that at least 13 people died in the attack. Additionally, several others suffered injuries, and ambulances rushed them to nearby hospitals for treatment. The ministry urged local residents to donate blood to help the wounded survivors.

According to Lebanon’s state news agency, a drone initially targeted a car in the parking lot near the Khalid bin Al-Walid Mosque. Subsequently, three missiles struck both the mosque and the nearby Khalid bin Al-Walid Center. Videos from the scene showed emergency workers loading badly mangled bodies onto trucks while smoke billowed from the targeted area.

The Israeli Defense Forces stated they targeted a Hamas training compound in the Ein el-Hilweh area. Furthermore, military spokesperson Lt Col Avichay Adraee said the army would “continue to act forcefully against Hamas’s attempts to establish a foothold in Lebanon.” The IDF claimed the location served as a base for planning and carrying out attacks against Israel.

Moreover, Israel said it took measures to reduce civilian harm before the strike. These measures included using precision munitions, conducting aerial observations, and gathering intelligence information. However, the high death toll raised questions about the effectiveness of these precautions.

Hamas strongly rejected Israel’s claims about a training compound. The Palestinian group called the accusations “pure fabrication and lies” designed to justify the attack. Instead, Hamas stated the strike hit an “open sports field frequented by young men from the camp.”

The group emphasized that it maintains no military installations in Palestinian refugee camps throughout Lebanon. Therefore, Hamas condemned the strike as an unprovoked attack on civilians. Several witnesses from the camp supported Hamas’s version of events, describing the victims as young men who had gathered at a recreational area.

Ein el-Hilweh represents the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. The overcrowded and densely packed camp houses an estimated population of more than 60,000 Palestinian refugees, although the actual number may be higher. Many families have lived there for generations since fleeing or being expelled from their homes during the creation of Israel in 1948.

The camp sits on the outskirts of Sidon, a historic coastal city approximately 40 kilometers south of Beirut. Its narrow streets and crowded conditions make it particularly vulnerable to air strikes. Consequently, any attack on the camp typically results in high casualties and widespread damage.

Hamas fighters in the area prevented journalists from reaching the scene immediately after the strike. Nevertheless, footage emerged showing ambulances rushing through the narrow streets as residents searched for survivors amid the destruction.

This attack marks the third Israeli strike on Lebanon on Tuesday alone. Earlier in the day, drone strikes targeted vehicles in Blida and Bint Jbeil, killing two additional civilians. Therefore, the total death toll for November 18, 2025, reached 15 people killed by Israeli forces.

Israel has regularly carried out air strikes on people and places in Lebanon since the ceasefire deal with Hezbollah. Most strikes have targeted Hezbollah positions, but Israel has also attacked Hamas members in the country. Several Hamas officials have died in Lebanese strikes since October 2023, including senior leaders.

The current tensions stem from the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Israel’s military response in Gaza has killed at least 69,483 Palestinians, according to the territory’s health ministry.

One day after the October 7 attack, Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Israel responded with shelling and air strikes in Lebanon. The conflict escalated dramatically in late September 2024 when Israel launched an intense bombing campaign and ground incursion into southern Lebanon.

Lebanese authorities reported that Israel’s attacks killed about 4,000 people during the 13-month conflict, including many civilians. Furthermore, more than 1.2 million residents fled their homes. Israeli authorities said more than 80 soldiers and 47 civilians died in the hostilities.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in November 2024. However, violations have occurred regularly since then. The ceasefire deal did not address the situation with Hamas or other Palestinian groups operating in Lebanon.

The attack on Ein el-Hilweh has raised concerns about the stability of the ceasefire agreement. International observers worry that continued Israeli strikes could reignite the broader conflict. Meanwhile, Lebanese officials have protested what they describe as violations of Lebanese sovereignty.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues monitoring the situation. However, the force has faced its own challenges, including an incident where Israeli forces reportedly fired on UNIFIL personnel near the border.

The  Israeli strike near Palestinian refugee camp kills 13 incident highlights the ongoing tensions in the region despite the formal ceasefire. While Israel maintains it targets only militants, critics argue that strikes in densely populated civilian areas inevitably result in innocent casualties. The international community continues calling for restraint from all parties to prevent further escalation.