Explosion Rocks Achrafieh

A huge blast was heard just before 3:00 p.m. in the east Beirut neighborhood of Achrafieh on Friday, the apparent result of a car bomb.

Officials say top intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan was killed in the explosion.

The state news agency NNA is reporting eight people dead and as many as 78 wounded. We’ll update you with more details as they become available.

Here are some of the photos coming in from Twitter. Please be warned, there are some graphic images here:

(Photo via L’Orient-Le Jour Facebook page)

(Photo via @NMSyria)

(Photo via @Jeanassy)

(Photo via @Jeanassy)

(Photo via @Actualidad – source: AFP)

(Photo via @Jeanassy)

(Photo via @Jeanassy)

(Photo via @Jeanassy)

(Photo via @YorgoElBittar)

(Photo via @JourinKeelo)

(Photo via @Yasmineryan)

(Photo via @Chadyaj)

(Photo via @YorgoElBittar)

(Photo via @YorgoelBittar)

(Photo via @Diaydi)

(Photo via @Arabear)