An al Qaeda-linked group says it was behind deadly twin bomb blasts in the southern suburbs of Beirut this morning.

At least three people have been killed and dozens injured.

It was rush-hour in the Lebanese capital when suicide attackers in cars or on motorbikes struck in an area controlled by Shi’ite Hezbollah.

The militant Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility, saying the Iranian cultural centre was the target. Iran’s embassy was attacked in November.

Tehran backs Hezbollah which has sent fighters into Syria to help President Bashar al-Assad’s forces fight the uprising there.

Radical Sunni Islamists sympathetic to the rebellion have pledged to attack Hezbollah on Lebanese soil and this is the latest in a string of car and suicide bombings.

LEBANON: BEIRUTPhoto: Anadolu AgencyLEBANON: BEIRUTPhoto: Anadolu AgencyLEBANON: BEIRUTPhoto: Anadolu Agency

#Explosion #Lebanon : confirmed 2 suicide attacks of which one close to Iranian culturel centre in Beirut @Annahar pic.twitter.com/5wT4iNBzgB— Elijah J Magnier (@EjmAlrai) February 19, 2014