Hezbollah says top leader killed, blames Israel

Hezbollah said Wednesday one of its top leaders was killed near Beirut and blamed Israel at a time of soaring tensions in Lebanon linked to the war in neighbouring Syria. The slain leader, identified as Hassan Hawlo al-Lakiss, was the most senior figure in Hezbollah to be assassinated since Imad Mughniyeh was killed in a Damascus bombing in 2008, which the movement also accused Israel of carrying out.