08-04-2021 JERUSALEM, Israel – One year ago today, an explosion ripped through the port of Beirut, killing at least 214 people, injuring more than 6,000, and destroying or damaged thousands of homes and businesses. Minutes before the blast, there was a huge fire at a port warehouse. Then, hundreds of tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrates detonated. One of the first questions raised after the horrific Aug. 4 explosion was: “Who is responsible?” A year later, Lebanese leaders have yet to answer that question and activists are pushing for information about who ordered the shipment of highly explosive material. Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on Tuesday accusing senior Lebanese officials of knowing about the dangerous chemicals and ignoring repeated warnings of their danger. Now, the organization says those same officials are trying to thwart the investigation.