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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday evening announced he had directed the cabinet to move forward with direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, following repeated appeals from Beirut to advance such a process.

Netanyahu said the talks will focus on disarming Hezbollah and potentially formalizing peace relations between Israel and Lebanon.

The announcement comes amid continuous Hezbollah fire at northern Israel on Thursday and Iran’s threats to continue blocking the Strait of Hormuz due to Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah. As of 7 p.m. on Thursday, Hezbollah fired about 70 rockets at Israel.

Netanyahu noted that Israel appreciates the Lebanese prime minister’s call to demilitarize Beirut. The negotiations are expected to begin next week.

An Israeli official told Channel 14 that the talks are expected to take place “under fire,” and that Israel is preparing to continue strikes in Lebanon alongside diplomatic efforts.

Against the backdrop of the announcement, Channel 12 News—citing journalist Barak Ravid—reported that Netanyahu held phone calls with U.S. President Donald Trump and White House envoy Steve Witkoff, during which Witkoff asked Netanyahu to “de-escalate” strikes in Lebanon in order not to prevent the collapse of the ceasefire with Iran.

It was also reported, citing a senior Israeli official, that Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, is expected to lead the direct negotiations with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Israeli sources told Kan News that one objective of the IDF operations in southern Lebanon is to compel the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah.

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)

Israel’s security cabinet quietly approved the establishment of 34 new communities in Judea and Samaria in what Hebrew reports describe as the largest single approval of its kind ever passed in one cabinet session. The decision, reported first by i24NEWS and echoed by Srugim, would bring the total number of approved communities to 103 from 69, with some of the new sites reportedly slated for remote areas in northern Samaria that even the army reaches only infrequently. 

According to the report, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who was present at the meeting, did not flatly oppose the move but warned about manpower limits and urged a phased rollout rather than opening so many sites at once. That position was not adopted. Two of the communities named in the report, Noya and Emek Dotan, are said to be planned inside Palestinian enclaves between Areas A and B, with Emek Dotan intended to link Sa-Nur, Homesh and Shavei Shomron. 

A tractor disperses food for gray cranes flocking on the banks of Agamon Lake in the Hula Valley Nature Reserve in northern Israel on January 15, 2026. The Hula Valley is home to a unique migration sanctuary for hundreds of millions of birds migrating from Europe and Asia to Africa and back during the spring and autumn seasons. Local farmers feed the birds with corn in a bid to prevent them from destroying their agricultural fields. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP via Getty Images)

The most consequential detail may be buried in the classified annex: infrastructure for electricity and water would reportedly be allowed to move forward even before the land-regulation process is completed, a precedent-setting step that could accelerate facts on the ground well before the usual legal and planning stages are finished. The report says the decision was kept under tight classification in part to avoid U.S. pressure during the Iran campaign; that sensitivity tracks with Reuters reporting from February that the Trump administration had reiterated its opposition to Israeli annexation moves in Judea and Samaria. Defense Minister Israel Katz and Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich did not comment in the report.

Shin Bet and Lahav 433 say Ami Gaidarov, 22, of Haifa, was arrested in March on suspicion of working for Iranian intelligence, aiding the enemy during wartime, and preparing explosives for an attack investigators say was aimed at former prime minister Naftali Bennett. A prosecutor’s declaration has already been filed, and indictments are expected against him and additional suspects.

According to the investigation, Gaidarov had been in contact with an Iranian handler since August 2025, rented an apartment in Haifa to serve as a bomb lab, bought dedicated phones, and documented his work in photos and videos sent back to his handler. Ynet reported that investigators believe he produced roughly 8 to 10 kilograms of TATP and even carried out a live explosives test in the Haifa area.

During the war, he was allegedly tasked with photographing Haifa Port, missile impact sites in the north, and even locating a property from which a fixed camera could monitor the port. Authorities say he brought in friends to help purchase raw materials, hide the explosives, and assist with testing, and that he was paid more than NIS 70,000, much of it through digital wallets.

The case is another stark reminder that Tehran’s campaign against Israel is not limited to missiles and proxies. Shin Bet and police warned last month that Iranian operatives were actively trying to recruit Israelis online during the war, and the agency’s annual report said 25 people were indicted in 2025 for spying for Iran while 120 separate incidents were thwarted.

Despite the ceasefire between Iran and the US and Israel, the Strait of Hormuz remained shuttered to international maritime traffic on Wednesday and Thursday.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister said his country will allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with “international norms and international law” once the United States ends its “aggression” in the Middle East and Israel stops attacking Lebanon.

Saeed Khatibzadeh told the BBC on Thursday that Iran had closed the strait after U.S. ally Israel committed an “intentional grave violation of the ceasefire.”

He said “you cannot have a cake and eat it at the same time. That was the message that Iran sent quite clearly, crystal-clearly, to Washington and to the Oval Office last night.”

Khatibzadeh added: “Definitely we are going to provide security for safe passage and it is going to happen after the United States actually withdraws this aggression. Does it mean that Iran is going to control the Strait of Hormuz in terms of letting ship by ship to go through that?

“I think that we have shown to everybody that energy security is pivotal for Iran, is pivotal for this body of water in the Persian Gulf, and we are going to be abided by the international norms and international law.”

Meanwhile, just three vessels transited the strait on the first day of the ceasefire, all with current or past links to Iran, the Lloyd’s List Intelligence maritime intelligence firm said Thursday.

Iran’s approval system for ships granted safe passage – after vetting by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps – remains unchanged despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for the strait to be reopened.

Last week was the busiest week since the start of the war with 72 passages, still 90% below normal volumes, Lloyd’s said. Most of the vessels allowed through are connected to Iran, although some Indian vessels have gotten through with diplomatic intervention by the Indian government.

The US demanded on Wednesday that Iran immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the Islamic Republic claimed that it closed the waterway in response to Israeli attacks against the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon. US President Donald Trump had previously stated that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire.

On Thursday morning, Trump threatened Iran that the war will resume if it fails to reopen the strait, warning that all US military assets will remain in the region until the Islamic Republic complies with a “real agreement.”

(AP & YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)

The IDF eliminated Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, in an airstrike in Beirut on Wednesday as part of Operation Eternal Darkness, the largest series of strikes against Hezbollah since the start of Operation Roaring Lion.

Harshi was a close associate and personal advisor to Qassem and played a significant role in managing and securing his office.

Overnight Wednesday, the IDF struck two key crossings used by Hezbollah commanders and terrorists to transfer thousands of weapons, rockets, and launchers from north of the Litani River to the south.

Additionally, the IDF struck about 10 Hezbollah command centers, weapons depots, and launch sites.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a statement on Thursday, saying that Israel will continue to strike Hezbollah until security is restored to the residents of northern Israel.

His statement comes as Iran ties its refusal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah.

“We continue to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination,” Netanyahu stated.

“Our message is clear: Whoever acts against Israeli civilians will be struck. We will continue to strike Hezbollah wherever required, until we restore full security to the residents of the north.”

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A network of militant neo-Nazi “active clubs” from across the United States is participating in combat training with other white nationalist groups in Virginia, as part of what their founder described as a “fascist cultural revolution.”

Social media posts and group chats show that members from clubs in Texas, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania have traveled in recent weeks and months to Lynchburg, Virginia, to train together at a secret compound. The site is operated by the “Vinland Wolves,” a neo-Nazi white nationalist hate group.

Members of the white supremacist group “Patriot Front” and the neo-Nazi skinhead group known as the “Hammerskins” were also present, according to an investigation by the British newspaper The Guardian. The network of white supremacist groups was founded by neo-Nazi Robert Rundo, who served a prison sentence in 2024 for conspiracy to organize riots at political rallies in California.

Experts have warned that these groups, which combine far-right extremism with fitness and combat sports to recruit and radicalize members across communities in the U.S. , pose a potential public safety threat.

An investigation by The Guardian found that participants in the Virginia gatherings included a teacher from Georgia, a former police officer from West Virginia who now runs a gym for children, an emergency medical technician from Tennessee, the son of a prominent activist from Maine, and the owner of a dog-walking business in Vermont.

In recent months, security officials in Canada and Germany, where police raided an active club suspected of illegal weapons possession, have warned that similar groups operating there also pose a potential violent threat to public safety. In January, the FBI linked several active clubs in Tennessee to white supremacists attempting to establish an armed military-style unit.

The founder of the far-right “Wolves” organization, Paul Wagner, organized the Virginia gatherings together with Russell Coleman, a member of the neo-Nazi skinhead group “Hammerskins.” Wagner also hinted that he would physically attack journalists covering the “Wolves” if he encountered them in person.

“They know what will happen to them if I ever get the chance to see them face-to-face,” he was quoted as saying in The Guardian. “They’ll probably have a heart attack before I can even get close to them.” He complained that media coverage of his group could cost them their livelihoods and warned that journalists reporting on them should be very careful.

Members of the “Wolves” have continued to deepen their connections. A group fighting under the name “Curious” traveled to South Carolina at the end of March to participate in a combat tournament organized by “Patriot Front,” according to social media posts.

Rundo, one of the movement’s founders, praised the group combat events, writing in a post: “These events are the starting point for a fascist cultural revolution ; this is the first step in building a parallel system.”

The IDF announced it has killed Muhammad Washah, a Hamas operative who it says operated under the cover of an Al Jazeera journalist, in a targeted strike in central Gaza.

According to the military, Washah was not only affiliated with Hamas’s military wing but played a central role in its rocket and weapons production infrastructure. The IDF states he had been actively planning attacks against Israeli troops in the area and was considered an immediate operational threat.

Israeli officials say Washah was involved throughout the war in developing drones, rockets, and other weapon systems, as well as facilitating the transfer of weapons across the Gaza Strip.

The IDF further alleges that he exploited his media identity to move freely and support terrorist activities, using his position as cover while advancing operations against Israeli forces.

US President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Thursday morning, warning that all US military assets will remain in the region until the Islamic Republic complies with  a “real agreement.”

“All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

“If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the “Shootin’ Starts,” bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.”

“It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE. In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest.”

“AMERICA IS BACK!” Trump concluded.

Trump’s statements came after Iran continued to block the Strait of Hormuz, claiming it is doing so due to Israel’s strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday. Trump had previously stated that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire.

US Vice President JD Vance claimed that there was a “legitimate misunderstanding,” saying that Iran thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, but “it didn’t.”

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday evening, Vance said, “We never made that promise. What we said is that the ceasefire would be focused on Iran and on America’s allies, both Israel and the Gulf Arab states.”

He claimed that Israel has offered to “check themselves a little bit in Lebanon,” emphasizing that it is not part of the ceasefire, but rather an effort “to make sure that our negotiations are successful.”

Vance warned that if Iran allows negotiations to fall apart over issues unrelated to the ceasefire—such as Lebanon—”that’s ultimately their choice.”

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)

Classes resumed in most schools across Israel on Thursday morning, Isru Chag, following the end of Pesach and the ceasefire between Iran and the US and Israel. Schools have been closed in Israel since Shabbos Zachor, February 28, when Operation Roaring Lion began.

On Wednesday evening, Motzei Pesach, the IDF’s Home Front Command announced that, beginning at 6 a.m. on Thursday, almost all wartime restrictions will be lifted. Until further notice, gatherings are limited to 1,000 people. Also, some restrictions remained in place in northern Israel due to ongoing Hezbollah rocket fire.

The Kosel and other mekomos kedoshim reopened on Thursday morning to up to 1,000 visitors and mispallelim after being restricted to 50 mispallelim throughout the war.

Due to expectations of large crowds hoping to fulfill the minhag of aliyah la’regel, Jerusalem District Police Commander Avshalom Peled ordered increased operational readiness ahead of the reopening. Hundreds of police officers, Border Police forces, and volunteers were deployed throughout Jerusalem on Thursday—on main routes, in the Old City, and at mekomos kedoshim—to ensure safe access while maintaining public order.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch on Thursday morning announced changes to the upcoming summer vacation during a visit to the Chaviv School in Rishon L’Tzion, including an additional budget of 750 million shekels.

Speaking to the press, Kisch said he is advancing preparations for a government decision to fund an expanded summer school program, explaining that it is a necessity due to the war.

Under his plan, Israel’s existing summer school program, which until now served kindergarten children and students up to 3rd grade for three weeks, will be extended for another three weeks and will be expanded to include students up to 6th grade. In addition, a new “summer preparatory program” will be established for middle school students in 7th-9th grades.

“Educational routine is an anchor of security for our children,” Kisch said. “Davka now, our responsibility is to strengthen their resilience through a stable, supportive, and continuous framework. Extending the summer program will ensure continuity, stability, and a sense of security, and provide an important response for Israel’s children.”

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Across the Arab world, reactions to the ceasefire agreement signed between the United States and Iran early Wednesday morning accused Iran of backing down in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump, describing it as surrender and even defeat.

Ahmed Khalifa, a political commentator from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, wrote on X: “To simplify it: Donald Trump said, ‘Open the Strait of Hormuz or I’ll send Iran back to the Stone Age.’ Iran not only agreed to open the strait, but also accepted a temporary ceasefire after weeks of refusing any pause and demanding a complete end to the war.”

“Now they are trying to spin it and present it in a more positive light to their audience and supporters. That’s their choice. The facts are simple: Trump made a demand, set a clear deadline with a serious threat — and Iran backed down. That’s the whole story.”

⛔️⛔️ Iran victorious! Iranians take to the streets in their thousands to celebrate victory over the US imperialists and Israeli, as Trump backs down and declares unilateral ceasefire. pic.twitter.com/tgDHetFGnY

— Beyond Borders (@beyondborders95) April 8, 2026

Waheed Bahman from Iran’s opposition wrote: “This ceasefire is certainly tactical and temporary. The spring that was stretched by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had to be released in order to ease pressure on global energy markets. The Islamic Republic has taken the first step toward complete surrender. If it were up to me, even one more day of its existence would be too much, but that’s not in our hands. In short: the Islamic Republic now faces only two options, total surrender or total destruction, and in reality, it has only one choice.”

Lebanese journalist Rasha Khatib wrote: “Iran has been defeated: Opening the Strait of Hormuz: Iran had declared it would not open it except under certain conditions. A temporary ceasefire, while Iran had demanded a full ceasefire. The disconnection of Iran from its proxies in the Middle East, while Iran made clear it would not accept a ceasefire that did not include its proxies. These three points alone are enough to define an Iranian loss.”

Hashem Al-Amar from Jordan wrote: “Before the public in Iran goes out to celebrate ‘victory’: Iran has effectively surrendered, retreated, and given Trump what he wanted. Iran has lost its leadership, from senior figures to lower ranks. Iran has lost its military infrastructure. Iran is expected to give up its support for its regional proxies. Iran has lost its relations with its neighbors. Iran was deterred by Trump’s threats. Iran has suffered the greatest humiliation in its history. And enjoy the knafeh they’ll be handing out.”

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The IDF launched an offensive strike on Wednesday, considered the largest attack across Lebanon since the start of Operation “Roaring Lion.” Within 10 minutes, more than 100 terror targets were struck, including Hezbollah command centers. The IDF stated that the operation was called “Eternal Darkness,” but later clarified that this was only the name of the order, and that it is a direct continuation of activities carried out in Lebanon since Operation “Roaring Lion.”

Images and videos from the strike sites show extensive destruction, while the Al-Mayadeen network claimed that “Israel is massacring Lebanon.” Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Nasser al-Din, affiliated with Hezbollah, told Lebanon’s NBN network: “The number of dead and wounded has exceeded 100.” He later told Reuters that “hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties.” The Red Cross told Lebanon’s LBCI network that “there are many fatalities, many injuries, the situation is severe, and they are doing everything possible to save lives.”

As part of the unusual strike, launched less than 12 hours after the announcement of a ceasefire with Iran, the IDF targeted headquarters, command-and-control centers, and Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. The IDF stated that the targets included intelligence headquarters and central command hubs used by the organization to plan and direct terror operations against IDF forces and Israeli civilians. Also targeted were infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah’s firepower and naval units, responsible for launching missiles at IDF forces on land and at sea, as well as at Israeli territory, along with assets of the Radwan Force and Unit 127 (the aerial unit), considered elite units of the organization.

The strike was based on precise intelligence and had been carefully planned for weeks by personnel from the Operations Directorate, Intelligence Directorate, the Air Force, and Northern Command, with the goal of deepening the damage to Hezbollah.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir was present in the command bunker during the strike and emphasized that this is only the beginning of the operation:
“We will continue to strike the Hezbollah terrorist organization and seize every opportunity. We will not compromise on the security of northern residents. We will continue to attack without pause.”

The IDF stated that “most of the infrastructure targeted was located within civilian population centers, as part of Hezbollah’s cynical use of Lebanese civilians as human shields to protect its operations. Prior to the strikes, steps were taken to minimize harm to uninvolved civilians as much as possible. Hezbollah chose to join the conflict and operate under the sponsorship of the Iranian terror regime, while harming the State of Lebanon and its citizens. The Lebanese state and its citizens must oppose Hezbollah’s entrenchment in civilian areas and its efforts to build up military power.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz later said:
“Hundreds of Hezbollah terrorists were targeted in a surprise strike on headquarters across Lebanon, in the largest concentrated blow Hezbollah has suffered since the pager operation. We warned Naim Qassem that Hezbollah would pay a very heavy price for attacking Israel on behalf of Iran, and his personal turn will come as well.”

Ground forces operating in Lebanon are receiving close air support, as in recent weeks, with conditions now enabling this operation. There is complete separation between the different theaters of operation. Although the operation began immediately after the ceasefire announcement with Iran, it is not a concluding strike; the goal is to deliver a significant blow to all Hezbollah command centers in Lebanon.

The military has set clear objectives and continues to work toward them. Forces are operating in dominant terrain along anti-tank lines and strengthening their hold on the ground. At the same time, strikes against Hezbollah continue across Lebanon, with the aim of creating the conditions necessary for its disarmament.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam criticized the Israeli attack and called for assistance: “While we welcomed the agreement between Iran and the United States and intensified our efforts to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon, Israel continues to escalate its attacks, targeting densely populated residential areas and claiming the lives of innocent civilians across Lebanon, especially in Beirut. Israel is ignoring all regional and international efforts to end the war and is blatantly violating the principles of international law and humanitarian law, which it has never respected. All of Lebanon’s friends are called upon to help us stop these attacks by all means.”

Iran also sharply criticized the Israeli attacks, stating that it would respond to Israel’s “violations” of the ceasefire in Lebanon with further attacks on Israel.

The working assumption within the Air Force and the IDF is that fighting with Iran will resume, requiring forces to act again on short notice. Regarding the temporary ceasefire, the IDF says it provides Iran time to deploy launchers, but not enough to rebuild all the damage to its various systems. Additionally, the United States is not withdrawing forces from the Middle East: “They are maintaining full readiness to continue whenever necessary.” Negotiations with Iran are not being handled at the military level, but the Air Force is prepared for any scenario in accordance with directives from the political leadership.

The IDF announced on Wednesday that an IDF soldier was killed during combat in southern Lebanon and five soldiers were wounded.

The soldier was identified as Staff Sgt. Touvel Yosef Lifshiz, H’yd, 20, from Beit She’an. He served in the Golani’s 13th Battalion.

The incident occurred around noon on Tuesday when Golani soldiers encountered a Hezbollah terrorist cell, triggering a heavy exchange of fire at close range.

Lifshiz was killed during the gun battle, and five soldiers were wounded, one seriously and the others moderately and lightly.

The other soldiers carried out an evacuation under fire.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Israel’s Transportation Ministry on Wednesday evening announced the resumption of full operations at Ben Gurion Airport beginning at midnight.

The announcement follows the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. announced by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening.

The Civil Aviation Authority issued an official notice regarding the resumption of full operations at Ben Gurion to leading global regulators, including the FAA and EASA, as well as to international airlines.

Operations will resume at Ramon Airport near Eilat on Sunday.

The resumption of flights from Haifa Airport will only be evaluated toward the end of the week, subject to updated security assessments.

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Motzei Yom Tov in Israel)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli political pundit Amit Segal analyzed the current situation for Israel after the surprise two week ceasefire orchestrated by Pakistan between the US and Iran.

The lesson Israel learned from October 7 is that intentions don’t matter, only capabilities do. For years, the IDF ignored the growing terrorist threat on its borders and instead focused on whether the enemy intended to attack or whether it was in its interest to do so. Similarly, although it may be tempting to analyze the mood in Tehran, it is irrelevant. The only real question is whether Iran currently has the capability to pose a serious threat to Israel. After 40 days of war, the answer is: less than it did forty days ago.

In terms of results, Iran had promised it would not agree to a temporary ceasefire, yet it did. It declared that the Strait of Hormuz would not reopen, yet it is expected to reopen. It swore that any agreement would include ending the war in Lebanon, yet Hezbollah suffered hundreds of casualties today. What remains resembles a ceasefire arrangement between the US and Iran that could have allowed the ayatollahs to continue attacking Israel. This is what’s left of the Iranian axis that once cast fear across the Middle East.

The Iranian “victory narrative,” encouraged by large parts of the international media, argues that Iran survived ten rounds against a heavyweight champion. But the real question is: what is that survival worth?

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah used the perceived draw with Israel in the 2006 Second Lebanon War to receive a blank check from his Iranian patrons and build a formidable “axis of resistance.” What will Iran do now with its sense — real or manufactured — of survival?

After Operation “Rising Lion,” every available Iranian rial was invested in rebuilding its ballistic missile array, seen as its only effective counter to Israel. The result was relatively rapid reconstruction, but also massive public anger, suppressed only through brutal repression and murder of insurgents. Now, there is much more to rebuild and far fewer resources: should Iran invest in a new navy? An air force? More missiles? Rebuild Hezbollah, which is suffering from a severe deficit? Or invest domestically to calm a population whose situation has only worsened?

The condition of what was once the Iranian empire is dire, with no clear signs of improvement ahead.

The Gulf states attacked by Iran have not forgotten the lesson. They are not like Israel, accustomed to periodic rounds of conflict. Generations of Emiratis, Qataris, and Saudis will carry the trauma of running to unprotected areas while tourism, stability, and energy infrastructure went up in flames. Israel stands to gain significantly from this anti-Iran coalition, which has been forcibly pushed off the fence and is unlikely to return anytime soon. It is to be hoped that Trump and Netanyahu will solidify a more stable and open alliance with these Gulf states for the benefit of future generations.

The (temporary?) end of the war also marks the beginning of Israel’s next election campaign. Netanyahu, who had hoped to ride the collapse of the Iranian regime to political survival, now faces a more complex reality than expected when launching the operation.

There is a sense of disappointment among the public over the gap between hopes for regime change and the current outcome. The bigger challenge lies in the northern front, where public sentiment remains bitter — and understandably so — after false promises that Hezbollah had been defeated. Opposition leaders have identified this well, competing to frame the situation as a historic and disgraceful failure, hoping voters will connect more with that narrative than with Netanyahu’s promises of total victory.

For the prime minister, the fall of the Iranian regime in the coming months has become a top priority — not only strategically, but also politically. Everyone hopes the Iranian regime will fall soon; Netanyahu would certainly prefer it happens before October 27 this year.

The CIA relied on a highly classified system known as “Ghost Murmur” to locate and help rescue a second American airman who was shot down in southern Iran, according to a report by The New York Post citing sources familiar with the operation.

The tool, described as a cutting-edge intelligence capability, uses long-range quantum magnetometry to detect the electromagnetic signature of a human heartbeat, then combines that data with artificial intelligence to distinguish it from surrounding interference, sources said.

This marked the first known operational deployment of the technology in the field by the agency, and it was indirectly referenced during a White House briefing by President Donald Trump and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

“It’s like hearing a voice in a stadium, except the stadium is a thousand square miles of desert,” a source familiar with the program told The Post. “In the right conditions, if your heart is beating, we will find you.”

According to sources with knowledge of Lockheed Martin systems, the technology was developed by the company’s Skunk Works division, though the firm declined to comment on the report.

The system has reportedly been tested aboard Black Hawk helicopters and may eventually be integrated into F-35 fighter aircraft, according to one of the sources.

The downed crew member, publicly identified only as “Dude 44 Bravo,” had taken cover in a mountain crevice after his F-15 was shot down, surviving for two days in harsh terrain while Iranian forces searched the area.

The remote and sparsely populated environment made conditions especially suitable for the first real-world use of Ghost Murmur, one source explained.

“The name is deliberate. ‘Murmur’ is a clinical term for a heart rhythm. ‘Ghost’ refers to finding someone who, for all practical purposes, has disappeared,” the source said.

The technology performed optimally due to minimal electromagnetic interference, limited human presence, and temperature differences at night between the human body and the surrounding desert, which helped confirm readings.

“Normally this signal is so weak that it can only be measured in a hospital setting with sensors pressed nearly against the chest,” the source said.

“But advances in a field known as quantum magnetometry — specifically sensors built around microscopic defects in synthetic diamonds — have apparently made it possible to detect these signals at dramatically greater distances.”

The same source cautioned that the system is not all-powerful. “The capability is not omniscient. It works best in remote, low-clutter environments and requires significant processing time,” this person said.

It remains unclear how long the system took to process data during the rescue or whether it has additional offensive military applications.

Although the airman activated a Combat Survivor Evader Locator beacon, his exact position remained uncertain until Ghost Murmur helped narrow and confirm his location.

The breakthrough came when the system identified the airman’s position, working alongside the beacon to refine the search.

“He had to come out [of the crevice] to send the beacon,” the source said. “It was less important the signal they sent and more important that he had to come out to send [it].”

During a briefing, Ratcliffe described the moment the agency confirmed the airman’s survival. “achieved our primary objective by finding and providing confirmation that one of America’s best and bravest was alive and concealed in a mountain crevice — still invisible to the enemy, but not to the CIA.”

“That confirmation was relayed by Secretary [of War Pete] Hegseth to the president, and the operation quickly moved to the execution phase,” he said.

Trump told reporters the CIA had identified the missing airman from a considerable distance. “It’s like finding a needle in a haystack, finding this pilot, and the CIA was unbelievable,” Trump said. “The CIA was very responsible for finding this little speck.”

He also praised Ratcliffe’s role in the operation, saying: “did a phenomenal job that night — he did something that I don’t know if you want to talk about it. If you want, you can. I’m not sure he’s supposed to.”

Trump joked about the secrecy surrounding the system, adding that the technology “might be classified, in which case I’d have to put him in jail if he talks about it and I don’t want to put him in jail. He doesn’t deserve that.”

Sources indicated that the classified nature of Ghost Murmur explains why officials have been reluctant to detail how the airman was located.

“I don’t think people even know this technology is possible from this distance,” one source said.

Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution urging the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, preventing the measure from passing despite majority support, AFP reported.

The proposal had already been significantly scaled back from its original version, which Gulf nations had pushed to include authorization for the use of force to secure the crucial shipping route.

The revised draft, introduced by Bahrain with backing from the United States, received 11 votes in favor, two opposed, and two abstentions.

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani expressed disappointment following the outcome, saying the Gulf states “regret” the rejection of the measure.

Iran has effectively blocked the strategic waterway since the United States and Israel launched military operations on February 28, disrupting a passage through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply typically flows and sending shockwaves through global markets.

The vote came just hours before President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to reopen the strait, during which he warned that failure to comply could result in catastrophic consequences, including that “a whole civilization will die” in Iran.

Following the vote, U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz emphasized that Washington retains the ability to act independently, stating: “Today’s result does not restrict the United States to continue to act in its own self defense and in the collective defense of our allies and partners.”

Speaking on behalf of Gulf oil-producing nations, Al Zayani warned that the failed resolution carries broader implications, saying it “sends the wrong signal to the world.”

He elaborated: “This signal that the threat to international waterways can pass without any decisive action by the international organization responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security,” he said.

Bahrain had begun discussions two weeks earlier on a stronger resolution that would have explicitly authorized countries to use force to reopen the strait.

However, resistance from several permanent members of the Security Council with veto power—including France, Russia, and China—led to repeated delays and a weakened final version of the text.

The revised resolution “strongly encourages states…to coordinate efforts, defensive in nature, commensurate to the circumstances, to contribute to ensuring the safety and security of navigation, including through the escort of merchant and commercial vessels,” rather than explicitly authorizing force.

It also “demands” that Iran “immediately cease all attacks against merchant and commercial vessels and any attempt to impede transit passage or freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”

In addition, the proposal called for an end to strikes targeting civilian water, oil, and gas infrastructure.

President Donald Trump pushed back Tuesday against claims by Tucker Carlson that he is moving toward a nuclear confrontation with Iran, rejecting the assertion in a phone conversation with The New York Post and sharply criticizing the commentator.

“Tucker’s a low IQ person that has absolutely no idea what’s going on,” the president said. “He calls me all the time; I don’t respond to his calls. I don’t deal with him. I like dealing with smart people, not fools.”

Carlson had alleged in a post Monday night on X that Trump’s earlier Truth Social message—warning that the United States could strike Iran’s power plants and bridges—was “the first step toward nuclear war.”

“Christians need to understand where Trump is taking us,” Carlson wrote.

In the original Sunday post, Trump issued a blunt warning directed at Iran, writing: “open the … Strait, you crazy …. , or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”

Carlson condemned the tone of the message, calling it inappropriate for a religious holiday. “vile on every level.”

In his podcast, Carlson further criticized the president, saying: “How dare you speak that way on Easter morning to the country?” Carlson said in his podcast. “Who do you think you are? You’re tweeting out [a profanity] on Easter morning.”

He went on to draw extreme comparisons, suggesting the president’s actions could lead to global catastrophe. “Is it just a conventional escalation ladder in a badly thought out war … [or] could it be something bigger? Is it possible what you’re watching is a very stealthy yet incredibly effective attack on what, from a Christian perspective, is the true faith: …. he said.

Carlson also questioned Trump’s motives in broader terms. “Is it possible that the president sees this in bigger terms? Sees this as the fulfillment of something? An elevation of some higher office beyond president of the United States?”

He pointed to Trump’s inauguration as part of his argument, saying: “… Maybe he didn’t put his hand on the Bible because he affirmatively rejects what’s inside that book, and what’s inside that book are limits on human behavior,” he said. “Because if there’s one theme that spans all 66 books in the Christian Bible, it’s that you are not God and you cannot assume his powers.”

Escalating his claims, Carlson urged administration and military personnel to refuse any potential nuclear order. “Those people who are in direct contact with the President need to say, ‘no, I’ll resign. I’ll do whatever I can do legally to stop this, because this is insane, and if you give the order, I’m not carrying it out. Figure out the codes on the football yourself,’” Carlson said.

The claims gained additional traction online when an account associated with former Vice President Kamala Harris amplified the narrative, asserting that Vice President JD Vance had hinted at the possibility of nuclear action.

The post referenced remarks Vance delivered in Hungary, where he said: “we’ve got tools in our toolkit that we so far haven’t decided to use that the president of the United States can decide to use them — and he will decide to use them if the Iranians don’t change their course of conduct.”

The White House quickly rejected that interpretation, responding on its Rapid Response account: “Literally nothing @VP said here ‘implies’ this, you absolute buffoons.”

Trump has continued to maintain that he is prepared to act militarily if Iran refuses to comply with his demands, particularly regarding reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

In a separate Truth Social post, he warned: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

He added: “However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?”

“We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!”

Military analysts note that the United States has multiple options available, ranging from expanded air campaigns targeting Iranian infrastructure to potential operations involving key strategic sites such as Kharg Island, which handles the vast majority of Iran’s crude oil exports.

(AP) – Delta Air Lines announced Tuesday it is raising checked baggage fees, part of a broader wave of U.S. carriers responding to higher jet fuel prices tied to the war in the Middle East.

Beginning Wednesday, most passengers on domestic and short-haul international routes will pay $10 more for their first and second checked bags, and $50 more to check a third. That brings the fees to $45 for the first bag, $55 for the second and $200 for the third, according to Delta.

“These updates are part of Delta’s ongoing review of pricing across its business and reflect the impact of evolving global conditions and industry dynamics,” the carrier said in a statement.

The change marks Delta’s first increase in checked baggage fees on domestic routes in two years. Fees for long-haul international flights are not affected.

CEO Ed Bastian told investors last month that the jump in jet fuel prices had already added about $400 million to Delta’s operating expenses since the conflict began on Feb. 28. Executives at United Airlines and American Airlines reported similar increases.

The average price for a gallon of jet fuel in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York was $4.69 on Monday, up from $2.50 just before the war, according to Argus Media. The energy market intelligence company’s U.S. Jet Fuel Index tracks average prices across those major hubs.

Delta said complimentary bags will still be available to customers flying in premium cabins, active-duty military personnel, eligible co-branded credit card holders and members of certain loyalty tiers.

The carrier’s move follows similar announcements from United and JetBlue, both of which raised baggage fees last week while maintaining complimentary first checked bags for some customers.

Airlines around the world have been grappling with volatile oil markets as fighting near the Strait of Hormuz — where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes — disrupts global supplies. Because jet fuel is refined from crude oil, swings in energy prices quickly feed into a carrier’s costs. Fuel typically ranks as the second-largest expense after labor.

In addition to raising ticket prices, analysts say U.S. carriers are more likely to lean on ancillary fees to offset the higher expenses, while many non-U.S. carriers are responding by adding or increasing fuel surcharges.

American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was abducted from a street in Baghdad last week, has been released, according to an Iraqi official familiar with the situation.

The official, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on public comment, said Kittleson was freed in the afternoon. While her current location was not disclosed, the official confirmed she had been held somewhere in Baghdad prior to her release.

Earlier in the day, the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah issued a statement saying it had decided to release Kittleson, who had been kidnapped on March 31.

The group said the move was made “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing prime minister”, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without elaborating further. It added: “This initiative will not be repeated in the future.”

The militia also imposed a condition, stating that Kittleson must “leave the country immediately” after being freed.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Until issuing the statement, Kataib Hezbollah had not publicly acknowledged involvement in the abduction, although both U.S. and Iraqi officials had previously indicated the group was likely responsible.

According to two militia officials who spoke anonymously to the Associated Press, the release was part of an arrangement that would see several Kataib Hezbollah members previously detained by Iraqi authorities set free.

Kittleson, 49, is a freelance reporter who has spent years working across the Middle East, including in Iraq and Syria, and had previously been based in Rome. Like many independent journalists, she operated without the security resources typically available to staff reporters at major news organizations.

She had recently returned to Iraq before her kidnapping. U.S. officials said they had warned her multiple times about potential threats, but she chose to remain in the country.

Iraqi authorities reported that the abduction involved two vehicles. One of the cars was involved in a crash while being pursued near the town of al-Haswa in Babil province, southwest of Baghdad. Kittleson was then moved into a second vehicle that escaped.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iraqi officials said efforts to secure her release had encountered setbacks.

One security official said a representative of the Popular Mobilization Forces—a coalition of Iran-aligned militias formally linked to the Iraqi military—had been assigned to negotiate with the kidnappers, but faced difficulties establishing communication with Kataib Hezbollah’s leadership.

Kataib Hezbollah has been linked in the past to the abduction of foreign nationals.

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a graduate student at Princeton University with Israeli and Russian citizenship, went missing in Baghdad in 2023. After being freed and transferred to U.S. authorities in September 2025, she said she had been held by Kataib Hezbollah, though the group never formally claimed responsibility.

Iran-backed militias operating in Iraq have also carried out repeated attacks on U.S. installations in the country since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.

ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization was “truly unacceptable” and said any attacks on civilian infrastructure violate international law.

In some of his strongest comments yet against the war, the American pope urged Americans and other people of good will to contact their political leaders and congressional representatives to demand they reject war and work for peace.

“Today as we all know there was this threat against all the people of Iran. This is truly unacceptable,” Leo said as he left his country house in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome.

He was referring to Trump’s threat that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran fails to meet his latest deadline to strike a deal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Leo recalled his Easter appeal for peace and to reject war, “especially a war which many people have said is an unjust war, which is continuing to escalate, and which is not resolving anything.”

He invited all people of good will to contact their political leaders and congressional representatives to remind them that attacks on civilian infrastructure are “against international law” and also are a “sign of the hatred, the division, the destruction human beings are capable of, and we all want to work for peace.”

In recent weeks, history’s first U.S.-born pope has escalated the tone of his opposition to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran after initially issuing muted appeals for peace and dialogue.

Last week for the first time, Leo publicly named Trump in saying he hoped the U.S. president was truly “looking for an off-ramp.”

The Vatican has a tradition of diplomatic neutrality and it is rare for a pope to name a political leader or country specifically in a critical way. But the war in Iran has nudged even a reserved pope to break with typical protocol.

On Tuesday, Leo didn’t cite Trump by name but in comments in English he urged people to contact their political leaders and congressional representatives “to ask them, tell them to work for peace and to reject war.”

“We have a worldwide economic crisis, an energy crisis, (a) situation in the Middle East of great instability, which is only provoking more hatred throughout the world,” he said.

He said the message to political leaders should be: “Come back to the table, let’s talk, let’s look for solutions in a peaceful way and let’s remember especially the innocent children, the elderly, sick, so many people who have already become or will become victims of this continued warfare.”

The Vatican is particularly concerned about how the Iran conflict has spread to a renewed war in Lebanon between Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant Hezbollah group. The Vatican fears for Christians in southern Lebanon, who are an important bulwark for the church in the region.

Earlier in the day, the Vatican released a special message from Leo to the residents of Debel, Lebanon after a convoy carrying over 40 tons of aid led by the Vatican was prevented from arriving with an Easter shipment. It was canceled for what Lebanon’s Maronite Church said were “security reasons.”

In the message, Leo expressed solidarity with the “injustices” that the Christians of southern Lebanon are enduring and compared them to Christ’s suffering.

“In your misfortune, in the injustice you endure, in the feeling of abandonment you experience, you are very close to Jesus. You are close to Him also on this Easter Day when He conquered the forces of evil, and which resonates for you as a promise of the future,” read the message, which was written in French and was signed by the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Leo visited Lebanon late last year on his first international trip as pope.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said it is working to allow hundreds more people into the Kosel plaza, beyond the limits set by a temporary High Court ruling, pending approval from security authorities.

In a submission to the Supreme Court, the foundation stated that additional protective measures are available and have not yet been fully implemented, which could make it possible to safely accommodate a larger number of people at the site.

Officials also warned that current entry limits are leading to crowding and long lines outside the plaza, creating potential safety concerns.

The foundation stressed that any increase in access would be coordinated with the Home Front Command and Israel Police, and carried out in line with security protocols, while maintaining a balance between safeguarding lives and preserving access for tefillah.

NEW YORK (VINnews/Rabbi Yair Hoffman)There is an essential truth that Shvii shel Pesach asks us to confront: Emunah.

The Shira sung at the sea was the moment Klal Yisroel embedded Emunah into their hearts and souls. And the reverberations of that moment have never stopped.

Here are eight things you may not have known about the Shira — and about the extraordinary ruchniusdika power that is available to each of us, every single day.

* * *

1. The Shira Repaired a Catastrophe That Started With Praise

It is one of history’s great ironies. The generation of Enosh did not begin with rebellion. They began with reverence. They looked at the sun, the stars, the majestic sweep of the celestial heavens — and they wanted to honor the One Who made them. So they began honoring the creations themselves.

What started as misdirected gratitude became the spiritual disaster known as avodah zarah — idolatry. An entire civilization slid away from the Creator and toward the created. The damage would echo for millennia.

The Shira at the sea repaired it.

By turning directly, urgently, joyfully to Hashem Himself — ‘Zeh Keli v’anveihu’ — Klal Yisroel did what Enosh’s generation failed to do: they looked past the miracle to the Miracle-Maker. This is why Chazal termed the Shira ‘chochma’ — wisdom. Because true wisdom means knowing Whom to praise.

2. Every Morning, You Have Access to a Complete Spiritual Reset

The Zohar makes a statement so dramatic that it would be easy to read past it if the Mishna Brurah (51:17) did not stop us in our tracks and demand that we take it seriously.

If a person recites Az Yashir each morning with joy — experiencing it as if he himself just walked through the splitting sea — it can wipe out all of his negative spiritual debts. Every single day. Not as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but as a daily gift sitting quietly in the morning davening, waiting to be claimed.

The question each of us must ask is: are we reading past those words, or are we living them?

3. Joy Is the Mechanism — and the Destination

Malachim, the tradition teaches us, are beings of pure spiritual fire. They have no yetzer hara, no struggle, no weight of physical existence. And yet — remarkably — the Shira recited with genuine simcha can catapult a human being to a degree of spirituality that surpasses even the malachim.

The creature formed from dust, who wrestles with temptation every day of his life, who stumbles and falls and gets back up — that person, in a single moment of joyful, wholehearted Emunah, can outsoar the celestial beings on high that surround the Kisei HaKavod -Throne of Glory.

Simcha is not the reward for spiritual achievement. It is the vehicle that gets us there.

* * *

4. Some of Them Sang Before the Sea Even Split

Let’s picture the scene. The Egyptian army is thundering behind them. The sea stretches before them, vast and unyielding. Every rational instinct says: panic. Run. Despair.

And yet — according to the Mechilta (Perek 2) — there were those among Klal Yisroel who began singing the Shira even before the waters parted. Before it happened.

This is bitachon in its purest. Not the trust that says ‘I believe Hashem will help me once I see the evidence.’ But the trust that says ‘I already know how this ends.’ These individuals did not need the sea to split to believe. Their Emunah was the splitting of the sea.

5. There Were Two Completely Different Songs Sung at the Sea

Most people assume the Shira was a single event — a spontaneous outpouring of gratitude after the Mitzrim drowned. But a closer look suggests something far richer.

There are actually two distinct forms of Shira. The first is the act of recognizing what Hashem has done and expressing heartfelt thanks. This is the Shira of relief, of survivors newly freed, of people who witnessed the impossible and responded with praise.

But the second form of Shira is something else entirely. It is a Shira that does not merely acknowledge the past but anchors spiritual elevation into the future — ensuring it will persist across all generations. It is the Shira of arrival, not just survival.

It is entirely possible that these two Shiras were sung at two different moments: the first before Klal Yisroel crossed, and the second only after they stood safely on the other side — transformed, elevated, and locked into a new spiritual reality.

6. The Tzaddikim of the Future Redemption Will Not Wait

The Shla HaKadosh teaches something that should give us all pause — and hope.

When the final redemption comes, the great Tzaddikim of that generation will not wait until they are safe, until the enemies are defeated, until the details are sorted out. The moment they hear the news — just the news — they will begin singing Shira.

This is the standard that Krias Yam Suf set. The Shira was an expression of absolute certainty about Who is running the world. The Tzaddikim of the future will have so internalized that certainty – that the announcement itself will be enough.

7. The Redemption Was Not Complete Until They Crossed

Here is a detail that tends to slip past us, and it should not.

The parting of the sea was not the completion of the redemption. It was the penultimate act. Until Klal Yisroel had crossed to the other side and stood on dry land — until they had arrived — something essential remained unfinished.

On Shvii shel Pesach, we celebrate not just the escape — but the crossing.

* * *

Based on Yareach LaMoadim, Simanim 65–68, by Rav Yeruchem Olshin shlit”a

The author can be reached at [email protected]

Israel is preparing for a range of outcomes as an 8 p.m. EST deadline set by President Donald Trump for Iran expires, from a ceasefire or interim agreement to a significant expansion of military strikes, Channel 12 reported Monday.

Senior Israeli officials described the coming hours as “dramatic,” with concern mounting that Washington and Tehran could reach a last-minute arrangement that falls short of fully addressing Iran’s nuclear program or adequately protecting Israeli interests.

At the same time, officials told the network that if Trump’s deadline passes without a deal, it could open an “extraordinary window of opportunity” to strike Iranian energy, electricity, and other national infrastructure targets that have not yet been hit.

Israel and the United States have already coordinated a division of such targets between them, according to the report.
Mediators including Qatar and Pakistan are continuing efforts to broker a compromise that could at minimum prevent further escalation, the report said.

The dueling scenarios reflect the acute uncertainty gripping Israeli decision-makers as the clock runs down — caught between concern over a diplomatic outcome that leaves core security questions unresolved and the prospect of a far broader campaign against Iran’s civilian and energy infrastructure if talks collapse entirely.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF said it is continuing to expand its strikes against Iran’s military infrastructure, further degrading the regime’s operational capabilities.

According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, Israeli Air Force aircraft, acting on intelligence provided by IDF Intelligence, carried out attacks over the past several days on major production facilities linked to Iran’s military.

On Monday, the Air Force struck a primary facility in Shiraz used for manufacturing sonar and underwater detection systems. The site is affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Defense.

The IDF stated that the facility played a central role in the planning, research, development, and production of sonar technologies designed to identify submarines, naval vessels, divers, and underwater missile systems.

“The strike significantly impairs the Iranian terror regime’s maritime detection and defense capabilities and its ability to produce and maintain submarines and naval electronic systems,” the statement said.

In a separate round of operations, Israeli forces also targeted a key installation in Karaj used in the production of naval cruise missiles and air defense systems, according to the IDF.

Rapper Ye has been denied entry into the United Kingdom ahead of a planned performance at the Wireless Festival, prompting organizers to cancel the major London event following widespread backlash over his antisemitic remarks.

Festival officials confirmed the decision and the cancellation of the three-day event. According to the BBC, citing the Home Office, Ye was refused entry because his presence was deemed not “conducive to the public good.”

He had been scheduled to headline before an estimated 150,000 attendees from July 10–12 at Finsbury Park in London. Prior to the decision, a senior government official had already stated he should “absolutely not” be allowed to perform.

In response to the controversy, Ye indicated a willingness to meet with representatives of the UK Jewish community, saying he would prove change through his actions. The pressure campaign against his appearance intensified amid criticism from sponsors and political leaders, particularly in light of his previous antisemitic comments and expressions of admiration for Adolf Hitler.

The controversy follows a series of incidents over the past year, including the release of a track titled “Heil Hitler” and the promotion of merchandise featuring a swastika. In January, Ye issued a public apology, attributing his behavior to a bipolar episode.

Several major corporate sponsors—including Pepsi, Rockstar Energy, and Diageo—pulled their support, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the planned performance as “deeply concerning.”

Jewish community leader Phil Rosenberg said that any potential meeting would depend on sincere remorse from the artist. Meanwhile, event organizers had initially defended the booking, calling for “forgiveness and hope.” That position drew criticism from UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who dismissed it as “absurd” and reiterated that Ye should not be permitted to perform.

Rav Yehoshua Eichenstein delivered an unusually strong and uncompromising address criticizing israeli state policy, arguing that what is called democracy has become a form of ideological coercion. The remarks were delivered in a closed-door talk to a small group of students and are now being published for the first time, against the backdrop of ongoing tensions surrounding the draft law and economic pressure on the Torah world.

In his remarks, Rav Eichenstein presented what he described as a clear and unapologetic position regarding the relationship between the chareidi public and the State of Israel, particularly during wartime.

Opening his address, he said: “If people think the state here is democratic, that’s a mistake.” He argued that the concept of “liberal democracy,” as promoted by the courts and media, has become a tool for ideological enforcement. “The moment you try to impose your religion on someone else, it’s no longer liberalism. Today’s progressivism is a religion in every sense, and it stands above everything—even above security needs.”

Rav Eichenstein cited court rulings that prioritize equality over operational effectiveness in the military as an example, describing them as detached from logic. “This is not one plus one equals two; this is one plus one equals ten. They are willing to sacrifice everything for their new ‘religion.’”

He also addressed the idea of “equal burden-sharing,” calling it a fundamental misunderstanding of how the world was created. “God created a world of different roles. There is a man and a woman, a carpenter and a mathematician. The idea that everyone must do the same thing is a communist concept, not a democratic one. In a true democracy, the state should allow each group to live according to its own way.”

The rosh yeshiva stressed that yeshiva students should not feel guilty in response to such claims. “I’m prepared to argue this with the greatest law professor—they have no answer. If democracy is ‘for the people,’ then why are you forcing part of the people to follow a foreign religion? You have no right to interfere in the details of my personal way of life.”

During the talk, Rav Eichenstein also explained why he believes the current structure of the military poses a threat to chareidi identity. He noted that from the time of Ben-Gurion, the army was designed to serve as a “melting pot” aimed at erasing distinct communities and creating a new identity detached from Torah.

“Today, when women are brought into every setting and progressive agendas are pushed into the units, it is almost impossible to be there without being affected. Those who propose frameworks like ‘Kodkod’ or ‘Chashmonaim’ are trying to create a ‘split chareidi’—someone who lives in two worlds. We need to remain whole and recognize that Torah is the main hall, and everything else is just the corridor.”

NEW YORK CITY (VINnews)-In a stark illustration of rising antisemitism in New York City, veteran comedian Judy Gold confronted and had removed an audience member who heckled her with an antisemitic remark during a stand-up performance at the New York Comedy Club on the Upper West Side.

Gold, a longtime Jewish comedian known for her sharp wit and outspoken advocacy against antisemitism, shared video footage of the incident on social media. In the clip, she directly addresses the heckler after he reportedly shouted something to the effect of “You’re a Jew!” as an insult.

“You’re annoying. Anyway, I’m a Jew? Is that what he said?” Gold responds on stage, turning the moment into material while calling out the bigotry. She continues with lines like “Did you just call me a Jew?” and eventually bids the disruptor farewell with “Bye bye” and “Shalom!” as staff intervene.

The comedian praised the club’s swift response in her accompanying post: “It’s come to this: Antisemites aren’t even ashamed anymore, even on the Upper West Side. I am so grateful to class act Jennifer Piccerilo and the rest of the staff at NY Comedy  lub for acting so quickly and doing the right thing.”

The Upper West Side has long been home to a significant Jewish community, making the open display of prejudice particularly alarming to many observers. Supporters online echoed Gold’s sentiment, noting that the venue’s decisive action—escorting the heckler out—represented a small but meaningful pushback against normalizing antisemitism in public spaces.

This incident comes amid broader concerns about antisemitism in New York City and across the U.S., with reports of increased harassment, protests targeting Jewish events, and verbal attacks becoming more brazen in everyday settings. Gold has frequently addressed these issues in her comedy and public commentary, using humor as both a coping mechanism and a tool for resistance.

The New York Comedy Club, a staple venue for stand-up in Manhattan, has not issued a public statement beyond the actions taken during the show. Gold’s post quickly gained traction, amassing thousands of likes, reposts, and comments reflecting a mix of support for her stance and frustration over the persistence of such bigotry.

As debates over free speech, heckling in comedy, and rising hate continue, moments like this highlight the tension performers and audiences face. Gold’s handling of the situation—blending confrontation, comedy, and gratitude for venue support—serves as a reminder that many are unwilling to let antisemitism go unchallenged, even mid-set.

The Yerushalayim community was saddened by the news of the passing of Mrs. Gittel Tziporah Weinberger a”h at the age of 70.

The nifteres was a beloved and respected figure in Dushinsky chassidus, where she lived a life of mesirus nefesh, anavah, and deep yiras Shamayim. Her husband, Reb Nota Shlomo Weinberger z”l, a prominent member of the chassidus, was niftar on 7 Shevat 5781 during the Covid pandemic.

For many years, the couple lived at 34 Rechov Shmuel Hanavi in Yerushalayim, near the center of the chassidus, where they raised their 11 children, nine sons and two daughters. One of the children is a special child who received devoted care from his parents and is now left a yasom, while continuing in a specialized educational framework.

She leaves behind a large family of children and descendants who continue in the path of Torah and yiras Shamayim. Among her children is the well-known singer Zanvil Weinberger, as well as his brothers Yossi and Michoel Weinberger, members of the Malchus Choir.

The levayah took place at the Dushinsky Bais Medrash on Rechov Shmuel Hanavi, with kevurah on Har HaMenuchos.

The family will begin sitting shivah immediately after Shevi’i Shel Pesach.

Tehei nishmasah tzerurah b’tzror hachaim.

On the eve of Shevi’i Shel Pesach, a significant halachic obligation takes effect: the mitzvah of biur maasros, requiring those in Eretz Yisroel to ensure that all maasros have been properly separated and distributed, and that no produce or funds remain in their possession without having been given to their intended recipients.

According to halachah, this is the designated time to verify that all terumos and maasros were taken correctly, and that no agricultural produce or designated tithes are still being held without fulfilling their purpose.

The source of this mitzvah is the pasuk: “When you have finished tithing all the produce of your yield in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give to the Levi, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, and they shall eat within your gates and be satisfied.” This obligation occurs twice during each shemittah cycle—at the end of the third and sixth years—and continues to apply today in accordance with the halachos observed after the churban.

This year, 5786, corresponds to the fourth year of the shemittah cycle, meaning the time has now arrived—following the completion of the maaser ani cycle—to carry out the biur. Practically, this requires anyone who still has produce from which terumos and maasros were not properly separated, or who is holding maasros that have not yet been given to a kohein, Levi, or ani, to address the matter without delay.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VInnews) A suspect identified as Eslam Alsaedi was arrested after a video surfaced online this week showing a man allegedly threatening to target Jewish children in Brooklyn, according to local officials.

Councilmember, Inna Vernikov said in a post on X that the man threatened to come to Brooklyn, find “a big building with Jewish people” and kill Jewish children.

Vernikov said her office contacted the New York City Police Department Counterterrorism Unit after the video came to light. She added that she was informed the suspect was arrested later that night by undercover intelligence officers.

This terrorist threatened to come to Brooklyn, find a BIG BUILDING with JEWISH PEOPLE and KILL JEWISH CHILDREN. He thought he would get away with it. We contacted NYPD’s counter terrorism unit and they were immediately on it! Last night, he was ARRESTED by undercover intel cops.… pic.twitter.com/hYpgoI3GW1

— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) April 7, 2026

Police sources said a report was “filed for terrorism” on Monday in the 32nd Precinct. Authorities said Alsaedi was arrested on April 6 at about 6:30 p.m.

According to Vernikov, the suspect faces charges of making a terroristic threat, aggravated harassment in the second degree and making a threat of mass harm.

“This must be prosecuted both locally and federally to the fullest extent of the law,” Vernikov wrote, thanking the NYPD and those who reported the threat.

The NYPD has not independently released additional details about the suspect, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Former CIA Director David Petraeus said that Russia no longer holds a dominant position in its war against Ukraine, pointing to what he described as a noticeable shift in momentum despite Moscow’s larger resources.

“I think what’s remarkable is that Russia no longer has the upper hand,” Petraeus said in an interview published Monday by CBS.

He noted that while Russia maintains clear numerical and economic advantages, those strengths have not translated into battlefield success. “Russia heavily outnumbers Ukraine. It outguns Ukraine. It has an economy 10 or 12 times the size of Ukraine’s. And yet the Ukrainian forces right now are stopping the Russians cold on the front lines,” he added.

The war in Eastern Europe has now stretched beyond four years, with multiple diplomatic efforts failing to bring about a ceasefire or lasting resolution.

Russian forces have continued to launch repeated strikes on Kyiv as part of a broader effort to secure control over key regions, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

According to CBS, Ukraine has relied heavily on its Delta battlefield management system, which allows forces to pinpoint targets and coordinate attacks using advanced digital mapping.

Petraeus described the intensity of the ongoing assaults, saying that more than 400 drones and dozens of missiles were launched on the morning of his interview, with glide bombs striking on a nightly basis.

“But on the front lines, which is all important, the Russians have actually achieved less than the Ukrainians have in the last two weeks,” he added.

Separately, reports indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been in close contact with Iran during its conflict with the United States and Israel, with Moscow reportedly providing intelligence support to Tehran as regional tensions continue to escalate.

Iranian state-affiliated media reported early Tuesday that an early morning airstrike targeting a nearby building severely damaged the Rafi Nia Synagogue in central Tehran. While authorities blamed an Israeli strike, there has been no independent confirmation of the claim.

Footage from the scene showed Sifrei Kodesh being removed from the debris as senior Jewish figures, including Iran’s leading Rabbi Younes Hamami Lalehzar and parliamentary representative Homayoun Sameh, inspecting the ruins. Sameh noted that “the Zionist regime did not spare this community during the Jewish holidays” and reported that Sifrei Torah were buried under the rubble.

Homayoun Sameh described the Rafi Nia Synagogue as one of the community’s “oldest and most sacred synagogues”

Jewish community figures sharply criticized the attack, stating, “From the enemy, no other ‘gift’ could be expected for the holiday”.

In an official statement, the community condemned the “brutal attacks carried out by the American-Israeli enemy against our beloved homeland”. Vowing total support for the government, they declared, “We will stand by the people and the regime until our last breath to defend our homeland”.

Israeli journalist Amit Segal said Monday that he was the first to report that a second American airman was missing after a U.S. F-15 was shot down over Iran, an early disclosure that later drew a sharp warning from President Donald Trump, who threatened legal consequences for whoever revealed the information.

Segal made the claim publicly on his Telegram channel, writing: “As you may recall, this was first published here,” referring to his initial report about the weapons systems officer who went down during Operation Epic Fury.

The report surfaced at a particularly sensitive stage in the escalating U.S.-Iran confrontation. Following the aircraft’s downing on Friday, American officials confirmed that one pilot had been recovered but did not immediately disclose that a second crew member was unaccounted for.

During a White House briefing on Monday, Trump asserted that the leak may have endangered the missing airman by alerting Iranian forces, which he said led Tehran to place a bounty on the serviceman. He vowed to identify and take action against whoever first reported that a second airman was missing.

Trump also blamed the media for publicizing the information, arguing that such details should not have been released. While he did not name specific outlets, observers later pointed to reports by Fox News and The Washington Post as among the earliest coverage of the incident.

At the briefing, Trump made clear he intended to pursue the source of the leak, saying: “The person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn’t say, and that doesn’t last long,” Trump said. “We’re going to go to the media company that released it, and we’re going to say, ‘National security. Give it up or go to jail.'”

Shortly after those remarks, Segal publicly identified himself as the journalist behind the initial report, appearing to challenge the president’s warning. However, when questioned further by the New York Post, he softened his position, saying he was “not sure” he had been the first to break the story before adding: “I will protect my sources.”

It remains unclear whether U.S. authorities would have jurisdiction to pursue legal action against an Israeli citizen or compel a foreign media outlet to disclose confidential sources.

Segal, 43, is widely regarded as one of Israel’s most prominent political journalists. He serves as a commentator for Channel 12 News and writes for Yedioth Ahronoth, while also maintaining a large following on Telegram and contributing regularly to The Wall Street Journal. Over the years, he has reported extensively on Israeli politics, including major investigations involving government corruption and cyber activities linked to Iran.

His background includes legal studies at Hebrew University and a master’s degree in public policy from University College London. His father, Chagai Segal, is a former journalist and was previously convicted as a member of the Jewish Underground..

Trump reiterated his position during the same briefing, warning: “We’re going to go to the media company that released it and we’re going to say, ‘National security, give it up or go to jail.”

We will not be updating any of our platforms from sundown this evening until after sundown on Thursday in observance of Pesach.

President Donald Trump has put forward a proposal to dramatically boost funding for renovations at the White House, requesting more than $377 million for fiscal year 2026 and an additional $174 million for fiscal year 2027.

The $377 million request marks a sharp increase—about 866 percent higher than the approximately $39 million allocated for White House maintenance in fiscal year 2025.

An Office of Management and Budget spokesperson told Politico that the proposed funding reflects broader planning beyond routine upkeep, including modernization projects and upgraded security measures.

According to the spokesperson, the scope of the work will go beyond the main residence and cover several parts of the White House complex, including plans supported by Trump to build a new ballroom.

Of the total amount proposed for 2026, roughly $350 million is categorized as mandatory spending, which the spokesperson said includes private contributions earmarked for the ballroom construction.

The ballroom initiative has already drawn legal opposition.

On Friday, the Trump administration argued that a federal court order stopping construction creates a direct security concern for the president and the White House.

In a court filing appealing the decision, attorneys for the National Park Service warned that halting the project is “threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the president and his family, and the president’s staff.”

“Time is of the essence!” government lawyers wrote, stressing that the project involves materials and systems intended to produce a “heavily fortified” structure. The filing noted that the design includes elements such as bomb shelters, military installations, and a medical facility.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, D.C., issued a temporary injunction last week, stopping construction work, including efforts that had already involved demolishing parts of the East Wing.

Leon ruled that without clear approval from Congress, the preservation group challenging the project is likely to succeed. He wrote that “no statute comes close to giving the president the authority he claims to have.”

The judge delayed enforcement of his ruling for 14 days, giving the administration time to file an appeal.

Why the Iranian Regime Refuse to Let Go? Lessons to learn from passover’s miracle.

For more than 3,000 years, the Jewish people have marked Passover not only as a story of liberation, but as a lesson in how history unfolds when power, arrogance, and destiny collide.

The Exodus was not a single moment. It was a long process.
The Jews were enslaved in Egypt for almost 250 years under one of the most powerful empires of the ancient world.

A fireball rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Qasmiyeh bridge, located on a main highway linking villages in the Tyre district with others further north, after Israel said the bridge was being used by Hezbollah, in southern Lebanon on March 22, 2026. Israel’s military struck a key bridge in south Lebanon on Sunday, an AFP correspondent said, after Israel’s defence minister said the army had been ordered to destroy more bridges over the Litani River. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2, when pro-Iran Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel in response to US-Israeli strikes that killed Iranian supreme leader on February 28, 2026. (Photo by Kawnat HAJU / AFP via Getty Images) /

Pharaoh was not just a ruler, he represented absolute control, convinced of his own permanence.

When Moses first came to him with a simple demand, “Let my people go,” Pharaoh refused!

What followed was not immediate victory, but a prolonged confrontation.
Plague after plague struck Egypt. Blood. Frogs. Lice. Devastation that disrupted every aspect of Egyptian life. Each time, Pharaoh appeared ready to concede. Each time, when the pressure eased, he hardened his position again.

The Torah describes this in a striking way. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. Not once, but repeatedly.
The obvious question is: why?

Why would a ruler continue down a path that clearly led to destruction? Why not stop after the first warning, or the second?

Because sometimes the story is bigger than a single decision. It is about exposing the limits of power, dismantling illusions, and making a moment so undeniable that it reshapes history.

Only after the final blow, the death of the firstborn, did Pharaoh break. Only then did the Jewish people leave, not as fleeing slaves, but as a nation reborn, carrying with them not only freedom but a message the world would remember.

Today, we may be witnessing a similar pattern.

For decades, the Iranian regime has defined itself through confrontation, threats, and the pursuit of destructive power. Time and again, it has been warned. Time and again, it has been pressured. And yet, like Pharaoh, it refuses to change course.

Even as it absorbs damage, even as its people suffer, the leadership continues, doubling down, refusing to step back.

It raises the same uncomfortable question: why persist in a path that leads to collapse?
History suggests that such moments are rarely quick. Just as Egypt was not transformed overnight, neither are modern regimes that have built their identity on defiance and control.
What feels like delay may, in fact, be a process.
A process that exposes, step by step, the true nature of power. A process that makes the outcome undeniable, not only to those directly involved, but to the entire world.

Passover teaches us that redemption does not always come in a single moment. Sometimes it comes through persistence, through endurance, and through a series of events that build toward an irreversible conclusion.
This war is very hard for the people of Israel, for the people of the region, and for the good people of Iran. Yet, it will take time to defeat the evil that shapes our modern history, just as it took time then. We need patience, and I am certain that history will repeat itself. We will see another victory, one that will lead to a new celebration for the Jewish people and for the entire region. Not just the Jews—people across the region are suffering.

After this, we will see a new Iran, peace between countries, and we will see God’s great miracles once again.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hosted Rabbonim from the country’s major cities at his office in Kyiv in honor of Pesach, marking the fifth Pesach since the Russian invasion began in 2022.

During the gathering, which was organized by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU), the Rabbonim presented the president with a package of matzos baked in Dnipro. They also gifted him a historic new Ukrainian-language translation of the Torah, the first of its kind.

The hour-long meeting focused heavily on the Yom Tov’s central theme of freedom. According to an attendee, the discussion centered on the fight against evil, the victory of light, and the hope that Pesach symbolizes. Notably, the president eschewed contemporary political grievances; making no mention of U.S. President Donald Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he has strained relationships and hasn’t spoken to in over a year. Instead, he emphasized that both Ukraine and Israel are praying for freedom and victory over the “axis of evil.”

Reflecting on the meeting, President Zelensky released the following statement: “On the occasion of Passover, I met with rabbis from Ukrainian cities and representatives of Jewish communities. Passover is about the triumph of freedom. This is exactly what all of Ukraine is fighting for today. I thanked the Jewish community for standing united with us in this struggle – for supporting people, helping communities, and praying for our state. I am grateful for a special gift – the first Torah translated into Ukrainian and printed at a Kharkiv bookstore that the Russians tried to destroy.”

An FJCU source noted to reporters that the reception was originally scheduled for Sunday, March 29, a date corresponding with the birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Harav Menachem Mendel Schneerson, zt”l. The event was ultimately rescheduled due to President Zelensky’s diplomatic visit to Jordan in the Middle East last week.

The Pentagon is preparing a request for approximately $4.5 billion in its fiscal 2027 budget to rebuild depleted Tomahawk cruise missile stockpiles, highlighting growing pressure on U.S. military resources following sustained global operations.

According to a Bloomberg Government report, the planned funding request follows extensive use of the long-range, sea-launched missiles in recent conflicts, including the war with Iran, where hundreds were reportedly deployed.

The increased usage has sparked concern within defense circles about maintaining adequate readiness for future threats.

Tomahawk missiles continue to serve as a key component of U.S. strike capabilities, enabling naval forces to carry out precise attacks from great distances.

With each missile costing an estimated $2 million, restoring inventory levels represents a major financial commitment.

Defense officials say the proposal is part of a larger effort to rebuild the nation’s weapons reserves and reinforce the defense industrial base after years of limited investment and rising global tensions.

In addition to operations involving Iran, ongoing U.S. military commitments worldwide—including support for allies and deterrence against rivals such as China and Russia—have further strained available munitions.

To address the issue, the Pentagon is advocating for multiyear purchasing agreements with defense contractors to boost production capacity and avoid future shortages.

Officials warn that without consistent funding, the United States risks falling behind in an era of high-intensity warfare, where advanced weapons are used at a rapid pace.

The proposed 2027 defense budget is expected to include not only funding for missile replenishment but also increased investment in aircraft, missile defense systems, and other essential military capabilities.

The shift reflects a growing acknowledgment that modern warfare demands larger reserves of advanced weaponry.

Supporters of increased defense spending argue that such measures are overdue after years of what they describe as insufficient prioritization under previous administrations, emphasizing that rebuilding stockpiles and strengthening production capacity are critical to maintaining U.S. military superiority and deterring adversaries.

WASHINGTON (VINnews) — Donald Trump hosted Orthodox and Haredi Jewish leaders at the White House on Monday during Chol HaMoed Passover, bringing together senior administration officials and communal figures for a reception and policy discussion.

The event was arranged by Jewish liaison Martin Marks and included a reception in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building followed by a private Oval Office meeting with a select group of leaders, according to people familiar with the gathering.

Administration officials in attendance included Howard Lutnick, Lee Zeldin, Will Scharf, Jacob Reis, and Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun.

The delegation included Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Rabbi Dovid Zwiebel of Agudath Israel, Rabbi David Niederman, executive director of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg, Rabbi Moshe Margaretten, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, and Gedalya Segedin, village administrator of Kiryas Joel, among others, as well as Holocaust survivor Jerry Wartski, Jonathan Burkan, Jeff Miller and Matt Brooks.

Edan Alexander, a recently released hostage from Gaza, attended with his parents.

Participants said Trump discussed security funding for Jewish institutions, reiterated support for Israel, and addressed tensions involving Iran. He also spoke about the case of Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, calling his past sentence unjust.

During the meeting, Trump placed a phone call to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, speaking about their involvement in Jewish communal life.

No formal statement was released following the event.

The White House has put forward a plan to significantly reduce the size and budget of the Transportation Security Administration, proposing to eliminate more than 9,400 positions and cut over $1.5 billion from the agency responsible for airport security, according to newly released budget documents.

The proposal is outlined in a Department of Homeland Security budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year, with DHS serving as the parent agency overseeing TSA operations.

Lawmakers are expected to review the proposal during congressional hearings scheduled for later this month, as they work toward finalizing a federal budget agreement ahead of the September 30 deadline. Some Republican legislators have also renewed calls to fully privatize airport security operations.

The proposed cuts are separate from the ongoing funding dispute in Congress over DHS spending for the current year, a standoff that has already led to disruptions at airports as TSA employees temporarily went without pay.

President Donald Trump on Friday suggested that smaller airports should transition to private security providers as an initial step toward broader privatization of the agency, which was established in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

According to the White House, shifting smaller airports to private screening would reduce the TSA workforce by more than 4,500 positions. An additional 4,800 jobs would be cut through internal efficiency measures, including removing staffing at exit lanes and reducing overlapping roles.

Officials estimate that these workforce reductions alone would result in savings exceeding $500 million.

The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA screeners, has pushed back against privatization efforts, warning that such changes could compromise aviation security.

Overall, the proposal would shrink the TSA’s $7.8 billion budget by roughly 20 percent. The agency has already seen its workforce decline by more than 1,600 employees during recent government funding disruptions last fall and spring.

Currently, about 50,000 airport security screeners across the United States are employed by the TSA.

President Trump has been openly critical of the agency. On his first day in office in 2025, he dismissed TSA Administrator David Pekoske and has yet to name a successor.

Last year, the White House said, “TSA has consistently failed audits while implementing intrusive screening measures that violate Americans’ privacy and dignity.”

Under the previous administration, the TSA expanded its operations. In 2024, the agency screened a record 904 million passengers, marking a 5 percent increase compared to the previous year.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is intensifying its campaign against Iran, targeting key military and logistical infrastructure used by the regime.

“We are crushing the terrorist regime in Iran. But we are doing so with even greater vigor, and with increasing force.”

Netanyahu revealed that Israeli strikes over the past two days hit major assets, including aircraft and transport networks used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“Yesterday, our pilots destroyed transport planes and dozens of helicopters at an Iranian Air Force base. Today, they attacked the train tracks and bridges used by the Revolutionary Guards.”

Your browser does not support the video tag.

He said the infrastructure was being used to move weapons, materials, and operatives targeting Israel, the United States, and other countries in the region.

Netanyahu emphasized that the campaign is not directed at the Iranian people, but at the regime itself.

“These actions… are not intended to attack the Iranian people. On the contrary, they are intended to weaken and crush the terrorist regime that has oppressed them for 47 years.”

He added that the ongoing operation is reshaping the regional balance of power.

“This is no longer the same Iran, nor is it the same Israel. We are changing the balance of power from one end to the other.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF’s Persian-language spokesperson released an unusual public warning Tuesday morning, directly addressing civilians across Iran and urging them to avoid train travel nationwide.

In the announcement, the IDF called on the Iranian public not to use trains or travel near railway lines anywhere in the country for a limited period.

According to the statement, the advisory remains in effect until 9:00 p.m. local time in Iran. The IDF emphasized that the purpose of the warning is to protect civilian lives, stating: “Your presence on trains and near railway lines endangers your life.”

The warning was issued on the same morning that President Donald Trump had previously referred to as “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day,” in which he warned that if Iran failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8:00 p.m. EST Tuesday, the United States and Israel would target key infrastructure, including civilian facilities.

Should Kanye West, the rapper who also goes by “Ye,” be forgiven for his past viciously antisemitic comments? Opinions are mixed. Following his ban from the United Kingdom, where he was slated to perform at London’s Wireless Festival, West issued a letter expressing remorse for his past actions and a desire to make amends.

“I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly,” he wrote. “My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace and love through my music.”

“I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen,” he added. “I know words aren’t enough — I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here.”

Kanye West meets with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto in an effort to make amends for his past antisemitic behavior. (From a post on X)

Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, who had called for West to be banned, said it was too soon for forgiveness. To show his remorse, West would have to agree not to perform at the festival, he said.

“It has been less than a year since Kanye West released a song entitled ‘Heil Hitler,’ the culmination of three years of appalling antisemitism,” Rosenberg said.

“Even while claiming remorse today, his latest album includes a track first released last year with the abhorrent title ‘Gas Chamber,'” he added. “The Jewish community will want to see a genuine remorse and change before believing that the appropriate place to test this sincerity is on the main stage at the Wireless Festival.”

“As such, we are willing to meet Kanye West as part of his journey of healing, but only after he agrees not to play the Wireless Festival this year,” he concluded.

Rapper Kanye West performs onstage at Hollywood Park Grounds on March 14, 2024, in Inglewood, Cal. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

Others disagree. Melvin Benn, the managing director of Festival Republic, which promotes Wireless, called for grace.

“What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community, the prime minister and others that have commented and — taking him at his word — to Ye now also,” he said.

“Having had a person in my life for the last 15 years who suffers from mental illness, I have witnessed many episodes of despicable behaviour that I have had to forgive and move on from,” he explained. “If I wasn’t before, I have become a person of forgiveness and hope in all aspects of my life, including work.”

“Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world and I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do,” he added.

The latest brouhaha over Kanye West and his past antisemitism follows his full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal in January apologizing for his actions and his November meeting with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto in New York City, in which he expressed his remorse, described his struggles with mental illness and accepted responsibility for his behavior.

HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) — The parents of a toddler who suffered a minor injury at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after squeezing through a fence near a wolf enclosure and making contact with one of the animals have been charged with endangering the welfare of children, police said.

Evidence showed that the parents both walked about 25 to 30 feet (7.6 meters to 9.1 meters) away from the child to a seating area with benches and appeared to be paying attention to their cellphones when they noticed what was happening Saturday at ZooAmerica in the Hersheypark theme park, police said in a news release.

The child went through a small opening in a wooden barrier perimeter fence and entered a restricted area near the wolf exhibit, the Derry Township Police said. The child reached a primary metal fence enclosure and was hurt after placing a hand through that fencing.

“From the injuries sustained, it appears as though one of the wolves in the enclosure instinctively and naturally grabbed onto the child’s hand with its mouth. Several bystanders intervened and helped pull the child away,” police said in the release.

The parents, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, were charged with the misdemeanor offense after an initial investigation and consultation with the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office, police said. Court records posted Monday showed that both await a preliminary hearing on April 28. There were no attorneys listed for them. A phone number associated with one of the parents was not working Tuesday.

The zoo is part of the entertainment complex in Hershey, featuring a chocolate-themed amusement park. The zoo’s website says it has three gray wolves.

The zoo had said in a statement that the wolf’s response “is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression.

“Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing. Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times,” it said.

Hersheypark made headlines last summer when a lost boy wandering a monorail line above a crowd was rescued by a park visitor who climbed onto a building and jumped onto the rails. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family.

NASA said the crew used handheld cameras to capture high-resolution photos and video of the lunar surface, including features humans had never directly seen before, with astronauts also becoming the first people in generations to fly around the Moon. 

During the flyby, Orion came within about 4,067 miles of the Moon, giving the crew a rare window to document impact craters, ancient lava flows, cracks, ridges, and subtle changes in color, brightness, and texture that can help scientists better understand the Moon’s makeup and history. NASA also released live views of an Earthrise as the spacecraft emerged from behind the Moon. 

Artemis II also set a new record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth, reaching roughly 252,756 miles and surpassing Apollo 13.

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Senior American military leaders approved a strike on a subterranean Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) site near Tehran while carrying out a mission to recover U.S. airmen whose aircraft had been brought down inside Iran, according to a Fox News report citing senior sources.

The report said that during the rescue operation, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Adm. Brad Cooper gave the order to hit the underground command center. The attack was executed by B-2 bombers deploying Massive Ordnance Penetrators, specialized munitions designed to destroy hardened, deeply buried targets.

Officials cited in the report indicated that the targeted IRGC facility was destroyed in the strike.

At the same time, as the rescue mission unfolded, U.S. B-1 bombers released roughly one hundred 2,000-pound bombs in the surrounding area to prevent Iranian forces from advancing toward the extraction site, a senior U.S. defense official said.

A senior military source described the action to Fox News by stating that US forces had applied significant force against the IRGC during the operation.

CENTCOM later confirmed in an official statement that two service members were successfully recovered after their F-15E aircraft had been shot down.

The Fox News report added that the strike on the IRGC installation took place between the two rescue phases. According to the report, the B-2 bombers launched from Whiteman Air Force Base in the United States after receiving time-sensitive intelligence showing that multiple IRGC commanders were present inside the underground complex.

Following the mission, President Donald Trump said that American forces had rescued a severely injured F-15 crew member from deep within Iran, highlighting the dangers involved. He also referred to a second rescue effort that followed the initial extraction, describing both operations as unusual due to their length and complexity.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is unconscious and receiving medical treatment in the Shi’ite holy city of Qom, The Times reported Tuesday, citing a diplomatic memo it said was based on American and Israeli intelligence shared with Gulf allies.

If accurate, the memo would mark the first time Khamenei’s location has been publicly identified since he succeeded his father following Ali Khamenei’s death in February. Iranian officials have insisted he remains in charge. But he has not appeared publicly since the war began, and no audio or video of him speaking has been released — only two statements broadcast on state television attributed to him.

The memo, which has not been independently verified, describes him as unable to participate in regime decision-making, reportedly for several weeks.

The disclosure raises an immediate question with no clean answer: who is actually running Iran?

The most likely candidate is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has steadily accumulated power throughout the conflict. A prolonged leadership vacuum would accelerate that shift, potentially giving the IRGC effective control over both military operations and diplomatic decisions, including any negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz.

The same memo said preparations were underway in Qom for a large mausoleum for Ali Khamenei and possibly other family members — a detail that conflicts with earlier Iranian accounts of his burial plans, which placed mourning ceremonies in Tehran. Iranian authorities attributed the delay in a state funeral to expectations of massive turnout, but the gap between that explanation and Shi’ite custom, which favors swift burial, has drawn scrutiny.

Qom’s centrality to the succession crisis is not new. In early March, Israeli strikes hit the building in the city where the 88-member Assembly of Experts was reportedly convening to choose Ali Khamenei’s successor — a strike that underscored both the city’s religious significance and its role as the regime’s clerical nerve center.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Nickolay Mladenov, director-general and high representative for Gaza of the U.S.-proposed Board of Peace, met with senior Hamas officials in Cairo last week and laid down an ultimatum: He gave them until the end of this week to agree to a disarmament proposal, after Hamas dallied for four weeks. Unnamed sources familiar with the discussions said that the board will not accept major changes; Hamas will only be allowed to tweak the proposal at the margins.

Against the backdrop of dramatic developments in the war with Iran, the Board of Peace is pressing forward with the second phase of the peace plan, in a sign of the urgency to achieve the demilitarization of Hamas.

While Hamas has signaled neither its acceptance nor its rejection of the proposal, it has complained that Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreement with strikes extending deep into Gaza. Israel acknowledged the strikes but argued that they were carried out in response to Hamas violations of the ceasefire.

Nickolay Mladenov, director-general and high representative for Gaza, speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem on June 25, 2020. (Photo by Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Egypt, Turkey and Qatar are serving as mediators and applying pressure to Hamas to accept the proposal. An Arab diplomat involved with the mediation said that it’s unlikely that Hamas will accept a deal without adding major provisions, adding that “even if they do, it’s unlikely that Israel will comply” because of political reasons. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be reluctant to pull back from Gaza during an election year, and a significant part of his coalition is pressing for a permanent presence in the Strip.

Under the plan, a phased Israeli withdrawal is tied to the disarmament of Hamas and the destruction of the tunnels. Reconstruction also will not begin unless and until Hamas gives up its weapons. The eight-month timeline that has been proposed comprises five stages:

Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, distribute sweets to children during a celebration of Eid al-Fitr, cementing their hold on the Gaza Strip, on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Moiz Salhi/Anadolu via Getty Images)

1. Days 1–15: The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) assumes governance of the Strip and prepares for weapons collection.
2. Days 16–40: Israel removes its military infrastructure and heavy weaponry from areas under its control. An international security force takes over.
3. Days 30–90: Hamas relinquishes all of its weapons to NCAG and permits the destruction of its tunnels and all other military infrastructure. This is the most critical phase.
4. Days 91–250: NCAG collects and registers all remaining weapons, and Israel begins its phased withdrawal.
5. Final Stage: Verification of the complete disarmament of Hamas is finalized; Israel withdraws almost completely, leaving in place a security perimeter; and reconstruction begins.

Mladenov issued a stark warning to Hamas of consequences for failure to comply.

“He who will not cross the river will drown in the sea,” he said.

More than two years after emerging from the darkness of captivity into freedom, Bar Kuperstein spoke publicly in an emotional interview with Kikar HaShabbat about his time in Hamas captivity, describing how faith sustained him through the darkest moments.

Kuperstein recounts two and a half years filled with fear, uncertainty, and suffering—but says one thing never left him: his belief in Hashem. In the interview, he reflects on the horrors of Simchas Torah, the long months inside terror tunnels in Gaza, and the small moments he experienced as open miracles.

He describes how, even in the lowest and most desperate conditions, he managed to hold on to faith and find strength, hope, and light.

At the beginning of the interview, he shares: “In the past two years, I didn’t have the ability to celebrate a real Pesach. The other holidays—Chanukah or Rosh Hashanah—we were able to mark in some way.

“When we went to get food, the terrorists had a television in their room. On Chanukah we saw the prime minister lighting the third candle, so we knew it was Chanukah. They showed a clip from a broadcast in Israel and we saw Sukkos. On Chanukah we took a flashlight and would sing songs.”

Kuperstein then returns to the morning of Simchas Torah, when he was serving as a deputy security officer at the Nova festival. He describes how he helped save dozens of lives before being captured by Hamas terrorists and taken into Gaza.

“There was total chaos there,” he recalls. “From the moment the rockets started, we told people to disperse, and slowly you see that the rockets don’t stop. Then there was a huge traffic jam in the parking lot. I took my car to see what was causing it, and I saw a police vehicle blocking the road, warning of terrorist gunfire—and then I understood there was a terrorist infiltration.

“We continued evacuating vehicles, and after about fifteen minutes, cars came back under gunfire, and we realized there were terrorists there too. Wounded people were arriving, there were terrorist squads—you understand you’re in a war zone. We reached a point where we were trapped in a death zone, north and south, everything blocked. I went to a police officer and told him we had to open an emergency route. I told him to drive and open it, and he trusted me to stay behind. When I returned from captivity, a police officer told me that action saved more than 2,000 people.”

He describes the moment of his abduction: “I saw the terrorists’ pickup trucks arriving and I understood… it was like a full army, military vehicles. I didn’t know where it came from. At that moment I understood I couldn’t save anyone else and had to save myself. I felt like someone was holding my hand and guiding me where to go—Hashem directed me. Along the way I was shouting at people to get out of their cars; people were frozen in shock. I couldn’t stop at every car because they were shooting at me in insane quantities.

“I hid in bushes and started crawling because they were shooting at us. Eventually they reached us and began slaughtering everyone. I remember we all said ‘Shema Yisrael’ together, everyone who was with me in the bushes—and we were all saved, baruch Hashem. The fact that we were taken captive was itself the salvation. Everyone ahead of us—we heard screams, then bursts of gunfire, and silence. They were massacred. We said Shema Yisrael and waited for the bullet that would kill you.

“After a month in captivity, when we were allowed to talk, we shared those moments, and it turned out that all of us said ‘Shema Yisrael.’ Apparently, that’s what truly saved us.”

Kuperstein describes the journey into Gaza: “The entire way I’m praying to Hashem, saying ‘Shema Yisrael’ and chapters of Tehillim—everything I remember. I’m begging not to die there. I know what the ‘Hannibal Protocol’ is in the army—you see terrorists and you shoot—I kept praying that wouldn’t happen.”

He recalls a chilling exchange with a terrorist: “One of the terrorists who spoke English came to me and asked, ‘Where is your God now?’ That shook me. I sat with that question for hours and couldn’t answer.

“Then I said to myself—if I have a question about Hashem, who do I ask? My mother. I asked myself what she would say, and I answered: Hashem is testing me, and I’m in a test, and I have to pass it. That’s what kept me going.”

In the early weeks, he was moved between different houses across Gaza: “We were walking through the streets, our faces uncovered, usually in the dark because there’s no street lighting. We moved like that between several houses.”

He shares a moment he describes as a clear miracle: “One night, when they were transferring us, something didn’t feel right. We walked for about an hour, and the whole time I was just praying—‘Please let everything be okay.’ We felt something was wrong. I asked Hashem to bring us somewhere safe.

“We reached a place called ‘Beit HaBasta,’ but the guards didn’t arrive, so they took us back to the previous house. When we returned, the terrorist told me, ‘God loves you.’ I asked what happened, and he said, ‘You remember the house you were supposed to go to? It was bombed exactly where you were supposed to be.’”

“I said then—what just happened to me is not random. It’s Hashem. It’s divine providence. It’s a message that Hashem is with me and telling me I will stay alive.”

He describes his constant conversations with Hashem deep inside the tunnels: “I would talk to Him freely, because I didn’t know many prayers. I knew ‘Shema Yisrael,’ I knew some Tehillim. I told myself I would pray in my own way—I would just speak to Hashem, because I know you can do that.

“Every time I would ask Hashem for small things—just a bit more hope. I wouldn’t say ‘get me out of here now.’ If Hashem put me here, then I’m in a test and I need to be here. I would daven constantly—Shacharis, Modeh Ani, whatever I remembered. And at the end I would ask, ‘Give me some hope, give me a little more food, give me strength to walk and ask the terrorists for something.’”

He adds: “When I would go ask the terrorists for something, it didn’t always end with a ‘no.’ Sometimes it ended with threats or even beatings. So I would ask Hashem—after a period with no food—give me the strength to ask for something to eat. And then I went to them, didn’t even ask, and they just gave me food. If that’s not Hashem, then what is? It never happened that they just gave us food on their own.”

He also recounts another moment of divine encouragement: “I asked Hashem for a sign, and suddenly I heard my mother on the radio—on my birthday. If that’s not Hashem, then what is?”

Despite watching others being released in earlier deals, including women, children, and his fellow captive Ohad Ben Ami, he says he never felt resentment: “No, not at all. I always knew my time would come. Now it’s Ohad’s time. I’m happy for him, that he’s going back to his children and parents. Now it’s his time to be home. I’ll manage.”

“I knew my time would come,” he continues. “Hashem protected me, saved me again and again. If all this happened, there’s no chance I’m not getting out of here. I always believed I would leave captivity—and baruch Hashem, I’m here.”

He recalls an especially moving Shabbos in the tunnels: “Wow, I remember one Shabbos I’ll never forget. It was me, Elkana, and Ohad, and then they added Yosef Chaim Ohana, Segev, and Maxim. That Shabbos we were six people in a tunnel, and we sang ‘Shalom Aleichem’ together. It felt like the whole tunnel was shaking. We had tears of joy. We felt Hashem sent angels to surround us. It was incredibly emotional, and from then on, every Shabbos we made Kiddush.”

He also describes spiritual growth among the captives: “It was amazing. I came from a traditional home, Elkana also knew a lot, and those who didn’t know had a strong connection—they said, ‘Teach us.’ Ohad, who knew accounting, would say, ‘Come, let’s learn Torah.’ They wanted more—it was very moving. We had the privilege to give them that gift.”

On the constant bombings, he says: “Of course—every day, every hour, there are explosions. Everything shakes, sand falls on you. You’re underground—one bomb in the wrong place and everything collapses and you’re buried forever. You’re always afraid. But every time there was an explosion, you immediately say ‘Shema Yisrael,’ Tehillim—even ‘Shir LaMa’alos.’ That’s what kept us going—this faith.”

He describes the days leading up to his release: “We knew about the deal a few days before. They called us and said, ‘Sit and watch TV.’ They didn’t say anything, and then we saw the government approved the deal and families celebrating. We looked at each other and said, ‘Okay, let’s see if it actually happens.’ How many times had we seen this before? We didn’t want to be disappointed again. If it happens, it happens—we’ll be happy at home.”

Finally, he describes the moment of freedom: “It was crazy. We came out of the tunnel—they open the shaft, and suddenly you feel air on your face after almost two years underground. There’s no air in the tunnel, and suddenly you feel wind and see the sun. We saw massive destruction, but then you hear children and birds—you hear life. We were in a pit, and suddenly you hear a truck horn—these are things we hadn’t heard for two years.”

He also recalls the moment he was transferred to Israeli forces: “Of course I remember. We were with the Red Cross, we reached the line, and suddenly you see an armored vehicle from the Nachal Brigade—and I served in Nachal. That was closure for me. The forces escorted us, and suddenly you see an IDF base on a hill, everyone waving, and you say, ‘I survived this. I won.’”

President Donald Trump’s budget request to Congress includes the largest counterterrorism spending increase in years and establishes a new FBI-led center dedicated to proactively identifying Americans the government classifies as domestic terrorists, according to a review of the budget documents.

The center, called the “NSPM-7 Joint Mission Center,” was created to implement Trump’s National Security Presidential Memorandum 7, signed last September. It draws personnel from 10 federal agencies and operates by “integrating intelligence, operational support, and financial analysis,” the budget request states.

According to the budget documents, the center proactively targets individuals motivated by beliefs including “anti-Americanism,” “anti-capitalism,” “anti-Christianity,” “support for the overthrow of the U.S. Government,” extremism related to migration, race, or gender, and hostility toward those who hold traditional American views on family, religion, or morality.

The budget request links the center’s creation in part to “heinous assassinations” it says have “dramatically increased” — an apparent allusion to the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, which reportedly precipitated the development of NSPM-7.

The documents also identify social media as a vehicle for domestic radicalization, stating that domestic terrorists “exploit a variety of popular social media platforms, smaller websites with targeted audiences, and encrypted chat applications” to recruit, plan, and disseminate materials encouraging violence.

FBI Director Kash Patel testified to Congress shortly after Kirk’s death that the Bureau was overseeing a 300 percent increase in domestic terrorism investigations. He also said the FBI would investigate every person on Discord channels used by accused killer Tyler Robinson, and announced the Bureau was pursuing “the possibility of accomplices,” including a potential foreign nexus. Patel later concluded there was no evidence supporting those theories.

The NSPM-7 center represents one of several structural shifts in the FBI’s domestic terrorism apparatus under the current administration. Early in Trump’s term, the Bureau replaced the post-9/11 Terrorist Screening Center with a broader “Threat Screening Center” overseeing multiple watchlists covering international terrorists, transnational criminals, and domestic threats. The FBI’s domestic terrorism watchlist has also grown in that period.

Civil liberties advocates and critics have raised concerns that the ideological breadth of the categories listed in the budget request could subject Americans with mainstream political views to federal scrutiny. The administration has not publicly addressed those concerns. Officials have previously walked back claims that two individuals — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — were domestic terrorists, as had been initially alleged.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

After nearly ten years of ongoing tension surrounding the management of the hilula of Rav Yeshaya’le of Kerestir zt”l, a decisive arbitration ruling has now been issued, establishing clear control over the event and aiming to prevent confusion and disorder ahead of the annual mass pilgrimage on Gimmel Iyar.

It has been learned that the ruling was delivered by the Galanta Rebbe, a member of the rabbinic leadership of the Hisachdus HaRabbonim of the United States and Canada, following hearings in which both sides presented their claims and formally agreed to arbitration.

At the center of the decision is a clear and binding determination that full responsibility for organizing, overseeing, and managing the 101st hilula in the town of Kerestir, Hungary, belongs exclusively to the descendants of the tzaddik, the Rubin family of Reb Shayale’s Hoiz. The family has been handling operations at the site for years with notable success, though they have periodically faced interference.

The ruling emphasizes that representatives of the Rubin family will coordinate all logistical and operational aspects of the hilula with the relevant authorities, emergency services, and support organizations, and that no outside parties are permitted to interfere with or disrupt these arrangements.

It was further clarified in unequivocal terms that no other organization, aside from the Rubin family, may create misleading impressions through media or public messaging suggesting that they are responsible for running the hilula or any part of it. This includes the use of names such as “Reb Shayale’s Kach” or “Reb Shayale’s Bakery,” which were specifically cited as examples of potentially misleading branding.

At the same time, other groups will still be permitted to operate on the day of the hilula, but only on a limited basis and strictly in coordination with the Rubin family of “Reb Shayale’s Hoiz.”

Beginning this year, participants are expected to benefit from a more orderly and structured event, with clearly defined leadership under the Rubin family, who recently completed extensive renovations of the bais medrash of the tzaddik, along with expanding a large network of hachnosas orchim facilities, upgraded hospitality areas, the tzaddik’s home, and numerous additional resources for the many visitors.

{Matzav.com}

Gunmen opened fire near the building housing the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday in what authorities believe may be an ISIS-linked attack.

According to officials, three attackers armed with rifles and pistols exchanged fire with police near the consulate. One attacker was killed at the scene, while two others were wounded and taken into custody.

Two police officers were also lightly injured during the gun battle.

Authorities identified the suspects as brothers Onur C. and Enes C., who were arrested, and Yunus E.S., who was killed. Turkish officials said Yunus had “ties to an organization that exploits religion,” while local media and journalists identified the group as ISIS.

Officials noted that no Israeli diplomatic staff have been present at the consulate for over two years.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

China has effectively become the dominant buyer of Iranian oil, using a covert global network to funnel tens of billions of dollars into Tehran and blunt the impact of American sanctions, according to a report published Tuesday in The Wall Street Journal. The financial lifeline has allowed Iran to sustain its economy and continue funding military activities despite international restrictions.

The data reflects a sharp reversal from previous years. During President Donald Trump’s first administration, a “maximum pressure” campaign was launched to cut off Iran’s primary revenue stream. That effort drove oil exports down dramatically, from 2.8 million barrels per day in May 2018 to roughly 200,000 barrels per day by August 2019. Today, however, the trend has shifted, with Iran once again generating billions of dollars each month due to increased Chinese purchases.

According to the report, China now absorbs nearly all of Iran’s oil output, compared to just about 30 percent a decade ago. Figures from the research firm Kpler indicate that in 2025, China imported approximately 1.4 million barrels per day—double the amount it bought in 2017 and more than 80 percent of Iran’s total oil sales that year.

U.S. officials describe the system enabling this trade as one of the largest sanctions-evasion networks in the world. The operation relies on multiple layers of concealment, including private refineries, hidden payment channels, and shell companies—many based in Hong Kong—used to launder money and convert profits into foreign currency.

A so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers plays a central role in the scheme. These vessels reportedly engage in tactics such as renaming ships, disabling tracking transponders, and conducting ship-to-ship transfers at sea. The shipments are often accompanied by falsified documents that list the oil as originating from countries such as Oman or Malaysia.

The report notes that while China officially opposes what it calls “unilateral and unreasonable” sanctions, it has also been careful not to provoke Washington excessively. Still, Iranian oil remains attractive to Beijing due to its discounted price and its usefulness in countering U.S. objectives in the Middle East.

At the same time, Washington’s ability to respond remains limited. Although the United States has pursued indictments and expanded sanctions, taking aggressive action against Chinese financial institutions or refineries could drive up global oil prices and further strain relations between the two countries. Meanwhile, even as Iran effectively restricts Western shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, its own tankers continue to reach Chinese ports without disruption, helping to secure the regime’s economic survival.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene after a Hezbollah rocket struck the northern coastal city of Nahariya, initially with no reported injuries.

Shortly after, medics confirmed a woman in her 20s was lightly wounded after being hit by flying debris from the impact.

Magen David Adom said two additional individuals are being treated for acute anxiety at the scene.

NEW YORK (VINnews/Rabbi Yair Hoffman) – It is Chol HaMoed Pesach. You are in shul. There is a bris happening right after davening. This is common on Chol HaMoed, the intermediate days of Pesach, when a baby boy was born just before the holiday began. The mohel — the specially trained person who performs the circumcision — has a packed schedule. Baruch Hashem, he is in high demand. Three, maybe four brissin today, one after another, in different shuls and halls across the neighborhood.

He cannot be late to any of them.

So the gabbai, the man who runs the shul, is watching the clock. The chazan — the prayer leader — knows to keep things moving. And honestly? The whole congregation is thinking about the food sitting or not yet sitting at home that still needs cooking. It is erev Yom Tov, the day before the final days of Pesach. There is a lot to do.

And then something happens that feels, under these circumstances, like a gift straight from Heaven. The chazan reaches a certain point in Hallel — and stops. Not because anything went wrong. Because that is exactly what halacha — Jewish law — tells him to do.

Half a Hallel. The shul may be quietly exhaling.

But here is the thing. A few months later, on Chol HaMoed Sukkos, that same chazan will say the complete Hallel. Every single word. No stopping, no skipping. The whole thing.

Why? Sukkos is a wonderful Yom Tov — but Pesach is when the greatest miracle in Jewish history happened. The sea split. The most powerful empire on earth collapsed. Two hundred and ten years of brutal slavery ended.

So why does the bigger miracle get the shorter Hallel?

The answer turns out to touch on one of the deepest moral questions in all of Torah: Is it okay to celebrate when your enemies are destroyed?

THE GEMARA’S ANSWER

The Gemara in Arachin (9a) gives us the first answer. It is a technical one, but important. When the Beis HaMikdash — the Holy Temple — stood in Jerusalem, special holiday offerings called korbanos were brought every day. On Pesach, those offerings were exactly the same every single day of the Yom Tov. On Sukkos, they were different each day. Since each day of Sukkos had its own special identity, each day deserved its own full Hallel. On Pesach, since every day was the same, a full Hallel was not required for each day.

That explains part of the picture.

But it does not explain everything. For the deeper answer, we need to go to a Midrash. And it is stunning.

THE MALACHIM WHO WERE SILENCED

The Shibolei HaLeket, quoted by the Bais Yosef (Orach Chaim 490), brings down this Midrash: When the Egyptians were drowning in the Yam Suf — the Red Sea — the malachim, the Heavenly angels, wanted to burst into song. It was an incredible moment. The Jewish people were free. The enemy was gone. Of course the malachim wanted to sing!

But Hashem stopped them. And He said something that has stayed with the Jewish people ever since:

“Maasei Yadai tovim bayam v’attem omrim shira? — My handiwork — My creations — are drowning in the sea, and YOU are singing Hallel?!”

The Egyptians were human beings. They were created by Hashem. Their deaths, even though they were necessary and deserved, were not something to celebrate with a full song of joy.

This raises a big question though. If Hashem silenced the malachim — why do we say any Hallel at all on Pesach? And why is the first day of Pesach different? On the first day we say the full Hallel. Why is Chol HaMoed cut short?

THE TAZ AND CHAVOS YAIR

The Taz (Orach Chaim 490:3) and the Chavos Yair (responsum 225) answer this. The seventh day of Pesach — the day the sea actually split and the Egyptians drowned — cannot have a full Hallel, because of that Midrash. Once the seventh day itself is limited, it would be embarrassing — a bizayon, a disgrace — if Chol HaMoed had more Hallel than the last day of Yom Tov. So Chol HaMoed gets cut short too, to match.

RAV AHARON KOTLER’S BIG PICTURE

So now we have two different reasons. Why do we need both? Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l, one of the greatest Torah leaders of the twentieth century, explains this in his sefer Mishnas Rebbe Aharon, Maamarim (Vol. II, p. 3).

He says there are actually two completely different kinds of Hallel. One kind is said because of Yom Tov — because it is a holiday. The other kind is said because of a Nais — a miracle.

Pesach has both.

The Mussaf offerings explain why the Yom Tov-Hallel does not need to be full. But the miracle of the splitting of the sea is so enormous that the Nais-Hallel would demand a full Hallel — except for the fact that people died. That fact brings the Hallel back down. You need both reasons together to understand the whole picture.

One more interesting point: we call it “half Hallel,” but it is actually about eighty-one percent of the full Hallel — sixty-two lines out of seventy-seven in the ArtScroll siddur. It is not really half. But the name makes a point. Something is missing. Something is being held back on purpose.

TWO VERSES IN MISHLEI THAT SEEM TO CONTRADICT EACH OTHER

Now we get to the really deep part. Shlomo HaMelech — King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived — wrote the book of Mishlei. And in that book, he seems to say two completely opposite things.

In chapter 24, verse 18, he writes: “B’nfol oyvecha al tismach — When your enemy falls, do not rejoice.”

But in chapter 11, verse 10, the very same Shlomo HaMelech wrote: “U’va’avod resha’im rinah — When the wicked are destroyed, there is joy and singing.”

So which is it? Are we supposed to be happy or not when evil people are destroyed?

THE RALBAG: TOO MUCH CELEBRATING IS DANGEROUS

The Ralbag, a great medieval Torah commentator, explains the verse in chapter 24 this way. The problem is not joy itself — it is too much joy. When someone celebrates too wildly over an enemy’s downfall, something dangerous happens: Hashem removes His anger from that enemy and turns it toward the person who is gloating. Celebrate too much, and you might bring trouble on yourself.

The Alshich, in his commentary to Esther (5:3), shows how this actually played out in history. He explains that Esther made Haman happy at her party on purpose — to get him to start gloating. Once Haman started rejoicing over the upcoming destruction of the Jewish people, Hashem’s anger turned against Haman. Esther used this principle as a weapon.

WHAT KIND OF HAPPINESS IS ALLOWED?

So celebrating a little is fine — but what kind of celebrating, exactly?

The Maharsha in Megillah (28a) says the verse “do not rejoice” is talking about someone who is happy because he personally hates his enemy. That kind of joy — joy that comes from hate — is wrong.

Rabbeinu Yonah, in his commentary to Pirkei Avos (4:19), gives us the right kind of joy. He says it is permitted — maybe even required — to feel happy when evil is destroyed, if the happiness comes from Kavod Shamayim — from the honor of Hashem. If you are happy because justice was done and Hashem’s glory was upheld, that is a good and holy feeling.

The Alshich in his commentary to Tehillim (5:11) adds another angle. He says the verse “do not rejoice” only applies to a personal enemy — someone you happen to dislike. But when someone is deeply, fundamentally evil — an enemy of Hashem Himself — rejoicing at their downfall is actually the right thing to do. That is what the verse in chapter 11 is talking about.

THE MESHECH CHOCHMA AND THE GERRER REBBE DISAGREE

Not everyone agrees with those distinctions. The Meshech Chochma (Shmos 12:16) takes a simpler and stricter position. Good people, he says, simply do not celebrate the death of other human beings — period. It does not matter how evil the enemy was. It does not matter what your spiritual level is. It is just not something a person of good character does.

That is why, he explains, we celebrate our freedom on Pesach — not the punishment of Egypt. And on Chanukah, we celebrate the miracle of the oil lasting eight days — not the military defeat of the Greeks. The joy is always about what Hashem gave us, not about what happened to our enemies.

The Gerrer Rebbe, in a Torah thought from Sukkos 5658, made a similar point from a different angle. He noticed that the Torah uses the specific word “Simcha” — joy — when talking about Sukkos, but not when talking about Pesach. Why? Because the deaths of the Egyptians during Pesach make it inappropriate to use the full word of joy in connection with that holiday.

The Yalkut Shimoni (Mishlei 960) says this directly: we do not say full Hallel on Pesach — except for the first day — because of the principle of not rejoicing too much over the deaths of enemies. The same Midrash points out that Noach — Noah — refrained from marital intimacy for the entire duration of the flood, while the evildoers of his generation were being wiped out. He did this out of respect for the very same verse in Mishlei chapter 24.

WAS THIS STANDARD UNIVERSALLY KEPT?

It may be that this elevated standard was not always kept, even by some of the greatest people in Jewish history. The Mishna in Pirkei Avos (4:19) records that Shmuel HaKatan used to quote the verse from Mishlei about not rejoicing at the fall of an enemy. The Rambam and the Bartenura both point out that the Mishna singles Shmuel HaKatan out for this — which implies that this level of restraint was not the norm. If everyone did it, why would one person be singled out for it?

Even more striking: the Midrash Tehillim (7) raises the possibility that Dovid HaMelech himself — the father of Shlomo, the author of Tehillim, one of the greatest figures in all of Jewish history — may have made an error in this very area, when he composed a joyful song at the fall of Kush Ben Yemini. If Dovid HaMelech could stumble here, the rest of us need to be especially careful.

CONCLUSION

We do say Hallel on Chol HaMoed Pesach. But not the full Hallel. The truncation is not an accident of history — it is a moral statement, built into our davening, repeated every single year.

The words of Rabbeinu Yonah give us perhaps a clear path forward. If your joy at the downfall of evil comes from a genuine sense that Kavod Shamayim — the honor of Heaven — has been upheld and that justice has been done, then that joy is not only permitted but holy. But even then, it must be kept in check. Even then, something must be held back.

That is what the half Hallel teaches us every Chol HaMoed Pesach. Sing — but not everything. Rejoice — but not without limit. Remember that the ones who drowned in that sea were Hashem’s creations too.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

The United States is set to launch its most extensive series of attacks on Iran since the beginning of the current campaign, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced during a press briefing, attributing the move to direct orders from President Donald Trump.

“Per the president’s direction, today will be the largest volume of strikes since day one of this operation,” Hegseth said.

He made clear that the intensity of the operation is expected to grow even further in the immediate future.

“Tomorrow, even more than today. And then Iran has a choice. Choose wisely, because this president does not play around,” he added.

His comments point to a deliberate expansion of U.S. military action, as Washington increases pressure on Tehran following recent clashes across the region.

Hegseth also highlighted the recovery of a U.S. pilot whose aircraft had been downed deep inside Iranian territory, presenting it as a defining moment in the broader campaign.

According to Hegseth, the pilot managed to transmit a signal while evading capture. “The airman activated his transponder with the message ‘God is good’,” Hegseth said.

The service member was ultimately rescued by American forces after remaining hidden for several hours inside Iran.

Hegseth sharply criticized Iran’s military response to the incident. “Iran’s military is embarrassed and humiliated and they should be,” he said.

Russian intelligence has provided Iran with a detailed list of 55 critical energy infrastructure targets inside Israel, according to a source close to Ukrainian intelligence cited by The Jerusalem Post, pointing to deepening military and intelligence cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.

The targeted sites are divided into three tiers based on strategic importance. The first category covers critical production facilities whose destruction would cripple Israel’s national energy system, with the Orot Rabin power station named as a primary target. The second tier encompasses major urban and industrial energy hubs concentrated in central Israel. The third covers regional substations and smaller power plants supporting industrial zones.

Russian intelligence reportedly assessed Israel as uniquely vulnerable due to what it characterized as the country’s status as an “energy island.” Unlike most European nations, Israel does not import electricity from neighboring countries, meaning its grid operates in near-total isolation. According to the findings, Russian intelligence told Iran that damaging even a handful of central components could trigger a total and prolonged energy collapse, producing mass blackouts and cascading technical failures that would be difficult to contain.

The report comes amid growing warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the expanding Russia-Iran axis. In an interview with the Post two weeks ago, Zelensky said battlefield knowledge Russia gained in Ukraine is being exported to the Middle East.

“The Russians also helped them, like the Iranians helped [Russia] at the beginning of the war when they gave them Shaheds,” Zelensky said. “They gained big knowledge on the battlefield and this impacting and will have an impact on other regions.”

Zelensky also alleged that Russia has begun producing Shahed-style drones on its own soil and supplying them to Iran, pointing to Russian components discovered in a drone recently downed in an unspecified Middle Eastern country. “We saw some components; they had Russian details. We know it because Iranians didn’t produce it,” he said.

Ukrainian officials assess that Moscow’s motive is twofold: to strengthen its most significant regional ally and to engineer a fresh crisis in the Middle East that diverts international attention and resources away from the war in Ukraine.

Russia’s ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, pushed back on the allegations, saying Russian and Israeli officials have long maintained security contacts and that Russian political leadership has “repeatedly dissented” from accusations that Moscow is supplying intelligence data to Iran.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A highly specialized U.S. military aircraft known as a “doomsday plane” was seen flying repeated loops over a major Air Force installation in Nebraska on Monday, just hours before President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to accept his proposed agreement was set to run out.

The aircraft, a Boeing E-4B Nightwatch built to safeguard top government officials and maintain command operations during a nuclear conflict, was tracked flying above Offutt Air Force Base, which houses the headquarters of U.S. Strategic Command.

Flight tracking data showed the jet departing Offutt at 10:17 a.m. EST, circling the surrounding area at least six times before eventually returning to the base, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

Such flights often draw attention during periods of heightened geopolitical tension. A similar mission last year attracted notice shortly before the United States joined Israel in a 12-day campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Trump has set a Tuesday deadline for Iran to accept his terms, which include reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He has warned that failure to comply would result in U.S. strikes on critical infrastructure, including power stations and bridges.

“The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday.

The United States maintains a fleet of four E-4B aircraft, which routinely conduct flights throughout the year to ensure constant operational readiness.

The Nightwatch aircraft functions as a mobile command post for the president, the secretary of defense, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, enabling uninterrupted leadership and communication during crises.

Equipped with multiple levels, the plane includes sleeping quarters with 18 bunks, as well as a briefing space, work areas, a conference room, and a command center, effectively serving as a fully operational “flying Pentagon” in emergency situations.

The aircraft has been specially reinforced to endure extreme threats, including nuclear detonations, electromagnetic pulses, cyberattacks, and other catastrophic scenarios.

Each E-4B can accommodate up to 112 personnel and is capable of traveling distances exceeding 7,000 miles without refueling.

It is also outfitted with advanced shielding and an extensive communications system, including dozens of satellite dishes and antennas housed within its radome, allowing it to maintain contact with virtually any point on the globe.