Beirut Port Blast Investigation Concludes After Years of Political Roadblocks

The investigation into the devastating Beirut port explosion of 2020 has finally concluded after more than five years of delays and political obstruction.

Judge Tareq Bitar has handed the case to Attorney General Jamal Hajjar for review, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported. The inquiry, spanning two judges and five-and-a-half years, was repeatedly stalled by legal challenges and administrative hurdles.

Hajjar is now expected to provide his opinion on the suspects questioned in 2025, with around 70 individuals believed to be implicated in the case.

The August 2020 blast, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, killed over 200 people and injured thousands when hundreds of tonnes of improperly stored ammonium nitrate detonated in a port warehouse — despite repeated warnings to senior officials.

Judge Bitar was not the first to lead the investigation. His predecessor, Judge Fadi Sawan, was removed after charging three former ministers and then-prime minister Hassan Diab with negligence. Once in charge, Mr Bitar brought charges against several officials, including former public prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat, former finance minister Ali Hassan Khalil, and former public works minister Ghazi Zeaiter.

In 2023, after charging Mr Oueidat, the former prosecutor countercharged Mr Bitar with abuse of authority — a claim later dropped.

The investigation faced years of delays as senior officials invoked immunity, filed lawsuits to remove the judge, or refused to cooperate, prompting victims’ families to accuse Lebanon’s political class of obstructing justice. Many continue to stage monthly protests, demanding accountability and calling for an international inquiry.

For any enquiries or information, contact ask@tlr.ae or call us on +971 52 644 3004. Follow The Law Reporters on WhatsApp Channels.