Beirut  - A Hezbollah official was killed late Monday when a bomb left behind from the 2006 war with Israel exploded near his house, Lebanese police said.

Saeed Nasser, a Hezbollah official in southern Lebaonon, died in the blast in the village of Tayr Filsi on the southern bank of the Litani River, police said.

The area was immediately cordoned off and Hezbollah were not reachable for comment.

A Lebanese security source in southern Lebanon told the German Press Agency dpa, that Nasser was killed when he tried to defuse the bomb in his backyard.

The bomb was believed to be one of thousands dropped on southern Lebanon during the 33-day war with Israel in July 2006.  dpa