Serious rioting erupted on the lower Shankill Road in east Belfast last night after police raided a house, recovering bomb making equipment and making one arrest.
Loyalist youths hijacked cars and hurled explosives at security forces.
A police spokesman said a blast bomb, 13 petrol bombs and a variety of fireworks were thrown at RUC lines during the operation.
Two officers received ear injuries when a large firework exploded at the back of their Land-Rover.
Army technical experts were called to examine the device.
As security forces began withdrawing from the area, a soldier was struck in the face by a missile.
He was taken to hospital for treatment.
A police spokesman warned motorists to avoid the Shankill area if possible.
Trouble flared when the RUC searched a house in the area.
They found three blank-firing pistols, a quantity of ammunition, a timer power unit, £900 worth of cannabis and paramilitary-style regalia. One man was arrested.
There were later reports of a blast bomb being thrown at the rear of a Catholic residence on North Queen Street and of automatic gunfire at Drumcairn Gardens.
Earlier a gunman forced his way into a house at Fortwilliam Park and shot a 23-year-old male occupant in the leg.
It is unclear if the incident was related to subsequent disturbances.