Published 11:29 IST, August 5th 2020
Beirut explosion: Donald Trump says 'terrible attack' caused by 'bomb of some kind'
In the aftermath of the horrific explosion that rocked Lebanon’s capital Beirut, Donald Trump called it a “terrible attack” and suggested it was a "bomb".
In the aftermath of the horrific explosion that rocked Lebanon’s capital Beirut on August 4, US President Donald Trump called it a “terrible attack” and suggested that it was a “bomb of some kind”. Starting his press briefing by sending “deepest sympathies” to the Lebanese, that has reportedly killed at least 70 people and left more than 3,000 wounded as per international media agency count, Trump said that he has a ‘very good’ relationship with Lebanon and that it “looks like a terrible attack”.
Soon after that, when a reporter confirmed with the US President if he is confident that what happened in Beirut was not an accident but an ‘attack’, Trump said, “Well, it would seem like it”. Further elaborating on his stance, Donald Trump said that he has met with some of the great generals in the United States and “they just seem to feel it was”. He remained confident that the incident, videos of which have sent shockwaves across the world, was not due to the manufacturing explosion. Stating that the generals would know better, but US president quoted them thinking that it was an “attack”.
While answering the reporter’s question, Donald Trump said, “Well, it would seem like it, based on the explosion. I’ve met with some of our great generals, and they just seem to feel that it was. This was not a...some kind of a manufacturing explosion type of event.”
“This was a...seems to be, according to them — they would know better than I would, but they seem to think it was an attack. It was a bomb of some kind. Yes,” he added.
Beirut explosion on August 4
The explosion has flattened most of a port and cause serious damage of property across Lebanon’s capital on August 4. As per the videos and images emerged on social media, the blast sent a giant mushroom cloud into the sky several multiple people injured and dead with numerous people missing, still. Even though the cause of the Beirut explosion was not known immediately, reports suggested that a fire had detonated a warehouse at the port.
Chief of Lebanese General Security, Abbas Ibrahim has reportedly said that the explosion might have caused due to highly explosive material that was confiscated from a ship not long ago and then stored at the port. According to local broadcaster LBC, the material was ammonium nitrate. The witnesses reported watching a strange, orange cloud-like that which appears when toxic nitrogen dioxide gas is released after a blast involving nitrates.
The Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab reportedly said that 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored at a warehouse near the Beirut port exploded resulting in the huge explosion.
Updated 11:29 IST, August 5th 2020