Horrified onlookers captured the moment an IDF rocket utterly demolished an apartment block in a Beirut suburb.
Crystal-clear footage showed the projectile soaring through the blue skies above the Lebanese capital before spiking down and impacting the foot of the building that appeared to be at least 10 storeys high.
A punishing blast erupted from the lower floors of the building, shaking the earth and sending chunks of rubble and shrapnel raining down on fleeing bystanders.
But moments later the entire structure trembled before collapsing in on itself, tumbling to the ground in a catastrophic implosion akin to a perfectly executed controlled demolition.
Close-up images of the building a split second before impact clearly showed the rocket streaking past balcony windows where residents had hung clothes and sheets out to dry.
The horrific scene reportedly unfolded in the Beirut suburb of Shayah, with rescuers now searching the scene for survivors – though dozens are expected to have perished in the attack.
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A picture taken from a neighbouring building shortly after the strike showed how the apartment block was reduced to a pile of smouldering debris.
The strike that levelled the apartment block came just 40 minutes after Israeli military Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued a warning, claiming the structure contained ‘Hezbollah facilities’.
The now eradicated block stood in a heavily trafficked area across the street from a large park, which has become a refuge for many displaced families.
