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yesterday

Lebanon Marks Fifth Anniversary of Beirut Port Blast as Judge Seeks Year-End Indictment

Judge Tarek Bitar resumes hearings under a reformist administration, awaiting a final French technical report for a planned indictment by year’s end.

Relatives of victims of the deadly 2020 Beirut port explosion hold portraits of their loved ones and a giant Lebanese flag during a gathering marking the fifth anniversary of the massive blast, outside the port of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
The Beirut explosion ripped through Lebanon's capital on Aug. 4, 2020, devastating homes, cultural sites, places of worship, and more.
FILE - This photo shows a general view of the scene of an explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)

Overview

  • President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam declared a national day of mourning and vowed to uphold judicial independence to break years of obstruction in the port blast probe.
  • Bitar resumed hearings in July and has summoned senior political and security officials, including former ministers and top security chiefs, for questioning.
  • Several high-profile suspects continue to defy summons and claim immunity, delaying progress even as other officials cooperate.
  • Awaiting a fourth and final report from a French investigative team, Bitar plans to finalize his 1,200-page dossier and issue indictments before the end of 2025.
  • Victims’ families have sustained pressure through commemorations and international lawsuits, and Beirut’s partially collapsed grain silos were classified as historical monuments.