Explosion In Dawra-Karantina

An car bomb targeting a US embassy car exploded in northern Beirut today, killing four Lebanese civilians standing nearby. Nobody in the car appears to have been killed. Naharnet has the most plausible explanation for this so far:

"A Lebanese security source told Naharnet the booby-trapped car, parked on the seafront road across the industrial neighborhood, was detonated as the U.S. Embassy's bullet proof Sports Utility Vehicle drove by it.

Another car, a BMW, was trying to overtake the U.S. Embassy vehicle and 'took the brunt of the blast. The two people in the BMW, the driver and the person sitting next to him, were killed,' the source said."

CNN also reported on this story. In NOW Lebanon, Marwan Hamadeh compared this attack to assassinations of foreign diplomats during the eighties.

More, obviously, as the story develops.

Update: Courtesy of Blacksmiths of Lebanon, blogger Harry Doornbos has a video of the scene, moments after the attack.

The U.S Embassy released a statement, which expressed their condolences to the families of those killed and announced the cancelation of Ambassador Feltman's farewell dinner. An excerpt reads:

"The Embassy is outraged that there are still those who work to undermine Lebanon's stability through murder and intimidation. The Lebanese people deserve to live in peace and security in an independent and united Lebanon. Crimes like the Dora attack will not weaken the international partnership working to support and strengthen Lebanon's independence and democracy."