Two rockets hit southern Beirut

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Two rockets hit the south of Lebanon's capital Beirut today, injuring three or more people.

The rockets landed in a district controlled by the Hezbollah organisation, a Shi'a Islamic militant and political group, with one rocket hitting a car showroom, and the other a residential building.

While it is unclear who fired the rockets, Lebanon's interior minister, Marwan Charbel, said it appeared the rockets had come from the south-east of the city.

The attacks come after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah addressed his followers yesterday, committing the militant group to fighting in Syria's conflict.

Syrian rebels have threatened retaliation against the Hezbollah group for sending fighters to assist Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is fighting to end a revolt against his rule. The revolt started more than two years ago, and has killed 80,000 people, leaving 1.5 million refugees.

Nasrallah's speech confirmed the group are directly involved in Syria's war, and pledged they would protect Lebanon's borders from the control of rebels. He called sending troops outside Lebanon to protect the country "a completely new phase" for Hezbollah.

In the Syrian border town of Qusayr, government and Hezbollah forces continue a seven-day battle to expel Syrian rebels from the town. Reportedly 40 or more people were killed there yesterday, including a number of Hezbollah fighters.

Nasrallah pledged Hezbollah will continue fighting until the conflict has been turned in President Assad's favour.

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Sources

"Two rockets hit Beirut's southern suburbs" — Al Jazeera, May 26, 2013
"Two rockets hit Hezbollah district of Beirut" — BBC News Online, May 26, 2013
Annie Barnard. "Hezbollah commits to an All-Out Fight to Save Assad" — The New York Times, May 25, 2013

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