The Tuesday blast took place on a busy commercial street in the Haret Hriek area that was targeted by a deadly suicide car bombing in early January. At least 20 were wounded.

"Suicide bomber blows himself up in a car... in Haret Hreik," Lebanon's National News Agency said, adding, "Body parts apparently belonging to a suicide bomber were at the scene." 

The blast is also the sixth in a string targeting Hezbollah-dominated areas in recent months.

On November 19, 2013, twin bombings outside the Iranian Embassy in Beirut’s southern neighborhood of Janah left at least 25 people dead, including six Iranian nationals, and wounded over 150 others.

On January 1, the Lebanese government confirmed the arrest of Majed al-Majed, the Saudi leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades that claimed responsibility for the bombings.

The detained Saudi terrorist was pronounced dead in a Lebanese military hospital on January 4.

The Saudi national had extensive secret information as he had been active in many countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Pakistan and had direct cooperation or contact with mid- and high-ranking al-Qaeda leaders.

Many political observers believe that Saudi Arabia murdered Majed over fears that his interrogation would shed light on the recent assassinations and terrorist attacks in the Middle East.

BA/BA