RIYADH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has directed for urgent humanitarian aid to be dispatched to Lebanon following the deadly explosion that rocked Beirut on Tuesday, Saudi Press Agency reported early Thursday citing a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces the Saudi government's intention to provide urgent humanitarian aid through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center to the Lebanese people who are facing the consequences of the disaster," the statement read. KSrelief through its affiliates swung into action immediately after the blast on Tuesday. A number of medical societies, financed by KSrelief throughout the Lebanese territories, rushed to make available emergency and ambulance services for those hit by the tragedy. Ambulance teams of the Subl Al-Salam Society, an affiliate of KSrelief, came from north Lebanon to Beirut to help transport the wounded people to hospitals. A medical team from Al-Amal Medical Center, another affiliate of KSrelief in Arsal, was involved in the medical evacuation mission, providing emergency medical services and health care services in Beirut. Al-Amal Medical Center also announced that it was carrying out a blood collection campaign in order to meet the urgent need of the injured in Beirut hospitals. On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia expressed its solidarity with the victims of the blast and vowed full support to them. In a statement, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is watching with grave concern the aftermath of the explosion that occurred in the port of Beirut today, which resulted in deaths and injuries," the statement read. "We express our sincerest condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims and the injured. We ask God to have mercy on those who died in this tragic event, to grant those injured a speedy recovery, and to protect Lebanon from all harm." "We affirm the Kingdom's full support and solidarity with the brotherly people of Lebanon," the statement added.
