A loud explosion in the Lebanese capital Beirut wounded seven people near a busy street of restaurants and bars on Friday, security sources said according to Reuters. Security forces first reported the blast, which came hours after a short visit by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, had killed one person. The blast was caused by a small bomb near a car parked outside a restaurant in Rue Monot. It destroyed two cars and sprayed the street, bustling with nightlife, with shards of glass. Four of the wounded were sent to hospital, security sources said. Three others were treated with minor injuries. Police cordoned off the area and evacuated the street after the blast. Lebanon has been hit by a string of bombings since a massive car bomb killed former Primer Minister Rafik al-Hariri in February. But no politician was apparently targeted by the latest bombing.
