Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling intensified across southern Lebanon early Wednesday, a day after direct Lebanese-Israeli talks were held in Washington.

At least two people were killed in twin Israeli drone strikes along the coastal Saadiyat–Jiyeh highway. The first strike hit a van traveling toward Jiyeh near a fuel station, while the second targeted a car heading toward Sidon near a commercial area.

مسيرة اسرائيلية تستهدف سيارة على أوتوستراد السعديات - الدامور pic.twitter.com/kkTZ0b4N6M

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) April 15, 2026

In a separate attack, an Israeli strike hit a motorcycle on the Babliyeh road in the Zahrani area, killing one person. Another drone strike targeted a vehicle on the Jabal Safi road in the Jezzine district.

One of the deadliest incidents occurred in the town of Jebaa, where an airstrike on a residential home killed four members of the same family. The victims included the homeowner, his wife, their son, and their daughter-in-law.

Additional strikes were reported across multiple areas in southern Lebanon, including the entrance to Qleileh and the Mahmoudiyeh area near Aishiyeh in Jezzine. Israeli warplanes also hit agricultural land along the Litani River in the Wasta area, as well as areas along the river toward Tayr Felsay. Two further strikes were recorded in the town of Breqaa.

A wider wave of air raids targeted the outskirts of Zibqin, Yater, and Nabatiyeh al-Fawqa, as well as areas along the Haboush–Arabsalim road and the towns of Braachit, Sawaneh, Siddiqine, Haris, and wooded areas near Hallousiyeh.

Emergency responders, including Civil Defense teams and the Risala Scout Health Rescue unit, recovered four bodies and evacuated three wounded following an Israeli strike on a residential complex in the Qadmous area.

The escalation coincided with intensified ground fighting around the southern city of Bint Jbeil, a known Hezbollah stronghold. Israeli artillery shelling targeted the city's outskirts at dawn, while Israeli forces reportedly demolished homes in the nearby town of Hanine.

Clashes in Bint Jbeil were concentrated in several areas, including near a school complex, a police station, municipal buildings, a stadium, and surrounding neighborhoods, as heavy bombardment continued across the area.

Israeli warplanes also struck the towns of Majadel, Kharbet al-Dweir, Ansariyeh, and Jbaa. In Ansariyeh, the death toll from an earlier strike rose to five, with four others wounded. Israeli drones were reported flying intensively over Nabatiyeh, accompanied by intermittent airstrikes and gunfire from the direction of Khiam.

The Israeli military said it was expanding its ground operations in southern Lebanon, with army radio reporting that commanders are pushing to extend the offensive beyond what it described as the “third line” of villages along the border.

In a statement, the Israeli military said forces from the 8th Reserve Brigade, operating under the 91st Division, were continuing a “targeted ground operation” aimed at reinforcing forward defensive positions.

During one operation, troops said they discovered a launcher for anti-tank missiles aimed at northern Israeli communities, along with additional rockets and a cache of weapons that included explosive devices, grenades, ammunition, and technological equipment, which the army attributed to Hezbollah fighters.

The military added that, in coordination with the air force, it had targeted what it described as operational apartments and a command center used by Hezbollah members in recent days.

Separately, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on social media that the operations were aimed at strengthening defensive lines and protecting northern Israeli residents. He said forces had uncovered weapons and equipment allegedly used by Hezbollah to plan and carry out attacks against Israeli forces and civilians, and that additional strikes had been carried out against militants.

Moreover, the Israeli army reiterated its wide-scale evacuation warning for southern Lebanon, renewing its call for residents to move north of the Zahrani River. 

Beyond the south, damage was also reported in the Bekaa Valley. Lebanon’s National News Agency said a residential building in the town of Ablah was heavily damaged after a foreign object fell onto its roof, affecting nearby homes and vehicles. Security agencies have opened an investigation into the incident.