A terror attack may be unfolding in Lebanon.
A massive explosion shook Lebanon’s capital Beirut wounding a number of people and causing widespread damage. The blast appeared to be centered around Beirut’s port and shattered windows miles away.
Lebanese Red Cross official says hundreds of casualties in Beirut explosion, including dead and wounded. According to AP, he number of dead was not immediately known, but hours later, ambulances were still carrying away the wounded, and officials said Beirut’s hospitals were full. Army helicopters helped battle fires raging at the port.
There was damage reported at Beirut Airport due to the explosion that occurred in the port.
The source of the explosion was reportedly a “major fire” at a warehouse for firecrackers near Beirut’s port.
Sources say: It wasn’t because of a fireworks storage unit. There were 2 separate bomb sites this was an attack on Lebanon.
A tweet said: Please pray for us this explosion did just now happen in my country Lebanon. They said something in a steamship did explode something huge and too many people were injured and dead and too many houses were destroyed!!! I am crying! Please pray for us! It was so huge.
Another tweet said: Too early to know what exactly caused that massive explosion, but clearly innocent civilian lives were lost.
Abbas Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon’s General Security, told local media that “highly explosive materials” confiscated earlier had been stored at the site.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1290674216623366144
https://twitter.com/i/status/1290675547127918593
A massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon just took place. This is not a movie scene. It just happened. This is a video of the explosions in 7 different angles. Pray for Lebanon
Check the thread to help
— eelive.ng (@eeliveblog) August 4, 2020
AP reports, that Abbas Ibrahim, chief of Lebanese General Security, said it might have been caused by highly explosive material that was confiscated from a ship some time ago and stored at the port. Local television channel LBC said the material was sodium nitrate.
An Israeli government official said Israel “had nothing to do” with the blast. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. Israeli officials usually do not comment on “foreign reports.”
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- The source of the explosion was reportedly a “major fire” at a warehouse for firecrackers near Beirut's port.
- AP reports, that Abbas Ibrahim, chief of Lebanese General Security, said it might have been caused by highly explosive material that was confiscated from a ship some time ago and stored at the port.
- He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.
