First, a link to commentary from Middle East Monitor; other published material is accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll down for today’s LEBANON, UKRAINE and IRAN so far, and for GAZA 5-30-26.) — MCM

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Israel seizes more of Gaza beyond the Yellow Line, by Binoy Kampmark | Middle East Monitor  While eyes remain peeled on Israel’s increasingly violent and expanding campaign in Lebanon, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is proving ever more predatory with the Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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For now, link to SEVEN reports: from Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; headlines of others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down today’s GAZA, UKRAINE and IRAN so far, and down for LEBANON 5-30-26.) — MCM

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NEWER  Israel heavily bombs southern city of Sour in Lebanon. From Middle East Eye. Israeli strikes on the southern Lebanese city of Sour, also known as Tyre, over the past few hours have been some of the most intense bombardments of the area since March, according to Lebanese media. READ MORE . . . Click HERE and HERE for earlier MEE report and another from Middle East Monitor.

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Israeli forces make historic push inside Lebanon and complicate an Iran deal, by Melanie Lidman, Kareem Chehayeb and Cara Anna | AP  TEL AVIV — Israeli forces are making their deepest incursion inside Lebanon since they withdrew from the country over a quarter-century ago, despite a nominal U.S.-brokered ceasefire and the first direct Israel-Lebanon talks in decades. It’s a challenge in the emerging deal to extend the Iran war ceasefire as Tehran wants it to end fighting in Lebanon, too. READ MORE . . .

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Netanyahu describes Israeli seizure of Beaufort Castle as ‘shift in policy.’ From Middle East Eye. “Today,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement, “we have returned to Beaufort in a different way. We have returned united, determined, and stronger than ever.” READ MORE . . .

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Israel is extending its borders through war. For some, it’s part of a greater plan. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  On the fringes of Israel’s far right, some activists and political leaders dream of a Greater Israel, extending the country’s borders into neighboring countries. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM MAY 30  Israeli army crosses Litani River, reaches outskirts of Nabatieh city. From Middle East Monitor. The Israeli army has advanced into villages located north of the Litani River and reached the outskirts of Nabatieh city in southern Lebanon, a senior Lebanese military source told Anadolu on Saturday. READ MORE . . .

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First, a link to a discussion from Consortium News; other published material is accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll up or down for today’s GAZA, LEBANON and IRAN so far, and down for UKRAINE 5-30-26.) — MCM

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FROM MAY 30  Watch: The World This Week  — ‘Luring Russia into war.’  Joe Lauria of Consortium News spoke again with former CIA analyst Ray McGovern and former U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer and former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter. Nearly two hours of Saturday night‘s 140-minute conversation concerns the Russian-Ukraine war, its history, comparative military capabilities, weapons systems, intelligence operations, NATO, and geopolitical, political and economic matters, and related events of the last few days in Poland, Romania and Lithuania. Click HERE for Lauria’s introductory article and a video of the discussion.

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For now, links to FIVE reports: from the Cradle, National Public Radio, Reuters, and the Associated Press; to a commentary from Middle East Eye; and to a discussion from Consortium News; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up for today’s GAZA, LEBANON and UKRAINE so far, and down for IRAN 5-30-26.) — MCM

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Trump seeking last-minute changes to draft deal reached with Iran: report. From the Cradle. U.S. President Donald Trump is now asking for “amendments” to the draft deal his envoys negotiated with Iran, informed senior officials and sources told Axios today, following a report the day before saying the president has “toughened” his terms. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 30  Trump says a ceasefire extension deal with Iran is near, but core issues remain. Reported by Jane Arraf, Adrian Florido and Jim Kane | NPR  President Trump has not yet decided whether he’ll extend a ceasefire with Iran, and Israel continues to attack targets in Lebanon, in spite of a ceasefire there. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM MAY 30  Hegseth says U.S. ready to restart strikes on Iran if no deal. From Reuters. SINGAPORE — The U.S. is ready to restart attacks on Iran if a deal cannot be reached, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Saturday, as negotiators from Washington and Tehran worked to bridge major differences blocking an agreement. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 30  U.S. says it struck a commercial ship trying to breach blockade and reach Iran, by Konstantin Toropin | AP  WASHINGTON — The U.S. military stopped a merchant vessel trying to break through its blockade of Iranian ports by firing a missile into its engine room, the U.S. Central Command said on Saturday. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish; and HERE for others. Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM MAY 30  Israeli claims about an Iran ‘threat’ were always a lie. Now we have proof, by Jonathan Cook | Middle East Eye  Could it be that Israel’s 30-year narrative about Iran — one that persuaded U.S. President Donald Trump to wage a criminal and disastrous war of aggression — was always a fiction, an invention cooked up in Tel Aviv? We got a definitive answer last week, care of the New York Times. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 30  Watch: The World This Week  — ‘Luring Russia into war.’  Joe Lauria of Consortium News spoke again with former CIA analyst Ray McGovern and former U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer (and former UN weapons inspector) Scott Ritter. Although nearly two hours of Saturday night‘s 140-minute conversation concerns the Russian-Ukraine war from before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 to events of the last few days, about 23 minutes near the end deals with developments in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and talks related to ending it. Click HERE for Lauria’s article introducing the discussion and a video of it.

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ADVISORY  Watch: The World This Week  — ‘Luring Russia into war,’ at 8 tonight EDT. Joe Lauria of Consortium News talks again with former CIA analyst Ray McGovern and former U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter. From CN intro: “NATO’s Ukraine proxy war seeks to weaken Russia and topple Putin. To launch an economic, information and ground war, NATO needed Russia to invade. Now it needs Russia to attack a NATO nation to justify direct war. Click HERE for Lauria’s analytical article and tonight at 8 to livestream discussion; video to follow after live discussion is over.

A link to a report from the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll down for LEBANON, IRAN and GAZA, and for UKRAINE 5-29-26.)

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Ukraine keeps up assault on Russian oil infrastructure as Kyiv braces for more strikes. From AP. Ukrainian drone strikes caused fires at more Russian oil facilities overnight into Saturday, local Russian officials said, in what appeared to be the latest attack on Moscow’s vital oil industry. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish.

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Links to THREE reports: from Middle East Eye, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for UKRAINE, IRAN and GAZA, and down for LEBANON 5-29-26.) — MCM

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Israel issues new expulsion orders as forces press deeper into Lebanon. From Middle East Eye. Israel‘s military on Saturday issued three expulsion orders for residents of 13 villages in southern Lebanon, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said troops had pushed deeper into the country. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 29  Israeli fighter jets strike southern Lebanese village after Israel warned residents to leave. From AP. The strike on Friday occurred a little over an hour after the military told residents of Ain Qana to leave, damaging several houses. Click HERE for brief video. 

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FROM MAY 29   Ceasefires in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza are interconnected — and fraying. Reported by Greg Myre of NPR  On paper, there are ceasefires in place between Israel and the U.S. in Iran, and also in Lebanon, Gaza. On the ground, fighting goes on. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Links to TWO reports from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll up or down for UKRAINE, LEBANON and GAZA, and down for IRAN 5-29-26.) — MCM

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FROM MAY 29   Ceasefires in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza are interconnected — and fraying. Reported by Greg Myre of NPR  On paper, there are ceasefires in place between Israel and the U.S. in Iran, and also in Lebanon, Gaza. On the ground, fighting goes on. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Former amassador Ivo Daalder on his critique of the U.S. approach to military conflict. Scott Simon of NPR asks Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, about his recent criticism of America’s approach to military conflict. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

Links to TWO reports: from the Associated Press and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for UKRAINE, LEBANON and IRAN, and down for GAZA 5-29-26.)

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First, links to reports from the Cradle and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll down for today’s GAZA, UKRAINE, IRAN and LEBANON so far, and for MEDIA 5- -26.) — MCM

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Israel funneling millions through Trump-linked firms to spread digital propaganda in the U.S.: report. From the Cradle. Public disclosures filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act reveal that a firm operated by Brad Parscale, the former campaign manager for U.S. President Donald Trump, has funneled approximately $13 million from the Israeli government to a “web of right−wing businesses” and Republican digital strategy firms, the Intercept reported today. READ MORE . . .

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American journalist charged with acting as an agent for the Chinese government. Reported by Steve Inskeep | NPR  The FBI alleged in federal court that an American journalist who worked for Chinese state media illegally acted as an agent for the Chinese government. Click HERE to listen and read. 

For now, links to reports from the Cradle and Middle East Eye and to commentaries from or via Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names. (Scroll up or down for today’s UKRAINE, IRAN and LEBANON so far, and down for GAZA 5-28-26.) — MCM

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Israel’s Netanyahu orders army to seize 70 percent of Gaza. From Middle East Eye. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he had ordered the army to occupy 70 percent of the Gaza Strip, in the latest violation of the October ceasefire. He said that “at this point, we are fully in control of 60 percent of the territory of the Gaza Strip.” READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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FROM MAY 28  Netanyahu’s theatre of ruin, by Jasim Al-Azzawi | Middle East Monitor  Benjamin Netanyahu has defeated nobody. Not one enemy. Not one objective. After Gaza, after Lebanon, after Syria, after Iran, after all the airstrikes and the assassinations and the pager operations and the . . . READ MORE . . .

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Stop blaming Netanyahu, stupid . . . by Jamal Kanj | Middle East Monitor  By blaming Netanyahu et al., the Zionist-managed Western media and liberals in the U.S. and Europe want you to believe that there is a moral daylight between the politics of the Israeli governing coalition and the state they lead. READ MORE . . .

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