BEIRUT 

Cautious calm prevailed in southern Lebanon on Wednesday after a series of overnight Israeli raids amid growing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. 

The state-run National News Agency said Israeli artillery targeted the town of Markaba and the outskirts of Hounine village at dawn.

Israeli fighter jets also carried out five raids in the southern town of Kafr Kila and Janta in eastern Lebanon.

Fears have grown of a full-blown war between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah amid an exchange of cross-border attacks between the two sides.

The escalation comes against the backdrop of a deadly Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, which killed nearly 38,300 people since last October following a Hamas attack. 

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar