Explosion hits Hezbollah stronghold in Lebanon

A large explosion has rocked a stronghold of the Shiite militant Hezbollah group in the Lebanese capital Beirut, sending black smoke billowing into the sky and causing an unknown number of casualties, security officials said.

A car bomb has rocked a stronghold of the Shiite militant Hezbollah group in Beirut wounding dozens in a major security breach of a tightly-guarded area.

The powerful blast in a bustling commercial and residential district came as many Lebanese Shiites began observing the holy month of Ramadan, and is the worst explosion to hit the area in years – likely direct fallout of the civil war raging in neighbouring Syria.