NEW YORK (AP) — Two men who brought explosives to a protest outside New York City’s mayoral mansion said they were inspired by the Islamic State extremist group, a court complaint said.

Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi are awaiting arraignment Monday on charges of attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction.

Kayumi blurted out, as he was being arrested Saturday, that “ISIS” was the reason for his conduct, the complaint said. Balat, 18, later told authorities that he had pledged allegiance to the extremist group, and Kayumi, 19, asserted that he was affiliated with the Islamic State group, the complaint said.

The homemade devices, which did not explode, were hurled Saturday during raucous counterprotests against an anti-Islamic demonstration led by Jake Lang, a far-right activist and critic of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat and the first Muslim to hold the office. Mamdani and his wife weren’t at the house, called Gracie Mansion, at the time.

Speaking outside the residence Monday morning, Mamdani said Balat and Kayumi “traveled from Pennsylvania and attempted to bring violence to New York City.”

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said there are no indications that the men’s alleged activities were connected to the ongoing war in Iran. She declined to say more about why authorities believe the suspects were motivated by the Islamic State group, a Sunni extremist group. Iran’s population is almost entirely Shiite, the other main religious community within Islam.

While Mamdani and Tisch briefed reporters Monday, Lang heckled from outside the Gracie Mansion gates.

Meanwhile, police searched a home in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Middletown Township, and a separate federal investigation was underway in nearby Newtown, local police said. Both inquiries were related to the incident outside New York’s mayoral residence, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican, wrote in a social media post Sunday.

Lang’s sparsely attended protest Saturday drew a far larger group of counterdemonstrators, including one person who police say tossed a smoking object containing nuts, bolts, screws and a “hobby fuse” into the crowd.

The device extinguished itself steps from police officers, Tisch noted. The same person who threw it then dropped a second device that did not appear to ignite, the commissioner said.

The scene had grown chaotic even before the devices were thrown. Police said one person involved in the anti-Islam protest, Ian McGinnis, 21, was arrested after pepper-spraying counterprotesters. McGinnis, of Philadelphia, was released without bond after pleading not guilty Sunday to assault and aggravated harassment in a New York court, records show. A message seeking comment was left Monday for his attorney.

Three others were taken into custody but were released without charges.

After the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Lang was charged with assaulting an officer with a baseball bat, civil disorder and other crimes. He was later freed from prison as part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping act of clemency. Lang recently announced that he is running for U.S. Senate in Florida.

Earlier this year, he organized a rally in Minneapolis in support of Trump’s immigration crackdown, drawing an angry crowd of counterprotesters who quickly chased him away.

Global oil prices jumped sharply Monday as the ongoing war with Iran raised fears about energy production and shipping routes in the Middle East, sending shockwaves through financial markets before prices later eased.

Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, climbed to nearly $119.50 per barrel earlier in the day before retreating and trading closer to $105 per barrel.

West Texas Intermediate, the main U.S. oil benchmark, also surged, briefly reaching $119.48 per barrel before slipping back to around $102.

Meanwhile, the conflict continued to impact civilian infrastructure. Bahrain accused Iran of targeting a desalination facility that provides essential drinking water supplies.

Following an Iranian strike that ignited a major fire at one of its refineries, Bahrain’s national oil company declared force majeure on its shipments, invoking a legal clause that frees it from contractual obligations due to extraordinary circumstances.

In Tehran, oil storage sites were left burning after overnight Israeli strikes hit the area.

Energy markets have been increasingly rattled as the war, now entering its second week, spreads to regions and infrastructure central to the production and transport of oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf.

Prices later eased somewhat after The Financial Times reported that several members of the Group of Seven industrialized nations were considering releasing oil from their strategic reserves to calm the markets. The report, which cited unnamed sources familiar with the discussions, has not been officially confirmed.

President Donald Trump addressed the issue Saturday and appeared to dismiss the need to tap into the United States’ Strategic Petroleum Reserve, saying domestic supplies remain sufficient and predicting that prices will decline soon.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes, normally sees about 15 million barrels of crude pass through daily — roughly 20 percent of global supply — according to research firm Rystad Energy.

However, the growing threat of Iranian missile and drone strikes has effectively halted tanker traffic carrying oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran through the narrow passage, which lies along Iran’s northern coastline.

With exports slowed dramatically, Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE have begun cutting production as storage facilities fill up. At the same time, oil and gas infrastructure has been struck in attacks carried out by Iran, Israel and the United States since the war began, further tightening supply.

The sharp rise in oil and natural gas costs is already pushing fuel prices upward worldwide, with ripple effects spreading through industries and hitting Asian economies particularly hard because of their dependence on Middle Eastern energy imports.

Iran itself exports about 1.6 million barrels of oil each day, much of it destined for China. Beijing has urged an immediate halt to the fighting, and disruptions to Iranian exports could force China to secure alternative supplies, which could push energy prices even higher.

“All parties have their responsibility to ensure stable and smooth energy supplies,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said in a briefing Monday. “China will take necessary measures to safeguard its own energy security.”

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung also addressed the crisis Monday, warning that authorities would strictly punish oil refiners and gas station operators found hoarding supplies or manipulating prices. He also urged the country to explore alternative sources of energy that do not rely on shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Across Southeast Asia, motorists have already begun feeling the effects of the price spike, with long lines forming at fuel stations.

“Higher oil and gas prices will affect everyone and our economy,” said Le Van Tu, who was waiting outside a gas station in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi. “All activities, including those using petrol based transportation will be affected.”

The last time oil prices reached similar levels was in 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when Brent crude and U.S. oil futures climbed sharply.

Rising energy prices tend to push inflation higher, increasing costs for households and reducing consumer spending — a key driver of economic growth in many countries. These concerns have already spilled into financial markets, sending stock prices sharply lower.

In the United States, the average cost of a gallon of regular gasoline climbed to $3.48 early Monday, nearly 50 cents higher than a week earlier, according to data from AAA. Diesel prices also jumped, rising more than 80 cents over the past week to about $4.66 per gallon.

Some analysts warn that if oil prices remain above $100 per barrel for an extended period, the global economy may struggle to absorb the impact.

Natural gas prices in the United States have also risen during the conflict, though not as dramatically as oil. Early Monday, natural gas was trading at about $3.34 per 1,000 cubic feet, compared with $3.19 at Friday’s close.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-EL AL Israel Airlines announced the cancellation of all regular scheduled flights, including those operated by its subsidiary Sundor, departing up to and including March 14, 2026, due to Israel’s state of emergency declared in connection with Operation Roaring Lion.

The cancellations also apply to the corresponding return flights. Operation Roaring Lion, a joint Israel-U.S. military campaign launched Feb. 28 against Iranian military targets and infrastructure, has prompted airspace restrictions, airport limitations at Ben Gurion and heightened security measures across the country.

The airline said it has contacted affected passengers via WhatsApp, offering rebooking options on alternative flights. Those who responded affirmatively are being assisted with reassignments.

Passengers who have not confirmed their interest in rebooking will not be automatically placed on other flights. Instead, they are eligible for a credit voucher for future travel or a full refund, in line with Israeli law and company policy. Details are available at elalisrael.info/3Oyeyci.

Information on passenger rights under Israel’s Aviation Services Law can be found at elalisrael.info/4rExu7F.

EL AL emphasized that all flight operations remain contingent on approvals from regulatory bodies and guidance from Israeli security and aviation authorities, which may change. For departures from Israel, the airline noted it cannot guarantee the operation of return flights under current conditions.

The announcement reflects broader disruptions in Israeli aviation stemming from the conflict, including earlier preparations for rescue flights to repatriate stranded Israelis abroad and limited outbound capacity from Ben Gurion Airport.

Israeli police say they have arrested a suspect in last month’s riot in the city of Bnei Brak, where a police motorcycle was set ablaze during violent clashes that erupted after a mob confronted two female soldiers in the area.

Authorities identified the suspect as a 16-year-old from Ashdod, who was taken into custody Monday morning. A court ordered that the teenager remain detained until at least Wednesday as investigators continue to probe the incident.

The arrest comes weeks after the unrest, during which a police motorcycle was completely destroyed. According to police, tefillin and a siddur that had been stored in the vehicle’s luggage compartment were also burned when the bike was set on fire.

During the chaos, members of the crowd also overturned a police patrol car, torched the motorcycle, and clashed with officers attempting to restore order. Five police officers were lightly injured in the disturbances, authorities said at the time.

Police initially detained 26 suspects in the aftermath of the riot, but all were released the following day. The new arrest appears to be part of a continuing investigation into the violence.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Dozens of American students studying in Tzefas returned to the United States on Sunday after an extended and complicated trip that took them through Jordan, following the shutdown of Israeli airspace at the start of the war with Iran.

The group included Chabad-Lubavitch yeshiva bochurim and seminary students from the Tze’irei Hashluchim–Mesivta yeshiva and Beis Rivka Seminary in Tzefas. Before the conflict erupted, the students had intended to travel to Georgia after completing an intensive learning program.

When the war broke out and Ben Gurion Airport was closed, those travel plans were abruptly canceled, leaving the students stranded in Israel.

According to a report published by the COLlive website, approximately thirty students reached out to a U.S.-based rescue organization, which arranged for them to cross into Jordan and then continue onward with flights to Europe and eventually back to the United States. On Purim, the yeshiva students departed for Jordan and were placed in a hotel there, where security concerns prevented them from leaving the premises.

Several days later, on Wednesday, roughly 35 seminary students joined the group. They too had been planning to travel to the United States for their Pesach break but were unable to leave once the war began. Until their departure, they had been staying with a local family in Tzefas.

Both groups eventually met in Jordan while waiting for a connecting flight to Athens. However, their departure was delayed by unexpected developments, including the temporary closure of Jordanian airspace due to missile activity and the tense security environment. The flight they had expected to take on Thursday was canceled, forcing them to return to their hotel and continue waiting.

Food presented another difficulty. With only a limited supply available, the students relied on small portions of food along with fruits and vegetables to sustain themselves. Rabbi Shalom Duchman of Colel Chabad attempted to send kosher food for Shabbos, but Jordanian border officials confiscated the shipment and discarded it. In the end, the group prepared their Shabbos meals themselves using basic ingredients they managed to purchase locally.

Despite the challenging conditions, the students observed Shabbos together, holding tefillah and meals while carefully maintaining halachic observance throughout the ordeal.

According to the report, senior American officials also intervened in the effort to help the students leave Jordan. Among those involved were Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, a close associate of President Donald Trump, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Their involvement and the pressure applied helped facilitate the group’s departure.

On Motzoei Shabbos, the students finally boarded a Royal Jordanian flight. They arrived Sunday morning at Washington airport and from there traveled by bus to the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York.

{Matzav.com}

Ocean County authorities will participate in a statewide high-visibility traffic enforcement initiative aimed at addressing the rise in roadway fatalities across New Jersey.

Bradley D. Billhimer announced that the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office will join local law enforcement agencies throughout the county in the “Goal: Zero” campaign, a coordinated enforcement effort designed to target dangerous driving behaviors and improve roadway safety.

As of March 6, 2026, a total of 73 people have lost their lives on New Jersey roadways this year, including eight fatalities in Ocean County.

The county-wide enforcement detail is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Officials say the initiative will involve increased patrols and focused enforcement to deter impaired driving, reckless driving, and other hazardous behaviors.

This month’s detail—originally scheduled for February but postponed due to weather—marks the 10-year remembrance of Tim O’Donnell and his five-year-old daughter, Bridget, who were tragically killed on February 22, 2016, by an impaired driver on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Following their deaths, Tim’s wife, Pam O’Donnell, established the Catch You Later Foundation to raise awareness about dangerous driving and promote roadway safety.

“The Goal: Zero campaign is about one simple idea—no family should have to get the call that a loved one isn’t coming home because of a preventable crash,” Prosecutor Billhimer said. “Through enforcement, education, and community partnership, we are working every day to make our roads safer for everyone in Ocean County.”

The Goal: Zero campaign was first launched in 2024 after being spearheaded by Matt Menosky, bringing together 36 municipalities in a coordinated effort to address dangerous driving.

Officials noted that the bright green color of the Goal: Zero logo represents high visibility and pedestrian and school safety, while the black bar within the logo serves as a mourning band in remembrance of lives lost in traffic crashes.

Saudi Arabia is warning that Tehran could face severe consequences if strikes targeting Gulf states persist.

In a statement reported by Arab News, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said Iran would bear the “heaviest diplomatic, economic, and strategic consequences” if it continues its campaign against the Kingdom and neighboring Gulf states.

“The targeting of civilian airports and oil facilities is nothing but a demonstration of determination to threaten security and stability,” the ministry said, calling the strikes a violation of international law and an attempt to destabilize the region.

Saudi officials also rejected Iranian claims that Riyadh has allowed foreign military aircraft to use its airspace for attacks against Iran. Instead, the ministry said the flights were conducting defensive patrols to protect Saudi and Gulf airspace from incoming missiles and drones.

The warning came as Saudi air defenses intercepted several Iranian projectiles on Monday, including three ballistic missiles and multiple drones believed to be targeting Prince Sultan Air Base near Al-Kharj. Additional drones aimed at Riyadh and the Shaybah oil field were also shot down, according to regional reports.

Iranian strikes over the weekend killed two people in Saudi Arabia, heightening pressure on Gulf governments to consider whether to respond more directly.

The growing tension has triggered urgent discussions among Gulf Cooperation Council members and the Arab League, which condemned Iran’s attacks as a “massive strategic error.”

Analysts say Riyadh appears to be weighing its options, calculating whether direct intervention would benefit Saudi interests or whether Iran’s weakening position in the broader war could make restraint the more advantageous path.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The U.S. military is warning that Iran’s government is launching ballistic missiles and attack drones from densely populated neighborhoods, a tactic officials say is placing civilians at risk and complicating efforts to avoid collateral damage during the escalating conflict.

In a statement issued Sunday, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said Iranian forces have been operating from heavily populated areas while conducting missile and drone launches.

“The Iranian regime is using heavily populated civilian areas to conduct military operations, including launching one-way attack drones and ballistic missiles,” CENTCOM said in the statement. “This dangerous decision risks the lives of all civilians in Iran since locations used for military purposes lose protected status and could become legitimate military targets under international law.”

According to CENTCOM, Iranian launches have recently occurred in the cities of Dezful, Isfahan, and Shiraz.
In what it described as a “safety warning,” the command urged civilians in those areas to remain indoors.

“U.S. forces strongly urge civilians in Iran to stay at home,” the statement said.

The military emphasized that it attempts to minimize harm to civilians during operations but warned that it cannot guarantee safety around facilities used for military purposes.

“The U.S. military takes every feasible precaution to minimize harm to civilians but cannot guarantee civilian safety in or near facilities used by the Iranian regime for military purposes,” the statement added.

U.S. officials also accused Tehran of broadening its attacks across the region, alleging that Iranian forces have targeted civilian infrastructure beyond Iran’s borders.

“The Iranian regime is knowingly endangering innocent lives,” CENTCOM said. “Additionally, Iranian forces are jeopardizing the safety of innocent people throughout the Middle East by deliberately and indiscriminately targeting civilian airports, hotels, and residential neighborhoods.”

Brad Cooper, who leads the command, sharply criticized Tehran’s conduct.

“Iran’s terrorist regime is blatantly disregarding civilian lives by attacking Gulf partners while compromising the safety of their own people,” Cooper said.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the Israel Defense Forces killed a regional commander of Hezbollah in an overnight airstrike, as more than a million Lebanese civilians reportedly heeded Israeli evacuation warnings amid intensified operations against the Iran-backed militant group.

During an assessment at the IDF Northern Command, Katz was briefed that approximately 650,000 residents evacuated Beirut’s southern suburbs — a Hezbollah stronghold — and another 500,000 left southern Lebanon, according to a statement from his office.

The IDF recently issued evacuation orders for the entirety of southern Lebanon and four major neighborhoods in southern Beirut ahead of planned strikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.

Katz was also updated on the elimination of Abu Hussein Ra’ab, commander of Hezbollah’s Nasr Unit, in the overnight IDF strike. The Nasr Unit is one of Hezbollah’s three regional divisions and oversees operations in the area between Mount Dov and Bint Jbeil.

“Not only will we not withdraw in the face of Hezbollah, but we will take advantage of the opportunity to strike it and exact a price from it,” Katz said, according to remarks provided by his office. “We have an opportunity to bring very, very great security.”

The announcements come as cross-border tensions continue between Israel and Hezbollah, with Israel conducting airstrikes in Lebanon following terrorist attacks and rocket fire.

Hezbollah has not immediately commented on the reported killing of Ra’ab or the evacuation figures. Lebanese authorities and humanitarian groups have previously raised concerns about large-scale displacement in the country due to the ongoing conflict.

VINnews will continue to monitor developments.

A 22-year-old motorcyclist who suffered critical injuries in a traffic accident in Kiryat Motzkin has died, Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa announced Monday morning.

Witnesses who were present at the scene said the crash occurred Sunday while a siren was sounding in the area, during which the rider reportedly lost control of his motorcycle.

The young man was transported to the hospital in extremely serious condition. Doctors rushed him into emergency surgery and placed him on an ECMO life-support system in an effort to stabilize him and save his life.

Emergency personnel from Magen David Adom treated the victim at the scene before transporting him to the hospital. He was described as semi-conscious and suffering from severe injuries affecting multiple systems in his body.

MDA motorcycle unit medics Gal Stavsky, Yoed Amar, and Natan Shachar said: “The injured man was lying in the middle of the road next to his motorcycle, semi-conscious after being involved in a traffic accident that occurred during a siren. We provided life-saving medical treatment and evacuated him to the hospital in unstable condition.”

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of sailors and officers from the Iranian IRIS Bushehr naval vessel, an auxiliary ship that accompanied the IRIS Dena warship that was sunk by the US last week, abandoned the ship and fled to Sri Lanka, a former Sri Lankan navy official told Iran International.

The ship, carrying 208 naval personnel, including 53 officers and 84 officer cadets, docked at the Colombo Port on March 5 and requested humanitarian assistance due to an “engine technical malfunction.”

However, according to the former official, the “malfunction” was an excuse designed to facilitate a “mass escape” by the crew due to a “deep collapse of their trust in the Islamic Republic amid the current war in Iran.”

The official said that the entire crew abandoned the ship. They were transferred to the Welisara naval base and under the custody of local authorities.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

NEW YORK (AP) — Uber launched a feature Monday to allow both women riders and drivers across the U.S. to be matched with other women for trips, expanding a pilot program aimed at addressing concerns about the safety of its hail-riding platform.

The new feature is being rolled out nationwide despite an ongoing class action lawsuit against the policy in California, filed by Uber drivers who argue that it is discriminatory against men. Rival ride-hailing company Lyft is also facing a discrimination lawsuit over a similar offering that it introduced nationwide in 2024.

The feature, announced in a blog post, allows women to request a female driver through an option on the app called “Women Drivers.” Passengers can opt for another ride if the wait for a woman is too long, and they can also reserve a trip with a woman driver in advance. A third option allows female users to set a preference for a woman driver in their app settings, which would increase the chances of being matched with a female driver, though it would not guarantee it. Uber is also allowing its teen account users to request women drivers.

Uber’s women drivers can set the app’s preferences to request trips with female riders, and they can turn off that preference at anytime.

Uber, based in San Francisco, says about one-fifth of its drivers in the U.S. are women, thought the ratio varies by city.

Two California Uber drivers filed a class-action lawsuit against Uber in November, arguing that its Women Preferences feature violates California’s Unruh Act, which prohibits sex discrimination by business enterprises. The lawsuit charges that the feature gives its minority female drivers access to the entire pool of passengers, while leaving its majority male drivers to compete for a smaller pool of passengers. The lawsuit also argues that Uber’s policy “reinforces the gender stereotype that men are more dangerous than women.”

Uber filed a motion to compel arbitration in the case, citing an agreement the plaintiffs signed when joining the app as drivers. In the motion, Uber disputed that its new feature violates the Unruh Act, saying it “serves a strong and recognized public policy interest in enhancing safety.”

“This feature is a common sense solution to a long-standing request from both women Drivers and Riders who told Uber they would feel more comfortable and safer if they could choose to ride with another woman,” the company said in the court filing.

Two Lyft drivers have filed a similar lawsuit against that company against its “Women+Connect” feature, which allows women and nonbinary riders to match with drivers of the same identification.

Uber piloted the “Women Preferences” feature in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Detroit last summer and expanded it to 26 U.S. cities in November. The company first launched a version of the feature in Saudi Arabia in 2019 following the country’s landmark law granting women the right to drive. It now offers similar options in 40 other countries, including Canada and Mexico.

Both Uber and Lyft have for years faced criticism over their safety records, including thousands of reports of sexual assaults from both passengers and drivers. In February, federal jury found Uber to be legally responsible in a 2023 case of sexual assault and the company was ordered to pay $8.5 million to an Arizona woman who said she was raped by one of its drivers.

Uber maintains that because its drivers are contractors and not employees, it’s not liable for their misconduct. But Uber says has taken multiple steps in efforts to improve safety, including teaming up with Lyft in 2021 to create a database of drivers ousted from their ride-hailing services for complaints over sexual assault and other crimes.

Uber says sexual assault reports have decreased over the years. According to reports from Uber, 5,981 incidents of sexual assault were reported in U.S. rides between 2017 and 2018 — compared to 2,717 between 2021 and 2022 (the latest years with data available), which the platform says represented 0.0001% of total trips nationwide.

The Israeli military announced that Staff Sergeant Or Demry, 20, of Liman, a combat engineering soldier serving with the 91st Division, was killed in southern Lebanon after anti-tank fire struck during an operational mission near the northern border.

Demry was killed in the same attack that claimed the life of Staff Sergeant Maher Khatar, who also fell during the incident.

Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement honoring Demry and expressing condolences to his family.

“I send my deepest condolences to the family of Sergeant Or Demry, a combat engineer in the 91st Division of the Combat Engineering Corps, who fell in battle in southern Lebanon. Or fought bravely together with the late Staff Sergeant Maher Khatar, who also fell in the same incident, to protect the communities and residents of the north from the cruel terrorist organization Hezbollah. The State of Israel salutes our heroic soldiers who are standing on the front lines to protect the citizens of Israel.”

According to details released about the event, the fatal incident occurred at a defensive position near the community of Margaliot along the Ramim Ridge. A combat engineering team had been dispatched to assist a tank from the 601st Battalion that had become immobilized in the area.

The engineering unit, which included two D9 armored bulldozers, was in the process of freeing the stranded tank when one of the bulldozers belonging to the 91st Division was struck. Initial assessments indicate that the vehicle was hit either by a mortar round that ignited its fuel tank or by a missile, resulting in the deaths of the two soldiers.

Following the deadly attack, Israeli forces responded with extensive firepower. Heavy barrages were launched toward the area, and Israeli Air Force fighter jets carried out strikes against multiple targets nearby.

{Matzav.com}

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States is prepared to escalate its military campaign against Iran as Operation Epic Fury continues, including the possibility of deploying American ground forces into Tehran if necessary. In a televised interview Sunday night, Hegseth made clear that the Trump administration is willing to take whatever steps are required to remove the Iranian regime.

“We’re willing to go as far as we need in order to be successful,” Hegseth told CBS News’ Major Garrett during a “60 Minutes” sit-down interview that aired Sunday night.

He emphasized that the United States is deliberately keeping all military options open as the war unfolds.

“We reserve the right. We would be completely unwise if we did not reserve the right to take any particular option, whether it included boots on the ground or not boots on the ground.”

President Trump had previously indicated that such a move remains under consideration. Speaking to The New York Post last week, Trump said that American forces could be sent into Iran if military leaders determine it is required.

Hegseth also explained that any decision to deploy U.S. troops — whether openly or through covert operations — would not be publicly disclosed in advance.

“People ask, ‘Boots on the ground, no boots on the ground, four weeks, two weeks, six weeks? Go in, go in,’” he added.

“President Trump knows — I know — you don’t tell the enemy, you don’t tell the press, you don’t tell anybody what your limits would be on an operation.”

As the conflict intensifies, Hegseth acknowledged that additional casualties are expected. Iranian retaliatory drone strikes have already killed seven American service members.

Six Army Reservists were killed in Kuwait, while another service member later succumbed to wounds sustained in an attack in Saudi Arabia.

“The president’s been right to say there will be casualties,” the secretary said in his interview.

“Things like this don’t happen without casualties. There will be more casualties … especially our generation knows what it’s like to see Americans come home in caskets. But that doesn’t weaken us one bit. It stiffens our spine and our resolve to say this is a fight we will finish.”

The six reservists killed in the attack — Nicole Amor, 39; Cody Khork, 35; Declan Coady, 20; Robert Marzan, 54; Jeffrey O’Brien, 45; and Noah Tietjens, 42 — were returned to the United States in a solemn transfer ceremony.

The identity of the seventh service member, whose death was confirmed Sunday, has not yet been released publicly.

The developments followed another tragedy involving an American service member. NYPD Officer and decorated Army veteran Sorffly Davius died after suffering a medical emergency while deployed in Kuwait with the National Guard.

{Matzav.com}

UPDATE: TLS is getting reports, though not yet confirmed by officials, that the Turnpike fire may be fatal. Expect extensive delays for the investigation and cleanup.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said it killed six men Sunday in a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean as part of the Trump administration’s campaign against alleged traffickers.

Sunday’s attack brought the death toll to at least 157 people since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in small vessels in early September.

As with most of the military’s statements on the more than 40 known strikes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. It posted a video on X that showed a small boat being blown up as it floated on the water.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

In a meeting with Latin American leaders on Saturday, Trump encouraged them to join the U.S. in taking military action against drug-trafficking cartels and transnational gangs, which he said pose an “unacceptable threat” to the region’s national security.

To that end, Ecuador and the United States conducted military operations this past week against organized crime groups in the South American country.

With Saturday’s gathering, Trump aimed to demonstrate that he remains committed to focusing U.S. foreign policy on the Western Hemisphere, even while waging a war on Iran that has had repercussions across the Middle East.

Critics have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the U.S. over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

The boat strikes also drew intense criticism following the revelation that the military killed survivors of the very first boat attack with a follow-up strike. The Trump administration and many Republican lawmakers said it was legal and necessary, while Democratic lawmakers and legal experts said the killings were murder, if not a war crime.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that the timing of when the war with Iran will conclude will be determined in coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, emphasizing that the two leaders remain in close contact as the conflict continues.

Speaking to The Times of Israel, Trump explained that both leaders are communicating regularly and that the decision will be made with input from both sides.

“I think it’s mutual… a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account,” Trump said when asked whether he alone would determine when the war ends or if Netanyahu would also have a say.

Although Trump indicated that Netanyahu would be involved in discussions, he also suggested that the ultimate decision would be his to make.

When asked whether Israel might choose to continue fighting even if the United States stops its military operations, Trump dismissed the scenario.

“I don’t think it’s going to be necessary.”

Trump’s comments came shortly after Iranian state media reported that the country’s Assembly of Experts had selected Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to become Iran’s next Supreme Leader.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump told ABC News that whoever succeeds Iran’s current leadership would not remain in power long without approval from Washington. When The Times of Israel asked him to respond to reports about Mojtaba Khamenei’s selection, Trump offered a brief response.

“We’ll see what happens.”

During the conversation, Trump also spoke positively about Netanyahu and the way the two leaders have worked together during the ongoing conflict.

“We’ve done a great job together, like what we’ve done with Iran,” Trump said when asked whether his view of Netanyahu had changed since his previous term.

Trump also argued that Iran represented a direct danger to Israel before the war began eight days earlier.

“Iran was going to destroy Israel and everything else around it… and now look what we have – we have them being destroyed,” Trump said, while praising Netanyahu’s leadership during the conflict.

“Bibi’s done a great job. He’s been a wartime prime minister. We’ve worked together. We’ve destroyed a country that wanted to destroy Israel. Would have destroyed Israel if I wasn’t around. And [if] Bibi wasn’t around, Israel would not exist today.”

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — In a press briefing Monday morning, Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed questions about why he did not immediately speak publicly after a bombing incident during a protest near Gracie Mansion.

Mamdani said city officials had known about the planned protest for more than a week and that security measures were already in place. He and his wife were visiting the New York City Sign Museum in Brooklyn when the incident occurred.

He added that he was receiving real-time updates from city officials and wanted to wait until authorities had verified the facts before making a public statement.

The mayor also praised the New York City Police Department for its preparedness and response during the event.

From Chaim V’Chessed: Chaim V’Chessed continues to be inundated with calls relating to the ongoing Iran crisis. Below is a roundup of the latest developments regarding travel to and from Israel, evacuation options, and government services.

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Inbound Travel to Israel

Israeli airlines – primarily El Al,  but also Israir, Arkia, and Air Haifa – have begun operating flights back to Israel.

At this stage, the overwhelming majority of seats are being allocated to passengers who previously held tickets on these airlines. These passengers are being proactively contacted and offered new reservations.

Those wishing to travel to Israel who did not previously hold tickets – or who held tickets on foreign airlines that are currently not flying – have extremely limited options. While some seats are being sold, available dates are often far off.

Passengers unable to secure flights in the coming days and who have the flexibility to travel may consider entry via Egypt – see below.

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Outbound Flights from Israel

The Israeli airlines listed above have also begun operating outbound flights. However, flights are officially limited to approximately 70 passengers per flight.

Passengers who previously held tickets on these airlines are being contacted and offered alternative departure dates. Passengers are being assigned to flights in a fashion that those whose original departure dates were earlier are generally being prioritized for the earliest available flights.

Those without existing tickets – or who had tickets on airlines that remain suspended – face very limited availability. Although tickets are being sold, departure dates are often weeks away.

Chaim V’Chessed has been flooded with inquiries from passengers facing genuine emergency situations who urgently need to travel to or from Israel. Due to the extremely limited number of seats and the overwhelming volume of requests, we are unable to assist with placement on flights. It is somewhat possible, however, that after the initial bottleneck of delayed passengers clears this week, it may become easier to obtain seats.

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U.S. Embassy Evacuation Flights

The United States Department of State is arranging no-cost departure options for American citizens seeking to leave Israel. Flights may be to the United States or to third countries outside the region.

Flights are being offered in a somewhat unpredictable manner to those who have registered through the Department of State’s Crisis Intake Form, as well as to those who have registered via Chaim V’Chessed’s evacuation interest list (which has been shared with the Department of State). Individuals are welcome to complete both forms.

It is important to note that these are not standalone charter evacuations. Rather, American citizens are being placed on flights that are already scheduled to depart Israel.

Those who have indicated that they wish to depart Israel immediately may receive very short notice – at times being instructed to report to Ben Gurion Airport on short notice. Passengers report significant confusion and a lack of organization at the airport for the State Department flights.

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The “30-Day Rule”

Due to the severe flight limitations, the Israeli government has sought to condition departure on an agreement not to return in the near future.

El Al has indicated that passengers may not return for 30 days, while other airlines have referenced a 21-day restriction.

There is little doubt that should hostilities cease, such commitments would not be enforced. Additionally, numerous passengers have reported that despite public discussion of this policy, they were not asked to sign any such document prior to departure.

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Travel Through Egypt

For those unable to obtain outbound flights, travel through Egypt remains an option.

While there is an official travel warning regarding entry into Sinai, thousands have successfully utilized this route in recent days.

For those traveling via Egypt, Chaim V’Chessed strongly recommends only traveling with organized groups, such as Lelechet, Emes Travel or Plan It Rite. (Please note: Chaim V’Chessed does not endorse any group or travel package.)

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Government Offices

The majority of government offices across Israel remain closed, creating significant challenges for citizens requiring services.

The Israel Population and Immigration Authority (Interior Ministry) has opened limited branches, including the Mevaseret  and Har Homa Branches.

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United States Embassy

The United States Embassy in Israel remains closed for routine services.

However, embassy officials have informed Chaim V’Chessed that emergency passport services will be available this week from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at both the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv locations, for those requiring passports in order to depart Israel. Applicants are strongly encouraged to arrive early.

The Embassy will implement an important leniency for parents with recently born newborns. Due to government offices being closed, many have been unable to obtain birth certificates from the Interior Ministry. Parents will be permitted to present the Hodaa al Leida from the hospital, in lieu of an official birth certificate.

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Chaim V’Chessed continues to monitor developments closely and remains available during regular business hours to assist the English-speaking community in navigating this rapidly evolving situation.

photos: Achim Lanchevsky

President Donald Trump said he continues to support granting a pardon to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, repeating his call for Israeli President Isaac Herzog to take action on the matter.

In an interview Sunday with Libby Alon of Channel 14 News, Trump addressed the controversy surrounding Netanyahu’s legal situation and the possibility of a presidential pardon in Israel.

When asked whether he is troubled by the conduct of Israel’s judicial system and whether he might consider sanctions against the country’s Attorney General or the President of the Supreme Court, Trump signaled his strong backing for Netanyahu.

“I don’t want to say it, but I’m all for Bibi.”

Trump was also questioned about regional diplomacy, including whether a deal might be possible between Israel and Qatar and whether Qatar could shift its position regarding support for Hamas.

“Anything is possible, who knows, they have been very helpful, the Qataris are very supportive and that’s great,” the President replied.

The remarks follow sharp criticism Trump directed last week at Herzog during an interview with Axios reporter Barak Ravid, in which he expressed frustration that the Israeli president had not yet granted Netanyahu a pardon.

“The president … should give Bibi the pardon today. I don’t want anything on Bibi’s mind other than fighting against Iran,” Trump said, arguing that Herzog had previously suggested he might issue a pardon but had not acted on it.

“He told me he would give it to him. But he has held it over Bibi’s head for a year,” Trump said. “Tell him I am exposing him. That president better damn well give him the pardon right now – and stop using it as leverage for his own political career.”

Herzog responded to Trump’s criticism in an interview with Fox News on Saturday, emphasizing that any decision regarding a pardon must follow Israel’s legal procedures.

“I said that I will consider everything seriously, but I’m obliged under the process and under Israeli law to await opinions that must be given to me by the relevant authorities. And that is why, of course, everything is on the table, but it has to be done according to Israeli law,” Herzog stressed.

He also expressed respect for Trump while noting that the issue involves Israel’s internal legal system.

“I respect President Trump tremendously, honestly. And I take the brunt with a lot of affection and respect to him because he’s the leader of the free world who’s changing history. But on the merits of a case, which is an internal case in Israel, I am obliged, I’m sworn in, and I’m the President of the state of Israel,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

PAOLI, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was shot and killed by a suspect whom he had pulled over in a traffic stop Sunday night, authorities said.

Cpl. Tim O’Connor was killed as he approached the car when the driver fired from inside the vehicle, the state’s acting police commissioner, Lt. Col. George Bivens, told a late Sunday night news conference at Paoli Hospital in Chester County.

The shooter then got out of the car, walked a short distance away and shot and killed himself with a pistol, Bivens said. He did not identify the man.

O’Connor was married and had a young daughter, authorities said.

O’Connor had been on patrol when a call came in for an erratic driver. O’Connor was dispatched and reported shortly afterward that he had pulled over the car at an intersection in West Caln Township, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of Philadelphia.

“That is the last we heard from Corporal O’Connor,” Bivens said.

He didn’t respond to radio calls to check on him and troopers dispatched to the scene to check on him “found a very bad situation,” Bivens said.

Police and Chester County authorities were investigating, Bivens said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sharply condemned the elimination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, calling the killing a “cynical murder” and expressing solidarity with Tehran.

“I emphasize my firm support for Tehran and solidarity with our Iranian friends,” Putin said in a message released by the Kremlin. “Khamenei’s death was a cynical murder committed in violation of all norms of human morality and international law.”

Putin also sent condolences to Iran’s leadership and praised Khamenei as a key figure in strengthening Russian Iranian relations, describing him as an “outstanding statesman” who helped develop the strategic partnership between Moscow and Tehran. 

The Russian leader’s remarks come amid the escalating conflict following the strikes that killed Khamenei and other senior Iranian figures, a development that has triggered strong reactions from world leaders and raised fears of wider regional escalation. 

Russia has called for an immediate halt to the fighting while reaffirming its support for Iran and urging a return to diplomatic solutions.

photos: Achim Lanchevsky

Newly surfaced footage shows the clearest view yet of the ISIS trained suspect who attempted to deploy an explosive device during a protest near Gracie Mansion in New York City.

Authorities previously identified the suspects as 19 year old Ibraham Kayumi and 18 year old Emir Balat, who were taken into custody after allegedly throwing an improvised explosive device during the demonstration outside the mayor’s residence on Saturday. 

Investigators say the device was constructed using sports drink bottles packed with nuts, bolts and screws intended to act as deadly shrapnel, along with the highly volatile explosive TATP, commonly referred to by counterterrorism officials as the “Mother of Satan.” 

According to law enforcement sources, both suspects had reportedly been consuming ISIS propaganda and had traveled overseas to locations associated with extremist networks in recent years, raising concerns about radicalization and possible external influence. 

The newly circulated video captures the suspect moving toward the barricades before attempting to throw the device into the crowd.

In the same footage, an NYPD officer can be seen leaping over the barricades and immediately pursuing the suspect. The officer’s split second response is being widely praised as heroic and may have helped prevent what could have been a devastating mass casualty attack.

Fortunately, the device failed to detonate.

The NYPD and FBI continue to investigate the case and have executed search warrants tied to the suspects as authorities work to determine the full scope of the plot.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared its allegiance to Mojtaba Khamenei following his selection as the country’s new supreme leader, a move that also drew praise from several Iranian-backed groups across the Middle East.

Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen as successor to his father by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, placing him at the helm of the Islamic Republic during a period of intense conflict involving the United States and Israel.

In a statement released after the appointment, the Revolutionary Guard Corps said it stands fully prepared to serve under the authority of the new leader.

“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps… is ready for complete obedience and self-sacrifice in carrying out the divine commands of the Guardian Jurist of the time, His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei,” the Guards said.

Organizations aligned with Iran throughout the region also issued statements welcoming the development.

Yemen’s Houthi movement offered congratulations to Iran’s leadership and citizens after the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei, describing the appointment as a major milestone during the ongoing regional conflict.

“We congratulate the Islamic Republic of Iran, its leadership and people, on the selection of Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution at this important and pivotal juncture,” the Houthis said in a statement on Telegram.

The group characterized the decision as a significant achievement for the Iranian regime and its allies.

The Houthis said the appointment represented “a new victory for the Islamic Revolution and a resounding blow to the enemies of the Islamic Republic and the enemies of the nation.”

In Iraq, the pro-Iran militia Kataib Hezbollah also voiced strong support for the leadership transition, praising Mojtaba Khamenei’s qualifications.

The group said in a statement that he is “a figure possessing the leadership qualifications and competence necessary to shoulder the responsibilities of this great trust in these critical times.”

It further argued that the decision by Iran’s Assembly of Experts demonstrated careful judgment about the challenges facing the country.

According to the statement, the appointment “is further proof of the vigilance of the Assembly of Experts and their deep foresight regarding the existential challenges facing the nation in confronting global arrogance,” describing him as “the best successor for the best predecessor.”

For many years, Mojtaba Khamenei has been viewed as one of the most influential figures within Iran’s security establishment and widely seen as a preferred choice of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Despite that backing, his path to leadership faced significant hurdles.

Reports over the weekend indicated that Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded during the initial stage of Operation Roaring Lion last Saturday morning but survived the assassination attempt. His father, mother, wife, and son were killed in the same strike.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has publicly opposed Mojtaba Khamenei’s elevation to supreme leader.

“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me, we want someone who will bring harmony and peace to Iran. I have to be involved in the appointment,” he told Axios last Thursday.

Trump later reiterated his position in remarks to ABC News, suggesting that the next Iranian supreme leader would need American approval to maintain power.

“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told the American news outlet. “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long.”

Trump said the objective is to prevent future confrontations tied to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“I don’t want people to have to go back in five years and have to do the same thing again, or worse, let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF on Monday morning published a recording of a conversation between a Unit 504 intelligence officer and a Lebanese civilian living in the Dahieh neighborhood—Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut.

The conversation took place as part of the activity of Unit 504, one of the IDF’s military intelligence units, which issues evacuation warnings to Lebanese civilians in areas slated for strikes against Hezbollah.

The recording reveals the resident speaking out against Hezbollah, saying that the terror group is expelling residents from their homes and threatening them.

“Get rid of them for us already,” he says. “I’m with you. They expelled us from our homes. We’re with the Lebanese state, the Prime Minister— not with anyone else. We want to stay in our homes with our children. We want to be finished with this and live in freedom.”

Your browser does not support the video tag.

“This recording is further proof that Hezbollah uses the residents of Lebanon as human shields and is losing legitimacy even among its own public,” the IDF spokesperson stated.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

An Iranian cluster bomb spread over central Israel, striking six sites, killing one person and injuring two others Monday. Yehud, Or Yehuda, Holon and Bat Yam were among the sites that took the hits.

A man working at a construction site in Yehud was killed and another wounded, while another person was injured in Or Yehuda.

The areas impacted showed craters in the ground where the bombs exploded, as well as damaged buildings and vehicles. Iran has been sending warheads containing cluster bombs toward Israel, which break apart in the air and spread over a wide area, striking indiscriminately. Iran boasted that it had sent its first barrage of strikes under its new leader, the recently elected son of the late Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei.

A video on X purports to show a bomb landing and exploding in central Israel Monday, March 9, 2026.

The strike represented the seventh from Iran since midnight. In an earlier strike, a woman in Rishon Lezion was hurt and is in moderate condition. The woman, who was not in a bomb shelter at the time, was also injured from a cluster bomb, in her case by a rock that was dislodged and hit her in the head as a result of the impact. She was treated and stabilized at the scene by paramedics, then taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced in good health and is expected to make a full recovery.

At the same time as Iran repeatedly struck Israel, the IDF carried out air strikes against Iran. The IDF said it struck multiple bases of the Basij paramilitary group and sites in Isfahan, which houses one of Iran’s largest nuclear production facilities. The military said that in Isfahan it struck headquarters of Iran’s regional corps, a command center of the internal security forces, a base used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Basij and the IRGC’s police headquarters.

This photo shows the impact of a cluster bomb Monday, March 9, 2026, in central Israel. (From a post on X)

The military said it also struck in other areas, targeting missile launch sites and a facility that produces rocket engines.

Meanwhile, Iran has continued striking neighboring Gulf states, maintaining regional anger at the authoritarian regime at a steady boil. Its continued shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped, caused oil prices to spike.

President Donald Trump posted about the spike on Truth Social.

“Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace,” he said.

YEHUD, Israel — Security camera footage captured the moment a missile struck near a construction site in Yehud on Monday, killing two workers, officials said.

The video shows a worker walking outside the site during a warning siren, seconds before debris from the missile hit the area. Another man in his 30s was seriously injured by shrapnel and taken to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer.

In the nearby city of Holon, a building partially collapsed after a separate strike, but no injuries were reported.

The attacks come amid ongoing missile fire targeting central Israel, with emergency teams responding to treat the wounded and secure affected areas.

Tucker Carlson drew widespread criticism online after describing Israel as “one of the single ugliest countries in the world” while discussing the current Middle East conflict.

The remarks gained rapid attention after conservative activist Laura Loomer posted a video clip of Carlson’s comments. The clip spread quickly across social media and accumulated more than one million views within roughly 16 hours.

In the video, Carlson spoke about Israeli military operations in Beirut while expressing regret over what he characterized as the destruction of “beautiful places” in different parts of the world.

Carlson highlighted the appearance of Lebanon’s capital city before turning to Israel for comparison.

“When you say that the Israelis are destroying Beirut, which is, having been to a lot of places in the world, one of the prettiest places on the globe,” Carlson said. “Beirut is just a marvel. It’s beautiful.”

He then pivoted to a harsh critique of Israel. “It’s being destroyed by Israel, which is one of the single ugliest countries in the world,” Carlson said.

“Nothing of beauty has been built there since 1948. Sorry. I’ve been everywhere in that country.”

Carlson continued by arguing that other locations in the region had historically been visually striking before suffering destruction during conflicts.

“Europe, right? Beirut. Parts of Syria, the holy sites, parts of Iran are apparently beautiful, totally blown up. It does seem like a war on beauty as well,” he added. “Beautiful things wind up being destroyed.”

Loomer sharply criticized Carlson’s comments when she shared the clip online, accusing him of hostility toward Jews.

“Today, Tucker Qatarlson said, ‘Israel is one of the ugliest countries in the world, which has built nothing of beauty since 1948,’” Loomer wrote.

She also rejected Carlson’s comparison between Israel and neighboring countries.

“He said all of Israel’s Islamic neighbors are beautiful and Israel is waging a war on beauty,” she wrote. “He said Israel wants to bomb Iran because Iran is pretty and Israel isn’t.”

“Tucker is consumed by his hatred of Jews,” Loomer added, pointing out that she had traveled to Israel numerous times and considers it “a beautiful country.”

The video quickly triggered a flood of responses from social media users reacting to Carlson’s remarks.

NEW YORK (VINnews) A longtime Jewish teacher has filed a lawsuit against the United Nations International School (UNIS) in Manhattan, claiming the school ignored repeated complaints of antisemitic behavior by a colleague and retaliated against her for speaking up.

The NY Post reports that, Nadine Sebag, who taught French at the school for three decades, says in her suit filed last month that she faced a “sustained and targeted campaign of harassment” that caused emotional distress and forced her into early retirement. The complaint alleges that a fellow teacher made repeated anti-Jewish remarks and created a hostile work environment.

The lawsuit seeks more than $750,000 in damages and a jury trial under New York State and City human rights laws. Sebag’s attorneys also say that other teachers raised concerns about the alleged harassment, which the school failed to address.

The complaint further cites broader issues at the school, including displays of politically sensitive material and financial ties to foreign nations linked to extremist groups, which Sebag’s legal team says contributed to a climate of discrimination.

A UNIS spokesperson called the allegations unfounded and said the school looks forward to resolving the matter through the courts.

CHICAGO (VINnews) — Jesse Jackson Jr. criticized several Democratic leaders for making political remarks during memorial events honoring his father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Speaking Saturday at a private gathering at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters in Chicago, Jackson Jr. said some speakers at Friday’s public service focused too heavily on contemporary politics rather than his father’s life and legacy.

Jackson Jr. specifically referenced comments made by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, saying their remarks about President Donald Trump and the current political climate did not reflect how his father approached public life.

He said the civil rights leader often kept an independent stance toward political power and focused on advocating for marginalized communities rather than aligning with a single political party.

During Friday’s memorial service at Chicago’s House of Hope, several national political figures delivered tributes to Jackson. Some speakers also warned about political divisions and challenges facing democratic institutions.

Former President Bill Clinton’s remarks focused largely on personal memories and Jackson’s decades of civil rights activism.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights leader who founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and twice ran for president, died last month at his Chicago home at age 84.

LIEGE, Belgium (VINnews) — An explosion damaged a synagogue early Monday in the eastern Belgian city of Liege, shattering windows but causing no injuries, police said.

The blast occurred around 4 a.m. on Rue Leon Fredericq, blowing out windows at the synagogue and in a building across the street. Authorities cordoned off the area as counterterrorism police launched an investigation.

L’explosion devant la Synagogue de Liège est un acte antisémite abject qui visait directement la communauté juive de Belgique.

L'enquête judiciaire est lancée par le Parquet fédéral.

Les mesures de sécurité autour des sites similaires continueront à être renforcées.

— Bernard Quintin (@BernardQuintin_) March 9, 2026

Liege Mayor Willy Demeyer condemned the incident as “an extremely violent act of antisemitism.”

“There can be no question of importing external conflicts into our city,” Demeyer said, referring to tensions linked to the war involving Israel, the United States and Iran.

Explosion devant la synagogue de Liège cette nuit. L’antisémitisme est une attaque contre nos valeurs et contre notre société. Il doit être combattu sans ambiguïté. Solidarité avec la communauté juive de Liège et de Belgique.
___

Vannacht vond een explosie plaats voor een…

— Bart De Wever (@Bart_DeWever) March 9, 2026

Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin called the explosion “an abject antisemitic act that directly targeted Belgium’s Jewish community,” adding that a judicial investigation has been opened by the federal prosecutor’s office and that security around similar sites will be strengthened.

Yves Oschinsky, president of the Committee of Jewish Organizations in Belgium, described the blast as “an extremely disturbing, serious and worrying antisemitic act.”

Prime Minister Bart De Wever also condemned the attack, saying antisemitism “is an attack on our values and our society” and expressing solidarity with the Jewish community in Liege and across the country.

The synagogue, inaugurated in 1899, is a designated historic monument in the French-speaking Wallonia region and also houses a museum dedicated to Liege’s Jewish community.

Machon Bnos Yehuda Seminary has warned parents not to route their daughters through Egypt after receiving reports of disturbing incidents involving women traveling through the country while trying to leave Eretz Yisroel.

In a letter sent to parents, Moishe Bak of Machon Bnos Yehuda said the seminary had received verified information describing frightening situations encountered by women attempting to travel through Egypt.

The message began by reassuring parents that the students currently at the seminary are safe.

“A Gut Voch. I am happy to be able to share with you that the Eim Bayit reported that Shabbos at Machon Bnos Yehuda (for those who chose to stay) was a beautiful and uplifting experience. Baruch Hashem, the girls are doing well and are safe.”

Bak explained that the school felt obligated to inform parents about troubling developments affecting women who had tried to leave the region through neighboring countries.

“It has been brought to our attention that a number of girls and women who attempted to travel through Egypt experienced very frightening situations, and in some cases may have been harmed or assaulted.”

According to the seminary, verified reports received recently described incidents in which women traveling in groups were separated from men who were accompanying them, including husbands.

“Just this evening we received verified information describing extremely distressing incidents. In certain situations, groups of women were separated from the men traveling with them — including married women being separated from their husbands — and were subjected to very troubling experiences.”

Bak noted that many of the people involved in the incidents have chosen not to speak publicly but asked that others be warned.

“Many of the individuals involved have chosen not to speak publicly about what happened, but they have specifically asked that others be warned.”

The seminary urged parents to avoid sending daughters through Egypt or nearby countries under any circumstances.

“For this reason, we are begging parents: please do not even consider sending your daughters through Egypt or any of the neighboring countries.”

At the same time, the school indicated that alternative travel options may soon become available as the situation evolves.

“Baruch Hashem, other options are beginning to present themselves. We are starting to hear that the skies are slowly reopening, airport operations are expected to resume tomorrow, and flights are gradually beginning to take passengers out of Eretz Yisrael. Igud HaYeshivos is also working on arranging flights, and we expect to have more information from them very soon.”

Bak also cautioned parents against making travel decisions based on information circulating in messaging groups or social media.

“At a time like this, decisions based on WhatsApp groups, group chats, or by people who do not truly understand the matzav on the ground should be avoided.”

He said the seminary administration is closely monitoring developments and will continue to update families.

“We are monitoring the situation very carefully and will continue to share reliable updates as they become available. I have a scheduled conference call with the hanhala at 2:00 AM to discuss plans for the coming days, and I will, b’ezras Hashem, send another update tomorrow morning.”

The letter concluded with further reassurance that the students currently in Yerushalayim are safe and coping well under the circumstances.

“Baruch Hashem, your daughters are safe and doing well. In general, they are calm, happy, and adjusting to life in Yerushalayim under the current circumstances. With a steady stream of calm, supportive, and positive messages coming from home, we believe they will continue to handle this situation with the strength and resilience they have already shown.”

{Matzav.com}

We regret to inform you of the Petirah of Rafael Chaim Shar Yashuv Z”L ben (Baba Chaya Rivka) Yitzchak Zev Scheinerman. He was 16.

The Levaya is scheduled to take place at 10:30 AM in Lakewood at the chapel, 613 Ramsey Ave, Lakewood.

The Levaya can be watched here. Passcode:359698

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

NEW YORK (VINnews/Shira Miller) – There are moments in American public life when a commentator says something so reflexively alarmist, so disconnected from strategic reality, that it demands a serious response. CNN’s Fareed Zakaria recently provided one of those moments when he declared Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader “a very bad sign for the war” — his reasoning being that it shows the Iranians are “dug in.”

This kind of statement — delivered with Ivy League gravitas and the imprimatur of a major cable news platform — deserves careful examination. Not because Zakaria is uniquely dangerous, but because he is emblematic of a pundit class that has cultivated the appearance of expertise while compiling a remarkable record of getting the most consequential questions of our time decisively wrong.

At a moment when American momentum in the Middle East is building and diplomatic and military pressure is producing tangible results, the country does not need its information environment poisoned by reflexive pessimism dressed up as sophistication.

Why the Claim Falls Apart

Let us examine Zakaria’s specific assertion that a hardline appointment in Tehran represents entrenchment and augurs badly for the conflict. There are at least three serious reasons to question this conclusion.

First, there is the strategic reality on the ground. Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader faces an extraordinary convergence of threats to his physical survival — Israeli precision firepower, American military assets, Mossad human intelligence networks, and CIA assets operating throughout the region. History has repeatedly demonstrated that a new leader installed by a regime in the throes of crisis is far more vulnerable than liberal commentators tend to assume when it suits their preferred narrative. The idea that this appointment represents a consolidation of Iranian power is, at minimum, highly premature.

Second, there is the internal political logic. When a regime appoints a maximalist to its highest position under duress, that is not always a sign of strength — it can be a sign of desperation, or even a necessary political ritual. The appointment of a hardline figure may represent the clerical establishment signaling to its own base: We tried the hardest possible approach, and it still failed. That kind of internal theater is not entrenchment. It is, potentially, the groundwork for eventual accommodation. A sophisticated analyst would at least present this possibility rather than leap to the darkest interpretation.

Third, there is the calibration of language. There is a meaningful difference between “a potentially bad sign,” “a bad sign,” and “a very bad sign.” Precision in language is the minimum we should expect from someone who has made a career of being television’s explanation-of-record for geopolitical events. To dial the rhetoric immediately to “very bad” — without evidence, without nuance, without seriously engaging with alternative interpretations — is not analysis. It is sensationalism wearing a PhD.

For Benjamin Netanyahu, the war with Iran is clearly about destroying the Islamic Republic.

But Washington’s focus should be different: it needs to secure the gains it has made — a disarmed and defanged Iran — without pushing the country into civil war.

My take: pic.twitter.com/ijCtKnyx2C

— Fareed Zakaria (@FareedZakaria) March 8, 2026

A Track Record That Demands Scrutiny

This Iran commentary does not emerge from a vacuum. It is part of a long pattern of high-profile calls that have failed, on examination, to age well.

Zakaria’s framework for Arab political evolution — outlined in his 2003 book The Future of Freedom — argued that certain authoritarian-leaning governments could serve as useful transitional vehicles toward liberalization. That framework collapsed under the weight of the Arab Spring and its aftermath, as managed liberalization repeatedly failed to produce the stable democratic outcomes he anticipated. His optimism proved to be wishful thinking on a geopolitical scale.

His commentary on China was similarly overconfident. For years, Zakaria was among the prominent voices suggesting that economic engagement would eventually produce political liberalization in Beijing — a consensus view among Western elites that has since been decisively refuted by Xi Jinping’s consolidation of power. The expected democratization never came. The “responsible stakeholder” transformation never came. What came instead was an increasingly assertive authoritarian state with global ambitions. Zakaria’s pre-Xi framework offered essentially no predictive value.

On Iraq, he initially supported military intervention before quietly repositioning himself as a retrospective critic as the war’s difficulties became undeniable. This pattern — confident early assertion followed by careful revision — allowed him to avoid sustained accountability while preserving the credibility needed for his next round of confident assertions.

The Plagiarism Problem

Any serious accounting of Zakaria’s standing must also reckon with the plagiarism controversy that surfaced in 2012 and expanded significantly in 2014. In August 2012, he was suspended by both Time and CNN after a column on gun control was found to contain material strikingly similar to a New Yorker piece by historian Jill Lepore. He called it a “terrible mistake” and was reinstated after brief internal reviews.

The story did not end there. In 2014, a cascade of institutional responses followed wider reporting on additional allegations: Newsweek added blanket warnings to its entire archive of his columns and found improper citation in seven of them. Slate appended a notice to one column stating that it “does not meet Slate’s editorial standards, having failed to properly attribute quotations and information.” The Washington Post issued corrections on multiple columns after finding “problematic” sourcing in five of them.

The question is not whether these incidents meet a legal threshold. The question is what they reveal about the intellectual rigor of a man who has positioned himself as the gold standard of foreign policy analysis. When attribution errors appear across multiple publications over multiple years, it reflects a systematic approach that prioritizes volume of output over original thought — a serious concern for someone whose brand is premium geopolitical insight.

The Larger Failure

The broader context is essential. American pressure on Iran — combined with Israeli military operations and sustained intelligence activity — is producing tangible, measurable results. The axis of resistance that Iran spent decades and billions of dollars constructing has been materially degraded. Key figures have been eliminated. Supply chains disrupted. The regime faces internal economic pressure that dwarfs anything purely diplomatic approaches ever achieved.

In this environment, what the American public needs from its media establishment is accurate, calibrated, honest analysis. Not cheerleading — but not reflexive alarm either. When things are going well, declaring them to be going very badly is not intellectual courage. It is simply inaccuracy dressed in the costume of sober expertise.

Zakaria is polished, articulate, and media-savvy. That presence comes with genuine responsibility. When someone commands a major television platform and is routinely presented as a uniquely credentialed voice on world affairs, the standard for accuracy and intellectual honesty should be correspondingly high.

By that standard, his Iran commentary — viewed alongside his track record of high-profile misjudgments, documented attribution failures across multiple publications, and a history of politically colored advocacy that shapes his analysis in ways rarely acknowledged — demands real scrutiny.

America is not a nation that needs to be frightened into conclusions. It needs clear-eyed assessment of its opportunities and risks from commentators whose records actually justify the certainty with which they speak.

Fareed Zakaria’s doesn’t.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Residents of Tehran woke up on Sunday morning to a truly apocalyptic reality: thick, choking black clouds covered the skies above the Iranian capital, and rain mixed with oil droplets fell over the city, just hours after a series of Israeli strikes on oil facilities.

Dramatic footage from the scene shows extensive destruction at the “Shahran” oil terminal, where destroyed tankers, shattered gates, and massive columns of black smoke rising into the air can be seen.

The Iranian news agency Fars News Agency reported that the strikes targeted four oil storage facilities and a transfer center in the Tehran and Alborz regions. The CEO of Iran’s fuel distribution company confirmed on state television that four people were killed in the strikes, including two tanker drivers.

The IDF confirmed the attack, emphasizing that the fuel depots that were targeted were used directly and regularly by the Iranian regime to operate military infrastructure.

CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen reports from Tehran’s Shahran oil depot, where thick black smoke rises behind him after a strike hit the facility. Iranian state media said fuel and oil storage tanks in several areas of the capital were targeted in Israeli and US strikes. CNN operates in… pic.twitter.com/pNCfO4ktub

— CNN (@CNN) March 8, 2026

A reporter from CNN who documented the unusual scene said: “This is quite an apocalyptic scene we’re seeing here. We’ve just arrived at the Shahran oil depot, which was hit last night in large airstrikes. We heard the massive explosions for hours last night. And you can see the damage here is enormous. There’s an oil tanker over there — it’s completely destroyed.”

He continued: “You can also see that the entrance gate to the facility has been destroyed. There’s thick, massive black smoke still coming from the ruined depot. We also saw some flames, you can probably see them in the background. The site is completely destroyed and still burning.”

The reporter added that throughout the morning in Tehran rain continued to fall, and oil appeared to be mixed with the rain falling over the city.

“The air in the city right now feels extremely heavy,” he said.

The environmental consequences of the strikes are described as particularly severe. The Iranian Red Crescent Society issued an urgent warning stating that the explosions released massive amounts of toxic hydrocarbon compounds, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides into the air. The organization warned that the rain falling over the city, which residents observed as black, oily rain, is acidic and extremely dangerous, and could cause skin burns and serious lung damage.

Authorities urged residents to remain inside their homes, while Agence France-Presse reported that visibility in the city was so poor that drivers had to turn on their headlights to navigate the streets in the middle of the day.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Former New York Police Department Chief of Department John Chell criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other local Democratic officials Monday, accusing them of failing to clearly label Saturday’s attack as terrorism.

Chell, who retired in October 2025 after a 30-year career and served as one of the NYPD’s highest-ranking uniformed officers, made the comments in a social media post early Monday.

“As of 6:00 a.m. this morning, 40+ hours later, not one of our local elected Democrats has labeled Saturday’s attack for what it was — an attack committed by Islamic terrorists,” Chell wrote.

As of 6:00 am this morning, 40+ plus hours later, not one of our local elected democrats has labeled Saturdays attack for what it was -an attack committed by Islamic Terrorists. What a bunch of COWARDS. They are quick to Instagram, to Tic-Tok, quick to COSPLAY at a podium but… pic.twitter.com/YFBxfilKD2

— John M Chell (@JohnMChell) March 9, 2026

He also criticized city leadership, saying Mayor Mamdani “has disappeared on us,” and added that the New York City Council “has nothing to say.”

Chell praised New Yorkers and several police organizations, including the NYPD, the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and the Sergeants Benevolent Association, for their response following the attack.

City officials have not immediately responded to Chell’s criticism, and authorities have not publicly confirmed a motive behind the attack.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Mrs. Geraldine Schottenstein a”h, the respected matriarch of a family long known for its steadfast support of Torah and Jewish education. She passed away this past week.

Geraldine was the wife of Jerome Schottenstein z”l. Together with her husband, Mrs. Schottenstein was part of a family whose generosity and loyalty helped strengthen Torah institutions and Jewish educational initiatives in Columbus, Ohio, and in communities far beyond. Through their quiet but significant support, countless Jews were given the opportunity to receive a strong foundation in Torah and Yiddishkeit.

Geraldine was born in New Orleans on Feb. 1, 1933, to her parents, Eva and Joseph. She and Jerome were married in 1953, when she joined him in Columbus, Ohio.

The Schottenstein family has for decades been recognized for its dedication to the growth of Jewish education and communal life. Geraldine shared in that commitment, standing alongside her husband in supporting schools, yeshivos, and organizations devoted to the transmission of Torah values to future generations.

Her life reflected the ideals of devotion to family, community responsibility, and a deep appreciation for the importance of Jewish continuity through education.

She is survived by her brother, Marc Hurwitz; her four children; her 10 grandchildren; and her 22 great-grandchildren: Her children are : Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein; Ann and Ari Deshe; Susan and Jon Diamond; and Lori Schottenstein.

After Jerome’s untimely passing at the relatively young age of 66 in 1992, Geraldine married Marty Hoffman, who passed away in 2013.

The levayah was held on Shushan Purim at Lakeside Cemetery in Miami.

Yehi zichroh boruch.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Following a missile barrage on Monday morning from Iran, several serious impact sites were reported in central Israel. Two foreign workers were pronounced dead after being critically injured at a construction site in central Israel. They were found unconscious at the scene, and medical teams were forced to declare their deaths on site.

At another impact site in central Israel, a man in his 30s was located in serious condition after being injured by shrapnel.

Sunday night saw continued sirens across Israel due to missile launches from Iran. Alerts were activated in the Golan Heights, Haifa, the Sharon region, Judea and Samaria, the central region, and as far south as Ashdod. Other launches were either intercepted or fell in open areas.

At one impact site in central Israel, a woman was lightly injured in Rishon LeZion, where six different impact locations were identified, apparently caused by a fragmenting Iranian missile. Additional sites were also identified in Lod and Modi’in Illit, with no injuries reported there.

During the night, rocket fire from Lebanon toward Kiryat Shmona and nearby communities along the border also continued, though no casualties were reported.

According to Israel’s Kan 11 channel, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched Khorramshahr, Fatah, Kheibar, and Qadr missiles, some carrying multiple warheads, toward Israel.

MDA teams provided medical treatment to 22 people across the country, including one person injured by interceptor debris, one person moderately injured, 21 people lightly injured, mostly while running to protected areas or suffering anxiety attacks.

Since the start of Operation “Roaring Lion”, MDA teams have treated 709 casualties, including 148 people injured directly by missile fire, 10 killed, 3 seriously injured, 8 moderately injured and 127 lightly injured.

Additionally, 475 people were injured while rushing to shelters, 8 were injured in traffic accidents after stopping on the roadside during siren and 78 suffered anxiety attacks.

During the night, the IDF  struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in Beirut. At the same time as the strikes in Beirut, and also carried out additional strikes in central Iran.

Iran also continued its attacks against Gulf countries overnight. An Iranian missile hit a village in Bahrain, causing a fire at the Bapco Refinery in Bahrain.

The United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency meeting this week to discuss the situation in Lebanon, at the request of France and with the support of European council members United Kingdom, Greece, Latvia, and Denmark.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said: “Another discussion at the Security Council and another visit by the UN Secretary-General to Lebanon will not change the reality on the ground. The Lebanese government must disarm Hezbollah and implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. If Lebanon does not do so, Israel will dismantle Hezbollah in order to protect its citizens.”

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The United States began a large military exercise with South Korea involving thousands of troops Monday while also waging an escalating war in the Middle East.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff has said about 18,000 Korean troops will take part in Freedom Shield, which runs through March 19. U.S. Forces Korea hasn’t confirmed the number of American troops participating in the training in South Korea.

The allies’ combined exercise comes amid South Korean media speculation that Washington is relocating some assets from South Korea to support fighting against Iran.

U.S. Forces Korea said last week it would not comment on specific movements of military assets for security reasons. South Korean officials also declined to comment on the reports that some U.S. Patriot anti-missile systems and other equipment were being moved to the Middle East, but they said there would be no meaningful impact on the allies’ combined defense posture.

Freedom Shield may trigger an irritated response from North Korea, which has long described the allies ’ joint exercises as invasion rehearsals and used them as a pretext to ramp up its own military demonstrations and weapons tests. The allies say the drills are defensive in nature.

North Korea has suspended all meaningful dialogue with Washington and Seoul following the 2019 collapse of a summit between leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term. Tensions rose in recent years as Kim used Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a window to accelerate the development of his nuclear arsenal and increase his leverage by aligning militarily with Moscow, which has received thousands of North Korean troops and large weapons shipments to help fuel its warfighting.

The allies’ drills follow a major political conference in Pyongyang last month, where Kim confirmed his hard-line view of “enemy” Seoul but left the door open to talks with Washington, calling on the United States to drop its demand for North Korea’s denuclearization as a precondition for dialogue.

Freedom Shield is one of two annual “command post” exercises conducted by the allies; the other is Ulchi Freedom Shield, held in August. The drills are largely computer-simulated and designed to test the allies’ joint operational capabilities while incorporating evolving war scenarios and security challenges. As usual, the March drill will be accompanied by a field training program, called Warrior Shield, but the number of field exercises during the Freedom Shield period has declined to 22 compared to last year’s 51.

While U.S. and South Korean militaries say field exercises are often spread out throughout the year, there’s speculation that the allies are seeking to tone down the spring drills to create conditions for dialogue with North Korea. Liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has expressed a desire for diplomacy, and some of his top officials have voiced hope that Trump’s expected visit to China in late March or April could possibly create an opening with Pyongyang.

Two ships owned by an Iranian company that the United States has accused of supplying materials to Tehran’s ballistic missile program departed from a Chinese chemical storage port this week, loaded with cargo and heading toward Iran, The Washington Post reported on Sunday.

The ships, the Shabdis and the Barzin, belong to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), a state-owned company under U.S., British, and European Union sanctions.

The ships had been docked at the Gaolan port in Zhuhai, located on China’s southeastern coast. According to experts quoted by The Post, Gaolan is a loading port for chemicals, including sodium perchlorate, a key precursor for solid rocket fuel Iran needs for its missile program.

The two ships are expected to reach Iran this coming Saturday, unless they are sunk by the United States.

China’s decision to allow the ships to sail to Iran amid a war with the US is significant.

“China could have held these vessels at port, imposed an administrative delay, invented a customs hold—any number of bureaucratic tools—but didn’t,” Isaac Kardon, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told The Post. “That’s a deliberate policy choice made during an active war in which Beijing publicly calls for restraint.”

Grant Rumley, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, expressed similar sentiments, focusing on China’s ties with Gulf states: “With missiles and drones raining down on Gulf states, any show of support like this towards Iran risks souring China’s relations with a number of Gulf countries,” he said. “It’s an uncharacteristically bold strategy.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Reports are coming in by the dozen of technical problems affecting older-generation kosher phones when they receive emergency alerts from Israel’s Home Front Command, raising concerns among users in the chareidi community.

According to discussions on Kol Chai radio, users of older basic mobile phones say the automatic emergency alerts can cause their devices to freeze, leaving them unable to dismiss the warning or continue using the phone. In some reported cases, the alerts even lead to contact lists being erased and batteries draining rapidly. The issue seems to come from the fact that the alerts were not created for these types of devices, rather, this system was primarily developed for newer devices running on modern networks. Pinchas Ben Ziv, who discussed the issue on air, described the situation as frustrating, since the alerts are meant to save lives during missile attacks or emergencies, but can effectively take over the phone entirely.

Lt. Col. (res.) Danny Cohen, who serves as the Home Front Command’s spokesperson to the chareidi community, said the system follows updated guidelines issued by Israel’s Ministry of Communications, which are designed primarily for phones operating on 4G networks. Older second- and third-generation phones may not properly support the alert technology, he explained.

Cohen noted that in some cases, a simple software update through a computer connection may resolve the issue and allow the alerts to display correctly. He added that the alert system can provide early warnings minutes before sirens sound, as well as notifications when it is safe to leave protected areas, a feature that can be particularly helpful during emergencies or on Shabbos.

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1724-Semichah-Part-24-Bracha.mp3

​​For more info, email [email protected].

The Yeshiva University Maccabees are headed to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 after a huge 92–69 win over the University of Maine-Farmington in the Round of 32 on Motzie Shabbos.

The victory, played at Montclair State University’s Panzer Athletic Center in New Jersey, brings YU as one of the final 16 teams remaining in the national tournament.

From the opening minutes, the Macs took control of the game. Yeshiva jumped out to a strong first-half lead, entering halftime ahead 47–34, and continued to build on that advantage throughout the second half to seal the win.

The Maccabees showcased a great offensive attack with four players scoring in double figures. Yoav Oselka led the way with a dominant performance, recording 24 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Zevi Samet added 16 points, Yair Dovrat contributed 13 points and six assists, and Nate Jacobs provided a strong boost off the bench with 10 points.

The victory improves Yeshiva’s record to 22–8 on the season, continuing a postseason surge that began with a dramatic 71–69 first-round win over Bates College just a few days ago.

This marks only the second time in history that Yeshiva University has reached the Sweet 16. They previously advanced to the tournament’s third round during the 2019–2020 season, though that year’s tournament was later canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the win, the Maccabees will now face Emory University in the Sweet 16 as they look to continue their historic NCAA Tournament run.

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tefila4Life-Shiur-1060-Responsibility-Shiru-Lashem.mp3

New York City has spent over $100 million on snow cleanup so far this winter, according to city officials, after multiple major storms forced a massive mobilization of sanitation crews and equipment across the five boroughs.

The New York City Department of Sanitation deployed thousands of workers and hundreds of snowplows and salt spreaders during several winter storms this season, working around the clock to keep streets, highways, and emergency routes open.

This expense shows the crazy scale of the operations required to maintain travel safety in a city with more than 19,000 miles of streets. Crews were tasked with plowing roadways, spreading salt to prevent ice buildup, and clearing snow from key streets and highways.

The city’s snow response involves extensive coordination, with sanitation workers often working long shifts in difficult weather conditions while managing heavy equipment across dense neighborhoods. While winter weather is expected each year, the intensity of several storms this season required a particularly large deployment of resources, quickly pushing the total cost past the $100 million mark.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham offered rare public criticism of Israel after reports that Israeli strikes targeted parts of Iran’s oil infrastructure over the weekend.

In a series of posts, Graham praised Israel’s military capabilities but urged caution in selecting targets as the war with Iran continues.

“Our allies in Israel have shown amazing capability when it comes to collapsing the murderous regime in Iran. America is most appreciative,” Graham wrote.

“However, there will be a day soon that the Iranian people will be in charge of their own fate, not the murderous ayatollah’s regime.”

Graham warned that destroying Iran’s oil economy could harm the country’s ability to rebuild once the current regime collapses.

“In that regard, please be cautious about what targets you select. Our goal is to liberate the Iranian people in a fashion that does not cripple their chance to start a new and better life when this regime collapses,” he wrote.

“The oil economy of Iran will be essential to that endeavor.”

According to reports, the Trump Administration was also angered by the strikes on Iran’s oil fields, which Israeli officials say were being used by the Islamic Republic’s military forces.

Israeli officials have maintained that the targeted facilities were connected to the regime’s military and financial infrastructure supporting its war effort.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Confusion and frustration have been reported at the Kosel in recent days, as mispallelim arriving to daven say they are being prevented from entering despite official statements indicating that limited access to the plaza has been permitted.

According to Israel Police announcements, up to 50 people at a time were supposed to be allowed into the Kosel plaza in accordance with current Home Front Command safety guidelines. However, those who came to the site report that in practice entry is often blocked entirely or handled in an inconsistent manner.

Mispallelim who arrived at the Kosel say that no clear system has been established for regulating entry and exit. Some report that the situation is being managed arbitrarily by security personnel on the ground, with small groups occasionally allowed inside while at other times the entrance is closed completely without any clear explanation.

At the center of the disagreement is the question of adequate protection in the event of missile alerts. A standard protected space exists only in nearby buildings under the management of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. However, individuals familiar with the area say that the Wilson’s Arch complex could offer meaningful protection, similar to the portable shelters used elsewhere in the country.

Many mispallelim say the failure to make use of that area for tefillah has caused significant pain and frustration, particularly during a time when many feel a strong need to pour out their hearts in tefillah at the Kosel.

“It is not appropriate that the police cannot find a way to allow tefillah at the holiest place while still safeguarding human life,” rabbonim said, adding that the ability to daven there is a vital ruchniyus need during the ongoing war.

Amid Operation Roaring Lion and the ongoing security situation, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation carried out its traditional pre-Pesach removal of the notes placed between the stones of the Kosel.

The procedure took place Sunday morning, as it does each year before Pesach, and involved removing tens of thousands of kvittelach that had been placed between the stones over the past six months before transferring them for proper genizah.

The removal was carried out in the presence of Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rov of the Kosel and the holy sites, together with Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, director general of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. During the gathering they recited a special tefillah for the success of the campaign against the enemies of Klal Yisroel, particularly Iran, and for the safety of the soldiers of the IDF and security forces fighting on multiple fronts — in the air, at sea, and on land — as well as for the safety of U.S. soldiers assisting Israel.

In a statement, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation said that even during this difficult period, tefillos continue to arrive at the Kosel from throughout Eretz Yisroel and around the world.

“In these days, when the people of Israel face great challenges and seek rachamei Shamayim, we see how thousands of tefillos continue to reach the stones of the Kosel from across the country and the world,” the statement said.

Alongside tefillos for the safety of the country, its soldiers, and the Jewish people, the foundation said it has also received notes from individuals in countries considered hostile to Israel, expressing hopes for peace among nations.

The removal was carried out in accordance with halachah, with workers using gloves and disposable wooden tools to preserve the sanctity of the site and the privacy of the notes. The collected notes were placed in special sacks and will be buried through proper genizah.

The foundation also noted that hundreds of notes are sent daily through its website, in addition to the hundreds of thousands placed personally by mispallelim and visitors at the Kosel throughout the year. Among the notes received this year were messages sent online by individuals from countries including Iran, Yemen, Iraq, Qatar, Lebanon, Pakistan, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt, and Kazakhstan, many expressing heartfelt hopes for peace and reconciliation between nations.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — U.S. stock futures plunged Sunday night, signaling another volatile week on Wall Street as investor nerves over the ongoing conflict with Iran weigh on markets.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 1,000 points, or about 2.1%. Nasdaq 100 futures dropped over 650 points, roughly 2.5%, while S&P 500 futures fell 149 points, or 1.7%.

The declines reflect mounting anxiety among investors about the potential economic impact of the U.S.-Iran conflict. Stock futures are contracts that allow investors to buy or sell shares at a set price before the market opens, offering a glimpse of how stocks may open and how traders are positioning themselves.

The Dow is coming off its largest weekly drop in nearly a year, and traders are closely monitoring corporate earnings and economic data this week for further direction.

BANGKOK (AP) — Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index plunged more than 6% early Monday after oil prices soared to over $110 a barrel due to disruptions from the war in the Middle East, casting a shadow over economies heavily dependent on imports of crude and gas from the region.

The Nikkei was down 6.2% at 52,184.41 shortly after trading began. South Korea’s Kospi sank 6.1% to 5,180.19 and shares in Australia and New Zealand fell more than 3%.

The futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.9%.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, was at $109.46 a barrel and U.S. benchmark crude traded at $107.37 a barrel. Both were more than 18% above their closing prices Friday.

Crude prices are at their highest level in more than three and a half years. Supply concerns have driven crude and gasoline higher as the war ensnares major oil-producing countries and hinders exports from the Persian Gulf.

“The market woke up to the sound every macro trader dreads. The oil alarm bell. And this time it was not a polite chime. It was a fire siren,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.

The increases followed the U.S. crude price jumping by 36% and Brent crude rising by 28% last week. Oil prices have surged as the war, now in its second week, ensnared countries and places that are critical to the production and movement of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf.

If oil prices stay above $100 per barrel, some analysts and investors say it could cause serious damage to the global economy.

On Friday, the S&P 500 dropped 1.3% after a report showed U.S. employers cut more jobs last month than they created and after oil prices shot above $90 per barrel. The combination of a weak economy and high inflation is a worst-case scenario for investors because the Federal Reserve has no good tool to fix both problems at the same time.

The Dow plunged as many as 945 points before finishing with a loss of 453, or 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.6%.

Early Monday, the U.S. dollar, which retains its status as a safe haven for investors bracing against uncertainty, gained against other major currencies. It was trading at 158.67 Japanese yen, up 0.9% from Friday’s close. The euro fell to $1.1514, down from $1.1618.

Israel’s Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, said Sunday that the current conflict represents a historic and decisive struggle that will shape Israel’s future security for years to come.

Zamir made the remarks during a situational assessment held earlier in the day with Home Front Command chief Maj. Gen. Shai Kalper, the commander of the Air Defense Array, Brig. Gen. K., and additional senior officers.

During the meeting, Zamir revealed that Israeli forces carried out overnight operations targeting Iranian Quds Force elements operating in Lebanon.

“During the night we acted against Iranian Quds Force elements in Lebanon, in Beirut, and struck them,” Zamir said. “I tell you that there is no safe place for the Iranian evil proxies anywhere in the Middle East — not in Beirut and not anywhere else.”

The chief of staff also addressed the ongoing confrontation with Hezbollah and the heavy price being paid on the northern front.

“At the same time, we have experienced considerable fire directed at northern communities, and there was also an incident overnight. From here I want to send my condolences to the families of those who were killed and wish a speedy recovery to our wounded,” he said. “Hezbollah is an extreme arm of the Iranian octopus, and it is paying — and will continue to pay — a heavy price for this.”

Zamir noted that Israel has already been operating under prolonged emergency conditions and warned that the current war could continue for an extended period.

“Israel has been in a state of ongoing emergency for two years already. What we need right now above all is perseverance and patience. This will take a long time, and you must be prepared for that — however long it takes, it will take.”

He echoed remarks made by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu the previous evening, emphasizing that determination and resilience will ultimately determine the outcome of the conflict.

“I say to you — and you know this very well — that the one who will win is the side that shows determination and perseverance. We know our home front; it has very great resilience. I am confident in the strength of our home front to give us all the backing we need to achieve our goals.”

Zamir also acknowledged the difficulties faced by Israeli civilians, many of whom have repeatedly had to seek shelter during missile alerts.

“I know that citizens at home are forced to enter protected spaces quite often. We are constantly reviewing the instructions according to the evolving situation. I say to the citizens — remain attentive and act according to the instructions.”

He stressed that the war effort involves the combined work of multiple branches of Israel’s military.

“We are all together in this effort — the Air Force pilots, the armored forces, our infantry and engineering units that are now on the border lines and in Lebanon. Everyone together in this effort. It is a very large effort.”

Zamir concluded by describing the war as a defining moment for Israel.

“This is the war of our generation, a critical war, a decisive war. This war will determine our future and our security here for many years to come.”

{Matzav.com}

A chareidi firefighter from Beit Shemesh who helped rescue victims during last week’s devastating incident in the city has been hailed for his bravery after entering dangerous conditions to save those trapped at the scene.

Yeshayahu Penik, a chareidi resident of Beit Shemesh who serves as a support firefighter in Israel’s Fire and Rescue Authority, rushed into the disaster zone even as sirens continued to sound and the situation remained volatile.

At the scene, surrounded by thick smoke and the cries of distressed families, Penik immediately joined rescue teams searching for trapped victims and deploying water lines to battle the flames.

Reflecting on the moment, Penik described acting almost instinctively as he carried out the rescue efforts.

“I was working on instinct,” he said. “What I did was a kiddush Hashem and truly saving lives. I understood this was not a normal interception. I went out to the scene together with all the teams and we began searching.”

Penik is one of 45 chareidi firefighters serving within Israel’s firefighting system, a group that demonstrates that it is possible to maintain a strong Torah identity while participating in emergency response and community protection.

His personal story reflects that balance. Although he comes from a deeply religious background, Penik said his family supported his decision to join the firefighting service. His parents even attended his graduation ceremony from the training program.

“I feel part of a system that accepts me as a chareidi Jew,” he said, adding that he also receives strong support from his wife.

The rescue efforts have drawn national attention. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir praised Penik’s actions and the growing participation of chareidi volunteers in emergency services.

“The service of chareidi young people is a real asset to the State of Israel,” Ben Gvir said. “Yeshayahu proves that it is possible to combine religious mission together with national and security responsibility at the highest level.”

For Penik, the combination is natural. He says that wherever help is needed, he intends to be there, wearing his uniform while guided by his faith and commitment to saving lives.

{Matzav.com}

The Satmar Rebbe addressed the ongoing war with Iran during Seudah Shlishis, speaking emotionally about the situation and cautioning against rejoicing over the military successes of what he referred to as the “Zionist Eigel.” The Rebbe said that even feeling happiness in one’s heart over such successes requires kapparah.

During his remarks, the Rebbe explained that he sees three different levels of people who become entangled, in his view, in the sin of the “Zionist Eigel” during the current war.

He began by recalling a memory from his childhood connected to the parsha of Ki Sisa, involving his uncle, the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum.

“I was then a child and I visited his home on Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Ki Sisa. He tested me on what I had learned in cheder, and tested me on Chumash Rashi from the weekly portion, Parshas Ki Sisa. I told him that we learned everything that is written about the sin of the golden calf, that the Jewish people worshipped the golden calf.”

According to the Rebbe, his uncle asked him how it could be possible that Klal Yisroel would bow down to a figure made of gold.

“And he asked me: ‘How can it be that the Jewish people would simply worship and bow down to a calf made of gold? How can that be?’. I was a child and I did not know how to answer him, and then he answered me based on what is brought in the Midrash: the calf was not just a silent calf made of gold, the golden calf had life; it danced, it sang, the calf performed wonders, it did tricks – it was just like a living calf. And therefore the Jewish people fell into its trap, and that caused them, heaven forbid, to worship the golden calf and to sin with that terrible sin.”

The Rebbe said that his uncle explained there were three levels of people who became involved in the sin of the Eigel.

“There were three levels of those who stumbled in the sin of the calf: some saw the wonders and simply began to worship the idol outright. The second group did not actually worship the calf, but they kissed and embraced the calf with affection. And there was a third group, which was the majority of the Jewish people, who simply rejoiced in their hearts; they saw the dancing and wonders of the calf and they enjoyed and were happy that the idol was able to perform all these wonders, and therefore everyone needed to bring atonement for the sin.”

Drawing a parallel to the current situation, the Satmar Rebbe said the lesson is very relevant to the present war with Iran.

“This is a very important lesson for our time, for this moment that we are standing in now with the war with Iran — the Zionist calf is performing wonders, it dances, it jumps, the whole world sees that it is succeeding in performing wonders. There are some among the Jewish people who bow to the idol — they serve the Zionist calf, and there are some who do not serve the calf but they kiss the Zionist calf.”

He continued by saying that the largest group, in his view, are those who simply feel joy in their hearts when they hear about military successes.

“But the main large group are those who rejoice in their hearts over the success of the calf, over the wonders that the calf succeeds with, over the dancing. They follow all day exactly every wonder, every success of the calf. You have no permission to think about it; even to rejoice in your heart is completely forbidden. They hear the news, they see all the strikes of the calf and they rejoice in their hearts over the success of the Zionist calf, and for that they need atonement — for the joy in the heart over the success of the idol.”

The Rebbe concluded by urging listeners to remember that avodah zarah remains forbidden even when it appears powerful or successful.

“Hashem should help and grant us understanding, to realize that idol worship is forbidden even when it succeeds in showing wonders. It dances, but the golden calf remains the golden calf. It is forbidden to serve it, forbidden to kiss it, forbidden to look at it and forbidden to rejoice in it. And this should be a guiding light for us, until Hashem helps and all idol worship will be abolished from the world, including this calf.”

{Matzav.com}

Travelers complained of long waits Sunday — lasting hours in some cases — at security checkpoints at airports in Houston and New Orleans, which officials blamed on a government shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The estimated wait time at the standard security checkpoint at the William P. Hobby Airport in Houston early Sunday evening was at one point three hours, according to the Houston Airports website. The Hobby airport on social media Friday said it expected more travelers than normal due to spring break.

In a series of posts Sunday, the airport on X went from urging travelers to arrive early to asking them to arrive 3 to 4 hours before their flights to eventually asking them to arrive 4 to 5 hours early to allow extra time for screening, citing the partial government shutdown.

A statement from Houston Airports, which counts Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental Airport as part of its system, said the shutdown “can impact security operations day-to-day and shift-to-shift.” Wait times at checkpoints at George Bush Intercontinental Airport early Sunday evening were as brief as a few minutes.

Posts on X from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Sunday said a shortage of TSA agents at the security checkpoint was leading to “longer-than-average” lines. The airport urged travelers to arrive at least three hours before their flights and said wait times could last up to two hours. It warned similar delays could continue through the coming week.

It’s not immediately clear if the delays in Houston and New Orleans were happening at other airports around the country. Sunday’s longer-than-usual wait times came on top of flight delays in recent days in places like Atlanta due to weather.

Agents with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration are expected to work without pay during the ongoing shutdown of the department, which began Feb. 14. Democratic lawmakers have said DHS 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.

Chris Sununu, president and CEO of Airlines for America, a trade group for U.S. airlines, in a statement urged Congress and the Trump administration to act.

“We are in spring break travel season and expecting record numbers of people to take to the skies. Airlines have done their part to prepare; now Congress and the administration must act with urgency to reach a deal that reopens DHS and ends this shutdown,” he said. “America’s transportation security workforce is too important to be used as political leverage.”

Jessica Andersen Alexie and her two children, 10 and 13, were among the travelers caught in the long lines at Hobby in Houston as they tried to return home to New Orleans. They had been in Houston for the World Baseball Classic.

Alexie said they arrived 3 hours early to find a long line and realized they would not make their flight. While in line, she checked rental cars to see if driving home might be an option but couldn’t find any available. She was able to rebook for a late-night flight and felt relieved to get through the CLEAR security line after about 3 1/2 hours.

When they finally sat down to eat, she decided to take another look at available flights, on the chance that others in line had to cancel and rearrange their plans, and found three seats on a flight that got her family home Sunday afternoon. When they landed at the New Orleans airport, the line extended out to the parking garage, she said.

“It was nuts,” she said. “It was crazy.”

As Israeli fighter pilots carry out thousands of bombing sorties deep inside Iran—missions that require flying hundreds of miles, conducting complex strike operations, and returning safely through hostile airspace—one of the greatest challenges facing aircrews is human biology.

Modern combat missions can stretch across dozens of hours, leaving pilots operating on little or no sleep while still expected to make split-second decisions at high speed. To combat the dangers of fatigue, militaries around the world have increasingly turned to a prescription medication designed to keep pilots alert even after extended periods without rest.

The drug, known as modafinil, has become a key tool in long-duration military operations.

Originally developed in France in the 1970s, modafinil was first approved to treat severe sleep disorders such as narcolepsy—a neurological condition that causes sudden, uncontrollable sleep attacks during the day. Over time, researchers discovered that the medication could also help healthy individuals remain alert for extended periods without the severe side effects associated with traditional stimulants.

That discovery quickly attracted the attention of military planners.

Air forces including the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Air Force have studied and in some cases authorized the use of modafinil for pilots during long-duration missions where sleep deprivation could jeopardize safety and mission success.

For Israeli pilots flying strike missions into Iran—journeys that require crossing hundreds of miles of hostile territory, executing precision bombings, and navigating complex aerial refueling schedules—fatigue presents a serious operational risk.

For decades, militaries relied on caffeine or even amphetamines to keep aircrews awake during extended operations. But those substances often produced unwanted side effects, including rapid heartbeat, irritability, impaired judgment, and a sharp crash once the stimulant wore off.

Rather than flooding the brain with dopamine like attention-deficit medications such as Ritalin, modafinil targets the brain’s natural wakefulness systems. The drug stimulates the hypothalamus—an area responsible for regulating sleep cycles—and increases levels of orexin, a neuropeptide that plays a key role in maintaining alertness. It also boosts levels of histamine in the brain, another chemical involved in regulating wakefulness.

Unlike caffeine, which temporarily masks fatigue by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain, modafinil promotes a sustained state of alertness. A single dose typically reaches peak concentration within two to four hours and can remain active in the bloodstream for 12 to 15 hours.

Studies involving military pilots have shown that participants who took modafinil were able to perform complex flight maneuvers in simulators with nearly the same precision as when they were fully rested. Those who received a placebo showed a sharp decline in performance after prolonged sleep deprivation.

In Israel, modafinil is sold under the brand name Provigil and is prescribed primarily for sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and shift-work sleep disturbances.

Although the medication is not officially approved for treating attention deficit disorders, physicians note that it can improve concentration and short-term memory. As a result, it has gained popularity for off-label use among students, doctors, and professionals working in demanding fields.

Users typically describe the experience not as a stimulant “high,” but as a simple restoration of alertness—similar to the feeling of having had a full night’s sleep.

Typical doses range between 100 and 200 milligrams per day, though during certain military operations doses may be divided throughout the day to maintain wakefulness over extended missions.

Despite its advantages, modafinil is not a substitute for sleep.

Medical experts warn that while the brain may remain alert, the body still requires rest to repair tissues and clear metabolic waste. When the drug’s levels eventually decline, users may experience a sudden drop in alertness—sometimes described as a “crash,” though usually milder than that caused by stronger stimulants.

Common side effects can include headaches, nausea, dizziness and anxiety. In rare cases, the medication can trigger severe skin reactions, which is why air forces that permit its use require strict medical supervision.

Pilots are typically tested with the medication on the ground before they are authorized to use it during flight operations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

“Rosh Yeshiva, there is a Jewish fellow who wants to become a Reform Rabbi. Someone suggested that he attend a yeshiva first. Could he start coming to shiurim here?”

“Of course! What is the question?”

“Rosh Yeshiva, there is a Jewish fellow that is kind of involved with the mafia. He wants to start attending our Gemorah shiurim. Is it alright if he comes and learns in the Yeshiva?”

“Every neshama that was at Har Sinai deserves to know of his birthright. Of course he should come!”

Both of the above conversations took place within the confines of Yeshiva Kesser Torah of Queens – close to four decades ago. I know, because I was the one who posed both of the questions.

His son, R’ Raakov Rosenblatt of Los Anegeles, dedicated a biography on Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l in his memory.

Rav Elyakim Getzel Rosenblatt zt”l, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Kesser Torah of Queens, was a talmid of both Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l and Rav Henoch Leibowitz zt”l. He began learning at BMG in Lakewood in 1951, at the age of 18. At the age of 27, he went to learn under Rav Henoch and remained a devoted talmid of both of them. It is also worth noting that, earlier in his career, he served as a Rebbi at Yeshivas Radin in Netanya, Eretz Yisroel, in the mid-1960s.

Rav Rosenblatt and yblc”t his aishes chayil, Rebbitzen Trani, were early pioneers of a unique brand of kiruv. They combined tremendous ahavas Yisroel with warmth, love, delicious meals, hartzigah singing, and in-depth Talmud study for baalei teshuvah and those who needed more personal instruction. The thousands of talmidim show how successful they truly were.

As Rav Hershel Welcher shlita pointed out in his hesped at the levaya, Rav Rosenblatt zt”l and his Rebbitzen embodied what Rav Chaim Volozhin’s son writes about his father in the preface to the Nefesh HaChaim:

She’zeh kol haAdam. Lo l’atzmo nivrah, rak l’ho’l l’achrini – kechol asher yimtzah b’kocho laasos.

“For this is all of man. He was not created for himself. Rather to do for others – in all that he is capable of doing.”

And the two of them certainly did for others.

Rav Rosenblatt’s talmidim and their children and grandchildren number in the thousands. They have entered and taken part in Jewish community after Jewish community. They fill the rosters of yeshivos and Beis Yaakovs across the country and in Eretz Yisroel. In Maalei Adumim alone, just one of his talmidim has influenced thousands himself. What better response to the tragic desolation that the Nazis yimach shnam wrought upon Klal Yisroel.

Vehanefashos asher asu b’charan.

There have been Yeshiva Kesser Torah talmidim who entered the portals of that remarkable yeshiva and emerged as Roshei Yeshiva themselves. Some went on to other great yeshivos as well. A number received smicha from Rav Dovid Feinstein zt”l. Others went on to help lead mosdos of Torah in their own right.

Rav Dovid Harris shlita, one of the two concurrent Roshei Yeshiva of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, said at the levaya that Rav Rosenblatt was his ninth grade Rebbi and made a strong impression upon him.

At the levaya, the Rosh Yeshiva’s brother, Rav Zev Rosenblatt shlita, mentioned their upbringing in Brownsville, New York – where everyone around them were survivors of the Holocaust. It was a time when no one had grandparents and the parents who had come over to America were struggling to survive. Even as a young man, Reb Elyakim Getzel’s overriding concern was the spiritual growth of his peers. Ever the masmid, ever the baal mashpiah, he directed his peers and his younger brother to draw from the life-giving waters of the Gedolei Torah who taught shiurim. Whether it was in Yeshiva Chaim Berlin, Telze, or Lakewood, he would encourage others to attend and make the most of it. They did, and today, many of them stand as leading rabbinic personalities.

He himself was a talmid of Rav Aharon Kotler zaicher tsaddik livracha. The influence of Rav Aharon on his thinking and learning was profound. He carried Rav Aharon’s shmuessim with him until the day he passed away. But perhaps more importantly, he was able to break down Rav Aharon’s incredible mussar insights into manageable and contemporary lessons for his talmidim. He did this for Rav Henoch’s shmuessim as well. Although one would never detect it from the way he carried himself, he was a master of the Slabodka-esque mussar shmuess. He would spend hours poring over Rav Leib Chasman’s Ohr Yahel and unfolding the subtle differences between the approach of Rav Chasman and that of Rav Aharon in a particular mussar inyan. His love of the Slabodka mehalech of shmuessim permeated his being.

Rav Rosenblatt also loved the in-depth unfolding of the steps of the Gemorah that Rav Dovid Leibowitz zt”l and his son Rav Henoch were noted for teaching. What was the movement in the Gemorah’s thinking at each point? What was the shift between the hava amina and the maskana? Are there words in the rishonim that can prove one way or the other? He loved this method of study and passed it on to his talmidim.

Eventually, Rav Rosenblatt went on to become a Rav in the Corona section of Queens. There, he and his Rebbitzen continued in their kiruv efforts, forming lifelong relationships. They hosted Shabbos meals replete with incredible food, incredible zmiros, and incredible shiurei Torah.

Later, when the Yeshiva was at its home in Briarwood, the Rav and Rebbitzen owned a mansion there and continuously hosted a remarkable flow of guests – a true beiso shel Avraham. Yet perhaps even more striking was what happened after the yeshiva grew smaller and relocated. Each Shabbos, the Rebbitzen would cook Shabbos, pack everything up, and move into a one-room basement so that the Rav could be with his bochurim. To do that for fifty bochurim is dedication; to do it for five or ten “shvache bochurim” is tzidkus.

Vehanefashos asher asu b’charan.

He looked at his talmidim as family. And they looked at him as a father. He catered the shiurim in the yeshiva toward anyone and everyone who had time to learn. The Yeshiva was unique in that there were several hours of shiurim every day where people could walk in and learn Torah in depth. He would meet people in the streets of Kew Gardens Hills, or Kew Gardens, and remark, “We have a businessman’s special! Come to the Yeshiva and learn at the early shiur and then go to work having had your daily Gemorah shiur!” They did. The experience made them into bnei Torah. These businessmen-talmidim eventually established Torah-dika homes and helped create a new generation of bnei Torah.

One talmid recalled: “I lived in KGH from about 2007 through 2012. In 2007, I was just back from Yeshiva in Israel and starting law school at St. John’s University. I often found myself in Kesser Torah learning between my law school classes. I got married in 2010 and moved away in summer 2012. At this point, Rav Rosenblatt was older and had already survived his life-threatening medical incident. On a few occasions Rabbi Rosenblatt invited me for Shabbos, Yom Tov, or a Chanukah seudah, and it was at his Shabbos table that I got to observe his ahavas Yisroel. He had the full range of Jews – from non-observant, to partially observant, to yeshiva bochurim, young marrieds, and older singles. He had such a soft and gentle way about him.”

That warmth was felt even by those who only passed through his shul briefly. One person recalled davening at the Yeshiva for a quick mincha-maariv minyan while traveling through the neighborhood. On a later visit, after some time had passed, Rav Rosenblatt came over immediately and said, “Shalom aleichem – I haven’t seen you in a while!” Such was his attentiveness to every Jewish neshamah who crossed his threshold.

Rav Rosenblatt was also a remarkable baal menagain. While in BMG in Lakewood, Rav Aharon Kotler would enjoy his young talmid’s hartzigah singing. The young Reb Elyakim Getzel also composed his own niggunim. One day, a former talmid of Rav Aharon, who had initially gone out into the world to bring others tachas kanfei HaShechina, came back to BMG for a Shabbos. He joined the bochurim for the singing of zmiros and naturally wanted to assume his former position as the baal menagain at the seudah. Rav Aharon shook his head – no. He then pointed to Rav Elyakim Getzel to lead. That former baal menagain went on to make a major impact in the Jewish music world. Rav Rosenblatt took Rav Aharon Kotler’s approval and encouragement of his niggunim as an inspiration to incorporate music and zmiros as part and parcel of the approach to chinuch and kiruv. Eventually Rav Rosenblatt released two albums of his niggunim, which can be heard on Shaar HaNeginah recordings.

Rav Rosenblatt thought deeply about everything that he did. He decided, after much reflection, that to best attract talmidim he would reconfigure the method of in-depth learning taught in his Yeshiva. The new mehalech was to begin with the halacha in the Rambam – whether in the laws of Shabbos, brachos, or other sections of the Yad HaChazakah. Then, he and his talmidim would carefully learn the Gemaros upon which the halacha was based. He would then trace it through the Rambam, Rosh, Kitzur Piskei HaRosh (written by the Tur), Tur, Beis Yosef, and Shulchan Aruch.

To Rav Rosenblatt, the Shulchan Aruch was an amalgamation of the various thoughts of the rishonim – where Rav Karo incorporated their very wording. He also loved the Frankel edition of the Rambam and would explore from where exactly the Rambam had derived his rulings. His clarity was remarkable, and he was able to get his talmidim to provide their own in-depth and thought-provoking explanations. The talmidim responded beautifully – they were genuinely contributing to cutting-edge deep Talmudic thought.

This respect for his talmidim was not only present in his shiurim – it was part and parcel of his daily interaction with others. He would call a talmid “Rabbeinu.” This was because he meant it – such was his anavah. He believed in people. The encouragement and trust that he placed in people was essential to their growth. A talmid would think, “The Rosh Yeshiva places such trust in me!” And invariably, that talmid would strive to live up to it.

One reflection on this: several other rabbinical figures in the neighborhood went on to build magnificent edifices and large shuls, having started from basements. It did not happen for Rav Rosenblatt’s yeshiva in the same way. Yet he said personally that he harbored no jealousy whatsoever over such edifices – he simply wanted to be able to teach Torah. This, too, was the mark of a genuine gadol.

Once, one of his talmidim was needlessly killed in a horrific tragedy. The incident affected him deeply, and he spent much time on the phone comforting the talmid’s mother – his only child. His talmidim were family.

In his divrei Torah, he would always focus on pshat. But he also explored other areas of thought. One talmid recalled how he loved creative approaches to Torah and having genuine fun with Torah. Another one of Rav Rosenblatt’s trademarks was: “This is the simple pshat. The Chassidishe Torah’leich say…”

Then there were the parsha sheets. When I was first hired as the mashgiach and a Rebbi at Yeshiva Kesser Torah, I was enamored by the ease of accessibility and the depth of the mussar shmuessim. How fortunate were the talmidim of Yeshiva Kesser Torah! Here was a clear, depth-filled exposition of Rav Aharon Kotler’s and Rav Henoch Leibowitz’s approaches to mussar inyanim, alongside the other Gedolei HaMussar. I suggested to Rav Rosenblatt that the shmuessim be written up and distributed in shuls and yeshivos. He embraced the suggestion, and for the next number of years, many hours were spent each week editing and re-editing.

The printed mussar shmuessim became a huge success. Each week, dozens of shuls and yeshivos requested to be added to the distribution network. Letters of appreciation poured in. Eventually, they were assembled into sefer form.

Rav Rosenblatt zt”l would sometimes throw convention to the wind in his ardor to bring out a point. He wanted certain ideas emphasized in the written word as one might emphasize them in speech through voice modulation. His solution? He decided to use bold text liberally. When told “Rosh Yeshiva, this is not done,” he would respond, “But why not? If it can help bring across a point of Torah thought, then let us throw convention to the wind.” For many years later, he would show me other seforim in lashon haKodesh in which a particular page would have five or six lines of bold.

Eventually, the printed shmuessim would regularly incorporate one phrase that would convey a question the Gedolei Mussar would ask on that week’s parsha. “This is mystifying” invariably appeared in each sheet. It became a catchphrase – a trademark. It eventually brought one struggling former talmid back to the Yeshiva and the Torah way of life.

What ever happened to the two people mentioned at the beginning of this appreciation? One went on to build a beautiful Torah-dika mishpacha and became a pillar in his community. The other – the “connected” person – learned for several years at the Yeshiva and looked upon Rav Rosenblatt as his own Rosh Yeshiva. He devoted his life to helping other mosdos of Torah. Once, that talmid was so taken by the story of the Mirrer Yeshiva’s salvation through Shanghai, China that he approached Rav Kalmanovitch zt”l about the possibility of making a movie about it. Rav Kalmanovitch responded in the negative, knowing that in order to make a movie popular, there would have to be scenes incompatible with what Torah is all about. The talmid dropped the project.

Vehanefashos asher asu b’charan.

There is no question that the world is a different place without Rav Rosenblatt. As a consolation, his shmuessim can still be heard on TorahAnytime – where over 547 of his lectures are available. They can be read in Yeshiva Kesser Torah’s parsha sheets. His niggunim can be heard on Shaar HaNeginah recordings. But there is no full replacement for this remarkable individual who impacted such a large section of Klal Yisroel.

Yehi zichro baruch.

During a Purim celebration held in the court of the Biala Rebbe of Bnei Brak, the Rebbe delivered a fiery address that included sharp criticism of the Mizrachi movement and Zionism, drawing strong reactions from those present.

The remarks were delivered during the traditional Purim tish gathering held in the Rebbe’s court, where chassidim assembled to celebrate the holiday together with their Rebbe.

Opening his address, the Rebbe offered words of encouragement to the bochurim standing around the parenches, emphasizing the spiritual strength and value of every ben Torah.

“There is no such thing as a weak bochur,” the Rebbe declared passionately. “Every bochur is a precious treasure; each one is strong in his ruchniyus. Who are the truly weak ones? The people of Mizrachi and the Zionists — they are the klipah of Amalek in our generation.”

The Rebbe continued with pointed criticism, saying that anyone who adopts what he described as the outlook of Mizrachi is also considered part of that spiritual impurity.

“Anyone who goes with the ‘head’ like Mizrachi is also considered part of those klipos of Amalek that must be erased. This is the tumah from which we must distance ourselves completely.”

During the tish, in keeping with certain chassidic customs, the Rebbe was seen smoking a cigarette during moments of intense spiritual elevation, which according to chassidic tradition can symbolize lofty spiritual ideas and yichudim on this holy day.

{Matzav.com}

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In recent days, unusual videos circulating online have shown what appear to be clusters of small glowing objects streaking across the night sky, sparking both curiosity and concern among the public.

Those images reflect a new security reality after Iranian barrages that included this type of missile struck central Israel. The attacks reportedly caused direct impacts and injuries from shrapnel in locations including Petach Tikvah and Tel Aviv.

The weapon involved is a ballistic missile equipped with a cluster warhead. Unlike a conventional missile that carries a single large explosive payload, this type of missile is designed to break apart during flight and release numerous smaller explosive units.

The process occurs high above the ground. At an altitude of roughly seven kilometers, the missile’s warhead opens and releases approximately twenty smaller submunitions. These small bombs then spread over a wide area, potentially covering a zone that can reach a diameter of up to sixteen kilometers from the point where the missile splits apart.

The glowing appearance seen in videos is caused by intense heat created as the submunitions pass through the atmosphere. Friction with the air generates bright light until the objects cool somewhat before reaching the ground.

Iran’s decision to deploy these missiles at this stage of the conflict appears to stem from both technological limitations and operational considerations.

One reason is that the weapon helps compensate for the relatively poor accuracy of some older Iranian missile systems, such as the Imad and Qadr missiles, which can miss their intended targets by more than a kilometer. By scattering dozens of explosive submunitions across a broad area, the missile increases the likelihood that at least one will strike something.

Another factor is the challenge such weapons pose to air-defense systems. Intercepting dozens of small objects can be far more difficult than stopping a single large missile. This creates an additional burden for defensive systems such as Iron Dome, especially if the missile is not intercepted earlier at high altitude by the Arrow system.

Security experts also believe the timing of their use may simply reflect availability. Some of these weapons are believed to have been stored in eastern Iran at sites that were less affected by recent strikes.

Paradoxically, cluster missiles are generally considered less destructive to buildings and protected spaces than missiles carrying a single large warhead.

A standard ballistic missile with a unified warhead weighing hundreds of kilograms can cause the collapse of an entire building. By contrast, each submunition in a cluster missile contains only about 2.5 kilograms of explosive material.

That amount of explosive is typically not enough to penetrate the reinforced concrete walls of a protected safe room or cause major structural damage. As a result, people who follow Home Front Command instructions and remain in protected areas are significantly safer.

However, for anyone caught outside, the danger can be severe. Each submunition spreads fast-moving and potentially lethal shrapnel across a wide area.

Another serious risk comes from unexploded submunitions. Some of the small bombs may fail to detonate when they hit the ground and can remain dangerous for years. These unexploded devices can detonate if touched or moved.

Authorities therefore stress that anyone who encounters suspicious objects or debris should avoid approaching them and report the location immediately to the police.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON (AP) – Fox News apologized for airing old video of a hatless President Donald Trump during coverage Sunday of his attendance at the dignified transfer ceremony for U.S. soldiers killed in the Middle East war, insisting it was an honest mistake.

In a polarized time, some online critics suggested without evidence that it wasn’t an error — that the network was trying to make Trump look better by not showing him wearing a baseball cap during what is considered one of the most solemn duties of a commander in chief. The return of the bodies of six soldiers took place Saturday at Dover Air Force Base.

Don’t let Fox get away with it this time. Spread the word.

Fox & Friends Weekend replaced footage of Trump attending yesterday’s Dover AFB dignified transfer with a clip from December 17, 2025.

They clearly didn’t want their Trump-supporting audience to see Trump disrespecting… pic.twitter.com/cQzsEiY0Fm

— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) March 8, 2026

But Fox News said archival footage of Trump at an earlier ceremony was inadvertently pulled up by a staff member and used on two Sunday morning telecasts. A spokeswoman noted the correct footage was used at other times, including on Saturday.

“We regret the error and apologize for the incorrect footage,” Fox said in a statement.

Fox News anchor Griff Jenkins issued an on-the-air correction Sunday, saying “we extend our respect and condolences” to the families of the service members killed.

The apology didn’t sit well with some critics. “If any other network did this it would be a huge scandal, Fox would lead the chorus of criticisms and faux-outrage, and people would lose their jobs,” said Mehdi Hasan, founder of the online site Zeteo.

Johnny “Joey” Jones, a veteran and co-host of “The Big Weekend Show” on Fox News Channel, said on social media that he was “embarrassed and ashamed” that this happened.

“My belief was that this was an honest mistake, but that doesn’t make it an acceptable one,” Jones wrote. “Few things are more sacred than our heroes who give their lives in the line of duty.”

Jones said that “if posting snarky comments and insults is your way of reacting to this, please direct them at me. I’m the one with sharp words on these issues. If you are using this as a way to take a partisan jab at my hard working colleagues, check your watch.”

___

Rabbi Moshe Yosef Edri has been chosen as the chief rabbi of the city of Givatayim following a vote conducted by the municipal rabbinical election committee, which was headed by Rabbi Yaakov Zamir, a retired judge of Israel’s Supreme Rabbinical Court.

The announcement was made Sunday after the ballots were counted, confirming Rabbi Edri’s victory in the election. He is the son of the late Rabbi Pinchas Edri, who previously served as Givatayim’s chief rabbi.

The appointment is part of a broader initiative by Israel’s Ministry of Religious Services to establish permanent rabbinical leadership in cities across the country, reflecting the ministry’s emphasis on stable and consistent Torah guidance for local communities. The decision carries particular significance for Givatayim residents following the passing of Rabbi Pinchas Edri.

The election committee was chaired by Rabbi Yaakov Zamir. Other members included Rabbi Dovid Cohen, the chief rabbi of Gan Yavne, as well as Moshik Goldstein, Sivan Goldberg, Yamit Yona, and representatives from the legal department of the Ministry of Religious Services. Tzuriel Porat served as the committee’s secretary.

Once the vote counting was completed, the committee reported that Rabbi Moshe Yosef Edri received 31 votes. Two ballots were submitted blank, while three members of the electoral body did not participate in the vote. Rabbi Edri, the son of the late Rabbi Pinchas Edri, is expected to continue the rabbinical legacy established by his father in the city.

Rabbi Edri studied at the Beit Shmaya and Kol Yehuda yeshivos and received semichah from several prominent poskim, including Rav Nissim Karelitz, Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, Rav Shalom Mashash, Rav Moshe Malka, and Rav Yaakov Edelstein.

He also holds official certification from Israel’s Chief Rabbinate to serve as both a city rabbi and a dayan. In addition, Rabbi Edri previously headed the Rav Pe’alim kollel, which trains rabbis and rabbinical judges, and authored the halachic work Imrei De’ah on the Shulchan Aruch.

MK Michael Malkieli, who previously served as Israel’s minister of religious services, praised the outcome of the election, saying that Givatayim’s residents have gained an outstanding city rabbi and the son of the late Rabbi Pinchas Edri, whom he described as the city’s longtime and beloved rabbinical leader.

Yehuda Avidan, director general of the Ministry of Religious Services, thanked the chairman of the election committee and Givatayim Mayor Ran Konik while congratulating Rabbi Edri on his selection. He said the appointment was the result of an orderly process initiated by the previous minister of religious services and carried out in coordination with all relevant authorities. Avidan expressed confidence that Rabbi Edri will continue his father’s legacy, work to strengthen residents’ connection to the world of Torah, and present Judaism in an accessible and welcoming way. He added that appointing a city rabbi provides spiritual and communal stability and allows residents to benefit from clear and committed Torah leadership.

Eitan Reuveni, chairman of Givatayim’s religious council, also welcomed the decision. He said the selection of a city rov is not merely a ceremonial moment but a meaningful statement about direction, responsibility, and partnership. According to Reuveni, the city has chosen rabbinic leadership that seeks to connect Torah with daily life, tradition with community, and spiritual depth with human sensitivity, marking both a continuation of the past and the beginning of a new chapter for the city and its residents.

{Matzav.com}

Col. (res.) David Rokni, who for decades served as the commanding officer of Israel’s Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl, passed away at the age of 94.

Rokni, who was born in Iran and later married there, immigrated to Israel in 1950 and joined Kibbutz Ashdot Yaakov.

He served in the Golani Brigade for 35 years, holding various staff and training positions, and during the 1970s he served as the sergeant major of Training Base 11. During his military service, he was appointed commander of the traditional torch-lighting ceremony held each year on the eve of Israel’s Independence Day at Mount Herzl.

For this role he was granted officer rank and was called up to reserve duty each year for a period of 42 days. Over the course of his tenure, Rokni oversaw 34 Independence Day torch-lighting ceremonies. He was later succeeded by Lt. Col. Shimon Deri, who was eventually promoted to the rank of colonel.

President Isaac Herzog paid tribute to Rokni, saying, “I received with great sorrow the news of the passing of Col. (res.) David Rokni, the legendary commander of the torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl for about 34 years. Rokni was the symbol of this national and unifying ceremony, always leading it with grace and the utmost precision. Rokni served in the IDF with dedication, professionalism, and great love for the State of Israel, and for many years led one of Israel’s flagship events – the torch-lighting ceremony on the eve of Independence Day. He was a model figure of statesmanship and love of the land, and his unique contribution will be remembered for many years. I send my heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.”

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — A group of teenagers was assaulted at a Manhattan pizzeria after one of them ordered a “kosher” slice of pizza, according to a social media post by New York attorney Andrew C. Laufer.

A neighbor of mine’s son and his friends were attacked last night in Manhattan – around Broadway and 40th street – when they ordered a kosher slice of pizza. The group that attacked them made antisemitic remarks prior and during the assault. The pizzeria owner did the right…

— Andrew C Laufer, Esq (@lauferlaw) March 8, 2026

Laufer said the incident happened late Saturday near Broadway and West 40th Street, where a neighbor’s son and several friends had stopped for pizza. According to the account, another group confronted them after hearing the word “kosher” and made antisemitic remarks before and during the assault.

One of the boys returned home with a black eye, Laufer wrote.

Laufer said the pizzeria owner called police and the suspected attackers were arrested. Laufer did not name the store or provide additional details about the suspects. Authorities had not immediately released further information about the incident.

In the post, Laufer said the episode reflects broader concerns about antisemitism and criticized what he described as a failure by some community members to speak out against it.

“No one asked my son if he was a ‘good Jew,’ and no one will ask you either,” Laufer quoted the boy’s mother as saying. “Next time it could be your son.”

A Manhattan man has pleaded guilty to a hate crime and assault after he hurled glass bottles and shouted antisemitic slogans at a Jewish pedestrian on the Upper West Side in 2024.

Myles Utz, 31, entered the guilty plea after previously pleading not guilty to charges stemming from the June 16, 2024 incident, according to court records.

Prosecutors say Utz targeted a 25-year-old Jewish man who was wearing a yarmulke near the busy intersection of West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, an area known for its large Jewish population. During the confrontation, Utz allegedly yelled antisemitic slurs and shouted “Free Palestine” before throwing two glass bottles at the victim.

“The man moved out of the way to avoid being hit and the bottles shattered on the ground,” prosecutors said in describing the incident.

Video footage that circulated widely on social media at the time captured Utz approaching a 74-year-old Jewish man wearing a yarmulke, yelling “Free Palestine” and spitting at him during the encounter.

Police arrested Utz more than a month later, on July 25, 2024.

A court has now sentenced Utz to three years of probation. He was also ordered to pay $375 in fees and must complete virtual treatment through the Queens Center for Change, according to court records.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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————————-

Chaim Moshe Steinmetz LISW is a psychotherapist in private practice and provides in person and telehealth therapy for a variety of issues. Visit Chaimmoshesteinmetz.com to get a free copy of “ Master Stress in one Minute”, 3 easy, science based techniques to rapidly restore calm and confidence in less than one minute.

A large fragment from an intercepted projectile struck a residential home in the city of Lod last night, causing major damage to the structure but leaving the family inside unharmed after they followed safety instructions and quickly moved to a protected area.

The incident occurred shortly after an air raid siren sounded. According to reports, the family immediately evacuated their apartment and moved into the building’s stairwell, which was the safest available location in the limited time they had to take cover.

Only seconds later, a heavy interception fragment crashed into the home.

Lod Mayor Yair Revivo arrived at the scene later in the evening to support the family and assess the damage caused by the impact.

Revivo said, “This case is a sharp reminder to all of us how much the Home Front Command’s instructions save lives. The members of the family showed exemplary responsibility, and that is what saved them today.”

Officials from the Lod municipality and the Home Front Command again urged residents to strictly follow safety guidelines during alerts.

In a statement, authorities said, “Continue to follow the instructions and reach a protected area in time. Remaining in the protected space for 10 minutes is critical to preventing injuries from shrapnel and interception debris.”

{Matzav.com}

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s late supreme leader, has been named his successor, Iranian state TV announced early Monday, as the war that began with his father’s killing less than two weeks ago took a dramatic turn.

The younger Khamenei had long been considered a contender for the post, even before an Israeli strike killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.

The post-midnight announcement came after signs of a rift among Iranian officials as the country awaited a decision by the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of clerics that selects the supreme leader. State TV read a statement saying he was selected based on “strong” votes and urging the nation to unite behind him, and showed people celebrating in public areas of Tehran.

There has been only one other transfer of power in the office of supreme leader since the Islamic Revolution almost a half-century ago.

A secretive figure, the younger Khamenei has not been seen publicly for days. He now stands at the heart of Iran’s theocracy and will have final say over all matters of state. He will serve as commander-in-chief of the military and powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, and gains a stockpile of highly enriched uranium that could be used to build a nuclear weapon, if he chooses to decree it.

He also faces the likelihood of U.S. criticism. “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me,” U.S. President Donald Trump has said. “We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump told ABC News earlier Sunday he wants a say in who comes to power once the war is over; a new leader “is not going to last long” without his approval.

The Revolutionary Guard issued a statement expressing support, and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah shared a portrait of the younger Khamenei on Telegram with the caption, “Leader of the blessed Islamic revolution.”

Regional anger grows over strikes

The war toll on civilian targets grew as Bahrain accused Iran of striking a desalination plant vital to drinking water supplies, and oil depots in Tehran smoldered following overnight Israeli strikes.

In a sign of rising regional anger, the Arab League chief lashed out at Iran for its “reckless policy” of attacking neighbors, including ones that host U.S. forces. Gulf countries have been struck by hundreds of missiles and drones since the war started on Feb. 28, and Iran’s president has vowed to expand attacks.

Saudi Arabia reported its first deaths, saying a military projectile fell onto a residential area and killed two people of Indian and Bangladeshi nationality. Foreign residents and workers have made up most of the war’s deaths in Gulf nations.

Israel reported its first soldier deaths, saying two were killed in southern Lebanon, where its military is fighting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. The U.S. military said a service member died of injuries from an Iranian attack on troops in Saudi Arabia on March 1. Seven U.S. soldiers have now been killed.

The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, at least 397 in Lebanon and at least 11 in Israel, according to officials.

Iran’s president toughens tone

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian backtracked from conciliatory comments a day earlier in which he apologized for attacks on neighbors’ soil. Iranian hard-liners had swiftly contradicted him, saying war strategy wouldn’t change.

“The more pressure they impose on us, the stronger our response will naturally be,” Pezeshkian said Sunday.

Pezeshkian has urged neighboring states not to take part in U.S. and Israeli attacks. The U.S. strikes have not come from the Gulf Arab governments but from U.S. bases and vessels in the region.

“The geography of some countries in the region — both overtly and covertly — is in the hands of the enemy, and those points are used against our country in acts of aggression. Intense attacks on these targets will continue,” judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei wrote on X on Saturday.

Mohseni-Ejei and Pezeshkian were part of the three-member leadership council overseeing Iran.

Desalination and oil facilities attacked

Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia reported additional Iranian missiles launched toward them.

Bahrain accused Iran of indiscriminately attacking civilian targets and damaging one of its desalination plants, though its electricity and water authority said supplies remained online.

Desalination plants supply water to millions of residents in the region and thousands of stranded travelers, raising new fears of catastrophic risks in parched desert nations.

The desalination plant strike came after Iran said a U.S. airstrike damaged a desalination plant there. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the strike on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz had cut into the water supply to 30 villages.

He warned that in doing so “the U.S. set this precedent, not Iran.”

In response, CENTCOM spokesperson U.S. Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins said that “U.S. forces do not target civilians – period.”

Iranian authorities also said Israel’s overnight strikes on four oil storage tankers and a petroleum transfer terminal killed four people. Witnesses in Tehran said the smoke was so thick that it looked as if the sun had not risen.

Israel’s military said the oil depots were being used by Iran’s military for fuel to launch missiles.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society warned Tehran residents to take precautions against toxic air pollution and the risk of acid rain.

It also said about 10,000 civilian structures across the country had been damaged, including homes, schools and almost three dozen health facilities. It also

Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned it soon could become harder to produce and sell oil. Some regional producers, including in Iraq, have curbed output amid dangers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran maintains sufficient fuel, Veys Karami, managing director of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, told the state-run news agency.

Lebanon says a half-million people displaced

Lebanon said over a half-million people have been displaced in the week of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

The actual number is likely higher. Lebanon’s count of 517,000 refers to those who registered on the government’s online portal. Israel over the past week has called on residents in dozens of villages across southern Lebanon and the entirety of Beirut’s southern suburbs to evacuate as fighting intensifies.

Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine said 83 children and 82 women have been among those killed.

In Beirut, sheltering families crammed into schools, slept in cars or in open areas near the Mediterranean Sea, where some burned firewood to keep warm. The government said it would open a sports stadium to shelter thousands more.

Israel’s renewed offensive began last week after Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel during the war’s opening days. The strikes have been the most intense since a November 2024 ceasefire. Israel has continued near-daily strikes, primarily in southern Lebanon, saying Hezbollah had been trying to rebuild its positions there.

(AP)

An Israeli reservist has been suspended from duty after being filmed vandalizing a memorial dedicated to the former Palestinian Authority chairman, arch terrorist Yasser Arafat, in the Samaria region. Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sharply criticized the decision and called for it to be reconsidered.

According to a report by I24NEWS journalist Shlomi Heller, the reservist, who serves in a battalion of the Menashe Brigade, was suspended from reserve service after footage circulated showing him damaging the monument in the Palestinian village of Zababida in Samaria. The memorial commemorates Arafat, whom many in Israel hold responsible for numerous terrorist attacks.

Ben Gvir responded strongly to the suspension, arguing that the move was misguided. He said, “The decision to suspend the reserve fighter who smashed the picture of the arch-terrorist and mass murderer Yasser Arafat — whose hands are stained with the blood of many Jews — is, in my view, a mistaken decision.”

The minister added that the soldier is currently serving during wartime, noting that, in his words, “his brothers and sisters were slaughtered and murdered.”

Ben Gvir said the act reflected “the pain, anger, and sense of justice of someone who is fighting for the people of Israel.”

He further argued that suspending a reservist under such circumstances was “a step too far,” and urged authorities to reconsider the decision.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli warplanes carried out a sweeping series of airstrikes across Iran over the past 24 hours, hitting more than 400 targets. According to the IDF, the strikes targeted a wide range of Iranian military assets, including aircraft, ammunition depots, air-defense systems and infrastructure tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Among the most notable targets were several Iranian F-14 fighter jets located at an airport in the central city of Isfahan. The aircraft, relics of Iran’s pre-revolutionary military arsenal, were among the last of their kind still in operation anywhere in the world.

Iran originally received 79 U.S.-made F-14 Tomcats in 1976 when the country was ruled by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the aircraft were seized by the new Islamic Republic and have remained in service ever since. The United States retired the F-14 from its own Navy fleet in 2006, replacing it with the F/A-18.

The IDF said the strikes in Isfahan also targeted detection and air-defense systems that posed a threat to Israeli aircraft operating over Iran.

Isfahan has been a repeated focus of Israeli operations during the campaign. The military previously struck the city to destroy Ghadr-class ballistic missiles and their launch platforms, part of Iran’s long-range missile arsenal.

Elsewhere, the IDF said it struck approximately 50 ammunition bunkers and additional regime-linked sites in Tehran on Sunday. A separate strike earlier in the campaign destroyed 16 aircraft belonging to the IRGC’s elite Quds Force at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport.

Among the strategic targets hit was the headquarters of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards space and satellite program. The facility, according to the IDF, served as a reception, transmission and research center for the Iranian Space Organization.

The site also housed the command and operations building for the Khayyam satellite, launched in August 2022. Israeli officials said the satellite had been used by the IRGC for surveillance of Israel and other countries across the region.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A mamad (safe room) used to show up halfway through an apartment listing, somewhere after the renovated kitchen, the balcony and the parking spot. Now it is often the first thing families ask about. Since the war with Iran burst into the open, Israelis in central cities have been spending long stretches of the day moving between apartments, shared shelters, public shelters, parking garages and even underground transit stations. What used to be a minor security detail is turning into a basic housing category of its own.

That helps explain why the shelter question is suddenly pulling so much weight in the market. An analysis based on Central Bureau of Statistics data found that by the end of 2025, roughly 1.63 million of Israel’s 3.016 million homes did not include a private mamad. In the Tel Aviv district, about 70% of apartments lacked one. In Jerusalem and Haifa, the share was about 65%. Jerusalem alone had roughly 180,000 apartments without a mamad, followed by Tel Aviv-Jaffa with around 160,000. In other words, the shortage is not hiding in the periphery and sits deep inside the country’s most expensive and densely built urban centers.

The State Comptroller said nearly three million Israelis do not have access to a mamad, a public shelter or another form of standard protective infrastructure. The same report found that around 12% of public shelters are unfit for use and that nearly half a million children were studying in schools without standard protection, while the Education Ministry lacked full protection data for more than half of kindergartens.

That explains why the mamad has stopped behaving like a lifestyle feature and has started directly affecting real estate value. Research shows that in Tel Aviv agents were already estimating a roughly 7% to 10% premium for otherwise comparable apartments with a private safe room, with some saying the gap can be higher. Newer reporting suggests the split has sharpened further since the Iranian threat returned to the center of the market. According to Ynet, citing appraisers and transaction data, in Tel Aviv the number of deals for apartments with a mamad in the last quarter of 2025 was more than five times the number for apartments without one, 133 versus 22, and that the price-per-square-meter gap there had widened sharply over recent months. That is not a perfect apples-to-apples national index, because apartments without mamads also tend to be older in other ways. But it is a clean read on what buyers are rewarding and what they are starting to punish.

The same split is showing up in rentals, which is where the story becomes a true cost-of-living issue. While purchase decisions can be delayed, renting is immediate. Newer rental units with private protected rooms can command up to 20% more than older apartments without them. At the same time, Globes cited Tel Aviv agents saying rents for apartments with no safe room and no shelter have fallen by between 5% and 10% since 2023. One set of tenants pays more to stay inside when the siren sounds, while another gets a discount for living in a place that still requires a sprint to a shelter.

TOPSHOT – Beachgoers wait in an underground parking used as a bomb shelter near the beach during an alert in Tel Aviv on March 7, 2026. Israel’s military said on March 7, it had struck 16 Iranian aircraft at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, which it said was a key hub for the Islamic republic’s Revolutionary Guards. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP via Getty Images)

This last week of war has made that pricing logic brutally concrete. Residents across the country racing in and out of shelters under repeated Iranian salvos, with more than 100 people packed into one public shelter in Tel Aviv. By Sunday morning, the Israel Tax Authority had received 7,454 property-damage claims since the start of the campaign, about 5,600 of them for structural damage to buildings. At the same time, the Finance Ministry warned that under current Home Front restrictions, the war is costing the economy about NIS 9.4 billion a week. That matters for housing in two ways at once as it raises the premium on protected homes, and it deepens the pain for households already struggling with rent, mortgage payments and disrupted work.

Apartment struck by Iranian ballistic missile in Israel

Even where protection exists, not all protection works the same way. The IDF’s Home Front guidance ranks a mamad or communal floor shelter as the preferred option, followed by a building shelter or public shelter, then an internal stairwell, and only after that an inner room. In newer towers, residents can usually stay on their floor. In older blocks, they still move. In neighborhoods with weak private protection, the public shelter has become a critical aspect of infrastructure.

The Jewish state has been trying to close the gap, but with little success. A law change last year allows Israelis to enlarge a mamad from the old standard size to 12 square meters and add a bathroom, for a total of up to 15 square meters, without betterment tax. The Planning Administration says the reform is meant to make protected rooms viable for longer stays in both new and existing buildings. On the northern front with Hezbollah, the Defense Ministry said last summer that about 1,900 mamads were being built simultaneously in communities near the border. But residents interviewed by Ynet this week said some long-promised northern projects remain unfinished even as Hezbollah fire resumed, leaving elderly residents once again relying on stairs, luck and distance to the nearest shelter.

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-Israel’s Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, addressed troops from the Search and Rescue Brigade of the Home Front Command on Sunday, emphasizing the critical role of the home front amid the ongoing Operation “Roaring Lion” against Iran.

Zamir, speaking alongside Home Front Command Commander Maj. Gen. Shay Klapper and other officers, praised the brigade’s efforts since the operation’s launch and highlighted the interconnected fronts in the conflict.

“We are now striking the most dangerous enemy we face, Iran,” Zamir said, according to remarks released by the IDF. “We went out to this campaign about eight months ago, and we are entering it once again after drawing lessons and learning. We are determined to act more deeply and more forcefully, and to strike them so that we can remove the threat from Iran for the long term.”

He described Iran as the architect of a broader regional threat network, including Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

“Iran is not only Iran. Iran has also built the axis. It built Hezbollah, and in many respects it built Hamas and the Islamic Jihad in Gaza. It is building networks and militias in various places, creating a regional system intended to harm us,” Zamir stated.

“We are now going after the head of the snake,” he added. “One of the fronts is the home front, and the home front is a front in every sense. The role of the Home Front Command and your role specifically is critical to the success of the war. Part of the victory also depends on you, just as it now depends on the pilots striking in Tehran.”

Operation “Roaring Lion,” a joint Israeli-U.S. effort that began in late February 2026, has involved large-scale airstrikes on Iranian military infrastructure, missile sites, IRGC facilities and leadership targets in Tehran and elsewhere, aimed at degrading the regime’s capabilities and eliminating existential threats to Israel.

Zamir expressed appreciation for the troops’ work and noted the coincidence with International Women’s Day, saluting female leaders including a battalion commander.

“Today also happens to be International Women’s Day, and I see here both male and female troops. I see your battalion commander and how she functions and leads,” he said.

Addressing a specific commander by initial, Zamir added: “Commander Y, I want to tell you that I salute you on behalf of all the citizens of the State of Israel for the activity you carry out and for the challenges you face. The people of Israel are proud of you. I trust you and believe in you. You will successfully meet every challenge we face in the coming period. I am confident that together we will lead to the victory of the IDF and the people of Israel over our enemies.”