WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
Someone wanted that port destroyed
-Not an airstrike [continuous small 'crackles' build up to the larger second explosion]
-Not fireworks [no colours]
-Not a simple chemical reaction
Assassinations aren't done with explosions that big, and the bomb was stationary - an extremely ineffective approach to such an attack.
We can rule out single targets.
-NO RADIATION DETECTED
-Nothing to do with 'watch the water'
Starting to get a better picture of the devastation at the Port of #Beirut.
Storage warehouses 6,9,10,11, and 12 are total losses, and cannot even be identified from an aerial prospective.
Neighboring facilities are destroyed, as well.
https://mobile.twitter.com/IntelCrab/status/1290713803915776008
#Lebanese Army Major General Ibrahim “it appears that the explosion occurred in a store of high explosive materials confiscated for years”
[Pictures of devastated blast site - Port]
https://mobile.twitter.com/no_itsmyturn/status/1290702444117327880
Director General of Lebanese Customs Badri Daher tells @AlMayadeenNews "tons" of nitrates exploded in Beirut Port
https://mobile.twitter.com/DavidADaoud/status/1290705338019258370
We received a number of reports from #Cyprus (250km away) which seem related to this explosion, reporting noise and rattling windows
https://mobile.twitter.com/LastQuake/status/1290686442205839361
Fireworks or some other smaller explosions happening before big explosion
UP CLOSE VIDEO RIGHT BEFORE EXPLOSION
[Also, thread with a great deal of on-the-ground-info]
https://mobile.twitter.com/Natsecjeff/status/1290681144795639808