Rockets, missiles from Syria hit eastern Lebanon, no casualties

Three rockets from Syria and five missiles fired by the Syrian air force hit Tuesday Lebanon's eastern Bekaa region adjacent to the Syrian border, causing no casualties, local media reported. "Three rockets fired from the Syrian side of the border landed in the Shiite-majority al-Labwe village, without causing any casualties," said a statement by the Lebanese Army Guidance Directorate. The statement noted that "the Lebanese army units investigated the landing area of the rockets and prepared a report including the damage caused by the rockets." Local sources told Xinhua that a house in the village considered to be the bastion of Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah militant group, whose fighters are battling al-Qaida-linked rebels alongside the Syrian troops, was severely damaged by a rocket. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, an al-Qaida linked group, has claimed responsibility for firing the rockets "in retaliation to Hezbollah's involvement in Syria." Several hours later, the Syrian air force raided the outskirts of the mostly Sunni town of Arsal of Lebanon, 12 km from the border with Syria. A Syrian helicopter fired three air-to-ground missiles on the Wadi al-Arnab area, the outskirts of Arsal, and two other missiles on the nearby Wadi al-Royan region, without causing any casualties, said the Lebanese official National News Agency.