A rocket-propelled grenades fell on the residence of Lebanese majority leader MP Saad Hariri in western Beirut on Friday and clashes were reported at the entrance of the residence.
Front fence of the heavily-guarded palace, located in the residential district of Qoreitem, was hit by rocket-propelled grenades, local Naharnet news website reported.
There was no word whether Hariri was at the palace at the time of the attack.
Dr. Fawzi Zaidan, from Hariri's Future Movement, told Xinhua that Beirut has "militarily fallen."
Hezbollah's Al Manar TV reported Sunni gunmen who support the ruling majority are surrendering their weapons in Hamra area and that the opposition is in control of Hamra and Verdan.
Earlier on Friday, the Al Mustaqbal (Future) TV, mouthpiece of Future Movement, stopped local and cable broadcasting Friday morning, amid reports that opposition gunmen sieged the station and turned it over to the Lebanese army.
Meanwhile, Naharnet reported that Al Mustaqbal newspaper building in Ramlet al-Baida, southwestern Beirut, was attacked by rockets and automatic gunfire at dawn Friday.
High tension between supporters of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and the Western-allied government evolved into violence since Wednesday, with explosions and gunfire sweeping across the capital.
Lebanon is currently facing the most serious political deadlock since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war. For the first time in its history, the presidential seat has been vacant since Nov. 24 of 2007 when former President Emile Lahoud stepped down.
The presidency deadlock deepened the Lebanese political crisis as fears are mounting that failure in reaching a deal on the presidential candidate could result in more violence in the country.
Source: Xinhua
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