DW-World.de
Deutsche Welle

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has called the political crisis in Lebanon an ‘internal matter' that must be resolved through dialogue. Assad's statement, reported by state media, comes on the third day of fighting between Hezbollah-led opposition and government supporters. Hezbollah militiamen now control most of western Beirut, with the closure of the airport and the city's main port bringing the capital to a standstill. The pro-government TV station Future News has also been forced off air. Meanwhile Italy's Foreign Ministry has announced it is preparing an evacuation plans for its nationals. The violence was triggered when Saad al-Hariri's government declared Hezbollah's military communications network illegal. Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah said the government decision amounted to a declaration of war.