Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon highly escalated Wednesday.

Five people were killed in two Israeli raids. The first one targeted a three-storey house in Khiam, destroying it, and killing three members of the Al-Qods brigade, the military branch of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The second one targeted a structure in Odaisseh where two members of Hezbollah were killed.

During the afternoon, Israel stepped up its strikes, targeting residential areas in Aitaroun. Aita al-Shaab and Maroun al-Ras were also shelled by Israeli raids in the early evening.

The Israeli army announced that it had raided more than 20 Hezbollah positions in the Ramya region, including military structures and infrastructure.

Explosions that occurred after the raid “indicate the existence of weapons storage facilities in the area,” the Israeli army also reported.

Hezbollah also significantly stepped up its attacks on Israeli targets in the late afternoon.

The pro-iranian group announced that it had shelled the headquarters of Troop 91 in the Biranit barracks with a heavy-caliber Volcano (Burkan) missile.

The Israeli media confirmed the targeting of the Biranit base in the Western Galilee, noting that the attack shortly followed the departure of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who was on a tour at the northern border.

Similarly, the Israeli media reported “a difficult day in the north,” where numerous Israeli army sites were targeted on the border with Lebanon.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for attacks on a military building in Metula, one in Manara and four other buildings in Shlomi and Hanita. Then it announced that it had targeted gatherings of soldiers in Malkiya and Raheb, “destroying spy equipment.” The Hezb also attacked the Sammaka site and the headquarters of the newly installed Western Brigade in Yaara.

This latest increase in tensions comes after a very tense morning, with more than eighteen Israeli raids carried out against Jabal Blat and the outskirts of Ramya, and Bayt Lif in the central sector.

Raids also targeted Hula, Aita al-Shaab, Yaroun, Kfar Kila and Jabal al-Rihan.

Israel also bombed the outskirts of Kfarchouba, Helta, Kfar Hammam, Rachaya al-Foukhar, Marwahin and Markaba. The Israeli army also fired on farmers in Wazzani and Slayeb.