Car bomb kills four, wounds nine in Beirut suburb

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- A car bomb in a suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, considered a Hezbollah stronghold killed at least four people and injured nine others Thursday, officials say.

The bomb damaged dozens of parked cars and several buildings in the densely populated neighborhood of Haret Hreik, the (Beirut) Daily Star reported.

Hundreds of people rushed into the area to assist Red Cross personnel in carrying the wounded into ambulances.

The explosion was the second in the Lebanese capital in less than a week. A Dec. 27 blast in downtown Beirut killed former government Minister Mohammad Shatah and seven others.