Key facts
- An explosion occurred in the southern Lebanese town of Kounine.
- The National News Agency reported the incident.
- Israel has been targeting sites in a "security zone" despite a ceasefire agreement.
An explosion was reported in the southern Lebanese town of Kounine, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA). The report comes amid ongoing Israeli targeting of sites and demolitions in the so-called “security zone,” despite a ceasefire agreement.
The 2020 Beirut explosion, caused by the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored improperly at the Port of Beirut, resulted in over 218 deaths, 7,000 injuries, and displaced approximately 300,000 people. The blast, which released energy comparable to 1.1 kilotons of TNT, was felt across the region and generated a seismic event measuring 3.3 in magnitude. Investigations into the cause have faced significant obstruction, with prosecutors charging a judge in January 2023 for restarting the probe after a 13-month suspension. Families of victims continue to seek accountability.
Behnam Shahriyari, a senior official within Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been implicated in arms smuggling and the delivery of ammonium nitrate to Hezbollah. Hezbollah has denied allegations of storing weapons at the port. The Lebanese economy was in crisis prior to the 2020 explosion, with the government having defaulted on debt and the Lebanese pound plunging.