Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Abul Gheit arrived in Beirut on Saturday in a show of solidarity and to discuss assistance for Lebanon after the devastating mega-blast in Beirut that left many dead and tens of families homeless.

At least 10 times over the past six years, authorities from Lebanon's customs, military, security agencies and judiciary raised alarm that a massive stockpile of explosive chemicals was being kept with almost no safeguard at the port in the heart of Beirut, newly surfaced documents show.

Yet in a circle of negligence, nothing was done — and on Tuesday, the 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate blew up, obliterating the city's main commercial hub and spreading death and wreckage for miles around.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday categorically and strongly denied the presence of any arms or ammonium nitrate belonging to Hizbullah at the site of the deadly mega-blast that rocked Beirut’s port and devastated parts of the capital.

President Michel Aoun on Friday said calls for an international probe into the catastrophic blast that rocked Beirut’s port are aimed at “distorting the truth,” as he said the disaster was caused by either negligence or an attack.

Saudi Arabia has sent two planes to Lebanon carrying more than 120 tons of medicine, medical devices, emergency supplies, tents, shelter kits and food items for people in Beirut affected by the massive explosion this week.

Investigation into the huge blast in Beirut made its first arrests with authorities saying 16 people had been detained, according to Friday reports.

With destruction from the blast extending over half of the capital and the damage expected to cost more than $3 billion, world leaders have backed calls from ordinary Lebanese for those responsible to be held accountable. 

Rescue teams were still searching the rubble of Beirut's port for bodies on Friday, nearly three days after a massive explosion sent a wave of destruction through Lebanon's capital, killing nearly 150 people and wounding thousands.

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Abul Gheit reportedly will visit Beirut on Saturday following a cataclysmic blast that ravaged central Beirut, MTV TV station said on Friday.

Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi said on Thursday that he plans to step down from his post if names of those responsible for the mega Beirut port blast were not disclosed at the end of the five-day investigation deadline, al-Joumhouria daily reported.

Lebanon's ambassador to Jordan Thursday announced her resignation, following a cataclysmic blast that ravaged central Beirut, saying 'total negligence' by the country's authorities signalled the need for a leadership change.

It is the second resignation by a Lebanese official since Tuesday's blast killed nearly 150 people, wounded at least 5,000 and destroyed entire districts of the capital.