Explosion Rocks Hezbollah Warehouse in South Lebanon, Reports Say
No casualties were reported following the blast at the Hezbollah depot, with conflicting reports in Lebanon about whether the site was used for military purposes by the Iran-backed group
A large explosion occurred overnight into Thursday in a Hezbollah depot in southern Lebanon, local media reported.
According to Lebanese media, residents heard a blast in an inhabited area near the town of Nabatieh, which is used by the Iran-backed militant group. Saudi network Al Arabiya and some other reports said weapons were stored there, while other media reported it was used for non-military purposes.
Footage shared by local media and on social networks shows a fire in the area. There were no reports of casualties, and the extent of the damage is unclear, as is the source of the explosion, according to the officials quoted by local media. However, citing witnesses, L’Orient-Le Jour reported that the blast was caused by gas cylinders.
Witnesses told local media that Hezbollah forces quickly cordoned off the area after the incident at around 2 A.M., blocking all access to the site.
In December, another explosion went off at a Hamas weapons depot in the Palestinian refugee camp of Burj Shamali in southern Lebanon. Hamas said that the blast was caused by an electrical fault in a warehouse containing oxygen and gas cylinders for coronavirus patients, as well as detergents and disinfectants.
Haaretz
