This Video Does Not Show an Amubulance Response in Tel Aviv
The Claim
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Recently, social media users widely circulated a video clip, purporting to display a gathering of ambulances rushing to the scene of a major chemical plant explosion in Tel Aviv, Israel, on August 15.
A Twitter user wrote, "BREAKING: A huge explosion at a chemical plant, north of Tel Aviv in "Israel." According to some sources, the so-called chemical plant is actually a military site. A number of ambulances are on their way to the scene of explosion.”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral video and found the claim to be misleading.
A thorough reverse image search revealed the video making the rounds to be outdated and unrelated to the recent explosion in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The Video Predates the Recent Explosion in Israel
Contrary to the claim, the video does not portray the recent explosion in Tel Aviv.
Israeli media outlets published the video at the beginning of July 2023, stating that it shows ambulances and fire trucks preparing for an emergency landing of an aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport at that time.
A Twitter user published the same video on July 2, 2023. According to the video's geotag, the footage was shot in Israel.
Another user shared videos depicting the same scene but from a different angle. The caption of the video reads, “Ambulances & special care units at Ben Gurion Airport.”
Emergency Landing at Ben Gurion Airport
On July 2, a passenger aircraft had to perform an emergency landing at Ben Gurion Airport due to the discovery of a crack in the cockpit window by the pilots.
Carrying 339 passengers, United Airlines flight UA91 was en route from Ben Gurion Airport to Newark, United States. However, approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the pilots expressed apprehensions regarding a cockpit window issue and requested permission to return to the departure airport.
Several emergency response teams swiftly headed to the airport as a preventive measure, but the plane managed to land without any issues. Subsequently, law enforcement stated that this incident highlights the potential risk posed by protesters obstructing access routes to Ben Gurion Airport as a means of demonstrating against the government.
Recent Explosion At an Industrial Site in Tel Aviv
On August 15, a major explosion occurred at an industrial facility situated in the central city of Ramat Hasharon. A man in his thirties sustained serious injuries, while two individuals suffered minor wounds as a result of the incident.
The exact cause of the explosion has not been determined yet. However, both law enforcement and emergency responders have confirmed that the situation is currently under control.
Preliminary accounts from Hebrew media indicate that the explosion took place at a factory located within the city's industrial zone. A brief video clip captured from a driver's dashboard, which is circulating on the internet, portrays a substantial explosion and a vivid burst of light near a main road close to the city.
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