This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
On August 5, 2020, a devastating explosion rocked the port region of Beirut, Lebanon, leaving a trail of destruction and injured people in its wake.
According to an Israeli official, who wished to remain anonymous, Israel had no involvement in the blast.
‘Israel has nothing to do with the incident,’ the official stated.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi suggested that the explosion was likely an accident caused by a fire.
Initial reports suggested that fireworks stores in the port region may have been a contributing factor to the blast.
However, Lebanon's General Security Director General Abbas Ibrahim later revealed that the explosion was caused by flames in a warehouse containing highly explosive materials, including sodium nitrate.
These materials had been confiscated from a ship and were being stored in the warehouse.
‘It looks like there is a warehouse containing materials confiscated for years, and it looks like they were very explosive materials,’ General Ibrahim stated.
The investigation into the blast is ongoing, with authorities working to determine the exact cause and circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
