Lebanon president: It is ‘impossible’ that Hezbollah’s arms caused Beirut blast

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has said that it is “impossible” that Hezbollah’s arms were the cause of the explosion that devasted Beirut earlier this month, Reuters reported yesterday.

Aoun made the remarks to the Italian daily Corriere, adding that all possibilities would be investigated.

The president denied that Hezbollah is storing weapons at Beirut port, echoing comments by the group’s leader earlier this month.

“Although it seems that [it] has been an accident, I want to avoid being accused of not having listened to every voice,” Aoun said.

He told the Italian daily that many people claimed to have seen planes fly by the port moments before the blast and, although the reports are “not very credible”, they should be listened to.

More than 200 people were killed, 6,000 were injured and some 300,000 made homeless after a massive explosion in Beirut port ripped through the capital on 4 August. The blast destroyed parts of the city and intensified the economic and political distress which has engulfed Lebanon for months.

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Lebanon is one long tale of disaster and crisis – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]