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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hezbollah militant Hassan Lakkis killed in Beirut | Hezbollah militant Hassan Lakkis killed in Beirut |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| One of the leaders of Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah has been killed near Beirut, the group says. | One of the leaders of Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah has been killed near Beirut, the group says. |
| Hassan Lakkis was "assassinated" near his home in Hadath - 7km (4.3 miles) south-east of the Lebanese capital, Hezbollah TV channel Al-Manar said. | Hassan Lakkis was "assassinated" near his home in Hadath - 7km (4.3 miles) south-east of the Lebanese capital, Hezbollah TV channel Al-Manar said. |
| Hezbollah blamed Israel for his death. Israel has not commented. | Hezbollah blamed Israel for his death. Israel has not commented. |
| The news comes a day after the head of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said Saudi Arabia was behind last month's bombings outside the Iranian embassy in Beirut. | The news comes a day after the head of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said Saudi Arabia was behind last month's bombings outside the Iranian embassy in Beirut. |
| Iran is a major backer of Hezbollah, which has sent fighters to Syria to back the government of Bashar al-Assad. | Iran is a major backer of Hezbollah, which has sent fighters to Syria to back the government of Bashar al-Assad. |
| The conflict in Syria has increased sectarian tensions in its smaller neighbour. | The conflict in Syria has increased sectarian tensions in its smaller neighbour. |
| Gunmen 'lying in wait' | |
| Little is known publicly about Lakkis, but the BBC's Jim Muir, in Beirut, says he was reputedly close to Hassan Nasrallah. | |
| A statement issued by Hezbollah on Wednesday said Lakkis was killed as he returned home from work around midnight. | |
| The group said Israel had tried to kill him several times previously, but had failed. | The group said Israel had tried to kill him several times previously, but had failed. |
| Lebanese security officials said assailants lying in wait opened fire on Lakkis with an assault rifle while he was in his car, according to the Associated Press news agency. | |
| He was attacked while in the parking lot of the residential building where he lived and was rushed to a nearby hospital but died early Wednesday from his wounds, the unnamed officials were quoted as saying. | |
| Hezbollah - or the Party of God - is a powerful political and military organisation in Lebanon made up mainly of Shia Muslims. | |
| It emerged with financial backing from Iran in the early 1980s and began a struggle to drive Israeli troops from Lebanon. | |
| Hezbollah fought a destructive 34-day war with Israel following the capture of two Israeli soldiers in 2006. | |
| The group said that one of Lakkis's sons had been killed fighting Israel in the 2006 conflict. |