12 killed by car bomb in southern Lebanon

A car bomb exploded in south Lebanon Monday, killing at least 12 people, reporters at the scene said. A second car bomb exploded in Beirut, but it caused no casualties. The blasts were the fourth and fifth such attacks in Lebanon within 12 days.

Monday's fatal bombing occurred in the village of Zariyeh, the scene of clashes between pro-Iranian Amal militiamen and Communist Party gunmen earlier this month.

A small underground group calling itself the Front for the Liberation of Lebanon From Foreigners claimed responsibility for the three earlier car bombings, but Palestinian officials blamed Israel for the attacks.