Bombing in Hezbollah stronghold kills five January 3, 2014 - 2:30AM At least five people have been killed in a powerful blast in a southern Beirut neighbourhood that is a stronghold of the pro-Iranian Shi'ite movement Hezbollah. The Health Ministry also says 20 people have been wounded, while Red Cross volunteers put the number of injured at 40. Initial investigations show the blast in the district of Haret Hreik was caused by a car bomb, a police officer said. The site of the bombing is located about 200 metres from the offices of Hezbollah's Political Council. The densely populated area was shrouded in black smoke as security forces cordoned off the site. Local television footage shows damaged cars, wreckage and people running in panic. The blast comes less than a week after a car bombing in central Beirut killed former finance minister Mohammed Shattah, an opposition politician. Beirut has been hit by a series of attacks in recent months, including twin suicide bombings that targeted the Iranian embassy in November.