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| Hezbollah commander Hassan Lakkis killed in Beirut | Hezbollah commander Hassan Lakkis killed in Beirut |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A senior commander of the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah has been killed near Beirut, the group says. | A senior commander of the 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 but Israel denies the accusation. | Hezbollah blamed Israel for his death but Israel denies the accusation. |
| The BBC's Jim Muir, in Beirut, says little is known publicly about Lakkis, but he was reputedly close to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. | The BBC's Jim Muir, in Beirut, says little is known publicly about Lakkis, but he was reputedly close to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. |
| The news comes a day after Hassan Nasrallah said Saudi Arabia was behind last month's bombings outside the Iranian embassy in Beirut. | The news comes a day after 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' | Gunmen 'lying in wait' |
| A statement issued by Hezbollah on Wednesday said Lakkis was killed as he returned home from work around midnight. | 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 had opened fire on Lakkis with an assault rifle while he was in his car, according to the Associated Press news agency. | |
| An unnamed source close to Hezbollah told Reuters news agency that Lakkis had been shot in the head with a silenced gun, and describing the killing as a professional operation. | |
| He was attacked in the car park of the building where he lived and was taken to a nearby hospital but died early Wednesday, the unnamed officials were quoted as saying. | He was attacked in the car park of the building where he lived and was taken to a nearby hospital but died early Wednesday, the unnamed officials were quoted as saying. |
| Israel denied any involvement in the death. | Israel denied any involvement in the death. |
| "These automatic accusations are an innate reflex with Hezbollah," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said. "They don't need evidence, they don't need facts. They just blame anything on Israel." | "These automatic accusations are an innate reflex with Hezbollah," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said. "They don't need evidence, they don't need facts. They just blame anything on Israel." |
| Hezbollah - or the Party of God - is a powerful political and military organisation in Lebanon made up mainly of Shia Muslims. | 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. | 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. | 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. | The group said that one of Lakkis's sons had been killed fighting Israel in the 2006 conflict. |