Enemies of Resistance May Have Been behind Beirut Blast, Iranian General Says

In a note following the huge blast in Beirut, Brigadier General Gholam Reza Jalali said a possibility exists that the enemies of the resistance front have deliberately caused the explosion.

The commander said an analysis of the consequences suggests the possibility of a deliberate move, while a definite comment about the cause of the incident requires extensive and expert investigations by the Lebanese government.

He further expressed confidence that the resisting Lebanese nation will weather this storm like a steady green cedar tree, which is the symbol of Lebanon.

General Jalali also described the tragic incident in Beirut as a lesson for civil defense organizers, saying it is necessary to pay more attention to the chemical defense tactics and relocate high-risk facilities to the regions outside the cities.

Tuesday’s massive explosion in Beirut’s port has killed at least 135 people, injured 5,000, and displaced 300,000 citizens.

Officials linked the blast to hundreds of tons of confiscated ammonium nitrate that were being stored in a warehouse at the port for six years.

The explosion has also destroyed Lebanon’s silos that contain the national grain reserve. Lebanon imports up to 80 percent of its food needs and is particularly reliant on imported soft wheat to make Arabic flatbread. About 85 per cent of the country's cereals were reportedly stored in the facility.