State media: Suicide car bomber kills 3 at Hezbollah checkpoint in east Lebanon

BEIRUT – Lebanon's state media says that three people were killed in a suicide car bombing at a checkpoint manned by the Shiite Hezbollah militia.

The NNA news agency said the bomber detonated his explosives-rigged vehicle on Saturday at the checkpoint about 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from the Syria border.

It wasn't immediately clear if the casualties were bystanders or Hezbollah fighters.

It was the first such bombing since February. The attack was likely linked to the war in neighboring Syria.

Sunni militants, including the Islamic State group, are trying to punish the Iranian-backed Hezbollah because its fighters are battling alongside forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The neighboring Syrian conflict has taken on sectarian overtones, with mostly Sunni rebels fighting to overthrow Assad.

Sunni militants claimed responsibility for previous bombings in Lebanon.