Beruit explosion was it on purpose?

Lebanon's president has said an investigation into the Beirut explosion is exploring the possibility it was caused by "a rocket or a bomb".

Michel Aoun spoke on Friday after the number of victims in the explosion rose to 154, with another 5,000 people injured.

Mr Aoun told local media: "The cause has not been determined yet.

The explosion tore through Beirut on Tuesday

"There is a possibility of external interference through a rocket or bomb or other act."

International rescue teams are still searching the rubble of Beirut's port nearly three days after the explosion hit the city.

At least three more bodies were recovered in the 24 hours leading up to Friday morning, bringing the total to 149.

Lebanon's health minister later said at least 154 people had died in the blast on Tuesday.

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French and Russian rescue teams with dogs were seen searching the port area on Friday.

Among those located in the rubble was Joe Akiki, a 23-year-old port worker who had been missing since the explosion.

The blast flattened the port in the Lebanese capital

Dozens of people are still missing.

Some 300,000 people, more than 12% of Beirut's population, are unable to return to their homes because of the explosion, which blew out doors and windows across the city and left many buildings uninhabitable.

Officials have estimated losses at $10bn to $15bn (£7.6bn to £11bn).

International rescue teams are still searching the rubble at the site for survivors

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva has said the need for shelter in Beirut is "massive".

The UN's children agency UNICEF has said up to 100,000 children have had their families's homes damaged and are displaced because of the explosion.

UNICEF added it lost 10 containers of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the blast and has placed an order to replace the items.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has said the grain silo destroyed in Tuesday's blast was the country's only one.

It the top three explosion in the world.

The secrets are kept by the government.

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