Residents in eastern Lebanon raced for cover on Saturday as the border town of Hermel was hit by shelling from Syria. One of the mortar shells exploded in the Hizbullah stronghold – the first time Syrian ordnance has struck the town, a Lebanese security source told AFP . Five other shells landed in various areas on Lebanese soil as well, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog organization. No one was injured in the shelling, the Observatory reported. However, it was not immediately clear who had fired the shells. Although in the past cross-border shelling has emanated from Syrian artillery, recently the opposition forces have also been shelling Hermel’s countryside in retaliation for Hizbullah intervention in what they insist is a Syrian-only affair. The rebels have threatened further attacks if Lebanon-based Hizbullah terrorists – generously funded, trained and equipped by Iran, a strong patron of Syria – do not remove themselves from the conflict. Hizbullah fighters have been providing support to Syrian government forces in their war against anti-Assad opposition factions. Lebanon itself is sharply divided over the affair, with Shi’ite Muslim Hizbullah terror organization and its allies backing Assad while the Sunni-led March 14 Movement” supports the opposition Syrian National Council. At least 90 people died in the conflict in Syria on Saturday alone. Israel is closely monitoring the situation due to the proximity of the fighting to Israel's northern border, particularly in the Golan Heights.
