News Digest — 5/11/26
Cleared For Publication: Alexander Glovanyov Fell near Lebanon Border
The IDF’s Spokesperson’s Unit declared for publication on Monday morning (11th) that Command Sergeant Major (res.) Alexander Glovanyov, aged 47, from Petah Tikva, fell during combat near the Israel-Lebanon border.
Glovanyov served as a heavy transport vehicle driver in the 6924th Transport Battalion, Transportation Center.
He was killed in an explosive-drone attack by Hezbollah on Israeli territory.
The incident occurred on Sunday (10th) around 4: p.m., when several drones entered Israeli territory and exploded near the border with Lebanon. Glovanyov was directly hit by one of the drones.
On Sunday (11th), the IDF said that over the weekend , in order to remove threats, IDF soldiers of the 91st Division struck more than 40 terror infrastructure sites and eliminated more than 10 Hezbollah terrorists who were operating near IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon.
Among the targets struck were structures used for military purposes from which Hezbollah terrorists operated, weapons storage facilities, a launcher and additional infrastructure sites.
The infrastructure sites struck were used by Hezbollah terrorists to advance and carry out attacks against IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon.
The IDF will continue to operate against threats directed at Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, in accordance with directives from the political echelon,” said the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
Trump: Iran’s Proposal ‘Totally Unacceptable’
US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, saying that the Iranian response Tehran had conveyed to Pakistan was unacceptable to him.
The American President’s remarks came hours after reports said the Iranians had delivered their response to the Pakistani mediators as part of the talks.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Iranian response document delivered to the US on Sunday (10th) included several pages detailing Iran’s demands, and that the current wording left significant gaps between the sides.
According to the report, the Iranian response does not address the US demand for prior commitments regarding the fate of Iran’s nuclear program and Tehran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, instead, Iran is proposing an end to the fighting and the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, in parallel with the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports and vessels, the officials said.
It was further reported that nuclear issues would be discussed in negotiations to be held over the next 30 days. Iran is proposing to dilute some of its highly enriched uranium and transfer the rest to a third country according to the officials. Iran’s response, which was delivered to mediator Pakistan and from there to Washington, includes a demand for guarantees that the transferred uranium would be returned to Iran if the negotiations fail or if the US withdraws from the agreement at a later stage.
Iran added that it was prepared to suspend uranium enrichment, but for a shorter period than the 20-year freeze proposed by the US. However, Iran rejected the demand to dismantle its nuclear facilities, the officials said.
Contrary to the Wall Street Journal report, Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that the details published regarding Iran’s draft proposal in the talks with the US were mostly inaccurate and did not reflect reality in significant parts. According to a source who spoke with the news agency, the points published regarding nuclear materials were incorrect.
According to the same source, the Iranian draft “emphasizes the need for an immediate end to the war and guarantees against renewed aggression toward Iran, alongside agreements for additional issues as part of a political understanding.” The report also said that Iran was demanding the removal of US sanctions, an end to the fighting on all fronts and Iranian management of the Strait of Hormuz, If certain commitments by the US were met.
In addition, the draft includes a demand for an immediate halt to the naval blockade on Iran after the signing of the initial understanding, the removal of sanctions related to oil sales during the 30-day period as well as the release of Iran’s frozen assets and the implementation of certain measures by the US during the same period.
Chief Of Staff: IDF Not Ordered To Disarm Hezbollah
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir appeared before the Knesset Foreign Affairs Defense Committee on Sunday (10th) and delivered a classified security briefing.
This was the first time Zamir addressed the committee since taking office fourteen months ago.
Regarding the draft, the Chief of Staff stressed that passing three conscription laws is critical for the military. He stressed that the law being passed must not be a “virtual law” alone and noted that he does not want to be portrayed as supporting one specific version of the law.
He warned that without advancing the laws, the reserve army will not be able to cope with the load in the coming years. According to Zamir, the three laws are needed to prevent substantial harm to the reserve system’s competence and coping ability.
Discussing the war and regional threats, Zamir said that he “waits for the moment to be allowed to return to fighting.” He revealed to the committee members that he was prevented from striking Iran’s national and energy infrastructure during the recent rounds of fighting.
Regarding Lebanon, Zamir stressed that “there is no ceasefire in the northern arena,” and added that “the IDF was not given the task to disarm Hezbollah,” but rather, “defend from anti-tank fire and invasion, and to create the conditions for the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah.”
Following the briefing, Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth wrote: “Today, we are once again seeing Iran’s refusal – it’s either negotiations or boom.”
Netanyahu Blasts Claim That Israel Is Hostile To Christians As ‘Incredible Fabrication’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about a series of recent documented anti-Christian incidents as isolated “aberrations” whose perpetrators have been punished, or in which the error has been rectified, touting Israel’s shared values and history with Christians and Christianity.
During an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes, the premier was asked about a series of recent incidents that damaged Israel’s relations with Christians – including the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem being denied access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Easter and IDF soldiers damaging a Christian statue in Lebanon, and an attack on a nun in Jerusalem’s Old City – that some see as a “trend line of hostility to Christians.”
Netanyahu replied by calling that “one of those incredible fabrications,” saying that Israel is the only place in the region where Christians have “thrived,” while in neighboring Arab countries “They’ve been squished, squashed; sometimes Massacred.” He claimed that while the West Bank Palestinian City of Bethlehem, Jesus’ birthplace was 80% Christian when Israel controlled it, but now since it has been controlled by the Palestinian Authority, it has become “20% Christian, 80% Muslim.”
When asked if the series of incidents were all anomalies, the prime minister said: “They are not only anomalies. These are things that go contrary to our ethos, to our respect for Christianity.”
“But when that happens, okay, that guy, that soldier who did that, who, you know, violated —not violated but tore down a crucifix, he’s in jail. The guy that attacked the nun is on trial,” he explained.
Regarding Pizzaballa, who was denied entry amid sweeping closures of Jerusalem’s holy sites due to ‘gathering limits’ during the war with Iran, Netanyahu claimed he intervened immediately and opened the doors,”even though it took four days from the time the cardinal was blocked from reaching the church for Palm Sunday Mass, but he was allowed to hold a limited prayer service there.
“Israel is one country in the Middle East that protects Christians, that values Christians, that embraces Christianity. We have common roots. We appreciate them. There’s an attempt not only to falsify our common history but also to falsify current events, to seize on these, you know, these aberrations, and pretend that this is Israeli policy. That’s ridiculous,” he concluded.
The remarks appeared in an off-mic section of the interview that wasn’t aired and only appears in CBS’ full transcript.
Government Approves Massive Investment Into Ancient Samaria
The Israeli government has approved a major initiative to restore and develop the Ancient Samaria National Park in Sebastia, allocating NIS 28 million toward archaeological preservation, tourism infrastructure and public accessibility at the historic site in northern Samaria.
The plan, promoted by Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman together with Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, will place the site under the management of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and aims to establish Sebastia as a major national heritage and tourism destination.
Under the multi-year program, government ministries will provide NIS 12.52 million between 2026 and 2028, while the Ministry of Heritage will contribute an additional NIS 6 million. The funding will support continued archaeological excavations, preservation of ancient remains, and the advancement of a development plan that includes new access roads, hiking trails, and public facilities modeled after the popular Herodium archaeological park.
Among the key historical sites slated for conservation are the remains traditionally identified as the palace of King Omri and the amphitheater constructed during the reign of Herod, regarded as one of the most impressive structures from the period.
Several ministries are partnering in the project, including the Ministries of Tourism, Economy, Culture, Innovation, Heritage, and Diaspora Affairs. The government directed Silman to submit a progress report on the initiative by the end of 2028.
Silman described the project as a step toward preserving what she called a central expression of Jewish history in the Land of Israel. She said the restoration effort combines environmental stewardship with the protection of heritage and national interests, while strengthening Israeli presence in the area.
“This site reflects the depth of Jewish history and the continuity of settlement in the Land of Israel,” Silman said, adding that the development plan would make the area accessible to the public as a regulated national heritage site.
Dagan praised the decision as what he called a “historic correction” aimed at preserving the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Israel. He accused the Palestinian Authority of attempting to damage and erase the site through neglect and looting, and said the government would continue efforts to develop the area and attract large numbers of visitors.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu called the move the fulfillment of a “historic debt,” saying the site had been neglected for years and that the new initiative would help preserve what he described as one of the most important remnants of ancient Jewish civilization.
Tourism Minister Chaim Katz said the investment forms part of a broader push to expand tourism infrastructure across Judea and Samaria, while Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar said the project would strengthen Israeli national identity and deepen public connection to Jewish heritage.
Economy Minister Nir Barkat described Samaria as “the beating heart of Jewish history,” while Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said preserving Ancient Samaria was essential to reinforce Jewish historical ties to the region.
‘Iran Shot My Son Dead In His Hospital Bed’ – Christina Lamb
Parvis Afshari shows me photographs of a beaming teenage boy with medals – a champion swimmer. “That’s my son Sam.” he says proudly. “He was the national champion.” On Jan. 8, two weeks after his 17th birthday, Sam went out into the streets of their home city of Karaj, West of Tehran, with friends to protest against the Islamic regime, like millions of people in towns across Iran. Like tens of thousands of others, he never came home.
Security forces came out on pick-up trucks mounted with Russian machineguns and began firing on protesters. “Sam was shot in the side” and was among many injured and taken to Madani Hospital. While waiting for surgery, security forces entered the hospital” and, according to Afshari, “finished him off. They shot him in the back of the head…a nurse who witnessed it told me. She said she saw multiple people killed inside the hospital” His two friends Nima and Rohan, with whom he had gone to protest, were also killed.
Afshari supports the US attack on Iran, rejoicing in the killing of Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, on the first day. He rejects arguments that it has been a failure. His fear is that the US will end the war. “Trump must not make peace,” he said. “Look at what kind of people these are. If they killed 50,000 of their own people in two nights, they wouldn’t have mercy on anyone.” He pointed out that the regime is carrying out near-daily executions of those arrested in the protests. (Sunday Times-UK)
