BEIRUT (AP) Clashes between Lebanese protesters and supporters of the Shiite militant Hezbollah group are putting Lebanons military and security forces in a delicate position, threatening to crack open the countrys dangerous fault lines amid a political deadlock.
For weeks, the Lebanese security forces have taken pains to protect anti-government protesters, in stark contrast to Iraq, where police have killed more than 340 people over the past month in a bloody response to similar protests.
The overnight violence some of the worst since protests against the countrys ruling elite began last month gave a preview into a worst-case scenario for Lebanons crisis, with the countrys U.S.-trained military increasingly in the middle between pro- and anti-Hezbollah factions.
By attacking protesters Sunday night, Hezbollah sent a message that it is willing to use force to protect its political power. Confronting the powerful Iranian-backed Hezbollah, however, is out of the question for the military as doing so would wreck the neutral position it seeks to maintain and could split its ranks.
The army is in a difficult position facing multiple challenges and moving cautiously between the lines, said Fadia Kiwan, professor of political science at Saint Joseph University in Beirut.
She said the military has sought to protect the protesters and freedom of expression but is increasingly grappling with how to deal with road closures and violence.
The U.N. Security Council urged all actors in Lebanon on Monday to engage in intensive national dialogue and to maintain the peaceful character of the protests by respecting the right to peaceful assembly and protest.
Calling this a very critical time for Lebanon, the U.N.s most powerful body also commended Lebanons armed forces and state security institutions for their role in protecting the right to peaceful assembly and protest.