It wasn't an explosion -- it was a test of a solid rocket motor. A thread. (1/12) https://twitter.com/avischarf/status/1384791764058390529

Here is the video that caused all the fuss. There is no explosion, just an intense fire that seems to go out by itself. (2/12) https://twitter.com/EdyCohen/status/1384473172645355525?s=20

Compare what you see in that video with images of a test of a large solid propellant rocket motor in the US, especially at the 3:11 mark. (3/12)

But wait, there's more! Israel tests large solid rocket motors at a place called Sdot Micha. I created a (very minor!) international incident when I asked @planetlabs to image this very same place. (4/12) https://twitter.com/ArmsControlWonk/status/1366221221667471361?s=20

At the time, people wondered why we were imaging Sdot Micha. Well, this is why! The great thing about open source research is that it is progressive -- the research we do one day lays the foundation for the research we do the next. (5/12)

The "explosion" video was posted on April 20. Satellite images captured by our friends at @planetlabs show a large burn scar that appeared on the same day at the test stand. I false-colored a pair of near-infrared images to reveal the scorched vegetation. (6/12)

If you want to see more images in true color, I made a little story. (7/12) https://www.planet.com/stories/sdot-micha-burn-scar-XnC6aeXGR

I also asked @AramShabanian and @ColdWarCrush to geolocate the video. After a little discussion, @obretix pinned the spot as a kibbutz called Mishmar David (31.822, 34.902°) looking straight at the rocket motor test stand due south. (North is down in this image.)(8/12)

So that's that. The photographer is looking at a known rocket motor test stand, filming what looks like a rocket motor test, on very same the same day that a satellite imaged a giant burn scar from a rocket motor test. (9/12)

So, what I am saying is, it was aliens. (Kidding.)

Hey, we spotted an Israel test of a solid-rocket motor. that's cool! If you are interested, I wrote-up a slightly longer version of this case study the ol' weblog. (10/12) https://www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/1211676/israeli-rocket-motor-test/

So, the big question is: Why not just say so? Why didn't Israel just say: "We tested a solid-rocket motor"? Clarity would have served their interest better.

But opacity is a habit. It's a culture that evolved in a bygone era but has yet to adapt to the current one. (11/12)

Or, as @HarelDan put it. (12/12) https://twitter.com/HarelDan/status/1385459287162511361?s=20