The Lebanese army today deployed into Tripoli and vowed to impose calm on the city, which has been roiled by days of intense fighting. Fighting between forces alinged with and against the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria had left at least six dead and 38 wounded. At least 29 people were killed in sectarian clashes across Lebanon in May.

A further 12 people were reportedly killed in exchanges between Assad’s supporters and opponents just inside Lebanon close to the Syrian border this weekend.

Also this weekend, the southern port city Sidon saw its first major incident connected to the Syrian situation. Gunmen fired an estimated 20 rounds towards pro-Hezbollah cleric Maher Hammoud as he headed for prayers.

The Daily Star quoted a “senior political source” who grimly noted “Today is better than tomorrow and tomorrow will be better than after tomorrow.”

Hezbollah is being broadly blamed for dragging Lebanon into the Syrian conflict. Already a month ago, former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri was accusing the Iran-backed terror group of “sacrificing Lebanon for Assad.”

Hezbollah has thousands of fighters throughout Lebanon in addition to its reported 5,000-strong force currently operating in Syria. The organization also has some 60,000 missiles and rockets.

[Photo: Futuretrillionare / Wiki Commons]