Airstrike on Ain al-Hilweh Camp in Sidon: Dozens of Casualties Amid Conflicting Reports
Initial Details of the Airstrike on Ain al-Hilweh Camp in Sidon
On Tuesday evening, an Israeli airstrike targeted the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon, southern Lebanon, near the Khaled bin Al-Walid Mosque within the camp’s perimeter. According to initial, unofficial reports, dozens were killed or injured. Field sources confirmed that evacuation and rescue operations remained ongoing late into the night, with no official final toll released yet.
Conflicting Narratives Surrounding the Ain al-Hilweh Airstrike
Accounts varied regarding the nature of the targeted location. Lebanese NBN television denied circulating reports suggesting that Fatah official Major General Munir Maqdah was the intended target or present at the site.
Meanwhile, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed quoted sources from Hamas saying that the strike resulted in significant civilian casualties and did not target any of the group’s figures inside the camp. Other sources added that the attack hit an open area resembling a sports field and not linked to military activity, located in a densely populated civilian neighborhood—contributing to the high casualty rate.
Israeli Army Statement on the Ain al-Hilweh Airstrike
In an official statement, the Israeli army said it targeted what it described as “a training facility belonging to Hamas in southern Lebanon,” noting that it had “taken measures to minimize civilian harm using precision weapons, aerial monitoring, and additional intelligence.” The statement affirmed that Israel “will continue to act against any military activity posing a threat.”
Official Casualty Figures from the Ain al-Hilweh Airstrike
The Public Health Emergency Operation Center at the Lebanese Ministry of Health announced in its second updated report, released around midnight, that the airstrike resulted in 13 fatalities and a large number of injuries. Rescue teams and ambulances remain active at the site, transferring more wounded to nearby hospitals.
Possible Escalation Ahead
Media sources expressed concern that the airstrike on Ain al-Hilweh Camp in Sidon could signal a broader escalation targeting Palestinian refugee camps. This comes following widely circulated remarks attributed to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, reportedly stating that “there are no longer humanitarian considerations for Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, and we have given orders to neutralize any terrorist infrastructure.”
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