South Lebanon blast investigated

Lebanese and UN start investigation into rocket explosion near southern city of Tyre.

Lebanon garage blast
The blast late on Monday night has generated conflicting reports and accusations [AFP]

The explosion destroyed a house about 20km north of Tyre in the village of Tayr Filsi, on the southern bank of the Litani river.

Villagers told the AFP news agency that the owner of the garage, Abd al-Nasir Isa, had found a rocket on the river bank and had taken it home to dismantle it.

The 34-day conflict in 2006 left the area littered with unspent ordnance dropped during the Israeli bombardment.

However, Israel said the blast proved that weapons forbidden in southern Lebanon were being stored by Hezbollah, which is banned from conducting military action south of the Litani under the terms of the UN ceasefire.

Source: News Agencies