Israeli escalation intensifies in Lebanon as strikes hit coastal highway, south Lebanon, and drone warfare expands

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Lebanon 13-05-2026 | 14:14

Israeli escalation intensifies in Lebanon as strikes hit coastal highway, south Lebanon, and drone warfare expands

Wave of Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah drone and rocket attacks escalate across Lebanon and northern Israel ahead of Washington talks, with civilian casualties, border clashes, and reported ground incursions near the Litani River.

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Israeli escalation intensifies in Lebanon as strikes hit coastal highway, south Lebanon, and drone warfare expands
The targeted car. (X/Circulating image)
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Israeli escalation in Lebanon continues one day before the third round of direct talks with Israel is set to begin in Washington tomorrow, Thursday.

 

 

This morning, an Israeli drone targeted a car on the coastal Jieh highway, causing it to catch fire immediately.

 

 

Minutes later, a second car was targeted by a drone on the Jieh highway at the Barja junction.

 

Car targeted at Barja junction.
Car targeted at Barja junction.

 

Initial information indicated an Israeli targeting of a car in the Saadiyat area.

 

 

 

In the same context, the Emergency Health Operations Center of the Ministry of Public Health issued a statement announcing that the three raids carried out by the Israeli enemy on the coastal highway south of Sidon, in Barja, Jieh, and Saadiyat, resulted in 8 martyrs, including two children.

 

 

National News Agency reported that the Israeli army carried out a demolition operation in the town of Khiam, in addition to machine-gun sweeping operations, and fired bursts of machine-gun fire toward Wadi al-Hujeir and the outskirts of the town of Al-Ghandouriyeh.

 

A series of raids on Nabatieh, Kfardounin, and Jebchit on Tuesday resulted in 13 casualties and 14 injuries, including paramedics.

 


Israeli Army

For its part, the Israeli army announced that “Hezbollah launched rockets in recent hours that landed near our forces in southern Lebanon without causing any injuries.”

 

 

It added, “We intercepted an aerial object that was targeting our forces in southern Lebanon.”

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Israel’s Home Front Command announced the activation of warning sirens in Avivim in the Upper Galilee and Zar’it in the western sector along the border with Lebanon, following the infiltration of a drone and the launch of missiles.

Hezbollah operations

 

In turn, Hezbollah announced that it had targeted:

  • A gathering of Israeli army soldiers between Wadi al-Oyoun and the village of Srebbine with a rocket salvo.
  • A Namira vehicle in the Wadi al-Oyoun area with a guided missile, resulting in a direct hit.
  • A D9 bulldozer at Khallat al-Raj in the village of Deir Seryan with an attack drone.
  • A military vehicle in the village of Rashaf with an attack drone.
  • A gathering of soldiers and vehicles around the Moussa Abbas complex in the city of Bint Jbeil with an attack drone.
  • A gathering of soldiers and vehicles in the village of Al-Qouzah with a rocket salvo.

 

 

Hezbollah Attack on Northern Israel

The Hebrew newspaper "Jerusalem Post" quoted a security source as saying that "Hezbollah launched a coordinated drone attack yesterday, which is the strongest, first of its kind, and broadest against northern Israel.

 

 

The paper added that "Hezbollah launched several drones about an hour later towards the same target in northern Israel," which resulted in "two soldiers being injured in the attack, while fires were ignited at another attack site."

 

Israeli Incursion Towards the Litani River 

Regarding developments in the Israeli ground operation in southern Lebanon, a report stated that an Israeli army infantry force crossed the Litani River with armored vehicles and troop carriers, positioning itself on the outskirts of Zawtar Al-Sharqiyah. Field evidence and photographs obtained from Lebanese military sources indicate that the force advanced beyond this point but did not remain for long in the Raj valley area coming from the direction of Deir Seryan.

 

 

It is no longer a secret that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to reach the Litani River if his forces succeed in seizing it. However, several obstacles remain, though he would not hesitate to take such a step if military developments on the ground allow it, while also not hesitating to reach the western Beqaa and separate it from the south.

Tags
Southern Lebanon ، Lebanon ، Israel ، Hezbollah ، drone warfare