Joe Kent, who served as director of the National Counterterrorism Center, stepped down from his position on Tuesday, stating that he could not continue in the role while supporting the Trump administration’s military campaign against Iran.

In a message posted on social media, Kent explained his decision, writing that he “cannot in good conscience” support the war effort. He further argued that Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

Kent, who had been confirmed to the post last July by a 52-44 Senate vote, led the agency responsible for evaluating and identifying terrorist threats to the United States.

Before joining President Donald Trump’s administration, Kent had mounted two unsuccessful bids for Congress in Washington state. His background also includes extensive military service as a Green Beret, with 11 deployments, followed by work at the CIA.

His confirmation drew sharp criticism from Democrats, who highlighted his associations with controversial right-wing figures and promotion of conspiracy-related claims.

During his 2022 congressional campaign, Kent compensated Graham Jorgensen, identified as a member of the Proud Boys, for consulting services. He also maintained close ties with Joey Gibson, who founded the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and received backing from a range of right-wing activists.

At his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent declined to clearly reject claims that federal agents played a role in instigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, as well as assertions that Trump defeated former President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

Lawmakers also questioned Kent about his involvement in a Signal group chat used by members of Trump’s national security team to exchange sensitive military information.

Despite the controversy, Republicans pointed to Kent’s national security credentials in supporting his nomination, emphasizing his background in both military and intelligence roles.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a speech on the Senate floor that Kent had “dedicated his career to fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran fired seven salvos of missiles toward central and northern Israel Tuesday. Some of the warheads carried cluster bomb munitions. While the IDF intercepted most of the missiles, several exploded on impact in central Israel, including smaller bombs from the cluster warheads that spread out over a larger area before landing and exploding.

The impacts damaged buildings, roads, and a train station and flipped a car over, but no injuries were reported. The impacts formed small craters in roads and other areas. Medics reported treating people who sustained light injuries as a result of rushing to shelters and others for severe anxiety induced by the attacks.

Meanwhile, in addition to its overnight strikes in Iran that eliminated top-ranking officials, including the former senior adviser to Ali Khamenei and the commander of the Basij paramilitary group, the IDF said it has continued to strike key targets in Iran throughout the day Tuesday.

The military said that, on Monday, its Iran strikes destroyed strategic command centers such as multiple security headquarters and facilities used for manufacturing and storing ballistic missiles, drones and air defense systems. The strikes were part of a “phase of deepening the blows to the core systems and capabilities of the Iranian terror regime,” the IDF said.

The Israelis have indicated that they aim to weaken the regime to the point that the Iranian people can rise up and topple it themselves. But in a show of defiance, security forces and regime supporters rode through the streets on motorcycles, brandishing their weapons, possibly to intimidate would-be protesters.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today after traveling to see him in person following fake rumors circulating on social media that Netanyahu had been killed in an Iranian missile strike.

The rumors began spreading online after Iranian media outlets and pro regime accounts pushed unverified claims that a recent missile barrage targeting Israel may have struck a location where Netanyahu was believed to be present. The claims quickly circulated across social media despite no confirmation from Israeli officials.

Since then, pro Palestine and pro Iranian regime accounts have continued pushing the narrative online, circulating AI generated videos and images claiming Netanyahu is dead. Some of the clips attempt to argue that Netanyahu seen in recent footage is fake, pointing to AI artifacts such as distorted hands with six fingers, which were created by the rumor mongers.

Iranian disinformation campaign image

During the meeting, Huckabee joked that U.S. President Donald Trump was concerned about the rumors and sent him to personally check that the Israeli leader was safe.

⛔️ The latest video released by the Israeli government shows that it was AI generated because Netanyahu has 6 fingers. ‼️‼️‼️‼️Where is he‼️ pic.twitter.com/SRFDrszP6F

— Dr.Sam Youssef Ph.D.,M.Sc.,DPT. (@drhossamsamy65) March 13, 2026

Netanyahu appeared amused by the speculation but also hinted at Israel’s ongoing operations, referencing what he described as a target list and remarking, “I crossed off two names today.”

Huckabee responded that he was glad not to be on the “naughty list,” prompting Netanyahu to reassure him that he was firmly on the “good list.”

The following is an ‘Ask The Mayor’ question submitted to TLS, and the Mayor’s response. Email your questions for the Mayor to [email protected].

Question:

Dear Mr. Mayor.

Thank you for being an excellent mayor for our town & for being so reachable!

The intersection of Vine and Cedar Bridge always becomes a gridlock situation during rush hour, with people inevitably blocking the intersection so that when the light turns green, the Vine St traffic can’t turn or go straight.

At the very minimum, could the area be painted with a box & even possibly a sign of not to block the box?

Thank you very much!

Yehuda

Response from Mayor Coles:

Good morning. Thanks for the kind words

We will work with the county since Cedarbridge is their road and they have final say over the intersections that connect to it. Vine is one of the streets that will be affected by the improvements the county is planning across the entire length of Cedarbridge.

I will ask our engineer to reach out to them and see if we can’t get some improvements done in the meantime

Thanks

Ray

—————–

Have a question for the Mayor? Send it to [email protected]

Have a question for the Chief? Send it to [email protected]

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel will continue its campaign against Iran’s leadership, indicating that additional actions are planned following the recent elimination of key figures in the regime.

His remarks came in response to the reported killing of senior Iranian officials, including Ali Larijani and the head of the Basij forces, which he described as part of Israel’s broader effort to weaken Tehran’s grip on power.

In a statement, Netanyahu detailed the operation and its targets: “”This morning, we eliminated Ali Larijani. Ali Larijani is the boss of the Revolutionary Guards, that group of gangsters that effectively runs Iran. Alongside him, we also eliminated the commander of the Basij – they are the gangsters’ assistants who are terrorizing the population in the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities. We are operating there as well; operating from the air with Air Force jets and UAVs.”

He explained that Israel’s strategy is aimed at eroding the regime’s stability over time. “We are undermining this regime in the hope of giving the Iranian people an opportunity to remove it. It will not happen all at once, and it will not happen easily. But if we persist, we will give them the chance to take their destiny into their own hands.”

Netanyahu also pointed to close coordination with the United States in confronting Iran, describing ongoing joint efforts. “At the same time, we are helping our American friends in the Gulf. I spoke at length with President Trump on this matter yesterday. There is cooperation between our air forces and navies, between myself and President Trump and his staff. We will assist both through indirect attacks, which create immense pressure on the Iranian regime, and through direct actions. There are many more surprises. ‘By stratagems, you shall make war.’ We will not reveal all the stratagems here, but as I told you, there are many.”

Highlighting what he sees as the key to success, Netanyahu stressed the role of resolve at every level. “The most important thing for winning a war is determination: Determination, determination, determination. The determination of the leaders, the determination of the commanders, and the determination of the people. We are determined to win, and we will achieve these goals.”

Turning to the Israeli public, he urged citizens to remain confident and not be swayed by pessimism. “I ask you to simply ignore the ‘channels of gloom.’ We are achieving historical milestones. With G-d’s help, we have reached a point where, after October 7, when we were on the brink of an abyss, we are now a formidable power, almost a global one, fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with our friend, the global superpower. This is already a massive achievement in the face of all the threats coming our way. What other country has these capabilities? They are all under attack. Who else has these strengths of ours – the alliances, the IDF, the Air Force, and a strong nation? So, stay strong.”

He concluded by pledging continued government support for citizens affected by the ongoing situation. “We will also help you. Regarding everything related to compensation, I have instructed that the framework be presented to you and that it be expanded. We will help the North, and we will help everyone in need, just as we did previously in Operation Rising Lion and during COVID-19. We will do it even more vigorously this time,” he concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Israel is famous for sending out its international NGOs to provide disaster relief around the globe, such as earthquakes in Turkey, wildfires in the United States and missile strikes in Ukraine. Now these groups are putting those time-tested skills to work in their home state, helping communities affected by missile and rocket attacks from Iran and Hezbollah, according to SID Israel, the umbrella organization that coordinates Israel’s international development and humanitarian aid community.

For example, the international aid group CADENA has mobilized its volunteers to remove broken glass, clean damaged apartments and conduct basic repairs. They also activated their network in Mexico to host Israelis stranded in Central and South America.

MASHAV and IsraAID distribute supplies in South Sudan, Africa, in February 2026. (From a post on X)

Lev Echad, which works in disaster zones around the world, brought in 7,000 volunteers to help restore damaged buildings and homes, repairing 3,500 apartments in seven cities throughout Israel.

IsraAID has focused its efforts on providing emotional support to families affected by the war, handing out about 1,000 resilience kits and stocking bomb shelters with stress-relief kits. These kits contain a collection of resources and strategies for overcoming the negative fallout from enduring life under attack.

“The war with Iran has created a unique situation in which that same international humanitarian expertise is now being applied here in Israel to assist affected communities,” said Einat Fogel-Levin, director of public policy and foreign relations at SID. “It is also a testament to the resilience of Israeli civil society and to the contribution of the humanitarian aid community to society’s ability to cope with emergencies.”

WASHINGTON — Acting Deputy Transportation Security Administration Administrator Adam Stahl warned Tuesday on Fox News that airports across the United States could face partial or full closures if the ongoing Department of Homeland Security funding lapse continues.

Stahl said staffing shortages are worsening as screeners miss paychecks, with rising absenteeism and resignations straining operations.

According to the agency, about 10% of TSA officers called out over the weekend, up from roughly 2% before the funding lapse. Hundreds of workers have also left their jobs in recent weeks.

Airports have already begun advising travelers to arrive hours earlier than usual due to long security lines, with wait times in some locations approaching three hours.

Stahl said smaller airports could be most at risk if staffing levels continue to drop, noting that some officers are struggling financially without consistent pay.

The funding lapse began in mid-February amid a dispute in the Senate over immigration-related provisions in a DHS appropriations bill. While some DHS personnel continue to be paid, TSA screeners are among those affected.

Officials warn that without a resolution, delays could worsen and additional operational disruptions may follow.

Gedaliah Ben-Shimon, the chairman of the Religious Council of Ramat Gan, who was critically injured in a stabbing attack on Thursday in Ramat Gan, regained consciousness on Tuesday morning at Ichilov Hospital and is now communicating with his family.

Upon hearing the good news, the Sephardi Rav of Bnei Brak, HaGaon HaRav Masoud Ben Shimon, went to the hospital to visit his nephew.

His wife wrote earlier today: “Good news — my husband woke up this morning and is communicating with us. We have witnessed great nissim. I want to thank everyone for the tefillos, the concern, and the care. B’ezrat Hashem, we hope that soon he will stand strong on his feet again —Gedalya ben Yeshua.”

As previously reported, Ben Shimon was stabbed last Thursday afternoon on Bialik Street in Ramat Gan, near the offices of the Religious Council, and was critically wounded. He was rushed to Ichilov Medical Center with multiple stab wounds and underwent life-saving surgery.

Documentation from security cameras shows the terrorist, an Arab man in his 20s, emerging from behind Ben Shimon and stabbing him again and again. He then fled the scene.

Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri and Director-General of the Ministry of Religious Services Yehuda Avidan rushed to the hospital to stand by the family and ensure Ben Shimon received proper medical care.

After the surgery, Deri said, alongside Prof. Eli Sprecher, director-general of the hospital: “There was a very great neis here. Reb Gedalya is from a family of great tzaddikim. I heard from the doctors about his severe condition when he entered surgery, and b’Chasdei Shamayim, succeeded in saving his life.”

The attacker, a 20-year-old resident of Jatt, an Arab village of northern Israel, was apprehended minutes after the attack about 300 meters from the scene. The Tel Aviv District Police commander stated that the knife allegedly used in the attack was recovered, along with clothing the suspect had discarded while attempting to flee.

The public is asked to continue davening for the refuah sheleimah of Gedalya ben Yeshua b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Iran war has scrambled the Federal Reserve’s outlook on inflation and unemployment and will likely further delay interest rate cuts this year, putting off any relief for consumers struggling with high borrowing costs for home and car purchases.

The spike in oil and gas prices presents already-divided Fed officials with a worst-case scenario as they conclude a key meeting Wednesday: Costlier gas will raise inflation in the short run, which typically causes the central bank to raise borrowing costs — or at least leave them unchanged — to combat higher prices. Yet if the spike is high enough or lasts long enough, it could hammer the economy and push up unemployment, which the Fed would typically respond to by moving in the opposite direction, and cutting its key rate.

For now, the clearest way forward for the 12-member rate-setting committee, led by Chair Jerome Powell, is to stand pat and wait to see which way the economy goes. The Fed is expected to keep rates unchanged Wednesday, and may remain on pause at their meetings in late April and June. Many economists now see the first rate cut this year not taking place until September or later.

“With Iran and the oil shock, I think the committee’s room for maneuver here is pretty limited,” said Nathan Sheets, chief global economist at Citi and a former senior economist at the Fed. “I think they’ve got to wait and see how this plays through.”

Yet the Fed also has to release a set of quarterly economic projections that will create its own set of pitfalls. In December, the committee forecast that inflation would cool to 2.6% by the end of this year, with core inflation excluding food and energy falling to 2.5%. But those figures were already rising before the Iran war, with core prices rising 3.1% in January from a year earlier, the biggest increase in more than two years.

The Fed had also forecast in December that it would cut rates once this year, but that will be harder to maintain if the committee also raises its inflation outlook. The Fed cut three times last year before pausing in January.

Tim Duy, chief economist at SGH Macro, argues that the Fed should raise its forecast for core inflation, using the metric it prefers, to at least 2.8% by the end of this year. An increase of that amount would argue against any cuts this year.

“Any reasonable forecast for inflation now should not have a cut” in the Fed’s projections, Duy said. “And it’s almost ludicrous that it might.”

Whether the Fed will continue to forecast a single rate cut this year, or pull back and project no cuts, is seen as a close call by most economists. Many leading members of the Fed — including governors Chris Waller, Stephen Miran, Michelle Bowman, and possibly Powell — are reluctant to give up on the idea of reducing rates. Waller, for example, has said in a television interview that inflation is heading back to the Fed’s 2% target, with the Iran war likely only a temporary disruption.

Yet another group of Fed officials — including Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and Austan Goolsbee, president of the Chicago Fed — were already worried about the stubborn persistence of inflation even before the Iran war. The prospect of higher gas prices will likely only intensify their concerns.

Mortgage rates have already risen in the wake of the conflict, likely because markets expect higher inflation will prevent the Fed from cutting anytime soon. The average 30-year mortgage rate jumped to 6.1% last week from 6%, though it is still down from nearly 6.7% a year ago.

On top of all the economic disruptions, the Fed is nearing a major leadership transition. Powell’s term as chair ends May 15 and President Donald Trump has nominated a former top Fed official, Kevin Warsh, to replace him. Yet Warsh’s nomination has been delayed in the Senate because key Republican senators have objected to a Justice Department investigation of Powell over his testimony about a building renovation.

Last Friday, a judge threw out a pair of subpoenas that the Justice Department had issued to the Fed, dealing a blow to the investigation, but U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro has said she will appeal the ruling.

Also hanging over the Fed is the inflation spike from the pandemic. Typically, the Fed would essentially look past a supply shock like the disruption in oil supplies from the Middle East. Once it ends, any inflation it produces will likely fall back, without the Fed having to raise rates. As a result, it could leave rates unchanged — or even cut them to boost weak hiring.

Yet as the economy emerged from the pandemic in 2021, inflation jumped as Americans sharply raised their spending, aided by stimulus checks and pandemic-era savings. Powell initially said that inflation would be “transitory” and would fade as the economy returned to normal. Instead it spiked to a four-decade high in June 2022.

With inflation still elevated, many Fed officials are wary of repeating the mistake, making any cuts less likely as long as inflation is elevated.

“I think they are a little scarred from the blowback they got from the word ‘transitory,’” said Derek Tang, an economist at Macro Policy Analytics, a consulting firm.

Health officials are sounding the alarm over a growing public health concern in New York City, where dangerous, drug-resistant infections — often referred to as “superbugs” — are becoming increasingly difficult to control and treat.

Among the most troubling is Candida auris, a highly resilient fungus that can persist on surfaces even after routine cleaning, often resists commonly used antifungal medications, and has the potential to cause deadly bloodstream infections.

Since its initial identification in New York in 2016, cases of Candida auris have continued to climb. In the past year alone, the state recorded 623 confirmed infections in patients who became ill, along with 849 additional cases involving individuals who tested positive but did not develop symptoms.

Research published last year found that the New York–New Jersey metropolitan region accounts for nearly one-fifth of all Candida auris cases in the United States. Investigators attributed much of the increase to extensive travel and commercial connections with South Asia, where the fungus is more widespread.

Candida auris is only one piece of a broader and growing problem. Medical professionals are increasingly concerned about a surge in highly resistant bacteria, often described as “nightmare bacteria,” driven in large part by the misuse and overprescribing of antibiotics.

“When somebody has a viral illness, they have a respiratory cold, [an] antibiotic [will] have zero benefit to them, but will have more potential toxicity, both in terms of side effects and reactions, but also in the development of resistance,” Dr. Aaron Glatt, professor and chair of the Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau, told The Post.

“The entire opportunity here is for people to use the antibiotics appropriately.”

Antibiotics remain essential tools for treating bacterial infections such as strep throat, urinary tract infections, and bacterial pneumonia. However, they are ineffective against viral illnesses like colds, influenza, COVID-19, and most sore throats, and their misuse contributes significantly to the rise of resistant organisms.

Bacteria become resistant primarily through natural genetic changes, and once resistance develops, these traits can spread between different bacterial strains, compounding the problem.

Global data underscores the severity of the issue. The World Health Organization reported last fall that one out of every six bacterial infections no longer responds to standard antibiotic treatments. Between 2018 and 2023, resistance rates increased steadily, rising by an estimated 5% to 15% each year.

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation, as many patients with mild or moderate illness were unnecessarily treated with antibiotics, accelerating the development of resistance.

“It’s a combination of patients requesting … antibiotics when they don’t need them,” Glatt said. “It’s also incumbent upon physicians to say, ‘No, this disease is not treated with an antibiotic.’”

Despite the concerning trend, experts note that Candida auris does not pose a major risk to the average person. The fungus is most commonly transmitted in healthcare settings such as hospitals and nursing homes.

“It is not something that is of great concern to the typical person on the street,” Glatt said, “but it is especially concerning for patients from nursing homes and … patients who receive multiple antibiotics and are very sick themselves and they’re immunocompromised.”

There are some positive developments. New medications have shown promise in combating certain resistant bacteria, including strains like E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

At the federal level, lawmakers are working to address the growing threat. Bipartisan legislation known as the Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance (PASTEUR) Act, first introduced in 2020 and recently brought back for consideration, aims to incentivize the development of new antibiotics.

The proposal introduces a subscription-style payment system, in which pharmaceutical companies would be compensated based on the value and innovation of their drugs rather than sales volume, with the goal of stabilizing the market and encouraging research.

“This Netflix model says the government will pay the pharmaceutical [companies] a flat fee for the access to these antibiotics, no matter how much is used or not,” Glatt explained.

“This way, the pharmaceutical industry would be adequately reimbursed with [research and development] that they do,” he continued, “and at the same time, if the drug gets used a lot, it won’t be as expensive.”

{Matzav.com}

by Rabbi Eliezer Sandler

The concept of the Yissachar-Zevulun Torah Learning Pact goes back well over 3,500 years, to the time of Yaakov Avinu and his sons. It is named for the Torah pact between two of his sons – Yissachar the scholar and Zevulun the merchant. Not only was it an equal pact but, Chazal explained, the deed of Zevulun/the Sponsor is considered even greater than that of Yissachar, because without the support of Zevulun, Yissachar would not have had the wherewithal to study Torah undisturbed.”

It is well-known that when it comes to learning Torah, people who sponsor the learning, often do so, not just as a donation. By financially supporting specific Torah scholars, they enter into a binding, written, signed and sealed learning partnership pact whereby the Sponsor (the Zevulun) is deemed by Halacha as if he personally studied the Torah completed by the Scholar (the Yissachar). (See below.)

Thus, those who support the Talmidei Chachomim at Shas Yiden via a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact merit a portion in every daf of the entire Talmud Bavli and associated texts that they study, and complete the entire cycle in the space of ONE year. Some of the Sponsors opt to continue sponsoring repeat cycles of Shas which accrue to them.

Sar Hatorah, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden, emphasized: The most mehudar Yissachar-Zevulun pact to support in our times is that offered by Shas Yiden – it comprises the entire Shas, Rashi and Tosfos – all in just one year!

Rav Chaim explained why this pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar. Chazal say that the highest level of learning is when one understands what he is learning b’iyun u’ve’amkus. However, even higher than that is when one remembers b’al peh all what he has learned. I have farhered the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim many times and can attest ZEI KENNEN SHAS (they know Shas)!

YES! YOU CAN MAKE

your OWN SIYUM on the ENTIRE

Shas, Rashi & Tosfos

IN JUST ONE YEAR!

The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha

The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De’ah Chapter 246 regarding the efficacy of the Yissachar-Zevulun Sponsorship Pact for the Zevulun (the Sponsor) states clearly:  It is deemed as if he (the one sponsoring the learning) himself learned all the Torah studied under the pact.

All the learning under the Shas Yiden Yissachar-Zevulun Pact is yours בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in both This World and the World to Come)! Concerning this, the Netziv of Volozhin comments that in Olam Habah, the Zevulun sponsor will sit together with the Gedolei Torah of the past and merit to participate in their discussions and pilpulim on all the Torah learned.

Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year

The Vilna Gaon in Shnos Eliyahu Pe’ah 41 states that one should hold precious every word of Torah that he learns because each word is considered a mitzvah of its own.

Thus, since in Talmud Bavli, Rashi and Tosfos there are 6,608,891 words, that translates into almost 7 million mitzvos accruing through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden.

Official Shtar from Shas Yiden

Each Yissachar-Zevulun pact is confirmed by an official contract (shtar) from Shas Yiden specifying the learning of the entire Shas, and is witnessed by talmidei chachomim.

All who wish to enter into a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact for the entire Shas during ONE year should contact Shas Yiden to make arrangements: 718-702-1528.

The opportunity to complete the entire Shas has been a cherished way to honor family members and others as a prized achievement. It has also proven to be a source of comfort for mourners to obtain such a zechus for their dear ones during the year of mourning – a siyum of the entire Shas can be completed on the yahrzeit!

Yissachar-Zevulun Pact –

Beyond the Grave

The legendary visionary and “Father of Yeshivos”, Reb Chaim of Volozhin, was the founder of the famous yeshiva in the town of Volozhin and the beloved talmid of the Vilna Gaon. 

Reb Chaim had an ongoing Yissachar-Zevulun pact with a local shoemaker – a man who was not learned but who dearly valued Torah learning. They had a ‘deal’ whereby the shoemaker would pay the monthly financial support needed for Reb Chaim and his family. For this financial support, the shoemaker would have an equal share in all Reb Chaim’s daily Torah study – both in the mitzvah of Torah study בעוה”ז and that the knowledge of the Torah learned would continue to be his בעוה”ב (in the World to Come).

One day the shoemaker passed away suddenly. During the shiva period, Reb Chaim was facing a perplexing halachic question and researched high and low for a solution. That night the shoemaker appeared to him in a dream and gave him the full solution that he sought. Reb Chaim was amazed and commented, “Azoi gich, Azoi Gich – So quickly, so quickly has he acquired the zchus and knowledge of the Torah that I have studied!”

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden:

“In just ONE year, through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden, you can be zoche to the entire Shas forever – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in olam hazeh and olam habah).

“Moreover, whoever supports Shas Yiden is zocheh to fulfill both Yissachar-Zevulun and support of aniyei (the poor of) Eretz Yisroel in the fullest sense of the word.

“Those who support Shas Yiden will be saved from chevlei (the travails of) Moshiach – spiritually and materially, and will be zoche to have ehrlicher bonim u’vanos yir’eishomayim ”

Maran Hagaon Harav Dov Lando, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva, Slabodka:

“Who compares to the Shas Yiden? Incredible talmidei chachomim geonim who raised the bar in limud Hashas b’iyun u’v’amkus. Blessed are those who enter a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with them.”

Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a:

 “Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden – best possible deal, and in just 1 year! 100% partnership! 100% Shas x 5 times! 100% Shisha Sidrei Mishna – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב”

Sanzer Rebbe, shlit”a:

“A first in 2000 years of Jewish history! Until Shas Yiden, never a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim metzuyonim v’geonim know the entire Shas by heart”

Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlit”a:

“Therefore, the great mitzvah to support the efforts [of the Talmidei Chachomim] with generous donations in order that they should continue diligently with their studies to enhance the greatness of the Torah and its glory.

ShasYiden.com

A leaked cable from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly urged American diplomats to coordinate their messaging on Iran with Israeli officials to encourage other countries to collaborate with the United States on the war effort.

The report comes at a time when President Donald Trump is pressuring U.S. allies and other countries to help open the Strait of Hormuz.

“At post’s discretion, advocacy efforts should be coordinated with Israeli diplomatic counterparts,” the leaked diplomatic cable reportedly stated.

In the cable, Rubio pointed to an “elevated risk of attack” from Iran and explained to American diplomats stationed in foreign countries that they should encourage their host governments to “move expeditiously to diminish the capabilities of Iran and Iran-aligned terrorist groups from attacking our respective nations and citizens.”

“We assess that the Iranian regime is more sensitive to collective action than unilateral action, and that joint pressure is more likely to compel behavior change by the regime than unilateral actions alone,” the message is alleged to have stated. “We must act while international attention is focused now to end the Iranian campaign of terror in the Middle East and globally. Do not allow this critical movement to pass.”

Rubio also reportedly encouraged diplomats in foreign countries to tell the governments of those countries to designate Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist organizations if they have not done so, and to do it “swiftly, as “such a designation will intensify the pressure on the Iranian regime and limit its ability to sponsor terror activities across the globe that jeopardizes the safety and security of your populations.” 

His message allegedly noted that the IRGC plans and carries out attacks all over the world and conducts spy missions and influence operations that are “intentional acts designed to intimidate populations and inflict harm on your civilians.”

The congressman said that if Carlson’s account is accurate and any wrongdoing rises to the level of treason, legal consequences must follow.

“Everyone has always known Tucker is in love with himself and happy to sell falsehoods for attention,” Miller posted on X. “The Left excels at this, when Tucker fully joined them it was just sad.”

He continued, “Now? Treason. If Tucker really worked with Iran against America’s interests, he is a traitor and should be prosecuted.”

As of now, no formal charges have been filed.

Carlson said in a video released Saturday that he was informed the CIA had recommended to the Department of Justice that he face prosecution based on his text messages in the period leading up to the Iran conflict. He did not specify who he had been communicating with or the content of those messages, but suggested that some within the intelligence community may be targeting him due to his positions regarding Israel.

“The CIA is preparing some kind of criminal referral against me, a crime report to the Department of Justice, on the basis of a supposed crime I committed,” Carlson said in his video explanation. “What’s that crime? Well, talking to people in Iran before the war. They read my texts.”

Carlson denied any wrongdoing.

Reports have indicated that Carlson had met with President Donald Trump in the period before the war and was among a small group urging caution and opposing military action against Iran, though the president ultimately moved forward with the strikes.

Since then, Carlson has sharply criticized the joint U.S.-Israel operation that resulted in the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior officials. He described the strikes as “absolutely disgusting and evil,” and argued that Operation Epic Fury was being “waged” solely for Israel’s benefit.

President Donald Trump later distanced himself from Carlson, making clear that he no longer considers him aligned with his political movement.

“Tucker has lost his way,” Trump told ABC’s Jonathan Karl on March 5. “I knew that a long time ago, and he’s not MAGA. MAGA is saving our country. MAGA is making our country great again. MAGA is America first, and Tucker is none of those things. And Tucker is really not smart enough to understand that.”

Trump has also rejected claims that the United States entered the conflict with Iran due to pressure from Israel, asserting instead that the decision was driven independently.

“If anything, I might’ve forced Israel’s hand.”

Carlson, for his part, suggested that elements within the U.S. intelligence community may be seeking to intimidate him through the threat of prosecution, saying the effort is meant to “humiliate and terrify” him with potential charges.

{Matzav.com}

Three men are now in custody after turning themselves in to police in connection with a violent, broad-daylight assault outside a bustling San Jose restaurant — an attack that left two Israeli-American victims bloodied, and one unconscious.

Authorities identified the suspects as Ramon Akoyans, 18, Roma Akoyans, 20, and Bruneil Chamaki, 32. The trio surrendered to San Jose police on Monday, roughly a week after the incident unfolded outside Augustine, a restaurant in the upscale Santana Row district.

The assault was as disturbing as it is brazen. Footage aired by KTVU appears to show three men in black T-shirts swarming a victim on the ground, delivering repeated blows in a sustained and coordinated attack.

According to investigators, the two victims — both Israeli-American men — were speaking Hebrew while waiting for a table when they were suddenly approached.

“There was no warning,” Jewish Silicon Valley CEO Daniel Klein said in an interview with KTVU. “Three people came up to them out of nowhere, knocked one of the victims out cold, and then all three jumped on top of the other victim.”

Police say the victims reported that antisemitic language was used during the attack, a detail that has placed the incident under investigation as a possible hate crime.

One of the victims was knocked unconscious in the initial moments of the assault. The condition of the second victim has not been fully detailed, but both men were described as having been battered in the encounter.

The San Jose Police Department, facing mounting public pressure as the video spread, emphasized that the investigation was handled deliberately.

“We recognize the community’s concern about this incident and appreciate the patience shown as investigators worked methodically to ensure the case was handled thoroughly and correctly,” the department said in a statement posted to X. “Those responsible for this violent crime will be held accountable.”

The case remains active, with authorities working closely alongside the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors are expected to announce additional details — and potentially formal charges — in the coming days.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF issued an unusual public warning Tuesday afternoon, signaling that Hezbollah is preparing a significantly larger-than-normal overnight rocket assault.

Just days ago, the military reportedly had intelligence indicating an expanded Hezbollah attack but stopped short of issuing a broad public warning in advance. That decision was criticized after the Iran-backed terror group doubled its daily rocket fire from roughly 100 launches to 200.

This time, officials appear determined not to repeat that mistake.

According to the IDF, Hezbollah may be preparing for a far more extensive barrage. In last week’s incident, Israeli intelligence assessed that Hezbollah had intended to launch as many as 600 rockets. That plan was partially disrupted by preemptive Israeli Air Force strikes, which significantly reduced the scale of the attack.

Now, with signs pointing to another escalation, the Air Force is once again operating at heightened intensity, carrying out strikes aimed at degrading Hezbollah’s launch capabilities before rockets can be fired.

Despite those efforts, the military said it felt a responsibility to alert civilians early.

The IDF emphasized that while it is fully prepared for the anticipated attack, residents should take precautions—remaining within close proximity to safe rooms and bomb shelters and reviewing emergency procedures. At the same time, officials stressed that the warning is not a call for panic, but for readiness.

Security officials are also monitoring the possibility of Iranian involvement, though they continue to assess Hezbollah as the primary threat in the immediate term.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Former Vice President Mike Pence said that President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran is intended to bring an end to a long-running conflict with Tehran, rather than ignite a new war.

Speaking during an appearance on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday,” Pence argued that successive U.S. administrations have responded to Iranian aggression over many years, and that the current operation represents the culmination of those efforts.

“One administration after another has slashed at the tentacles of Iran that have taken violence to American forces, to American citizens, to our allies in the region, most especially Israel, and making that case that this isn’t about starting a war, it’s about finishing a war that’s nearly 50 years in the making,” Pence said during an appearance on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday.”

Pence pointed to the origins of the conflict nearly five decades ago, when Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held American diplomats hostage for 444 days, marking a turning point in U.S.-Iran relations.

Iran’s current regime, which came to power in 1979, has remained a central focus of U.S. policy, particularly as the Trump administration carries out strikes under Operation Epic Fury.

The campaign has already dealt significant blows to Iran’s leadership. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed during the initial round of strikes on February 28, and Vice President Vance has indicated that his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, may have been injured in subsequent attacks.

Pence suggested that the ongoing military pressure could open the door to internal change within Iran, especially following earlier waves of protests in which thousands were reportedly killed.

“We saw the threats this week, which to me sounded a lot like weakness by this regime, saying that they would treat anyone that took to the streets like those did in January as enemy combatants and had instructed their internal security to open fire,” Pence said of Iran’s warnings against large-scale demonstrations.

He continued by pointing to the regime’s history of violent repression and argued that weakening its capabilities could empower the Iranian people to act.

“Not surprising, they have murdered tens of thousands of their own people even in recent months. But I think hitting their military infrastructure and hitting their internal law enforcement security will then create the conditions where once degraded, the people of Iran would be able to step forward and reclaim their country. I think that’s step one,” he said of the military operation overseas.

Pence added that a renewed American presence in the Middle East, following the withdrawal from Afghanistan, would send a broader signal on the global stage.

He said it would “send a message” to Beijing, Moscow and “enemies of freedom around the world, that America remains the leader of all free nations.”

We regret to inform you of the Petirah of R’ Mair Wolofsky Z”L who was Niftar today.

R’ Mair Z”L, the father-in-law of philanthropist Chuny Herzka, resided in Flatbush for many years, before relocating to Toms River approximately two years ago. He fell ill approximately six weeks ago. He was 65.

He leaves behind his wife, Yehudis, and children; Chaim, Sruly, Aaron, Moshe, Eliyahu, Mrs. Chavi Herzka, Mrs. Esther Malka Schultz, Mrs. Racheli Goldschmit and Bracha Wolofsky.

The Levaya is scheduled to take place at 3:00 PM today at the chapel, 613 Ramsey Avenue, Lakewood. Kevurah in Eretz Yisroel.

Zoom info.

Passcode: 925368

Shiva information will be published when confirmed.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s sweeping act of clemency for rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol also should apply to a man charged with planting pipe bombs near the national headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, the suspect’s attorneys argue in a bid to get his case dismissed.

In a court filing Monday, defense attorneys assert that Trump’s blanket pardons extend to the charges against Brian J. Cole Jr. because his alleged conduct on Jan. 5, 2021, is “inextricably tethered” to what happened at the Capitol on the following day. They’re asking U.S. District Judge Amir Ali to throw out the case before trial.

Justice Department prosecutors didn’t immediately respond in writing to the defense’s request. In a previous court filing, prosecutors said Cole, under questioning by FBI agents, denied that his actions were related to the Jan. 6 proceedings at the Capitol.

Last January, on his first day back in the White House, Trump pardoned, commuted the prison sentences and ordered the dismissal of all 1,500-plus people charged in the attack by a mob of his supporters.

Nearly a year later, Cole was arrested on charges that he placed two pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night before the riot. The devices didn’t detonate before law enforcement officers discovered them on Jan. 6.

Cole’s attorneys said the Justice Department’s own framing of the case has explicitly linked Cole’s alleged conduct on Jan. 5 to the events of Jan. 6, when rioters disrupted the joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Biden’s electoral victory over Trump.

“That is not happenstance sequencing in time. It is the government’s theory of Mr. Cole’s alleged motive and context,” defense lawyers wrote. “According to the government, the timing was chosen because of what was scheduled to occur at the Capitol on January 6.”

They also argued that prosecutors’ theory of a possible motive places Cole’s alleged conduct “in the same political controversy that animated the January 6 crowd.”

In court filings, prosecutors have said that Cole confessed to investigators after his Dec. 4 arrest. He told FBI agents that he felt “bewildered” by conspiracy theories related to the 2020 presidential election and “something just snapped” after “watching everything, just everything getting worse,” prosecutors said.

Cole has remained jailed since his arrest. His attorneys have appealed Ali’s refusal to order Cole’s pretrial release from custody. The judge hasn’t set a trial date yet.

Cole, 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, has been diagnosed with autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder. His attorneys say he has no criminal record.

Authorities said they used phone records and other evidence to identify him as a suspect in a crime that confounded the FBI for over four years.

Israel’s Finance Ministry issued a statement rejecting claims that there are delays in compensation payments to individuals and businesses affected by Operation “Shaagat HaAri.”

The clarification followed widespread reports on social media alleging that the government had not yet delivered promised financial assistance to those impacted.

In response, the ministry stated that the reports are inaccurate and that the compensation framework is progressing as planned.

“Contrary to the reports, there is no delay in the compensation framework for businesses and employees for the days of ‘Shaagat HaAri.’”

Officials explained that the compensation plan must first go through the formal legislative process before payments can be issued.

“The compensation framework must go through primary legislation in the Knesset. The Finance Ministry and the Tax Authority will complete preparation of the bill within a few days and publish it for public comment. After that, it will be submitted to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation and then proceed to Knesset approval.”

The ministry added that teams are working intensively to move the process forward as quickly as possible, even while preparing the state budget.

“The Finance Ministry is working around the clock, alongside preparations of the state budget for the Knesset, to ensure the proposal is advanced and comes into effect in the shortest possible time.”

Concluding the statement, officials emphasized that the current timeline is actually faster than in previous national emergencies.

“The timetable for preparing the framework for legislation is faster compared to previous events such as ‘Am KeLavi’ and ‘Cherevot Barzel.’”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli aviation authorities have approved an increase in passenger capacity on certain flights in an effort to speed up the return of citizens still abroad, particularly those stranded in Bangkok, with the aim of completing the operation by the end of the week.

In a directive issued Tuesday, the Israel Airports Authority informed local airlines that, beginning the following day, narrow-body aircraft would be permitted to carry more passengers than previously allowed. The updated policy raises the cap from 100 travelers per flight to as many as 120.

As part of the ongoing effort, President Isaac Herzog visited Ben Gurion International Airport on Monday, joined by Israel Airports Authority Chairman Maj. Gen. (res.) Yiftach Ron-Tal, CEO Sharon Kedmi, and El Al CEO Levy Halevi.

During his visit, Herzog met with passengers who had just landed on a special El Al repatriation flight, personally welcoming them upon their arrival.

“We are very proud of the Israel Airports Authority and of all the activity taking place at Israel’s airport terminals. This is an especially challenging time, and I want to emphasize the civilian aspect-the return of Israelis home. Here is Israel’s main gateway, the place where Israeli citizens enter and exit, the gateway through which they come home.”

Reflecting on the broader significance of the effort, Herzog said, “This is an inspiring phenomenon-people want to come home, to enter Israel, and to bear the burden together, even amid shelling, sirens, shelters, reinforced rooms, and many threats. And yet, we overcome the challenges and succeed in doing so in an extraordinary way.”

{Matzav.com}

For many American Citizens currently in Israel, the past days and weeks have been marked by uncertainty, long hours refreshing email inboxes, and constant conversations about possible routes home. Families, students, and visitors who expected to return to the United States without incident now find themselves navigating limited options and rapidly shifting policies.

“We packed our bags when we heard about the evacuation flights,” said David Miller, a university student visiting family. “We really thought that was it – that we’d be on a plane within a day or two.”

For a brief moment, it appeared there was light at the end of the tunnel.

When the United States announced that it would operate evacuation flights to bring American citizens home, many felt a wave of relief. Parents gathered passports and documents. Students rearranged plans. There was a sense that an orderly and reliable path out of the country was finally in place.

But that relief proved short-lived.

The evacuation flights quickly stopped, and the State Department announced a new arrangement – El Al would transport stranded Americans instead. On paper, it sounded like a practical solution that would stabilize the situation.

In reality, it has not unfolded that way.

Thus far, El Al has struggled to accommodate even its own ticketed passengers. Despite public statements indicating that non–El Al passengers would also be placed on flights, non–El Al passengers have yet been successfully ticketed or flown. Americans without existing El Al reservations remain in limbo.

“We keep hearing that seats will open up,” said Rachel Cohen, a mother of three trying to return home. “But so far, only people who already had El Al tickets are getting on, and not even all of those.. We’re still waiting.”

Beyond the inconvenience and uncertainty, there are also humanitarian cases that add urgency to the situation. Families have reported deaths back home requiring immediate travel. Others are facing serious medical situations, including individuals who need ongoing treatment in the United States or who must return urgently due to health emergencies involving close relatives. In ordinary circumstances, such cases would typically receive priority consideration. Yet many individuals in these categories report having no clear avenue for assistance and no confirmed access to a flight.

Departure options over the past 24–48 hours appear to have become even more limited, and identifying a viable, secure route home is increasingly difficult. For many, the promise of assistance has not yet translated into actual movement.

What You Can Do

If you are a U.S. citizen still trying to leave Israel, it is critical to make your situation known to the U.S. Department of State immediately. Increased outreach helps communicate the scale and urgency of the need for direct assistance – particularly for humanitarian and medical cases.

You may use the following suggested message, personalizing it as needed:

I am a United States citizen currently in Israel and am unable to secure a safe and viable route out of the country. I am in an active conflict zone and urgently request immediate assistance. I respectfully ask the U.S. Department of State to directly reengage in this matter and to immediately resume evacuation flights and provide clear, safe, and viable options for departure as soon as possible. PLEASE HELP US !!!!!!!

How to Contact the U.S. Department of State

• Crisis Intake Form: https://mytravel.state.gov/s/crisis-intake
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: +1-202-501-4444

If you have already submitted the crisis intake form, replying to any correspondence you have received with the message above. Make sure to include your case number that was included in the email from the state department following your initial crisis intake form submission.

Sharing this information with other Americans in similar situations is essential. In moments like these, collective communication can help ensure that the urgency on the ground is fully understood.

For now, many remain packed and waiting – hoping that the next announcement will finally provide a clear and dependable way home.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

First, I want to acknowledge the incredible work that organizations such as Tomchei Shabbos and many others do for families in our community. The dedication and generosity behind these efforts are truly admirable, and many families benefit greatly from the support.

At the same time, I would like to share a thought regarding families who may need temporary assistance, and especially during financially challenging periods such as before Pesach.

For some people, the process of signing up, going through interviews, and then arriving at a distribution site where their car is loaded with pre-selected boxes of food can be difficult and, at times, embarrassing. Many of these families are accustomed to shopping for their own food, going to the grocery store, selecting their own produce, choosing the items their family prefers, and maintaining a sense of normalcy and independence.

When assistance comes in the form of pre-packed boxes, whether meat, fish, produce, pantry staples, wine or grape juice, or disposable goods, it takes away that freedom. While the help is certainly appreciated, the experience can feel less dignified for families who are simply going through a temporary hardship.

Perhaps for some of these situations, a different approach could be considered. Instead of loading cars with large quantities of predetermined items, an organization could send a grocery gift card in the equivalent amount that would have been spent on the food packages. This would allow families to shop for themselves, select the foods they need, and maintain their dignity while still receiving the support they require.

Being able to walk into a store and shop like anyone else can make a meaningful difference in how assistance is experienced. Sometimes the most respectful way to help someone is to allow them to maintain their independence while receiving that help.

This is simply a thought offered with appreciation for the tremendous work being done and with the hope that we can continue finding ways to support people in the most dignified and sensitive manner possible.

A.B.

TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to us via  Whatsapp  or via email  [email protected]

The IDF announced that a group of terrorists who had taken part in the October 7 massacre and were planning another imminent attack against Israeli forces were eliminated in a targeted strike.

According to the military, Israeli forces identified an armed terror cell from Hamas on Sunday that was preparing to carry out an attack against IDF troops operating in the Gaza Strip.

The IDF carried out a strike on the group, successfully neutralizing the threat.

Military officials later confirmed that several of those killed were directly involved in the October 7 massacre. The individuals were identified as Rami Ibrahim Harb and Musab Ziyaz Dara, both members of Hamas’ Nukhba unit who infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7 attacks and were actively planning additional terror operations against IDF forces in the immediate timeframe.

Also eliminated was Abd Muhammad Amtsi, a terrorist affiliated with the Popular Resistance Committees, an organization that operates in coordination with Hamas to advance terror activity.

Another operative killed in the strike was Taufik Khaldi, a member of Hamas.

In addition to those named, three other Hamas terrorists were killed in the operation.

The IDF stated that forces under Southern Command remain deployed in accordance with operational directives and will continue working to eliminate any immediate threats.

“IDF forces in the Southern Command are deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to act to remove any immediate threat,” the military said.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Department of Justice said Monday that after pleading guilty to 17 counts of mailing threats to Jewish institutions and eight counts of obstructing free religious exercise, Cliff Seferlis was sentenced to 37 months in prison and fined $40,000, as well as a $2,200 assessment.

The 55-year-old Garrett Park, Maryland, resident was also sentenced to three years of supervised release upon the end of his prison term.

“For more than a year, the defendant terrorized Jewish communities across the country, robbing his victims of their peace and security,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon in a statement. “The defendant’s sentence should be a warning to all that religious-based terror will not be tolerated in this country.”  

“Threats directed at religious institutions are attacks not just on those communities but on the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans,” added U.S. Attorney David Metcalf. “Individuals who attempt to intimidate or terrorize others because of their faith will face the full force of federal law.”

Court filings show that from March 2024 to June 2025, Seferlis used the United States Postal Service to mail 40 threatening letters and postcards to various Jewish institutions across the country, including synagogues, museums, schools, community centers — and even a Jewish deli.

“Many of these written communications threatened to destroy physical buildings and/or injure individuals,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “The threatening communications were intended to intimidate recipients and interfere with congregants and others in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs.”

GAINESVILLE, FLA. (VINnews) – The University of Florida is deactivating its campus College Republicans chapter as a registered student organization after reports that some members engaged in antisemitic behavior.

University officials said they were notified by the Florida Federation of College Republicans that the federation had disbanded the Gainesville chapter. The decision followed a determination that certain members had “engaged in a pattern of conduct that violated its rules and values, including a recent antisemitic gesture,” according to a UF statement released over the weekend.

The gesture reportedly involved a photo showing a student leader performing a Nazi salute, as detailed in local reporting.

UF officials indicated that the university will assist in reactivating the chapter under new student leadership once the Florida Federation of College Republicans is prepared to move forward.

The action at UF marks the second instance this month in which a public university in Florida has addressed alleged racist or antisemitic behavior involving a Republican-affiliated student group.

Earlier in March, Florida International University in Miami launched an investigation into a leaked group chat initiated by an official with the Miami-Dade chapter of the Republican Party. The chat, which included students and several prominent conservative figures at FIU, contained violently racist slurs, antisemitic remarks and misogynistic language.

In a separate case last fall, New York’s Republican State Committee suspended the statewide Young Republicans organization after a group chat surfaced featuring jokes about rape and casual references to gas chambers.

The UF College Republicans chapter has disputed aspects of the allegations and the federation’s authority, with some reports indicating the group has filed a federal lawsuit claiming a violation of its First Amendment rights. University officials have maintained that the deactivation aligns with the federation’s request and campus policies for registered student groups.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Canada was not consulted over the U.S-Israeli strikes on Iran that sparked the war in the Middle East and has no intention of participating in any offensive military operation, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Tuesday.

In a brief telephone interview with The Associated Press ahead of talks in Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Anand stressed Canada’s priority was the de-escalation of the conflict and the protection of civilians.

Anand arrived in Turkey for consultations on the situation in the region as the war rages on.

U.S. President Donald Trump called last week on NATO allies and major powers to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the alliance faces a “very bad future” if they refuse. Iran has blocked the waterway since the war began, driving up fuel prices and disrupting global supply chains and travel.

“Canada was not consulted, did not participate in the military action, and has no intention of participating in the offensive military operation,” Anand said. “Our foreign policy is focused on de-escalation and the protection of civilians and humanitarianism generally.”

The minister added that in a meeting with Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, both agreed that “de-escalation is of the utmost priority and that the war in the Middle East needs to end in the interests of civilian lives.”

Since the start of the war, NATO air defense systems have intercepted three ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward Turkey’s airspace. The action forced the alliance to deploy an additional Patriot missile defense system on Turkish territory.

Fidan, in an interview with the AP earlier this week, said Turkey’s top priority is to remain outside of the conflict and ruled out a military response at this stage, saying NATO’s defenses were effective.

Asked whether Canada would get involved if a NATO country was attacked, Anand said: “We will take all decisions concerning the alliance in conjunction with the alliance.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney initially backed the strikes on Iran but later said he supported them “with some regret” as they represented an extreme example of a rupturing world order.

Anand insisted there was no change in Canada’s foreign policy.

“It has been our long-standing position that Iran is a destabilizing force in the Middle East and in particular, Iran’s proliferation of its nuclear capacity,” she said. Anand said Carney’s reversal wasn’t about abandoning that stance, but about supporting regional stability, backing the Gulf states that have come under attack and prioritizing civilians and infrastructure.

The Canadian minister also expressed concerns over the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying it was the Lebanese people “who are bearing the brunt of the ongoing war.”

Canada, alongside France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, issued a statement on Monday warning of the grave consequences of escalating violence in Lebanon. The statement said a significant Israeli ground offensive could lead to devastating humanitarian consequences and protracted conflict “must be averted.”

“And we very much are concerned with Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel and the targeting of civilians,” Anand said. “We want to ensure that there is meaningful engagement by Israeli and Lebanese representatives to negotiate a sustainable political solution.”

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said during a visit to the Northern Command that Israeli forces have eliminated more than 400 Hezbollah terrorists and are preparing to strengthen operations in the region with additional troops.

The visit, which was only cleared for publication afterward by the IDF, included Northern Command head Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo and other senior officers. Zamir toured the area, held a situational assessment, approved future operational plans, and met with division commanders involved in the fighting.

Speaking during the visit, Zamir emphasized that Iran remains the primary arena, noting that weakening the regime and its capabilities has a direct impact on Hezbollah as well.

“Iran is the main arena. Weakening the regime and its capabilities will weaken the entire radical axis, including the Hezbollah terrorist organization. The campaign against Hezbollah is another central front. Every blow to Iran’s military buildup and the Revolutionary Guards also harms Hezbollah’s weapons supply and funding. The impact of the strikes against the radical regime in Iran is also being felt in the campaign against Hezbollah.”

He added that in recent weeks, Israeli forces launched a targeted ground operation in southern Lebanon aimed at pushing threats away from the border and ensuring long-term security for residents of northern Israel.

“In the past two weeks, we initiated a focused ground operation in southern Lebanon with the goal of removing the threat from the border and ensuring long-term security for northern residents. Northern Command is conducting a determined campaign against Hezbollah, during which more than 400 terrorists have been eliminated so far, including senior figures in the organization.”

Zamir stressed that the military intends to continue intensifying its efforts until all objectives are achieved, while simultaneously strengthening defensive measures.

“We are determined to deepen the operation until all our objectives are achieved. At the same time, we are reinforcing our defenses and strengthening Northern Command with additional forces. Hezbollah is currently fighting a war for its very existence. It is paying a heavy price for entering this conflict, and the pressure on it will only increase.”

Concluding his remarks, the chief of staff praised the troops for their efforts and underscored the need to remain focused on eliminating threats and protecting Israeli communities.

“In the past week, the forces in Northern Command have been operating with determination and strength—I greatly appreciate that. Now we must focus on removing threats, strengthening the defense of the communities, and continuing to intensify the damage to Hezbollah.”

{Matzav.com}

Lakewood area residents can now receive thousands of everyday items from Amazon within just a few hours, as the online retail giant introduced new ultra-fast delivery options across the United States.

The company today announced that customers in more than 2,000 cities, towns and suburban communities across the country can now order from a selection of over 90,000 products and have them delivered within three hours. The items include household essentials such as pantry staples, cleaning supplies, over-the-counter medications, electronics, toys and clothing.

For the Lakewood area, and across most of New Jersey, shoppers can now choose the three-hour delivery option for eligible items when placing orders online. For members of the company’s Prime subscription service, the three-hour delivery costs $4.99, while non-members pay $14.99.

Amazon is also introducing a faster one-hour delivery service in hundreds of locations nationwide, primarily in larger metropolitan areas and select smaller cities. That option costs $9.99 for Prime members and $19.99 for non-members.

The Seattle-based company said the expansion builds on its growing same-day delivery network, which relies on nearby fulfillment centers and specialized sorting systems to move packages from warehouse shelves to customers’ doorsteps within hours.

Amazon said the new delivery speeds are intended to make it easier for customers to quickly replace everyday necessities, such as paper towels, diapers or household supplies, without making a trip to the store. The move also intensifies competition with retailers such as Walmart that have been expanding their own same-day delivery services.

Customers can see whether an item qualifies for rapid delivery by checking delivery options at checkout or browsing Amazon’s same-day storefront online.

At a joint press briefing in Jerusalem on Tuesday with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar addressed the recent killing of two senior Iranian figures, presenting the strikes as part of a broader effort to counter regional threats posed by Tehran.

“Last night, the IDF took out Commander of the Basij Gholamreza Soleimani, and his deputy and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani,” Sa’ar said.

He continued by asserting that their removal also benefits Iranian civilians, pointing to their roles in suppressing dissent. “the Iranians are also safer without them,” he said.

Brilliant speech by @gidonsaar – take a listen.

“He had a $10 million price on his head in the US, we did it for free any how” – referencing Ali Larijani

The part where he turns to the Estonian Minister and says:

“We still haven’t seen anything from Mojtaba, wouldn’t you… pic.twitter.com/0e7QgnYr46

— Kosher (@koshercockney) March 17, 2026

Expanding on their records, Sa’ar described both men as key enforcers of internal repression. “The Basij, under Soleimani’s command, was responsible for the brutal repression of the Iranian people seeking their freedom. Soleimani was under US and EU sanctions for his role in repressing Iranians. Larijani was also under US sanctions, for the same reason, with a 10 million dollar prize on his head. We did it for free, anyhow. Our actions are weakening its repression mechanism. The regime can only be toppled by the Iranian people. Yet without external help, the Iranian people can’t liberate themselves,” Sa’ar said.

Sa’ar characterized Iran as a central destabilizing force worldwide. He referred to the regime as “the number one source of regional and global instability,” and accused it of exporting “extremism, terror and bloodshed” since 1979.

He further outlined Iran’s network of allied militant groups across the Middle East. According to Sa’ar, Tehran has established “a proxy network of terror states across the region,” including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen.

Discussing recent violence, Sa’ar claimed the regime intentionally targets civilians. He pointed to specific incidents, stating that it “deliberately attacks civilian populations,” including what he described as a strike near a major Christian site in Jerusalem. “Yesterday, it hit by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem,” he said, adding that he spoke with the Patriarch to express solidarity.

He also cited attacks affecting both Muslim and Jewish communities, referencing “a Mosque on Ramadan” in the village of Zarzir and “a synagogue in Beit Shemesh, killing 9 Jews.”

Turning to Iran’s military capabilities, Sa’ar said ongoing efforts by Israel and the United States are aimed at dismantling key components of Iran’s strategic arsenal. “Israel and the United States are taking out Iran’s nuclear program,” he said, along with its missile infrastructure and broader military production capacity.

He emphasized that these threats extend beyond Israel. “These don’t just threaten Israel, but also other countries in the Middle East and Europe,” he said, adding that such operations would “directly impact European security for the better.”

Sa’ar also warned about disruptions to global shipping routes, attributing them to Iranian-backed forces. He described the situation as “modern piracy,” stating, “The Houthis… crippled the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea,” and added, “Now, the Iranian regime is blocking international shipping and the flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz.”

He cautioned that if left unchecked, these tactics could spread to other parts of the world.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON (AP) — Legislation that would require proof of U.S. citizenship for new voters has become a rallying cry for President Donald Trump, who claims that passage of the bill will “guarantee the midterms” for his Republican Party in November.

The bill, which the Senate will take up as early as Tuesday, would require voters to provide proof of citizenship when they register and to present approved identification when they go to the polls, among other new rules that Trump and his most loyal supporters are pushing as part of an effort to assert more federal control over elections.

Federal law already requires that voters in national elections be U.S. citizens. But the legislation would lay out strict new requirements for voters to prove their status.

Democrats are uniformly opposed to the legislation and expected to block its passage through the Senate. They say the legislation would disenfranchise millions of American voters who don’t have birth certificates or other documents readily available — both Republicans and Democrats who would be newly registering to vote.

Despite the long odds of success, Trump has been pushing Senate Majority Leader John Thune to move ahead with the bill and suggested Republicans eliminate the filibuster or find another workaround to pass it. Thune has repeatedly said there isn’t enough support in the Senate to do that.

Instead, Republicans plan to hold an extended debate on the bill for a week or more, an effort to try and appease Trump and make Democrats defend their position.

The bill would “require Americans to demonstrate that they’re eligible to vote,” Thune said last week. “And that they are who they say they are.”

Proof of citizenship would be needed for new voters
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or the SAVE America Act, would force Americans to prove they are citizens when they register to vote, mostly through a valid U.S. passport or birth certificate.

Driver’s licenses in many states would not be enough. The legislation says that the identification must be compliant with new REAL ID rules and also indicate that the applicant is a citizen of the United States — which few state licenses do.

A person registering to vote could also present a passport or a birth certificate. U.S. military members could present a military ID along with a record of service that shows where they were born.

Most people registering to vote would have to present the documents in person at an elections office, including people who vote by mail. Advocacy groups that oppose the legislation say that the bill would crush voter registration efforts ahead of this year’s elections.

The bill would create new penalties for election officials who register applicants who have not presented documentary proof of citizenship. Opponents say that provision could potentially scare workers into turning away valid applicants while also discouraging people from working or volunteering at polling locations. It would also allow private individuals to sue election officials in some circumstances.

Voter identification expansion would include mail-in ballots
While federal law requires that voters are U.S. citizens, there is not currently a nationwide requirement that voters must show identification when they go to vote. Currently, 36 states have voter identification laws in place, some stricter than others, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The bill would require voters in all states to present valid identification, and those voting by mail would have to send a photocopy. Overseas military and some qualified disabled individuals would be exempt from those rules.

Republican supporters most frequently highlight this section of the bill when pushing for its passage. Thune said last week that if you have to show an ID to get a library card, “it’s not too much to ask voters to show ID to vote in federal elections.”

States would be required to share their voter rolls
The legislation would require states to share voters’ information with the Department of Homeland Security as a way to verify the citizenship of the names on the voter rolls — giving the federal government unprecedented access to state voter data. Many states are already embroiled in legal fights with the Trump administration over demands that they provide voter information.

Supporters of the state-federal sharing say that it would enable DHS to compare the state information with their own databases that are used to verify immigration status.

But Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer predicted that handing over names to the federal government would allow DHS to ”purge tens of millions of people from the voter rolls.”

Trump pushes for Republicans to add his other priorities
Senate Republicans are expected to offer amendments on the floor as part of their talkathon in support of the bill. Trump has said he wants more provisions added, including a ban on mail-in ballots, which are used by many states.

Trump has long criticized mail-in ballots and used it as a central argument in his false claims of fraud in the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. But voting groups — and many lawmakers in both parties — have long championed the practice as helping to make it easier for Americans to vote.

The president also wants to add two unrelated provisions around transgender rights issues — one that would ban those born as men from playing in women’s sports and another to block sex reassignment surgeries on some minors.

Many requirements would begin right away
If the SAVE America Act were enacted, the new rules for voter registration and voter identification at the polls would take effect immediately. Trump says it’s necessary for Republicans to win in the midterm elections — even though they won both chambers of Congress and the White House without the law in 2024.

With primary elections getting underway next month, critics say it would be difficult and costly for state election officials to implement, and could confuse voters.

Marc Elias, a Democratic elections attorney, said he isn’t ”aware of any state that currently requires what this would require.”

“If it’s passed tomorrow, the day after states would need to implement this,” Elias said.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A day after a video of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting a Jerusalem café went viral online, attention has shifted from the political message (assuring viewers that the prime minister was alive and well) to an unexpected figure in the background: a teenage barista who briefly appeared serving coffee.

The clip, filmed at the HaSataf café in Jerusalem and released by the Prime Minister’s Office, shows Netanyahu addressing rumors circulating on social media about his health and condition.

While the video was intended as a direct response to online conspiracy theories, many viewers instead focused on the smiling employee seen behind the counter.

Social media users quickly began sharing screenshots of the pretty young barista, with some posts gaining hundreds of thousands of views on the platform X.

One widely circulated comment claimed the employee had “done more to fight antisemitism in 24 hours than the Anti-Defamation League has in years,” reflecting the viral tone of the discussion.

The 17 years old Israeli barista who appeared only briefly in a video released Sunday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from a café has become an unexpected internet sensation, with screenshots and clips of her circulating widely on social media.

“This girl has done more to… pic.twitter.com/WCkak14yRw

— Iris (@streetwize) March 16, 2026

According to posts from the account “Global Updates,” the teenager effectively became an internet celebrity after appearing in the clip while serving coffee to the Israeli leader. Users across multiple languages, including Spanish, shared memes and commentary about the moment.

The 17-year-old girl, whose parents asked to keep her identity private and not publish her name, received on Monday an offer for representation from Israeli talent agent Roberto Ben Shoshan, as reported by Maariv.

But that’s not all: Since the initial report was published, the offers reaching the barista have ranged from “tens of thousands of shekels” for campaigns with leading fashion companies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a recent interview with Israeli outlet i24NEWS that Russia is providing Iran with drone technology, as tensions rise following Iranian warnings that Ukraine has become a “legitimate target” due to its support for Israel.

Addressing the threats from Tehran, Zelensky made clear that such messages do not intimidate him or his country.

“We are not afraid of such messages; we have been living with messages like this every day for the past four years,” the president said.

During the interview, Zelensky also discussed the evolution of Iranian drone capabilities, arguing that the weapons being used today are significantly different from those deployed earlier in the war.

“It is impossible to compare the ‘Shahed’ from the beginning of the war to the ‘Shahed’ of today. In 99% of cases, the ‘Shahed’ has been used against Ukrainian civilians,” he said, adding that he is “certain” Russia is supplying Iran with Shahed-type drones.

Zelensky pointed to physical evidence, saying that components recovered from a drone strike in the Middle East indicate Russian involvement in their production.

“We saw several components from one of the ‘Shahed’ drones that struck a country in the Middle East. These were Russian components, so we know the Iranians did not manufacture it,” he said.

In recent days, Iran escalated its rhetoric, warning Ukraine that it has become a legitimate military target because of assistance it has provided to Israel.

Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, wrote on X that Ukraine’s actions have placed it directly in the conflict.

“By providing support to the Israeli regime through drones, the collapsing Ukraine is effectively involved in the war. According to Article 51 of the UN Charter, this has made its entire territory a legitimate target for Iran.”

The warning followed comments earlier in the week from Zelensky, who confirmed that Ukraine had sent interceptor drones, along with teams of experts and operators, to Jordan in order to help defend U.S. bases in the country.

Separately, reports indicated that Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu has sought to arrange a conversation with Zelensky regarding potential cooperation between Israel and Ukraine in countering Iranian drone threats.

{Matzav.com}

SYDNEY — The family of a man accused of carrying out a deadly shooting at a Jewish celebration in Sydney is asking a court to restrict publication of their personal details, citing safety concerns after alleged threats and harassment.

Naveed Akram, 24, faces multiple charges over the December 14 attack at Bondi Beach, where authorities say 15 people were killed during a Hanukkah gathering.

His defense team told a court Tuesday that relatives have received threats and have been targeted at their home, prompting a request for a gag order to block the release of identifying information, including names, address and workplaces.

Lawyers argued the publicity surrounding the case has put the family at risk from members of the public acting out of anger.

Akram appeared in court via video link and did not speak beyond confirming he could follow proceedings. He has not yet entered a plea.

Several media organizations are opposing the request, arguing that restricting coverage would conflict with the principle of open justice and the public’s right to information in a case of national significance.

A judge is expected to rule on the request at a later date.

Akram is charged with dozens of offenses, including multiple counts of murder and terrorism-related charges. Police allege he acted alongside his father, who was killed by officers at the scene.

Investigators say the attack was ideologically motivated and has intensified national debate over extremism, antisemitism and security policies.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) A satirical tweet by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s former spokesman, David Keyes, briefly misled some Arab media outlets ahead of an Israeli strike that killed Ali Larijani.

Three days before the strike, Keyes posted a photo of Larijani surrounded by security personnel, highlighting a man walking behind him and claiming the figure, named “Haba Bator,” was a senior agent and his friend. “Larijani is next,” Keyes wrote in the tweet. The name “Haba Bator” is a Hebrew pun meaning “next in line,” reflecting Keyes’ sardonic humor.

Despite the tongue-in-cheek intent, the tweet was widely shared. Faisal al-Qassem, a prominent Al Jazeera journalist with more than six million followers, posted the image and text as fact, writing that Larijani was “in for an ‘interesting’ week” and implying the tweet predicted the strike.

Hours later, Israeli officials confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces had carried out a targeted strike in Tehran, killing Larijani, who had served as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and had been operating underground in recent days.

The incident highlighted how satire can be misinterpreted in fast-moving international news cycles, especially during high-tension events.

Larijani is next. How do I know? Because the guy circled in red, Haba Bator, is one of our top agents and happens to be my best friend. Haba just returned from Iran this morning and, with Mojtaba dead, Larijani is going to have a very interesting week. pic.twitter.com/3Thj9nng0q

— David Keyes (@DavidMKeyes) March 13, 2026

ديفيد كيز المتحدث السابق باسم رئيس الوزراء الاسرائيلي قبل ثلاثة أيام نشر تغريدة مع صورة للاربجاني ومجموعة من مرافقيه، ويظهر في الصورة شخص كان يمشي خلف لاريجاني بأمتار، قال عنه ديفيد كيز ان هذا الشخص صديقي وهو عميل لنا واسمه هالا باتور، ودعوني اقول لكم ان لاريجاني سيكون الهدف… pic.twitter.com/03kRhAS1HW

— فيصل القاسم (@kasimf) March 17, 2026

Following the initial pilot program for outbound travel, the Ministry of Transport has approved an increase in the passenger limit, now allowing up to 120 passengers on each departing flight from Ben Gurion Airport. The move is intended to ease restrictions and enable more travelers to leave the country under current conditions.

Officials stress that the framework remains subject to change, with further adjustments possible based on ongoing security assessments and government decisions.

TOPSHOT – Members of Israeli security services inspect a crater near a road outside Israel’s Ben Gurion airport after a missile launched from Yemen struck the area on May 4, 2025. A missile launched from Yemen struck near Israel’s main international airport on May 4, Israeli authorities said, an attack that briefly halted air traffic and triggered threats of retaliation. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Mayor Zohran Mamdani used a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast at Gracie Mansion as a platform to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, drawing parallels between Ireland’s history and the struggles of Palestinians.

Speaking alongside former Irish President Mary Robinson, Mamdani criticized what he called the “deafening silence from so many” on the Israel-Hamas conflict. He praised Robinson for her human rights work and her advocacy for Palestinians, saying, “Her solidarity is many things — unwavering, sincere, and chief among them Irish.”

Mamdani compared the struggles of the Irish, both in Ireland and in New York, to those of Palestinians, calling the ongoing violence in Gaza “genocide” and urging broader attention to humanitarian concerns. He also thanked Irish New Yorkers for supporting what he described as the “fight for a future of justice.”

Robinson highlighted a range of global conflicts, including Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, noting that Ireland’s own history of famine, exile, and conflict resonates with the suffering of displaced populations worldwide.

The mayor’s remarks came just hours before he was scheduled to attend a Catholic mass and participate in the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. Earlier, Mamdani admitted uncertainty when asked about his position on a unified Ireland.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani Hosts Breakfast to Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day https://t.co/bkzgu6Lrvs

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) March 17, 2026

Israel launched a barrage of strikes overnight in Iran, taking out 300 members of the Basij paramilitary force, an all-volunteer branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, along with its commander Gholamreza Soleimani, its deputy commander, and senior officials.

The strikes targeted key command and operational centers of the brutally repressive force that participated in the bloody crackdown on the January protests that saw as many as 36,000 protesters killed, according to some human rights groups.

The strikes reportedly destroyed a Basij maintenance and repair center that housed hundreds of motorcycles and vehicles the Basij deployed in street operations, taking out the entire fleet. Buildings that belonged to the IRGC responsible for Tehran operations also appeared to be destroyed. Strategic command centers and security battalions that played a role in the crackdowns also sustained heavy damage.

After a missile fragment struck Rechov Yerushalayim in Bnei Brak, thousands of residents rushed to the scene, creating a massive crowd that quickly became the most striking aspect of the incident. Beyond the physical damage, the overwhelming number of onlookers—far greater than usual—drew widespread attention.

Photos from the area showed clear destruction, but in a city known for its distinct character, it was the surge of curious residents that stood out most. While such gatherings are not uncommon in Bnei Brak, many said this time the scale appeared to break previous records.

To understand the phenomenon, local personalities described reactions that ranged from humor to discomfort. Some noted that the behavior reflects a deeply rooted cultural pattern within the city.

Despite the jokes, observers stressed that Bnei Brak is a city that consistently provokes strong reactions. Its intensity, constant movement, and unpredictability shape how residents respond to unfolding events.

On the ground, however, emergency responders described a far more difficult reality. The sheer volume of people created major obstacles for rescue and medical teams attempting to operate effectively.

Efi Feldman, head of the United Hatzalah branch in Bnei Brak, said the situation quickly became unmanageable as crowds poured into the area.

“When there are no schools or structured frameworks, the situation spirals out of control. Everyone who is outside ends up heading in the same direction. As time passed, the streets became so crowded that we had to use barriers to create controlled zones for medical and emotional care.”

He explained that although the number of injured was relatively small, the emotional toll was severe, particularly for families who lost their homes in an instant.

“Thank God there were only a small number of injuries, but entire families lost their homes in a single moment and had to pack up their lives into bags. When thousands of people are standing around watching you at your most vulnerable moment—it is extremely difficult.”

Feldman urged the public to act with greater responsibility in the future, emphasizing both safety and basic human dignity.

“Beyond the fact that staying in a protected area saves lives, I ask people to think about mutual respect. When someone sees a family being evacuated to a hospital or taken from their destroyed home to temporary housing and just stands there watching—it is a lack of respect. Everyone needs to ask themselves what matters more: their curiosity or ‘love your fellow as yourself.’”

Others pointed to a deeper cultural explanation for the phenomenon. Chilik Rosenberg, who leads guided tours of Bnei Brak for secular visitors, said the answer lies in the community’s intense appreciation for life.

“People in Bnei Brak truly love life. Not everyone in the world experiences life with that kind of intensity. Every event excites them, and they immediately come to experience it fully.”

He added that visitors are often surprised by the city’s nonstop energy, even late at night.

“Secular visitors are surprised to discover that Bnei Brak is the real city that never stops. At midnight, the city is still full and alive. Today, unlike in the past, Tel Aviv is no longer a nonstop city—it’s quiet at night.”

Rosenberg concluded that being a Bnei Brak resident reflects a lifestyle rooted in Torah, vitality, and a deep sense of belonging.

“It means living at the center of things, in a stronghold of identity. It gives children a sense of rootedness and connection.”

{Matzav.com}

Perhaps they thought they could use the war as cover for their illicit activities, but if so, they were wrong: Two antiquities thieves were caught at the Horvat Hermesh site, home to ancient Roman- and Byzantine-era settlements. The Israel Antiquities Authority, along with an inspector from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and a local security guard, discovered the looters neck-deep in a six-foot pit they had dug near an ancient oil press installation. The authorities called Border Police to apprehend them and bring them to the Zichron Yaakov police station for questioning.

In a strange twist, the police and the suspects, along with about 30 others, found themselves taking shelter during a rocket attack while the arrest was being conducted. The police were able to complete the detention once the all-clear sounded.

The thieves disturbed archaeological layers at the excavation site and destroyed some pottery, essential for dating as well as understanding historical patterns of settlement.

The artifacts pictured here were discovered in the suspects’ possession. (Credit: Border Police Spokesperson)

Stealing antiquities appears to be a popular wartime activity, as two other would-be antiquities thieves were arrested in a separate incident. Using metal detectors and excavation tools, the looters dug up artifacts at the Horvat Hadarim archaeological site along the Carmel coast. Police discovered the artifacts in their possession at the time of their arrest.

“Surrealistically, even in such tense times, when security forces and citizens are faced with life-threatening issues, there are those who try to exploit the situation and search for antiquities, while harming Israel’s heritage sites,” said Nir Distelfeld, the IAA’s Theft Prevention Unit’s Northern Region Supervisor.

“The Israel Antiquities Authority’s Theft Prevention Unit continues its activities on an ongoing basis, even during the war, with the aim of protecting the country’s cultural assets and past.”

Israel Antiquities Authority inspector Nir Distelfeld stands in front of the shelter where police and suspects took cover during an alert. (Credit: Eitan Klein, Israel Antiquities Authority)

However, stealing antiquities goes far beyond the ordinary nefariousness of looting: It erases history. The IAA reports hundreds of thefts a year. Many such incidents occur in remote areas where enforcement is weaker, resulting in the permanent loss of archaeological documentation.

“Antiquities robbers are not ordinary criminals, but rather saboteurs of history,” declared Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu. “They know full well that the archaeological finds in the Land of Israel are the infallible proof of our right to this land. Every pottery shard, every coin, and every relic testify that this has been our land and homeland since the days of our forefather Abraham.”

“That is why they do not hesitate to harm our history precisely in times of war,” he added. “Because it is part of the war. The war is over heritage, over history, over the question of who this land belongs to.”

But thanks to the alertness of the IAA, none of the suspects got away with their plans to sabotage Jewish history.

Q: It states, גדול העונה יותר מן המברך, that he gets schar when he answers the other’s bracha more than the one who says the bracha. Why is it so?

A: I’ll explain it to you.

It states the one who says amen is bigger than the one who makes the bracha. If you hear a bracha and you say amen, you’re bigger than he is. Why is that?

When a person makes a bracha, it’s a bother for you. He’s matri’ach you to say amen. It was his idea, he wants to make a bracha. Now you think, “Why didn’t he make the bracha quietly. He shouldn’t bother me to answer amen.” So you’re somewhat annoyed. But no, you are misgaber al yitzrecha, you say, “Ooh, you made a bracha, I want to join in. I want to participate,” and you are misgaber on your yetzer and you say, “I’m joining in,” and say amen, you’re bigger than he is. He did what he wanted. You’re doing what he wanted, therefore you get more schar.

And therefore, when you see somebody doing something good, so don’t say, “Well let him do it. I won’t help him.” No, if he did something good, join in. Join in it.

And that’s why if a person is kofeh es yitzro, he’s bigger than the one who started out and did his own will.

(Toras Avidgor – October 1995)

A key Knesset committee on Monday approved moving forward with legislation that would strengthen the authority of the Chief Rabbinate over the Kosel area, advancing the proposal to the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee in preparation for its first reading in the Knesset plenum.

The committee that will now handle the bill is headed by MK Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionism party, who has often worked closely with the chareidi parties on matters relating to religion and state.

The legislation, introduced by MK Avi Maoz of the Noam party, had already passed its initial stage last month. It seeks to address a recent High Court ruling that directed the government to proceed with plans to upgrade the separate area near the Kosel designated for non-Orthodox prayer.

Those plans trace back to an arrangement from roughly a decade ago, during the tenure of then-Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, which proposed the creation of a formalized space for pluralistic prayer at the site. That arrangement has remained largely stalled.

Under the current proposal, final authority over all sections of the Kosel, including the adjacent plaza used by non-Orthodox groups, would be placed in the hands of the two chief rabbis of Israel. The bill would also define any conduct at the site that runs contrary to their directives as a “desecration” of a holy place.

As written, the legislation stipulates that such a violation could carry a penalty of up to seven years in prison.

MK Maoz welcomed the bill’s progress, stating that it brings closer the goal of limiting the involvement of the High Court in matters relating to the Kosel. He said the move would return oversight of the site “to its natural and proper place, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, and will safeguard the sanctity of the remnant of our Holy Temple.”

The advancement of the bill, of course, prompted sharp criticism from leaders of Reform and other non-Orthodox movements, who argued that the legislation marginalizes large segments of world Jewry.

The radical, trouble-making group Women of the Wall, which advocates for expanded prayer rights at the site, also voiced strong opposition. “You have to rub your eyes in disbelief,” the organization said in a statement.

The bill had previously passed its preliminary reading in the Knesset by a vote of 56–47.

{Matzav.com}

Over the past year, even before the current war with Iran, there were many concrete intelligence warnings about potential attacks on Israeli ambassadors and diplomats, especially in countries with large Muslim immigrant populations.

These warnings have soared in recent weeks, forcing a dramatic shift in the daily lives of Israeli ambassadors and diplomats, with some even evacuated from their host countries, Ynet reported on Monday.

Iran, which is desperate to score a propaganda victory on an Israeli target, has begun activating sleeper terror cells worldwide in desperate attempts to assassinate Israeli diplomats, chalilah, and target Israeli and Jewish communities.

The Foreign Ministry’s security division is now grappling with perhaps its most challenging security situation in Israeli history. Many ambassadors have been instructed to work from home, and some have been completely prohibited from leaving their residences, even after working hours. Every outing, even to the supermarket, requires prior approval from the mission’s security officer.

As a result, numerous diplomatic missions have been closed, with operations relocated to the protected spaces in diplomats’ homes.

The strain is clearly reflected in testimonies from diplomats on the front lines. One veteran diplomat told Ynet that such stringent measures had never been implemented before: “We are restricted in our movements, in our daily activities—everything requires approval. Unlike the past, we now feel that the Iranian terror ring is tightening around our necks, and that there is a real threat to our lives and the lives of our families.”

Another diplomat described the personal toll: “This time, we’re afraid the situation will last for a long time. There’s even a possibility this will become the new routine we’ll have to adapt to, and it will have serious consequences for our families—especially young children. How do you explain to a small child that they can’t go down to the playground or attend the activities they’re used to?”

Some diplomatic missions were instructed to ask local security authorities to increase security measures for embassy buildings and diplomats. Some countries agreed but others refused, raising the possibility that the embassies in those countries will not be able to reopen in the near future.

In response to the growing threats, the Foreign Ministry has established a new operational framework dividing its global missions into four risk-level categories:

• 65 missions will operate at 50% (staffing) capacity for six hours a day.
  12 missions will operate at 30% capacity for six hours a day.
  10 missions will open three times a week, operating at 30% capacity with six-hour workdays.
  12 missions will operate entirely remotely from diplomats’ homes, with no physical presence at the embassy.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

HAVANA (AP) — Officials in Cuba reported an islandwide blackout Monday in the country of some 11 million people as its energy and economic crises deepen and its power grid continues to crumble.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines on X noted a “complete disconnection” of the country’s electrical system and said it was investigating, noting there were no failures in the units that were operating when the grid collapsed.

Lázaro Guerra, the ministry’s electricity director, told state media late Monday that crews were trying to restart several thermoelectric plants, which are key to restoring power.

“It must be done gradually to avoid setbacks,” he said. “Because systems, when very weak, are more susceptible to failure.”

As night fell, candles began to burn in some homes while the sounds of children playing and singing with their mother filled one dark house in Havana.

“We have to prepare a mattress for the girls here so that they can sleep here because we have no choice,” said Yuneici Cecilia Riviaux, as she motioned to an open door. “I don’t have a rechargeable fan or a generator.”

It was the third major blackout in Cuba over the past four months.

Tomás David Velázquez Felipe, a 61-year-old resident of Havana, said the relentless outages make him think that Cubans who can should just pack up and leave the island. “What little we have to eat spoils,” he said. “Our people are too old to keep suffering.”

By Monday night, state-owned media reported that crews had restored power to 5% of Havana’s residents, representing some 42,000 customers, as well as several hospitals across the island. Officials said they would prioritize the communications sector next, all while warning that the small circuits restored so far could fail again.

Cuba’s aging grid has drastically eroded in recent years, leading to daily outages and an increase in islandwide blackouts. But the government also has blamed its woes on a U.S. energy blockade after U.S. President Donald Trump in January warned of tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. The Trump administration is demanding that Cuba release political prisoners and move toward political and economic liberalization in return for a lifting of sanctions. Trump also has raised the possibility of a “friendly takeover of Cuba.”

On Monday, he said he believes he’ll have the “honor of taking Cuba.”

“I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I could do anything I want with it,” Trump said about Cuba, calling it a “very weakened nation.”

The Trump administration is looking for Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to leave power as the United States continues to negotiate with the Cuban government about the island nation’s future, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge of talks between Washington and Havana.

Both spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive talks and did not offer any detail about who the administration might like to see come to power.

They confirmed the Trump administration’s desire to see Díaz-Canel leave power days after the Cuban president publicly confirmed for the first time that his government has held talks with the Trump administration. The administration’s push for the ouster of Díaz-Canel was first reported by The New York Times earlier Monday.

Grinding blackouts
William LeoGrande, a professor at American University who has tracked Cuba for years, said the country’s energy grid hasn’t been maintained properly and its infrastructure is “way past its normal useful life.”

“The technicians working on the grid are magicians to keep it running at all given the shape that it’s in,” LeoGrande said.

LeoGrande said that if the island drastically reduces consumption and expands renewables, it can struggle along for a while without oil shipments. “But it would be constant misery for the general population, and eventually, the economy could collapse just completely and then you would have social chaos and probably mass migration,” he said.

To ramp up solar power even faster than Cuba did last year, LeoGrande said other countries, principally China, would have to be willing to double or more their provision of such equipment.

Díaz-Canel on Friday said the island had not received oil shipments in three months and was operating on solar power, natural gas and thermoelectric plants, and that the government has had to postpone surgeries for tens of thousands of people.

Yaimisel Sánchez Peña, 48, said she was upset that the food she buys with money that her son in the U.S. sends keeps spoiling, adding that the outages also affect her 72-year-old mother: “Every day, she suffers.”

Mercedes Velázquez, a 71-year-old Cuban resident, lamented yet another blackout. “We’re here waiting to see what happens,” she said, adding that she recently gave away part of a soup she made while it was still fresh so as not to throw it out. “Everything goes bad.”

‘A perfect storm of collapse’
A massive outage over a week ago affected the island’s west, leaving millions without power. Another major blackout affected western Cuba in early December.

Critical oil shipments from Venezuela were halted after the U.S. attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its then-president, Nicolás Maduro.

While Cuba produces 40% of its petroleum and has been generating its own power, it hasn’t been sufficient to meet demand as its electric grid continues to crumble.

“And on top of all that, the Cuban government doesn’t have the hard currency to import spare parts or upgrade the plant or grid itself. It’s just a perfect storm of collapse,” LeoGrande said.

He noted that the thermoelectric plants also have been using heavy oil, whose sulfur content is corroding the equipment.

The deputy prime minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Óscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, told reporters Monday that Cuba is open to trading with U.S. companies while noting the embargo’s limitations.

He said he’s also implementing new measures aimed at boosting the island’s economy. Among those is the possibility of allowing Cubans residing abroad to be partners or owners of private companies in the country and to be involved in large-scale projects, including those related to infrastructure, according to state media.

He said those Cubans will be allowed to partner with Cuban private companies and establish ties with both state-owned and private Cuban entities.

Pérez-Oliva added that the government also will grant land under usufruct for the development of certain projects.

He said Cubans residing abroad also will be able to open foreign currency bank accounts in Cuban banks, which will facilitate transactions.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel’s prosecution has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court challenging the three-year prison sentence handed down to Elimelech Stern, a young ultra-Orthodox man convicted of contacting an Iranian agent, saying the punishment is too lenient.

According to the appeal, the sentence does not reflect the severity of Stern’s actions and could encourage attempts to recruit Israelis on behalf of Iran, posing a risk to national security.

Stern was convicted of maintaining ongoing contact with an individual acting for Iranian intelligence, performing tasks for payment, and recruiting others to assist in the operations. Prosecutors said the relationship developed over time and involved willingness to carry out actions that could endanger Israel’s security.

The district court in Jerusalem initially sentenced Stern to three years in prison, along with additional penalties.

The State Attorney’s Office, through the head of its criminal division, Rachel Matar, argued in the appeal that the sentence is far too light and fails to convey the gravity of Stern’s offenses. The prosecution emphasized that Iranian attempts to recruit Israeli citizens for intelligence purposes demand a strong and uncompromising response, both to reflect the seriousness of the acts and to deter others from cooperating with foreign operatives.

“This sentence falls far short of achieving those objectives,” the appeal said.

The case is the first in a series of legal proceedings involving Israelis accused of collaborating with Iranian agents following Israel’s recent military operations in the region.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has flatly rejected overtures to de-escalate the growing conflict with the United States, signaling that Tehran is preparing for a prolonged and potentially more dangerous phase of confrontation.

According to a senior Iranian official who spoke on condition of anonymity, multiple proposals aimed at reducing tensions — including ceasefire frameworks — were quietly transmitted to Tehran through two intermediary countries. Khamenei, however, dismissed them outright.

In what the official described as his first major foreign policy session since assuming leadership, Khamenei adopted an uncompromising stance, calling explicitly for revenge against both the United States and Israel. His position, the official said, was “very tough and serious,” though it remains unclear whether he attended the session in person or directed it from a secure location.

Khamenei reportedly declared that now is not “the right time for peace,” insisting that any cessation of hostilities would only come after the United States and Israel are “brought to their knees,” forced to accept defeat, and compelled to pay compensation.

The rejection of diplomacy comes as the strategic choke point of the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical transit corridors — remains largely closed. Despite pressure from Washington, U.S. allies have so far declined a request from President Donald Trump to participate in efforts to reopen the vital waterway, underscoring growing hesitation among international partners to become directly entangled in the conflict.

The continued disruption has already begun rippling through global markets. Energy prices have climbed sharply in recent days, fueling mounting concerns about inflation and the broader stability of the global economy.

Compounding the diplomatic deadlock, three sources told Reuters on March 14 that the Trump administration itself had rebuffed separate attempts by Middle Eastern allies to initiate negotiations aimed at ending the war — a sign that both sides may be digging in rather than seeking an exit ramp.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un issued a stark warning over the weekend, declaring that the United States and South Korea would soon grasp the “destructive power of tactical nuclear weapon” [sic] following a major rocket test, according to state-run media.

Official outlets in Pyongyang released images from the launch, showing Kim observing the exercise alongside his young daughter, Ju-ae, who is believed to be around 12 years old. In recent months, Kim has repeatedly brought her to high-profile events, including a recent visit to a weapons facility. Intelligence officials in South Korea have assessed that she is being positioned as a future leader of the regime, where the ruling family is treated with near-religious reverence.

While the photographs highlighted the presence of Kim’s daughter, the written report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) focused instead on the weaponry involved and the purpose of the test.

“The drill involved twelve 600mm-calibre ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers and two artillery companies,” KCNA explained, noting that the launch occurred on Saturday. Another government-controlled publication, Rodong Sinmun, reported that the rockets struck a target island in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) with what it described as “100 percent” accuracy. Kim indicated that the system is capable of delivering nuclear warheads.

“He said that the drill would expose the forces hostile to the DPRK, the enemies within the 420-km [about 260 miles] striking range, to uneasiness,” KCNA paraphrased Kim as saying, “making a signaling wave stronger than the aimed, and give them a deep understanding of the destructive power of tactical nuclear weapon.”

Kim characterized the weapon used in the test as both highly lethal and technologically advanced, calling it among the most sophisticated systems of its kind globally. He also signaled that similar exercises would continue on a regular basis.

“As I have already stated, our powerful attacking capability is, in effect, for defending ourselves,” Kim was quoted as saying. “It is because the most powerful attacking capability precisely means a reliable defense capability. It is, in the true sense of the word, a means of deterring war.”

He further warned that American and South Korean military facilities located within the system’s range would be unable to withstand such strikes. Analysts in South Korea echoed those concerns, pointing to the potential threat posed by the weapon system.

“It openly signals that major U.S. military air bases in South Korea, including those in Pyeongtaek, Osan, and Gunsan, fall within the strike range,” researcher Hong Min told the newspaper. “It also showcases North Korea’s ability to conduct ‘tactical nuclear saturation’ strikes to counter the combined air power of South Korea and the United States.”

Observers believe the latest demonstration is partially tied to broader global tensions, particularly the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, which began on February 28 when President Donald Trump announced Operation Epic Fury. That campaign has resulted in the deaths of numerous senior Iranian figures, including “supreme leader” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and has significantly weakened Iran’s military posture. Although North Koreans are barred from accessing independent news sources, state media has covered developments in Iran, a longtime ally of Pyongyang, and recently issued a statement recognizing Mojtaba Khamenei as the new “supreme leader.”

“Regarding the recent official announcement that the Iranian Assembly of Experts has elected a new leader of the Islamic Revolution, we respect the right and choice of the Iranian people to elect their Supreme Leader,” the Foreign Ministry said.

Though Kim did not explicitly reference Iran during the rocket launch, he stressed the importance of convincing adversaries that any attack on North Korea would carry an unacceptable cost.

At the same time, there are indications of possible diplomatic movement. President Donald Trump reportedly reached out to South Korean officials last week, expressing interest in renewing dialogue with Kim. The two leaders previously met multiple times, including historic encounters that marked the first visit by a sitting American president to North Korea. After the conclusion of Trump’s term, Kim even sent a message of support following an assassination attempt against Trump in 2024.

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who met with Trump at the White House on Friday, said the topic of North Korea featured prominently in their discussions.

“I maintain a good relationship with Kim Jong-un. I am curious whether the chairman wants to engage in dialogue with the U.S. or with me,” Kim Min-seok said that Trump told him during the meeting, which reportedly included in-depth discussions on North Korea.

The prime minister said he encouraged continued engagement, emphasizing the value of maintaining open lines of communication.

“I maintain a good relationship with Kim Jong-un. I am curious whether the chairman wants to engage in dialogue with the U.S. or with me,” Kim Min-seok said that Trump told him during the meeting, which reportedly included in-depth discussions on North Korea.

He added that South Korea’s leadership views Trump as uniquely positioned to advance peace efforts on the peninsula.

“the only leader and peacemaker who can resolve the Korean Peninsula issue is President Trump.”

Trump’s interest in diplomacy comes as he weighs a potential visit to China in the coming weeks. Reports have suggested a possible trip to Beijing between March 31 and April 2, though Chinese officials have not confirmed any such plans. On Sunday, Trump indicated that the visit could be postponed, citing frustration over China’s lack of action in addressing Iran’s threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later downplayed those concerns, saying any change in schedule would not be tied to geopolitical demands.

“if the meetings are delayed, it wouldn’t be delayed because the president demanded that China police the Strait of Hormuz.”

“If the meeting, for some reason, is rescheduled, it would be rescheduled because of logistics,” he added.

China’s Foreign Ministry did not directly respond to Trump’s remarks during its regular briefing on Monday. However, officials addressed questions about whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio—who is under Chinese sanctions—would be permitted to join the trip.

“The sanctions target Mr. Rubio’s words and deeds when he served as a U.S. senator concerning China,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, indicating that Beijing would not prevent Rubio from entering the country.

{Matzav.com}

ATLANTA (AP) — Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed Tuesday, one day after powerful storms swept across the eastern half of the country and upended air travel in a cross-section of cities. Travelers have been facing additional jams at airport security checkpoints as a partial government shutdown strains screener staffing.

The disruptions come at an already challenging time for air travel, in part because the shutdown that began Feb. 14 has pressured staffing at some security checkpoints. At the same time, airports are crowded with spring break travelers and fans heading to March Madness games, the annual NCAA men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments.

Nearly 900 flights scheduled to fly into, out of or within the U.S. have been called off as of Tuesday morning, and nearly 1,800 were delayed, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.

Flight delays and cancellations piled up Monday at some of the nation’s largest airports, including those in New York, Chicago and Atlanta. The storm system that dumped heavy snow across the Midwest raced toward the East Coast with high winds reaching gusts near 50 mph (80 km) in parts of New York, the National Weather Service said.

Kelly Price, who was trying to get home to Colorado after a family vacation in Orlando, Florida, said her Sunday night flight wasn’t canceled until early Monday.

“By that time the only place for us to sleep was the airport floor. So we’re all tired and frustrated,” she said, adding that the soonest she and her family could book another flight doesn’t leave until Tuesday afternoon.

Impact to major airport hubs
The nationwide cancellations on Monday included about 600 in and out of Chicago O’Hare International, more than 470 at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International and over 450 at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, according to FlightAware.

Citing severe weather, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered ground stops at Hartsfield-Jackson and Charlotte Douglas International Airport and ground delays at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airport.

Danielle Cash found herself stranded in St. Louis on Sunday while trying to get home to Tampa, Florida, after a weekend girls’ trip to Las Vegas. Now she’s spending several hundred dollars more than planned on a hotel room in a snowy city she wasn’t dressed for.

“It was 80 degrees in Tampa when I left and then going to Vegas,” she said. “And it was 90 degrees in the desert.”

Cash said she’s now booked on a flight that will take her to Tennessee before finally returning to Tampa by Tuesday afternoon.

TSA staffing strains some checkpoints
The storms unfolded just as airport security screeners missed their first full paycheck over the weekend. The current partial government shutdown affects only the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Security Administration.

Democrats in Congress have said Homeland Security won’t get funded until new restrictions are placed on federal immigration operations following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this year.

It is the third shutdown in less than a year to leave TSA workers temporarily without pay. Once the government reopens, employees will have to wait for back pay.

Some airports have reported longer security lines because of staffing shortages as more TSA workers take on second jobs, can’t afford gas to get to work or leave the profession altogether. Homeland Security has said more than 300 TSA agents have quit since the start of the shutdown.

Security wait times could worsen
TSA union leaders in Atlanta held a news conference Monday outside Hartsfield-Jackson, warning that air travelers could face increasingly long wait times as the shutdown continues. Even so, union leaders said, many officers are still reporting to work despite mounting financial strain.

Many TSA workers “are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators and overdrawn bank accounts,” said Aaron Barker, a local leader with the American Federation of Government Employees. Supporters behind him held signs reading, “We want a paycheck, not a rain check.”

Travelers flying out of New Orleans on Sunday and Monday were advised to arrive at least three hours early “due to impacts from the federal government’s partial shutdown,” Louis Armstrong International Airport said on X. And the airport in Austin, Texas, shared a video on X taken at 5:30 a.m. local time showing the security line spilling out onto the sidewalk outside.

Back in Atlanta, Mel Stewart and his wife arrived four hours earlier than usual for their flight out of Hartsfield-Jackson to make up for longer TSA lines.

“I think it’s being politicized way too much — way too much,” Stewart said Monday of the shutdown. “And these people are working. They work hard, and for TSA people not to get paid, that’s silly.”

TEHRAM (VINnews) – A senior Iranian security official who publicly warned Donald Trump last week was killed in an overnight strike, Israeli officials said Tuesday, highlighting the rapid escalation of tensions in the region.

Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, had issued defiant warnings in recent days. In a televised interview, he dismissed U.S. threats, calling Iran “determined” and resilient, and on social media directly challenged Trump: “Iran does not fear your paper threats. Watch out for yourself — lest you be eliminated.”

Quds Day | Enghelab Street | Tehran | March 13, 2026 | 13 days after the martyrdom of @Khamenei_fa pic.twitter.com/vSF3Yx0YcC

— Ali Larijani | علی لاریجانی (@alilarijani_ir) March 13, 2026

Larijani also appeared publicly in Tehran days before the strike, joining crowds at a Quds Day rally with senior officials, projecting confidence despite mounting international pressure.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Larijani was among senior figures targeted in what he described as an ongoing campaign against Iran’s leadership. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar added a pointed remark about the operation: “Ali Larijani had a $10 million prize on his head. We did it for free.”

Iranian state media did not immediately confirm Larijani’s death.
IMG_4704

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Kuwaiti analyst Abdullah al-Nafisi analyzed in an interview published on Israel’s i24NEWS  the regional strategy of Iran, which he said includes unrestrained waves of missile and drone attacks against its neighboring Gulf states. He argued that this approach is part of the “testament” of Ali Khamenei, who, according to the claim, was eliminated at the beginning of Operation “Roaring Lion.”

“Khamenei wrote a testament just as Ruhollah Khomeini did,” al-Nafisi explained. “In it, he outlined guiding principles for Iran. Among other things, he said that if the revolution is under siege and under attack, and if you see this as the end of the revolution, then I demand that you make a decision on ‘independent fire’—meaning without waiting for orders from above.”

When asked whether this means that every faction or element could open fire without waiting for commands, al-Nafisi confirmed: “Exactly. That’s what I meant.”

According to a report by journalist Yaron Avraham on Channel 12 News, the head of Israeli military intelligence told the political leadership during a discussion: “The Iranians are revealing just how exposed their command structure is. They are firing whatever they are able to fire, there is no munitions economy. They simply cannot do more than that.”

Previously, Israel Defense Forces stated that around 2,200 targets belonging to the Iranian regime have been struck across Iran so far. According to a military source, about 85% of Iran’s air defense systems—including radar systems—have been damaged, along with roughly 70% of its ballistic missile launchers.

The source added that the IDF is operating under a structured operational plan prepared long in advance, involving thousands of personnel from military intelligence and various army units, both regular and reserve. Nearly all the targets attacked in the operation are newly defined targets identified after Operation “ Rising Lion,” reflecting what the source described as a broad intelligence effort that has spanned years and intensified particularly since the previous campaign.

It was also reported that the IDF estimates the fighting on both fronts—Iran and Lebanon—could continue for several more weeks, and possibly even into the month of May. According to a military source, most of the activity in Iran has so far focused on the Tehran area, with plans to expand operations to additional regions. On the same day, the Israeli Air Force reportedly operated simultaneously in Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz.

President Donald Trump on Monday pushed back against suggestions that the United States should begin looking for a way to de-escalate its ongoing confrontation with Iran, dismissing remarks made by adviser David Sacks urging a strategic withdrawal.

Sacks, a venture capitalist who advises Trump on matters related to artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, raised the idea during an appearance on the “All-In” podcast late last week, roughly two weeks after the fighting began.

“We should try to find the off-ramp,” he said, adding, “This is a good time to declare victory and get out.”

He cautioned that continuing the conflict could spiral into dangerous territory, warning of “frightening scenarios,” including the possibility of Israel “contemplating using a nuclear weapon,” which he described as “truly catastrophic.”

Although Israel has never officially confirmed possessing nuclear weapons, it is broadly assumed to have such capabilities.

Trump was questioned about Sacks’ comments during a press briefing following a meeting with the board of the Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The exchange was broadcast live on Newsmax and its streaming platform, Newsmax2.

“No, he hasn’t. Israel wouldn’t do that. Israel would never do that,” Trump said.

He went on to acknowledge that some believe the U.S. could disengage after dealing a significant blow to Iran’s capabilities, describing that viewpoint as one of several approaches under consideration.

“There’s a theory. You pounded them to hell, and you could just leave now, and it’ll take 10 years for them to build back, not nearly what they have right now. And I guess that’s another theory,” he continued.

Still, Trump made clear that his goal is a more decisive outcome—one that would prevent future administrations from having to revisit the issue.

“But we want to have it ended so that another president doesn’t have … look, for 47 years, no president was willing to do what I’m doing, and they should have done it a long time ago. It would have been a lot easier. There’s no president that wanted to do it,” Trump said.

He added that previous leaders were aware of the situation but chose not to act, recounting a private conversation with one former president who expressed regret.

“And yet every president knew. I’ve spoken to a certain president who I like, actually — a past president, former president. He said, ‘I wish I did it, I wish I did it.’ But they didn’t do it. I’m doing it.”

Trump declined to reveal the identity of that individual, explaining his reasoning with a final remark.

“I can’t tell you that. I don’t want to embarrass him. It would be very bad for his career, even though he’s got no career left.”

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez, warned that even military naval escorts cannot fully guarantee the safety of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

In an interview with the Financial Times published Tuesday, Dominguez said that while a military presence can reduce risks, it does not solve the problem:“The risk still exists, and ships and sailors could be harmed.” According to him, military escort is not a long-term or stable solution for keeping the shipping route open.

Since the outbreak of the war between the United States and Israel against Iran, the strait,through which about 20% of the world’s oil passes, has been almost completely shut down. According to reports, Iran has attacked at least 18 vessels in the area, and the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has even declared the strait “closed.”

The situation is already affecting the global economy: oil prices have surpassed $100 per barrel, raising concerns that the economic crisis could worsen. Despite statements by U.S. President Donald Trump about providing military escorts for commercial ships, such a move has not yet been implemented in practice.

Dominguez explained that the geographic conditions make defense particularly difficult: the strait is extremely narrow—only about 33 km wide at certain points—and the actual shipping lanes are much narrower. In addition, the mountains on the Iranian side give attackers a height advantage and the ability to strike quickly.

“We are essentially secondary victims of a conflict unrelated to shipping,” he said. At the same time, the organization is also concerned about ships stranded in the area. Some are beginning to suffer from shortages of food, water, and fuel. The organization has already reached out to shipping companies to gather information on supply conditions and provide assistance to vessels in distress.

“The situation is very worrying,” Dominguez added. “Ships cannot operate freely, and access to ports is also limited due to the attacks.” In the past two weeks, only a few dozen ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz—a sharp drop compared to normal times.

Dominguez called on shipping companies to avoid sailing in the area until the situation calms down:
“Do not risk crews and vessels. We must lower the flames before taking such risks.”

President Donald Trump stated on Monday that the United States could, at a moment’s notice, eliminate Iran’s primary oil export infrastructure on Kharg Island, emphasizing that such a move would require only “just one simple word.”

The remarks followed a U.S. strike late Friday targeting Iranian military assets on the small island, located roughly 15 miles off Iran’s northern coast in the Persian Gulf.

Speaking after a meeting of the Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts board, Trump explained that while American forces inflicted widespread destruction, they intentionally avoided damaging the island’s oil facilities, leaving them intact for potential use by a future regime.

“As you know, we attacked Kharg Island and knocked it … literally destroyed everything on the island except for the area where the oil is,” Trump said in remarks that aired live on Newsmax and the free Newsmax2 streaming platform. “I call it the pipes. We left the pipes.

“We didn’t want to do that, but we will do that. We can do that on five minutes’ notice; it will be over. But for purposes of someday rebuilding that country, I guess we did the right thing. But it may not stay that way. Just one simple word, and the pipes will be gone, too. But it will take a long time to rebuild that.”

Industry analysts note that any direct strike on Kharg Island’s oil infrastructure would effectively shut down a vast portion of Iran’s crude exports, cutting off a major revenue stream. The island is capable of handling approximately seven million barrels of oil per day and serves as a central export hub, particularly for shipments heading to countries like China.

Kharg Island has played a pivotal role in Iran’s oil operations for decades. Its development began in the early 1950s, when pipelines first connected mainland oil fields—starting with the Gachsaran field—to the island, establishing it as a key export terminal.

Further expansion followed, with storage facilities constructed beginning in 1956 and a major pipeline completed in 1959. By 1960, a deep-water terminal was operational, enabling large oil tankers to load crude directly offshore.

During the height of Iran’s oil expansion in the 1960s and 1970s, Kharg Island underwent significant upgrades through cooperation between the U.S.-based Amoco and the National Iranian Oil Company. By the early 1970s, it had grown into the country’s largest oil export terminal and one of the most significant offshore facilities worldwide.

Although Iranian officials have warned of severe retaliation if their oil infrastructure is attacked, Trump dismissed those threats, asserting that Tehran does not currently possess the capability to follow through.

He further claimed that since the launch of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, Iran’s offensive actions have dropped sharply, with ballistic missile activity reduced by 90% and drone operations down by 95%.

Trump also addressed ongoing efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for global energy supplies, noting that U.S. operations are progressing as planned after the destruction of most Iranian mine-laying vessels.

According to Trump, American forces have eliminated more than 30 such ships in recent days, effectively dismantling Iran’s ability to deploy naval mines. While acknowledging that Iran could attempt to use alternative vessels, he cautioned that doing so would carry severe consequences.

“If they do it, it’s a form of suicide,” Trump said, adding he is pressing European and other Western nations to send peacekeeping forces into the region to ensure the shipping lane remains clear.

{Matzav.com}

Forces from Division 36 have joined the expanded, targeted ground operation in southern Lebanon, the IDF announced on Tuesday morning.

In recent days, Division 36 forces began focused ground operations at an additional location in southern Lebanon to expand the forward defensive area against Hezbollah threats, an IDF statement said.

Division 36 forces will work together with Division 91 forces to reduce security threats and create an additional layer of security for residents of northern communities.

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Before the Division 36 forces advanced deeper into Lebanon, the IDF cleared the area with preliminary strikes by artillery and Air Force units.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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Gulf Arab states are urging the US not to end the war before the Islamic Republic is fully neutralized and unable to threaten the Gulf’s oil resources, three Gulf sources told Reuters.

A Gulf source said that leaders in the region are unanimous in their desire for Trump to degrade Iran’s military capacity comprehensively, seeing that as the only alternative to living under constant threat. If Iran is not severely weakened, it will continue to hold the entire region under ransom, the source said.

At the same time, the sources, along with five Western and Arab diplomats, said that Washington is pressuring the Gulf states to join the US-Israeli war.

“There is a wide feeling across the Gulf that Iran has crossed every red line with every Gulf country,” said Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Center and familiar with government thinking.

“At first we defended them and opposed the war,” he said. “But once they began directing strikes at us, they became an enemy. There is no other way to classify them.”

“If the Americans pull out before the task is complete, we’ll be left to confront Iran on our own,” he added.

Tehran’s attacks on the Gulf states’ oil facilities, airports, and commercial centers, along with its hijacking of the Strait of Hormuz, have reinforced decades-long Gulf fears about the threat posed by the Islamic Republic.

Regional sources say that unilateral military action by any Gulf state is not a viable option since it would expose individual countries to retaliation, leaving “collective intervention” as the only feasible way forward.

However, according to the report, “consensus is still elusive.” The six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE – have held just one Zoom call, and no Arab summit to discuss coordinated action is currently on the table.

According to Fawaz Gerges of the ⁠London School of Economics, the Arab Gulf states are facing a strategic dilemma: weighing the ongoing threat of Iranian attacks against the far greater risks of joining the US-Israeli war, which would turn them into open enemies of Iran and expose them to reprisal attacks. The result is that they are showing “calculated restraint”—defending their sovereignty without entering the war.

However, Sager noted that Saudi Arabia, Iran’s main rival for regional influence, would be forced to retaliate if Iran crossed red lines by striking major oil facilities or desalination plants or causing heavy casualties.

“In that case, Saudi Arabia would ​have no choice but to intervene,” he said, adding that even in such a case, he believes Riyadh would try to calibrate its response to avoid further escalation.

Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz is another thorny issue.

“Now that Iran has shown it can shut down Hormuz, the Gulf faces a fundamentally different threat,” said Bernard Haykel, professor of Near Eastern studies at ​Princeton University. “If it’s not addressed, this danger will be long-term.”

Haykel asserted that much of the Gulf’s oil and gas flows east to China, Japan, and other Asian economies, and that these economies must also take responsibility.

“China helped secure maritime routes off Somalia; it may be willing to step in here too,” he said.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld

Utility poles came down moments ago on County Line Road near Twin Oaks Drive in Lakewood as a result of the strong winds.

Power outages are being reported in the area.

Multiple trees are down in the Lakewood area as well.

Do not approach downed wires.

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MIAMI (VINnews)-Venezuela erupted for three two-out runs in the seventh inning to overcome Italy’s early lead, defeating the Cinderella Azzurri 4-2 on Monday night in the World Baseball Classic semifinals at loanDepot park.

The victory sends Venezuela to its first-ever WBC championship game, where it will face the United States on Tuesday night. Italy, which had stunned higher-seeded teams including the U.S. and Puerto Rico earlier in the tournament, saw its improbable run end despite a strong start.

Venezuela starter — with Italy’s Michael Lorenzen taking the loss after allowing three earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief work. Anthony Zerpa earned the win in relief for Venezuela, and David Palencia closed it out with a scoreless ninth for the save.

Italy jumped ahead early, building a 2-0 lead through the middle innings behind timely hitting. Venezuela chipped away with a solo home run by Eugenio Suarez in the fourth to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The game remained tight until the decisive seventh. With two outs and the bases loaded, Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia and Luis Arraez delivered consecutive RBI hits — including key two-out contributions — to plate three runs and give Venezuela a 4-2 advantage.

Venezuela’s bullpen held firm from there, stranding potential rallies and preserving the lead.

The South American powerhouse, loaded with MLB stars including Acuña, Arraez and others, had already eliminated defending champion Japan in the quarterfinals. This semifinal triumph marks a historic milestone for a nation long known for producing elite talent but never before reaching the WBC final.

Italy, managed by Venezuelan-born Francisco Cervelli — adding an emotional layer to the matchup — finishes with a remarkable run that included a perfect pool phase and upsets over powerhouses. The Azzurri’s blend of MLB contributors like Vinnie Pasquantino and others showcased baseball’s global growth.

Venezuela outhit Italy 8-? (details sparse in early reporting), committing no errors while capitalizing on late opportunities.

The final awaits Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, pitting Venezuela against the host nation U.S. in what promises to be a star-studded clash.

📰 Headline News

• Israeli strike reportedly destroys Khamenei’s private plane in Tehran.
• Injured Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly flown to Moscow for surgery after his father was killed.

🕍 Jewish News

• 1 in 5 U.K. students say they are hesitant to room with a Jewish student.
• The Oscars red carpet was full of hate when Javier Bardem declared “Free Palestine” on stage.

Israeli News

• Iranian missile booster falls near Tzefas, no major casualties reported.
• Six injured after Hezbollah rocket strikes home in Nahariya.
• IDF eliminates Hezbollah spokesperson and security chief.
• IDF says it eliminated a Hamas terror cell in Gaza just before an attack on Israeli forces.
• Israeli officials were warned that the U.S. expects a prolonged war due to the Hormuz Strait crisis and Iranian naval mine deployment.
• Israel lifts passenger limits on North America flights to help stranded citizens return home.
• Israir suspends regular flights until April 12 amid ongoing wartime disruptions.
• Emergency landing reported at Ben Gurion involving U.S. Air Force refueling planes; details under censorship.
• Home Front Command extends nationwide restrictions, meaning schools remain closed through at least Wednesday night.
• Israeli court challenges ban on female foreign construction workers to ease housing shortages.

🌍 International News

• Tornadoes reported in Arkansas as massive storm system moves east across the U.S.
• Tornado watch issued across much of the tri-state area.
• Over 26,000 flights were delayed or canceled nationwide due to storms and government shutdown disruptions.
• Footage suggests Iranian drone struck U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
• Saudi Crown Prince MBS urges Trump to intensify strikes against Iran.
• American Airlines launches new daily Philadelphia–Budapest route, first direct U.S.–Hungary connection in over 6 years.

🏛 Political News

• White House urges NATO allies to step up support in the fight against the Iranian regime.
• President Trump announces Chief of Staff Susie Wiles diagnosed with early-stage cancer; prognosis reported as excellent.
• Federal judge blocks RFK Jr.’s proposed cuts to childhood vaccine schedule.

National News

• Gas prices climb again, averaging $3.72 per gallon nationwide.
• Federal Reserve expected to hold interest rates steady amid war related uncertainty.
• Fire aboard USS Gerald Ford burns for over 30 hours in the main laundry area.

💼 Business News

• Bitcoin surges back above $75,000.
• Nvidia partners with BYD, Nissan, Hyundai, Geely, and Uber on new robo-taxi initiatives.

🏙 New York

• NYC Mayor Mamdani announces new 15 mph speed limits outside more than 800 schools.

President Donald Trump offered an unusual public assessment of French President Emmanuel Macron, saying he would rate the French leader “an 8 out of 10” while discussing relations with European allies.

Trump made the remarks while speaking about his interactions with Macron and cooperation with European leaders, offering a mix of praise and humor as he evaluated the French president’s performance.

“Yeah, I have spoken to him,” Trump said. “He’s been, on a scale of 0-10, I’d say he’s been an 8.”

Trump added that while Macron had done well overall, he was not perfect, joking that perfection was not expected given the challenges of leading France.

“Not perfect — but it’s France. We don’t expect perfect,” Trump said.

The remarks came as Trump discussed ongoing diplomatic engagement with European leaders and coordination with allies on international issues. Trump has maintained a sometimes complicated relationship with Macron, alternating between praise and criticism during various international disputes.

{Matzav.com}

A striking exchange between a yeshiva bochur and the tzaddik Rav Dov Kook of Tverya about the proper approach to limud haTorah has emerged.

Last week, a bochur from Yeshivas Shaarei Shmuos visited Rav Kook and asked him to write a dedication and bracha in the sefer Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah. Rav Kook responded that now that the young man is 20 years old, the sefer is appropriate for him, adding that for younger bochurim it is not yet suitable.

At that point, Rav Kook unexpectedly asked the bochur a question: Did he know how one becomes a true lamdan in Torah?

Rav Kook immediately answered his own question with a piece of advice. He warned the bochur not to overanalyze the concept of “methods of learning.”

“It is forbidden to think about this in a literal way,” Rav Kook said. “Because someone who thinks about it in a literal way becomes very confused. You must simply learn normally. What you understand, you understand. Learn in the straightforward way, and that is all.”

Rav Kook continued explaining why he discourages discussions about formal “approaches” or “systems” of learning.

“It damages a person very much when people talk about ‘methods of learning,’” he said. “And if there is anything that could truly be called a ‘method of learning,’ it is only Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah. That is learning in the fullest sense. There is no greater lomdus than this. What is explained there is extremely subtle, the finest of the fine. It is the ultimate peak.”

Later in the conversation, Rav Kook also spoke about the bochur’s rosh yeshiva, Rav Aryeh Shapira, praising the clarity of his teaching.

“Your rosh yeshiva, Reb Aryeh Shapira, has the quality that he speaks straight and clearly, with joy and without deviating to the side,” Rav Kook said. “He speaks in a healthy way — the healthiest way. I have seen this myself. He is very thoughtful. He was here several times. I heard him and saw that he is very clear. He is not simple. He is also the son of great people — his grandfather and his father.”

Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah is the second section of the sefer Tanya, written by the Alter Rebbe, Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi. In this section, the Alter Rebbe elaborates on the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov that belief in the unity of Hashem does not merely mean that there is no other higher power besides Him.

Rather, the teaching explains that Hashem is the only true reality, and nothing exists independently of Him — the concept expressed in the phrase Ein Od Milvado. Everything that appears to exist separately is not truly independent existence. The continued existence of creation depends at every moment on the divine word that sustains it; without that constant divine life-force, all creation would immediately revert to absolute nothingness, just as it was before the world was created.

{Matzav.com}

Approximately 200 U.S. service members have been injured during the ongoing war with Iran, according to U.S. Central Command.

CENTCOM spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said the injuries occurred across seven different countries during the military campaign.

The vast majority of the injuries were minor, and more than 180 troops have already returned to duty.

The latest figures mark an increase from the 140 injuries the Pentagon reported as of March 10. At that time, eight of the wounded were described as severely injured.

U.S. officials also confirmed that 13 American service members have been killed in action so far in the conflict.

Military officials note that injury numbers often change as some troops delay seeking medical care depending on the severity of their injuries.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Security forces on Monday removed a large Iranian missile that had fallen in the cemetery area of Tzfas, near the Arizal’s Mikvah, one of the city’s well-known sites visited by many people throughout the year. Despite the powerful impact and the sensitive location of the strike, the incident ended without injuries.

Authorities initially responded amid concerns that hazardous materials might be involved. The Environmental Protection Ministry said that emergency teams from Fire and Rescue Services were dispatched after reports of interceptor debris and a possible hazardous-materials incident.

Following extensive testing at the scene, officials determined that the situation did not involve dangerous materials. Instead, the fire that had broken out was caused by remnants of jet fuel still contained inside the missile. The ministry said it would continue monitoring the situation and stressed the importance of following Home Front Command instructions.

At the same time, Fire and Rescue officials in the Northern District reported that firefighters from the Galil-Golan station were handling several locations where missile fragments had landed in open areas around Tzfas. Additional monitoring teams conducted further inspections and confirmed that no environmental danger remained.

After the examinations were completed, residents who had initially been instructed to remain indoors were informed that they could safely return to their normal routines. Tzfas municipal spokesman Tamir Engel said all inspections had concluded and that there was no danger to the public.

The missile was transferred to security authorities for further handling, while city officials said emergency forces remain prepared for any additional developments.

{Matzav.com}

Representatives of Hamas held talks in Cairo with envoys from President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in an effort to preserve the Gaza ceasefire, which has come under strain since the U.S. and Israel launched their war with Iran, Reuters reports.

The meeting over the weekend is the first publicly known contact between Hamas and the board since the Iran war began. The board, chaired by Trump, was created to oversee postwar plans for Gaza.

Sources told Reuters that Hamas warned it could back away from some ceasefire commitments if Israel maintains restrictions imposed on Gaza during the Iran conflict.

Shortly after the meeting, Israel announced it would soon reopen the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which had been closed since the start of the Iran war.

Before the conflict with Iran, Trump’s Gaza plan had been a central element of his Middle East strategy. However, talks on Hamas disarmament — expected to be a key phase of the plan — have reportedly been paused since the war began.

U.S. officials confirmed that American envoys have been meeting regional partners in Cairo as part of ongoing efforts to advance Trump’s broader Gaza framework.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A prominent kashrus expert has issued a sharp warning against efforts by the Tzohar rabbinical organization to establish an independent kashrus certification system in Israel, arguing that such a move could undermine the existing national framework.

Speaking Monday night in an interview with Avi Mimran on the program Hamehadura Hamerkazit, Rav Yochanan Reichman strongly criticized Tzohar’s petition to Israel’s High Court of Justice seeking permission to issue kashrus certificates without the approval of the Chief Rabbinate. According to Rav Reichman, the very act of asking the court to serve as an independent regulator raises serious concerns. “The very appeal to the High Court to act as its own regulator raises questions and red flags,” he said, adding that even the strictest badatz organizations operate in coordination with the Rabbinate.

Rav Reichman argued that attempts to create an alternative kashrus structure built on halachic leniencies are fundamentally flawed. “To base kashrus on bedieved, on shaas hadechak, on heterim—that is not how you run a system. No one begins with Plan B,” he said. As an illustration, he recounted a story about the renowned Yerushalmi tzaddik Rav Dovid Baharan, who once wept when he was forced to rely on a halachic bedieved ruling.

According to Rav Reichman, a proper kashrus system must be established from the outset on the highest lechatchila standards, with leniencies used only in rare and pressing situations.

During the interview, the discussion compared the national kashrus framework to other state institutions such as the military and the healthcare system. Rav Reichman warned that dismantling the centralized structure could lead to chaos. “Tomorrow everyone will set up his own army, his own hospital. That would be destruction,” he said. “You would be taking an institution that has stood for years with the backing of the gedolei Yisroel and destroying it.”

He pointed to the Military Rabbinate as an example of a successful state-run religious institution and questioned why Tzohar was not pursuing cooperation with the Chief Rabbinate in the same way other private kashrus bodies do.

Toward the end of the conversation, Rav Reichman addressed Tzohar chairman Rav Dovid Stav personally, saying that while he knows him and recognizes his positive character, he is surprised by the direction the organization has taken professionally.

“I say to Tzohar: be like everyone else. Don’t try to damage the kashrus of Am Yisroel,” Reichman said.

Host Avi Mimran concluded the discussion by noting that the issue will now move to deliberations in both the High Court and the Knesset, where it will be decided whether the Chief Rabbinate’s authority over kashrus certification will remain intact or whether the system will open to broader competition.

Religious and political leaders are closely watching the developments, as a ruling by the High Court could significantly reshape the kashrus landscape for restaurants and food establishments across Israel. Supporters of the initiative argue it could lower prices and improve service, while critics like Rav Reichman warn it could weaken the halachic integrity of the country’s established kashrus system.

{Matzav.com}

To preface what I’m going to write, this is to be clear – this issue doesn’t warrant an asifa, but it’s an issue nonetheless.

We all grew up with composers and singers in our lives. They weren’t singing to be role models, rather singing as a parnassah. Even today, I believe most of them are still like that.

This letter isn’t about protesting them.

We also grew up with children singing in different contexts – shuls, choirs, and small groups. In the earlier days, it was the London Boys Choir, Pirchei etc. For the last 40-plus years, it was the Miami Boys Choir. There were some others recently, like Yeshiva Boys Choir, Shalsheles Jr, Sheves Chaveirim, and so on. These choirs and groups were led by people of stellar character e.g. Yerachmiel Begun, Eli Gerstner, Ari Goldwag, etc, who composed and produced beautiful songs with messaging properly given.

Recently, however, a new group began taking over the scene. This group has been very successful at getting themselves out there, and have proven to be far more influential than any other choirs or youth groups in recent memory.

This wouldn’t be an issue at all, if the songs and messaging contained within them were proper and good for chinuch. However, due to this groups messaging, combined with their meteoric rise, we must speak up.

Childrens’ brains are not fully developed, and thereby are very impressionable, being influenced by what they hear and see. This is true when the influence comes from adults, and fifty times truer when coming from other children, due to them being much more relatable. Again, this is great when the messaging is proper.

But the songs coming out of this group are just atrocious for chinuch. Songs aspiring to be like other singers, to be a “billionare”, in “Hashem’s army” are just not the right way. They defend them and say “No – the messaging of the song is about that they are in Hashem’s army, or that איזהו עשיר השמח בחלקו.”

This is incorrect. Maybe those are the words of the songs, but that’s not what the kids see and internalize. All the kids absorb is that being an “influencer” is a thing to aspire to be, and this happens by seeing this group clad in different forms of “swag”, singing that they want to be like Zusha, or in army fatigues in a military jeep, singing that they fight battles.

I believe it’s accurate to say that most parents aren’t raising their children to be influencers, so why are parents letting these songs play in their houses? We all remember the major protests that occurred against the songs “Ben Bag Bag”, “Hashem Melech” etc. Those songs are nothing compared to the latest round of songs being released by this group. Why don’t I hear anybody discussing this?

This would’ve been maybe a smaller issue, but now they’re having livestreams with these kids to talk directly to your children’s brain. Do you want that as a parent?

Signed,

Y.D.

Cedarhurst, NY

The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

There are several thousand more young women than young men currently in shidduchim. Several thousand more young women than young men — in the wealthiest, most educated, most resourced generation of Torah Jewry in American history. This is the documented conclusion of an extensive research survey conducted throughout the litvish yeshivah community in the United States, with the input of leading shadchanim and roshei mosdos.

True – the girls that are hurt are not the wealthy ones, they are not the Roshei Yeshivah einiklech, they are the vast hamoin am.. the daughters of the yungeleit, the struggling baal habatim, and so many others. We have girls who have not received a single shidduch call in months — if not ever.

The Torah commands us, “Lo Sa’amod al Dam Rei’echa” — do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor. The gedolei hador of the previous generation declared in writing that it is assur for anyone who can help to stand passively by. We cannot ignore the needs of half of Klal Yisroel. The time to act is now.

Chochma BaGoyim Taamin

The Midrash in Eichah Rabbah (2:13) teaches us: “Im yomar lecha adam: Chochma baGoyim — Taamin. If a person tells you that the nations of the world possess wisdom — believe it. Torah baGoyim — al Taamin. But if they tell you that the nations of the world possess Torah — do not believe it.”

We are instructed to take Chochma seriously. The empirical sciences, mathematics, economics, the study of how systems behave — these are chochma. And Chazal tell us: taamin. Believe it. Use it.

Our gedolim have applied this principle throughout the generations

Three of the world’s foremost experts in the science of matching markets and queue theory have produced findings that apply directly — with surgical precision — to the shidduch crisis and to the structural damage caused by the Freezer. The Torah tells us: taamin. Listen to what they have found.

Nobel Laureate Professor Alvin Roth, Stanford University

Winner of the 2012 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his foundational work on matching markets — Professor Roth devoted his career to studying the precise kind of system our shidduch world represents: a two-sided market where two groups must find each other, and where price alone cannot clear the market. He uses marriage itself as his primary model.

In his landmark paper “Jumping the Gun: Imperfections and Institutions Related to the Timing of Market Transactions” (American Economic Review, 1994), Roth documented a phenomenon he calls “unraveling” — the destructive timing failures that occur in matching systems. He found that timing problems:

“…play an important and persistent role in a wide variety of settings” — explicitly including “marriage in a variety of cultures.”

— Alvin Roth, “Jumping the Gun,” American Economic Review, 1994

Roth further showed that when one side of a matching system is held back and then released in a synchronized wave — precisely what the Freezer does to bochurim — the result is “congestion”: a catastrophic overload in which a sudden surge of participants meets an accumulated backlog they cannot process equitably. In his research on the market for clinical psychologists, Roth documented that congestion left thousands of participants “stranded” without a match — assigned to no one — not because of a shortage of partners, but purely because of the structural timing failure.

The parallel to our situation is not metaphorical. It is exact.

Professor John D.C. Little, MIT

Professor John Little of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology published in 1961 what is now called “Little’s Law” — the foundational theorem of all queue theory, cited in virtually every textbook on operations research, supply chain management, and systems analysis. It is one of the most proven and universally applied mathematical theorems in modern science.

Little’s Law states with mathematical certainty:

“An arrival rate exceeding an exit rate would represent an unstable system, where the number of waiting customers in the store would gradually increase towards infinity.”

— Professor John D.C. Little, MIT, “A Proof of the Queuing Formula: L = λW,” Operations Research, 1961

And the most devastating aspect of this law — the part that applies most directly to our situation:

“The relationship is not influenced by the arrival process distribution, the service distribution, the service order, or practically anything else.”

— Little’s Law, as stated universally in operations research literature

In plain language: once a timing imbalance is introduced into a matching system, the backlog will grow — inevitably, mathematically, and regardless of the goodwill, effort, or intentions of any participant in the system. No amount of harder work by shadchanim, no increase in dedication by families, no additional effort by the bochurim themselves will overcome a structural timing distortion. The math is the math. The Freezer introduced the imbalance. Little’s Law tells us: the queue will grow.

Professors Alvin Roth and Xiaolin Xing, on Congestion and Stranded Participants

In their jointly published research, Roth and Xing documented what happens when a large matching system attempts to process too many participants in too narrow a window of time:

“Congestion is an issue whenever a large number of offers have to be made [simultaneously]. The system… stranded [thousands of participants] on waiting lists… assigned to no one or to options for which they expressed no preference.”

— Roth and Xing, as documented in Roth and Niederle, “Matching,” Stanford University/NBER

This is the precise mechanism the Freezer creates. By holding back an entire cohort of bochurim and releasing them at once into a pool of girls that has been accumulating for months, the system is flooded. Bochurim cannot adequately evaluate the full pool. They gravitate toward the newest, youngest entrants. The girls who have been waiting longest — those who entered the system months or years earlier — are stranded. They are not passed over because of any failing of their own. They are stranded by a structural timing failure that science can identify, name, and measure.

The Structural Cause: How the Pipeline Breaks

To fix a problem, we must understand it. The primary cause of the crisis is well-known: bochurim generally marry girls a number of years younger than themselves. Since the Jewish population grows every year, Baruch Hashem, this age gap means more girls enter shidduchim each year than boys — and many girls are inevitably left behind.

But there is a second, compounding structural factor: the timing distortion caused by the BMG Freezer. Any bochur who arrives for the winter zman, beginning Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, must wait three and a half months until the Fifteenth of Shvat before he may begin dating. He signs a written agreement to this effect. The stated purpose was noble: to allow bochurim to become acclimated to their new yeshivah and learn without interruption.

But the road to structural damage is often paved with noble intentions. Here is what the Freezer does to the pipeline:

1. While boys are frozen and unable to date, girls continue entering the system unimpeded. The pool of waiting girls grows month after month.
2. When the boys are finally released, they do not encounter one group of girls — they encounter multiple years’ worth of girls simultaneously.
3. Because of the deeply rooted norm that bochurim marry younger girls, they gravitate toward the newest, youngest entrants.
4. The earlier groups of girls — who have been waiting longest — are bypassed again. Their backlog does not clear. It deepens with every cycle.

The Freezer does not merely delay dating. It synchronizes male entry, prevents earlier participation, amplifies the age gap, and causes each group of boys to encounter multiple groups of girls at once. Each of these four effects independently harms our bnos Yisroel. Together, compounded over thirty years, they have produced the crisis we see today.

The MDSD: Thirty Years of Incremental Damage

There is a concept we must name: the Male Dating Start Date, or MDSD. Over the last twenty-five to thirty years, the age at which American litvish bochurim begin dating has crept steadily upward. What began with a few months’ restriction has become a norm where young men begin dating at 23 or 24, while our young women begin at 18 or 19.

Think of the leading cause of highway traffic congestion — rubbernecking. A car stopped on the shoulder, completely off the road, creates no physical obstruction. Yet each driver taps his brakes ever so slightly to look. That almost imperceptible slowdown cascades backward for two miles, bringing thousands to a standstill. No single driver caused the jam — yet the jam is real, the delay is real, and everyone downstream suffers.

That is precisely what happened to our shidduch system. Each incremental delay — a few more months here, a slightly older standard there — compounded upon the last. Over thirty years, the Male Dating Start Date jumped by years. And because our population has, Baruch Hashem, grown exponentially, each added year of delay leaves exponentially more young women without prospects. This may even constitute a violation of v’Asisa HaTov v’HaYashar — the Torah’s requirement that we do what is right and good.

The Halacha: An Unambiguous Record

The halachic record on this among the gedolei hador is clear. The Chazon Ish, Rav Shach, Rav Elyashiv, Rav Shteinman, Rav Auerbach, Rav Kanievsky, Rav Gershon Edelstein, Rav Yisrael Yaakov Fisher, and lbc”l Rav Moshe Sternbuch — all ruled that a yeshivah Freezer policy constitutes a condition that contradicts a Torah precept and is therefore null and void. The principle invoked by each of them is the same: masneh al mah shekasuv baTorah — one who stipulates against what is written in the Torah, his stipulation is negated.

The Chazon Ish

During the lifetime of the Chazon Ish, a similar arrangement existed in Eretz Yisroel, where bochurim signed agreements not to date during the zman. The Chazon Ish ruled explicitly that a bachur may disregard such a signed agreement — because the yeshivah is guilty of masneh al mah shekasuv baTorah. A condition that contradicts the Torah obligation to marry is null and void, regardless of the signature. This ruling is recorded in Maaseh Ish, vol. 1, p. 290, and vol. 2, p. 206.

Rav Elazar Menachem Shach zt”l

Rav Shach zt”l was asked about Freezer policies on three separate occasions. All three times, he paskened that the bachur should disregard the restriction. This author personally spoke at length with one of the individuals involved. Rav Shach’s words were direct:

“You cannot make a bas Yisroel wait for three months, and if a good shidduch comes your way, it is incumbent upon you to begin dating.”

— Rav Elazar Menachem Shach zt”l

These were not theoretical words. Rav Shach was speaking about a real bas Yisroel who was waiting. His burning concern for her is palpable across the decades.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l

Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l was presented with a precise, practical question: a bachur must choose between a yeshivah where he would learn better but faces a four-month dating restriction, or a yeshivah with no restriction where he would learn less optimally. Rav Chaim responded in his own handwriting:

“Any bachur — in any yeshivah — is not obligated to adhere to any such rule restricting dating because it is likened to masneh al mah shekasuv baTorah — placing a condition on something written in the Torah, and such a condition is negated.”

— Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l, written responsum

Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l

Rav Shteinman zt”l wrote in a letter:

“Although the common practice is to delay dating until at least twenty, this is only if the bachur himself wishes to delay, but we may not force him to do so, and it is prohibited for a yeshivah to stop a bachur from dating.”

— Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l, written letter

Rav Gershon Edelstein zt”l, Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky shlita, and Others

When the Mashgiach of Ponevezh sought to restrict the Tshalmers — young men from Yerushalmi families who traditionally married at 19 or 20 — from dating early, Rav Gershon Edelstein zt”l ruled that it would be forbidden to do so. [Heard directly by this author from Rav Edelstein’s gabbai on 17 Elul 5772.]

This author has it on good authority that Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky shlita personally called one of the Roshei Yeshivah in the United States and pleaded with him to remove the dating restriction, to help alleviate the suffering of so many bnos Yisroel. At an Agudas Yisroel symposium, Rav Elya Ber Wachfogel shlita stated that if the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah were alive today, the first matter they would address is the crisis facing our young women.

An extensive sefer on this topic — Torah B’Taharah by Rav Kalman Krohn zt”l (1947–2018) of Lakewood, NJ — was published with the approbation of many gedolim. Rav Kalman writes from the depth of his heart, imploring yeshivos to immediately rescind their Freezer policies, stating that in our time and generation there is no heter whatsoever for such a policy.

It’s Been Done Before: Takanas Shum

There was a previous shidduch crisis in Jewish history. Young women were not getting married. The greatest Rabbis of the generation convened, assessed the structural cause, and enacted a solution. It worked.

The Crusades, illness, and the devastation of medieval Europe produced a heartbreaking reality: when a young husband died, his wife’s entire dowry passed to his family. Parents, fearing this loss, stopped providing dowries — and without dowries, young women could not find shidduchim. The Gedolim of Speyer, Worms, and Mainz — the communities of Shum — gathered in Troyes in 1160. Among those present were Rabbeinu Tam and the Rashbam, grandsons of Rashi, and the Raavan, one of the early Baalei HaTosfos. Over 250 Rishonim attended. Their takanah reversed the dowry law for the first year of marriage. The crisis resolved. It is codified in the Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 53:3.

They identified a structural cause. They convened. They legislated. They saved our daughters.

We need a Takanas Shum 2.0.

Conclusion: The Halacha Is Clear. The Science Confirms It. The Obligation Is Now.

The Midrash Eichah Rabbah told us: Chochma baGoyim — taamin. And the chochma of the world’s leading scientists in matching markets and queue theory tells us, in precise mathematical terms, exactly what our gedolim ruled through Torah logic alone: the Freezer policy is causing structural, compounding, self-reinforcing harm to our bnos Yisroel. It is not a contributing factor. It is a mathematically inevitable generator of backlog.

Nobel Laureate Alvin Roth identified that timing failures in matching markets cause participants to be permanently stranded — not because of numbers, but because of structure. MIT’s John D.C. Little proved with mathematical certainty that when the arrival rate of one side of a system exceeds the exit rate, the queue grows toward infinity — and that this result is unaffected by effort, intention, or goodwill. The chochma of the nations confirms what our greatest poskim already knew.

The halachic record is unambiguous. The Chazon Ish, Rav Shach, Rav Elyashiv, Rav Shteinman, Rav Auerbach, Rav Kanievsky, Rav Gershon Edelstein, Rav Moshe Sternbuch, and others all ruled: the Freezer is a condition that contradicts a Torah precept. It is void. At 23 or 24 years of age, the requirement to marry is paramount to the kedusha and tahara of Klal Yisroel. The logic is simple: a signed paper stating a bachur will not don tefillin for three and a half months is worthless. So is a signed paper stating he will not pursue marriage.

Some have argued that curtailing the Freezer saves only a few months — too small to matter. This misunderstands how structural damage accumulates. The rubbernecking driver barely touches his brakes. Yet two miles behind him, traffic stops. Remove the obstruction and the cascade reverses. A consistent structural correction, applied now, will change the pipeline over time. Begin. We are obligated to begin.

As a first step, we humbly and urgently call upon the yeshivos to eliminate the Freezer entirely — or at minimum to reduce the restriction so that bochurim traveling home for Chanukah may date. Let them build homes of kedusha and tahara. Let our daughters stop waiting.

V’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha. This is a mitzvah. It is also a chiyuv. And now — with the voice of Torah and the voice of chochma l’havdil – speaking in unison — we have no excuse to stand by.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Twice on Monday, President Donald Trump said he’d wrangled a confession of sorts from an Oval Office predecessor who he said had expressed regret in a private conversation about not attacking Iran the way Trump has been doing for more than two weeks.

But there’s just a little problem: Representatives for the four living former presidents — three Democrats and one Republican — said none have been in touch with Trump recently.

Trump declined to name the former president when reporters asked who it was, saying he didn’t want to “embarrass him.”

The Republican president first told the story during extended remarks about the Iran war as he opened a meeting of the board of trustees of the Kennedy Center. Trump is chairman of the board and held the meeting at the White House.

He repeated that Iran had been a threat to the United States for decades but said he is the only president who had the courage to do something about it.

“Look, for 47 years, no president was willing to do what I’m doing, and they should have done it a long time ago,” he said. “It would have been a lot easier. There’s no president that wanted to do it.

“And yet every president knew. I’ve spoken to a certain president, who I like, actually, a past president, a former president. He said, ‘I wish I did it, I wish I did,’ but they didn’t do it. I’m doing it,” Trump continued.

Asked which former president he’d spoken to, Trump said: “I can’t tell you that. I don’t want to embarrass him. It would be very bad for his career, even though he’s got no career.”

Representatives for each of former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden said they had not spoken with Trump recently. The individuals spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the former presidents’ private conversations.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment after being informed that none of the former presidents said he had spoken with Trump recently.

Trump and all four past presidents were last together in the same space for his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025 — well before the war.

He has been extremely critical of Biden and Obama, often saying Biden is the “worst president in the history of our country” and accusing Obama of negotiating a “horrible deal” with Iran over its nuclear weapons. Trump withdrew the U.S. from that agreement the first time he was president.

But the Republican recently offered sympathetic comments about Clinton, saying it “bothers” him that the former president had been called to give a deposition to Congress about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“I liked Bill Clinton. I still like Bill Clinton,” Trump said in a Feb. 4 interview with NBC News. “I liked his behavior toward me. I thought he got me, he understood me.”

Trump repeated his story about discussing Iran with a former president later Monday in the Oval Office, where he announced that Vice President JD Vance will lead a task force that was created to eliminate fraud in federal benefit programs.

“Was it George W. Bush?” a reporter asked.

“No,” Trump said.

“Was it Bill Clinton?” the reporter asked.

Trump said: “I don’t want to say. I don’t want to say,” then added that “it’s somebody that happens to like me. And I like that person, who’s a smart person. But that person said, ‘I wish I did it,’ OK, but I don’t want to get into who, OK. I don’t want to get them into trouble.”

A public dispute between Rov Yosef Chaim Ohev Tzion and radio host Menachem Toker over women’s shaitelach took an unexpected turn Monday when the rov joined Toker live on the air, turning what had been a controversy into a cordial on-air reconciliation.

Rov Ohev Tzion, a prominent speaker at the Moussaieff Shul, appeared on Toker’s program Zman Avir after recently criticizing the host over remarks related to women’s wigs. The conversation, arranged by the show’s editor Kobi Segal, quickly developed into a warm and respectful exchange.

The rov emphasized that he had no intention of insulting Toker personally. “People tried to inflame the situation. We do not want to hurt any Jew. We know the good things you do,” he said. Toker immediately responded with respect, saying, “I forgive in advance. Who am I to speak about the rov?”

Much of the discussion focused on the controversy surrounding wigs that had sparked the original criticism. Rov Ohev Tzion explained that his concern was with how wigs are sometimes presented in magazines. “I was shocked to see a certain picture of wigs that were displayed in a very inappropriate way,” he said.

He also referred to the ruling of Rav Ovadia Yosef, who strongly opposed the wearing of wigs. Rov Ohev Tzion added that even authorities who permitted wigs did not have today’s modern styles in mind. “If they were living in our times, they would certainly forbid the wigs of today,” he said. He concluded by stressing that a mother’s modesty is an important key to raising righteous children.

Toward the end of the broadcast, the rov shared several segulos connected with the upcoming month of Nissan. Among them was an unusual suggestion for preventing migraines. “A person who gets a haircut on Wednesday, which is the eve of Rosh Chodesh Nissan, will not have headaches for the entire year,” he said.

He also encouraged people to daven for parnassah on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. “This is the time to ask for parnassah. The Ribbono Shel Olam renews the entire creation,” he said. Rov Ohev Tzion added that giving Kimcha D’Pischa charity before Pesach serves as protection from serious misfortune.

The conversation concluded on a positive note, with Toker thanking the rov for joining the program and expressing hope that he would appear again in the future. Rov Ohev Tzion, who lives in Ramat Shlomo and delivers shiurim on Tuesdays and Thursdays, ended by offering Toker a bracha: “Continue doing good for the Jewish people.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s housing market may have just gotten an important, if still fresh, jolt from an unexpected direction. In Israel’s current market, the central problem is no longer only planning homes. It is building them on time, at scale, and with enough manpower to keep projects moving. Courts have held that the sweeping prohibition against foreign female construction workers was discriminatory and sent the issue back to the Population and Immigration Authority and the Ministry of Construction and Housing to formulate conditions under which women could be recruited for construction work, particularly in “wet works” such as steelwork, formwork, plastering and flooring.

That matters because the labor shock that hit Israeli construction after the war has still not fully cleared. Bank of Israel data show that before the war the industry employed about 365,000 people, including roughly 109,000 Palestinians and 32,000 foreign workers. After Palestinian entry was cut off, the workforce fell by more than a third. By the end of 2024, foreign workers had risen from about 29,000 to roughly 63,000, and the quota had been expanded from 42,000 to 110,000, but the industry was still about 10% below its prewar labor level. In other words, Israel has been adding labor, but not fast enough to fully replace what it lost.

From a property-market perspective, that gap is critical. The Bank of Israel said the construction sector’s labor shortage lengthened timelines, slowed completions and raised financing costs for contractors. It also noted that housing demand recovered while home prices rose 7.3% in 2024, partly because buyers were worried future supply would remain constrained. Even a modest widening of the labor pool could help relieve pressure where Israel’s market is most fragile, which is not land allocation alone but the conversion of approved units into actual delivered apartments.

On one hand, Israel’s planning machine has been aggressive. National planning bodies approved 223,164 housing units in 2025, well above target, according to a year-end Planning Administration report cited by Ynet. On the other hand, approvals do not pour concrete. The OECD has warned that increasing housing supply over the medium term requires fixing the construction-worker shortage, and the Bank of Israel has made much the same point that planning can move, but execution still collides with labor constraints, site bottlenecks and slower completions.

Israel has already leaned heavily on foreign labor and foreign construction capacity. A government tender published late last year said ten foreign construction companies already operating in Israel were employing about 10,000 foreign workers, and the state has continued expanding foreign-worker channels to support residential building. But if ministries now design a workable framework for female foreign labor, the impact could be larger than the immediate headcount. It would give manpower corporations and contractors another recruitment lane in trades where shortages remain acute, while signaling that the state is finally treating labor supply as a flexible economic variable rather than a fixed administrative category.

In court, the state argued that construction sites pose unique risks for women, especially where a small number of women would work alongside large numbers of men, raising concerns about harassment and exploitation. Those concerns are serious, and they are exactly why the next phase matters more than the headline. Israel’s own foreign-workers handbook says non-Israeli workers are generally entitled to the same working conditions as Israelis, and that employers must provide a written contract, private health insurance and proper housing. If female foreign workers are brought in, the market will need more than a court win. It will need enforceable transport, accommodation, supervision and reporting standards that developers and manpower firms can actually implement.

The market is not uniformly overheated. Recent CBS-linked data showed housing prices edging up again at the end of 2025, with the national average home price at about NIS 2.36 million, while a record 86,090 new homes remained unsold at the end of December. That means Israel’s developers are operating in a split market as demand is still there, but financing pressure is high, inventory is heavy, and buyers are more selective. In that environment, anything that helps finish buildings faster matters. Faster delivery reduces carrying costs, frees capital, and improves the odds that planned supply actually reaches the market before demand shifts again.

The ruling does not instantly solve Israel’s housing crunch, and it does not guarantee that female foreign construction workers will arrive in meaningful numbers soon. But it does expose a deeper truth about the market. Israel’s housing challenge is no longer just about approving more neighborhoods, marketing more land or drafting another national plan. It is about building capacity on the ground. If the government turns this ruling into a serious regulatory framework rather than a symbolic review, it could open a new labor channel at exactly the point where the real estate sector remains most vulnerable, the distance between permit and handover.

Several Israeli families trying to salvage their Pesach travel plans through the United Arab Emirates found themselves stranded overnight at Dubai International Airport after a drone incident triggered emergency procedures.

The situation unfolded despite warnings from Israel’s National Security Council advising Israelis not to transit through the UAE during the current conflict.

One Israeli woman told Ynet she was stuck in Dubai with her five children after flights were disrupted.

“We wanted to escape the situation in Israel and ended up with something worse,” she said.

The problems reportedly began even before arrival. While waiting for a connecting flight in Larnaca, Israeli passengers were separated from other travelers and required to undergo additional immigration checks.

After landing in Dubai, the situation escalated when a drone incident near the airport triggered emergency protocols.

“They moved everyone down to level minus one,” the woman said. “We were there for four hours… there were thousands of people, elderly travelers and babies.”

Passengers said airport staff provided little information, repeatedly saying there was “instability” without explaining what was happening or when flights would resume.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — A Utah woman who wrote a children’s book about coping with grief after her husband’s death was convicted Monday of aggravated murder in his death by poisoning him with fentanyl.

Prosecutors say Kouri Richins slipped five times the lethal dose of the synthetic opioid into a cocktail that Eric Richins drank in March 2022 at their home outside the ski town of Park City. They say Richins was $4.5 million in debt and falsely believed that when her husband died, she would inherit his estate worth more than $4 million. They also say she was planning a future with another man she was seeing on the side.

Richins stared at the floor and took deep breaths as the judge read the verdict.

Family members on both sides of the case left the courtroom hugging and crying.

She was also convicted of other felony charges, including an attempted murder charge in what authorities alleged was another effort to poison her husband weeks earlier on Valentine’s Day with a fentanyl-laced sandwich that made him break out in hives and black out. Jurors also found Richins guilty of fraudulently claiming insurance benefits after his death.

Richins’ defense attorney said Eric Richins was addicted to painkillers and had asked his wife to procure opioids for him. Kouri Richins, however, told police earlier in a video that her husband had no history of illicit drug use.

“She wanted to leave Eric Richins but did not want to leave his money,” said Summit County prosecutor Brad Bloodworth.

Richins had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The most serious charge — aggravated murder — carries a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

What was scheduled to be a five-week trial was cut short last week when Richins waived her right to testify, and her legal team abruptly rested its case without calling any witnesses. Richins’ attorneys said they were confident that prosecutors did not produce enough evidence over the past three weeks to convict her of murder.

“They haven’t done their job, and now they want you to make inferences based on paper-thin evidence,” defense attorney Wendy Lewis urged the jury on Monday.

‘A wife becoming a black widow’
Prosecutors said Richins, a real estate agent focused on flipping houses, was deep in debt and planning a future with another man. She had opened numerous life insurance policies on her husband without his knowledge, with benefits totaling about $2 million, prosecutors alleged.

They showed the jury text messages between Richins and Robert Josh Grossman, the man with whom she was allegedly having an affair, in which she fantasized about leaving her husband, gaining millions in a divorce and marrying Grossman.

The internet search history from Richins’ phone included “what is a lethal.dose.of.fetanayl (sic),” “luxury prisons for the rich America” and “if someone is poisned (sic) what does it go down on the death certificate as,” a digital forensic analyst testified.

Bloodworth replayed for the jury a clip of Richins’ 911 call from the night of her husband’s death. That’s “not ‘the sound of a wife becoming a widow,’” he said, quoting the defense’s opening statement. “It’s the sound of a wife becoming a black widow.”

Lewis responded that the prosecution “looks at facts one way and sees a witch, but if you look at those facts another way, you see a widow.”

‘
Give us the details that will ensure Kouri gets convicted’
The defense focused on trying to discredit the prosecution’s star witness, Carmen Lauber, a housekeeper for the family who claimed to have sold Richins fentanyl on multiple occasions.

Lewis argued Lauber did not deal fentanyl and was motivated to lie for legal protection. Lauber said in early interviews that she never dealt the synthetic opioid, but later said she did after investigators informed her that Eric Richins died of a fentanyl overdose, the defense noted.

Richins had asked Lauber for “the Michael Jackson stuff,” which Bloodworth said likely refers to the drug combination that killed the singer.

“She knows she wants it because it is lethal,” he argued.

The housekeeper was already in a drug court program as an alternative to incarceration on other charges when authorities arrested her in connection with the Richins case, investigators said. She had also violated some conditions of drug court.

The defense showed a video of law enforcement warning Lauber that they could pull her drug court deal and that she could face a lengthy prison sentence.

“Give us the details that will ensure Kouri gets convicted of murder,” a man in the video said.

Lauber was granted immunity for her cooperation in the case. She testified that she felt a need to “step up and take accountability of my part in this.”

Children’s book becomes a tool for prosecutors
Shortly before her arrest in May 2023, Richins self-published the book “Are You with Me?” She promoted it on local TV and radio stations, which prosecutors have pointed to in arguing that Richins planned the killing and tried to cover it up.

Summit County Sheriff’s detective Jeff O’Driscoll, the lead investigator on the case, testified that Richins paid a ghostwriting company to write the book for her.

Jury hears letter found in jail cell
Prosecutors showed the jury excerpts of a letter found in Richins’ jail cell that they said appears to outline testimony for her mother and brother. In the six-page letter, Richins instructs her brother to tell her former attorney that Eric Richins confided in him about getting fentanyl from Mexico and “gets high every night.”

Defense attorneys have said the letter contains a fictional story Richins had been working on. They have argued that Eric Richins was addicted to painkillers and asked his wife to procure opioids for him.

However, Richins told police on the night of her husband’s death that he had no history of illicit drug use, according to body camera footage shown in court.

TORONTO — B’nai Brith, along with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, have called on the Toronto Police Service to investigate antisemitic signs displayed on Bathurst Street over the weekend.

The placards included a Star of David overrun with rats, a caricature of an Orthodox Jewish man accompanied by the words “Has Iran stopped?,” and an image of a Jewish man in a kippah pleading toward the United States as missiles fall nearby. The groups said the imagery echoes historical antisemitic tropes portraying Jews as conspiratorial actors responsible for global conflict.

Toronto Police posted on X that they take the matter seriously and have deferred the case to the Ministry of the Attorney General for further review. The organizations urged authorities to identify and charge those responsible under Canada’s hate-propaganda laws and to shut down demonstrations promoting antisemitic hatred as unlawful assemblies.

Please see our statement on the demonstration on Sunday at Bathurst and Sheppard. pic.twitter.com/v3O7reFYq8

— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) March 16, 2026

B’nai Brith, together with @CIJAinfo and @UJAFederation, have written to the Chief of the Toronto Police Service regarding the antisemitic placards displayed on Bathurst Street in Toronto this weekend.

The signs included a Star of David covered in rats crawling across the Jewish… pic.twitter.com/QsmtXG5X19

— B'nai Brith Canada (@bnaibrithcanada) March 16, 2026

IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin delivered a public briefing Monday night updating the nation on developments in the ongoing war against Iran and its regional proxies. During the address, Defrin revealed that Israeli forces had struck key strategic targets in Tehran and announced that more than 100,000 reservists have been mobilized for the expanding ground maneuver in southern Lebanon. He also shared a moving story about a chareidi mother from Bnei Brak whose actions helped save her children during a missile strike.

Defrin reported that the Israeli Air Force destroyed a strategic naval headquarters belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the heart of Tehran, along with a facility used to develop satellite attack capabilities. “The Iranian regime used this headquarters to turn the maritime arena into a theater of terror,” the spokesman said, adding that the satellite development center posed a threat to Israeli and international space assets.

At the same time, the IDF is intensifying its operations along the northern border. Defrin confirmed that forces from the 91st Division have begun ground activity at key locations in southern Lebanon as part of efforts to strengthen protection for communities in northern Israel. Addressing reports about troop levels, he disclosed that an unprecedented number of reservists have been called up. “We currently have more than 100,000 reservists… IDF soldiers will stand as a barrier between every threat and the residents of the north,” he said.

He added that the 146th Division has now joined the campaign and that the maneuver is concentrating on areas around Metula, Margaliot, and Manara in order to prevent direct rocket fire at Israeli homes.

A particularly emotional moment in the briefing came when Defrin described a recent visit to the Kass family on Rechov Yerushalayim in Bnei Brak, whose home was struck by an Iranian cluster missile. “The mother was playing with her six children in the living room, and Yehuda, the two-week-old baby, was in her arms. The responsible behavior of this brave mother simply saved their lives,” Defrin said.

The spokesman condemned Iran’s use of cluster munitions, describing them as a violation of the laws of war, and warned that Iran is attempting to spread fear through propaganda and misinformation. “They are trying to spread terror and fear. The Israeli public is not listening to those threats,” he said.

In other sectors, Defrin noted that IDF forces continue counterterrorism operations in Judea and Samaria, where more than 250 terror suspects have been arrested over the past two weeks. Israeli forces are also continuing deep strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Gaza.

He also addressed a difficult incident involving the deaths of four members of a Palestinian family in the village of Tamun during an undercover operation. “Every harm to innocent people turns the stomach. The IDF does not act with the intention of harming civilians,” Defrin said, adding that the case is under thorough investigation by both military authorities and the Justice Ministry’s police oversight unit.

Defrin concluded by noting that the campaign has dealt heavy blows to Iran’s military capabilities. According to the IDF, approximately 70 percent of Iran’s launch capabilities have been neutralized and about 80 percent of its air defense systems destroyed.

“Our goal is to remove the threats against Israel for the long term,” Defrin said. “We still have many targets, and we are continuing according to our operational plans.”

{Matzav.com}

DETROIT (AP) — When gas prices spike, filling up gets more painful. But consumers can do something to stretch their fuel just a little farther: Change the way they drive.

“It’s a hard one to swallow, right? You gotta put gas in to go about your day and get to work and pick the kids up from school,” said Michael Crossen, Consumer Reports’ manager of auto testing.

Here are seven tips from experts for drivers looking to use less gas:

Drive slower, or use cruise control
Vehicles are designed for maximum efficiency around highway speeds, said Sean Tucker, managing editor for compact and full-size vehicles at Kelley Blue Book.

“Stick to 65 (mph, 105 kph) on the highway,” Tucker said. “Today’s cars are geared to be most efficient at that speed, and you lose quite a bit of fuel efficiency the faster you go.”

Some estimates suggest slowing down increases gas mileage as much as 14%.

“If you have a hard time doing that, cruise control is your friend,” Tucker said. This maintains a set vehicle speed, which cuts the need to press on the gas pedal, and avoids fluctuations like jerky acceleration or hard braking.

Experts also recommend coasting to stoplights, whether there is a red light ahead or a green light that is likely to change soon.

Limit idling
Use a vehicle’s automatic start-stop ignition, experts say. This shuts off the engine at stoplights or when idling, and restarts it once the accelerator is pressed.

“If you’re stuck in traffic and you see it bumper to bumper for a while and you have start-stop, don’t turn that off,” said David Bennett, AAA senior automotive manager. “Allow the engine to turn on and off as it’s needed.”

That’s especially true for when drivers don’t need to blast air conditioning while waiting for long periods of time.

Reduce your car’s drag and drop extra weight
Many drivers have roof racks on top of their vehicles or bike racks on the back. It takes extra fuel to push that structure through the air — experts have found it can cost several miles per gallon.

“If you’re not actually using those devices, it’s like dragging a parachute behind your car,” Crossen said. “Any other type of accessories that basically cause drag, you want to lose those.”

If you’re carrying heavy items in your back seat, trunk or truck bed, and you don’t need them, leave them at home.

Check your tire pressure and look to other maintenance, too
Experts say it’s important that tires are properly inflated, based on what the vehicle’s manual recommends. Checking tire pressure every other fill-up is one suggestion.

“Lower-inflated tires will increase the resistance on the road, so properly inflated, the vehicle is going to drive a little bit smoother and be able to accelerate properly,” Bennett said. Expect an impact on gas mileage by as much as 10%, estimates say.

Auto shops might also be able to make some simple changes to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy.

“If you’re finding that you are not getting close to what you’re supposed to, then you need to go to the mechanic,” Tucker said.

For example, they might replace the air filter, or oxygen sensors that tell the engine how rich to make the fuel mixture.

Consider carpooling and combining trips
Figure out a carpool if you can, and you’re effectively splitting costs with the other participants.

And be more thoughtful in planning and organizing your driving to make fewer trips overall.

“Don’t make unnecessary stops. Don’t drive all the way across town just to save a dollar on eggs,” Crossen said. “Plan your trips. Don’t drive if you don’t have to.”

What fuel are you buying, and where?
Some cars require more expensive premium gas, and that’s what they should get, experts say. But sometimes drivers are filling up with premium when their vehicle doesn’t need it — and will do just fine on cheaper regular gas, they say.

Regardless of your octane choice, you can be mindful of the quality of your gas. Consider whether a local station carries what’s called “Top Tier gas” — gas developed with additives aimed at clearing carbon deposits from your engine. During periods of high prices or shortages, it isn’t a requirement, but it’s good for vehicles long term.

Apps such as GasBuddy are great resources to compare local gas prices or prices along a driver’s route back home.

Experts say to also start thinking about getting gas when you’re around half a tank. That gives you some flexibility to watch for lower prices.

If it’s time for a new car, consider a hybrid
The average age of a vehicle on the road these days is about 12 years, and newer vehicles are more fuel efficient than older ones. Not everyone can afford a new vehicle, but when it’s time, shoppers can consider a hybrid if they’re not ready to go fully electric.

And if you’re ready to get off gas entirely, EVs — including plenty of used models — are out there.

In the midst of the tense days of war and constant sirens, dozens of bochurim from Yeshivas Darchei Shlomo and avreichim from Kollel Beis Dovid have temporarily moved their limud haTorah to protected shelters in the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood of Bnei Brak. In recent days, Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein descended to the shelter of the neighborhood’s central shul and delivered a stirring shmuess chizuk to the bochurim, speaking about the power of simchas haTorah to overcome fear and hardship.

The younger bochurim of Yeshivas Darchei Shlomo, under the leadership of Rav Avrohom Pollak—rosh hakahal of Ramat Elchanan and a close associate of Rav Zilberstein—have been continuing their seder halimud in the neighborhood during this period so they can remain close to protected spaces.

At the same time, dozens of avreichim from Kollel Beis Dovid, who normally travel daily from Bnei Brak to Cholon, have been learning during this period in the central beis haknesses of Ramat Elchanan. Rav Zilberstein’s presence in the neighborhood has brought a sense of calm and menuchas hanefesh to many residents and visitors who come daily to receive his bracha following Mincha Gedolah.

In recent days, the bochurim merited a special moment when Rav Zilberstein came down toward the end of the morning seder to the shelter beneath the beis haknesses and delivered an uplifting sichas chizuk, addressing the spiritual meaning of the current situation.

At the beginning of his remarks, Rav Zilberstein told the bochurim that although many people are frightened that the situation could escalate into a much larger war, he personally is not afraid. When he sees dedicated bochurim and a strong yeshiva, he said, it gives him strength and confidence.

“Today everyone is afraid that the situation may escalate into a world war… but I am not afraid, because when I see good bochurim like you and such a good yeshiva, I am not afraid.”

To illustrate the tremendous power of simchas haTorah, Rav Zilberstein shared a remarkable story about an avreich who traveled to Russia to give shiurim and spread Torah. According to Rav Zilberstein, the shiurim were so sweet and powerful that the bochurim eagerly absorbed every word.

For three years, the avreich delivered those shiurim. When the shiur ended, the bochurim would quickly open their notebooks and record everything he said.

After three years he returned to Eretz Yisroel with his wife. When they arrived, his in-laws came to greet them, having heard glowing reports about the tremendous impact he had made through his harbotzas haTorah.

However, something unexpected occurred. While davening in the beis haknesses at the airport and putting on tefillin, a small pill accidentally fell from his pocket. His father-in-law picked it up and brought it to a medical expert, who explained that the medication was used for someone suffering from epilepsy.

The family was devastated. Late that night, the wife’s parents came to Rav Zilberstein in tears. They explained that they had just discovered that their son-in-law suffered from this illness and did not know how to proceed.

Rav Zilberstein told them that he had his own reasoning. If the avreich had delivered shiurim for three years and had never once experienced an episode, it meant that the illness did not dominate him. The joy and sweetness of Torah—simchas haTorah—had the strength to overcome it.

To confirm his reasoning, Rav Zilberstein consulted a leading medical expert and presented the idea. The doctor agreed completely, explaining that if someone had exerted himself so intensely for three years teaching Torah without suffering an episode, it indicated that the illness was being subdued.

Because the wife’s father remained concerned that the original kiddushin might be considered a mistake due to the undisclosed illness, the family decided to perform a second kiddushin quietly as a precaution. The ceremony was held late at night, and they softly sang “Od Yishama,” so that the story would not become public knowledge.

Rav Zilberstein then told the bochurim the continuation of the story. The couple later had a son who grew up to be one of the finest children in the neighborhood, filled with tremendous cheshek haTorah and blessed with good health.

According to Rav Zilberstein, the child’s greatness came from the extraordinary love of Torah that filled the home.

He explained that Torah responds to love and devotion. Just as a wife responds when her husband truly loves her, Torah embraces and protects the person who truly loves it.

Turning to the bochurim in the shelter, Rav Zilberstein praised them warmly and said they were fortunate to have a rosh yeshiva and maggidei shiur of such quality.

At that point, Rav Avrohom Pollak asked how bochurim can maintain focus during such difficult days, when sirens interrupt the night and sleep is constantly disrupted, while the hanhalas hayeshiva still expects them to arrive on time and not miss even a moment of seder.

Rav Zilberstein responded that the previous night there had been several sirens while he was in Ramat Chen. The next morning he asked several bnei yeshiva how they felt after such a night.

Their answer, he said, was simple: they would overcome it, because Torah is their life and strength.

At that moment Rav Zilberstein began singing the well-known words declaring that Torah is the life and length of the Jewish people. The bochurim joined him, filling the shelter with heartfelt song.

He then described how one ben yeshiva told him that the explosions only strengthened their determination. Even without sleep, they remained happy because they knew they were spiritually stronger.

Rav Zilberstein concluded by telling the bochurim that they are the finest of the Jewish nation and beloved by HaKadosh Baruch Hu. They must feel proud of their role, he said, because bnei Torah are stronger than anything else.

Before leaving, he gave the bochurim a heartfelt bracha that they should continue rising higher and higher in Torah, and that their rabbeim should see much nachas from them.

He concluded by explaining that the highest level in Torah is for a person to become a moreh hora’ah, someone who can guide the tzibbur in matters of halacha. Such a person, he said, stands at the forefront of the Jewish nation and brings the Shechinah into the world.

Rav Zilberstein finished by bentching the bochurim that they should grow into gedolei Torah and bring pride to their rabbeim, their roshei yeshiva, and all of Klal Yisroel.

{Matzav.com}

Gas prices across the United States have surged to an average of just under $3.72 per gallon, the highest level since October 7, 2023, according to AAA.

Prices have jumped 74 cents per gallon since the war with Iran began.

Diesel prices have risen even more sharply, climbing $1.24 during the same period to an average of $4.99 per gallon — nearing $5 for the first time since December 2022.

The rising fuel costs are already impacting the trucking industry, with some companies adding fuel surcharges that could soon be passed on to consumers.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar raised questions about the stability of Iran’s leadership, drawing attention to the unexplained absence of the country’s new supreme leader, Mojtba Khamenei. In a television interview, Sa’ar suggested that the Iranian regime may be experiencing internal turmoil, noting that the figure expected to lead the so-called “Axis of Resistance” has not appeared publicly while Iran faces intense military pressure.

His remarks have added to speculation that the power transition following the death of Ali Khamenei may be more unstable than Iranian authorities have acknowledged.

During his interview with Fox News, Sa’ar openly criticized the Iranian leadership and highlighted the unusual disappearance of the new ruler.

“Where is Mojtba? It’s starting to become embarrassing for the Iranian regime,” Sa’ar remarked.

He said that in the midst of a major war, the absence of a visible supreme leader raises serious questions about the regime’s strength and confidence. The Israeli foreign minister added that while Iran attempts to project power through its regional proxies, its own leadership remains unseen, creating what he described as a leadership void at the center of the Iranian state.