It all started when someone shot into a crowd of armed Hezbollah protesters who were angry with the judge overseeing last year's massive port explosion.
From the Associated Press:
Armed clashes erupted Thursday in Beirut during a protest organized by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and its allies against the lead judge probing last year's blast in the city's port. At least six people were killed and dozens were wounded in the most protracted and violent street fighting in the city in years, authorities said.
The exchanges of fire along a former front line from the 1975-90 civil war involved pistols, automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, and were reminiscent of that conflict. Gunfire echoed in the capital for several hours and ambulances, sirens wailing, rushed to pick up casualties. Snipers shot from buildings. Bullets penetrated apartment windows in the area.
It was not immediately clear what triggered Thursday's violence.
Tensions had been running high after the Iran-backed Hezbollah and its Shiite allies from the Amal Movement demanded the removal of Tarek Bitar, the judge leading the investigation into last year's massive port explosion. The two parties called for a protest near the Justice Palace, located along the former front line between Muslim Shiite and Christian areas.
Here's a visual of that line:
A sniper reportedly fired on the Hezbollah mob as it swarmed a government building, igniting the bloody conflict.
Some more video:
More from the AP:
As the clashes erupted, a journalist with The Associated Press saw a man open fire with a pistol and gunmen shooting in the direction of protesters from the balcony of a building. Several men fell immediately from the gunfire and bled on the street. The army deployed heavily and sent patrols to the area to search for the gunmen, following the exchanges of gunfire between the Muslim and Christian sides of the capital.
Hezbollah wants Judge Tarek Bitar removed for its own reasons. I'm just spitballing here, but it all that ammonium nitrate that blew up a good portion of the city likely has links to terrorist-sponsoring Iran and was intended for devious things.
Lebanon's government is rife with corruption, and Bitar has been seen as the last symbol of impartial law and order by many. He drew Hezbollah's ire when he ordered an arrest warrant for Shiite Amal party member Ali Hassan Khalil when the politician did not respond to his summons for questions in his investigation.
Pray for Lebanon!
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