Lebanese Interior Minister Ziad Baroud said Monday that an "Iron hand" will be used to hit those attacking Lebanese army, local Elnashra website reported.

"They will be hit with iron hand for repeated aggressions against the army," Baroud said, adding that the army is "a red line that can not be treated in this way."

Four Lebanese army soldiers were killed and several others wounded Monday morning in eastern Lebanon town of Ryaq in the Bekaa region, official TL TV reported.

The Lebanese army has its main military base in Ryaq, clashes erupted between the Lebanese army and gunmen in the area, however, no information was yet released on the identity of the attackers.

The Bekaa region is near the Syrian border, where is a stronghold of the Shiite Muslim militant movement Hezbollah, it is also known as a fertile drug-producing region.

Lebanese army in March killed a prominent drugs baron travelling in a stolen car after he refused to stop at an army checkpoint in the Bekaa region.

In May 2007, the Lebanese army fought fierce battles with Sunni Muslim extremist gunmen of Fatah al-Islam, extremist groups have vowed to revenge on the Lebanese army.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2009)