Israeli Airstrike on Palestinian Refugee Camp in Lebanon Kills 13

An Israeli airstrike on the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon, Lebanon, on November 18, 2025, resulted in 13 fatalities and several injuries, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The drone strike targeted a vehicle in the parking lot of a mosque within the camp, as reported by the state-run National News Agency.

The Israeli military stated that the operation targeted a Hamas training compound allegedly preparing an attack against Israel. Hamas, however, denied this claim, asserting that the strike hit a sports playground and not a training facility.

This incident is the deadliest in Lebanon since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024. Since the ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes have resulted in over 270 deaths and approximately 850 injuries in Lebanon, as reported by the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The Ein el-Hilweh camp, located on the outskirts of Sidon, is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. The area has previously been targeted; in October 2024, an Israeli attack purportedly aimed at elements of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade occurred there.

In response to the recent strike, Hamas fighters restricted journalist access to the scene, while emergency services worked to evacuate the casualties.

The ongoing hostilities trace back to the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths. This event escalated into a broader conflict involving Hezbollah, culminating in a full-scale war by late 2024. The conflict concluded with a ceasefire in November 2024, but tensions and military actions have persisted in the region.