RPG, Gunfire Target Gas Station in Beirut Southern Suburbs

Gunshots and a shoulder-fired rocket have targeted a petrol station in the Beirut southern suburb of al-Laylaki, the latest in a series of incidents rattling motorists lining up in long petrol queues.

The NNA said the army deployed in the area after several people were wounded in the shooting, but did not provide more details.

A security source told AFP that people who had illegally stored petrol at a pumping station fired live rounds as soldiers tried to confiscate their stock.

They also started a fire at the gas station, accusing its owner of having tipped off the army.

Videos and pictures circulating on social media showed men opening machine-gun fire.

The army on Saturday started raiding gas stations and confiscating stocks of fuel that distributors have been hoarding to sell at a higher price in the black market or across the border in Syria.

The army said on Twitter it had seized more than 4.3 million liters of petrol and 2.2 million liters of fuel oil between Saturday and Monday.

It forced the owners of these supplies to sell almost all the petrol and 1.6 million liters of fuel oil to hospitals, bakeries and a power utility, and to distribute more for free, it said.