Lebanon to respond to Syrian source of rocket attacks

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman stressed Thursday the need for "necessary measures to protect citizens and Lebanese towns" in a meeting with the army chief hours after rockets from Syria hit the country's east. In a presidential statement released, Suleiman said it was a " necessity to prevent attacks and reply to sources of fire." Twelve rockets fired from Syria's mountains along the border with Lebanon hit the outskirts of the mostly Shiite-populated Bekaa town of Nabi Sheet and Sirin earlier Thursday. Later in the day, a Syrian helicopter bombed the Wadi Atta area on the outskirts of the northeastern Bekaa town of Arsal, with seven rockets hitting residential areas. The Syrian air force carried similar raids during March, June, July, August and October on the outskirts of the town, which is about 50 km away from the Syrian border. Suleiman lamented the raids as a "blatant violation of Lebanon' s sovereignty," and addressed two memorandums to the Arab League and the United Nations calling for respect for "Lebanon's independence and sovereignty."