Explosion rocks south Lebanon Palestinian camp

A number of armed Palestinian factions, including Hamas and the Fatah Movement, hold effective control over roughly a dozen Palestinian camps in the country, which Lebanese authorities by custom do not enter.

A large explosion rocked a Palestinian camp in the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre on Friday night causing a number of deaths and injuries, state media reported.

The explosion took place at a Hamas weapons depot and a judge had ordered security forces to launch an investigation, the state-run National News Agency reported. Hamas maintains a presence in a number of Palestinian camps in Lebanon.

A security source confirmed the explosion but did not provide further details, while a Palestinian source inside the camp said there may be casualties but numbers remained unclear. The surrounding area had been evacuated and rescue crews had deployed, the Palestinian source said.

Videos from the scene shared by local media show a number of small bright red flashes above the southern city, followed by a large explosion and the sound of glass breaking. A number of armed Palestinian factions, including Hamas and the Fatah Movement, hold effective control over roughly a dozen Palestinian camps in the country, which Lebanese authorities by custom do not enter.

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