‘We will stay here until our last breath under the banner of Hezbollah’

RESIDENTS of Beirut’s southern suburbs hit by Israeli air strikes vowed yesterday to stand by Hezbollah, despite rising casualties from attacks triggered by its capture of two Israeli soldiers.

The raid on the guerrilla group’s stronghold in the south of the capital killed three people and wounded 40. It damaged flyovers and junctions and dozens of buildings and businesses.

“We will stay here until our last breath under the banner of Hezbollah against the barbarians and terrorists of Israel and the United States,” said Hashem Hashem, a 52-year old employee of the State-run Lebanese University.