The Lebanese Industry Minister, Pierre Gemayel, has been assassinated in Beirut.
Gunmen opened fire as his convoy drove through a Christian neighbourhood north of the Lebanese capital.
Mr Gemayel, 34, was a leading anti-Syrian politician and the son of a former President.
His killing has provoked widespread condemnation.
Saad Hariri, son of assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, has blamed Syria, saying 'the hand of Syria' was all over the murder.
However, Syria said it condemned the killing. Hezbollah has also condemned the attack.
In a press conference this afternoon, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the assassination showed a new strategy was needed in the Middle East.
He said the attack was 'completely without any justification at all' and warned that everything possible needed to be done to protect Lebanon's democracy and its Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.
The US has denounced the assassination as an 'act of terrorism'.
US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said it was a very sad day for Lebanon and that the United States was shocked by the assassination.
He added that it was also being seen as an act of intimidation.
US Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, called on all countries in the region to help find those behind the assassination.
Mr Gemayel is the third anti-Syrian political figure to be assassinated since Mr Hariri's killing in February 2005.
The attack is certain to deepen a political crisis between the Lebanese government's anti-Syrian majority and the pro-Damascus opposition led by Hezbollah, which fought a five-week war with Israel in July and August.
