Video Shows Warehouse Explosion in China, Unrelated to Iranian Missile Attack on Israel’s Mossad Headquarters
The Claim
Massive explosion reportedly at the Mossad headquarters in Tel Aviv.
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Against the backdrop of the recent Iranian missile attack on Israel, social media users widely shared a video clip purporting to feature a massive explosion at Mossad's headquarters in Tel Aviv.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral video and found the claim to be misleading.
A thorough reverse image search found the video making the rounds to be old and unrelated to the Iran-Israel unrest.
Outdated Video Shows Explosion in China, Not Israel
Contrary to social media users' viral claim, the video is not recent and is unrelated to the Iranian missile attacks on Israel.
Misbar’s investigative team traced the footage back to August 2015. The video was uploaded by the BBC's YouTube channel on August 14, 2015, depicting an explosion in Tianjin, China.
Moreover, Hong Kong Free Press uploaded the video to YouTube, noting in the caption that the explosion took place on August 12, 2015, in Tianjin's Binhai New Area.
Massive Chemical Warehouse Explosion in Tianjin, China
On August 12, 2015, a massive explosion occurred in Tianjin, China, claiming the lives of 173 people. In total, 104 firefighters were killed, along with several police officers, making it one of the deadliest incidents for emergency personnel in China.
The investigation revealed that the Ruihai International Logistics warehouses, where the explosions originated, stored significantly more hazardous materials than permitted, including 700 tonnes of sodium cyanide, a highly toxic substance.
Furthermore, the warehouses were located closer to residential areas than regulations allowed. The blasts shattered windows, destroyed building facades, and propelled debris, including heavy steel containers, into nearby communities with the force of artillery shells.
Iran’s Recent Missile Attack Against Israel
Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles toward Israel on Tuesday night. According to the Israeli military, most of the missiles were intercepted, though a few hit central and southern Israel. The only confirmed fatality was a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank.
This marks Iran's second missile strike on Israel this year, following a similar attack in April involving approximately 300 missiles and drones.
In this latest strike, the Israeli military reported launching over 180 missiles, a figure that aligns with Iranian media reports estimating around 200 missiles. Sirens blared across Israel, urging the country's 10 million residents to take cover in bomb shelters.
Iranian state media, citing the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), claimed the missiles targeted Nevatim, Hatzerim, and Tel Nof air bases, along with Israeli military assets in Netzarim, and gas installations in Ashkelon.
The IRGC stated that the attack was in retaliation for what it described as the "violation of Iran’s sovereignty" and the death of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran in July.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned, “Iran made a big mistake tonight – and it will pay for it.”
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