Praying for our Beirut relatives.
Photo: IHH / via Reuters pic.twitter.com/04Fz0QcABy
— Lakota Law Project (@lakotalaw) August 5, 2020
President Donald Trump said U.S. military generals have told him they “seem to feel” that the massive explosion that rocked Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday was an “attack” likely caused by a bomb.
The explosion took place at a storage facility at a port near downtown Beirut and left parts of the city looking like a war zone.
Beirut port, before and after the blast. #BeirutBlast #BeirutExplosion pic.twitter.com/vTwUORUVx4
— Syrian Girl (@Partisangirl) August 4, 2020
Beirut is like war zone at the moment. The number of people died is unknown. There is a massive destruction in the city.
Our prayers are with Lebanese brothers and sisters. #Beirut #Lebanon pic.twitter.com/sVNlWVSxc2
— Selami Haktan (Eng) (@slmhktn_eng) August 4, 2020
Reports are that ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive compound commonly used in fertilizer, was being stored at the port location.
The Lebanese government says at least 70 people have died, and more than 3,000 have been injured. Those numbers are expected to rise.
Mr. Trump was asked why he called it an attack and not an accident. “It would seem like it based on the explosion,” Trump responded.
“I met with some of our great generals and they just seem to feel that it was. This was not a — some kind of a manufacturing explosion type of a event…They seem to think it was a attack. It was a bomb of some kind, yes.”
The Lebanese government has not officially determined the cause of the explosion.
Israel denied any involvement and has offered humanitarian help.
Under the direction of Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz and Minister of Foreign Affairs, @Gabi_Ashkenazi, Israel approached Lebanon through international defense and diplomatic channels to offer the Lebanese government medical humanitarian aid.
— בני גנץ – Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) August 4, 2020