It Wasn't A Nuclear Blast in Beirut
The Claim
The explosion that rocked the capital city of Lebanon was a Nuclear blast.
News posted on
Emerging story
Social media users claimed that a Nuclear bomb had gone off in Beirut killing at least 130 and wounding thousands. Users claimed that people smelled chemicals everywhere questioning if the explosion was a nuclear bomb or weapon. Others claimed that there was a mushroom cloud was resulted after a mini nuclear bomb exploded in Beirut’s port. A news page on Facebook claimed Beirut was razed to ashes after a massive nuclear explosion rocked it on Tuesday. Claims were circulating across the MENA region.
Misbar’s Analysis
The exact cause of the explosion is under investigation. Lebanese authorities have pointed to a huge cache of ammonium nitrate stored at the port, and experts say there is no evidence that it was a nuclear explosion.
There were two explosions, a smaller one that was followed seconds later by a larger blast that destroyed Beirut’s port. According to Lebanese officials, the second explosion was more devastating, most likely came from a nearby 2,750-ton stockpile of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive chemical often used as fertilizer, which Prime Minister Hassan Diab said had been stored in a depot for six years.
Misbar didn’t find any videos of incoming nuclear missiles in the countless videos that are doing the rounds of the Internet. In fact, several clips showed an explosion of firecrackers minutes before the powerful blast. The actual reason for the explosion is yet to be determined.
