Shiite cleric Abbas Hoteit. (Credit: Photo taken from his Facebook account)
BEIRUT — Shiite Sheikh Abbas Hoteit, known for his criticism of Hezbollah, has accused the party of shooting at his home Thursday night in Choukine, (Nabatieh district) describing it as an "assassination attempt."
In a video posted on his Facebook account, the sheikh stated that "the bullets were meant to kill," claiming that Hezbollah militiamen had taken up positions nearby before opening fire.
"They started shooting toward the kitchen, where the shadow from outside is visible, while I was preparing iftar for my two children," he said.
In another video posted online, the cleric showed the damage to his home, with several windows riddled with bullet holes, and said that two of the assailants allegedly called his son Mohammad to get him to come out of the house before firing randomly. He also said that he alerted the Lebanese Army and security services.
This incident comes as Hezbollah faces sharp criticism for dragging Lebanon into a new war with Israel on March 2, after firing missiles in response to the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the Israeli-American offensive against Iran.
