I disagree.
If it is capable of detonating, then, it is by definition a high explosive, and, the multiple examples of it doing so is proof of that.
The fact that pure AN is not used commercially as a high explosive, e.g. because it’s better mixed with fuel oil, does not alter the fact that the pure material itself is capable of detonation.
A high explosive is defined by the speed of the shockwave front when it detonates. Not by how high you can pile it up.
ANFO is a low explosive.
Anfo dust in the air may ignite and perhaps explode but it takes a high explosive trigger and mixing in diesel fuel to the amonium nitrate to make it sensitive enough to detonate.
There are three states of explosives burning. Think of gasoline, put a match to a teaspoon full and it will burn as a smokey tki torch.
Put a teaspoon in a trash can and it will explode.
Vaporize a teaspoon in a good air fuel ratio and compress it in a sealed cylinder and it will detonate.
0 foot per second, burn
25 foot per second ,explode,
1700 foot per second, detonate.
That was not an amonium nitrate explosive,
That was a detonation. And to detonate you have to mix the fuel in with the oxidizer and make ANFO.
It was an ammo dump.
But, doesn't AN when it burns have to be in a confined space to detonate? Can fire actually cause detonation in a non-confined space??
I have burned a lot of old dynamite...makes a great fire, but will NEVER explode if burned in the open...lots of flame and smoke, but no boom!
I have also used many tons of ANFO in mining applications, (love the stuff) and being in a drill hole confines the gasses and results in detonation.
Is that correct?
My guess is the AN caught fire and the Hezbollah fools had rockets or rocket propellent in the building and that was the explosion.
Note the color of the flame and smoke...never seen ANFO send up an orange smoke cloud in a mine shot.