How the Beirut Explosion Will Worsen Lebanon’s Crises

Lebanon is no stranger to turmoil and devastation. The small country straddles the geopolitical fault lines of the Middle East and endured a 15-year civil war that ended in 1990. In the latest blow, a massive blast ripped through the port in its capital, Beirut, on Aug. 4, killing at least 100 people, injuring 4,000 more and damaging buildings across the city. Officials have said it was caused by the detonation of chemicals stored there, without saying whether it was an accident or an attack. Th