As Lebanon marks the fifth anniversary of the devastating Beirut port explosion, the long-stalled investigation appears to be moving toward a decisive phase, with lead judicial investigator Judge Tarek Bitar reportedly close to issuing the long-awaited indictment.

The shift marks a stark contrast to previous years, with judicial momentum gathering despite years of legal paralysis and political obstruction. Judge Bitar, who resumed his probe in January 2023 after a 13-month suspension, has spent the past four months conducting extensive interrogations with political, military, and judicial figures.

A judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Bitar is "on the verge of concluding the inquiry and referring the case to the Public Prosecutor's Office for its final opinion before issuing the indictment." The investigator is currently awaiting responses to judicial requests sent to six Arab and European countries for case-related information, though not including satellite imagery.

The source said Bitar is weighing two paths: issuing the indictment by the end of the year based on current evidence, or waiting for Lebanon’s top courts to rule on dozens of legal challenges filed against him by politicians and security officials implicated in the case.

The investigation was frozen on December 24, 2022, after a wave of 43 lawsuits were filed against Bitar. These included a complaint from MP and former Public Works Minister Ghazi Zeaiter. In response, Bitar issued a legal study asserting that a judicial investigator cannot be recused or sued and resumed his work.

Bitar went on to issue new charges against former Prosecutor General Ghassan Oueidat and Deputy Prosecutor Ghassan Khoury. In retaliation, Oueidat accused Bitar of "usurping authority," issued a travel ban and an arrest warrant against him, and ordered the release of 17 port detainees previously denied release by Bitar.

All of these lawsuits remain unresolved, raising concerns that any future indictment could face legal challenges or delays. A source close to the judge noted that Bitar prefers for the judiciary to rule on these cases first, to avoid having the indictment challenged or nullified during trial proceedings.

Since resuming the investigation, Bitar has questioned a number of prominent officials, including former Prime Minister Hassan Diab, former Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk, former Army Commander Gen. Jean Kahwaji, former General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, and former State Security chief Maj. Gen. Tony Saliba.

Four figures have refused to appear before him: MPs Ali Hassan Khalil and Youssef Fenianos, both under arrest warrants, as well as Ghazi Zeaiter and former Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat.

According to the judicial source, the reactivation of the probe followed a direct pledge by President Joseph Aoun, who upon taking office vowed to remove barriers blocking the investigation. One key breakthrough came when newly appointed Prosecutor General Judge Jamal Hajjar resumed cooperation with Bitar and pledged to implement his directives.

Although Bitar has yet to take final legal action against the figures recently interrogated, the source said the judge is likely to summon them again and inform them of their legal status—whether they are to be released, kept under investigation, or face arrest.

As for the 17 detainees released on Oueidat’s orders, the source indicated that re-arresting them is unlikely given the duration they’ve already spent in detention.

Justice Minister Adel Nassar said the blast was "a crime and a humanitarian disaster" and stressed the state’s obligation to provide a judicial process that delivers accountability. He confirmed that Bitar is nearing the final stages of his work but added, “I have no information about the content of his investigation, nor is it within my authority to interfere.”

Nassar added that he remains available to assist Bitar, including through engagement with ambassadors of countries handling international judicial cooperation requests. He pledged to "exert all possible efforts to bring the port blast case to a conclusion," insisting that “the victims, the wounded, and all Lebanese people have the right to know the truth and see those responsible held accountable.”