On Sunday at around 4 p.m., several explosive-laden drones launched by Hezbollah struck Israeli territory near Manara, close to the border with Lebanon. One of the drones killed reservist Alexander Glovanyov, according to an IDF investigation. This marks the fifth soldier killed in southern Lebanon since the ceasefire began.

Defense Minister Israel Katz expressed his condolences, stating, ‘Alexander served in the reserves out of a sense of true mission to defend the State of Israel and the residents of the north.’ He also urged support for the soldiers continuing their mission against Hezbollah.

Petah Tikva mayor Rami Greenberg added, ‘We share in the family’s heavy grief and we will help with everything necessary.’

Following the attack, the IDF issued evacuation warnings for nine villages in southern Lebanon ahead of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah. Villages such as Rihan, Jarjouaa, and Kfar Roummane were instructed to move at least a kilometer away. Army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee warned, ‘In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you.’

Hours earlier, the IDF attempted to intercept several Hezbollah drones over southern Lebanon. No injuries were reported from these incidents. Meanwhile, the IDF is investigating an airstrike in the Nabatieh area that killed civilians, which occurred on Saturday.

Separately, Israel is expanding its international air connectivity. EL AL Israel Airlines announced plans to launch a direct flight between Seoul and Tel Aviv in March 2027. The service will operate three times a week using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The airline aims to enhance travel and business ties between South Korea and Israel.

Also, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed a desire to reduce Israel’s reliance on U.S. military aid within the next decade. Currently, Israel receives about $3.8 billion annually in U.S. military assistance, with a total of $38 billion pledged from 2018 to 2028. Netanyahu called this the ‘right time’ to reset the financial relationship between the two countries.

According to a Pew Research survey in March, 60% of U.S. adults view Israel negatively, a 7 percentage point increase from the previous year. Netanyahu attributed this shift to social media manipulation by certain countries. He also noted that the recent conflict with Iran has reshaped global economic and political dynamics, particularly after Iran temporarily blocked the Strait of Hormuz, which handles 20% of global oil shipments.

Israel has also established a secret military base in Iraq, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The base was intended to support logistics for Israel’s air campaign against Iran and to serve as a rescue hub if a pilot was downed. The base nearly came to light in March when local shepherds reported unusual military activity to Iraqi authorities, prompting a military response. Israel responded with air strikes to deter the investigation.