Israeli airstrike hits Palestinian refugee camp in Southern Lebanon

Attack focuses on home of Munir Al-Maqdah, leader of Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, armed faction of Lebanon's Fatah movt

An Israeli airstrike early on Tuesday targeted the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon, southern Lebanon, leaving several Palestinians injured.

The attack focused on the home of Munir Al-Maqdah, the leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, an armed faction of the Fatah movement in Lebanon.

Although injuries were reported, there has been no official update on Al-Maqdah's condition.

This airstrike is the first on Ain al-Hilweh since October 2023, when clashes with Hezbollah escalated following Israel’s war on Gaza.

The Israeli military said it conducted “localized and targeted ground raids” based on precise intelligence to strike Hezbollah targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon has been under heavy Israeli bombardment since September 23, 2024.

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, Israeli airstrikes in the past 24 hours alone have resulted in 95 deaths and 172 injuries. Since the start of the air campaign, over 1,057 people have been killed and more than 2,950 injured.

The strikes have also claimed the lives of key Hezbollah leaders, including Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

This intensification of cross-border violence comes amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, which escalated following a cross-border attack on October 7, 2023.

The Gaza war has claimed nearly 41,600 lives, most of them civilians, while Israel continues to retaliate against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.

The international community has voiced concerns over the potential for the conflict to spread regionally, as Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon persist.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli airstrikes have caused severe casualties, with at least 41,615 people killed and over 96,000 injured since the conflict's onset.

On the Israeli side, at least 1,139 people were killed in the attack on October 7, with more than 200 taken hostage.

Israel has launched a ground invasion into Lebanon, marking a significant escalation in its ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group.

Early on October 1, 2024, the Israeli military announced that its forces had begun "limited, localized, and targeted" ground raids in southern Lebanon, specifically targeting Hezbollah positions.

These raids were supported by Israeli air force and artillery strikes, with the goal of neutralizing immediate threats posed by Hezbollah militants stationed in villages close to Israel’s northern border.

The move comes after nearly a year of cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, which intensified following an attack on October 7, 2023.

The ongoing Israeli-Lebanese conflict and the broader war in Gaza continue to raise fears of a regional escalation, despite calls from the international community for restraint.