On the sixth anniversary of the Beirut Port explosion, we look back at August 04/2020—a dark day that witnessed one of the largest non-nuclear catastrophes in modern history. This horrific blast resulted in the deaths of over 200 people, thousands of severe injuries, the displacement of hundreds of thousands, and the transformation of half of Lebanon’s capital into a crippled city overflowing with destruction and ruins.
First: The Criminal Nature of the Cargo and Its Regional Uses
The Beirut port explosion was not a coincidence or mere administrative negligence, but rather the inevitable result of storing about 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate for years without the bare minimum of safety standards or regard for human life. Multiple international and local intelligence and judicial reports have confirmed the following:
The Connection to the Syrian Regime and Hezbollah: Investigations showed that the shipment arriving on suspicious vessels was largely intended for uses beyond the local market. Parts of this ammonium nitrate—similar to materials imported through convoluted methods by the Syrian regime with logistical support from Hezbollah—were used to manufacture the barrel bombs that destroyed Syrian cities and claimed the lives of thousands of innocent civilians.
International Networks and External Evidence: European investigations and security agencies (particularly in Germany, Cyprus, and Britain) revealed that Hezbollah cells were involved in storing similar explosive materials or linked ammonium nitrate shipments in European countries to carry out terrorist operations, reflecting the cross-border nature of the party’s logistical and financial activities tied to Iran’s Quds Force.
Second: The Course of the Explosion and Evidence of Hezbollah’s Responsibility
Technical data and security testimonies consistently indicate that Hezbollah exercised de facto security and administrative control over the port facilities (specifically Warehouse 12 and its surroundings) through a network of loyal officials, corruption, money laundering, and smuggling operations maintained for years to serve its military and financial power.
When the disaster struck, the threads of truth gradually began to untangle regarding who brought these materials in and who protected their storage, prompting the party to use various methods of intimidation to prevent any uncovering of the facts.
Third: Assassinations and Direct Intimidation to Conceal the Truth
Hezbollah and its security apparatus resorted to a series of direct assassinations and systematic intimidation to silence anyone possessing technical or security information regarding the port and its shipments, most notably:
Assassination of Security and Technical Cadres: Such as the assassination of retired port customs colonel Mounir Abu Rjeili, retired brigadier general Joe Skaff, and photojournalist Joe Bejjani, who was assassinated in cold blood outside his home in the town of Kahaleh after documenting sensitive data related to the site.
Direct Threats to Investigators: Led by prominent Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa, who stormed the Palace of Justice and delivered clear, explicit threats of terror and intimidation to former investigator Fadi Sawan and current Judicial Investigator Judge Tarek Bitar, using the well-known phrase (“Qashtilina,” meaning the removal of the judge by force and coercion).
Obstructing Justice through Force of Arms and Political Vacuum: The party escalated its obstruction of the investigation by refusing to lift immunities, launching political slander and intimidation campaigns, targeting the judiciary continuously, and ultimately freezing the sessions of the judicial investigator through obstructive lawsuits and political-security maneuvers. This completely paralyzed the Lebanese judiciary and protected wanted ministers, deputies, and former security officials affiliated with its axis.
Fourth: The Cry of the Victims’ Families and the National Stance
On this painful anniversary, the Committee of the Families of declarative Beirut Port Explosion Victims holds continuous protests in front of the Emigrant statue and judicial headquarters, raising pictures of loved ones who fell victim to militia-backed crime, negligence, and corruption. These families embody Lebanon’s living conscience, demanding an end to the dominance of weapons and intimidation over the Lebanese judiciary, the completion of investigations with absolute transparency, and the accountability of everyone involved—whether through importation, storage, cover-up, or obstruction.
Conclusion
In short, the Beirut port explosion was not a mere accidental incident or natural disaster, but rather a full-fledged terrorist crime resulting from the dominance of an illegitimate weapons system over state capabilities and vital ports. Lebanon cannot rise, nor can a secure and stable future be built, unless the cycle of impunity is broken, the judiciary is freed from the grip of intimidation, and the whole truth is revealed to the public so that every criminal and negligent party receives a just punishment.
