Tensions between Lebanon's two political camps have peaked since the release of the Special Tribunal indictments, leading to clashes in Beirut and a major security violation in the South. French soldiers of the UN peacekeeping forces in the South were targeted by a roadside bomb, which raised questions about the identity of the perpetrators and Lebanon's image in the eyes of the international community.

While some reports accused radical Salafists of being behind the explosions, others argued that this was a message from Syria following the visit by French and American ambassadors to the town of Hama and France's vocal support for the STL. Yet another report has it that the attack was meant to threaten the command of the Lebanese Armed Forces, especially as it coincided with Commander General Jean Kahwaji's visit to Paris and Washington.

Tuesday's attack caused a domestic and international uproar. France, the U.S., and the UN Security Council have called for an inquiry into the attack. Preliminary findings revealed that those responsible used sophisticated technology, making it harder to identify the perpetrators.

This was the second attack on peacekeeping forces after an explosion in May injured six Italian soldiers. The assault on the peacekeepers is pushing one of the two major contributors, Italy, to downsize its own presence by a quarter. This poses an additional challenge for the new Lebanese government, under Najib Mikati's premiership. Mikati visited the South in support for UNIFIL last week and has been struggling to maintain good relations with the international community. To that end, he successfully secured his cabinet's funding for the STL - only after a tacit reported agreement that those charged by the tribunal would not be arrested. The tribunal judges are now looking to hold the tribunal in absentia.

Meanwhile, the repercussions of the Syrian upheaval are beginning to reverberate across Lebanon. The March 8 group, empowered by its control of the government, has seemingly invited the opposition for "dialogue." March 14 leaders dismissed the call, arguing that Hezbollah is not willing to discuss the most important point of contention, its arsenal.

As the rhetoric becomes more hostile, clashes between supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad are spreading to Beirut. Pro-Syrian groups in Lebanon have staged protests in support of Assad, the latest of which took place in the predominantly Christian town of Jdeideh today. Such demonstrations often  provoke Assad's opponents and result in confrontation between the two groups. Politicians are urging authorities to tighten security in preparation for upcoming protests for fear that they may spin out of control. As the world prepares for what many have referred to as a post-Assad era, the Lebanese hope that they will not pay the price of the Syrian regime's fight for survival.