At least 18 people were wounded when a car bomb went off in Beirut's southern suburbs on Tuesday, security sources said.

Tensions in Lebanon have been high following the intervention of Hezbollah in support of President Bashar al-Assad's forces fighting a two-year revolt led by Syria's Sunni Muslim majority.

A large fire raged at the site of the blast, which apparently targeted a shopping mall in the Bir al-Abed area. The area is also home to many Hezbollah political offices.

Hezbollah gunmen cordoned off the area of the blast, which damaged cars and buildings.