Hizbullah Seizes Swaths of Beirut

Guess who's the occupying force now. It happens to be Hizbullah, the Islamic terrorist group that operates with the support and blessings of Tehran and Syria. The terrorists have seized large areas of the capital city of Beirut, and its thugs are continuing their campaign of terror and mayhem.

Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah took control of large areas of Beirut on Friday, tightening its grip on the city in a major blow to the U.S.-backed government after three days of intense fighting.

Security sources said at least 11 people had been killed and 30 wounded in three days of battles between pro-government gunmen and fighters loyal to Hezbollah, a Shiite political movement with a powerful guerrilla army.

The fighting, the worst internal strife since the 1975-90 civil war, was triggered this week after the government took decisions targeting Hezbollah’s military communications network. The group said the government had declared war.

The fighting was initiated by Hizbullah, and the government's response has been far too restrained. The government is clearly not willing to go toe to toe with the terrorists, despite the mortal threat posed by Hizbullah to the continued survival of the government and the country.

All this comes at a time when Iran is getting hemmed in by continued US and Iraqi operations in Iraq, which has seen Iranian influence there reduced significantly. It is no coincidence that the fighting in Lebanon has broken out at a time when Iranian supporters, including Sadr's Mahdi Army in Iraq are getting rounded and Iraqi authority imposed over Basra and expected within a short time within Sadr City in Baghdad.

From Beirut to Beltway notes that the Dark Age of Hizbullah is upon Lebanon. He's absolutely right. This is a tremendous blow to democracy and the rights of Lebanese people to live freely and without the tyranny of jihadis in their midst. Fighting continues to rage throughout Southern Lebanon.

I'm not nearly as optimistic as Bob's blog is. While it is true that a bunch of terrorist thugs can't hold on to Beirut against a military force, the military has thus far been absent from the field of battle.

Beirut Spring notes that the Hizbullah thugs and their supporters took over the Future TV offices and tore down the photos of Hariri, replacing them with Assad. Figures. Just remember - the media has been reluctant to tell you like it is - that Hizbullah is operating at the behest of Tehran and Damascus.

UPDATE:
Complicating matters even further, Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora is resigning. Apparently, it's a quid pro quo for Hizbullah to withdraw from Beirut.

Somehow, I doubt Hizbullah will actually keep up their end of the bargain. I can understand Siniora's decision to spare the country of further bloodshed and a potential civil war, but by making this decision, he's effectively handed over power to Hizbullah and now makes the security situation even more precarious, especially in South Lebanon and Israel.

UPDATE:
Some Lebanese understand what Hizbullah is doing. They see taking Beirut as the first step to taking Tel Aviv.

Lebanese Sports Minister Ahmed Fatfat slammed Hizbullah during an interview with Al Arabiya network.


Fatfat said that "Iran is responsible for what is happening in Lebanon. The subject now is the Iranian attack on Lebanon. They want us to surrender totally without any compensation. Hizbullah has turned from an opposition party into a militia attempting to impose its control. I think Hizbullah believes that the way to Tel Aviv passes through Beirut."

Hizbullah and its Amal allies are laying siege to Lebanese institutions and effectively shut down the country.

If Hizbullah succeeds in this coup - and I don't mince words on that point, they'll be in a position to tell the UN to take a hike from South of the Litani, and it frees them up to resume the war with Israel at a time and place of their choosing.

UPDATE:
Gateway Pundit is following the crisis closely, and has video of the fighting, which clearly shows Hizbullah fighting in and among civilian populations.