Dozen of rockets fired from Syria but now Hezbollah stronghold in Lebanon hit

Lebanese officials say 16 rockets fired by Syrian rebels have struck eastern region of Baalbek, Lebanon for first time.

 

Lebanese security officials say 16 rockets fired from Syria have struck the eastern region of Baalbek.

House damaged by rockets fired by Syrian rebels on Lebanese region of Hermel.


House damaged by rockets fired by Syrian rebels on Lebanese region of Hermel, Wednesday May 29, 2013. – Photo: AP

 

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters, say the rockets caused a fire in fields without casualties.

The area that was struck is a stronghold of Lebanon‘s militant Hezbollah group that is fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad‘s forces against rebels who are trying to remove him from power.

Rebels have fired dozens of rockets on Lebanon’s northeastern region of Hermel over the past weeks but Saturday’s attack was the first on Baalbek.

Syria’s two-year civil war has spilled over to Lebanon where fighters who back and oppose Assad have clashed, leaving scores dead and wounded in recent months.

 

View original HAARETZ publication at: http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/rockets-fired-from-syria-hit-hezbollah-stronghold-in-lebanon-officials-say-1.527134