Saturday, May 3: Ruling coalition member Walid Jumblatt calls for a ban on flights from Iran to Beirut, saying the militant group Hezbollah could be flying in arms from Iran, and the sacking of airport security chief General Wafik Shqeir.

Hezbollah accuses Jumblatt of "stoking the fires of discord" in the politically divided country.

  Tuesday, May 6:The Lebanese government declares a telephone network set up over much of the country by the powerful Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah to be illegal, and sacks the airport security chief.

Hezbollah says it needs the system to defend Lebanon against attacks by Israel, with which it fought an inconclusive 34-day war in 2006.

Separately, the government announces a rise in the minimum wage, but it is rejected as too little by trade unions, who announce a strike for Wednesday.

  Wednesday, May 7:The strike degenerates into gunbattles in Beirut between anti-government protesters and supporters of the ruling coalition.

Militants loyal to the Hezbollah-led opposition block several roads with blazing tyres and dump dirt along the highway to Beirut airport, effectively shutting it down.

  Thursday, May 8:A second day of gunbattles breaks out in Beirut between Hezbollah and backers of the government, who include important Sunni Muslim groups.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah describes government actions as "tantamount to a declaration of war" aimed at supporting the policies of the United States and Israel.

The fighting escalates.

  Friday, May 9:Hezbollah forces take control of mainly Muslim west Beirut.

At least 16 people are reported killed and dozens wounded in the three days of fighting.

With both Beirut port and the airport closed, the country is partially cut off from the outside world. Western nations begin arrangements to evacuate their nationals, following the example of some Arab states.

  Saturday, May 10:Fighting spreads to north Lebanon, where 14 people are killed in fierce clashes between government and opposition supporters.

Meanwhile, two people are killed in Beirut in an attack on the funeral of an earlier victim of the sectarian fighting.

Prime Minister Fuad Siniora calls on the army to restore order after a fourth straight day of violence that killed 34 people.

The Lebanese army announces a freeze on government measures against Hezbollah, and calls for all armed militants to withdraw from the streets.

It says the head of airport security would remain in his job pending an investigation and promises a probe into Hezbollah's communications network.

  Sunday May 11:Fighting in Beirut gives way to an uneasy calm as fighters appears to have vanished from the streets.

Lebanese soldiers are deployed in the northern city of Tripoli after fierce battles erupt overnight between Sunni supporters of the Western-backed government and members of an Alawite sect loyal to Hezbollah, leaving one dead.

Siniora calls for all Lebanese to stand for a minute of silence at noon (0900 GMT) in memory of victims of the unrest and to express their rejection of the violence.