On Saturday, thousands of people took to the streets of Beirut, demanding the government to resign. Protesters have stormed four ministries and the banks association.

"I apologize to the Lebanese whose expectations we have failed to meet, changes have not been made ... And, after the horrible catastrophe in Beirut, I am resigning from the government," Abdel Samad said, according to the Al-Jadeed TV channel.

Late on Tuesday, a powerful explosion took place at the port of Beirut, killing at least 158 people and injuring over 6,000, per the latest estimates.

According to the authorities, the explosion was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, confiscated by the customs services in 2014 and stored in the port since then.

The explosion has also caused considerable damage to the city, having destroyed or damaged dozens of houses.