The Lebanese health minister [object Object] raises the alarm: "better to leave the city, the air quality is not the best, it could cause in the time permanent damage and even death". Two explosions at the port of Beirut that caused more than 100 deaths and 4.000 injuries yesterday caused the end of the world. A figure that will have to be updated by the hour. Initially there was talk of an explosion at a fireworks warehouse, then it became known that the devastating explosion was caused by a fire at a warehouse in the port of Beirut where 2.750 tons of ammonium nitrate were stored, seized several years to a ship operating on behalf of Islamic terrorism. President Michel Aun after an emergency meeting of the Supreme Defense Council he tweeted: "It is “unacceptable that 2.750 tons of ammonium nitrate were kept stored in unsafe conditions. An investigation is underway to find out what caused the explosion". Then he added that "those responsible for the catastrophe will pay the price","I make an urgent appeal to all the fraternal countries who love Lebanon to stand by it and help us heal our deep wounds ”.
US military officials think the explosion in Beirut was an attack, a bomb of some kind. Thus American President Donald Trump: "I have met our generals and it seems that it is not an industrial accident. It seems to them that it is an attack, a bomb of some kind".
Among the various amateur videos that go crazy on social networks, the images of some small drones that from the sky of Beirut drop small objects on the city while the columns of smoke were already rising from the port area affected by the fire and the subsequent explosion arouse much interest.
There are numerous video testimonies of the apocalypse that took place yesterday in Beirut. The explosion that occurred in the port of Beirut hit the entire city, shattering the glass of buildings miles away. Some videos show cars with twisted metal sheets and lifeless bodies on the ground covered in concrete dust.
Some naval units of Unifil, the UN interposition force on the border between Lebanon and Israel, are also anchored in the port of Beirut. In the evening, informed sources told ANSA that 'blue helmets' teams managed to reach the airport area by helicopter and the crew members, who should be made up of Bangladeshi sailors, were evacuated to Sidon. The Defense General Staff reported that only one Italian soldier was wounded not seriously. Apparently 5 Italian soldiers would be present in the area in a building adjacent to the port, all of them would still be in shock, but they had the strength to personally reassure the families at home.
The head of the national security forces, General Abbas Ibrahim, reports the Ansa, said at the origin of the disaster there is a fire that developed in a warehouse used to keep highly flammable materials seized in the past. A video circulated on social media first shows a column of black smoke rising into the sky. Then, in what appear to be the flames of a fire, some minor explosions. Finally, a gigantic explosion that also invests the balcony from which the images are taken, many hundreds of meters from the port.
The reaction of the Prime Minister, Conte on twitter: "The terrible images coming from Beirut only partially describe the pain that the Lebanese people are experiencing. Italy will do everything it can to support it. With the Farnesina and the Ministry of Defense we are monitoring the situation of our compatriots".
Following also the head of the Farnesina Di Maio always on twitter: “Italy is close to its Lebanese friends in this tragic moment. Our thoughts go out to the families of the victims, to whom we express our deep condolences, and to the injured people, to whom we wish a speedy recovery ".
Israel has also given its support to the Lebanese government through humanitarian and medical aid and immediate emergency assistance.