Israel denies hand in massive Beirut port explosions

In a rare consensus, Hizballah confirmed Israeli sources’ emphatic denial of any hand in the massive explosions that rocked Beirut on Tuesday evening, Aug. 4, killing at least 10, injuring hundreds and causing extensive damage to buildings and vehicles. Hospitals were too damaged to treat all the wounded. Lebanese security sources said the first explosion occurred in a warehouse or ship at Beirut port containing fireworks, which then ignited a fuel store. The scale and cause of the twin blasts are being assessed.  The explosions sent a huge black cloud of smoke billowing over the city. Buildings were reduced to shells and shipping containers in the port shattered. The scale and nature of the explosions raised suspicions that the official account of a disastrous accident may not be entirely credible.