חשיפה: ישראל היא שפוצצה מאגר תחמושת של חיזבאללה בנמל ביירות, אך לא ידעה מראש שמחסן סמוך מכיל כמות אדירה של אמוניום חנקתי. הממשלה, המומה מממדי הקטל וההרס, מיהרה להכחיש מעורבות ישראלית – עוד לפני שמישהו בלבנון האשים את ישראל
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A confidential highly-informed Israeli source has told me that Israel caused the massive explosion at the Beirut port earlier today which killed over 100 and injured thousands. The bombing also virtually leveled the port itself and caused massive damage throughout the city. The source received this information from an Israeli official having special knowledge concerning the matter.
Israel targeted a Hezbollah weapons depot at the port and planned to destroy it with an explosive device. Tragically, Israeli intelligence did not perform due diligence on its target. Thus they did not know (or if they did know, they didn’t care) that there were 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a next-door warehouse. The explosion at the arms depot ignited the fertilizer, causing the catastrophe that resulted.
It is, of course, unconscionable that Israeli agents did not determine everything about their target including what was in its immediate vicinity. The tragedy Israel has wreaked is a war crime of immense magnitude.
The ICC has already been investigating Israel for war crimes in Gaza since the 2014 Operation Protective Edge. Now, I imagine it will expand the scope to incorporate today’s criminally negligent massacre.
Though Israel has regularly attacked Hezbollah and Iranian weapons depots and convoys in Syria, it rarely undertakes such brazen attacks inside Lebanon. This attack in the country’s capital marks an even greater escalation. The sheer recklessness of this operation is astonishing.
Not surprising, though. A plan of this sort can only be contemplated amidst internal political dysfunction. Bibi is on the ropes and desperate to change the subject. When his intelligence officers brought the plan to him he likely rubbed his hands with glee and said: “Go to it!” Israeli intelligence was naturally out to please the boss and probably cut corners in order to make the attack happen. When no one is at the wheel saying “Stop!” the boat hits an iceberg and sinks. That’s possibly what happened here.
The Israeli bombing brings to mind similar bombings orchestrated by its agents in Beirut in the period before and after its 1982 invasion. Ronen Bergman’s book on Mossad assassinations and Remy Brulin have documented multiple Israeli bombings during this period which wreaked widespread death and destruction on the city’s civilian population.
In this case, the damage done was accidental. But that will be little comfort to the thousands of Beirutis whose lives have become a living hell as a result of this Israeli crime.
As an aside, former Likud MK Moshe Feiglin tweeted a quotation from the Mishnah “celebrating” the disaster: “There never have been such great days in Israel as the 15th of Av [the day of the bombing] and Yom Kippur.”
Of course, it pains me to admit that Pres. Trump was correct in his earlier statement that the explosion was a “terrible attack,” and that the information was conveyed to him by “his generals.” In this case, he and they were right:
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Wednesday defended President Trump’s description of a massive explosion a day earlier in the capital of Lebanon as an “attack”…
Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he was briefed by generals who felt the explosion at a major port in Beirut was an “attack” and “a bomb of some kind.
“I can tell you the initial report was exactly what the president shared with all of you. I happen to know that he was briefed on that. The initial reports looked at an explosion,” he added. “We still have not totally ruled that out.”
“Without sharing anything classified, I’ve been able to see a lot of what has taken place there. We’ll continue to evaluate that,” Meadows continued. “Obviously, there’s no group that has claimed any responsibility but what the president shared with the American people is what he was briefed on.”
This would be highly classified information, which would mean that Trump once again exposed U.S. intelligence secrets and methods, which no president should do. It is reminiscent of previous episodes in which he shared such highly sensitive information with Russian officials. And it’s the reason why U.S. intelligence officials do everything in their power to keep such information from him.
There could (and should) be Israeli domestic political repercussions for this disaster. As Netanyahu approved the attack, he is responsible for the consequences. In 1982, a commission of inquiry found Ariel Sharon culpable for the invasion of Lebanon and the massacre at Sabra and Shatilla. He was sent into political exile for a decade. At the very least, this should disqualify Bibi from leading the country. This would be the outcome in any democratic nation in which the leader was held accountable for his failures.
But alas, Israel is not such a nation, and Bibi always seems to weasel out of responsibility for his blunders. The difference here is that the Israeli leader is already under pressure due to his government’s disastrous response to Covid19 and the looming corruption trial on three counts of bribery. This could be the tipping point.
Normally, Israelis would not bat an eye at such a massacre. They have become inured to the suffering they inflict on their Arab neighbors. But given Netanyahu’s collapsing popularity, this could hasten his end.
Israel couldn’t have picked a worse time to inflict such suffering on Lebanon. The country is in deep economic crisis. Businesses are going bankrupt, people have nothing to eat, politicians quarrel and blame while doing nothing. Lebanon is a basket case. Suffering is everywhere. There is little appetite from its Arab brethren like Saudi Arabia to come to its aid. If any country did not need this added tragedy it is Lebanon.
But there you go–Israel doesn’t seem to have any sense of shame or restraint when it comes to inflicting pain on its neighbors. And it has done so endlessly in Lebanon: from the bombings in the lead-up to the 1982 invasion, the 20-year occupation of Southern Lebanon, and two wars in this century. All of this inflicted massive, ongoing damage on the country. These interventions exacerbated existing ethnic and religious divisions in the country (indeed that is Israel’s modus operandi regarding its Arab neighbors), and amplified the suffering further.
Of course, there will be doubters. Those who disbelieve my source. But to them, I point out two pieces of circumstantial evidence which are telling. Normally, if Israel has undertaken a successful terror attack (such as those against Iran) it will either refuse to comment or a senior military or political figure will say something like: While we refuse to comment, whoever did it did the world a favor.
In this case, Israel immediately denied responsibility. Even Hezbollah supposedly said Israel hadn’t caused the damage (likely protecting itself from the inevitable blame that will fall upon it for storing its weapons next to a building filled with explosive material).
The second tell-tale sign is that Israel never offers humanitarian aid to its Arab neighbors. During the Syrian Civil War, the only group to whom Israel offered humanitarian assistance was its Islamist anti-Assad allies. Israel has never offered such aid to Lebanon, until today. Lebanon is officially considered an enemy state in Israel. So to have the Lebanese flag flying over Tel Aviv city hall is also extraordinary. But the cynic in me says that it is an outrage for Israelis to all of a sudden develop pity on Lebanese after their leaders caused this debacle. Israel has rained down death and destruction on the country for decades. For it to feign empathy now is the height of chutzpah.
With tongue planted firmly in cheek, Haaretz’s Gideon Levy expressed shock and indignation at the prospect that Israel might have had anything to do with the tragedy. Also, in this column he links to this blog and notes pointedly that I ascribed the Beirut blast to Israel:
The “Jewish state” has never caused such disasters, and the fall of its enemies its heart has never rejoiced. So too the IDF, the army of the Jews has never caused such devastation [as the Beirut blast], certainly never in Lebanon, even less so in Beirut! Why would the IDF destroy such infrastructure? And why bomb the Beirut port? Why would the most moral army in the world bomb such a population center? That’s why the leaders of the nation rushed to offer aid to the stricken Land of the Cedars in a Jewish-Israeli tribute that is so typically humane, lofty and full of heartfelt tears.
[But] was it not defense minister [Benny Gantz] who only last week threatened that same Lebanon with destruction of infrastructure? Didn’t the prime minister also threaten Lebanon? And how does destruction of infrastructure look in Lebanon? Just like what was seen in Lebanon on Tuesday. The sound of thunder shook the city, black smoke billowed over it, destruction and devastation, civilian blood spilled, 4,000 injured at hospital doors…
Half of Israel and the entire IDF General Staff know how to recite the acclaimed Dahiya Doctrine. Every second politician has threatened to carry it out…And what is this sophisticated doctrine? It’s the use of disproportionate, unbridled force against infrastructure, the sowing of destruction and shedding of as much blood as possible. “Flattening” – to teach the enemy a lesson “once and for all.” The IDF has tried this more than once in the past, in Lebanon and in Gaza, and it was a dizzying success. It looks just like what was seen in Beirut on Tuesday.
…Would you accept humanitarian aid from such a country? Is there a more sickening show of hypocrisy?
Sorry to say this – but you’re becoming reckless.
1. Either your “source” is right or it’s not right, but you should qualify your conclusions.
2. Absolutely, unequivocally, not all Israelis “ would not bat an eye at such a massacre. They have become inured to the suffering they inflict on their Arab neighbors.” That’s like attributing Trump’s craziness to ALL Americans.
3. Israel has feed humanitarian aid to Arab nations (as well as non-Arab Muslim nations) in the past. Besides aid to Syrians and Palestinians, Israel offered aid, through the Red Cross, to civilians from Iraq and Iran during the 2017 earthquake – as one example.
However, the BIG question is “why hasn’t (yet?) Hezbolla brained Israel if the evidence is so clear cut?” Hezbollah could deflect a lot of anger if it could blame Israel.
Indeed, if Americans had elected Trump president for over a decade I would attribute his craziness to all Americans–or at least the idiots who voted for him. But we’ve only elected him for one term, and he’ll barely last that long.
As for humanitarian aid: you didn’t read my post. Israel has not offered aid to “Syrians.” It offered aid to anti-Assadist militias fighting in Syria. It never offered aid to Lebanon. And your claim that it offered aid to Palestinians is not only laughable, it’s obscene. What sort of aid has it offered? Bombs? Tank rounds? F-16 missiles?
As for Hezbollah, again you didn’t read the post: Hezbollah cannot blame Israel because it will have to admit that it negligently stored its weapons in a building next door to a warehouse storing ammonium nitrate. It will have to admit its own culpability for the disaster (along with Israel’s).
Try harder… But no more comments in this thread.
The circumstantial evidence is extremely lacking at best, it really doesn’t suggest anything at all.
I would consider the fact that Israel hasn’t done air strikes in Lebanon during daytime for decades as much stronger evidence to the contrary.
@ Oded: Israel certainly has struck Lebanese targets in two wars in this century. What it hasn’t done is attacked Beirut in several decades. Until this week, when it did. To make a point to Hezb that it was willing to escalate the war of words that’s been going on for weeks. I’m not claiming Israel attacked Beirut by air. Review what I wrote and try again.
thanks for setting your reputation on fire :)))))
@ qwe: Thanks for offering me your worthless opinion.
I’m still on the fence on this one. There were indeed two separate explosions, the first I attributed to “fireworks” triggering the second massive blast of stockpiled 2700 ton ammonium nitrate. However, by reviewing the initial blast, that was more likely munitions shooting into the air. Israel never makes such a miscalculation, if they knew what’s inside the Hezbollah munitions depot, they would have known about the six years storage of the ammonium nitrate. [https://www.cnet.com/how-to/beirut-explosion-how-ammonium-nitrate-caused-deadly-blast-in-lebanon/]
If it’s true what your source provided, the ICC can stay in session a bit longer. The date two days ahead of the decision by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the Rafiq Hariri assassination would not be a coincidence. A verdict after 15 years?
Offer by the combination Gantz and Ashkenazi – IDF veterans of the Second Lebanon War.
https://twitter.com/gantzbe/status/1290725919309602816
Who are the men on Israel’s potential hit list?
Of course the Jewish State of Israel has offered a rescue mission … Netanyahu seeks to offer his friend Trump the exact location of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah – https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/who-are-the-men-on-israels-potential-hit-list-606101
* time is running out for Trump and his ally Netanyahu & Co.
I think Hezbollah could get away with blaming Israel. Hezbollah absolving Israel to save it’s own face leaves the blame where? (I am not understanding this)
There is enough blame including of disregard, negligence, tolerance (rationalization about the need to store in such qualities in the first place) to go around here. This was or should have been seen as disaster waiting to happen. Stupidity enough to go around as well, especially in Israel if it was an act of the Israeli agents.
Who would live, work or walk near such a known powder keg?
But it would seem we need more evidence to believe Israel did this.
I believe that this was an accident. We should wait for the Lebanese authorities to clarify more about the accident.
Hezbollah militia wish they could accuse Israel for this attack.
They cannot find any proof to accuse Israel of rocketing Beirut port.
That is why the accident is due to the negligence of highly explosive nitrate amonium inside the port.
I’m no expert, but the primary explosion seems to have been caused by fireworks, and not rockets.
The video clearly shows small explosions in the air as well as on the ground at the primary site.
I find it hard to believe that Israel would blow up a Hezbollah ammo dump full of low-grade weapons, in the middle of rush hour Beirut. That hasn’t been Israel’s modus operandi.
Regarding Trump, Pentagon officials speaking anonymously to Reuters, have said that Trump is wrong. No attack.
https://abc13.com/fireworks-ammonium-nitrate-likely-fueled-beirut-explosion/6354972/
I think your ‘source’, is blowing smoke.
Thank You Richard,
I was suspecting Israel and waiting for some proof. I don’t think Israel made a mistake, it was deliberate.Israel did this to blame the resistance (Hezbollah), because they have been trying to destroy Hezbollah.
I wouldn’t be surprised, is Israeli agents posed as Hezbollah to stockpile the material in Beirut. Can you please find proof of this too. Ask your agent. I am sure of this.
Thank you Sir.
I am amazed how we create conspiracy theory around every incompetence.. This whole tragedy is the result of systemic corruption in the lebanese Goverment over decadeS. We blame america, Israel,..etc but also if thats true it means that the whole nation are for sale or puppets! Lebanon has been bleeding for decades, missing basic infrastructure of modern society, defaulted on its debts and has been run by militias and ingraining division in the name of religion in simple aspect of life. I hope this tragedy make them reflect and clean house , energy better directed for better future. I do think the article will be a good Hollywood movie.
until you have proof, you should keep your mouth shut.
@ melsee: I have proof. As for keeping my mouth shut, I suggest you try it.
From an updated post, a video from the initial fire and firefighters battling the blaze. Purports a welding accident started the fire in a warehouse …
https://mobile.twitter.com/ragipsoylu/status/1291008814108606466
@Oui
Thank for the update.
What a terrifying video you sent us.
God, I pray those poor souls survived.
Just a long, fact free slander. The government of Lebanon and Hezbollah both have stated it wasn’t Israel, but you have a secret anonymous source that knows better. Trump’s generals have also disagreed with you and Trump.
You and Trump, clowns together.
@ Andrew: No, actually the government of Lebanon now says that foreign actors may have been involved. You might want to update the ignorant trash you’re peddling as fact.
I think this claim is shamefully irresponsible, but let’s come back to this in a week and see how your “confidential highly-informed Israeli source” fared. My money is on this claim turning out to be absolute and complete rubbish.
Meant to link an earlier video of the firefighters on the frontline …
https://mobile.twitter.com/michaelh992/status/1290999165552656385
None of the first responders could have survived the blast. A tough job on a very illusive day. RIP
* warning … this video is unverfied and source is a security analyst of LeBeck International. Michael Horowitz has links with the intelligence community and CNAS.
https://www.cnas.org/publications/reports/strategic-competition-in-an-era-of-artificial-intelligence
When can we trust any posted image or video in an age of AI.
Thank you Richard. This is plausible and very convincing and checks with reality where Israel has been carrying out a bombing campaign for months now in Iran, Iraq, Syria an now Lebanon. It has been emboldened by the fact that none of the countries it has sabotaged/bombed have retaliated despite massive losses and open provocations, and the fact that it can count on Trump to be in their corner. This time the Apartheid state has gone too far it seems although I am not holding my breath for anyone to do something about it. The murderous state will continue to wreak havoc in the Middle East until its dismantlement, as there is no chance of it ever being peaceful.
This sounds convincing. I would add that Israel likely knew of the ammonium nitrate–legal proceedings were probably public knowledge. It knew that blame would fall on Hezbollah and Lebanese government for negligence, having weapons depots, keeping explosive material there for that long etc. etc. The thing that convinces me is how the mainstream narratives were being shaped. Within one hour of the explosion the accidental ammonium nitrate explosion theory was circulating and Israel was issuing unasked for denials. By the time I woke up in the morning, it was all Hezbollah’s fault. Tel Aviv’s City Hall has now lit up with the Lebanese flag and the Israel offers aid to Lebanon is in screaming headlines. Haaretz was writing about how this would get rid of Hezbollah. That blast would have been difficult to orchestrate on purpose never mind by accident. I was shaken to the core.
LeBeck International security and intelligence – Michael Horowitz [Location: Brisbane Australia]
Sole source for a crucial video reporting from the waterfront with assumed firefighters yesterday … moments before a devastating blast … there would be no survivors, so how did this video get online on time?? How solid is this evidence b @MoA?
Analysis of Iranian weapons storage, Israeli strikes, mapping | LeBeck |
Nobody informed him that Hezbollah operatives have been caught in the UK, Germany, Cyprus, and elsewhere with their explosive of choice, ammonium nitrate? And it really does look on the Lebanese videos like the fire spread from the millions of exploding bullets to the AN, setting it off.
I was out by accident yesterday, so waiting in the car the radio was on Radio 4. France 24 correspondent who lives in Beirut describing the first thing that happened, a fighter jet flying very low and was very loud. Go online and see if the recording still available.
Leila Molana-Allen – Middle East correspondent for France News 24 was interviewed on BBC radio 4 shortly after the explosion. She lives in Beirut and spoke of “an incredibly loud jet pass overhead…very low, and as that happened there was a blinding flash” as the explosion occurred. When asked by the BBC interviewer (Evan Davies) if she was associating the blast with the plane that came in, she said “at the moment I feel that we must…”
This interview certainly lends credibility to the report of an attack.
When I was a child, Lebanon was a mostly Catholic country and was considered “the Pearl of the Middle East”. So, I will wait for the confirmation to decide who is responsible but, ultimately, if Lebanon had not been oppressed to begin with, this would not have happened now. Humankind is the problem, not just Israelis, Trump or Netanyahu.
The claim concerning the involvement of Israel in the explosion in Beirut’s port does not base on any fact. The author invent a groundless story In order to point the finger toward Israel. Shame to see such person called himself a journalist.
Is there any hard evidence Hezbollah stored weapons next to the ammonium nitrate?
It’s not a Hezbollah munitions depo and the ammonium nitrate was seized from a Russian years earlier. That’s why people that controlled the port are now under house arrest but it will be impossible for the government of Lebanon to argue they were unaware it existed based upon grave concerns on the part of many.
cant stop laughing, please someone send me an ambulance with oxygen
this is a comment from a jerusalem post “reader”
This was a tactical nuke, or is it just a coincidence that a very large radiation spike was detected the same day in Sicily…
where do these guys get their weeds, need some to help me with my back pain .
richard, please accept my tap on knuckles, i do not believe the local dumpkoffs were in on it.
most of nasrallah’s toys for boys come via safe syria/iraq/iran conduit or via air from damascus.
i just dont see anything getting by boat that could be sunk at sea as it happened in past,
also i dont see lebannon defenders placing their toys in a christian neighborhood where it is obviouusly hard to secure.
so for once i believe that some idiots started a chain reaction that caused a mini hiroshima.
any bomb placed would have left obvious residual shrapnel easily identified, remember that even in the twin towers they were are to have enough material to make a final statement that the buildings fell because the steel melted because no one had anticipated the high temperatures that planes fuel ignited. that was the final statement, the building could have not fallen had the steel held
so l cant believe that bibi would have been so callous as to attack a friendly beirut area.
If you threaten to murder someone and they are murdered that week you have incriminated yourself, particularly if you have killed many times before. Also, think about it, these explosive chemicals sat in the warehouse for years with no mishaps. Suddenly, in the midst of new conflict between israel and Hezbollah it goes kaboom, within days of israeli threats. Chances are pretty good that israeli agents did this. And little side note, the way israel advertises its offers of help and brags about them as well are in poor taste.
Richard, is it possible that your source is attempting to harm your credibility? The claim is quote extraordinary (not saying this negatively) and it appears that no other source is reporting this. Are you able to provide any other indications that this is true outside the circumstantial evidence in the above post?
This is reckless in the extreme and you should be ashamed. Single source “evidence” and pure speculation.
Port Authority, tenders and ownership …
China’s Belt & Road ended in Beirut Port as Sunni investment flows into terror hotbed Tripoli.
Anyone with a brain knows Israel was behind this, so T did the right thing to expose them indirectly. Ex NSA asset Jim Stone nailed them right away as did ex spy Spookd in his Twitter account.
No, of course I wouldnt accept help from such a country. I would rather let my children, my mother, my sister and my father die instead of taking help even from an enemy. Congrats! With your thinking the world will never change. One has to forgive and try to take opportunities for a new start, otherwise Germany e.g. would stioll be in its ruins of 1945 … but maybe that is what you want, to not give your children any hope for a better playe. I am not saying Israel didnt do anything wrong. But if you only look backwards full of hate nothing will ever change. Besides which sources are that that have given u that insight information … it sounds a bit at odd, did u also investigate whether maybe hezbollah or lebanese gvt did smth wrong and did not care for their people.
Stop posting disinformation. You know full well that the explosion was caused by 2750improperly stored tons of ammonium nitrate in a warehouse at the port. This deadly load has been there for 6 years, after being removed from an impounded Russian ship, in spite of multiple letters to the Lebanese government by port officials. This is carelessness on the part of the Lebanese govt on an epic scale and has nothing to do with Israel. Delete your stupid post and apologise.
@ Horace: No. Ammonium nitrate only explodes if there is an ignition source. It does not explode spontaneously. The ignition was the bombing of the Hezbollah warehouse.
You are simply deluded from hatred.
There is overwhelming evidence that Israel is not behind these devastating explosions, yet you continue to make your inflammatory claims, claims which are baseless whilst they foment antisemitism.
And of course Israel offered and indeed provided mazing humanitarian aid to Syrians fleeing the conflict on Israel’s Golan border. Either you have never heard of ‘Operation Good Neighbour’ which only furthers the general perception that you are simply clueless, or you are maliciously choosing to lie, which is also what you are known for.
Overall, your credentials are beyond a joke.
Shame on you for being a peddler of such malicious and hateful rhetoric
@ Clive:
The only evidence offered to support your claim is easily refuted which I’ve done in four different posts. Not to mention that multiple media sources and officials in Lebanon and Israel have conceded the accuracy of key elements of my report.
As for Israeli humanitarianism: indeed, those 3,000 Lebanese murdered in 2 wars, the 20 year occupation, not to mention the facilitation of the Sabra Shatilla massacre by Ariel Sharon–all profoundly humanitarian.
Obviously not seen the original explosion which occurred less than a minute before the big blast. The warehouse was on fire BEFORE any explosions. No bombs. No attack. You guys are as bad as trump for spreading hatred and fear.
Evil israel
Welders has worked on the warehouse that day, and a fire later broke out.
A fire appears to have triggered the explosion of the ammonium nitrate in Beirut.
Lebanese broadcaster LBCI and Reuters news agency cited sources as saying the fire was started by welding work being carried out on a hole in Warehouse 12.
The port’s general manager, Hassan Koraytem, confirmed that maintenance was conducted on the door of the warehouse before the explosion.
“We were asked to fix a door of the warehouse by State Security and we did that at noon, but what occurred in the afternoon I have no idea,” CNN quoted him as telling OTV.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-53668493
It seems that Israel did not bomb Beirut.
This is a lot to base on your secret friend.
Here’s what’s not a matter of fantasy. Ammonium nitrate is used for making very nasty and powerful bombs. One of the biggest terrorist attacks in the US, the Oklahoma City bombing, was fueled by this. More locally, this is used by Assad’s henchmen in Syria and Iraq. I guess I should be shocked that you cover up this fact. But I’m not.
Then there is the embarrassing fact that Hezbollah refused to pin this on the Israelis. Because … it would invite retribution? How? You can’t do better than that?
As for Trump’s claim that it was an act of terror and his chief of staff Mark Meadows’ covering for him, resorting to this is a real sign of desperation.Trump is delusional. It is much more likely that he heard the words “Lebanon” and “explosion” and drew his own conclusions, or heard the idea of its having been an attack and what’s left of his mind just seized on that.
The president of Lebanon put it very simply: massive amounts of a high explosive were stored in an unsecure location for 16 years. Lebanon is in a state of total anarchy and there is no Lebanese OSHA to check the the wiring on the buildings. It was only a matter of time.
Well, this will sure get you clicks.
@ Evan: Ammonium nitrate has been used in terror attacks and has exploded numerous times. But it has never exploded spontaneously; without an ignition source. It is stable until this happens. The ignition source was the Hezbollah weapons explosion as supported by Lebanese intelligence sources and former CIA analyst Robert Baer, among others.
Because Hezb played a secondary role in the destruction of half of Beirut and cannot admit that to its followers and the rest of Lebanon. As for embarrassing, not to me. To Hezbollah it’s embarrassing. To Israel it’s embarrassing. TO me, not at all.
As for Trump, you might want to argue with the Asia Times Middle East correspondent who spoke to Lebanese intelligence sources who told her that Trump was right. So who do we trust more? You nebech or a Lebanese intel source? Gee, a tough one. I’ll go with the Lebanese on this one.
Hardly, the following day the Pres. of Lebanon said that foreign actors may have caused the disaster. He changed his tune when presented with evidence. You’re presented with evidence and dig yourself deeper in a hole.
With all my loath to demagogic and dangerous Bibi and Trump, I am even more furious about people who are willing to spread hatred of such scale as you are doing here, Doing so just based on someone ‘confidential highly-informed Israeli source told me’, without bothering to double check, cross information sources.
You are betraying your profession,you are spreading lies in the sake of your agenda and abusing your reputation. Even though I might agree with much of your criticism, Here I saw that your main goal is being hate katalysator.,.warmonger, and to call your site ‘tikun olam’… shame!
The middle east needs the world to act as mediators not amplifiers of hate.
@ yonatan: After forty years of inflicting sheer misery on Lebanon, occupying it for 20 years, invading it twice, destroying its port once (and now a 2nd time), you have the unmitigated gall of calling ME a warmonger?
Lawless, self absorbed melomaniacs.
The war crime falls on hizbollah and his allies who stored and approve The storage of these explosives in a high condensed populated civil area…
@ RIco: Hezbollah is what would be called an accessory after the fact. It maintained the condition that enabled the disaster. But Israel lit the match. It is the main culprit.
Without proper sources allegations are lies.
Past confirmed history proves that Israel always tries to inflict the least number of civilian casualties and could not have even thought of bombing the warehouse as the storage of Ammonium Nitrate was a well known fact by all and no secret to anyone.
There was no firework factory.
Hezbollah is in control of the country and carries a major responsibility of the explosion, if not sole responsibility!
@ Dori: Journalism 101: an anonymous source is a “proper” source.
Did you read that in Herzl’s Fairy Tales??
Boy, you dont know much about Hezbollah, judging by your above statements about it.
Hezbollah have never used that port neither for smuggling arms nor for storing them.
Hezbollah w’d never cover anything up. You should know that. Its imtegrity is beyond doubt……
Just wait for what the leader of Hexbollah w’d say about the whole thing.
Maybe, you just made up the whole story, simply because israel knows very well the dire consequences of such an alleged attack.
Why w’d any israeli official leak the above alleged secrets to you by the way?
Get real….
We’ll see. Only time will tell….
Probably wasn’t very nice of Hezbollah to position a weapons depot adjacent to the ammonia nitrate storage facility. Did they not know or did they not care?
From what I have read Iran was storing missiles at this port and were working on a chemical to make their rockets more deadly. If this is true than Israel had a motive to protect it’s citizens from future attacks. I am surprised how fast Lebanon’s Government came to the conclusion the explosion was a result of poor fertilizer store, not buying that. This is all opinion and I have no ill feelings for either side.
@ Wayne Bishop:
Read my latest post. Lebanon’s president says it has not ruled out the involvement of “foreign actors” in the incident.
@Kay Lawrence
@Wing
No Kay and Wing.
France 24 reporter did not say she heard/saw “a fighter jet flying very low”, or even “an incredibly loud jet pass overhead”.
France 24 reporter Leila Molana-Allen said that the blast sounded like “a jet breaking the sound barrier”.
https://edition.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/lebanon-beirut-explosion-live-updates-dle-intl/h_dfe92fe64974592a5e4e23312e85f55e
Richard. You demand cites, yet these commenters fabricate unsubstantiated quotes, from journalists no less.
Why is it MY job to fact check your readers?
I feel like Hercules in the Augean stables.
@ Limey:
Trust me, it isn’t your job to do anything here. Unless you’ve been appointed to perform some hasbara function here, which is entirely possible. No one needs you to do anything here. So feel free to desist at any time.
I have never said planes attacked Beirut, Israeli or otherwise. That suffices as far as I’m concerned.
Don’t post again in this thread.
[comment deleted: I do not permit the publication of anti-Semitic or Islamophobic statements. I also do not permit the publication of patently false, prejudicial statements of the sort you make.]
Can you verify whether this video is real?
https://www.facebook.com/100008198646181/videos/2683677521915510/
https://news.sky.com/story/beirut-explosion-lebanons-president-says-blast-may-have-been-caused-by-a-rocket-or-a-bomb-12044405
It’s a plausible/possible scenario but would like to see some evidence. Sadly, that may never happen.
Any further evidence of it. It is avaliable to prove this as a war crime?
Any criticism of Israel is clearly anti-Semitic and a Hate Crime, even if Israel drops a nuclear bomb.
with all due respect to whoever wrote this article assuming newsworthiness, why would the Lebanese government be refusing an international investigation?
@Ndee: If you were in a government dominated by Hezbollah, and it didn’t want the world to find out that it was the cause of the disaster, would you want an international investigation?
Le nitrate d’ammonium est neutre et ses lieux de stockage sont innombrables dans les fermes , industries (il sert notamment d’exhausteur de chaleur dans les fours) on peut donc ne pas se méfier d la présence d’une tel stock. Comme comburant associé à un carburant (pétrolier) il peut devenir un explosif puissant à l’issue d’un choc.
Il est donc très important de s’intéresser aux conditions de stockage (y avait il des carburants mal conditionnés à proximité ?) et à l’environnement du stockage (stockage d’armement ? De produits d’artificiers…
Les fumées à divers moments du processus sont sans doute un bon indicateur.
L’idée de l’usage d’une bombe ne me paraît pas plausible (ou alors de très faible intensité) alors qu’un engin incendiaire suffirait dans un dépôt de munitions…
Une info non recoupée a indiqué la présence d’une sur-présence des milices du Hezbollah juste après l’événement mais ce ne fut pas confirmé par la suite… Donc possible acte organisé mais cela demande vérification approfondie…. Les états suivront ils ce chemein ? J’en doute…
How did warehouse #9 get demolished?? It was fully protected by the grain silo’s which were standing tall although with extensive damage!!
There was an account of USAF staging espionage Mission ahead of surprise attack …
Hypersonic Missiles Are Unstoppable. And They’re Starting a New Global Arms Race
https://britishpugwash.org/new-video-hypersonic-missiles-vs-strategic-stability/
Destroying warehouse #9 raises many questions … see crater of 140 mtr in hard rock (!) where AN was stored in warehouse #12.
Infographics @BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/x2iutcqf1g/beirut-blast
‘National pride is at stake.’ Russia, China, United States race to build hypersonic weapons
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/01/national-pride-stake-russia-china-united-states-race-build-hypersonic-weapons
Kinetic Energy Weapons
http://thesimonscenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IAJ-8-2-2017-pg62-68.pdf
A single rod accelerated to Mach-10 releases the energy equivalent to 10 MOABs (300 ton TNT) detonaties at a single point.
Meteor Explodes Over Central Russia Triggering Destructive Sonic Blast
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/fireballs-crash-to-earth-after-meteorite-streaks-across-russian-skies
From multiple sensors using multiple technologies, a best initial estimate of the total energy of the event is about 300 kilotons of TNT-equivalent.
There were (2) different types of explosions! One with a red cloud (fireworks), the other a while later was a mushroom cloud witht a huge sonic/pressure wave. There is infrared video on Veterans Today that is pretty convincing that it was a missle attack of 6KT Delilah (non-dirty) missle complements of Pisrael! See Real Jew News folks! Quit doubting/denying yourself the TRUTH!+
@ Harry: Veteran’s Today is not a credible source at all, ever.
Interesting to see (2) explosions! The picture above conveniently combines both to give it that”clever” (one in the same look) for easy disimination. I would say that the hole in the ground is the result of a force from above. It’s physics really! I have seen many ATG bombs make the same crater in Vietnam, but no ammo depots that were destroyed leave that tell tale sign. In a court of law – resonable doubt <OR> I would say – Reasonable suspicion.. Eeey.. ;?)
Its still so sad that people are still carrying on the mass killings, this seriously needs to stop, we are all the same, we are all neighbors we all need to get along, will this ever happen, I seriously hope that Beirut will recover
I am heartened to see such criticism of the author from his jewish followers.
Seems to add more credibility from my perspective. Let’s see if they change their minds as more evidence comes to light…I wonder how many knew this? “The New Chinese operated Port is meant to be a Game Changer for the Israeli Economy, but why is no-one here talking about it?” https://www.beltandroad.news/2020/06/26/new-chinese-operated-haifa-port-a-game-changer-for-israeli-economy/
Hey Richard: Do you not even realize how misguided your purported corroborating “circumstantial evidence” is and how it actually creates an inference that is the direct opposite of what you’re trying to prove? You say that when “Israel has undertaken a successful terror attack … it will … refuse to comment,” but that with this incident, “Israel immediately denied responsibility.” So, according to your brilliant logic, if Israel did commit this “terror attack,” it would have refused to comment, but instead, as you point out, in this instance, it “immediately denied responsibility.” Are you so clouded in the fogbank of your own self-hatred that you can’t even see how your “circumstantial evidence” supports an inference that Israel was not involved in the Lebanon explosion, rather than that it was, as you claim?
@ David: You misunderstand my position. Israel could not maintain silence about the attack because though it did hit the intended target, the subsequent explosion caused an unintended disaster. Therefore, it had to deny responsibility explicitly, and thus respond counter to its usual protocol in these circumstances. If it had remained silent it would allow the world to begin to claim that Israel was responsible based on its silence. A public denial made this slightly more difficult (only slightly).
You are done in this thread.
You are now moderated. It is a comment rule violation to smear me with the idiotic insults you’re used. “self-hatred” “Kapo” “anti Israel” such stupid insults. Read the comment rules. Do it again and you’ll never comment here again.
I shared your “opinion” in Facebook, in my page “Quo Vadis”. But your opinion was censored by FAcebook pretending that it was a fake “news”. I guess they don’t know the difference between “opinion” and “news” https://turnbackhoax.id/2020/08/12/false-israel-bombs-beirut-lebanon/?fbclid=IwAR2s4YUIucYuylrejpIk1F5fouDteYwEmiMi_CR6raKBjP3hIc6rqw171zY