Gunfire erupted in Lebanon following a statement by Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. CNN reporters trapped with Lebanese forces filed breifings Thursday from downtown Beirut. The Lebanese army was pinned down by gunfire between rival Shiite and Sunni groups. Reports from the Green Line separating Sunni and Shiite communities suggest the Lebanese army, largely known for its policy of non-interference, is overwhelmed.
RPG and small arms fire erupted following statements from Nasrallah saying the Beirut western-backed government declared open war on Hizbollah. Snipers from opposition groups scrambled along rooftops targeting government forces who ventured out into the streets.
Video supplied by al Jazeera Thursday shows Lebanese army tanks rolling into the capital square. While the military is on the move, they are largely pinned down. With a politically charged atmosphere bringing the situation in Lebanon closer and closer to all out civil war, the intense firefights Thursday may signal larger things to come.
The latest conflict comes from accusations the Hizbollah telecommunications network was an illegal operation intent on spying on the government. Sunni leaders accused Hizbollah of holding Lebanon hostage with its actions. Economic protests initially calling for higher wagers and the increasing disputes over the Lebanese presidency stoked swelling sectarian violence.