Ziofascist Agitation Spreads Through Israel's Arab Neighbors

Winds from Syria unrest blow into Lebanon: Clashes spark fears of another war

"Fed by the 14-month crisis in neighbouring Syria and rumours of renewed civil unrest, turbulence across Lebanon is stoking fears the situation in the country may take a turn for the worse.

On Wednesday night, a gunbattle broke out in the Caracas district of west Beirut, followed by a clash that lasted several hours and left two dead, according to security officials.

The spark for the clash, during which gunmen used hand grenades against the Lebanese security forces, was a "personal dispute" between at least one of the men and a woman in her early 20s, the officials added.

Though the shootout was an "isolated incident," a security official at the scene said, "the timing of the incident is very bad, because people in Lebanon are nervous about the overall situation."

Uncertainty turned news of a crime into a new cause for alarm. That some of those involved in the clash were Syrian nationals sparked rumours on the streets the next morning.

Some wondered where the gunmen got the weapons from, others said their real target was the Lebanese army, and still others raised questions about whether the gunfight had a political backdrop."