The Beirut explosion may have been caused by a missile or a bomb. Aoun speaks for the first time about the hypothesis of external aggression and reveals the cunning of his request

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that the investigation into the explosion - which occurred in a warehouse containing highly explosive materials last Tuesday - is based on three levels "first of how these explosive materials were entered and stored in ward No. 12, and the second if the explosion was caused by negligence or an accident Fate and destiny, and the third is the possibility that there will be external interference that led to this accident. "

Aoun said in his statements published by the media and confirmed by his office, "The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined, as there is a possibility of external interference by missile, bomb, or any other action. I asked Macron to provide the aerial photos to find out what happened and if the French did not have it, we will request it from another source."

Aoun added, in a meeting with the media, that there was no cover for those involved in the explosion, and confirmed that the investigation will include direct officials, and stressed that the doors of the courts are open to those involved.

He stressed that "the judiciary must be swift, because late justice is not fair and must be immediate, but without haste (...) We are facing changes and reconsideration of our political system."

There are two possibilities for what happened, either as a result of negligence or external interference by a missile or a bomb, and I personally asked the French President to provide us with aerial photos so that we can determine whether there are planes in the sky or missiles. If these pictures are not available to the French, we will request them from other countries

- General Michel Aoun (@General_Aoun) August 7, 2020

Lift the siege, and
considered that the Beirut explosion contributed to breaking the siege on his country. He added: Most of the active heads of state called me and announced their willingness to provide material assistance, and they started sending planes carrying medicines we needed.

"There is international assistance of value to come in the coming days, and Beirut will return better than it was before the explosion, and we have the idea that each country take a portion of the restoration work in the affected areas," without further details.

We received a short time ago (on the twentieth of last July) information about the storage process in the port, and we were instructed immediately to contact the Secretary General of the Supreme Defense Council and communicate with the concerned parties to take the necessary action.

- General Michel Aoun (@General_Aoun) August 7, 2020

He stated that during his reign he would not be allowed to internationalize the Lebanese crisis, but Minister of Information Manal Abdel Samad said that if the local investigation into the port explosion did not reach a result, then the issue of the international investigation will be presented to the Cabinet.

She added, in an interview with Al-Jazeera, that the number of people arrested on the background of the file has risen to 19 people, including current and former general managers.

The death toll
The Health Minister Hamad Hassan said that the death toll from the Beirut port explosion has risen to 154, while searches for stranded people and the removal of rubble continue, amid ongoing investigations.

Hassan said - in a statement reported by the official Lebanese Agency - that 20% of the wounded need to receive treatment, and that there are 120 critical cases, noting that the flying glass resulted in severe injuries that need accurate surgeries.

For its part, UNICEF reported that around 80,000 Lebanese children lost their homes and were displaced by the Beirut bombing last Tuesday.

Investigations
In conjunction with Aoun's statements, the judiciary is continuing its investigations into the explosion, which authorities said was caused by the storage of 2750 tons of ammonium nitrate six years ago.

On Thursday, the government commissioner to the Acting Military Court, Judge Fadi Aqeeqi, announced the arrest of 16 people, including senior officials, at the Beirut Port, pending an investigation.

Among the detainees - according to what a security source told the French Press Agency - is the port's board chairman, Hassan Quraytem.

According to Akiki, more than 18 people were interrogated, from officials at the Beirut Port Board and the Customs Administration and responsible for maintenance and those carrying out these works in ward No. 12, where ammonium nitrate was stored in addition to "inflammable flammable materials and cables for slow detonation."

The Lebanese blamed the explosion for the ruling authority that rose up against it months ago, demanding its departure. At night, limited clashes erupted between dozens of angry youths and the security forces in downtown Beirut.

Several parties, including international organizations in Beirut, notably Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, in addition to previous heads of government, called for an international investigation to uncover the circumstances of the huge explosion.