'Everyone flew through the air': Survivors describe Israeli strike on Beirut that killed 18

Mohammed Sukayneh picked his measurement done slabs of rubble and twisted metal, clutching a fewer integrative bags - each he could retrieve from his location of 45 years.

It was brought down connected apical of him and his family past nighttime by an Israeli airstrike, that killed astatine 18 people, 4 of them children, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

The onslaught happened without informing successful a spot wherever group thought they would beryllium safe – astir 150 metres from nan entranceway to Lebanon’s largest nationalist hospital, nan Rafik Hariri infirmary successful confederate Beirut.

Mohammed and his family were dormant successful their beds.

“We didn't recognise what is happening,” he said.

“After nan onslaught we perceive nan sound for illustration ‘boom, boom, boom, boom’ for illustration this. And everything is thrown connected us. Stones, metal, steel, caller blood, caller nutrient connected us. You couldn't speak, you couldn't breathe, you couldn't return your oxygen.”

He names 5 neighbours who are still nether nan rubble of their home. And location were others, killed successful an instant, successful their ain neighbourhood – including 2 19-year-old girls who were sitting extracurricular his door.

Mohammed, 54, survived pinch a grazed arm, but his 20-year-old nephew is now successful intensive care. “Half of his encephalon is crushed,” he said.

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A civilian defence worker astatine nan segment told america six residential buildings had been brought down, astir of them 3 aliases 4 stories high.

A cloaked female sat connected nan ground, pinch her hands connected her head, rocking backmost and distant successful distress. “There are nary Hezbollah here,” she said, “we are each civilians”.

A neighbour said, “everyone flew done nan air”.

Minutes later much remains were recovered from nan rubble and carried distant successful a achromatic assemblage bag.

I asked Mohammed what he thought Israel could person been targeting, successful this heavy populated area.

“They are hitting everything randomly,” he replied, his sound strengthened by anger.

“Without seeing location is children. Where are nan guns here? Where are nan rockets here? Blind, Israeli enemies. Blind.”

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it struck a "Hezbollah violent target adjacent nan hospital” without providing immoderate accusation astir what nan target was. It says nan infirmary itself was not targeted aliases hit.

Rafik Hariri infirmary head Jihad Saadeh said it was struck by shrapnel but is functioning usually and will not beryllium evacuated.

Not truthful for nan Al Sahel backstage hospital, astir 2km away, which was emptied retired past night.

“We evacuated instantly, for illustration crazy,” says Dr Mazen Alameh, nan wide manager.

“We cannot consequence anyone's lives. We cannot return it arsenic granted that they (Israel) will not bomb.”

The hurried removal of 10 patients and 50 unit came aft a nationalist declare by nan Israeli subject that nan infirmary was sitting connected apical of a Hezbollah bunker, afloat of riches.

The IDF gave nary impervious but produced a 3D animation, claiming to show a bunker beneath nan building. “There are hundreds of millions of dollars successful rate and golden wrong nan bunker, correct now,” said nan IDF spokesperson Rear Adm Daniel Hagari.

It sounded for illustration an invitation to a heist.

At nan infirmary coming guidance and doctors gathered to contradict “Israel’s mendacious allegation” and springiness america a tour, including nan 2 floors beneath ground. The infirmary is successful nan confederate suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, but unit insist powerfully that it is not linked pinch immoderate group.

“It's really shocking to opportunity that Sahel Hospital is affiliated pinch immoderate statement successful Lebanon,” says Dr Alameh. “It's a backstage hospital. It's a school infirmary for doctors, physicians and different aesculapian students."

He dismissed Israel’s declare of a hidden bunker. “The infirmary was founded 40 years agone connected an aged house,” he said.

“It’s intolerable to person immoderate passageway aliases infrastructure underneath. Any personification successful nan world tin travel present and spot everything they want.”

We were encouraged to cheque successful each corner. Nowhere was disconnected limits, not moreover nan morgue. Bundles of surgical scrubs, and packets of surgical instruments were opened to show location was thing concealed.

After nan tour, we were allowed to move astir freely. We saw quiet wards and anxious staff, but nary hint of a bunker.

Israel claimed nan entranceway was successful a neighbouring building. We went location excessively and had free entree to nan parking batch underneath. If location was an entranceway to a concealed bunker, we did not find it.

The only doorway we saw led to a lift, which we could not open. But that doorway was not concealed, and seemed an improbable entree constituent to a hidden enclosure afloat of gold.

As we near nan infirmary arsenic an Israeli drone circled overhead successful nan sunshine. Israel says its aerial unit is “monitoring nan compound but it will not onslaught nan infirmary itself.”

For now, Al Sahel remains closed, but doctors want to get backmost to treating nan sick.

“We are an institution helping people,” said Dr Walid Alameh, nan aesculapian director, and a relative of Dr Mazen.

“The laminitis of this infirmary is my father,” he said, becoming emotional. “This is my home. Hopefully tomorrow we will open."

But Israel is imposing its ain wartime schedule here.

This day it bombed Beirut again, a short thrust from nan hospital, and connected Hezbollah’s doorstep.

A spokesperson for nan equipped group had called a uncommon property conference.

As it was underway, nan IDF issued a warning, telling residents of 2 adjacent buildings to time off arsenic they were “located adjacent Hezbollah facilities.”

Half an hr later 2 much multi communicative buildings vanished from nan skyline successful seconds, reduced to acheronian clouds of fume and ash.

In homes, and successful hospitals here, galore are stricken by fear.