### Devastating Airstrike in Beirut Leaves Residents in Shock and Mourning

Mohammed Sukayneh navigated through the debris of what was once his home, clutching a few plastic bags containing the only items he could salvage. The house, where he had lived for 45 years, was reduced to rubble by an Israeli airstrike last night, claiming the lives of at least 18 people, including four children, as reported by Lebanon's Health Ministry. The neighborhood, assumed to be a safe haven, is situated just 150 meters from Rafik Hariri Hospital, Beirut's largest public hospital.

The tragic event unfolded while Mohammed and his family were asleep. He recalls the terrifying moments: "We didn't recognize what was happening. After the strike, we heard 'boom, boom, boom, boom.' Everything was thrown on us: stones, metal, steel, fresh blood, fresh meat. You couldn’t speak or breathe." Mohammed himself emerged with minor injuries, but his 20-year-old nephew is now in intensive care with devastating injuries.

According to a civil defense worker at the scene, six residential buildings, each three to four stories high, were completely leveled. In the chaos, a veiled woman could be seen in deep distress, repeatedly stating that the area had no Hezbollah presence, only civilians. Another resident remarked, "everyone flew through the air." Bodies continue to be recovered from the wreckage, a grim reminder of the violence they endured.

When questioned about Israel's target in this densely populated area, Mohammed voiced his anger: "They are hitting everything randomly, without realizing there are children here. Where are the guns? Where are the rockets? Blind, Israeli enemies. Blind." The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claim they struck a "Hezbollah terrorist target near the hospital," although no specific details have been provided. While Rafik Hariri Hospital sustained shrapnel damage, it remains operational, according to its director Jihad Saadeh.

However, the nearby Al Sahel private hospital was not as fortunate. Following a public claim by the Israeli military suggesting the hospital concealed a Hezbollah bunker filled with cash and gold, an immediate evacuation was ordered. Dr. Mazen Alameh, the hospital's general manager, described the frantic evacuation of patients and staff. Despite the IDF's elaborate 3D animation purporting to show the alleged bunker, hospital staff vehemently deny any affiliation with Hezbollah.

Dr. Alameh expressed his disbelief at the allegations: "It's really shocking to say that Sahel Hospital is affiliated with any party in Lebanon. It’s a private hospital, a teaching facility for doctors and medical students." He dismissed the notion of a hidden bunker, explaining that the hospital was built on an old house with no underground tunnels or infrastructure. To refute the claims, hospital management invited independent verification, offering unrestricted access to all areas, including basements and the morgue.

Despite thorough searches, no evidence of a hidden bunker was found in the hospital or the adjoining building's parking lot. The empty wards and the anxious faces of staff mirrored the tension in this conflict-ridden area, as residents grapple with the aftermath of yet another devastating blow.