ILTV News Flash – May 31, 2026

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]Hi, welcome back to ILV on the hour. I'm David Matlin live in Israel with the latest headlines. Let's get into it.

[00:00:07]It's 26 years after Israel unilaterally withdrew all its forces from nearly 20 years of holding key forts across the first southern Lebanon security zone.

[00:00:18]The IDF has returned to one of the most symbolic battlefields in its history.

[00:00:22]recapturing the strategic and historic Buffor castle hilltop. The army appears to be ramping up its operations against the area. But the Buffour carries a lot of baggage for Israelis who lived through the 80s and 90s here. It's truly a triggering name, the subject of books and movies. A powerful symbol of Israel's previous long and costly war in Lebanon, like today, aimed at securing the country's homeront from attacks out of Lebanon. And the IDF says multiple combined forces combat brigades have crossed the Leitani River in recent days, part of a broad offensive targeting Hezbollah strongholds further north from where the Shiite terror group has maintained their ability to launch small but deadly explosive drones that continue to take their deadly toll on Israeli soldiers along the warfront.

[00:01:10]Now, amid the fighting in Lebanon, the IDF announced the death of Staff Sergeant Mikail Tukin. He's a 21-year-old from Ashcolan. He was serving in the Givati Brigade's elite reconnaissance unit. Now, he was killed overnight when a Hezbollah explosive drone struck his team's position operating deep in southern Lebanon. Four other soldiers were lightly wounded.

[00:01:30]Though the threat from Hezbollah's low-flying small explosive drones appears to be the most potent weapon in their arsenal right now, with IDF soldiers being hit and killed by them weekly. Now, the overnight casualty is the 13th Israeli soldier killed since what's referred to as the Lebanon ceasefire began. That was back on April 17th.

[00:01:52]Fired dozens of rockets, meanwhile, and drones at the northern Israeli homeront since yesterday. And siren sounding just in the last hour, even in the area of Ako, seemingly at the same time that the IDF is expanding its ground operations in southern Lebanon. Now rockets were launched but widely intercepted towards Naria and across the Galilee north to Kira Shmona and some of the surroundings. Now some of the enemy fire did fall in open areas. He has also launched several drones striking near army bases in small border communities.

[00:02:22]Reports of damage there. No injuries though, but clearly the security situation and persistent threats are having an immediate impact on civilian life. Municipal authorities again closing schools in communities along the Lebanon border. This includes Kiona and several sizable upper Galilee towns.

[00:02:40]Most key medical facilities have also moved their critical care underground.

[00:02:44]Public gatherings limited again, especially outdoors, beaches, and parks have been closed. Homeront command will conduct a further review tomorrow. But Israel is apparently moving toward control of 70% of the Gaza Strip, now signaling an expansion of IDF operations there based on Hamas activity and raising questions about the ongoing ceasefire efforts. Now, Prime Minister Netanyahu officially announced the push in Gaza, part of a campaign to defeat Hamas while Israel's continued striking their leadership, including successful intelligencing senior commanders in recent days. Now, the military has said they will move to ensure the territory can never again be used as a launchpad for attacks in Israel.

[00:03:27]And Israeli officials and citizens alike are closely following as President Trump continues to hold off on any final decision on a proposed agreement with Iran. While negotiations reportedly continue, President Trump has been in the situation room demanding changes to the draft, particularly the focus on the future of Iran's stockpile of highlyenriched uranium. Issues around the Hormuz still unresolved though Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon according to the president and his team. Here's the latest from the Secretary of War.

[00:03:58]So Iran knows very very clearly what our expectations are and that's on the the the negotiating team to deliver. Uh they're coming in our direction. The talks have been productive. I think they they know where it needs to go and I'm I'm quite confident with this with our president who who's who makes nothing but great deals that ultimately it'll be something he's proud to defend uh that that that ensures that Iran which everyone knows should not have a nuclear weapon never does.

[00:04:28]>> And that's a wrap for this edition of TV on the hour. I'm coming to you live from Israel. I'm David Matlin. We'll see you again later on with much more.