### Beirut Building Reduced to Rubble in Missile Strike: Panic Among Residents

In a matter of seconds, a building in southern Beirut was obliterated, sending a massive cloud of gray smoke into the sky. Residents witnessed the terrifying event as a missile struck the base of the multistory structure, causing it to collapse instantaneously. Verified videos shared on social media show the moment from several angles, with men standing by their cars watching the event unfold, while others fled on motorbikes.

One particularly dramatic video captures a man running from the explosion as a colossal bang rings out. In another, four men are seen hurrying away from the scene, with one cautioning his companions to "move back so that the flying stones do not fall on you." A third video shot from a distance shows a dust cloud washing over the neighborhood following the strike. While it remains unclear if there were any casualties or anyone inside the building, the strike was documented from multiple vantage points by onlookers.

In the last few days, Israel has escalated its offensive on Lebanon's capital, intensifying panic among residents. On Sunday night, the Israeli military targeted several bank branches across Lebanon in an effort to cripple Hezbollah’s financial network. This has led to hundreds of residents fleeing their homes in response to evacuation orders issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Shortly after these orders, explosions were heard, adding to the widespread fear.

IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari explained that the evacuation orders were issued ahead of targeted strikes on buildings allegedly being used to fund Hezbollah's terrorist activities. In Dahieh, a neighborhood in southern Beirut known as a Hezbollah stronghold, officials at a local hospital evacuated the facility after Israel claimed that a Hezbollah cash bunker was located beneath it.

Although the IDF stated they would not directly attack the hospital, the director of Sahel General Hospital, Dr. Fadi Alami, nonetheless decided to evacuate the medical facility as a precaution. The IDF alleges that Hezbollah has stashed hundreds of millions of dollars in cash and gold in a bunker beneath the hospital, a claim refuted by the hospital's director.

These latest events have added a new layer of urgency and fear among the residents of Beirut and its suburbs, as the situation continues to unfold with no immediate resolution in sight.