What is Happening in Lebanon?

On Tuesday 4th August, a large explosion blasted through a port area in Lebanon’s capital of Beirut. Investigations have begun focusing on a supply of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which is used in fertiliser and bombs and is highly flammable. It had been stored in a warehouse located at the port for six years, where a welder inadvertently started a fire in a neighbouring fireworks warehouse which then ignited the gas. An official letter has begun to circulate online, showing the head of the customs department asking judicial officials for a way to remove it after repeatedly warning over the years that the ammonium nitrate was an immense danger.

Michel Aoun, Lebanon’s President, called for an emergency cabinet meeting after announcing that a state of emergency should be declared in Beirut for two weeks after the explosion. Aoun remarked on the Presidency Twitter account that it was unacceptable that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was stored without safety measures and vowed that those responsible would face maximum punishment.

Lebanon is also currently facing a huge economic crisis, said to be the worst since the 1975-1990 civil war, with protests taking over the streets as they are experiencing political turmoil. The country’s banks simply ran out of money last year, meaning that Lebanese workers lost savings they had stored in their accounts. In addition to this devastating situation, the unemployment rate has risen to around 25 percent and about a third of the country lives below the poverty line due to the lack of funds. A Lebanon expert stated that “the situation is definitely dire: political crisis, economic crises, lack of resources, the pandemic and now the explosion.” Thus, it is a possibility that the explosion could make the economic situation worse and potentially kick-start a widespread uprising.

Tensions have also arisen with Israel, which said last week that it had threatened an attempt by Hezbollah to infiltrate Israeli territory. However, a senior Israeli official has said that they have no connection to the explosion. Furthermore, the blast happened close to the scene of the death of ex-Lebanese MP, Hariri, after a huge car bombing occurred in 2005, and has occurred days before the long-awaited verdict in the trial of four men accused of orchestrating the attack.

After the blast rippled through several areas of the capital, killing at least 135 people, leaving more than 5,000 injured and damaging up to 300,000 homes, President Aoun declared a three-day mourning period and has announced that the government will release 100 billion lira of emergency funds. Hospitals are now overwhelmed and international rescue workers have arrived in Beirut to help with the search for missing people.