Former Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab appeared Friday before Judge Tarek Bitar for a long-anticipated questioning session in connection with the 2020 Beirut port explosion, one of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history, which left over 220 dead and thousands injured.

Diab, who was serving as premier when the disaster struck, arrived at the Justice Palace accompanied by his legal team, including former Bar Association heads Amal Haddad and Rashid Derbas. Several attorneys representing victims' families and civil plaintiffs also attended the session.

According to local broadcaster MTV, the hearing session ended without Diab filing any formal objections or motions to dismiss the judge—tactics that have previously been employed by other top officials summoned in the investigation.

Speaking briefly to reporters as he left the courthouse, Diab described the session as “excellent.”

His attorney, Rashid Derbas, addressed the media on his behalf, saying that Diab had fully cooperated with the inquiry and answered all questions posed by Judge Bitar. Derbas noted that his client had been notified of the session through media outlets and chose to attend in person “to avoid obstructing the investigation."