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Two rockets hit Hezbollah district of Beirut | Two rockets hit Hezbollah district of Beirut |
(35 minutes later) | |
At least three people have been wounded by a rocket strike on the southern part of the Lebanese capital Beirut. | At least three people have been wounded by a rocket strike on the southern part of the Lebanese capital Beirut. |
Two rockets hit a district controlled by the Hezbollah organisation, officials and residents were quoted as saying by news agencies. | Two rockets hit a district controlled by the Hezbollah organisation, officials and residents were quoted as saying by news agencies. |
Tension has been high over the conflict in neighbouring Syria. | Tension has been high over the conflict in neighbouring Syria. |
On Saturday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promised his supporters they would prevail in Syria, where they are backing President Bashar al-Assad. | On Saturday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promised his supporters they would prevail in Syria, where they are backing President Bashar al-Assad. |
There was no immediate indication who had fired the rockets but Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said the projectiles, believed to be 107mm rockets with an 8-km (5-mile) range, had been fired from a position to the south-east. | There was no immediate indication who had fired the rockets but Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said the projectiles, believed to be 107mm rockets with an 8-km (5-mile) range, had been fired from a position to the south-east. |
Dozens of militants from Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim organisation, are said to have been killed in recent fighting alongside Syrian troops, who face a mainly Sunni Muslim opposition. | Dozens of militants from Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim organisation, are said to have been killed in recent fighting alongside Syrian troops, who face a mainly Sunni Muslim opposition. |
The fiery speech by the Hezbollah leader had raised fears that the involvement of his fighters in Syria would have repercussions in Lebanon, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Beirut. | The fiery speech by the Hezbollah leader had raised fears that the involvement of his fighters in Syria would have repercussions in Lebanon, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Beirut. |
The leader of Lebanon's mainly Sunni March 14th movement, former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, said that what Hezbollah was doing in Syria was "political and military suicide", our correspondent notes. | The leader of Lebanon's mainly Sunni March 14th movement, former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, said that what Hezbollah was doing in Syria was "political and military suicide", our correspondent notes. |
In another development, the Syrian government has confirmed it will "in principle" attend an international conference on the country's future in Geneva in June. | In another development, the Syrian government has confirmed it will "in principle" attend an international conference on the country's future in Geneva in June. |
However, Syria's main opposition group has said it will attend the conference only if Mr Assad steps down. | However, Syria's main opposition group has said it will attend the conference only if Mr Assad steps down. |
'Failed to explode' | 'Failed to explode' |
Mr Assad is fighting to end a revolt against his rule which began just over two years ago and has left at least 80,000 people dead and made refugees of some 1.5 million. | Mr Assad is fighting to end a revolt against his rule which began just over two years ago and has left at least 80,000 people dead and made refugees of some 1.5 million. |
An unnamed Lebanese security source told AFP news agency the missiles were Grad rockets, a Soviet-made weapon. | An unnamed Lebanese security source told AFP news agency the missiles were Grad rockets, a Soviet-made weapon. |
One rocket struck a car showroom, causing injuries and damaging vehicles, | One rocket struck a car showroom, causing injuries and damaging vehicles, |
Reports suggest those injured were all Syrian workers. | Reports suggest those injured were all Syrian workers. |
The second rocket hit a residential building. An unconfirmed report said that rocket had not exploded. | The second rocket hit a residential building. An unconfirmed report said that rocket had not exploded. |
A Reuters news agency photo showed the face of a building pockmarked by what appeared to be shrapnel, while video showed shattered windows blown across a living-room. | A Reuters news agency photo showed the face of a building pockmarked by what appeared to be shrapnel, while video showed shattered windows blown across a living-room. |
Another photo showed dazed men with cuts to their legs being treated in the street by friends. | Another photo showed dazed men with cuts to their legs being treated in the street by friends. |
"This incident is probably related to the conflict in Syria," AFP's security source said. | "This incident is probably related to the conflict in Syria," AFP's security source said. |
Syrian rebel commanders have threatened to retaliate against Hezbollah in Lebanon, our correspondent says. | |
The Associated Press news agency reports that an opposition commander in Syria pledged to attack Hezbollah in Beirut. | |
"We used to say before, 'We are coming Bashar'," Col Abdul-Jabbar al-Aqidi was quoted as saying. "Now we say, 'We are coming Bashar and we are coming Hassan Nasrallah'." | |
The Syrian conflict has heightened Lebanon's own sectarian divisions, at times spilling into open conflict. | The Syrian conflict has heightened Lebanon's own sectarian divisions, at times spilling into open conflict. |
Fighting in Lebanon's northern town of Tripoli between factions supporting the opposing sides in Syria has left at least 25 people dead in the past week. | Fighting in Lebanon's northern town of Tripoli between factions supporting the opposing sides in Syria has left at least 25 people dead in the past week. |
Inside Syria itself, opposition activists said many Hezbollah militants were killed on Saturday during fighting for the western town of Qusair, just across the border from Lebanon. | Inside Syria itself, opposition activists said many Hezbollah militants were killed on Saturday during fighting for the western town of Qusair, just across the border from Lebanon. |