Al-Mayadeen reported Tuesday afternoon that a big explosion took place in Lebanon’s capital Beirut, and was heard throughout the capital and the surrounding areas. Large clouds of smoke rose to the sky. The explosion took place at the Beirut harbor, and according to preliminary information, it was not a terrorist act.
An Al-Mayadeen pointed out that the explosion occurred in warehouse No. 12 in the harbor, adding that benzene was stored there. There are other reports of fireworks being stored there.
At least a thousand people were reported injured, including some severely at the site of the explosion, and ambulances are transporting the injured to the surrounding hospitals. There’s a state of panic among Lebanese citizens, especially after the interruption of all communications due to the force of the explosion.
Israeli reporter Or Heller reports that this was explosion was not caused by Israel and it was not a Hezbollah storehouse. Amit Segal reports that a senior Israeli government official declared this was not done by Israel.
An Arabic TV station associated with Hezbollah reported that Hezbollah said this was not an Israeli strike on a Hezbollah weapons warehouse. Al-Arabia reports that Hezbollah troops are now deployed throughout the port.
Live Feed:
: Explosion reported in Beirut in Port area; 2nd explosion reported pic.twitter.com/ihfcDxB3BV
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1)
2 more videos from the explosion in Beirut pic.twitter.com/9HYLS5W6Va
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1)
BREAKING: Large explosion hits Beirut, Lebanon pic.twitter.com/SppZg7dbnS
— Breaking News Global (@BreakingNAlerts)
— Raghid Awdeh (@AwdehRaghid)
فيديو للحظة الإنفجار
منقول pic.twitter.com/9PrSFcP4MV
— T o n y R i z k (@Tonyrizk_13th)
دخان تفجير كبير يظهر في pic.twitter.com/IvkAFLYqPA
— Lana Medawar (@MedawarLana)
The storage facilities near the grain elevator are NOT marked for hazardous material storage, but are instead marked for general cargo. pic.twitter.com/E6XjgrzUBg
— The Intel Crab (@IntelCrab)
What looks like fireworks going off before the large explosion at the port. pic.twitter.com/D3PlidjjNA
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah)
Even the Beirut airport (around 10 km from the explosion) was damaged by the explosion pic.twitter.com/rE2yvy0CnA
— Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992)
The guy taking this video is possible dead after the blast pic.twitter.com/ue6L7GMKN5
— A.Kalash (@AKmech)
أضرار كبيرة جراء الإنفجار الضخم الذي وقع في مرفأ pic.twitter.com/twcapzklBR
— وكالة شهاب (@ShehabAgency)
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