In Lebanon, two buses filled with commuters have been destroyed by explosions in a Christian village northeast of Beirut. At least three people were killed and 20 wounded in what Lebanon's Interior Ministry called a bomb attack.
The strike sent tensions soaring, as large crowds prepare to gather in Beirut on Wednesday to mark the second anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The demonstrators in Beirut could come face to face with opposition supporters who've been camped out in the heart of the capital since December as part of a campaign to bring down the government.
Lebanese forces increased their alert as preparations continue for Wednesday's rally. One of the potential flash points is Beirut's largely Christian Sassin neighborhood. Some Lebanese civilians say that Syria is growing alarmed by signs that the Lebanese opposition was working toward an agreement with the government that could lead to an international trial in the Hariri case.
Damascus has denied involvement in any of the killings of the past two years, including Hariri's assassination.
Lebanon's brutal 15-year civil war was sparked by another bus bombing — that time carrying Palestinians. For ordinary Lebanese, the challenge for their leaders is to keep Tuesday's explosions from sparking another war.
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