Ship owner arrested, but Hezbollah still blocks Beirut probe

The owner of the vessel tied to the devastating 2020 Beirut port explosion has been arrested in Bulgaria, reigniting demands for accountability and shedding light on Hezbollah’s efforts to block justice.

Igor Grechushkin, a 48-year-old Russian-Cypriot, was detained on September 5 at Sofia airport under an Interpol Red Notice issued at Lebanon’s request. He is accused of introducing explosives into Lebanon and committing a terrorist act that killed over 200 people, injured thousands, and leveled swathes of Beirut.

The explosion, one of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history, was caused by 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate left unsecured for years at the port. 

Despite repeated warnings, Lebanese authorities failed to act—an inaction widely blamed on systemic corruption and Hezbollah’s grip on the state.

Efforts to investigate have been repeatedly sabotaged. Independent judge Tarek Bitar, who pursued senior officials and ministers, was aggressively targeted by Hezbollah, which accused him of bias and led campaigns to discredit him. Political pressure forced the probe to stall until early 2025, when Lebanon’s new leadership pledged to safeguard judicial independence.

For the victims’ families, Grechushkin’s arrest offers a glimmer of progress. Yet, without dismantling Hezbollah’s obstruction, many fear accountability will remain elusive.