Two explosions in a predominantly Shia area of southern Beirut have killed at least 23 people and injured over 180 people, according to the Lebanese Red Cross.
Witnesses said that there were only minutes between the twin blasts.
The explosions took place in the Ain al-Sikkeh area, next to  a Palestinian refugee camp.
Coffee shops and stores suffered damage in the blasts.
The area, located off a main highway leading to Beirut’s airport, is a well-known commercial and residential area in the capital’s southern suburbs.
Much of southern Beirut is a Hezbollah stronghold, which witnessed a string of deadly suicide explosions in 2014.
“Al-Qaeda affiliates operating in Syria are known to target this area,” Al Jazeera’ Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, said, adding that there had been no claim of responsibility for the latest attack yet.
Khodr also said that the bombings were a blow to Hezbollah, since the group had tightened security in the area in case of such attacks.
