The mysterious case of 11 Lebanese Shiites who were taken hostage in Syria last week is raising fears of renewed street battles in Beirut as Lebanon increasingly gets drawn into the swirling chaos next door.

The Syrian crisis already has spilled across the border into Lebanon over the past three weeks, sparking deadly violence in a country that remains deeply divided over the 15-month-old uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali stated on Tuesday that the discovery of the Lutfallah II ship that was smuggling arms to Syria was among the factors that prompted the Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar al-Jaafari to send a letter to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon complaining about Lebanon’s alleged harboring of “terrorist elements.”

Ali stated after holding talks with Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour: “Jaafari’s letter is based on facts on the ground in Lebanon.”

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Saturday that targeting the army would pave way for strife, conspiracy and chaos in Lebanon.

“Officers and the military institution play an important role in maintaining security and stability,” he said during a meeting with senior army officers at the Defense Ministry in Yarze.

Electricite du Liban's contract employees escalated their protests on Tuesday as they held a sit-in at the company’s headquarters in Beirut’s Mar Mikhael area.

A dispute occurred between the Internal Security Forces after the riot police demanded protesters not to leave the sit-in hall and to stop using loudspeakers.

A Lebanese man was killed and five others were injured after Syrian troops opened fire on them near the eastern border town of Arsal at dawn Tuesday.

Abdul Ghani al-Jebbawi was shot dead by Syrian soldiers while he was hunting for rabbits at a farm on the Lebanese-Syrian border, Arsal municipal chief Ali al-Hujairi said.

The fate of the 11 abducted Lebanese pilgrims remains unknown as officials confirm that efforts are still ongoing to release the men and that they are in good condition.

“Contacts are ongoing with all sides to determine (the fate of the pilgrims) and we ensure their families that they are fine and safe,” Prime Minister Najib Miqati told As Safir on Tuesday.

Premier Najib Miqati hoped on Tuesday that Lebanese political parties from across the political spectrum would approve President Michel Suleiman’s invitation for a National Dialogue next month despite skepticism on the participation of the March 14 opposition coalition.

“We welcome the invitation for dialogue which is our request,” Miqati told As Safir newspaper. “We hope that our meeting on a single table would lead to the positive results that fall in the interest of all Lebanese without any exception.”

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour on Monday reassured that no Lebanese expats were hurt in the deadly blaze that erupted at the Villagio mall in the Qatari capital Doha.

The minister said that Lebanese Ambassador to Qatar Hassan Saad informed him of the good news.

The Phalange Party renewed on Monday its leader Amin Gemayel’s demand to “positively” approach President Michel Suleiman’s call to resume the national dialogue in order to prevent Lebanon “from being dragged in the disputes of its neighbors.”

It said in a statement after its weekly politburo meeting: “Resuming the national dialogue will pave the way to ending the political, security, and regional aspects of Lebanon’s crisis.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat demanded on Monday that the Lebanese pilgrims who were kidnapped in Syria on Tuesday be returned to Lebanon, urging all sides to “exercise restraint.”

He warned in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine “against falling for the Syrian regime’s traps” should any of the supporters of the victims seek revenge against the abduction.