Palestinian resistance group Hamas dismissed Tuesday Israeli claims that it had military installations and training grounds in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.
Blaming Israel for a "brutal assault" on the Ain al-Helweh camp, Hamas said in a statement that "claims that the targeted location was a 'training compound affiliated with the movement' are pure fabrications and lies," as it insisted: "There are no military installations in the Palestinian camps in Lebanon."
The Israeli military released a video of a strike hitting a building, but Hamas claimed that "the targeted site was an open sports field frequented by the youth of the camp," and that "those targeted were a group of young boys" on the field at the time.
At least 13 people were killed in the Israeli airstrike on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon.
In a statement, the ministry said that several others were injured in the attack that targeted a center inside the camp, without specifying the exact number.
According to the state news agency NNA, three missiles were fired into the center.
The outlet said a large number of injured people were admitted to hospitals in Sidon following the attack, amid calls for residents to donate blood for victims.
The Israeli army claimed that the attack targeted Hamas members inside the center. It alleges that the targeted facility was being used to plot attacks against Israel.
Meanwhile, Palestinian factions in Sidon declared a general strike in mourning for the victims
"This attack came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to continue the war on all fronts," they said in a statement.
The attack came hours after two people were killed in Israeli drone strikes in Bint Jbeil and Blida in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.
The Israeli army launched a similar strike on Ain al-Hilweh camp in October 2024, leaving six people dead, including three children.
Tensions have been mounting in southern Lebanon for weeks, with the Israeli army intensifying near-daily air raids inside Lebanese territory, allegedly targeting Hezbollah members and infrastructure.
The Israeli army has killed more than 4,000 people and injured nearly 17,000 in its attacks on Lebanon, which began in October 2023 and turned into a full-scale offensive in September 2024.
Under a cease-fire declared in November 2024, the Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon this January, but instead only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.
