May 31: European leaders condemn IDF’s advance into southern Lebanon as rockets rain down on northern Israel

Dozens of protesters break into Beit Shemesh police station after arrest of Haredi draft dodger

Dozens of protesters broke into a police station compound in Beit Shemesh earlier tonight and set fire to nearby vegetation following the arrest of an ultra-Orthodox draft evader in the city.

Footage shared on social media shows a large crowd of jeering ultra-Orthodox men hurling debris at the police station as others force open the gate, allowing them to push their way in.

הפרגוד: הפריצה הלילית הדרמטית של המפגינים למשטרת בית שמש pic.twitter.com/A1FXAeHKeY

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— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) May 31, 2026

In another video, police can be seen pushing back a crowd of men trying to force their way in through another entrance to the compound.

The crowd begins chanting “murderer! murderer!” as one police officer appears to punch several protesters as he moves them away from the entrance.

דרמה: בעקבות הפרסום מאות מנסים לפרוץ כעת למשטרת בית שמש, במחאה על מעצר בחור הישיבה pic.twitter.com/K2jatdTamG

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— יוסי פלד Yossi Feld (@Yossi_Feld) May 31, 2026

Officers from the Israel Police Jerusalem District were deployed to the scene along with Border Police soldiers and forcibly dispersed the protesters, including with stun grenades, according to Hebrew media reports.

The police issue a statement saying they have regained control over the compound and are continuing to dispel protesters gathered in the surrounding streets.

Tehran reportedly making changes to latest draft of MOU after Trump toughens US stance

Tehran is making amendments to a draft Memorandum of Understanding to end the war with the US, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reports, citing an unnamed source, after reports emerged that US President Donald Trump had sent a tougher MoU proposal back to Iran, and underlined the rift that the parties still need to close.

Appearing to acknowledge the new, tougher proposal that Iran received, Tasnim says that exchanges on the text “are ongoing, with both parties regularly proposing amendments.”

At the same time, Iran’s chief negotiator warns that the US is not to be trusted, saying Tehran will not agree to any deal with Washington unless it fully secures Iranian rights.

British FM calls for Israel to end Lebanon operation, says Hezbollah must disarm

British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper calls on Israel and Hezbollah to respect a failed ceasefire in Lebanon amid an escalation in fighting between the two sides following several weeks of reduced conflict.

In particular, she says Israel’s advance deeper into southern Lebanon “must end,” saying it has “killed and displaced civilians, destroyed infrastructure, and eroded space for diplomacy.”

Hezbollah, Cooper says, “must end attacks on Israel and disarm.”

“All sides must respect the ceasefire and engage with negotiations in good faith,” she adds.

Hezbollah fires five rockets from Lebanon at northern Israel, including two at Tiberias

Hezbollah fired five rockets from Lebanon at northern Israel a short while ago.

The IDF says three rockets were launched toward the Kiryat Shmona area, two of which were intercepted. The result of the third interception attempt is under review, the military says.

Two more rockets were fired toward Tiberias. The IDF says one hit an open area, and the second fell in Lebanon, close to where troops are operating.

France’s Macron says ‘nothing justifies’ IDF’s expansion deeper into southern Lebanon

French President Emmanuel Macron says that “nothing justifies the major escalation underway in south Lebanon,” where Israeli forces have pushed deeper into the country in a renewed offensive against Hezbollah.

In a message on X after speaking with regional leaders, Macron says it is “essential” for an agreement to be reached quickly between the United States and Iran.

Macron held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed, and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

“France will continue to support the Lebanese authorities in their efforts to restore the sovereignty of the state and the country’s territorial integrity,” Macron writes.

Regional stability “must begin with Lebanon, where it is urgent that all weapons fall silent, for good.”

More broadly, he says a ceasefire must be a “priority” between the United States and Iran, and calls for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz “without any conditions and in accordance with international law.”

“Talks must then continue in order to reach a comprehensive and robust agreement on other issues, particularly the nuclear and ballistic programmes and regional stability,” he adds.

“France stands ready to fully play its part by helping to restore maritime traffic through the independent multinational mission set up with the United Kingdom,” he says.

Dawn strike on south Lebanon killed eight people, Beirut says

BEIRUT, Lebanon — An Israeli dawn strike on southern Lebanon today killed eight people, including three women, Lebanon’s health ministry says, as Israel intensifies its attacks and ground operations in the country against the Hezbollah terror group.

“The massacre committed by the Israeli enemy in a raid on the town of Deir Zahrani, Nabatieh district, at dawn on Sunday… resulted in eight martyrs, including three women, and 19 wounded, including five children and six women,” the ministry says in a statement.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

Four soldiers lightly hurt in Hezbollah drone attack on military position in north

Four soldiers were lightly hurt after an explosive-laden Hezbollah UAV struck a military position near the northern border community of Beit Hillel earlier today.

The army says the soldiers were taken to a hospital for treatment and their families were notified.

Israel’s advance into southern Lebanon ’cause for serious concern,’ German FM says

VIENNA, Austria — The Israeli army’s push further into southern Lebanon is cause for serious concern, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says in a statement, urging all sides to cease hostilities.

“The Israeli army’s advance further into southern Lebanon is cause for serious concern,” the statement says, adding: “Any further escalation will exacerbate the already tense situation and trigger new waves of displacement within Lebanon.”

IDF says Hezbollah fired rocket at troops in south Lebanon; no injuries caused

A rocket was fired by Hezbollah at Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon a short while ago, the military says.

The launch set off an early warning in several border communities, though no sirens sounded.

The IDF says no injuries were caused in the attack.

In phone call, Sharaa tells Trump lifting of remaining US sanctions key to revitalizing Syrian economy

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa held a phone call with US President Donald Trump in which they discussed supporting the Syrian economy and the latest regional developments, the Syrian presidency says.

During the call, Sharaa said lifting the remaining US sanctions on Syria was an essential step toward reviving the Syrian economy and attracting investment, the statement says.

Man found dead with severe wounds in Ramle in suspected murder

A man has been found dead in Ramle in a suspected murder believed to be connected with a criminal blood feud, police say.

The man was found on the street with severe wounds, and medics declared him dead at the site, police say.

Police have opened an investigation and are searching for suspects.

Trump names Turkey envoy Tom Barrack as special envoy to Iraq

US President Donald Trump names US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack as special presidential envoy to Iraq and reappoints him as envoy to Syria.

Trump states on Truth Social that Barrack, “who has done an outstanding job, will be named Special Presidential Envoy to Syria and, likewise, Special Presidential Envoy to Iraq, as we advance our strategic cooperation with the Governments of Syria and Iraq, our relationship with them continues to grow!”

He adds that Barrack, who served until recently as special envoy for Syria through the State Department under a fixed timeline, will remain ambassador to Turkey alongside the new positions.

Barrack has been criticized by some in Israel who view him as overly sympathetic to Ankara and Damascus, and has at times appeared to knock Israeli policies in the region, including in Syria.

Jews in Norway increasingly isolated from public life, report warns

Jews in Norway are increasingly concealing their identity and withdrawing from public life amid rising antisemitism and a growing sense of social isolation, according to a new government-commissioned report.

The report is published by the Center for Studies of the Holocaust and Religious Minorities on behalf of Norway’s Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, and forms part of the government’s Action Plan against Antisemitism for 2025-2030.

Researchers found that many Jews feel less comfortable expressing their identity publicly, particularly during transitions between schools and educational levels.

Jewish children appear especially vulnerable, with parents reporting incidents of exclusion and social isolation in classrooms and on playgrounds, and expressing concerns about insecurity and belonging.

The report warns that such concealment could make Norway’s small Jewish community of about 1,500 even less visible in society.

“It is serious that Jews in Norway experience insecurity and isolation. I am particularly concerned that Jewish schoolchildren are so exposed,” says Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Bjørnar Skjæran. “We all have a responsibility to counter antisemitism. This is a societal responsibility, and this report shows that we must both continue and strengthen our efforts against antisemitism.”

Knesset speaker says Mamdani ‘fueling the flames of hatred’ with absence from NYC Israel Day Parade

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, in New York City to march in the Israel Day Parade, slams Mayor Zohran Mamdani for boycotting the annual event, accusing him of “despicably fueling the flames of hatred in the city against Israel and its Jewish residents.”

“You will not intimidate us. The attempt to uproot our connection to this space through lies and violence will not succeed and will be met here and everywhere with a powerful, united Zionist fist,” Ohana (Likud) declares in a statement.

Ohana is part of a bipartisan delegation of 13 lawmakers from both the coalition and opposition, including MKs Afif Abed (Likud), Meir Cohen (Yesh Atid), and Oded Forer (Yisrael Beytenu). Also in attendance are Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism), as well as Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu and Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf (Otzma Yehudit).

The Knesset, in a statement, says that Mamdani’s boycott of the parade led Ohana to increase the size of the Knesset delegation and attend personally in order to “express complete and uncompromising unity in Israel’s strength against its enemies at home and abroad.”

“I am coming to the Solidarity March in New York, as a member of the opposition, but first and foremost as a representative of the State of Israel. We have political debates, and sometimes deep disagreements, but we have a shared responsibility to the world to stand together, to strengthen the connection with Diaspora Jewry and to show that Israel is the national home of the entire Jewish people,” says Yesh Atid MK Meirav Ben Ari.

“It is precisely in times like these that our presence here is more important than ever. Especially when the mayor of New York decided not to march this year, unlike in previous years, we must convey an important message from here that support for Israel comes first.”

IDF: Soldier shot dead Palestinian terrorist who carried out car-ramming attack

The Palestinian terrorist who carried out the car-ramming attack at the Gush Etzion Junction in the West Bank was shot dead by a soldier of the Kfir Brigade’s Nahshon Battalion, the military says.

The IDF says troops are carrying out road closures in the area.

Two teenage girls were wounded in the attack, one seriously.

The assailant was identified as a 30-year-old Palestinian from the Hebron area.

Eisenkot said to propose to opposition chiefs they all agree to nominate leader of largest party for PM after election

Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot recently proposed to his fellow leaders of the so-called anti-Netanyahu “change bloc” that they all agree to recommend the leader of the largest opposition party as prime minister following the upcoming election, Channel 12 reports.

According to the network, such an agreement could help tamp down on internecine fighting within the bloc.

Addressing party activists on Sunday evening, The Democrats chairman Yair Golan insisted that he does “not promise that we will endorse the leader of the largest party, but rather whoever agrees to our values.”

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett has presented himself as the next prime minister, a position endorsed by Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, while Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman recently told reporters that his goal for the upcoming election is to become prime minister.

According to a Channel 12 poll aired on Friday evening, 45 percent of voters of parties currently in the Knesset opposition prefer Eisenkot, compared to 36% who choose Bennett as bloc leader.

Netanyahu holds security meet on Lebanon amid reported push for US approval on Beirut strikes

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a high-level security consultation amid escalating fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon, an Israeli official confirms to The Times of Israel.

The meeting comes amid Israeli efforts to get Washington to back strikes against the terror group in Beirut, Channel 12 reports.

Netanyahu held a similar discussion last night, as Jerusalem aims to shift from a strategy focused on holding territory in southern Lebanon to broader aerial operations, including in Beirut, according to the report.

Netanyahu spoke by phone yesterday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seeking to convince him and other senior Trump administration officials that Israel cannot effectively grant Hezbollah immunity in Beirut, even if targeted assassinations there remain permissible, the report continues.

The IDF has presented the political leadership with a series of operational plans in recent days, including ones in Beirut that would require civilian evacuations, Channel 12 reports, adding that Netanyahu has acknowledged in closed-door meetings that Israel cannot operate as freely as it would like because of American restrictions.

“The Americans are showing greater openness, but there is still no final approval — at least for now,” an Israeli official tells the network.

New IDF footage shows troops capturing Beaufort Castle in south Lebanon

The IDF publishes footage of troops of the Golani Brigade capturing the strategic Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon.

This morning, the military announced that in recent days it had launched a ground operation in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi Saluki stream area, “to destroy [Hezbollah] infrastructure and eliminate terrorists, as part of strengthening operational control in southern Lebanon and removing the direct threat to the Galilee Panhandle and Metula,” as well as to “expand the forward defense line.”

Soldiers crossed the Litani River’s 90-degree bend, just across from the border community of Metula, and advanced toward the castle, which overlooks the Galilee Panhandle in northern Israel, as well as the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon.

MDA revises toll, says two hurt, one seriously, in Gush Etzion ramming attack

Magen David Adom revises the wounded toll of the car-ramming attack at the Gush Etzion Junction in the West Bank to two.

MDA says it is treating a 17-year-old girl in serious condition and a 15-year-old girl in moderate condition.

One more person is treated for acute anxiety.

The assailant is identified as a 30-year-old Palestinian from the Hebron area.

Iran’s FM: Dialogue with US ongoing, can’t judge talks until clear result reached

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Talks and message exchanges with the United States are ongoing, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tells state media.

We should not give importance to speculation and we cannot judge the talks until we get to a clear result, Araghchi adds.

Four hurt, two seriously, in car-ramming attack at West Bank’s Gush Etzion Junction, medics say

Four people are injured in the car-ramming attack at the Gush Etzion Junction, Magen David Adom says.

MDA says they include two people in serious condition.

Left-wing Democrats party ratifies merger of Labor and Meretz factions at party conference

Members of The Democrats party vote overwhelmingly to ratify the merger of its Labor and Meretz factions at the party’s conference in Tel Aviv this evening, with guaranteed spots for Meretz on the new party’s joint list at the 6th, 8th, and 14th spots, Hebrew media reports.

According to a party spokesperson, “62 percent of conference members participated in the vote, and all the proposals on the agenda were approved by an impressive majority of between 85% and 90%.”

The party calls the vote “an expression of confidence in the party leader, Maj. Gen. (res.) Yair Golan, in the party’s democratic process, and in the common task that lies before us — to win the election.”

In the closely fought 2022 Knesset elections, Labor and Meretz ran separately, causing the latter to fail to pass the electoral threshold and boosting the hard-right pro-Netanyahu bloc. The two parties merged into The Democrats in June 2024.

Addressing supporters in Tel Aviv this evening, party chairman Yair Golan says that he does “not promise that we will endorse the leader of the largest party, but rather whoever agrees to our values.”

“We will not give up on democracy to replace an extremist government with one that compromises on democracy. We Democrats will not sit in a government with those who were part of the October 7 massacre government,” Golan says, a statement at odds with a recent recording, which he has since repudiated, of the left-wing leader indicating he would be willing to sit with the Knesset’s ultra-Orthodox parties.

“In the upcoming elections, the Democrats will be, and must be, the backbone of the next government. To make that happen, we must be strong and we must be large. If we are not large enough, there will simply be no ideological and moral backbone in the government, and once again we will find ourselves being dragged along instead of leading,” Golan continues, promising to “wage an uncompromising battle against both Jewish and Palestinian terrorism” and “amend the nation-state law and anchor equality in a Basic Law, because there are no second-class citizens in the Jewish state.”

“We must begin operating as a bloc. I know Liberman, Bennett, and Eisenkot well. We will know how to work together effectively,” Golan adds, insisting that it is “absolutely essential that there be a Jewish-Arab partnership in the next government.”

Earlier this month, Golan called for the Zionist opposition to partner with the Islamist Ra’am party, a partner in the previous Bennett-Lapid government. The other leaders of the so-called “change bloc” have ruled out sitting with Abbas again.

According to Channel 12, the party chose to hold primaries over the summer (June or July) and implement gender parity on its electoral list.

“The road to Balfour passes through the Democrats,” Golan says, referring to the address of the Prime Minister’s Residence. “We are not anyone’s rubber stamp, and not in the pocket of any candidate.”

Two injured in suspected car-ramming attack at Gush Etzion Junction in West Bank

The IDF says it has received reports of a car-ramming attack at the Gush Etzion Junction in the West Bank.

According to preliminary reports received by medical services, two people are injured at the scene, and the assailant was shot.

Citing IRGC overreach, Iran’s Pezeshkian reportedly asks Khamenei to let him quit presidency

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has sent a letter of resignation to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, an informed source tells the Iran International news outlet.

In the reported letter, Pezeshkian warns that the country’s rule has fallen under the full control of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, while his administration has been completely isolated from the key decision-making processes since the start of the war with the US and Israel in February.

It is unclear whether Khamenei will accept Pezeshkian’s resignation, the report says.

UN Security Council to hold meeting on Israel’s op in Lebanon after French request

UNITED NATIONS — The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting over Israel’s expansion of its offensive in Lebanon, following the capture of the medieval castle of Beaufort, diplomatic sources tell AFP.

The meeting was requested by France and will take place immediately after an emergency meeting over the crash of a Russian drone into a Romanian apartment building, which is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. New York time (10 p.m. Israel time), the sources say.

Two rockets fired by Hezbollah at border community shot down

Two rockets launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon at the border community of Dovev were intercepted, the military says.

There are no reports of injuries in the incident.

Netanyahu taps Shmuel Ben Ezra, who led development of Arrow 3 interceptor, as next national security adviser

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appoints Shmuel Ben Ezra as Israel’s next National Security Adviser and head of the National Security Council.

Ben Ezra “brings with him over 30 years of experience in the defense of the country’s security,” says the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement. “He stood as the head of the development of the Arrow 3 missile interceptor project and won the Israel Defense Prize.”

Ben Ezra takes over from Gil Reich, who has served as acting national security adviser since his predecessor, Tzachi Hanegbi, was ousted in October after reported disagreements with the premier over policies during the war in Gaza.

IDF hits Hezbollah arms depots, command centers in south Lebanon strikes

The IDF says it struck Hezbollah weapon depots, manned command centers, and other infrastructure belonging to the terror group in Tyre and other areas of southern Lebanon today.

The military publishes footage of some of the strikes.

900 מחבלי חיזבאללה חוסלו מכניסת הפסקת האש: חיל-האוויר תקף משעות הבוקר תשתיות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בצור ובמרחבים נוספים בדרום לבנון pic.twitter.com/fM5Ofh8pCc

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) May 31, 2026

Levin decries ‘illegal’ High Court order to convene Judicial Selection Committee to appoint judges

Justice Minister Yariv Levin dismisses as illegal today’s High Court of Justice ruling ordering him to convene the Judicial Selection Committee in order to appoint judges to district courts, accusing the justices of creating a “constitutional crisis.”

Levin has refused to convene the committee and fill these positions since January 2025, creating a severe dearth of judges on courts around the country.

“This is an illegal decision on its face, in which the judiciary is taking over the Judicial Selection Committee, in explicit violation of the provisions of the law,” Levin claims, arguing that if the justices wish to set the dates for Judicial Selection Committee meetings then they should “take off their judge’s robe, run for the Knesset, try to get elected, and in negotiations leading up to the formation of the government demand the justice portfolio.”

“Three judges have single-handedly created an unprecedented constitutional crisis, and all responsibility lies with them,” Levin insists.

WATCH: Annual Israel Day Parade begins in New York City

New York City’s annual Israel Day Parade is underway on Fifth Avenue.

New York City and state leaders speak at the beginning of the annual Israel parade, except for Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Governor Kathy Hochul, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Attorney General Letitia James, City Council Speaker Julie Menin, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, and City Comptroller Mark Levine address the crowd.

“Today we march in defiance and also to stand up for the values that defined New York State since its very beginning,” Hochul says.

“Today and every day, we must be proud, we must be proud, we must come together to promote our values, most cherished among them the right of Israel to exist as our Jewish homeland,” says Eric Goldstein, head of the UJA-Federation of New York.

Hezbollah drone hits military position near Lebanon border

An apparent Hezbollah drone struck a military position in the Galilee Panhandle, close to the border with Lebanon, a short while ago.

The IDF says the incident is under further investigation.

Separately, a rocket launched from Lebanon at the Safed area was intercepted, the military says.

High Court orders Levin to convene Judicial Selection Committee and make appointments to district courts

The High Court of Justice rules unanimously that Justice Minister Yariv Levin is obligated to convene the Judicial Selection Committee in order to appoint judges to district courts, something he has refused to do since January 2025.

The court says that priority should be given to the Beersheba and Haifa district courts, which are short five judges and three judges, respectively.

The court notes that Levin’s refusal to convene the committee and make judicial appointments has created a severe dearth of judges on numerous courts around the country, which has harmed the courts’ ability to enforce the law and serve the public.

Following pressure from the court, Levin agreed this month to make appointments to magistrates’ courts, but refused to make appointments to district courts, proposing to appoint temporary judges instead.

But the High Court insists that district court appointments must be made too, as quickly as possible.

It orders Levin to publish a list of candidates in the State Gazette by June 8, in order to have the requisite 45 days to deliberate on the candidates before a vote in the Judicial Selection Committee can be held.

Haredi lawmaker appears to call on police to refuse to arrest draft evaders

MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) appears to call on police to refuse orders to arrest yeshiva students who disobey draft orders, stating that they should “think carefully” about their actions.

In a statement, the ultra-Orthodox lawmaker accuses Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Police Commissioner Danny Levy of working, with the backing of the High Court of Justice, “to lead to anarchy on the streets of Israel.”

Following harsh criticism from both the military and the High Court of Justice, the Israel Police announced on May 18 that Levy had issued new orders to officers to detain draft dodgers during chance encounters and wait for the Military Police to pick them up.

“The thought that pursuing avreichim and yeshiva students in the streets will lead to the surrender of the Torah world is completely blind to the history of the Jewish people over thousands of years of persecution,” says Porush in a statement, arguing that “responsibility for the serious consequences of this conduct will lie with all those who cooperate with these moves.”

“From here, I call upon the police officers: Remember, you are being asked to arrest Jews because they study Torah,” Porush continues. “Think very, very carefully about your actions.”

A 2025 Times of Israel investigation found that a telephone hotline linked to Porush, then a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, was counseling callers to “just ignore” summonses to the IDF’s recruitment bureau.

Under Israeli law, someone inciting others to evade service during wartime is liable to a prison term of 15 years.

AG: Over 1,800 Haredi men enlisted to IDF in six-month period in 2025, far short of security needs

Over 1,800 Haredi men enlisted to the IDF in the first six months of the 2025 enlistment year, from July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, the attorney general says, citing data from the IDF, in an update on the implementation of High Court orders on the matter.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara says this constitutes a 50 percent increase in the number of Haredi conscripts over the same six-month period in the 2024 enlistment year, which ended on July 31, 2025, but that these numbers “are far from fulfilling the country’s security needs.”

Iran has reopened most entrances to 18 underground missile sites struck in war — report

Iran has salvaged 50 out of 69 tunnel entrances at 18 underground missile facilities struck by the US and Israel in the recent war, CNN reports, citing satellite images. The regime is “poised to fire far more long-range missiles at Israel and other Middle Eastern nations after rapidly digging out its buried arsenals,” the report says.

Experts speaking to CNN say the images reveal the limits of the Israel-US bombing campaign, with Iran using bulldozers and dump trucks to reopen the missile sites.

Iran can now “continue launching missiles so long as they have launchers and crews, even if production has halted,” Sam Lair, a research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, told CNN. “There’s nothing to prevent the launchers from being armed with the ample stockpile of missiles that the Iranians still have.”

The ceasefire declared by Trump in April came with core declared goals of the war unfulfilled, including ensuring that Iran does not attain nuclear weapons, destroying its missile program, and creating the conditions for the Iranian public to overthrow the regime.

IDF denies it is negotiating with Haredim to free jailed draft evaders

The Israel Defense Forces denies the Jerusalem Faction’s claim that “serious and advanced negotiations” with the army are set to lead to the release of detained draft evaders from military prison.

“Contrary to what is being claimed, there are no negotiations taking place regarding the release of deserters and draft evaders from military prison,” a military spokesperson tells The Times of Israel when asked about the hardline ultra-Orthodox group’s statement that it is postponing planned anti-conscription rallies because the detainees will soon be freed.

The group’s claim generated suspicion that it was seeking to lull the police into relaxing its presence at the planned rallies in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, leading it to issue a follow-up insisting that “this is not a trick or a deception.”

A spokesman for the Jerusalem Faction did not reply to a request for details regarding the claimed negotiations.

Sirens warn of Hezbollah rocket attack in some 20 Upper Galilee towns

Sirens warning of a Hezbollah rocket attack from Lebanon sound in the Upper Galilee.

The alerts are activated in some 20 towns.

The IDF says the details are under review.

IRGC ground forces attacked separatist bases in northern Iraq, Iranian media reports

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The ground forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have attacked the bases of separatist groups in northern Iraq, Iranian state media says.

It was not clear which specific locations had been attacked.

AG says tenure of PMO’s acting director should not be extended due to corruption investigation

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara tells the High Court of Justice that the acting director of the Prime Minister’s Office, Drorit Steinmetz, should not continue in the position since she is a suspect in a corruption investigation involving Social Equality Minister May Golan.

The attorney general makes the determination in a response to the High Court following petitions against Steinmetz serving in the role at the request of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Steinmetz has been serving in the position since February 2025, but the Movement for Integrity in Government has petitioned the High Court to oust her from her job owing to her being investigated on suspicion of theft by a public servant, false registration in corporate documents, fraudulent fraudulent receipt of a benefit under aggravated circumstances, and fraud and breach of trust.

The suspicions against Steinmetz stem from her alleged role in a scandal involving Golan, specifically securing a job for Golan’s media adviser Harel Hershkowitz, who is also the grandson of Civil Service Commissioner Daniel Hershkowitz.

Netanyahu wrote to Baharav-Miara to request her approval to extend Steinmetz’s tenure as acting director, but the attorney general says there is “considerable difficulty” in doing so because of the criminal investigation into her, and says the prime minister should make a permanent appointment to the position instead.

Polls open in Colombian election, with 2 pro-Israel contenders competing against anti-Israel leftist

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombians begin voting in a presidential election that will determine the nation’s future relations with Israel — either maintaining its halting of ties with the Jewish state, or restoring them.

It will also determine Bogota’s response to rising violence by drug-running guerrillas, either staying left and opting for dialogue or tacking right towards all-out war.

Pre-election polls showed left-wing senator Ivan Cepeda riding high on strong support for outgoing leftist President Gustavo Petro, but Cepeda faces a strong challenge from hard-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella and conservative senator Paloma Valencia.

Cepeda has promised to stick to Petro’s stance on Israel, with which the current president severed ties in 2024 over the war in Gaza, which he cast as a genocide — a charge vehemently denied by Israel. Petro’s four-year term ends on August 7; the constitution prohibits a second successive presidential term.

Last year, Cepeda filed a police complaint against former president Ivan Duque for “apology of genocide” over Duque’s trip to Israel and meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Last month, De la Espriella promised to “renew a strategic alliance with the State of Israel” and “defend the Judeo-Christian principles that form the foundation of Western civilization.”

In a post on X hailing the Jewish community, De La Espriella added: “In my government, Colombia will take a clear step in its foreign policy: we will establish our embassy in Jerusalem and strengthen a direct, firm and strategic relationship with Israel.”

Valencia chairs a congressional caucus advocating strong political, economic and cultural ties with Israel, has spearheaded condemnations of Petro’s remarks and steps taken against Israel, has called the severing of ties “irresponsibility and fanaticism,” and has stressed the “need to work with Israel in cooperation on security, defense and trade.” She has also fostered close ties with Colombian Jews.

However, her running mate Juan Daniel Oviedo takes a different view and has accused Israel of genocide in the war in Gaza, which began with Hamas’s terror onslaught of October 7, 2023.

Hardline Haredi group postpones anti-draft rallies, claims IDF set to release detained evaders

The Jerusalem Faction announces that it is postponing today’s planned anti-conscription demonstrations in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak following contacts with the IDF aimed at securing the release of incarcerated draft evaders.

“In light of significant developments in contacts with the military authorities, and following serious and advanced negotiations taking place in recent hours regarding the release of a large number of yeshiva students and avrechim (married yeshiva students) from military prison, it has been decided to postpone the planned protests by 24 hours,” the hardline Haredi group says in a statement.

“If sufficient breakthroughs are not achieved, the protest actions will resume at full strength,” it adds, insisting that “this is not a trick or a deception.”

The Jerusalem Faction does not clarify who is negotiating with the military. Spokespeople for the IDF as well as the ultra-Orthodox Degel HaTorah party do not immediately respond to requests for comment. A senior member of Agudat Yisrael says his party is not currently involved in the matter — despite the fact that Deputy Minister Yisrael Eichler was involved in efforts to free arrested Haredim late last week.

According to the Jerusalem Faction, six yeshiva students were arrested for draft evasion on Friday, three of whom were later freed, while the authorities attempted to arrest a seventh near Kiryat Ye’arim around 3:40 a.m. this morning.

Several Hezbollah rockets hit open areas in north

Several rockets were launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon at the border community of Misgav Am a short while ago.

According to the IDF, the projectiles struck open areas. There are no reports of injuries.

Ben Gvir blasts Netanyahu, Smotrich over delays to northern aid package

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir blasts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for delaying a long-promised aid package for northern communities, accusing them of repeatedly postponing assistance for areas battered by months of Hezbollah attacks.

The unusual public criticism of Netanyahu by a senior coalition minister comes as legislation backed by Smotrich granting expanded tax benefits to dozens of West Bank settlements is expected to advance to the Knesset plenum for its final votes this week.

“While residents of the north are facing existential threats, the prime minister and finance minister have once again postponed a decision regarding the north,” says Ben Gvir in a statement, calling it “unacceptable” that essential aid continues to be delayed due to “political foot-dragging.”

“The responsibility for delaying the plan lies at your doorstep,” he says, directly addressing Netanyahu and Smotrich, and calling the delay “a major mistake.”

Negev and Galilee Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf, also of Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, says he has warned Netanyahu that northern conflict-zone communities are “on the verge of collapse” and urged the government to approve extensive tax benefits for residents.

Last week, an overnight Finance Committee debate on the legislation ended without a vote after Smotrich rejected efforts to expand the benefits to a broader swath of northern communities. While the proposal, which originally only pertained to West Bank communities, was amended to include northern communities within two kilometers of the Lebanese border, committee chairman and Likud MK Hanoch Milwidsky said the finance minister vetoed a plan to extend eligibility to communities up to nine kilometers from the border.

The debate was ultimately postponed to this week for further deliberations, angering northern local authority heads, who have demanded a more comprehensive aid package for communities still reeling from the war.

Opposition lawmakers have accused Smotrich of effectively funneling money to settlements and prioritizing his base while northern communities remain under near-daily bombardment.

Daily pill nearly doubled survival time for people with advanced pancreatic cancer, trial shows

A novel pill helped people with advanced pancreatic cancer live longer, researchers report, raising hopes of long-needed better treatments for one of the deadliest types of cancer.

“While not curing the cancer, it is a very large step forward,” says Dr. Zev Wainberg, of the University of California, Los Angeles, who helped lead the study.

The drug is called daraxonrasib and it blocks a mutated protein that fuels tumor growth in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases — a target that had eluded treatment for decades.

The daily pills nearly doubled survival time, with fewer severe side effects, in a study that randomly assigned the experimental drug or more chemotherapy to 500 patients whose metastatic, or spreading, cancer had quit responding to prior treatment. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago.

Those taking daraxonrasib lived for a median of 13.2 months compared with 6.7 months for chemotherapy recipients. While that may seem like a small improvement, Wainberg says it marked the first drug to show a substantial advantage over chemotherapy.

The pills’ effects eventually wane but recipients used them for significantly longer than the comparison group stayed on chemotherapy, reporting less pain and a better quality of life as their tumors shrank. Many still were using the drug after the data was analyzed, which Wainberg says means the survival gap may widen as researchers continue tracking them.

Dr. Brian Wolpin, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, presented the findings, saying the drug should become “a new standard of care” for previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer, adding that researchers also will explore its use earlier in the disease, including to see if tumor shrinkage might let more patients qualify for surgery.

Side effects most likely to affect pill usage were a rash that can be severe and mouth sores, he says.

Pancreatic cancer is among the most deadly forms in large part because it’s hard to detect before it starts spreading to other organs. The American Cancer Society estimates about 67,000 new cases will be diagnosed in the US this year and more than 52,000 people will die from the disease. The five-year overall survival rate is 13%.

Unlike with other cancers that have benefitted from a variety of chemotherapy alternatives, pancreatic cancer has been harder to tackle.

French antisemitism watchdog to file complaint over harassment of families at beach

The Jewish Observatory of France (OJF) says it will file a complaint after a man in Deauville, Normandy, shouted antisemitic threats at a group of families at the beach last week.

According to organization, which monitors antisemitism in the country, the man shouted a series of insults and threats, including “Dirty Jews, Jews, there are only Jews here,” then “I’m going to hit them and I’m going to kill them,” and “In the name of Allah I’m going to kill them.”

The OJF, represented by lawyer Julien Bensimhon, will file a complaint in support of one of the victims and will join the proceedings as a civil party, it says.

“These events are not simply a verbal outburst,” OJF says. “They constitute a deliberate act of hatred, a desire to intimidate, and blatant antisemitic violence, uttered in a busy public place, in the presence of children. Such an incident demands a severe, swift, and exemplary legal response.”

Last week, the French Interior Ministry said in a report that antisemitic incidents comprised 53% of all cases of religious hate attacks, despite the fact that Jews make up less than 1% of the country’s population.

⚖️ À Deauville, en présence d’enfants, un individu a crié :
✡️ « Sales juifs »
???? « Je vais les tuer »
☪️ « Au nom d’Allah, je vais les tuer »
L’Observatoire Juif de France (OJF), saisi par la victime, mandate Maître Julien Bensimhon afin de déposer plainte en son nom et de se… pic.twitter.com/l1ZSg1FGEJ

— Observatoire Juif de France (@ObservatoireOjf) May 28, 2026

IDF says 3 Hamas weapon depots in Gaza struck last week

Three Hamas weapon depots in the Gaza Strip were struck last week to remove a threat to Israeli troops, the military says.

According to the IDF, the facilities were used to store explosive devices, assault rifles, sniper rifles, and other equipment. At one site, 10 pickup trucks used by Hamas were also destroyed, the military says.

“The weapons were intended to be used against IDF troops operating in the area of the Yellow Line and Israeli civilians,” the IDF says, adding that the weapons were destroyed “to remove the threat.”

Three Hamas weapon depots in the Gaza Strip were struck last week to "remove a threat" to Israeli troops, the military says.

According to the IDF, the facilities were used to store explosive devices, assault rifles, sniper rifles, and other equipment. At one site, 10 pickup… pic.twitter.com/VpPVnSObTy

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 31, 2026

IDF says apparent Hezbollah drone hit military position in northern Israel; no injuries

An apparent Hezbollah drone struck an Israeli military position in the Western Galilee, close to the Lebanon border, a short while ago.

The IDF says no injuries were caused in the attack, and the incident is under further investigation.

Meanwhile, several more suspected drones were shot down over the Galilee Panhandle, the IDF says.

Reports: Palestinian shot, killed after climbing over security barrier near Jerusalem

Palestinian media outlets report that a man was shot and killed after he climbed over the security barrier in Al-Ram, north of Jerusalem.

Footage circulated online shows Palestinians attempting to pull Imad Ashtiyeh, 26, down a ladder after he had been retrieved from the other side.

It was later reported that Ashtiyeh died of his wounds.

It is unclear who shot him.

Police force’s top rabbi says draft evaders won’t be arrested when filing police complaints

The Israel Police will no longer arrest Haredi draft evaders who come to police stations to file complaints, the force’s senior rabbi tells Radio Kol Barama, an ultra-Orthodox radio station.

“The police are not against the Haredi public. The police commissioner has ordered that anyone who comes to a police station to file a complaint will not be arrested for desertion… Woe unto us if there is a disconnect between the police and the Haredi public,” chief police rabbi Commander Rami Brachyahu says.

Several draft evaders were arrested on Friday, including one man who had been detained after he went to file a police complaint. In a statement that day, the office of Deputy Minister Yisrael Eichler (United Torah Judaism) said that the man was released after Eichler and his staff had reached out to “senior police and government officials” about the matter.

Asked about Brachyahu’s comments, a spokesman for Eichler tells The Times of Israel that Haredi politicians had “made clear to the police what common sense dictates: you cannot arrest a person who came to file a complaint; otherwise tens of thousands of people will potentially become victims of crime.”

Following harsh criticism from both the military and the High Court of Justice, the Israel Police announced this month that Commissioner Danny Levy had issued new orders to officers to detain draft dodgers during chance encounters and wait for the Military Police to pick them up.

The police do not immediately reply to a request to confirm that Brachyahu’s comments represent official policy.

‘We’ve returned stronger than ever’: Netanyahu hails capture of Beaufort Castle in Lebanon, vows ‘dramatic shift’ in policy on Hezbollah

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrates the IDF’s recent capture of Lebanon’s historic Beaufort Castle and the surrounding strategic ridge, calling it “a dramatic shift” in Israeli policy as forces push deeper into southern Lebanon amid an expanding ground offensive against Hezbollah.

“The capture of Beaufort is a dramatic stage and a dramatic shift in the policy we are leading,” Netanyahu says in a video message released by his office, adding, “Now my directive is to deepen and expand our hold on areas that had been under Hezbollah’s control.”

The prime minister releases the statement as Hezbollah pounds northern Israel with relentless rocket and drone fire from Lebanon.

Netanyahu recalls that the landmark site “became a symbol of deep division within our society” after Israeli troops captured the castle in one of the first battles of the First Lebanon War in 1982. Israel held the position throughout its 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon, withdrawing in 2000 after years of grinding conflict that cost hundreds of Israeli lives.

“Today, we have returned to Beaufort differently. We have returned united, determined, and stronger than ever,” Netanyahu says. “We have broken through the barrier of fear. We are taking the initiative. We are operating on all fronts — in Syria, Gaza, and Lebanon. We have established security zones beyond our borders in order to protect our communities.”

Netanyahu adds that Israel has eliminated 8,000 Hezbollah terrorists since the Iran-backed group began attacking Israel following the Hamas-led invasion and massacre in October 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza. Three thousand of those operatives were killed since the start of Israel’s war against Iran last June, and seven hundred were killed since last month, Netanyahu says.

“It will take time, but we will complete the mission,” he says.

Thirteen Israelis have been killed since a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was announced in mid-April, with the most recent fatality a soldier killed by a Hezbollah drone last night.

French police arrested 780 in clashes following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League win, minister says

French police detained 780 people involved in violent clashes in Paris and other French cities that erupted last night after Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League title, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez says.

Nuñez says 57 officers were wounded, with most suffering minor injuries, as football fans set off fires and vandalized shops. One small group even tried to storm a Paris police station.

Nuñez says at a news conference Sunday that “the situation has been largely brought under control.”

“Most of the celebrations took place peacefully” across the French capital, he says, noting most incidents happened in the Champs Elysees neighborhood and close to the Parc des Princes stadium in western Paris where fans had gathered to watch the match.

Police also intervened five times overnight to prevent people from blocking traffic on the main ring road around Paris, he says.

Nuñez said incidents took place in about 15 cities in France, describing “one to two” shops vandalized in each other than Paris. He says 780 people were detained in all, with 480 of them in the Paris area alone.

The Paris prosecutors’ office says 277 people have been formally placed in police custody, including 82 minors, for alleged offenses. Most were for assault of police officers while other allegations include theft, vandalism and disturbing the public order.

France requests UN Security Council emergency meeting on Lebanon after IDF captures Beaufort Castle

France has requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council after Israeli forces seized the medieval Beaufort castle in Lebanon, the French foreign minister says.

“I have requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council because, while we recognize Israel’s right, like that of all countries, to self-defense… nothing can justify the continuation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon and its ever-deeper occupation of Lebanese territory,” Jean-Noel Barrot says on the BFMTV channel.

In reaction to the French request, Israel’s envoy to the UN Danny Danon says in a statement that “the real discussion in the Security Council should be about the ongoing failure to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701,” which ended the last Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006 and required that the Iran-backed terror group retreat north of the Litani. Israeli officials have repeatedly accused Lebanon and UNIFIL forces of failing to uphold the agreement.

“For years, Hezbollah has flagrantly violated UN resolutions, armed itself under Iran’s patronage, and posed a direct threat to Israeli civilians and to regional stability… Israel will continue to act against any threat to its citizens,” Danon says.

IDF says it intercepted rockets fired at Kiryat Shmona area; 1 hit open area

Several rockets launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon at the Kiryat Shmona area were intercepted, the military says.

One more rocket struck an open area, according to the IDF.

There are no reports of injuries.

Hezbollah has increased its rate of rocket fire on northern Israel in the past day, as the IDF pushes deeper into southern Lebanon.

Lawmakers set to vote tomorrow on lowering tax exemption for purchases from abroad back to $75

Lawmakers are set to vote tomorrow on lowering the import tax exemption of $130 established earlier this year, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says in a statement, warning consumers that “if you want to order a product from abroad cheaply, do it today.”

“As you may recall, in my capacity as finance minister, I raised the exemption amount from $75 to $150 just a few months ago. A group of Knesset members who, for some reason, prefer to support the tycoons who profit off the backs of Israeli citizens, voted against it,” Smotrich declares in a video message posted on X, in which he derides his opponents on the issue as “communists.”

“In response, I updated the exemption to $130. Now, they’re trying to take even that away from you. Pay close attention to which of your elected public officials are acting on your behalf and which prefer that you pay more.”

In defiance of the Knesset, Smotrich signed an order in late February expanding the value-added tax exemption on personal imports from $75 to $130, hours after lawmakers voted 59-25 to revoke his previous order, which raised the exemption from $75 to $150.

Lawmakers on Monday are slated to vote on Smotrich’s move. If they vote against it, the exemption limit would revert to $75.

Israeli Airports Authority reminds travelers that Ben Gurion Airport’s Terminal 1 still temporarily shut

The Israeli Airports Authority reminds the traveling public that Ben Gurion Airport’s Terminal 1 remains temporarily shut for both arrivals and departures until further notice.

Terminal 1, which is mainly used by low-cost and budget airlines, has been closed since Israel’s airspace was shut to foreign airlines with the start of fighting with Iran on February 28.

All domestic and international flights continue to be operated from Terminal 3 only.

IDF publishes footage of strike on what it says is Hezbollah command center in Tyre area

The IDF publishes footage of a strike on what it says is a Hezbollah command center in the Tyre area in Lebanon, a short while ago.

The Israeli Air Force is currently continuing strikes on Hezbollah sites in Tyre and other areas of southern Lebanon, the military says.

תיעוד מתקיפות צה"ל בצור: חיל האוויר תוקף ברגעים אלו מפקדות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה pic.twitter.com/OmOGB4JOiE

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) May 31, 2026

Hezbollah fires several rockets toward northern towns; no injuries

Hezbollah fired several rockets at the Galilee Panhandle and Acre area a short while ago.

According to the IDF, two rockets were launched at Kfar Giladi and Metula, one of which was intercepted while the other struck an open area.

One rocket fired toward Acre was intercepted, while several more hit open areas, the military says.

No injuries were caused.

Iran’s top negotiator Ghalibaf says no US deal without ‘tangible results’

Iran will not accept any agreement ending its conflict with the US unless there is certainty that the Iranian people’s rights are secured, top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says according to state media.

“There is no trust in the enemy’s words and promises. Our only criterion is to achieve tangible results before we fulfill our commitments in return,” he adds after taking an oath as the reelected speaker of parliament alongside its presidium.

Gas prices set to fall for first time since start of year

At midnight between Sunday and Monday, the price of gasoline in Israel will fall below NIS 8 per liter to NIS 7.80, the Energy Ministry announces.

As of June 1, Israelis will pay NIS 7.80 per liter of gasoline at the self-service pump, or 27 agorot (9 cents per liter) less than the price in May, the first drop in prices since the start of the year.

The Energy Ministry attributes the “significant” decline in gasoline prices to a decrease of about 5% in the dollar-shekel exchange rate, and a 4% decline in global oil prices.

In April, the price of gasoline soared above NIS 8 per liter for the first time since July 2022, as global oil prices spiked due to the war with Iran.

Installation of ‘solar roofs’ on homes jumped 30% last year, ministry says

The installation of solar systems on residential roofs to provide electricity jumped by 30 percent last year, according to data from the Electricity Authority, published by the Energy Ministry.

Around 8,400 systems were installed in 2025, compared with 6,500 the year before, with the pace picking up from the summer months onwards. In a record-breaking November, nearly 1,000 solar roofs were installed.

By year’s end, there were 40,000 solar roofs. The Energy Ministry is aiming for 100,000 by 2030.

Israel has long used solar energy to heat water. The new figures relate to replacing these old systems with panels that produce electricity (and can also be used to heat water). Electricity that is not used is sold to the Israel Electric Corporation.

The vast majority of solar roofs on residential properties are on private homes. However, most Israelis live in apartment buildings, where at least 66 percent of the owners must agree to pay for installing a system. At present, a tenants’ committee cannot secure loans from banks and only a handful of apartment buildings have a solar roof.

Among local authorities, those with large numbers of private homes recorded high uptakes. Beersheba, in the south, led, with 1,257 residential roof systems, followed by Meitar and Eilat, also in the south, and Beit She’an, in the northern Jordan Valley. Also notable were Pardes Hanna and the Druze town of Daliyat al-Karmel in the north, Lehavim in the south, and central Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut.

Supreme Court increases jail term for Israeli man convicted of working for Iran-operated terror cell

The Supreme Court increases the prison sentence for Nazareth resident Hamad Hammadi, who was convicted in 2024 in charges of contact with a foreign agent and arson after he was recruited by an Iranian-operated terror cell.

His sentence is increased from six to seven years in prison.

Hammadi set fire to four cars in Haifa on June 21, 2023, and carried out other activities on the orders of individuals running the terror cell from Jenin in the West Bank, who were themselves acting on the orders of an Iranian intelligence operative in Jordan.

The Supreme Court says in its ruling increasing the prison sentence that holding contact with a foreign agent is one of the most severe crimes in the penal code because of the potential harm that may result and the danger such activity poses to national security.

The court also accepted the prosecutor’s arguments as to the special need of deterring others from carrying out similar crimes in the current period, which has witnessed numerous incidents in which Iran has successfully recruited Israeli citizens to carry out hostile actions against Israel.

Hardline Haredi group to hold demonstrations this afternoon in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak over draft evader arrests

The Jerusalem Faction calls for “stormy” anti-conscription demonstrations in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak this afternoon at 5 p.m. following the arrests of multiple draft evaders over the weekend.

According to the hardline ultra-Orthodox group, six yeshiva students were arrested for draft evasion on Friday, three of whom were later freed, while the authorities attempted to arrest a seventh near Kiryat Ye’arim around 3:40 a.m. this morning.

In an email, the group, which runs a hotline to mobilize protesters to block evader arrests, stated that the yeshiva student “was released after the crowds arrived.”

A spokesman for the group said that there would be “stormy demonstrations” following the arrests.

The Jerusalem Faction, an extremist ultra-Orthodox group numbering some 60,000 members, regularly holds rowdy demonstrations against the military enlistment of yeshiva students.

The Knesset’s ultra-Orthodox parties have harshly protested the arrests of draft evaders, with Moshe Gafni, the chair of UTJ’s Degel HaTorah faction, last week urging local party representatives on regional councils across the country to halt all cooperation with law enforcement over the issue.

Sirens warning of Hezbollah rocket attack sound in Acre

Sirens warning of a Hezbollah rocket attack sound in Acre.

Alerts are also activated in Zarit on the border.

The IDF says the details are under review.

Ashkenazi chief rabbi reiterates Jewish law ban on ascending the Temple Mount

Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber issues a document reiterating the prohibition on ascending the Temple Mount according to halacha (Jewish law).

“In recent years, a new phenomenon has been spreading, consisting of groups from the public who ascend the Temple Mount and prostrate themselves on the floor of the Mount during their ascent,” reads the document.

“The act of ascending the Temple Mount itself is strictly forbidden according to the opinion of all the leading Torah giants of Israel,” Ber writes.

The Temple Mount, revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, is Judaism’s holiest site and one of the holiest sites in Islam, and has long been a flashpoint for conflict. Since before the establishment of the state, the Chief Rabbinate has maintained that it is forbidden for Jews to visit it in modern times for several halachic reasons, including that nowadays everyone is considered ritually impure.

However, over the decades, a growing number of influential rabbis, mostly from a Religious Zionism background, have offered alternative halachic interpretations stating that ascending the site is permissible or even recommended.

The call has become a key point in the agenda of several Israeli political leaders, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who regularly visits and prays at the site.

Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount is also forbidden under what is referred to as the “status quo,” or the complex set of rules and compromises between Israel and the Waqf, the Jordanian institution that administers the site.

Ber also stressed that if someone were to go up to the Temple Mount, prostrating themselves is also prohibited.

IDF: Hezbollah fired barrage of rockets at north, triggering sirens in several towns

Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets from Lebanon at the Western Galilee a short while ago.

According to the IDF, most of the rockets were intercepted by air defenses, while the others struck open areas.

No injuries were caused.

Sirens had sounded in Nahariya and several surrounding communities in the Western Galille amid the attack.

Sirens in Nahariya, nearby towns warn of Hezbollah rocket fire from Lebanon

Sirens warning of a Hezbollah rocket attack from Lebanon sound in Nahariya and other towns in the Western Galilee.

The IDF says the details are under review.

Katz: Troops will remain at strategic Beaufort Castle as part of IDF’s south Lebanon security zone

Defense Minister Israel Katz says troops will remain stationed at the strategic Beaufort Castle as part of the military’s new security zone in southern Lebanon.

“Twenty-six years after the withdrawal from the security zone in Lebanon, the Israeli flag is once again flying over the peaks overlooking the Galilee communities,” Katz says at a memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers of the 1982 First Lebanon War.

“Twenty-six years after the withdrawal, our heroic soldiers have captured Beaufort once again, and will remain there as part of the security zone in Lebanon,” he says.

Katz says that “the capture of Beaufort and the expansion of the [ground] maneuver constitute a clear message to our enemies: Whoever threatens the citizens of Israel will lose their strategic assets one after another.”

IDF says it launched wave of strikes on Hezbollah in south Lebanon

The IDF says it has launched a wave of strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure sites in Tyre and other areas of southern Lebanon.

Further details are expected to be provided by the military later.

IDF says 2 rockets fired by Hezbollah intercepted; no injuries

Two rockets launched by Hezbollah at the Zarit area on the border were intercepted, the military says.

There are no reports of injuries in the incident.

Former finance minister Kahlon convicted on securities reporting charges in plea bargain

Former finance minister Moshe Kahlon is convicted in a plea bargain of securities reporting offenses related to his time as chairman of the Unet Credit company.

According to the indictment filed with the Tel Aviv District Court, Kahlon was informed of “substantive irregularities” in Unet’s Nazareth branch but “did not act to fully inform the company’s board of directors of all the information as required by the securities law,” the State Attorney’s Office announces.

The problems in the Nazareth branch were only presented to the board five months after Kahlon had been made aware of them, and the company then announced the issue to the public.

Kahlon resigned from his position shortly afterwards.

The former Kulanu party leader and ex-Likud lawmaker was given a suspended prison sentence and issued an NIS 180,000 fine ($64,000) within the framework of his plea bargain.

He is also barred from holding office in a public company for 18 months from today.

IDF troops raise Israeli, Golani flags over Beaufort Castle in south Lebanon

The Israeli flag and the flag of the Golani Brigade are raised by Israeli troops over the Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, after the site was captured by the army in recent days.

Israeli troops took the castle in one of the first battles of the First Lebanon War in 1982.

Golani soldiers, who also carried out the latest raid, battled terrorists from the Palestinian Liberation Organisation at the site, killing dozens. Six Israeli soldiers were killed in the 1982 battle.

The IDF then held the castle area during the 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon in 1982-2000, before troops were withdrawn.

“Forty-four years after the heroic Battle of the Beaufort, and on the memorial day for the Peace for the Galilee War, including the Golani soldiers who fell in the Battle of the Beaufort, IDF soldiers, led by the Golani Brigade, returned to the summit of Beaufort and once again raised the Israeli flag and the Golani flag there,” Defense Minister Israel Katz says in a statement.

Muslim interfaith activist says she will march in NYC Israel parade despite threats

Anila Ali, a Pakistani-American Muslim and women’s rights activist, says she will lead the first Muslim group to march in the Israel on Fifth Parade in New York City today, despite threats.

Ali tells the New York Post that “nothing is deterring me.”

“We are a little worried after somebody’s been calling and saying to wear a bulletproof vest,” Ali tells the newspaper. “But we’re fighting to take back our country and it’s a fight that every American should join.”

“I’m now speaking at the height of antisemitism in America for my Jewish brothers and sisters,” the founder of the American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council says, adding that she hopes to be joined by a few dozen members of the Muslim community for the march.

Last week, Democratic socialist Councilwoman Shahana Hanif wrote on X that she hoped Ali and another organizer were condemned to the Islamic equivalent of hell for joining a protest against NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Mamdani will be the first mayor of the city to skip the parade in over 60 years.

Apparent Hezbollah drone hit open area in Western Galilee, IDF says; no injuries

An apparent Hezbollah drone struck an open area in the Western Galilee a short while ago, the military says.

The “suspicious aerial target” triggered sirens in numerous town along the border.

The military says it identified an impact in an open area, and troops are now scanning the scene.

No injuries were caused.

IDF re-issues wide-scale evacuation warning for all of southern Lebanon

The IDF reissues a wide-scale evacuation warning for all of southern Lebanon, as the fighting against Hezbollah continues amid the porous ceasefire.

“In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violation of the ceasefire agreement and its targeting of the Israeli home front, the Israel Defense Forces is compelled to act against it forcefully, particularly in your areas,” says army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee on X.

“Anyone who is near Hezbollah operatives, its facilities, or its weapons is putting their life at risk. Any building used by Hezbollah for military purposes may become a target,” he warns.

The IDF has issued this warning numerous times in recent months.

Thousands of children stay home as schools shut on northern border amid Hezbollah attacks

Thousands of children who live in communities along the Lebanon border are staying home after the Home Front Command shut educational institutions amid Hezbollah’s rocket and drone barrages.

There are no educational activities in communities along the Lebanon border, including Kiryat Shmona, as well as Meron, Bar Yohai, Or HaGanuz, Safsufa, Yesud HaMa’ala, Kisra-Sumei, Beit Jann and Sde Eliezer.

In the Upper Galilee and northern Golan, along with Katzrin and Kidmat Tzvi, educational activities are permitted only inside a building or in an area where a shelter can be reached in time.

2 Jewish women say they were denied entry to Barcelona venue over Star of David necklace: ‘Free Palestine, please leave’

Two Jewish American women say they were denied entry to an LGBTQ sauna in Barcelona because one of them was wearing a Star of David necklace.

Video shows apparent staffers at the venue telling the women, who reportedly live in Barcelona, that “the question is not Jewish, is Zionist.”

One of the women responds, “They are kind of the same thing.”

Another woman tells the couple: “Free Palestine, please leave.”

Multiple bystanders appeared to watch the incident unfold on Friday evening without intervening.

“Just so everyone knows, I’m wearing a Jewish star and she asked if I am a Zionist and said I couldn’t come in,” one of the women tells the line of people outside the venue.

According to the New York Post, the women filed a report with law enforcement.

An American Jewish woman living in Barcelona reached out to me, saying that she and her wife were denied entry last night to a thermal bath, reportedly because they are Jewish.

She documented the exchange on video and filed a report with the Mossos d’Esquadra afterwards.… pic.twitter.com/oSyHNAa2M5

— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) May 30, 2026

Settlers push empty Palestinian vehicle into ravine

Video published by Palestinian media yesterday shows settlers pushing an empty Palestinian vehicle into a ravine in the area of Deir Abu Mashal near Ramallah.

Earlier, soldiers had been filmed briefly detaining the vehicle’s owner on the side of the road.

The IDF says forces detained a suspicious vehicle during an operational activity. During the detention, several Israeli civilians arrived at the scene, the military says.

“The vehicle was released and all Palestinians and Israeli civilians were dispersed from the scene. Later, footage was received retrospectively showing several Israeli civilians pushing the vehicle downhill. The handling of the incident was transferred to the Israel Police,” the military says.

استولى مستوطنون إسرائيليون على مركبة يستخدمها فلسطيني من أجل العمل، وقاموا بإلقائها من منطقة مرتفعة في قرية دير أبو مشعل غرب مدينة رام الله.

ما يحدث في الضفة لا يجب الاستهانة به، ما يحدث لم تشهده الضفة من قبل، هي حرب على الهوية وحرب على مصادر الرزق، الهدف هو التضييق على… pic.twitter.com/IhYFE4m4s2

— Tamer | تامر (@tamerqdh) May 30, 2026

Soldier killed by Hezbollah drone was only child who moved from Ukraine with his mother in 2020

The IDF soldier killed in a Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon last night was an only child who moved to Israel from Ukraine with his mother in 2020, reports say.

Staff Sgt. Michael Tyukin, 21, of the Givati Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit, from Ashkelon, was killed when a first-person view drone piloted by Hezbollah struck a position where troops were operating.

IDF soldier killed in Hezbollah drone attack in south Lebanon

An IDF soldier was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon last night, the military announces.

The slain soldier is named as Staff Sgt. Michael Tyukin, 21, of the Givati Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit, from Ashkelon.

The attack took place at around 10:30 p.m. last night, during which a first-person view drone piloted by Hezbollah struck a position where Givati soldiers were operating.

The blast killed Tyukin and wounded four other soldiers lightly, who were taken to a hospital for treatment.

IDF captures strategic Beaufort Castle in south Lebanon amid push against Hezbollah

Israeli troops have captured the strategic Crusader-built Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, the military announces, as the IDF further expands its ground offensive against Hezbollah.

The IDF says that it launched a ground operation in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi Saluki stream area in recent days, “to destroy [Hezbollah] infrastructure and eliminate terrorists, as part of strengthening operational control in southern Lebanon and removing the direct threat to the Galilee Panhandle and Metula,” as well as to “expand the forward defense line.”

Soldiers crossed the Litani River’s 90-degree bend, just across from the border community of Metula, and advanced toward the castle, which overlooks the Galilee Panhandle in northern Israel, as well as the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon.

The IDF says it expanded its strikes in areas north of the Litani River, and the operation is also “expanding to additional areas at this time.”

The Beaufort and Wadi Saluki area is home to “significant” Hezbollah infrastructure, which the IDF says was established with Iranian assistance, “from which Hezbollah terrorists managed the fighting and carried out numerous terror attacks.”

Hundreds of rockets have also been fired from the area at Israel and troops in southern Lebanon, according to the military.

“The IDF is operating near Nabatieh, a significant Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon, and is prepared to expand the offensive as required,” the military says.

Ahead of the ground offensive, the Israeli Air Force carried out “massive” strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the area. Artillery and tank shelling were also conducted.

The IDF says it also struck “commanding terrain, searched for and neutralized military infrastructure in the Litani area, and conducted essential engineering activities to create the conditions required for the offensive operation.”

Trump said seeking edits to Iran deal, particularly around fate of uranium stockpile

In his fateful Friday meeting to decide whether to sign the emerging memorandum of understanding with Iran, US President Donald Trump asked for multiple edits to the deal, including regarding the Islamic Republic’s remaining nuclear material and traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reports, citing a senior US administration official and another American source briefed on the matter.

The report says Trump wants a deal and expects it to be finalized soon, with a new back-and-forth expected to take days or longer.

The MoU reportedly currently includes an Iranian promise not to seek a nuclear weapon, but nothing more concrete. It says there will be a 60-day window to negotiate on Iran’s nuclear commitments and how to dispose of a stockpile of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried underground since the US struck three key Iranian nuclear sites in the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June 2025.

Axios cites the administration official as saying Trump wants that part to be updated with more specific details “about how the US gets the material and the timing.”

The second source says edits are also sought regarding the language surrounding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic.

“There will be a deal,” the senior administration official is quoted as saying. “The imminence of it, we’ll see. We’re willing to wait so the president gets what he asks for. It could be a week. It could be less. It could be more. At the turn of the week, we hope to have something.”

The White House doesn’t immediately comment.

Drone attack struck turbine building at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, IAEA says

The International Atomic Energy Agency says it has been informed by the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine that a drone struck a turbine building at the site, reportedly causing a hole in its wall.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi expresses serious concern about the reported incident and says: “Attacking nuclear sites is like playing with fire.”

The IAEA’s team at the Russian-held power plant has requested access to examine the affected turbine building first-hand, the agency says in an X post.

French police arrest 416 as tensions erupt in celebration of PSG’s Champions League title

French police have arrested over 416 people after violent clashes erupted when thousands poured onto the streets during the Paris Saint-Germain soccer club’s Champions League final victory, according to the country’s Interior Ministry.

Some 22,000 police were deployed across France for the game, including 8,000 in Paris, after unrest marred PSG’s win in the competition last year. Paris tram lines were halted, several metro stations shut and bus traffic halted in places in a bid to minimise disturbances.

Six vehicles and two businesses were damaged. A police officer was also injured, the Paris police headquarters says.

A group of supporters also stormed the Paris ring road, the peripherique, bringing traffic to a halt for a time and letting off flares.

Report: US has allowed some tankers from Qatar to cross Hormuz despite payments to Iran

Dozens of oil and liquefied natural gas tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz during the past week, some of them accompanied by the US Navy, after Iran and its Revolutionary Guard gave their okay and in some cases were paid for the passage, the Israel Hayom outlet reports, citing three unnamed diplomatic and intelligence sources.

The Israeli report says many of the vessels were carrying oil and gas from Qatar and heading toward East Asia — mostly to India and China — or Europe.

Clip shows Israeli troops allegedly forcing West Bank boy to pose with Palestinian flag alongside gun; IDF probing

Footage emerges in which a group of soldiers in the West Bank are seen making a Palestinian boy hold up a Palestinian flag while standing alongside a gun, in an apparent bid to justify his arrest.

The apparent incident occurred in Beit Ummar, a Palestinian village north of Hebron. The exact date is unknown.

In the video, one of at least three soldiers films the boy with his phone as he stands with the flag, a submachine gun placed in front of him.

The boy then faces a wall with his arms raised, apparently part of a search, while the soldiers talk amongst themselves.

He was detained and later released, a military official says.

Responding to an inquiry, the IDF says the incident is currently under investigation and adds that disciplinary measures will be taken “in accordance with the findings.”

“The actions seen in the video are inconsistent with the values of the IDF and conduct expected of its soldiers,” the IDF says.

הפללה.

​באיומי נשק ביימו חיילים ילד פלסטיני בבית אומר, נפת חברון, מניף את דגל פלסטין כשלפניו מונח תת מקלע. ​צילמו ועצרו.

​אף חייל לא התנגד.
אף חייל לא עצר את האירוע.
בשטחים הכבושים התעמרות זו השגרה.
​ובינתיים עוד ילד פלסטיני מבוהל נעצר. pic.twitter.com/22p6VtrYAU

— מסתכלים לכיבוש בעיניים (@Mistaclim) May 30, 2026