LEBANON:GUNFIGHTS ENGULFED parts of central Beirut last night shortly after Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah called a government clampdown on his group "a declaration of war".
On the second day of the fiercest internecine fighting Lebanon has seen since the civil war ended in 1990, supporters of Saad al-Hariri, a Sunni figurehead in the ruling coalition, and their Shia opponents took over the streets of Ras El-Nabeh, Corniche Al-Mazraa and neighbouring areas. Fighting also spread to the eastern Bekaa Valley. A Red Cross spokesman confirmed there were casualties but had no details.
"This is not only a declaration of war but the start of a war . . . on the resistance and its weapons in the interest of America and Israel and on their orders," Sheikh Nasrallah said.
Barricades of burning tyres and heaped earth, manned by Hizbullah and Amal supporters, blocked main roads to the centre of town and Beirut airport. The airport was closed for a second day running.
At dawn on Tuesday, the government took the unprecedented step of banning Hizbullah's private telephone network and removing the head of airport security, a Hizbullah ally, on suspicion of helping the group spy on the airport.
In so doing, it escalated a growing campaign against Hizbullah's weapons, which it was allowed to keep to fight Israeli occupation under the Taif Agreement that ended the civil war.
Hizbullah expert Amal Saad-Ghorayeb said Sheikh Nasrallah's language was entirely new. "He was saying, 'if you come near us, we're not going to fear Sunni-Shia strife any more'," she said.
Analysts say Hizbullah has long feared being dragged into civil strife, turning its formidable arsenal against fellow Lebanese and losing its credibility as a resistance movement against Israel.
"Now he's saying Hizbullah will fight to defend the resistance, even internally," Ms Saad-Ghorayeb said.
Tensions appeared likely to escalate in coming days in Lebanon, which has had no president for five months due to the political stand-off.
Sheikh Nasrallah said barricades would only come down if the government withdrew its demands. Mr Hariri said the government would not back down and the only solution lay in Hizbullah opening the roads and removing all traces of arms from the streets.