Suspect Blows Himself Up In Beirut Hotel Room During Security Raid

Beirut hotel explosion — Policemen and security officials secure the area as smoke rises from the Duroy Hotel in Raouche, in western Beirut, June 25, 2014. An explosion in the hotel Wednesday killed one person, Lebanese security sources said. REUTERS/ Issam Abdallah

A man inside the Duroy Hotel in Beirut blew himself up during a security raid on Wednesday. It was the second bomb explosion to hit the city in two days. On Monday night, a car bomb exploded outside a cafe filled with World Cup viewers.

Other than the man who blew himself up, there were no immediate casualties reported. Black smoke was seen billowing from the hotel complex, which is located in Beirut's Rachet District, near the Mediterranean Sea.

During the search operation a bag with explosives was found inside the hotel #beirut #Lebanon
- dalal mawad (@dalalmawad) June 25, 2014

According to the Associated Press, an official in the general security department said security forces were raiding the hotel when a suspect on the 4th floor detonated explosives in his hotel room.

Several people took to Twitter, where they reported that the suspect was perhaps a Saudi national.

Multiple reports that #Lebanon's security forces say suicide bomber in #Duroy blast was #Saudi national in his twenties.
- Ahmed Shihab-Eldin (@ASE) June 25, 2014

The Saudi embassy is one street away from the hotel (suicide, Beirut). Al Arabiya says the embassy's garden is almost attached to the hotel.
— Hassan Hassan حسن (@hhassan140) June 25, 2014

Pro-Hezbollah Al-Manar TV quoting security sources: The two suicide bombers are #Saudi nationals. #Beirut #Lebanon
- Faisal Irshaid (@faisalirshaid) June 25, 2014

International Business Times cannot independently verify this claim.

The two explosions mark the end of eight months of peace in the country, which experienced a wave of car bomb attacks last year stemming from the Syrian conflict.

Al arabiya Twitter

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