U.S President Donald Trump said that a bomb was the cause of the Beirut explosion. He commented on the event during his coronavirus briefing at the White House. U.S military officials also agreed to Trump’s allegations and said “seem to think it was an attack. It was a bomb of some kind.”
However, the U.S National Security Council didn’t comment on the matter. President Trump offered sympathy to the Lebanese people. In a statement Trump said-
“Our prayers go out to all the victims and their families. The United States stands ready to assist Lebanon. We have a very good relationship with the people of Lebanon and we will be there to help. It looks like a terrible attack.”
The massive explosion happened at the Lebanese main port on Tuesday. The Lebanese authority is expecting a heavy death toll and mass destruction after the blast.
What the Lebanese Authority Saying About the Beirut Explosion
As a part of the former Ottoman Empire, Lebanon has been a conflict zone in the Middle East for years. However, the Lebanese authority declined any possibility of an attack. They claimed that the blast happened due to the explosive materials stocked in the port area.
Video footage shows that a large part of the city has been destroyed after the explosion. Prime Minister Hassan Diab is calling the blast a “major national disaster.”
“I will not rest until we hold whoever is responsible accountable and punish them with the most severe punishment” – says the Lebanese PM
U.S Defense Statements Contradicting Trump’s Claim
U.S defense officials found no indication of attack in the explosion, CNN reported on Tuesday. The statement was a direct contradiction to President Trump’s claim. One defense official also commented that a large scale blast like this should trigger an automatic response from the U.S troops if it designed for destruction.
The defense officials also said that they had no idea why the President was talking about an attack despite the lack of investigation.
Read More: What’s the future of the U.S-EU Trade War