Following the massive explosion yesterday, August 4, 2020, at the Port of Beirut, that killed over 100, injured thousands, and caused widespread property damage, the Saudi establishment dailies 'Okaz and Al-Riyadh published editorials linking Hizbullah to the explosion, even hinting that it was responsible for it. The editorials claim that Hizbullah has always been a force for destruction and devastation in Lebanon, and that it serves the Iranian agenda, conspires against Lebanon, and is not interested in its stability. The Al-Riyadh editorial even implied that the explosion is directly connected to the upcoming August 7 announcement by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon at The Hague of its verdict in the trial concerning the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri.
It should be noted that the Saudi Al Arabiya channel made a connection between the explosion and Hizbullah, when it reported that it took place in Hizbullah munitions warehouses.[1]
The following are translated excerpts from the 'Okaz and Al-Riyadh editorials:
'Okaz: Hizbullah Engineers Every Crisis In Lebanon
In its editorial, the 'Okaz daily stated that Lebanon is the victim of Hizbullah and Iran, and that the explosion at the Port of Beirut clearly illustrates this: "No one disagrees that Lebanon was and remains the victim of those who conspire against it from within. [This refers to] those who established a country within a country [i.e. Hizbullah] and hijacked this Arab country in order to realize the interests of the sectarian Iranian regime, and who have not attained any accomplishments for the [Lebanese] people. On the contrary, they have transformed Lebanon into a terrorist suburb whose objective is to detonate, to devastate, and to destroy.
"The entire world is witness to the scale of the massive [the August 4] explosion at a warehouse containing high explosives at Beirut port, which turned the Lebanese capital into a disaster zone and caused thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths, destroying not only the Port of Beirut but the entire capital. Hizbullah has never, in any way, been a constructive element in Lebanon. Whenever there was a crisis in Lebanon, it was Hizbullah that engineered it. Its leader, the terrorist Hassan Nasrallah, continues to be an agent of devastation and destruction. Therefore, restoring peace and security is [conditional] on the end of Hiz[bullah], which is nurtured by wars and acts of destruction. It does not seek prosperity for Lebanon or Beirut, or for their universities to be open and [to provide] a meeting place for tolerance and coexistence among all the Lebanese from all ethnic groups, schools of thought, regions, and social strata. [This approach of Hizbullah's] stems from a lack of political logic and maturity, because Hiz[bullah] obeys the terrorist regime of [Iranian Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei and serves the Iranian enterprise which it has adopted. The best proof of this is [the explosion] at the Port of Beirut, that reduced Lebanon to ashes."[2]
Al-Riyadh Daily: "Lebanon Is Disaster-Stricken; The [Saudi] Kingdom Declares Its Solidarity With Its Brethren The Lebanese People"
The following photo appeared in Al-Riyadh on August 5. It reads: "Lebanon Is Disaster-Stricken; The [Saudi] Kingdom Declares Its Solidarity With Its Brethren The Lebanese People."
Al-Riyadh: The Beirut Explosion Is Linked To Imminent Verdict Of The Special Tribunal For Lebanon At The Hague
The August 5, 2020 Al-Riyadh editorial suggested that the explosion is linked to the expected release on Friday, August 7, 2020, of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon at The Hague's verdict in the trial on the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri. The paper stated that all indications point to Hizbullah having been behind it:
"Yesterday [August 4, 2020], just a few days before [the release of] the decision of The Special Tribunal for Lebanon at The Hague, convened to investigate the assassination of Rafik Al-Hariri, Beirut was rocked by explosions, the reason for which we do not yet know... There are those who do not seek stability in Lebanon, or for it to be 'its own master' – and what is the best evidence of this if not the government, whose loyalty is to Hizbullah... The accusatory finger always points to Hizbullah. And this is not only about blame, but a fact that is known to all. Hiz[bullah] is totally subservient to Iran, and implements its agenda not only in Lebanon but in the entire region. This is a destructive policy which is aimed at spreading chaos and instability.
"What makes one wonder is the role played by the political forces in Lebanon. Why don't they act when they see that Lebanon is at risk? Where are the voices that we have heard on matters far less important than what is happening now in Lebanon? When they saw Lebanon being slaughtered, they remained silent...
"Has the fear reached the level of horror? All the indicators point to Hizbullah being behind the assassination of Rafik Al-Hariri, and all the indicators point to Hizbullah wanting Lebanon to be an Iranian province and a thorn in the belly of the Arab body. It always leads Lebanon to a place that is not good for it...
"The explosions in Beirut are likely to be the start of [even] large[r] events in Lebanon, and no one knows where they might lead – but they will surely not make us glad. May Allah protect Lebanon and its loyal people."[3]
