Amal Movement Says Beirut Violence Aimed to Reignite Internal Strife

Gun shells are seen on the floor after gunfire erupted, in Beirut, Lebanon October 14, 2021. (Reuters)
Gun shells are seen on the floor after gunfire erupted, in Beirut, Lebanon October 14, 2021. (Reuters)
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Amal Movement Says Beirut Violence Aimed to Reignite Internal Strife

Gun shells are seen on the floor after gunfire erupted, in Beirut, Lebanon October 14, 2021. (Reuters)
Gun shells are seen on the floor after gunfire erupted, in Beirut, Lebanon October 14, 2021. (Reuters)

The Shiite Amal movement said on Monday last week's street violence in Beirut in which seven people were shot dead aimed to reignite internal strife and threaten peace in Lebanon.

The seven were killed on Thursday as crowds headed for a demonstration called by Amal and its Iranian-backed ally Hezbollah group in bloodshed that stirred memories of the 1975-1990 civil war.

"What happened showed the Lebanese people the truth behind what these groups are doing in terms of trying to ignite internal strife and national division and threaten civic peace and pushing the Lebanese back to the era of civil wars," Amal said in a statement.

The incident marked the worst street violence in over a decade and added to fears for the stability of a country that is awash with weapons and suffering an economic meltdown.

Amal, which is led by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, one of the most powerful political figures in the country, urged the authorities to arrest all those responsible.

Hezbollah blamed the Christian Lebanese Forces (LF) party for the deaths, an accusation that LF head Samir Geagea denied. The LF condemned Thursday's events and blamed the violence on Hezbollah's "incitement" against Tarek Bitar, the lead investigator in a probe into last year's blast at Beirut port.

Amal and Hezbollah had called the demonstration to protest against Bitar.

The inquiry into the Aug. 4, 2020 explosion, which killed more than 200 people and devastated swathes of Beirut, has made little headway amid pushback from political factions.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has said Bitar is not objective.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian condemned the attacks and described them as shameful.

"Difference of opinion is granted but fighting in the streets is not acceptable," he said in comments carried by the state National News Agency. "The solution is through peaceful means not through the use of weapons that are spread in the street."



Israel Carries Out Intense Airstrikes in Southern Lebanon, 1 Dead

Smoke rises after Israeli airstrikes near Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon on June 27, 2025. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
Smoke rises after Israeli airstrikes near Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon on June 27, 2025. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
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Israel Carries Out Intense Airstrikes in Southern Lebanon, 1 Dead

Smoke rises after Israeli airstrikes near Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon on June 27, 2025. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
Smoke rises after Israeli airstrikes near Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon on June 27, 2025. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)

Israel’s air force carried out intense airstrikes on mountains overlooking a southern Lebanon city on Friday in an attack that the Israeli military said targeted Hezbollah underground assets.

The airstrikes came in two waves on the mountains overlooking Nabatiyeh and bunker buster bombs were used, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported. There was no immediate information about casualties.

Since the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war ended with a US-brokered ceasefire in November, Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes on southern Lebanon. Friday’s strikes were more intense than usual.

The Israeli military said in a statement that its fighter jets struck a site used by Hezbollah to manage its fire and defense array in the area and is part of a significant underground project that was completely taken out of use.

The Israeli army said it identified rehabilitation attempts by Hezbollah beforehand and struck infrastructure sites in the area.

There was no comment from Hezbollah.

An Israeli drone also targeted on Friday an apartment in a two-story building in Nabatiyeh.

Lebanon's health ministry said a woman was killed and 11 other people were wounded in the strike.

"The Israeli enemy strike on an apartment in Nabatiyeh led to a preliminary toll of one woman killed and 11 people wounded," the ministry said in a statement carried by the official National News Agency.