REPORT: Army Command: Syrian chopper launched 6 rockets toward Arsal

The Army Command issued a statement on Wednesday whereby it announced that a Syrian chopper violated Lebanon's airspace in the town of Arsal, launched 6 rockets toward the town's square, and injured one.         

In the details, citizen Mohammad Ahmad al-Breidi was wounded following a rocket attack by a Syrian military chopper on Arsal. The rockets reportedly hit the center of the town, right by the municipality, LBCI correspondent said.         

This as Arsal residents held the funeral of Ali al-Hjairy in the presence of a large crowd of the town, including the victim’s brother Sheikh Mustafa Hjairy.

The residents called on the security forces to reveal the perpetrators, after having accused Hezbollah of being behind the attack.

In this regard, security sources told An-Nahar Newspaper that three pickup trucks used to transport rocks, one of which was driven by Ali Hjairy, were on their way back from Tripoli when they were intercepted by nine unknown gunmen who directly opened fire, killing Hjairy. The gunmen attempted to kidnap the other drivers who were identified as Mouhieddine Hjairy and Abdallah Sultan, but they freed them later in the outskirts of the town of Hermel.

Tension prevailed over the town following the incident, as security forces and Red Cross teams rushed to the scene and transported the body to al-Assi Hospital in Hermel. Criminal evidence teams also arrived to the scene of the crime and launched an investigation in the case.

The northeastern Lebanese border town of Arsal is home to a majority Sunni population who backs the revolt against the regime of Syrian president Bachar al-Assad. It also homes countless Syrian refugees who escaped the war across the border.

Arsal has also sheltered fighters who fled the Syrian border town of Qusayr, captured by Assad's forces and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas after more than two weeks of fierce fighting with rebels.

Rockets and mortar shells have been hitting Lebanon since the onset of violence in neighboring Syria.

On Tuesday, eight rockets hit the town of Hermel, east Lebanon; a majority Shiite area. Some of the rockets crashed on the residential areas where a fire erupted in one of the town's homes.

The attack caused one injury among Hermel's residents but no deaths were reported.

The rocket attacks come in line with Hezbollah's interference in the Syrian war, particularly the battle of Qusayr where the Lebanese group aided in the capture of the rebel stronghold last week.