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Fact check

Is it true: Belgrade Chinese embassy NATO bombing (7 May 1999)?

Partially True3% confidence

Partly — it's more complicated than the claim suggests.

Three Chinese journalists were killed when NATO bombers struck the Chinese embassy in Belgrade on 7 May 1999. The US attributed it to a CIA map error. The Observer (Oct 1999) alleged deliberate targeting based on the embassy relaying Yugoslav military signals. CIA Director Tenet apologised to Congress. No documentary evidence or verified whistleblower has confirmed the deliberate-targeting hypothesis in 25 years.

The claim

On 7 May 1999, during NATO's Operation Allied Force air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, US B-2 bombers struck the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, killing three Chinese journalists —

Key evidence

The Observer (Oct 1999): deliberate targeting based on SIGINT relay

CIA Director Tenet apologised to Congress for targeting error

Read the full evidence file

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