Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-31 at 00:01

HEADLINES
US-Iran talks near deal military option persists
IDF advances Lebanon campaign captures Beaufort Castle
Libya halts Gaza aid convoy activists detained

The time is now 12:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, President Trump says the United States is very close to a good deal with Iran but warns that military action remains an option if talks fail, while insisting politics will not influence his decisions. CENTCOM said it disabled a vessel that tried to breach the US blockade with a Hellfire missile. Trump added, "We’ve actually left their military alone — people would be surprised to hear that," arguing that Iran's military hasn't been hit as aggressively because it's somewhat moderate within the regime.

In US Military Role, footage shows the US military carried out another strike Friday on a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing three men in the third attack this week. The US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle that was shot down last month over Southwestern Iran was probably struck by a Chinese-made shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile, possibly an FN-6.

In Regional Impacts, a Gaza-bound aid convoy dissolved in Libya after activists were arrested, with ten in custody. The Global Sumud Land Convoy said it halted its journey across northern Africa to Gaza due to bureaucratic obfuscation, violence, and the detention of activists. The Foreign Ministry of the Government of National Stability said the activists were arrested en route to Gaza without completing the legal procedures.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, IDF ground troops have entered Beaufort Ridge and Wadi al-Saluki in southern Lebanon, with the operation aimed at removing Hezbollah threats to citizens in northern Israel. The IDF also captured the Beaufort Castle, signaling readiness to expand the Lebanon campaign; troops established a presence in the area and focus on securing the ridge and Wadi Saluki while targeting Hezbollah forces and infrastructure.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, an editorial notes that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will not attend Israel Day on Fifth Avenue; his police commissioner Jessica Tisch will serve as grand marshal, and the city has promised a full security plan. Mamdani backs the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, calls himself anti-Zionist, and moved to scrap two of his predecessor's orders: the agency ban on Israel-related boycotts and the IHRA definition of antisemitism. Israel's Foreign Ministry called the move antisemitic, and antisemitic hate crimes in New York rose 183% in January. A separate commentary argues Mamdani has offered New York's Jews a 234-year-old bargain, noting that he will protect Jews as individuals while not recognizing Jewish nationhood, effectively treating Jewish identity as a private matter rather than a collective national identity.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rybjo7klgg
https://t.me/JewishNews24/55039
https://t.me/JewishNews24/55040
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-897810
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-897815
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bj11chqylfx
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-897805
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-897812
https://t.me/hnaftali/23226