Hostage Updates:
Unfortunately there is no update on the 125 hostages being held by Hamas.
Gaza Front Updates:
Hamas did not successfully fire rockets at Israeli communities today.
The IDF announced the names of three heroes who fell in battle in Gaza:
Staff Sgt. Amir Galilove, 20, from Shimshit
Staff Sgt. Uri Bar Or, 21, from Midreshet Ben-Gurion
Staff Sgt. Ido Appel, 21, from Tzofar
The three were killed in a booby-trapped building in Rafah. A large number of soldiers were wounded in Rafah as well.
Four divisions of IDF troops are currently operating in Gaza: the 98th Division in Northern Gaza’s Jabaliya, the Gaza Division in limited pinpoint operations, the 99th Division along the Netzarim Corridor and Central Gaza, and the 162nd Division in Rafah.
In Jabaliya, troops carried out thorough searches and found more tunnel shafts and weapons caches, including one found adjacent to a mosque. Troops in Jabaliya have been heavily targeted with RPG attacks from Hamas, and called in two airstrikes to eliminated RPG-firing terror squads today.
In Rafah, the IDF announced that it has established full operational control of the Philadelphi Corridor, which runs along the Gaza-Egypt border, and is a total of 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) in length. Control of the corridor is essential for cutting off Hamas’s supply through Egypt. Israel had previously controlled the Philadelphi Corridor, up until the disengagement from Gaza in 2005. There is near complete consensus amongst Israeli security professionals and politicians, both right and left, that Israel must keep control of the corridor now in order to keep Israel safe.
The IDF says that in the area of the corridor, troops found 20 tunnels that cross into Egypt, and 82 tunnel shafts. The IDF kept Egypt updates about all the findings. Some of the tunnels were previously known to the IDF, and some were new discoveries. The IDF has begun demolishing some of the tunnels. A senior Egyptian source denied the existence of the tunnels to Egyptian media.
The IDF believes that Hamas is no longer able to smuggle weapons into Gaza.
Also along the border, extremely close to the fence, were dozens of rocket launchers, many of them already primed with rockets, which Hamas placed strategically so that the IDF wouldn’t be able to attack them with airstrikes without extreme risk to Egyptian soldiers nearby. Around 70 rockets and mortars were launched at Israel from Rafah in recent weeks.
The IDF also demolished a significant Hamas tunnel in Rafah, which extended 1.5 kilometers from near the Rafah Crossing into Southern Gaza. The tunnel was very sophisticated, with many branches and rooms, including bedrooms and bathrooms, some rooms with blast-proof doors. Inside the tunnel troops found weapons, anti-tank missiles, guns, and explosives.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi visited troops inside Rafah for an assessment, and told troops that they “are here for several reasons. Firstly, this is the last Hamas Brigade remaining with full capabilities, so we want to dismantle the Rafah Brigade.”
Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:
On Tuesday, May 28:
465 humanitarian aid trucks were transferred to Gaza
A total of 124 trucks were coordinated and transferred to northern Gaza
45 pallets containing tens of thousands of packages of aid were airdropped into Gaza yesterday
There are 8 operational field hospitals, and 3 mobile clinics in Gaza
So far, 3,272 sick and injured individuals and 725 escorts, left Gaza for medical treatment in Israel and abroad
According to the Pentagon yesterday (May 28), the pier that the U.S. military constructed broke apart in rough seas. Army engineers are working to put the pier back together, and United States Defense Department officials hope it will be operational again in about a week.
Northern Front Updates:
Hezbollah continued to fire heavily on Israel’s far north, launching rockets, anti-tank missiles, and attack drones at Israeli communities.
The IDF retaliated as usual, with airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon, including against buildings with terrorists inside.
Defense Minister Yoav Galant held an operational assessment in the Northen Command, and issued a threat to Hezbollah’s Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah, saying that he is “is dragging Lebanon into a difficult reality,” and will soon see more of his people eliminated, in the same way he already lost three generals and many senior commanders, amongst 320 eliminated members of Hezbollah since the start of the war.
Syrian media reported Israeli airstrikes, although Israel did not confirm or deny, which is the usual with activity in Syria. The Syrian opposition reports that an airstrike in Homs killed three Syrian terrorists who fought with Hezbollah.
Houthi & Iraqi War Front Updates
The Houthi claimed to have attacked six ships in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. One of the ships, owned by the Republic of the Marshall Islands, was damaged. They also claimed to have shot down an advanced American MQ-9 drone in the skies over Yemen.
The United States Army’s Central Command announced that they destroyed two unmanned aerial targets launched by the Houthis over the Red Sea.
Judea and Samaria Updates:
Two Israelis were seriously injured in a car-ramming attack near Shechem (Nablus). The IDF says that a large number of forces are in pursuit of the terrorist.
Overnight, IDF forces carried out a counterterrorism operation in Tubas, and arrested several wanted persons. During the operation, three soldiers were lightly injured by an explosive device.
General Updates:
Prime Minister Netanyahu held a 40-minute briefing with opposition leader, Yair Lapid, in the presence of the military secretary. This is usually, but not always, a sign of significant moves ahead.
