Lebanon’s caretaker Defence Minister Maurice Sleem was safe yesterday after his car came under gunfire in the Jisr Al Basha neighbourhood, east of the capital Beirut.
The bullets hit a window of his car, according to one security source and one political source, Reuters reported.
Interior Minister Bassam Al Mawlawi said security services were investigating the incident to determine whether it was a targeted attack or the result of stray bullets.
Local media reports initially said that the incident was an assassination attempt.
“In any case, we thank God for the safety of the minister of defence,” Al Mawlawi said.
A separate security source told Reuters that the bullets were strays and denied there had been an attempt on Slim’s life.
The incident came as Lebanon’s army was deployed in a village in the mountains southeast of Beirut following a deadly shootout between residents and members of Hezbollah group.
The Lebanese army yesterday said it found ammunition in a lorry belonging to Hezbollah that overturned near Beirut, leading to armed clashes in which two people were killed.
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for “calm and wisdom”, as a formal investigation was launched into the death of a Hezbollah member and a resident in the incident on Wednesday night in the mountains overlooking the capital.
Both sides have accused each other of shooting first in a brief skirmish which broke out after residents gathered around the overturned lorry.
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