Tragedy Strikes: The Aftermath of the Overnight Airstrike
The air was heavy with dust, a somber reminder of the devastation that had unfolded just hours before. Beneath the rubble lay the remains of a once-vibrant neighborhood, now reduced to mangled debris and smoldering ruins. The Israeli airstrike had struck with little to no warning, leaving residents with no time to flee to safety.
As dawn broke, search and rescue teams were tirelessly working to recover bodies from the wreckage of residential buildings situated near Rafik Hariri University Hospital, the largest public health facility in Lebanon. On Tuesday, locals gathered at the site, their hearts filled with anguish as they listened intently for the faint sounds of their loved ones’ phones ringing beneath the debris.
- Mpsati Mi, a 30-year-old Ethiopian national, frantically searched for her friend, Aamal. “We’re hearing his phone ringing. It keeps ringing under the rubble,” she lamented. “He’s not just a neighbor; he’s like a brother to me.”
- Ahmad Kalash, a resident from Syria, also expressed his desperation as he searched for his friend, Hussein. “I tried to call him,” he said, visibly shaken. “I’ve already visited nearby hospitals, hoping to find any news.”
“I’m just waiting to hear anything from the rescuers,” he added, his voice filled with despair.
Rescue workers continued their grim task, retrieving the lifeless bodies from the wreckage on Tuesday, a stark reminder of the lethal consequences of the airstrike that had targeted the area. The scene was heart-wrenching, with residents gathering near the hospital to seek information about their loved ones and share in the collective grief of a community shattered by violence.
An injured woman was seen being assisted just outside the hospital, her face a portrait of trauma and disbelief after the chaotic events that had unfolded.
