BEIRUT, 8 May 2008 — Lebanese government supporters yesterday fought battles in the capital with gunmen loyal to the Hezbollah-led opposition, escalating the worst internal crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.

Hezbollah followers paralyzed the capital and cut routes to its sea and air ports by blocking roads with blazing tires, old cars, heaps of earth and concrete blocks.

An opposition source said the protest campaign would continue until the government rescinded decisions affecting Hezbollah, including a move to take steps against a telecommunications network operated by the group.

Hezbollah has led a 17-month-long political campaign against Prime Minister Fouad Siniora’s Cabinet. Friction has already led to bouts of lethal violence.

Security sources said pro-government supporters exchanged assault rifle and grenade fire with Hezbollah sympathizers in the Beirut neighborhoods of Noueiri, Ras Al-Nabae and Wata Al-Musaitbeh. Opposition gunmen took over an office of the Future political group led by Saad Al-Hariri, leader of the ruling coalition.

Youths loyal to the rival sides pelted each other with stones in Mazraa, one of the Beirut districts where sectarian tensions have been high.

The army, mostly regarded as neutral during the crisis, deployed in force but did not attempt to remove the barricades. Siniora told Future News television that his government was considering declaring a state of emergency. “This issue is the subject of discussions and I won’t speak about anything until it becomes a reality,” he said.

Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Kabbani denounced the actions of “outlawed armed gangs” in Beirut and said Hezbollah had now transformed itself from a resistance movement to an armed force to occupy Beirut.

“We are fed up (with Hezbollah),” he said in a televised address to the Lebanese people. “I appeal to the leadership of Hezbollah from my national and religious position to take the initiative and withdraw the gunmen from Beirut.”

Tension between the government and Hezbollah escalated sharply on Tuesday when the Cabinet said the group’s communication network was “an attack on the sovereignty of the state.”

Hezbollah said it was part of its security apparatus and played a major role in its war with Israel in 2006.

Hezbollah was also infuriated by government allegations it was spying on the airport and by the Cabinet’s decision to remove the head of airport security, a figure close to the opposition, from his post.

Provoked by the government’s moves, Hezbollah was “flexing its muscles” in the streets, said Osama Safa, director of the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies. “The heat has been turned up. But it is probably not going to unfold into war. A confrontation is not winnable,” he said.

“Things could get very ugly, but I don’t think they will spread out of hand,” said Paul Salem, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. “Everyone is armed and angry.”