In the wake of Israel’s security cabinet decision to broaden the Gaza war objectives to include the northern front, tensions have escalated with significant exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.

Hours after the announcement, the Israeli military targeted the outskirts of the southern towns of Alma al-Shaab and Yaroun with a series of shells. 

In a separate incident, Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike on the town of Bint Jbeil in the Marjayoun district of southern Lebanon. The attack killed three Hezbollah members and injured two others, as reported by Al-Arabiya news channel. 

In retaliation, Hezbollah announced targeting Israeli soldiers at the al-Abad site, striking an Israeli military target near the same location, and attacking a gathering of vehicles at the Ramyeh site. 

Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported an explosion of a rocket shell launched from southern Lebanon near the town of Menara in northern Israel. No injuries were reported from this incident.

Additionally, Israeli Channel 12 reported that three rockets fired from Lebanon fell in the Upper Galilee region, again without causing casualties.

The conflict has also had psychological effects on the local population as a sonic boom was reported in the Bekaa Valley on Tuesday, causing panic among residents.