Lebanon Seeks Help With Israel Blockade

Lebanon appealed to the United States and other U.N. Security Council members Friday to pressure Israel to lift a blockade of three southern ports that has kept 1,300 fishermen out of work.

Israeli gunboats fired shots to keep boats from leaving the ports of Sidon, Tyre and Zahrani, police reported. The blockade on Sidon was later eased, although it wasn’t clear whether that was a result of diplomatic pressure.

Israel hasn’t publicly given a reason for the blockade, begun 16 days ago in Tyre and expanded Thursday to the two other cities.