Thousands of supporters of Hezbollah movement protested Wednesday in the southern city of Tyre against a  US-made film mocking Islam and cartoons of Prophet Mohammed, hours after gunmen fired at a KFC restaurant.

"America, America, you are the great satan!" and "Israel is the enemy of the Muslims!" chanted protesters as they poured onto the streets of Tyre.

Protesters carried posters saying: "We sacrifice ourselves for you, O messenger of God," "All our problems are from America," and "Muslims and  Christians in defence of the prophet's dignity."

Wednesday's protest came after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Monday called for such demonstrations across Lebanon following the spread of the  anti-Islam film on Internet, saying it was "the worst attack ever on Islam."

Most demonstrators travelled to Tyre from nearby villages in south Lebanon, much of which was destroyed by a deadly war with Israel in 2006.

Support for Hezbollah in this war-battered region is near-total, with majority of its residents Shia.

Wednesday's protest were being held against the film, "Innocence of Muslims," and after a French weekly published cartoons of a naked Prophet Mohammad.