Lebanon justice minister Marie Claude Najm. Photo: the Business Standard

Lebanon's cabinet faced rising pressure on Monday to step down after a devastating blast that has stirred angry anti-government protests and resignations of several ministers, with the justice minister the latest to go and the finance minister set to quit.

Iran PressMiddle East: The August 4 port warehouse detonation of more than 2,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate killed 158 people, injured more than 6,000, and destroyed a swathe of the Mediterranean city, compounding months of political and economic meltdown.

The information and environment ministers quit on Sunday as well as several lawmakers. The justice minister Marie Claude Najm resigned on Monday, citing the catastrophic explosion.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab said on Saturday he would request early parliamentary elections.

Lebanon's President Michel Aoun had previously said explosive material was stored unsafely for years at the port. He later said the investigation would consider whether the cause was external interference as well as negligence or an accident.

Beirut's governor said many foreign workers and truck drivers remained missing and were assumed to be among the casualties, complicating efforts to identify the victims.

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