The Trump administration pressed its case Friday for an emerging agreement with Iran, with a senior US official telling reporters the deal would accomplish five major goals even as the document on the table chiefly extends the existing ceasefire by 60 days and defers the central concessions to negotiations that have yet to take place.

Speaking on condition of anonymity on a phone briefing, the official said the agreement reopens the Strait of Hormuz and lifts the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, leads to the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, leads to the United States obtaining Iran’s enriched uranium for destruction and removal, guarantees long-term regional peace in which Tehran ceases funding violence, and establishes an inspection regime to enforce the terms.

On four of the five points, the official said the deal “leads to” the result rather than securing it outright. The document is a memorandum of understanding, not a final peace treaty. By the administration’s own account, it extends the truce by 60 days and launches technical talks on Iran’s nuclear file during that window. The dismantling of facilities, the removal of highly enriched uranium, the end of proxy funding and the inspection system are outcomes Washington hopes to win in those later talks rather than commitments locked into the memo.

The official described a performance-based structure under which Iran receives nothing upon signing. Turning over nuclear material would earn one benefit, dismantling facilities another, and committing to regional stability another still. If Iran complies, the official said, it would be relieved of economic pressures it has faced for years and reintegrated into the world economy.

Vice President JD Vance reinforced the message on X, writing that Iran receives no cash and that no funds are released simply for signing a deal or attending a meeting. Iran is slated to receive up to $24 billion in sanctions relief, but only if it meets its obligations. Separately, and outside the memorandum, the United Arab Emirates has agreed to unlock billions of dollars for Iran after weeks of Iranian attacks on the Gulf state. Reuters reported the figure at $10 billion, more than $3 billion of it already delivered, while two other sources put the total at $20 billion.

According to Axios, the memorandum would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz immediately, with pre-war shipping volumes restored within 30 days, and would begin lifting sanctions only if Iran complies. Nuclear talks during the 60-day ceasefire would address Iran’s roughly 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium. Iran would commit never to acquire a nuclear weapon and to reach an agreement on its stockpile. Trump reportedly accepted an Iranian demand that the uranium not leave the country but instead be blended down inside Iran under UN supervision, and only if a more comprehensive deal is later reached.

Mediators are calling the framework the Islamabad Agreement. Diplomats said it was finalized Wednesday night in talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and a senior Qatari official, with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner speaking by phone with both sides. Two sources cautioned that Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has likely not yet approved the text. The memorandum reportedly does not address Iran’s frozen assets held around the world.

The administration moved to perform damage control after Iranian officials leaked their own version of the terms, issuing a statement insisting the nuclear material would be destroyed and removed and the program dismantled. Those steps remain goals for the subsequent talks. The memorandum itself extracts no major nuclear concession beyond Iran’s pledge never to obtain a weapon, which Tehran has long maintained it was not pursuing. A clause ending Iranian funding of terror groups is not believed to be in the document. “This is a performance-based deal,” the senior official said.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said a large part of the text had been finalized but that no final decision had been made and that the United States had repeatedly shifted its positions during talks. Araghchi wrote that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding had never been closer and urged the media to refrain from speculating about its contents until it is finalized. Trump amplified the post and has fumed at what he said were false details leaked by the Iranian side.

The US official put the odds of signing at 80 to 85 percent, up from 75 percent earlier in the day, and said the agreement could be signed within days without giving a date. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a lead mediator, said a final agreed text had been reached and warned of a misinformation campaign by those seeking to sabotage the deal. Switzerland told AFP it had offered to host a signing and said it was in close contact with both sides.

Israel is not a party to the agreement. A source told Axios that Netanyahu was not updated on the emerging deal and had to call administration contacts to learn the details. Last week Trump said the prime minister “won’t have any choice” but to accept whatever Washington reaches.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz signaled Friday that Israel may yet act on its own. Israel must retain the ability to act independently to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, he said, adding that he and Netanyahu had instructed the IDF to prepare accordingly. Katz said he expected Trump to uphold principles concerning missiles and terrorist proxies, issues the president has stopped naming as goals of a deal, and vowed that Israeli forces will remain in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and the northern West Bank.

Asked about Katz’s stance, the senior US official said the broad peace framework includes Lebanon, Iran, the Gulf countries and Israel, and expressed confidence that US allies would come on board once they see the full terms. He said the deal does not require Israel to give up its right to self-defense, and that if Iran fails to honor its obligations, he would expect Israel to respond. Pressed on whether Washington would allow Israel to continue striking in Lebanon, the official declined a direct answer and put the burden on Hezbollah and Iran, saying that if Hezbollah fires rockets and Iran pays for missiles aimed at Israel, then Tehran has not kept its end of the bargain.

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Elon Musk became the first trillionaire in recorded history on Friday after SpaceX stock went public, with an initial public offering of $135 a share valuing the company at $1.77 trillion and pushing Musk’s total net worth past $1 trillion.

Demand for the offering was extraordinary. The sale was more than four times oversubscribed, with retail investors reportedly placing more than $100 billion in orders and BlackRock reportedly seeking at least $5 billion worth of shares.

Musk’s fortune is now larger than John D. Rockefeller at his peak in the oil era. Rockefeller’s fortune at its 1913 peak represented approximately 3 percent of US GDP, while Musk’s wealth represents about 3.7 percent of current US GDP of roughly $30 trillion.

The milestone caps a rapid ascent. Musk became the first person to cross the $500 billion mark in October 2025, and Forbes pegged his fortune at $839 billion earlier this year, driven by rising valuations at Tesla and SpaceX.

The $1.77 trillion valuation places SpaceX above Tesla and in the same bracket as Broadcom and Saudi Aramco. Analysts caution that the stock is likely to be volatile. Musk’s net worth already swings by $30 billion to $50 billion in a single day on Tesla’s stock price alone, and SPCX is expected to carry similar swings.

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President Donald Trump on Friday angrily rejected Iran’s public account of the terms of a draft deal to end the war and condemned an overnight Iranian drone attack on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, hardening his tone a day after declaring that a settlement was all but done.

In a post Friday on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the terms Iran had “leaked out to the Fake News” had nothing to do with what was agreed to in writing, calling Tehran’s negotiators “very dishonorable people” with whom there is no dealing in good faith. He also branded an overnight drone strike that he described as an attack on Indian ships leaving the strait “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE,” warning that Iran had better “get their act together, and FAST.”

The outburst followed Tehran’s decision to publicize its version of the draft accord. Iran’s state news agency IRNA said the current draft commits Iran to no new obligations on nuclear weapons, with further negotiations set for a 60-day period after any signing, covering the continuation of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, the lifting of U.S. sanctions, and mechanisms for compensation and reparations. IRNA said Iran made no commitments in the draft regarding its nuclear program or control of the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said a final conclusion had not yet been reached, the statement Trump appeared to dismiss as “weak and pathetic.”

That version clashes with the picture Trump painted on Thursday, when he called off planned strikes. He said the two sides had reached a very strong memorandum of understanding and that a deal to end the war and reopen the trade route would soon be finalized. Trump said he expected a signing in the coming days, possibly this weekend in Europe, and reassured Israel that any deal would include the removal of Iran’s enriched nuclear material, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which said Israel was not a party to the memorandum.

The dueling accounts extend a pattern. Across weeks of talks, U.S. and Iranian officials have sent repeatedly contradictory signals about the contents of the draft. Iran has previously accused Trump of distortions, noting that his claim that Tehran would reopen the strait without collecting tolls had no basis in the text.

The maritime incident Trump referenced unfolded overnight. A senior U.S. defense official said American forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones after Tehran’s forces attempted to strike commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and that traffic through the waterway continued. Iranian state media reported that the country’s forces had fired toward a tanker attempting to cross without permission from Iranian authorities.

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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu declared Friday that he and President Donald Trump are in complete agreement that Iran must never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons, reaffirming his longstanding commitment to preventing the Islamic Republic from becoming a nuclear power.

The statement comes amid reports of ongoing diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran aimed at reaching a temporary agreement that could pave the way for broader negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

“As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel – Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu declared.

The prime minister emphasized that he and President Trump remain fully aligned on the issue.

“President Trump and I are in full agreement on this issue,” Netanyahu said.

Highlighting his decades-long campaign against Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Netanyahu added, “For over 30 years, I have been at the forefront of the international struggle against Iran’s nuclear program.”

He argued that those efforts have already prevented Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons.

“Were it not for this struggle, Iran would have long ago possessed atomic bombs to destroy Israel,” he said.

Netanyahu concluded by reaffirming what he described as his life’s mission.

“Iran is working to destroy the Jewish state, and I am dedicating my life to preventing them from doing so.”

“As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel, this will not happen.”

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A 22-year-old Arab woman from Kafr Qasim who struck a chareidi protester during Thursday night’s demonstration near the Geha Interchange was released without being questioned by police, according to a report by Channel 14, sparking outrage among protesters and members of the chareidi community.

According to the report, police released the driver after she requested medical treatment. Rather than questioning her immediately, authorities said she would be summoned for questioning at a later date. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

The incident occurred during demonstrations against the arrest of yeshiva bochurim, when the driver passed through the area and struck a 21-year-old chareidi protester.

According to Magen David Adom, emergency crews responded at approximately 6:38 p.m. to reports of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle near the Ganot Interchange. Paramedics treated the 21-year-old victim at the scene before transporting him to a hospital in moderate condition with injuries to his head and limbs.

The decision to release the driver before questioning has drawn sharp criticism, with many questioning how such a move would have been handled had the victim belonged to another sector of Israeli society.

Police have not announced whether any charges are expected, and the circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation.

Following the demonstrations, representatives of the Peleg Yerushalmi vowed that the protests would continue.

“The demonstrations are not going to stop—on the contrary, they are only expected to intensify and expand,” the group said in a statement. “The message from the thousands of protesters is clear: Leave the Yeshiva Bochurim alone, and there will be peace here. Continue persecuting them, and you will discover that life here will not return to normal.”

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A reported draft agreement between the United States and Iran is raising alarm in Israel, as the proposed framework would reportedly grant Tehran sweeping economic and diplomatic concessions while leaving many of the threats facing the Jewish State untouched.

According to reports citing Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency, the proposed Memorandum of Understanding would inject billions of dollars into Iran’s struggling economy, ease American pressure on the regime, and reduce the U.S. military presence around the Islamic Republic—all while postponing negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program and excluding its ballistic missile arsenal and terrorist proxies from the talks altogether.

If the reported terms are accurate, Iran would receive many of its key demands upfront while making relatively few immediate concessions.

Among the reported provisions is an immediate and permanent ceasefire across all fronts, including Lebanon, potentially freezing Israel’s military gains against Hezbollah while placing no obligation on the terror group to disarm or dismantle its military infrastructure.

The United States would reportedly lift its naval blockade within 30 days, withdraw forces positioned near Iran, and facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, sanctions on Iranian oil and petrochemical exports would be suspended, allowing Tehran to once again generate billions in energy revenue.

Perhaps the most dramatic provision is the reported release of approximately $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets. According to the report, roughly half of that amount—about $12 billion—would be transferred to Tehran before negotiations even begin on a permanent nuclear agreement.

In exchange, Iran would enter a 60-day negotiating period over its nuclear program.

However, according to the reported draft, some of Israel’s greatest security concerns would remain completely off the table.

Iran’s ballistic missile program—which has supplied thousands of missiles and drones used against Israel—would reportedly not be part of the negotiations. Neither would Iran’s continued support for Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas, or the network of Iranian-backed militias operating throughout the Middle East.

For Israeli security officials, those omissions could prove far more significant than the concessions Iran is being asked to make.

Critics warn that billions of dollars in sanctions relief and released assets could allow Tehran to rapidly rebuild military infrastructure damaged during the recent conflict, replenish Hezbollah’s arsenal, expand funding for its regional terror network, and strengthen its domestic economy—all while preserving the military capabilities that pose the greatest long-term threat to Israel.

The reported Lebanon provisions have also drawn concern. A permanent ceasefire without requiring Hezbollah to surrender its weapons could give the terror organization time to regroup, rearm, recruit new fighters, and rebuild positions damaged during the fighting, while significantly limiting Israel’s ability to continue military operations.

The draft also reportedly envisions reopening the Strait of Hormuz under arrangements negotiated with Iran, a move critics argue would hand Tehran a diplomatic victory after demonstrating its ability to threaten one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes.

According to the report, any final agreement would ultimately be submitted to the United Nations Security Council for approval, potentially making it more difficult for Israel to act independently against Iran in the future should Tehran violate the agreement or exploit the lull to restore its military capabilities.

The reported agreement has not been confirmed by Washington, and Iranian officials say the draft has not yet received final approval from the country’s senior leadership. It also remains possible that some of the published provisions reflect Iranian negotiating demands rather than language accepted by both sides.

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The state funeral for Iran’s slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, already delayed for more than three months, will be pushed back again to late June or early July, the mayor of Tehran said, extending one of the most politically sensitive loose ends of the country’s wartime transition.

Mayor Alireza Zakani, in a statement carried by the state-run Fars news agency, said the three-day ceremony had been postponed until after the first 10 days of Muharram, the opening month of the Islamic calendar. Iran had previously planned to hold the event in early Muharram, which would have placed it in early June, and the new timing points to a burial in the second 10 days of the month, roughly between June 26 and July 5. Officials have said they expect as many as 20 million people to attend.

The announcement stretches out an already extraordinary delay. Khamenei was killed on Feb. 28 in a US-Israeli strike on his Tehran compound at the start of the war, and more than 100 days later his body has still not been buried. Senior military commanders and other officials killed in the same conflict have already been laid to rest, even as repeated promises of a mass funeral for the longtime leader have gone unfulfilled. Plans call for ceremonies spanning several cities before a final burial in the city of Mashhad, his birthplace.

The originally planned three-day farewell tour, set for early March, was the first to slip. State television said at the time that the farewell had been postponed “in anticipation of unprecedented turnout,” with organizers citing the expected participation of millions and the infrastructure needed to manage such crowds. Days later, authorities scrapped a planned procession over security concerns, prompting a wave of sarcastic and angry commentary on Iranian social media.

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Iran will not relinquish its right to enrich uranium as part of any future agreement with the United States, according to Iran’s semi-official IRNA news agency, underscoring what remains one of the biggest sticking points in ongoing negotiations.

The report comes as the United States and Iran appear to be nearing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that President Donald Trump has said could be finalized as early as this weekend. The proposed memorandum is expected to extend the current ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and lay the groundwork for a new round of negotiations focused on Iran’s nuclear program.

According to IRNA, while Tehran is prepared to continue talks with Washington, it will do so only “within the framework of the Islamic Republic’s fundamental principles.”

The news agency added that “issues such as Iran’s right to enrich uranium and the retention of enriched material by the Islamic Republic of Iran will be emphasized with a view to their inclusion in the final agreement.”

The comments signal that Iran intends to fight to preserve its domestic uranium enrichment capabilities despite repeated U.S. demands that Tehran never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

According to previous reports, negotiations on the broader nuclear issue are expected to begin only after the Memorandum of Understanding is signed. The initial agreement is reportedly designed to reduce tensions and establish a framework for more comprehensive negotiations.

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The United States and Iran have reportedly agreed on the text of an interim memorandum of understanding that would extend the current ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, provide limited sanctions relief, and launch a new round of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program. However, Iranian officials insist no final approval has yet been given.

According to CNN, citing a diplomat briefed on the negotiations, the two sides have agreed on the wording of the memorandum of understanding, but it is still awaiting final approval from senior leadership.

If approved, the agreement would represent the most significant diplomatic breakthrough between Washington and Tehran since the conflict erupted earlier this year.

According to CNN, the proposed agreement includes the following provisions:

• A 60-day ceasefire “on all fronts,” including Lebanon, would take effect immediately upon signing. The pause in fighting is intended to create a window for negotiations on a broader and potentially permanent agreement.

• The Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately, with Iran agreeing not to levy any fees on ships passing through the strategic waterway. CNN reported that maritime traffic would gradually return to pre-war levels within 30 days of the agreement taking effect, restoring one of the world’s busiest oil shipping lanes.

• The United States would lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports. In addition, Iran would receive phased sanctions relief “based on the progression of the deal and continued engagement in good faith.” According to CNN, the draft does not include a specific timetable for broader sanctions relief.

• The agreement would satisfy what CNN described as all of Washington’s key nuclear demands. Iran would formally pledge never to obtain a nuclear weapon, while both sides would begin addressing the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of follow-up negotiations.

• The memorandum would reportedly be known as the “Islamabad Agreement,” recognizing Pakistan’s central role in mediating the negotiations.

CNN noted that it remains unclear whether the proposal includes the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets—one of Tehran’s principal demands throughout the negotiations. The diplomat said discussions in the final days focused heavily on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that the United States had “ended the war with Iran” and said Vice President JD Vance could attend a signing ceremony in Europe within days.

According to CNN, multiple diplomatic sources said Geneva, Switzerland, is the leading candidate to host the signing ceremony. One diplomat told the network that the signing would mark the beginning of “phase two” of negotiations, during which both sides would work out the implementation of the memorandum and continue talks on Iran’s nuclear program.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry added further signs that negotiations are progressing, announcing Friday that Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar discussed the talks with the European Union’s chief diplomat. According to Pakistan’s official readout, both sides welcomed the diplomatic progress and expressed hope that the negotiations would soon produce “a durable understanding and peaceful resolution.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency published what it described as additional details of the proposed memorandum. According to the report, Washington would commit to withdrawing military forces positioned around Iran, ending the naval blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions, and pledging not to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs.

Mehr also reported that additional negotiations on nuclear and economic issues would take place at a later stage, while Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for regional proxy groups would not be included in the talks.

Despite the growing optimism, Iranian officials continue to deny that a final agreement has been reached. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said reports of a finalized deal remain “merely speculation,” while state media emphasized that the proposed memorandum has not yet received final approval from the country’s senior leadership.

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Newly appointed Mossad Director Roman Gofman announced Thursday the appointment of a new deputy director, just days after unexpectedly dismissing the agency’s previous second-in-command.

According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office on behalf of the Mossad, the official—identified only as “A”—will immediately assume the roles of Deputy Director of the Mossad and Head of the Operations Directorate. The appointment was approved by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

The Mossad said the newly appointed deputy has served in a variety of key operational positions within the organization and “brings with him knowledge, experience, and a deep familiarity with the organization.”

The announcement follows Gofman’s surprise decision on Motzoei Shabbos to remove the previous deputy director, also identified only as “A,” ending his 22-year career with the agency.

The move came as a surprise in Israeli security circles. The outgoing deputy was reportedly viewed as being well-regarded by Prime Minister Netanyahu and had previously been considered by former Mossad chief David Barnea as a potential successor should Gofman’s appointment not have been approved.

In announcing the dismissal, Gofman thanked the outgoing official for his decades of service, saying, “The Mossad director wishes to express his deep appreciation to A for 22 years of operational service in the Mossad and for his significant contribution to the security of the State of Israel.”

The identity of both the outgoing and incoming officials remains classified in accordance with longstanding security protocols.

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Thousands of Satmar Chassidim gathered this week at Eden Palace in Williamsburg for a major emergency assembly led by the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Joel, focusing on strengthening standards of kedusha and tznius throughout the kehillah.

The gathering, titled “Shemirah L’Doros,” was attended by thousands of chassidim together with the community’s rabbanim and dayanim.

Before the Rebbe’s arrival, his eldest son, HaRav Menachem Mendel Teitelbaum, Av Beis Din of Satmar-Williamsburg, delivered a passionate address stressing the importance of tznius, proper head coverings, the dangers posed by modern sheitels, technology, and other contemporary spiritual challenges.

When the Rebbe addressed the gathering, he delivered an emotional and forceful speech calling on families to preserve the mesorah of previous generations.

Quoting the pasuk, “V’hayah B’achalchem Milechem Ha’aretz Tarimu Terumah LaHashem,” the Rebbe explained that “lechem” alludes to a wife, while “terumah” signifies separation. He urged families to separate themselves from the influences and values of the outside world when building a Jewish home.

The Rebbe sharply criticized communities that are meticulous in many areas of religious observance while, in his view, failing to maintain proper standards of tznius.

“We live in Williamsburg alongside communities that are careful with many chumros and customs, yet regarding tznius they are not careful at all,” the Rebbe said. “Our holy forefathers regarded kedusha and tznius as among the most serious matters. We have a clear mesorah for how to conduct ourselves, how to dress, and how to educate our children, and it must not be changed to suit the spirit of the times or current fashions.”

At one point, the Rebbe became visibly emotional as he lamented what he described as the growing differences between generations.

“The gap in dress between the grandmother and the children and grandchildren is terrible,” he said. “In our generation there is a frightening decline. A chassidic Jew must conduct himself with dignity and elevation, not be drawn after neighbors or society, but stand proudly with the traditions that have been entrusted to us.”

The Rebbe also argued that much of the weakening in standards begins when bochurim are sent to study outside Satmar institutions.

“A large part of this weakening comes from sending young men to learn in outside yeshivos,” he said. “There they are exposed to foreign hashkafos and cool off in matters of chassidus and yiras Shamayim. Later, they see nothing wrong with their wives becoming lenient in matters of dress and tznius.”

The Rebbe strongly endorsed the earlier remarks delivered by his son, saying they were “words that come from the heart,” and urged every participant to ensure that proper standards are maintained within their own homes and families.

At the conclusion of the gathering, the Rebbe praised students of the Satmar Beis Rochel schools who recently accepted upon themselves to cut their long hair, commending them for what he described as a courageous step in strengthening the kedusha of the Jewish home.

He concluded by blessing the assembled chassidim that they should succeed in upholding the community’s standards and ended with the words, “In the merit of righteous women our forefathers were redeemed, and through righteous women may we soon merit the final redemption, Amen.”

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Shikma Bressler, one of the leading figures behind Israel’s anti-judicial reform protests, came under heavy criticism Thursday after condemning the Jerusalem Faction’s mass demonstrations against the arrest of yeshiva bochurim—protests that included major road closures across central Israel.

In a post on X, Bressler wrote: “There is no difference between the chareidi militias of the government on the roads, for whom the law has no meaning, and the militias of the government in Judea and Samaria.”

She continued: “There is also no need to be angry. We need to understand who they are and what they want—a dark religious state. Then understand that we are fighting for the soul of the country.”

Her comments quickly sparked a wave of backlash online, with many users accusing her of hypocrisy by pointing to her own role in organizing anti-government demonstrations that repeatedly blocked major highways and disrupted transportation for months during the judicial reform protests.

“One has to ask—have you completely lost all self-awareness?” one user wrote. “Did you already forget Kaplan and everything you led?”

Another responded: “So the Left suddenly discovered the law? The same people who shut down the country in Kaplan and Balfour are now preaching against blocking roads?”

A third widely shared response read: “The hypocrisy is unbelievable. Weren’t you the one urging people to block highways?”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A remarkable video recorded at the home of Yanky Stern in Lakewood, New Jersey, showcases the extraordinary Torah knowledge and phenomenal memory of Harav Yisroel Bunim Schreiber, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Nesiv Hadaas.

After a bochur approached Harav Chaim Mordechai Ausband, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo, with a difficult question, the Rosh Yeshiva directed him to ask Harav Schreiber instead.

The question required identifying every machlokes between Rabbah and Rav Yosef throughout the entire Mesechta Bava Basra.

In the video, Harav Schreiber is seen mentally reviewing the entire masechta, systematically working through the sugyos from memory as he identifies each machlokes between Rabbah and Rav Yosef without opening a sefer.

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Both Harav Schreiber and Harav Ausband are currently part of the prestigious Keren Olam HaTorah delegation traveling across the United States to strengthen support for the Torah world. The exchange took place while the delegation was visiting the home of Yanky Stern in Lakewood.

The extraordinary display of bekius, hasmadah, and encyclopedic knowledge of Shas has captivated viewers, providing a rare glimpse into the immense Torah scholarship of one of the generation’s outstanding Roshei Yeshiva.

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Four young children were hospitalized Thursday evening after suddenly becoming ill and losing consciousness near a residential building in Jerusalem’s Mekor Baruch neighborhood, prompting an emergency hazardous materials response.

The children—a one-year-old boy, a one-year-old girl, a three-year-old boy, and a three-year-old girl—were transported to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center after suffering weakness and episodes of unconsciousness.

Following the incident, Israel Fire and Rescue Services dispatched a specialized hazardous materials (HazMat) monitoring team to the scene to determine whether dangerous substances may have caused the children to become ill.

Firefighters conducted extensive tests inside and around the building to detect the possible presence of hazardous materials. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.

Hadassah Medical Center said the four children, two pairs of siblings ages one and three, had been playing in a garden near their home before becoming ill.

Hospital officials said the children arrived at the pediatric emergency department drowsy and displaying signs of weakness and lethargy.

“All four are fully conscious, accompanied by their parents, and will be admitted for observation,” the hospital said.

Magen David Adom said it first received a report at 5:52 p.m. regarding two children who had become ill near the residential building. At 6:39 p.m., a second call reported that two additional children at the same location were experiencing similar symptoms.

Paramedics treated all four children at the scene before transporting them to Hadassah Ein Kerem for further evaluation.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the mysterious incident.

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that the United States has “ended the war” with Iran, saying Tehran has agreed never to obtain a nuclear weapon.

“I don’t know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today,” Trump said during a tele-rally supporting Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for governor.

“They have agreed never to have a nuclear weapon, something that we insisted on; that was the whole purpose. That was 95 percent of it,” Trump added.

Trump’s remarks came hours after he announced he had called off additional U.S. strikes against Iran, saying instead that the two sides had reached what he described as a “very strong memorandum of understanding.”

Earlier on Truth Social, Trump indicated that an agreement had been reached but did not disclose its terms. He also stated that the U.S. naval blockade preventing ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports would remain in place until “this Transaction is finalized.”

Iran has not publicly confirmed that any agreement has been reached.

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As summer travel season begins, Chaveirim of NYC & Catskills is urging families heading to the Catskills, Upstate New York, New York City, and Northern New Jersey to plan ahead and leave significantly earlier than usual on Fridays, warning that a combination of major regional events, holiday celebrations, and peak summer travel could create severe Erev Shabbos traffic delays.

The warning comes after a chaotic scene unfolded last Friday when heavy congestion from major sporting events was compounded by a truck striking an overpass on the FDR Drive, forcing authorities to completely shut down the highway just hours before Shabbos.

Tuli Jaroslawicz, a coordinator with Chaveirim of NYC & Catskills, told YWN that the closure left numerous motorists, including many frum families, trapped in standstill traffic with no way to exit.

According to Jaroslawicz, some families sat immobilized on the highway for extended periods, while others were forced to abandon their vehicles and seek alternate transportation in desperate attempts to reach their destinations before Shabbos. In one particularly difficult case, a family with children reportedly left their vehicle and walked off the highway before finding transportation, ultimately arriving home hours after the zman.

“I can’t stress it enough,” Jaroslawicz said. “This has happened countless times. Don’t plan for minor delays, plan for major delays. Leave as early as possible on Friday so you have enough time to reach your destination before Shabbos.”

Jaroslawicz said last week’s incident should serve as a wake-up call for travelers, especially with what is expected to be an unusually busy summer on roads throughout the region.

“We know there’s going to be extreme traffic this summer, even more than a typical summer,” he said. “People should not take it easy when planning their travel. Leave early, anticipate major delays, and give yourself plenty of extra time.”

According to Chaveirim, several major events are expected to impact traffic across the New York metropolitan area in the coming weeks. FIFA World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium are scheduled for June 13-16, June 22-25, June 27-30, and July 5-19, while the America 250 celebration on July 3 is expected to bring hundreds of tall ships and large crowds to New York Harbor.

Combined with regular summer travel, these events are expected to create significant congestion on major highways and crossings throughout the region, particularly on Fridays leading into Shabbos.

Areas expected to experience heavy delays include roads surrounding MetLife Stadium, major New York City highways and expressways, the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel, Holland Tunnel, and major Northern New Jersey roadways.

Chaveirim of NYC & Catskills is urging motorists to allow extra travel time, utilize alternate routes whenever possible, and avoid last-minute departures. The organization stressed that proper planning can help families avoid difficult situations and ensure they arrive safely and on time for Shabbos.

“Please allow extra travel time and plan accordingly,” Jaroslawicz said. “A few extra hours of planning can prevent a very stressful Erev Shabbos situation.”

(YWN World Headquarters –  NYC)

In a major embarrassment to Israel’s High Court, Channel 12 correspondent Amit Segal exposed a farce—with two left-wing justices jumping over hoops to defend a fellow leftist.

The incident occurred during a recent hearing on petitions against the government’s decision to stop advertising in the Haaretz newspaper due to its incessant blood libels about Israel and IDF soldiers. During the hearing, Justice Khaled Kabub read aloud a quote from Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken: “The acts of slaughter on October 7 were criminal acts.”

Justice Daphne Barak‑Erez backed her colleague, adding: “To be clear, we’re not quoting from newspaper reports—the quote appears in Appendix 17 of the Haaretz petition.”

A thorough review following the hearing revealed that the quote was completely fabricated. It does not appear anywhere in the petition documents or online.

In response, the Judiciary Authority issued an official response that effectively confirmed that the quote was fabricated.

The response states: “Justice Kabub referred to statements by Mr. Amos Schocken documented in the appendices to the petition submitted by Haaretz. These are Appendices 17 to 19, all of which concern Schocken’s statements. The appendices appear consecutively; for example, Appendix 18 includes the phrase ‘a shocking event.’ Appendix 19 explicitly states that Schocken clarified that ‘Hamas must say they are not freedom fighters’ and that he said the initiators and perpetrators of October 7 should be severely punished.”

“Justice Barak‑Erez noted during the hearing that Schocken’s critical remarks appear in the appendices to the petition, without quoting anything directly, as can be seen in the broadcast of the hearing.”

The report sparked harsh public criticism and serious questions about the judges’ conduct. Segal wrote, “Why was it so urgent for Justice Kabub to invent a quote from Appendix 17 that was never said in order to whitewash Shocken? And why was it so urgent for Justice Barak‑Erez to back him up by falsely confirming the quote?”

It should be noted that many complaints have been filed against Kabub, an Arab-Muslim judge, for ethical violations and pro-terror rulings. In 2024, government ministers and coalition MKs called for his impeachment after Kabub argued that a terror suspect should be released to house arrest because his co-suspects were released in exchange for hostages in Gaza.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Caleb Snyder — the YouTuber and social media commentator who traveled to Lakewood recently to show viewers a side of the town that another YouTuber, anti-Semite Tyler Oliveira, chose not to highlight — has released his latest video documenting his visit to Kiryas Joel after first publishing his widely praised coverage of Lakewood.

Snyder first gained attention after releasing a video featuring his interactions with both Jewish and non-Jewish residents throughout Lakewood. His experience painted a dramatically different picture from the anti-Semitic narrative presented by Oliveira.

While Oliveira’s controversial video selectively edited out encounters and important context that would have offered viewers a more complete understanding of the community, Snyder’s footage showcased a far more accurate portrayal of Kiryas Joel— one far removed from the caricature of a racist or “anti-goy” enclave that Oliveira attempted to portray.

Snyder has once again allows residents to speak for themselves while giving viewers an authentic look at daily life in one of the country’s largest Chassidic communities.

The new video highlights the community’s values, strong family life, and welcoming atmosphere, standing in sharp contrast to the sensationalized narratives often promoted by critics of Orthodox Jewish communities.

Watch Caleb’s video and subscribe to his channel to show him support.

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A growing parking shortage at Ben Gurion Airport caused by dozens of U.S. military refueling aircraft could disrupt travel plans for more than two million passengers unless a solution is found in the coming days, according to a report by Channel 13.

The report says the Israel Airports Authority is weighing several options to ease the congestion, including shifting some commercial flights to Ramon Airport near Eilat and rescheduling overnight departures to morning and afternoon hours to free up parking stands.

The issue stems from dozens of American military aircraft that have remained parked at Ben Gurion for an extended period, occupying valuable aircraft stands needed for commercial operations.

According to Channel 13, the Airports Authority warned during an emergency meeting that if the military aircraft are not relocated soon, airlines may be forced to cancel as many as 2.2 million passenger reservations between July and October due to a lack of available parking and operational capacity.

Officials reportedly said Ben Gurion is already operating under significant strain, and any further reduction in available aircraft stands could severely impact airline schedules and airport operations during the busy summer travel season.

The report also noted that aviation officials remain concerned about the continuing impact of the security situation on Israel’s airline industry, which has faced major operational challenges since the outbreak of the war.

Sources familiar with the discussions told Channel 13 that civilian and defense officials are continuing to coordinate efforts in hopes of minimizing disruptions and maintaining normal airport operations as much as possible.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A new report is warning that New York City pension funds could lose more than $37 billion over the next decade if they adopt boycott and divestment policies targeting companies that do business with Israel.

According to a report released Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and its affiliate JLens, divesting from major American corporations targeted by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement could significantly reduce investment returns for New York City’s public pension system.

The report comes as New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a supporter of the BDS movement, could gain influence over the city’s pension funds through appointments to the boards that oversee them.

The analysis examined the performance of two hypothetical investment portfolios over a ten-year period. One portfolio included major U.S. companies targeted by the BDS movement, while the other excluded them.

Among the companies targeted by BDS are Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Bank of America, Chevron, Cisco, Ford, IBM, Intel, McDonald’s, Meta, JPMorgan Chase, and ExxonMobil.

According to the report, the portfolio excluding those companies generated an annualized return of 11.7%, compared to 13.7% for the portfolio that included them.

Based on those figures, researchers estimated that New York City’s pension funds could lose approximately $37.5 billion in value over a ten-year period if similar divestment policies were implemented.

The findings were first reported by the New York Post.

The report also warned that any pension fund shortfalls would ultimately have to be covered by taxpayers through increased city contributions.

Researchers said lower investment returns could force the city to divert money away from education, public safety, and social services, or potentially raise taxes and fees to cover pension obligations.

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said the findings demonstrate that BDS-driven investment policies could carry serious financial consequences.

“While some in New York, including Mayor Mamdani, have publicly supported the BDS movement, an international campaign aimed at isolating and delegitimizing the world’s only Jewish state, this analysis highlights the potentially serious financial consequences of applying BDS-aligned divestment strategies to the city’s pension funds,” Greenblatt said.

New York City’s pension system consists of five major retirement funds covering teachers, city employees, police officers, firefighters, and education employees.

The report’s authors urged policymakers to avoid adopting BDS-related investment policies, arguing that such moves could harm both retirees and taxpayers while providing little financial benefit.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

El Nino, Nature’s chaotic climate agent, has formed in a warmed-up Pacific Ocean and is expected to grow to historic strength, meteorologists announced Thursday.

Experts said the El Nino, a natural warming cycle, should significantly heat the globe and will likely turbocharge extreme weather across the planet. Meteorologists forecast it will rival — or exceed — a record El Nino that began in 1997 and helped trigger billions of dollars in damage from heat waves, floods, droughts, tornadoes and wildfires.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officially confirmed the existence of the El Nino, which is a warming of the Pacific near the equator that affects weather patterns across the globe. NOAA’s announcement said there’s a 63% chance that the El Nino will get so intense this late fall and early winter that it “would rank among the largest El Nino events in the historical record going back to 1950.”

The warm, deep waters of an El Nino affect weather patterns by bringing “a lot of extra heat to the surface, fueling a lot of extreme events for a lot of places around the world,” said Clark University climate scientist Abby Frazier.

She said, especially in the Pacific, “it can get dire very quickly.”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described El Nino as an “urgent climate warning.”

“El Nino conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world,” Guterres said in a video message.

El Nino’s impacts spawn winners and losers

The weather pattern’s effects vary by region. El Nino often dampens — but doesn’t eliminate — Atlantic hurricane season activity, but increases it in the Pacific. So while the U.S. East and Gulf coasts may get a break, Hawaii and other islands are more in danger, Frazier said.

The drought-stricken Middle East could benefit, climate scientists said. Other places are looking at more danger. Parts of western South America — where the first El Ninos were noticed decades ago — often get heavy rain and floods, along with an extra warm summer. India faces more intense heat waves, while drought, wildfires and heat threaten Australia.

Northeastern Africa is likely going to get weather whiplash from intense drought to dangerously heavy rains, said Columbia University climate scientist and El Nino expert Muhammad Azhar Ehsan.

In the U.S., El Ninos can cause more intense storms with heavier rainfall in the South, but they also tend to generally benefit the U.S. agriculture industry, said Jon Gottschalck, operational branch chief at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.

Michael Ferrari, meteorologist and head of research at the investment research firm Moby, said conditions for grains and seed, especially soybeans, look favorable in 18 major growing states, but are more mixed when it comes to dairy and cattle.

The northern Rockies and Southwest — where there’s an “off the charts” snow drought — could get some strong summer rains, Gottschalck said. The biggest effect in the U.S. is often in the winter, when the south can get wetter and the Pacific Northwest warmer and drier.

But overall, temperatures raised by the weather pattern can dampen American economic growth, said Stanford climate economist Marshall Burke. Several climate scientists forecast that 2027 will be the hottest year on record because of lagging effects of this El Nino, which is expected to peak in the fall or winter.

“We have pretty clear evidence that the U.S. economy grows more slowly when temps are above normal,” Burke said.

Strong early signs

The weather extremes caused by an El Nino also depend on when it develops.

Usually El Ninos form in the summer, peak in the late fall or early winter, and peter out the next spring, scientists said.

However, Ehsan’s team forecasts that this El Nino will peak a month or two earlier based on strong early signs from recent weeks. Princeton University climate scientist Gabriel Vecchi said large El Ninos like these also tend to last longer.

The early indications — including warmer water pushing toward the surface of the Pacific — have been so strong and noticeable that forecasters have all been predicting the same ultra strong El Nino, Vecchi said, adding that El Nino forecasts often are all over the place at this time of year.

Even before it officially formed, this El Nino has gotten nicknames ranging from “super” to “Godzilla.”

“Instead of scared, we can ask people to be prepared,” Columbia’s Ehsan said

(AP)

Hamas terrorists and police units in Gaza beat, maimed, and publicly executed dozens of Palestinians during the war with Israel in acts amounting to war crimes, according to a new United Nations report.

The report by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights documented hundreds of cases of extrajudicial punishment in the territory, which it said were often publicized during and after the fact to instill fear in the population. The abuses included executions, kneecappings, the breaking of bones with metal pipes and cement bricks, and beatings. Perpetrators framed the punishments as penalties for alleged collaboration with Israel, looting of humanitarian aid, theft, drug offenses, or ties to internal rivals.

The report said it specifically investigated cases involving Hamas-affiliated forces but also counted ones attributed to other armed groups, and that the punishments were carried out by Hamas’s military wing and police units rather than through courts or judges.

The report cited specific public killings. In one case in September 2025, three blindfolded men were shot by masked gunmen outside Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital in front of a crowd, and about a month later eight men were dragged into a public square in Gaza City and shot, with both groups accused of being spies and collaborators.

Others, including children, were beaten or publicly shamed over accusations of theft, drug trafficking, or illegally selling tobacco, and some punishments were carried out in hospital compounds, including the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis.

The commission said the killings amount to the war crime of murder and violate international law, including the rights to life, to liberty and security, and to a fair trial.

Of course, the UN couldn’t help itself from pinning some of the blame on Israel. The commission’s chair, Srinivasan Muralidhar, said the incidents occurred in an “environment engineered by Israel,” where Hamas-affiliated forces exploited the vacuum created by relentless Israeli attacks and widespread destruction. Among those targeted were anti-Hamas activists and members of Israel-backed clans and armed groups that emerged in areas where the group’s control had weakened during the war.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke by phone Thursday evening with President Donald Trump regarding the emerging memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran that would pave the way for formal negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu welcomed Trump’s assurances regarding the objectives of any final agreement, while emphasizing that Israel is not a party to the memorandum itself.

“Although Israel is not a party to the memorandum of understanding,” the Prime Minister’s Office said, “the prime minister expressed his appreciation for President Trump’s commitment that the final agreement reached at the conclusion of the negotiations will include the removal of enriched material, the dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limitations on missile production, and the cessation of Iran’s support for its terrorist proxies in the region.”

The statement appeared aimed at reassuring Israelis that the proposed negotiations would address not only Iran’s nuclear program but also its ballistic missile capabilities and continued sponsorship of terrorist organizations throughout the Middle East.

Earlier Thursday, Trump told reporters that negotiations with Iran were in their final stages and predicted that an agreement could be signed in Europe within days.

In recent weeks, however, Trump has publicly focused primarily on Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while speaking less about restrictions on Tehran’s ballistic missile program or its support for terrorist proxies—issues Iran has repeatedly insisted are not open for negotiation.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The U.S. Navy has awarded aerospace giant Lockheed Martin a $153.9 million contract to begin procuring long-lead materials and components for 11 F-35 stealth fighter jets destined for an unidentified foreign customer.

According to the Pentagon announcement, the purchase is being made through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, but the identity of the purchasing nation was not disclosed.

The contract does not cover the full production of the aircraft. Instead, it funds the acquisition of materials, parts, and other components that require lengthy manufacturing timelines, allowing production to proceed without delays once a final aircraft contract is executed.

The agreement is a modification to an existing contract between Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy, which manages the F-35 program.

Most of the work will be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas, where Lockheed Martin assembles the F-35, along with additional facilities in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The contract also includes work at the Cameri Final Assembly and Check-Out facility in Italy, one of the primary European production and assembly centers for the F-35 program. The work is expected to be completed by December 2030.

The secrecy surrounding the buyer has sparked speculation among defense analysts. While the Pentagon provided no details identifying the customer, Belgium is widely viewed as a leading possibility.

Last year, Belgium announced plans to expand its F-35 fleet by purchasing 11 additional F-35A aircraft, increasing its total inventory from 34 to 45 jets. Lockheed Martin has also publicly referenced Belgium’s intention to acquire 11 more aircraft.

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken further fueled speculation in February when he stated that Belgium intended to sign a contract this year for 11 additional F-35s and hoped the purchase would be “as European as possible,” including involvement from the Cameri facility in Italy.

For now, however, the Pentagon has not officially confirmed the identity of the customer behind the latest F-35 deal.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

An 80-year-old woman was killed Thursday in a powerful explosion that rocked a residential building on HaMalach Street in Jerusalem’s Old City.

According to preliminary assessments, the blast was likely caused by a gas cylinder, though authorities stressed that the exact circumstances remain under investigation.

Two additional people were injured in the incident. Earlier reports from emergency responders indicated that a woman was found in critical condition and a man suffered moderate injuries. Rescue teams performed CPR on one of the victims before the woman was later pronounced dead.

Firefighters from Jerusalem’s Egoz Station rushed to the scene and found significant structural damage to the building. Rescue crews immediately began searching the structure and surrounding area to ensure no additional victims were trapped beneath the debris.

Emergency personnel also worked to stabilize the damaged building and eliminate any immediate hazards.

Police officers from Jerusalem’s David Precinct joined fire and rescue forces at the scene, assisting with road closures, evacuation efforts, and the treatment and transport of the injured.

The investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump said Thursday that a landmark agreement with Iran to formally end the conflict is nearing completion, predicting that the deal could be signed within days at a ceremony in Europe.

Speaking during an event in the Oval Office, Trump said negotiations have reached their final stages.

“The documents are pretty final shape, so we’ll see,” Trump said. “That should be done pretty quickly.”

He added that Vice President JD Vance is expected to attend the signing ceremony, which could take place in Europe.

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Calling it “a great settlement,” Trump said the agreement would mark a significant achievement for regional stability.

“It should get done over the next few days, probably have a signing in Europe, and it’s a great thing,” Trump said. “The stock market is up. The stock market likes the deal. If it goes down it means they don’t like it.”

Trump also reflected on the recent U.S. military campaign against Iran, touting the scale of the strikes ordered under his administration.

“I turned off the lights. And we took out, some nights, 25 ships, some nights 15, last 4 or 5 nights we did 25, 22, 21, 26, 18 and 14. Who else would remember those numbers?” he said.

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The president revealed that he had spoken Thursday with several world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the heads of several Gulf nations.

Separately, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also held a phone call with Trump, according to a statement from the Qatari Emiri Diwan.

The statement said the two leaders reviewed the results of U.S.-Iran consultations that had produced progress on proposed understandings as part of the ongoing negotiations.

According to the Qatari readout, Trump told the emir that efforts are continuing to complete the final procedures before announcing arrangements for the signing of the agreement.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Olam HaTorah is davening for the recovery of HaGaon Rav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik, Rosh Yeshivas Brisk, who was hospitalized on Thursday at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Yerushalayim following a deterioration in his condition.

Rav Avraham Yehoshua, 76, was reportedly taken to the hospital earlier in the day shortly after Krias HaTorah.

Sources say that last week the Rosh Yeshiva underwent a complex heart procedure at a hospital in central Israel, performed by a renowned specialist who arrived from abroad. Following the procedure, his condition worsened, prompting his hospitalization and renewed concern among his talmidim and admirers.

A sense of worry has spread throughout the Brisker community, though family members and close associates have declined to release specific details regarding his medical condition.

At the direction of his son, HaGaon Rav Yaakov Mordechai Soloveitchik, one of the Roshei Yeshiva, Tehillim were recited Thursday evening in the yeshiva’s main beis medrash. An additional atzeres tefillah has been scheduled for midnight at the yeshiva building on Rechov Press in Yerushalayim.

The tzibbur is urged to continue davening and beseeching Rachamei Shamayim for the complete recovery of Avraham Yehoshua ben Ettil.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has canceled U.S. military strikes against Iran that had reportedly been scheduled for later in the evening, saying negotiations with Tehran have reached the highest levels of Iran’s leadership and that a broad framework agreement has been approved by all parties involved.

In a statement released Thursday, Trump said discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran had advanced to the point where both the conceptual framework and final details of a proposed agreement had received approval from key stakeholders.

“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump said.

According to the president, the proposed agreement has been endorsed not only by the United States and Iran, but also by Israel and a coalition of major regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt.

The announcement marks a dramatic shift after days of escalating tensions in the Middle East. Earlier Thursday, Trump had publicly threatened major military action against Iran, warning that the United States would strike the country “very hard” and suggesting additional action against Iranian oil infrastructure. Reports throughout the week indicated that U.S. and Iranian forces had exchanged attacks while diplomatic negotiations continued behind the scenes.

The White House has not yet released details of the proposed agreement, but Trump indicated that negotiations have advanced sufficiently for military action to be suspended.

Despite the cancellation of the strikes, Trump emphasized that the U.S.-led naval blockade against Iran will remain in place until a final agreement is formally signed. The blockade, which has been a central component of the administration’s pressure campaign against Tehran, has significantly restricted maritime traffic connected to Iranian ports since April.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump called off a planned wave of U.S. strikes on Iran on Thursday and told the New York Post that an agreement to end the war was essentially done, declaring the deal “all wrapped up” even as Israeli officials said they were blindsided by the move and Iranian officials flatly denied that any deal existed.

In a Truth Social post announcing the reversal, Trump said he acted “based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved,” adding that final points had been approved in concept and detail by the United States, Israel and other regional allies. He said an official signing ceremony would be announced shortly.

Only hours earlier, Trump had warned that the United States would strike Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT” and take “total control” of the country’s oil and gas industries, before pivoting to suggest progress in the talks.

The two parties Trump named as signed on quickly complicated the picture. According to reports, Israeli officials were caught off guard by the announcement and had not been told a deal was imminent, a claim consistent with weeks of visible friction between Washington and Jerusalem over the diplomatic track. Vice President JD Vance had described the potential agreement a day earlier as a “home run for the American people,” even if Israel did not like it. In a separate interview, Vance said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “certainly gotten some things wrong” but remained a good partner, and that where U.S. and Israeli interests diverge, Washington would choose American interests.

Tehran went further, effectively calling the president a liar. Iran did not publicly confirm Trump’s account, and the semi-official Fars news agency, citing a source close to the negotiating team, said Iran had not approved any text for even a preliminary memorandum of understanding. The denial fit a long pattern. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has repeatedly dismissed Trump’s deal claims, calling the administration’s messaging “confusing and contradictory” and saying Iran had received no written proposal. A senior Iranian lawmaker told CNN this month that Tehran does not consider Trump honest about the negotiations.

Markets nonetheless took Trump at his word, at least briefly. Oil prices fell sharply, with Brent crude dropping about 3.6% to roughly $89.73 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate falling a similar margin to about $86.83. U.S. stocks rose, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up about 1.7%.

The reversal also fit Trump’s now familiar rhythm. He has repeatedly said a peace deal was only days away even as U.S. forces kept striking Iran, telling reporters this week that an agreement could come in two or three days.

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Trump administration reportedly intervened to block a planned meeting between New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Colombian President Gustavo Petro after concerns were raised over Petro’s travel restrictions and recent inflammatory remarks, according to reports.

The meeting, which was expected to take place during Petro’s visit to New York for United Nations events, would have brought together two prominent left-wing politicians and was intended to focus on democracy in the Americas.

The controversy intensified after Petro recently posted the phrase “Heil Hitler” on social media in response to an article supporting a right-wing presidential candidate in Colombia. The remark drew widespread condemnation from Israeli officials, Jewish organizations, and lawmakers.

According to reports, U.S. officials objected to the planned Mamdani-Petro meeting, arguing that it would violate restrictions tied to Petro’s entry into the United States. A State Department official reportedly warned that visas can be revoked when foreign visitors engage in conduct deemed incompatible with the conditions of their admission.

The Washington Post reported that following discussions between U.S. and Colombian officials in Bogotá, the meeting was quietly canceled and Petro’s itinerary was shortened, eliminating the planned sit-down with Mamdani.

Petro, a longtime critic of Israel, has repeatedly clashed with both Jerusalem and Washington. His recent “Heil Hitler” post triggered especially strong backlash, with Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, demanding an apology and calling the use of Nazi slogans unacceptable.

The New York Post, which first highlighted details of the canceled meeting, reported that Colombian officials feared Petro could face serious complications if he traveled outside the narrow scope of his approved U.N. itinerary.

Neither the White House nor New York City Hall immediately commented on the reported cancellation.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

As Israel’s draft crisis continues to dominate headlines, approximately 120 chareidi recruits are expected to enter the IDF this week, choosing a path that remains highly controversial within much of the chareidi world.

Their enlistment comes amid escalating protests, arrests of yeshiva bochurim, and growing political battles over the future of military service for bnei yeshiva.

Among the new recruits is 27-year-old Bentzi Yusovitch, a graduate of prominent yeshivos including Mir Brachfeld and Kol Torah, who says the events of October 7 changed his outlook.

“On October 7, I was in yeshiva,” Yusovitch told Israel Hayom. “I didn’t even know what was happening until much later in the day. Once I saw the videos and understood the scale of the tragedy, I felt I had to do something.”

At the time, he was learning full-time and spending long hours in the beis medrash each day. But after Simchas Torah, he began volunteering, transporting supplies to soldiers and communities affected by the attack.

“Already on October 8, I was driving near areas where there was still fighting,” he recalled. “For an entire week, I drove thousands of kilometers delivering equipment to soldiers.”

Yusovitch says his later work in Israel’s film industry also exposed him to a broader cross-section of Israeli society and challenged many assumptions he had grown up hearing about secular Israelis.

“When you work side by side with people for 10 or 12 hours a day, you realize they’re good people who care deeply about the country,” he said.

Eventually, he concluded that military service was the right path for him.

“I asked myself, what’s my excuse? Why didn’t I enlist? I’m not sitting in yeshiva anymore,” he said.

The decision, he acknowledged, carries social consequences within the chareidi community, including potential challenges in shidduchim. Still, he remains optimistic.

“I’ve been in shidduchim for five years,” he joked. “Maybe now doors will open.”

Another new recruit, identified only as “A,” is joining an intelligence unit after growing up in the mainstream Belzer chassidic community.

“After October 7, you want to be part of the people making history and defending the country,” he said.

His sister, a 31-year-old mother who recently joined the Home Front Command through a special framework for chareidi women, described a similar feeling.

“There was something inside me that wouldn’t leave me alone,” she said. “I wanted to contribute and feel part of what was happening.”

Before enlisting, she volunteered with wounded soldiers in hospitals but eventually felt compelled to do more.

She also pushed back against claims that the military is unable to accommodate chareidi recruits.

“Everything is organized,” she said. “There’s glatt kosher food, and there are rabbanim available for questions. The framework is working.”

The enlistment of these recruits comes as debate over military service continues to divide Israeli society, with some viewing their decisions as an act of national responsibility and others seeing them as a departure from the traditional chareidi approach that prioritizes full-time Torah learning.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Large-scale demonstrations organized by Peleg Yerushalmi against the arrest of yeshiva bochurim and avreichim who failed to report for military service brought major portions of central Israel to a standstill on Thursday, causing widespread traffic disruptions, rail service interruptions, and multiple injuries — including a 93-year-old man who was seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle near the Geha Junction.

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After approximately two hours of demonstrations, protest organizers instructed participants to disperse. Israel Police later announced that all major roadways that had been blocked were reopened to traffic.

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According to Magen David Adom, emergency personnel treated and evacuated a 93-year-old man in serious condition after he was struck by a vehicle near Geha Junction. At Ganot Interchange, a 21-year-old man sustained moderate injuries after being hit by a vehicle. In addition, three people suffered minor injuries on Route 4 during the evacuation of protesters, reportedly after stun grenades were deployed by police.

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In a statement issued following the demonstrations, organizers vowed that the protests would continue and intensify.

“The demonstrations are not going to stop — on the contrary, they are expected to grow and expand,” the statement read. “The message from the thousands of protesters is clear: Leave the bnei Torah alone, and there will be peace. Continue pursuing them, and you will discover that normal life here will not return to what it once was.”

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Major arteries throughout central Israel were blocked during the protests, including several sections of Route 4 near Ganot, Geha, and Aluf Sadeh interchanges. Route 6 near Ben Shemen was also shut down, creating severe traffic congestion throughout the region. Some protesters traveling to demonstration sites reportedly became trapped in the resulting gridlock themselves.

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Police reported that Ganot Interchange was completely closed in all directions, including portions of Route 1 leading toward both Tel Aviv and Yerushalayim, as well as Route 4 in both directions. Additional road closures were reported near Geha and along Jabotinsky Road. Footage from the scene showed police deploying stun grenades during efforts to clear protesters from the roadway.

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Rail traffic was also affected after demonstrators entered railway tracks near Ganot. At the direction of police, Israel Railways temporarily suspended service in the area, causing delays and disruptions across multiple lines nationwide.

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The Israel Airports Authority warned travelers of significant traffic congestion on roads leading to Ben Gurion Airport and advised passengers to use Israel Railways where possible.

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At the outset of the demonstrations, organizers declared that thousands of bnei Torah had taken to the streets to protest what they described as the humiliation of Torah and the imprisonment of bnei Torah.

The protests later expanded southward as dozens of demonstrators blocked the Miflag Junction near Netivot at the intersection of Routes 25 and 34. Police and Border Police forces were deployed to disperse the crowd, while motorists were urged to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

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The demonstrations follow the transfer Wednesday of 19 yeshiva students to military police custody after they participated in protests outside the home of Supreme Court Deputy President Justice Noam Sohlberg. Additional demonstrations were held outside several detention facilities, including Nitzan Prison, Russian Compound, Hadarim Prison, and Abu Kabir.

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Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman sharply criticized the demonstrators, saying, “While IDF soldiers are fighting in Lebanon, the organization known as Peleg Yerushalmi is confronting security forces, blocking major roads, and harming Israeli citizens — those who serve in the IDF, perform reserve duty, work, and pay taxes. When we return to power, I promise I will work to outlaw them.”

Earlier in the day, attorney Menachem Stauber appealed to Police Commissioner Danny Levy, warning against what he described as selective enforcement and discrimination against chareidi protesters. Stauber alleged that police had employed excessive force during recent demonstrations, including the use of pepper spray, violence, and stun grenades. He called for an investigation into police conduct and demanded that the rights of demonstrators and freedom of expression be protected without discrimination.

Organizers said transportation had been arranged from Yerushalayim, Beit Shemesh, Ashdod, Bnei Brak, Modiin Illit, Elad, and Achisamach to bring participants to the protests.

The demonstrations come a day after 19 draft dodgers were turned over to military police custody following protests outside Justice Sohlberg’s home. Demonstrations were also held Wednesday outside several detention facilities, while the Eidah HaChareidis joined calls for continued protests against the arrests.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Rep. Ilhan Omar is continuing to brush aside questions regarding her finances as Republicans push for greater scrutiny of her financial disclosure filings and alleged ties to a massive COVID-era fraud scheme.

Questions intensified after financial disclosures appeared to show a dramatic drop in Omar’s estimated net worth, from a range of roughly $6 million to $30 million in one filing period to between approximately $18,000 and $95,000 in a later disclosure.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has publicly called for an Ethics Committee review of Omar’s finances, as well as her connections to the “Feeding Our Future” scandal, a fraud scheme that federal prosecutors say cost taxpayers approximately $250 million.

When asked by Fox News Digital whether she was facing an Ethics Committee investigation, Omar laughed off the suggestion.

“No,” Omar responded. “We go over this all the time.”

Pressed about reports regarding the financial discrepancy, Omar replied, “There’s also the possibility that it might rain on this sunny day.”

The controversy comes as Vice President JD Vance recently indicated that the Justice Department’s anti-fraud task force would examine allegations related to Omar and the Feeding Our Future scandal.

Federal authorities have described the case as the largest COVID-related fraud scheme in the country. The nonprofit’s founder, Aimee Bock, was sentenced to 42 years in prison for her role in orchestrating the scheme.

Omar has repeatedly denied any knowledge of wrongdoing and has rejected allegations connecting her to the fraud.

Despite her denials, Republicans continue to press for a formal investigation into both the financial disclosure questions and the broader fraud allegations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF says it has established another Israeli Air Force technicians unit for Chareidi men, the third such unit overall and the first based at the Tel Nof Airbase, as the military presses on with its efforts to draw bnei torah into its ranks.

The unit is based out of one of the 106th Squadron’s reinforced aircraft shelters at Tel Nof in central Israel. The squadron, known as the Spearhead Squadron, flies F-15 fighter jets out of the base. The IDF says 20 soldiers, 15 of them Chareidi, recently completed their training and are now certified “level A” technicians for the F-15, responsible for keeping the aircraft and their weapons systems operational.

The unit follows a model the IDF rolled out over the past two years. The first Chareidi IAF technician unit was established in December 2024 at the 105th “Scorpion” Squadron at Ramat David Airbase in northern Israel, where 26 soldiers were certified as level A technicians for the F-16. A second unit, also servicing F-16s, was set up at Ramat David’s 109th Squadron the following year. The Tel Nof unit is the first stationed elsewhere and the first to service the F-15.

The army says the units are built to let Chareidi soldiers keep their way of life while serving. The framework ostensibly includes separate accommodation, strict kashrus, and a shul established inside the hardened aircraft shelter.

Under service tracks the IDF approved in February, the air force technician units fall within “Herev,” a fully gender-segregated track whose commanders are generally religious.

The new unit is one piece of a much larger recruitment campaign. The IDF has established several Chareidi frameworks in recent years, among them the Netzach Yehuda Battalion in the Kfir Brigade, the Tomer Company in Givati, the Hetz Company in the Paratroopers, and the newer Chashmonaim Brigade.

The campaign to draft more bnei torah into the IDF remains one of the most divisive issues in Israeli society. A High Court ruling in June 2024 found there was no longer a legal framework permitting the state to refrain from drafting Chareidim, and the army has since issued thousands of draft orders to bnei torah.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri sharply criticized members of the coalition who opposed or failed to support the Basic Law: Torah Study, declaring that some Arab lawmakers have a greater appreciation for the value of Torah than certain members of Likud.

Speaking in an interview with the Shas newspaper HaDerech, Deri addressed the dramatic Knesset vote that saw the legislation pass its preliminary reading despite opposition from several coalition lawmakers.

“Arab MKs have a greater understanding of the value of Torah than some Likud MKs,” Deri said.

On Wednesday, the Knesset approved the Basic Law: Torah Study in a preliminary vote. The legislation seeks to formally recognize Torah study as a foundational value of the Jewish people and as a significant form of national service.

The bill passed by a vote of 56 to 43.

Four coalition members broke ranks and voted against the measure: MK Yuli Edelstein and MK Dan Illouz of Likud, MK Sharren Haskel of National Right, and MK Moshe Solomon of Religious Zionism.

The legislation’s passage was aided by the absence of Arab opposition lawmakers, following reports of understandings reached between representatives of the chareidi parties and Arab factions.

The vote triggered heated scenes in the Knesset plenum. Shas MKs Yosef Taieb and Moshe Abutbul shouted at MK Dan Illouz after his vote against the legislation.

“Shame on you,” the two lawmakers reportedly yelled. “What a disgrace. The Torah world is ashamed of you.”

The debate also featured a sharp exchange between Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid. After Gafni referenced Jewish history and the importance of Torah study, Lapid responded by arguing that military service remains essential to Israel’s security and accused supporters of the bill of promoting draft avoidance.

Meanwhile, political attention is also turning toward the possibility of early elections.

According to a report by Channel 13, Deri is reportedly pushing for elections to be held on October 13, one day before the yahrtzeit of Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef zt”l.

The proposed date has reportedly received support from additional coalition parties, although some within Likud are concerned about its proximity to the anniversary of the October 7 massacre.

Sources familiar with coalition discussions say Deri is attempting to balance competing pressures within the chareidi political world while maintaining coordination with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and other coalition leaders.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Major traffic disruptions swept across central Israel on Thursday evening as demonstrators launched a series of protests against the IDF draft, blocking key highways and railway lines after threatening to “paralyze Gush Dan.”

Thousands of motorists were caught in massive traffic jams as protesters shut down portions of Highway 4, Highway 6, Highway 1, and Route 444. Police reported that Highway 4 was completely closed in both directions between the Shivat HaShiva and Mesubim interchanges, while Highway 6 was shut down near the Ben Shemen area and the Hadid Tunnel.

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Additional demonstrations were reported near the Geha Junction and outside Elad, further snarling traffic throughout the region.

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The disruptions extended beyond the roadways. Protesters entered railway tracks near Ganot, forcing Israel Railways to suspend train service between Tel Aviv and Lod. Rail officials said service was halted on police instructions due to the significant danger posed by individuals entering active rail lines.

“Due to protesters entering railway property near Ganot in violation of safety regulations and while placing themselves in considerable danger, train traffic in the area has been temporarily suspended,” Israel Railways said in a statement. “Service will resume once the protesters are removed from the tracks.”

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Several confrontations were reported between protesters and frustrated motorists. In one incident, a female driver allegedly threatened demonstrators with an iron bar before being assaulted. Police also declared an unlawful gathering on Highway 1 near the Ganot Interchange.

Large police forces were deployed throughout the affected areas in an effort to reopen roads and restore normal traffic flow. Authorities warned that congestion was expected to worsen throughout the evening, particularly due to major concerts taking place in Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan.

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Police urged the public to avoid affected areas, use alternative routes, and consider public transportation where possible.

Deputy Commander of the Traffic Division Control Center, Chief Inspector Shlomo Bano, said police would continue balancing the right to protest with the public’s right to travel freely.

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“Israel Police are prepared to allow freedom of protest while also safeguarding freedom of movement,” Bano said. “As long as the balance is maintained, demonstrations will be permitted. But if freedom of movement is significantly harmed, we will act aggressively to protect the public’s right to travel.”

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Major traffic disruptions swept across central Israel on Thursday evening as demonstrators launched a series of protests against the IDF draft, blocking key highways and railway lines after threatening to “paralyze Gush Dan.”

Thousands of motorists were caught in massive traffic jams as protesters shut down portions of Highway 4, Highway 6, Highway 1, and Route 444. Police reported that Highway 4 was completely closed in both directions between the Shivat HaShiva and Mesubim interchanges, while Highway 6 was shut down near the Ben Shemen area and the Hadid Tunnel.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Additional demonstrations were reported near the Geha Junction and outside Elad, further snarling traffic throughout the region.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

The disruptions extended beyond the roadways. Protesters entered railway tracks near Ganot, forcing Israel Railways to suspend train service between Tel Aviv and Lod. Rail officials said service was halted on police instructions due to the significant danger posed by individuals entering active rail lines.

“Due to protesters entering railway property near Ganot in violation of safety regulations and while placing themselves in considerable danger, train traffic in the area has been temporarily suspended,” Israel Railways said in a statement. “Service will resume once the protesters are removed from the tracks.”

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Several confrontations were reported between protesters and frustrated motorists. In one incident, a female driver allegedly threatened demonstrators with an iron bar before being assaulted. Police also declared an unlawful gathering on Highway 1 near the Ganot Interchange.

Large police forces were deployed throughout the affected areas in an effort to reopen roads and restore normal traffic flow. Authorities warned that congestion was expected to worsen throughout the evening, particularly due to major concerts taking place in Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Police urged the public to avoid affected areas, use alternative routes, and consider public transportation where possible.

Deputy Commander of the Traffic Division Control Center, Chief Inspector Shlomo Bano, said police would continue balancing the right to protest with the public’s right to travel freely.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

“Israel Police are prepared to allow freedom of protest while also safeguarding freedom of movement,” Bano said. “As long as the balance is maintained, demonstrations will be permitted. But if freedom of movement is significantly harmed, we will act aggressively to protect the public’s right to travel.”

Your browser does not support the video tag.

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Seven years ago, on כ״ז סיון תשע״ט (June 30, 2019), Klal Yisrael lost one of its most gifted and beloved mechanchim of our generation, Rabbi Dovid Trenk zt”l.

Today, his absence is still deeply felt, but his star continues to shine brighter.

To the world, Rav Dovid was a legendary mechanech. To the many thousands of talmidim whose lives he touched, he was much more than Rebbe. He was a mentor, advocate, confidant, and unwavering champion who believed in them long before they believed in themselves.

Rav Dovid was decades ahead of his time. Long before educators spoke about differentiated instruction, individualized education, or meeting children where they are, Rav Dovid was living those principles every day. He instinctively understood that every child is unique, possesses greatness, and deserves to be loved, valued, and given the opportunity to succeed.

He did not see labels. He did not see deficiencies. He did not see limitations. He saw potential.

When others saw obstacles, he saw opportunities. When others saw difficult students, he saw future leaders. When others were prepared to give up, Rav Dovid responded with even more patience, and belief.

His classroom was not confined to four walls. Whether in the Mirrer Yeshiva, Camp Munk, Adelphia Yeshiva, Moreshes Yehoshua, Pirchei, or countless other settings, Rav Dovid transformed lives. His tools were not only Gemoras and seforim, but a smile, a song, a basketball game, a high five, a jump and a shout, a warm embrace, always with a word of encouragement at exactly the right moment.

Many remember the singing, the dancing, the boundless energy, and the larger-than-life personality. What they sometimes missed was the brilliance behind it all.
“Geshmak to be a Yid” was the very essence of our Rebbe.

He taught generations of talmidim that Yiddishkeit was not merely something to observe; it was something to love, celebrate, and cherish. Rav Dovid understood a profound truth: before you can teach Torah to a child, you must first love that child.

Years ago, I wrote that not all superheroes wear capes. I believe that even more today than I did then.

Some superheroes dedicate their lives to lifting others higher. Some spend decades seeing potential where no one else can. Some change tens of thousands of lives simply by loving people unconditionally and believing in them. Rav Dovid did all three.

He lifted people up. He saw greatness where others saw obstacles. He changed the trajectory of countless lives through his boundless love, encouragement, and faith in every Jew.

Seven years after his petirah, his talmidim remain his greatest legacy. They are raising families, teaching students, leading communities, building organizations, and helping others because a rebbe once believed in them.

In many ways, you can still recognize a talmid of Rav Dovid Trenk. It is the one who sees potential where others see problems. The person who refuses to give up on another Jew. That special friend who understands that a word of encouragement can change a life.

In a world that too often rushes to judge, criticize, and dismiss, the Trenk doctrine of “just love them” may be more important today than ever before. He taught a generation to look deeper, judge less, love more, and never give up on another person.
That was Rabbi Dovid Trenk zt”l.

Seven years later, we are prouder than ever to be his talmidim.

We miss you, Rebbe.

יהי זכרו ברוך.

Chaskel Bennett
[email protected]

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

One of the coalition’s most far-reaching legislative initiatives cleared a preliminary Knesset vote on Wednesday, advancing a proposal that could dramatically reshape the balance of power between elected officials and senior government appointees.

Known as the “Appointments Law,” the legislation would grant a future government significantly broader authority to remove senior officials, including the attorney general, the IDF chief of staff, the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad, and other top state officials.

According to a report by i24NEWS, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff, Edo Norden, played a central role in drafting and advancing the legislation. Before entering his current position, Norden reportedly authored the proposal and has since pushed coalition lawmakers to move it through the legislative process as quickly as possible.

The report states that Norden urged Likud and chareidi lawmakers to support the bill’s preliminary reading this week and work toward final passage before the next election.

Supporters of the legislation argue that it would bring Israel’s system closer to that of the United States, where incoming administrations have broad authority to appoint senior officials aligned with their policies.

“This is the most important law for the right,” Norden reportedly told lawmakers. “It will allow us to make appointments the way they do in the United States.”

The proposal, however, has also sparked concern within the coalition itself.

Some coalition officials are warning that the law could ultimately backfire if the current government loses power. Under the proposed framework, a future government could potentially remove officials recently appointed by the current coalition, including newly installed security chiefs whose appointments were secured only after lengthy legal and political battles.

Critics within the coalition have questioned whether it is wise to create a mechanism that could be used by political opponents to rapidly replace key officials following a change in government.

The bill must still pass several additional legislative stages before becoming law.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

UTJ chairman Yitzchak Goldknopf sent a sharply worded letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, protesting a government decision that he says completely ignores the Chareidi population of Yehuda and Shomron.

“I find it necessary to turn to you urgently and with deep pain, on behalf of the 200,000 Chareidi residents of Yehuda and Shomron,” Goldknopf wrote. “On the government agenda, under Item B, there is a dramatic proposal to establish temporary sites in rural yishuvim in Yehuda and Shomron. Once again, we face an infuriating and inexplicable reality: the Chareidi public in Yehuda and Shomron is once again being excluded, sidelined, and completely left out of this plan.”

“Out of roughly half a million residents of Yehudah and Shomron, nearly 200,000 are Chareidim. The Chareidi public constitutes almost half of the area’s population, and the cities of Modi’in Illit and Beitar Illit are the largest urban centers in Yehuda and Shomron.”

“The heads of the Chareidi municipalities are asking me today with heavy hearts, and I’m directing this question to you: Why are they always left behind? How is it possible that the budgets, development programs, and benefits that reach other communities never reach the main Chareidi population centers in Yehuda and Shomron?”

“Is the blood of the residents of Beitar Illit, Modi’in Illit, and Emanuel less red? Is half of the region’s population invisible to the government? A very troubling feeling is growing among the public that this exclusion is not accidental, and that its purpose is to deny support and benefits to a particular sector.”

“We cannot accept such discrimination,” he asserted. “The Chareidi public is part of the settlement enterprise in the Holy Land and a full partner in strengthening, developing, and advancing the region, despite severe overcrowding and an acute housing shortage. It is entitled to every benefit and form of assistance as a matter of right, not as a favor.”

Goldknopf concluded by calling on Netanyahu: “As Prime Minister of all Israeli citizens, I ask you to heed the Chareidi sector in Yehuda and Shomron, to reexamine this section before it is approved, and to ensure that every plan, benefit, or regional development project includes the Chareidi municipalities and residents in a full and equal manner.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu spoke with Kol Chai this week about the law passed in the Knesset on Wednesday evening: “Basic Law: Limmud Torah” with the help of his party.

“There’s absolutely no doubt that the value of Limmud Torah study is an existential value. It is not a secondary value,” he said. “Without the Torah, I think it’s clear today to every clear-minded person that we have no zechus to exist.”

“Lomdei Torah are our existence. To call it a ‘contribution’ implies that it is merely equal to something else. We have no right to exist without it.”

During the interview, Eliyahu spoke about his grandfather, former Sephardic Chief Rabbi HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu, z’tl, whose yartzheit was on Wednesday.

“My grandfather, z’tl, learned Torah despite grinding poverty,” he said. “If anyone has any doubt that we in Otzma Yehudit are following the path of HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu, then they should think again. We will support Lomdei Torah and place the Torah at the center of our banner.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Another 13 Roshei Yeshivos Hesder announced on Thursday afternoon that they will no longer send their talmidim to the Armored Corps due to the integration of women in tank units.

The Roshei Yeshivos added their name to the letter published by 12 Roshei Yeshivos Hesder on Wednesday.

The move is a staggering blow to the Armored Corps as it will deprive tank units of hundreds of soldiers.

In the past, Roshei Yeshivos Hesder forbade their talmidim from serving in the Artillery Corps due to the integration of women, and today, there is a shortage of reservists in the Artillery Corps.

The IDF on Wednesday evening issued an official response to the  announcement by the 12 Roshei Yeshivos, stating that “the IDF needs every male and female combat soldier.”

“As the people’s army, the IDF places the highest importance on integrating all sectors of society while making a significant effort to preserve their way of life and needs, in a manner that doesn’t come at the expense of one population group over the other.”

“The High Court of Justice did not instruct the IDF to recruit women into the Armored Corps. Rather, it instructed the military to conduct the planned pilot program on the issue.”

“The military is working to integrate women into combat positions wherever possible. A pilot program, by definition, is an initial trial intended to assess future implementation. The pilot will be conducted in accordance with the Joint Service Ordinance, while ensuring compliance with all required operational and professional standards and in line with operational needs.”

“Among all the options being examined in the pilot, there is no scenario in which men and women will serve together within the same framework,” the IDF promised.

However, the IDF has a long history of breaking its promises to the Dati Leumi sector, and the 13 Roshei Yeshivos were apparently not persuaded by the letter.

Several examples of the IDF’s broken promises to Dati Leumi soldiers can be read here, here, and here.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Donald Trump dramatically escalated tensions with Iran on Thursday, warning that the United States will strike the Islamic Republic “VERY HARD TONIGHT” and declaring that key Iranian oil infrastructure could soon fall under American control.

In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump claimed Iran’s military has been largely destroyed, asserting that its Navy, Air Force, radar systems, anti-aircraft defenses, and much of its offensive capability are “GONE.”

“The United States will be hitting Iran… VERY HARD TONIGHT,” Trump wrote.

Trump also made a stunning declaration regarding Iran’s energy sector, saying the United States would eventually seize Kharg Island — the critical Persian Gulf terminal through which the vast majority of Iran’s oil exports pass.

“At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets,” Trump wrote.

Kharg Island is widely considered the backbone of Iran’s oil industry, handling roughly 90 percent of the country’s crude exports and serving as one of the regime’s most valuable economic assets.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Shin Bet is involved in the investigation of the protest outside the home of High Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, Army Radio reported.

According to the reports, the Shin Bet’s Jewish Division is launching a full‑scale war against extremist Chareidim out of fear of escalation.

The break-in at the police station in Beit Shemesh is also under investigation by the Shin Bet.

According to a Kol Chai report, the police have also decided to launch a literal “war to the bitter end” against a small group of extremist zealots (“kana’im”) located mainly in the Beit Shemesh and Mea Shearim areas, who are allegedly behind some of the recent protests and incidents.

The Shin Bet’s involvement stems from concerns that future protests could target public officials or government buildings.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted eight people accused of taking part in a coordinated campaign of threats and vandalism that targeted University of Michigan officials, local businesses and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.

The federal charges follow more than a year of nighttime attacks on the homes and workplaces of Jewish and university leaders across metro Detroit, many of them tied to demands that the university divest from Israel.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office has described nearly a dozen related incidents dating back to February 2024, causing roughly $100,000 in damage. The acts mostly occurred late at night and included smashed windows and the use of noxious chemical substances, with political slogans such as “Free Palestine” left behind at each site.

The highest-profile target was Jordan Acker, a Jewish member of the university’s Board of Regents. In December 2024, vandals threw Mason jars, which police believed were filled with urine, through the front window of his Oakland County home while his family slept, and spray-painted his wife’s car with “Divest” and “Free Palestine.” The graffiti also included an inverted red triangle, a symbol Hamas has used to mark Israeli targets. Months earlier, in June 2024, his Goodman Acker law firm in Southfield was hit with red paint and graffiti reading “Free Palestine,” “Divest now,” “UM Kills” and other slogans.

Other targets stretched across the region. The Jewish Federation of Detroit, the home of university President Santa Ono, the home of chief investment officer Erik Lundberg, an officer’s home, a country club, a car dealership, an office and the historic Wilcox House were all targeted. On the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, Ono’s home and several Jewish-linked sites were tagged with words including “intifada” and “coward.” A group called Unity of Fields, formerly known as Palestine Action U.S., claimed responsibility for that wave, saying it had targeted everything from businesses to universities.

State efforts to prosecute the vandalism collapsed. In April 2025, federal and state agents raided homes in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Canton as part of the investigation. But weeks later, Nessel’s office dropped felony charges against seven pro-Palestinian protesters after learning that the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor had sent a statement supporting her prosecution to the court. Nessel said the impropriety of that contact forced the decision. The reversal meant that, until now, no one had faced trial.

The federal indictment fits a broader pattern. Shortly after taking office, President Trump issued an executive order directing the Justice Department to more aggressively pursue antisemitism cases under federal civil rights law, and the DOJ created a multi-agency task force focused on harassment on college campuses. The department has since brought a series of antisemitism-related prosecutions, including charges against Pennsylvania men in connection with the ramming attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, earlier this year.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The State Attorney’s Office filed a notice with the Tel Aviv District Court on Thursday, amending the security-related indictment previously filed against Eli Feldstein and reservist Ari Rosenfeld for publishing classified information in the German Bild newspaper.

The amended indictment adds Yonatan Urich, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s personal communications adviser, as a defendant. It also includes revisions to the factual allegations and legal charges, as well as the addition of prosecution witnesses.

Urich is charged with transferring classified information with the intent to harm state security, delivering classified information, possession of classified information, and destruction of evidence.

The filing of the indictment was approved by the Attorney General and the State Attorney.

At the same time, prosecutors are seeking restrictive conditions against Urich until the conclusion of the proceedings, including a complete ban on entering the Prime Minister’s Office and any security facility or location where classified information may be held, as well as a prohibition on direct or indirect contact with anyone involved in the case, including witnesses and suspects.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has been added to the prosecution’s witness list, meaning that under the requested restrictions, Urich would be prohibited from communicating with him and, as a result, would be unable to lead the Likud election campaign.

Channel 12 commentator Amit Segal slammed the prosecution’s request to bar Urich from the Prime Minister’s Office, stating: “Levin, Elkin, and Erdan were witnesses in Netanyahu’s cases. The same is true of employees in the Prime Minister’s Office and others in Likud. At no point was there a demand that Netanyahu be forbidden from speaking with them for years—only that they not discuss the content of their testimony.

“Public trust in Baharav-Miara and her team regarding political impartiality is not at its best after a series of failures in the High Court. When she effectively seeks to remove the key figure in the Likud campaign through a measure that is extraordinary even by extraordinary standards, it is puzzling (or perhaps not).

“Summoning Netanyahu as a witness is itself highly unusual, given the fact that he was barely questioned about the affair in his testimony.”

Following reports last month that Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara had approved the indictment, Urich’s lawyers, Attorneys Amit Hadad and Noa Milstein, responded by stating. “The prosecution’s decision to file an indictment against Yonatan Urich in the Bild case is mistaken and detached from the evidence, which negates the prosecution’s theory and completely shatters the claims against Urich.”

“Honorable President Judge Menachem Mizrachi, who is familiar with all the investigative materials in the case, determined there is not a shred of evidence linking Urich to the leak. Instead of closing a baseless case, as should have happened, the prosecution is stubbornly clinging to a flimsy and superfluous case. Just like in the ‘witness harassment’ case – where it became clear that no witness had been harassed – this case too will collapse. Yonatan Urich acted lawfully, and his only ‘sin’ was working for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Following protests on Wednesday over plans to transfer the suspects arrested at the protest outside the home of High Justice Noam Sohlberg in Alon Shvut, Peleg Yerushalmi announced Wednesday evening that the transfer had been completed.

“In the past hour, the police completed the transfer of 17 talmidei yeshivos classified as draft evaders to military prison,” the group said in a statement.

“By doing so, Israel Police has crossed yet another red line and has effectively declared a serious escalation in the obsessive campaign being waged by state authorities against Lomdei Torah.”

“Tomorrow we will all take part in a determined and uncompromising struggle for the honor of Torah and its students, with a clear outcry that will be heard throughout the country.”

The protest is expected to disrupt major roads in the Tel Aviv area on a day when large crowds are expected in central Israel due to three separate concerts by popular Israeli singers: Omer Adam at Ramat Gan Stadium, Eyal Golan at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, and Ben Tzur at HaMoshava Stadium in Petach Tikva. Heavy congestion is expected on major roads and at railway stations beginning in the afternoon.

The main traffic bottlenecks are expected along Highway 4, the Geha Interchange, the Ayalon Highway, Derech Namir, Derech HaShalom, Jabotinsky Road, and access routes to Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, Petah Tikva, and southern Tel Aviv.

Israel Railways announced a significant increase in service, including special trains to destinations throughout the country, extensions of regular train routes, and increased staffing at the Bnei Brak and Petach Tikva–Kiryat Aryeh stations.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

A senior commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a chilling warning on Thursday, threatening to “turn the region into hell” if the Strait of Hormuz is threatened amid rapidly escalating tensions between Iran and the United States.

Brig. Gen. Majid Mousavi, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, made the remarks after Iran claimed the strategic waterway had been closed following a new wave of American military strikes.

“You make the sacred Strait of Hormuz insecure?! We will turn the region into hell for you from across Iran,” Mousavi declared, according to Iranian state-linked media.

The threat comes as fighting between the United States and Iran appears to be intensifying across the Persian Gulf.

Iranian media claimed that Revolutionary Guard forces launched retaliatory attacks against American military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain. According to a statement carried by state-run media, Iranian forces targeted multiple U.S. military installations, including air bases used by American forces in the Gulf.

Kuwait’s military confirmed that its air defense systems were activated to intercept hostile aerial threats and urged residents to follow official safety instructions.

The latest threats follow a series of U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets, including air defense systems, radar installations, and facilities near the Strait of Hormuz. Washington has rejected Tehran’s claim that it successfully closed the vital maritime chokepoint, with U.S. officials stating that commercial shipping continues to transit the waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy corridors, with roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments passing through the narrow passage.

Any disruption to traffic through the strait could have immediate consequences for global energy markets, international shipping, and economies around the world.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A member of the Knesset is demanding that the IDF reexamine its process for granting mental health exemptions from military service, alleging that some chareidi youths are receiving exemptions without ever requesting them or appearing before military officials.

MK Moshe Tur-Paz sent a formal letter to Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, head of the IDF Personnel Directorate, and Brig. Gen. Shay Taib, head of the Personnel Support Division, calling for an immediate review of the current system.

According to Tur-Paz, his office has received complaints from young men and women in the chareidi community who were surprised to discover they had been classified by the military as exempt from service on mental health grounds despite never seeking such a designation.

Tur-Paz further alleged that community and educational figures are sometimes working behind the scenes to obtain — or in some cases falsify — medical documentation in order to secure exemptions, all without direct interaction between the candidate and military authorities.

In his letter, Tur-Paz described the situation as a “serious systemic and ethical failure,” arguing that it allows third parties to influence a young person’s military and civilian future without his or her knowledge or consent.

He also claimed that such exemptions can negatively affect future employment opportunities and distort military recruitment statistics.

To address the issue, Tur-Paz proposed that any mental health exemption be granted only after the candidate personally appears at a recruitment office and is evaluated by an authorized medical committee.

He called on the IDF to revise its regulations and medical procedures to ensure greater oversight and protect individuals who wish to pursue military service or broader integration into Israeli society.

The IDF has not yet publicly responded to the proposal.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

New details about the dramatic hours and days following the October 7 massacre, the negotiations that led to Israel’s emergency unity government, and sharp disagreements within the opposition are being revealed in a new book by National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz.

In the book, titled “We,” which is set to be published in the coming days, Gantz provides a firsthand account of the atmosphere inside Israel’s military headquarters as the scale of the disaster became clear and explains why he ultimately decided to join Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s wartime coalition.

“When I arrived for the meeting with Netanyahu that day, I wasn’t focused on him, nor on the political costs,” Gantz writes. “I was focused on the atmosphere in the room and outside it. Officers stood there with slumped shoulders. Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Avi Gil repeatedly entered the meeting carrying notes. Each note brought worse news than the one before.”

According to Gantz, senior members of his party gathered later that evening and quickly concluded that joining the government was the only responsible course of action.

“That evening we convened in my office with senior party officials and advisers,” he writes. “The decision to enter the government stemmed from a simple understanding: it was our duty and the only way to influence what was happening in the country, the war effort, and the fate of the state.”

Gantz says it took four days of negotiations with Likud before an agreement was reached. Among the conditions were the creation of a small war cabinet, a freeze on judicial reform legislation, and a commitment not to dismiss senior civil servants during the crisis.

A significant portion of the chapter focuses on Gantz’s disagreement with opposition leader Yair Lapid, who chose not to join the government.

“Some argued that an outside safety net would be enough,” Gantz writes. “From military headquarters I went to meet Yair Lapid, who believed this was the time to issue an ultimatum regarding the continued presence of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir in the coalition.”

Gantz strongly disagreed.

“At that moment, when all our enemies were considering joining the attack and opening a multi-front war, those issues seemed insignificant to me,” he writes. “The correct decision was to join the government, unite the country, and show our enemies that we speak with one voice and act together.”

He further explains that he opposed making the removal of Smotrich and Ben Gvir a condition for entering the government.

“Honestly, I believed that at a moment of existential need for national unity, it was not legitimate to present demands that would divide the nation,” Gantz writes. “Many of our soldiers come from the Religious Zionist community, and many Ben Gvir voters serve the country as well. While I did not believe they belonged in the small decision-making forum, our duty was to embrace all parts of Israeli society because we truly did not know what the coming days would bring.”

Gantz also argues that supporting the government was the only responsible choice during the opening days of the war.

“It was important and correct to give the government full backing,” he writes. “If the pilots are flying and reservists are returning to service, we cannot remain indifferent. That was understood within my faction. It was less understood by Yair Lapid.”

The excerpts offer a rare look inside the political and military decision-making that followed the October 7 massacre and shed new light on the tensions within Israel’s center-left camp during one of the most critical moments in the country’s history.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Hagaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef delivered pointed criticism Wednesday of those who opposed a previous effort to pass legislation regulating the status of yeshiva bochurim, suggesting that the current wave of arrests might have been avoided had the law been approved.

“It’s a great shame that the law regulating the status of Yeshiva Bochrim was not passed last month when Likud had already agreed to cooperate,” Rav Yosef said. “We agreed, and others in the chareidi parties opposed it. Maybe that’s why we’re seeing all these arrests.”

While he did not mention any party by name, his remarks were widely interpreted as a reference to Agudas Yisroel, which had opposed earlier versions of the proposed legislation due to concerns over enlistment targets and sanctions.

The comments come amid growing tensions following a series of arrests of yeshiva Bochrim in recent days, as authorities increase enforcement efforts against those who have not resolved their military status.

In previous coalition discussions over a draft law, Shas and Degel HaTorah reportedly expressed willingness to advance legislation that would formalize the status of yeshiva students, while Agudas Yisroel opposed the proposed framework because of provisions relating to quotas and penalties.

Rav Yosef’s remarks also came on the same day that the Knesset advanced a Basic Law on Torah Study in a preliminary vote, a move viewed by some as an alternative approach to addressing the status of bnei yeshiva.

According to Rav Yosef, however, earlier legislation could have prevented the current situation.

Last year, Rav Yosef drew national attention when he publicly instructed yeshiva students to tear up draft notices sent by the military rather than comply with them.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

While much of the world’s attention remains focused on Iran, significant developments are quietly taking place near the Gaza border as the United States moves forward with preparations for a post-war framework in the Strip.

According to a report in Israel Hayom, the U.S. military has begun work on a major new base near Kibbutz Re’im that is expected to serve as both a military and civilian headquarters for international personnel involved in implementing President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan.

The project is advancing despite continued deadlock over one of the plan’s central requirements: Hamas’s refusal to disarm.

Sources involved in the effort say the American base is intended to replace the multinational headquarters previously located in Kiryat Gat. At its peak, that command center hosted representatives from more than 24 countries, including several Arab nations. Most of those personnel departed following the outbreak of the recent conflict with Iran.

As part of the new project, the United States is reportedly constructing command-and-control infrastructure, including a control tower and extensive support facilities. American authorities have already begun issuing tenders for modular buildings and other infrastructure needed to make the site operational within months.

Despite the ongoing uncertainty, planners continue developing reconstruction and governance proposals for Gaza, including programs focused on education, infrastructure, and debris removal.

According to the report, five countries have already committed to sending forces to participate in the effort: Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania. Three additional countries — Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan — have expressed preliminary interest.

However, many participating nations have temporarily suspended their commitments due to the regional instability caused by the fighting with Iran.

Indonesia, meanwhile, is reportedly continuing to train a dedicated force of approximately 5,000 troops for the mission.

Israel has made clear that it will not permit forces from hostile countries, including Pakistan and Turkey, to operate in the area.

Security officials say construction of the base is being fully coordinated with Israel, with the Defense Ministry and IDF assisting with logistics and operational requirements.

While officials believe the facility could be staffed within a matter of months, its ultimate role remains uncertain. As long as Hamas refuses to surrender its weapons, the base is expected to be limited largely to planning, coordination, and preparation for future operations.

One security source told the newspaper that the likelihood of renewed fighting in Gaza currently appears greater than the chances of Hamas agreeing to disarm through a diplomatic arrangement.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israel is prepared to rejoin the war against Iran if Tehran retaliates against the new round of American strikes, according to Israeli reports, raising the risk that a fragile regional ceasefire could give way to full-scale war.

Israel’s leaders are expecting and preparing to rejoin fresh U.S. strikes on Iran, Channel 12 reported, pointing to multiple signs of heightened Israeli readiness and saying Jerusalem would likely coordinate any action with Washington. The reporting reflects an assessment in Israel that unless Iran presents a dramatically improved offer to permanently end the war, which officials view as unlikely, military escalation is the more probable path.

The warning is not hypothetical. After Israel and Iran traded fire this week for the first time since the April truce, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled the round of fighting was over but warned that if Iran returns to attacking Israel, “we will respond with force.” Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it had struck two Israeli military bases in that exchange, retaliation it launched after Israel hit radar sites inside Iran, with both countries also reporting an Israeli strike on an Iranian petrochemical plant.

US forces launched a fresh wave of strikes on multiple targets in Iran on Wednesday evening, the second round in two days, after the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has already claimed it struck back at U.S. targets across the region, and has vowed that no attack will go unanswered. Whether Tehran escalates further is the variable that could pull Israel back in.

Beneath the surface lies a tense dynamic between Jerusalem and Washington. Israel was preparing a significant attack in Tehran on Monday when President Trump intervened by phone and pressed Netanyahu to hold off, an effort that appeared to work. Trump warned the Israeli leader that he risked isolating himself if he kept striking Iran. Israel’s military chief, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, has said the army had planned a much more significant and severe blow against the Iranian regime. Some Israeli officials have privately bristled that Washington demanded Israeli restraint even as Trump ordered his own strikes.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A major upgrade for the hundreds of thousands of mispallelim who visit Meron each year was officially unveiled this week with the opening of a new, modern, and fully accessible restroom facility near the main entrance to the kever of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.

The project, completed after years of planning and construction, was led by the Ministry of Religious Services under Director-General Rabbi Yehuda Avidan, with assistance from the Safra Foundation in Israel, the Regional Planning Committee, and the Committee of Five overseeing the Rashbi site.

The new facility replaces the temporary restroom system that had served visitors until now and includes dozens of spacious, modern, and fully equipped restroom stalls designed to better accommodate the large crowds that visit Meron throughout the year, especially during peak periods.

Extensive infrastructure work was carried out as part of the project, significantly improving the surrounding area and enhancing the overall visitor experience.

Special attention was given to the needs of Kohanim. The location was selected following consultation with Harav Dovid Shmidel zt”l and representatives of Asra Kadisha, who carefully examined potential sites in the area. The structure was built using halachically approved methods, including the construction of protective arches, allowing Kohanim to access the facility. A dedicated pathway was also created connecting the building to the existing Kohanim route.

The project was supervised by Asra Kadisha and members of the Committee of Five headed by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rav of the Kosel and Holy Sites.

In addition, the new building was designed to be fully accessible for individuals with disabilities and those with mobility challenges, ensuring that all visitors can utilize the facility comfortably and with dignity.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A sophisticated phishing scam is targeting Orthodox Jews by impersonating the Adirei HaTorah fundraising platform.

Scammers have been sending text messages and emails containing links to a fraudulent website designed to closely mimic the Adirei Hatorah’s official donation page. The fake site appears nearly identical to the legitimate website, making it difficult for recipients to spot the difference.

The scam website uses the domain “AdireiTorah.com,” which is not affiliated with Adirei HaTorah and is being used to deceive potential donors.

The only legitimate website for Adirei HaTorah is: AdireiHaTorah.com

Anyone who receives a suspicious email or text message requesting donations is encouraged to avoid clicking links and instead navigate directly to the organization’s official website through their web browser.

The warning comes as cybercriminals increasingly use lookalike websites and phishing campaigns to target charitable giving, particularly within close-knit communities where trust in familiar organizations is high.

Community members who may have entered payment information on the fraudulent website should contact their financial institution immediately and monitor their accounts for unauthorized activity.

The U.S. military launched a new wave of airstrikes against multiple targets across Iran on Wednesday evening, with explosions reported from the Strait of Hormuz to the outskirts of Tehran, marking the second major round of American attacks in two days and the fulfillment of hours of threats from President Trump and his top defense official.

U.S. Central Command said its forces began launching additional self-defense strikes at 5:15 p.m. ET at the direction of the commander in chief, calling them a response to Iran’s “unwarranted and continued aggression.” Iranian outlets reported explosions and activated air defenses in Sirik, Minab, and on Qeshm Island in the southern Hormozgan province near the strait, as well as in Isfahan and western Tehran. Iran’s state broadcaster said air defenses were also triggered in Asaluyeh, a hub of the country’s energy industry.

Trump had convened his national security team in the Situation Room on Wednesday to weigh additional attacks, hours after posting that Iran had taken too long to negotiate and warning on social media, “now they will have to pay the price.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, speaking earlier at CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, vowed strikes that would be “strong and clear” and said the U.S. had used the ceasefire period to sharpen its intelligence gathering and target selection on Iran.

Wednesday’s barrage builds on a first round a day earlier. Those strikes hit Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz, retaliation for the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter. Iran said it answered with 21 attacks on U.S. military targets across the Middle East.

Tehran signaled it would not absorb the new strikes quietly. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any attack or threat against Iran would be met with a response, and the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency, citing a military source, said Iran would target additional U.S. interests if Washington kept up the attacks. President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country would “remain steadfast in the face of any pressure or threat.”

This is a developing story.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Education Freedom Tax Credit (ECCA), a new federal program pushed heavily by Agudath Israel that will help families cover the cost of private school tuition, tutoring, and other school expenses is moving closer to reality, and the Treasury Department just took another step to get it ready.

The ECCA was created as part of President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts Act, and it officially starts in January 2027. The the Treasury Department this week released a preview of ECCA’s rules so that families, schools, and donors can prepare in time.

So how does it actually work? It comes down to a swap. Instead of sending some of your federal tax money to Washington, you can send it to a scholarship fund that helps children pay for school.

Here is a simple example. Say you owe $1,700 in federal income taxes. If you donate $1,700 to an approved scholarship fund, you get that full amount back as a credit on your tax bill. In the end, you do not pay more than you would have anyway. Your money just goes to scholarships instead of to the government. The most any one person can claim is $1,700 a year, but if you cannot use the whole credit at once, you can carry the leftover amount forward for up to five years.

These approved scholarship funds are nonprofits known as Scholarship Granting Organizations, or SGOs. They collect the donations and hand out scholarships to children. There is no limit on how big a single scholarship can be. That is set by each fund. The money can be used for a lot more than tuition, including tutoring, school supplies, uniforms or equipment for job-training programs, and help for children with disabilities.

There is one important catch. Each state has to choose to join the program before its families can benefit. Once a state signs up, it gives the government a list of approved scholarship funds in that state, and donors give to the funds on that list. As for which children can receive a scholarship, the rule is broad. A child qualifies if they are old enough for public school and their family earns up to three times the typical income in their area, which covers most families in the states that join.

For the frum community, this is the result of years of hard work, much of it by Agudath Israel of America. Agudah helped write and push the legislation behind the credit, the Educational Choice for Children Act, working with the lawmakers who sponsored it. Its staff sat through hundreds of meetings and told Congress directly about the heavy burden yeshiva tuition places on parents, and the organization rallied thousands of letters from people across the country. The bill was signed into law on July 4, 2025. Agudah’s team, led by Rabbi A.D. Motzen, Rabbi Yossie Charner, and Rabbi Avi Schnall, is now pushing every state to join so more families can use it.

The Treasury fact sheet said 15 states had signed on as of January 20, and Agudah said that number had already climbed to 23 by early February.

The impact could be huge, with one estimate projecting $24 billion in new scholarship money every year. And because the whole thing runs on voluntary donations, Treasury says it does not take a single dollar away from public schools. Families can start using the credit for donations made on or after January 1, 2027.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that U.S. Central Command “will be busy tonight” as the military prepares to launch major strikes on Iran, turning President Trump’s threats to bomb the country into a near-certain promise of action within hours.

“Central Command will be busy tonight because President Trump said we will be hitting Iran hard, and we will be,” Hegseth told reporters at CENTCOM headquarters, pledging strikes that would be strong and clear. Picking up on the president’s accusation that Iran has been stalling, he warned that Tehran’s foot-dragging at the negotiating table was about to be answered with force.

Iranian negotiators, he said, are going to have “tap, tap, tap bombs dropping on key facilities” from the United States.

Hegseth framed the coming strikes as leverage rather than the start of a new war. The goal, he said, is not to restart the war but to set the terms for a deal. He told reporters that if the United States needs to negotiate with bombs, it will, and that it is good at it. The strikes set for Wednesday evening would be strong and clear, he added, and if they had to happen the following night, they would be just as strong.

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Trump struck the same note earlier in the day. He said the United States would resume attacks on Iran, citing slow progress in talks, and insisted that all Tehran has to do is “start signing a paper” to reach a deal. He also declined to rule out strikes on critical civilian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges.

The escalation follows a week of exchanges that began with the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Central Command said the two pilots went down off the coast of Oman on Monday evening and were rescued by an unmanned surface vessel, a maritime drone that pulled them from the water. The U.S. answered with strikes on Iranian targets, and Iran retaliated in a limited fashion. Iranian state media reported that U.S. strikes hit two water reservoirs, cutting the local water supply.

Diplomacy has not stopped even as the bombs are readied. A Qatari delegation is meeting Iranian negotiators in Tehran in an effort to bridge the remaining gaps. According to Axios, the administration is weighing a strike plan that would be extensive in scale but tightly limited in duration, designed to pressure Tehran into shifting its position in the talks.

The broader war opened on Feb. 28 with joint U.S. and Israeli strikes, followed by a fragile ceasefire that has frayed in recent days. Talks in Pakistan in April failed to produce a peace deal, and Trump has kept a U.S. naval blockade in place until negotiations conclude one way or the other.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Drivers and public transportation users across central Israel are being warned to prepare for major traffic disruptions on Thursday as large-scale anti-draft protests and several major concerts are expected to draw tens of thousands of people to the region.

The demonstrations, organized by the Peleg Yerushalmi in protest of the arrests of yeshiva bochurim, are expected to take place during the afternoon and could significantly impact major transportation arteries throughout the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.

The protests come after HaRav Ezriel Auerbach called for an escalation of demonstrations against what organizers describe as the continued targeting and arrest of Yeshiva Bochrim.

At the same time, three major concerts are scheduled to take place in the region, including performances by Omer Adam at Ramat Gan Stadium, Eyal Golan at Bloomfield Stadium, and Ben Tzur at Petach Tikvah’s HaMoshava Stadium.

Transportation officials expect heavy congestion beginning in the afternoon hours and continuing well into the evening.

Among the roads expected to experience the heaviest traffic are Highway 4, the Geha Interchange, the Ayalon Highway, Derech Namir, Derech HaShalom, Jabotinsky Street, and access routes into Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, Petach Tikvah, and southern Tel Aviv.

Israel Railways announced a significant increase in service for the day, including additional trains, extended routes on existing lines, and enhanced staffing and operations at key stations, particularly Bnei Brak and Petach Tikvah Kiryat Aryeh.

Authorities are urging commuters to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and consider using public transportation where possible.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has passed a resolution demanding that Iran urgently disclose how much enriched uranium it currently possesses and grant inspectors full access to the materials needed to verify its declarations.

According to reports, the resolution passed by a vote of 21 countries in favor, three opposed, and ten abstaining.

The measure calls on Tehran to provide the IAEA with complete information regarding its enriched uranium inventory and allow international inspectors to independently verify the data.

Iran swiftly condemned the decision.

In a statement, Iran’s delegation to the United Nations accused the agency of acting politically rather than professionally.

“How can anyone trust the IAEA when it is controlled by warmongers?” the Iranian delegation said.

The development comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran aimed at reaching a broader agreement over Iran’s nuclear program.

According to a report published by The New York Times, negotiators have made progress on several key issues in the ongoing talks.

Among the primary points of discussion is the future of Iran’s uranium enrichment program. The Trump administration is reportedly demanding a suspension of enrichment activities for at least 20 years, while Iran has proposed a 10-year period.

Diplomatic sources cited in the report say negotiators are increasingly discussing a compromise that would freeze enrichment activities for approximately 15 years.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Shas MK Yinon Azoulay slammed Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon, saying that he is the main culprit behind the sanctions against the Chareidi sector.

Speaking to Kol Chai on Tuesday evening, Azoulay said that Limon tells Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara what to do.

“Baharav-Miara does what he says,” he said. “He’s behind it. He’s full of hatred—toward Chareidim, the right, and Netanyahu.”

Limon doesn’t just use his position to contrive sanctions against Chareidim but personally accompanies the process to ensure his decrees are enacted in law. He attended a Knesset discussion on Tuesday regarding the Daycare Law to urge lawmakers to ensure that the families of avreichim are denied daycare subsidies, prompting UTJ chairman Moshe Gafni to call him an antisemite.

Last month, senior real estate and economic adviser Yaakov Reinitz slammed Limon in a column in the Hebrew-language Hamodia newspaper. Referring to the Attorney General’s office’s move to revoke eligibility for discounted housing lotteries to the families of avreichim, Reinitz said that the move reflects an attempt by the legal establishment to use economic pressure in order to reshape Chareidi society.

Quoting political commentator Amit Segal’s recent criticism of Limon, who dubbed him “the most dangerous man to Israeli democracy,” Reinitz wrote that unelected legal officials have increasingly overridden elected government officials by delaying decisions, changing rules “mid-game,” and steering government policy toward repeated High Court intervention.

Reinitz wrote that the most recent example is last month’s Israel Land Council’s deliberations over the future of the “Dira B’Hanacha,” housing lottery, saying that before the discussion even began, Limon sent what he described as an “extraordinary letter” to the legal adviser of the Israel Land Authority instructing officials what the focus of the discussion should be and warning that failure to adopt the desired decision could constitute “deviation from court orders.”

“In other words,” Reinitz wrote, “decide whatever you want — as long as it’s the decision we want.”

Reinitz slammed Limon for personally attending the meeting, describing him as “an unelected legal bureaucrat” ensuring the system aligned with the legal establishment’s position.

Limon’s message to the Chareidi public is clear, he said. ‘If you don’t align with the worldview of the legal system, I’ll manipulate the law to ensure you’ll pay a heavy economic price.'”

Reinitz asserted that the underlying goal is to apply financial pressure on Chareidi families in hopes of changing their lifestyle and values.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Trump said Wednesday that a secret U.S. military mission he ordered last month has moved more than 100 million barrels of oil and over 200 commercial ships safely through the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that the United States, not Iran, now controls the vital waterway.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he directed the military to support oil tankers and other commercial vessels through the strait and into the open market. He called the effort wildly successful, said Iran’s military was defeated and its economy lost, and added, “It’s over for Iran.”

The specific figures could not be independently verified, but the claim tracks with reports of rising traffic through the chokepoint. Nearly 40 ships previously stranded in the Persian Gulf have exited through the strait over the past three weeks as vessels quietly coordinate with the U.S. Navy, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

Some shipowners are submitting transit plans to the Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping group in Bahrain. A defense official told CNBC that U.S. forces are communicating and coordinating with ships seeking to transit the strait but are not escorting them.

Trump tied the flows to energy prices. He said the clandestine shipments are one reason crude is trading below $100 per barrel, after Energy Secretary Chris Wright said this week that oil exports through Hormuz are rising “very meaningfully.”

The backdrop is a war now in its fourth month. Iran effectively closed the strait after the U.S. and Israel launched their offensive on Feb. 28, shaking global markets and stranding ships and seafarers in the Persian Gulf. By early May, up to 20,000 seafarers were stuck aboard roughly 2,000 vessels, many running low on food, water and fuel.  The U.S. has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports since April 13, aimed at cutting off the oil revenue Tehran needs to prop up its economy.

The strait normally carries about a fifth of the world’s oil.

Trump’s earlier attempts to reopen the route were rocky. He abruptly shut down a short-lived ship-escort mission last month, after which only two merchant ships were initially known to have passed through the new U.S.-guarded lane while hundreds remained bottled up.The quieter coordination now underway has moved more ships, though traffic remains well below prewar levels.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Hamas is reportedly moving closer to selecting a new leader, with an internal vote expected to take place in the coming days across several Middle Eastern capitals as senior figures within the terror organization compete for control.

According to a report in the Arab newspaper Rai Al-Youm, Hamas is expected to hold an internal leadership election before mid-June to determine who will lead the organization during a critical period following nearly two years of war with Israel.

The two leading contenders are Khaled Mashal, who currently heads Hamas’s overseas leadership, and Khalil al-Hayya, the senior Hamas official responsible for Gaza-related affairs and negotiations.

Arab and regional sources told the newspaper that Mashal’s appointment would likely be welcomed by several key countries in the region, particularly Qatar, which has long hosted senior Hamas leaders.

The report further claims that Mashal is viewed by regional powers as someone capable of advancing Hamas’s interests and navigating diplomatic channels with neighboring countries. Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt are all said to prefer a leader who can engage in dialogue with regional governments while managing the organization’s political and strategic challenges.

The anticipated vote comes as Hamas continues to face intense military pressure in Gaza and mounting questions regarding its future leadership structure following the deaths of several senior officials during the war.

Whoever emerges victorious will inherit a weakened but still influential terror organization seeking to rebuild its leadership and maintain its position in the Palestinian arena.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A Jewish man who was buried nearly 25 years ago without a matzeivah has at last received one, restoring kavod hameis to a niftar who had largely been forgotten.

The effort began following a conversation between Levi Piekarski, an askan involved in restoring neglected Jewish graves, and Rabbi Aaron Margolin of the Chabad House of Virginia. In the course of their discussion, Rabbi Margolin recalled being mesader a levayah for a Yid nearly a quarter-century ago. For all the years that had passed since, no matzeivah had ever been set up at the kever.

That recollection set off a lengthy effort to establish the niftar’s proper name and to arrange for a permanent matzeivah.

Rabbi Piekarski told YWN that pinning down the correct name proved no simple matter. He was in touch with numerous organizations and individuals, among them members of the chevra kadisha and others familiar with burial records, but at first met one dead end after another. But after weeks of research, the niftar’s Hebrew name was finally confirmed as Yirmiyahu Yaakov ben Yosef.

With the identification complete, work began on setting up a proper matzeivah. The monument was erected on Chof Sivan, nearly 25 years after the original kevurah.

Rabbi Piekarski – who has had a hand in restoring more than 350 neglected kevarim and matzeivos – extended his hakoras hatov to Rabbi Shimon Goldman of the chevra kadisha, who helped see the installation of the matzeivah through to completion.

Projects such as restoring neglected kevarim and erecting matzeivos for niftarim who have no family or means of their own typically depend on private donations. Each restoration calls for considerable time, research, and expense, from tracking down burial records to designing and setting up a proper matzeivah.

To have a part in future matzeivah restorations, or to learn more about ongoing projects, be in touch with Rabbi Levi Piekarski at 516-474-5846 or [email protected].

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF confirmed Tuesday that damage was caused at the Israeli Air Force’s Ramat David Airbase during Iran’s ballistic missile barrage earlier this week, though officials stressed that the base’s operational capabilities were not affected.

The acknowledgment comes after satellite imagery appeared to show damage to a warehouse structure within the strategic northern airbase.

According to preliminary findings, the damage was likely caused by fragments from an Iranian ballistic missile that fell after being intercepted by Israeli air defenses, rather than by a direct missile strike.

An Israeli military source said the object that struck the structure was believed to be shrapnel or debris from a missile intercepted during the attack.

The Israeli Air Force is continuing to investigate the incident and assess the full extent of the damage.

The military emphasized that no personnel were injured, no equipment was damaged, and flight operations at the base continued uninterrupted.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had previously claimed that it directly targeted Ramat David Airbase during one of its first waves of ballistic missile attacks against Israel. Iranian state media even released footage purporting to show missiles being launched toward Israeli targets.

Ramat David Airbase, one of the Israeli Air Force’s most important installations, played a key role in Israel’s recent operations against Iran and Hezbollah.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Protests over the arrest of Yeshiva Bochurim intensified across Israel on Wednesday after the Eda Chareidis took the unusual step of ordering the closure of all its kollelim and calling on its members to join demonstrations nationwide.

In a statement issued by members of the Eida Chareidis Badatz, headed by HaGaon HaRav Moshe Sternbuch, participants were urged to wage a “war” against what they described as efforts by authorities to transfer Yeshiva students and avreichim to military custody.

“Following the authorities’ attempt to hand over dozens of bochurim and avreichim to military prison, every individual has an obligation to go out and protest with mesirus nefesh at the gates of prisons throughout the country in order to stop the destruction,” the statement said.

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Following the directive, Eida Chareidis kollelim closed their doors and large numbers of avreichim joined demonstrations already underway in several cities, including Jerusalem.

The protests were initially organized by members of the Peleg Yerushalmi following reports that police intended to transfer 19 Yeshiva Bochurim arrested during last week’s demonstration outside the home of Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg to military authorities.

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According to organizers, demonstrations were held simultaneously at four major locations: near Nitzan Prison in Ramle, the Russian Compound in Jerusalem, near Hadarim Prison along Route 4 between Ra’anana and Netanya, and in the Abu Kabir area serving the Bnei Brak and central Israel region.

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In Jerusalem, clashes broke out between protesters and police. Authorities used crowd-control measures, including stun grenades and mounted police units, to disperse demonstrators and reopen blocked roads.

Police said protesters attacked officers, threw objects, and refused repeated orders to disperse. Law enforcement officials stated that Border Police, riot-control units, and other specialized forces were deployed to restore order and keep major traffic arteries open.

The demonstrations come one week after a separate protest outside Justice Solberg’s home, during which dozens of demonstrators allegedly damaged property, shattered windows, and vandalized the entrance to the residence. More than 70 people were arrested during that incident.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is reportedly considering major changes to the Likud’s internal election system as the party begins preparing for the next national election, according to a report in Israel Hayom.

Sources familiar with the discussions say Netanyahu is weighing three possible options for determining the party’s Knesset slate.

The first option would eliminate party primaries altogether and replace them with a selection committee made up of senior party figures and Likud-affiliated local leaders who would determine the candidate list.

The second option would preserve the primary system but significantly expand the number of candidates Netanyahu could personally place on the list through reserved slots.

The third option would leave the current system unchanged and hold traditional primaries as in previous election cycles.

A senior Likud minister predicted that primaries will ultimately remain in place but said Netanyahu is likely to seek broader authority over reserved positions on the list.

“The grassroots won’t easily give up their right to choose,” the minister said.

Others within the party argue that substantial changes are necessary if Likud hopes to strengthen its electoral prospects.

“Likud must improve the quality of its candidate slate,” a senior party official reportedly said. “Without significant personnel changes, the party could lose valuable votes in the next election.”

The debate is also generating legal challenges.

Likud Comptroller Attorney Shay Galili has reportedly drafted a legal opinion stating that abolishing the primary system would require broad approval from party members.

The draft opinion also warns that a major expansion of Netanyahu’s authority to reserve slots could face legal obstacles and argues that candidates should not be placed on the list without first participating in the regular selection process.

Meanwhile, concerns over allegedly coordinated membership drives continue to loom over the discussion. Party insiders warn that if claims of organized registration efforts prove accurate, they could significantly influence future primary results and create new internal power centers within Likud.

“If these concerns materialize, independent power blocs could emerge within the party,” one source warned. “That would pose a direct threat to the faction’s stability and its ability to form and manage a stable coalition.”

The issue is expected to become one of the most closely watched internal battles in Likud as Netanyahu and party leaders begin positioning themselves for the next election campaign.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Yair Golan, the chairman of The Democrats party, slammed the decision of Dati Leumi Roshei Yeshivos to forbid their talmidim from enlisting in the IDF’s Armored Corps due to the IDF’s decision to advance a pilot program integrating female soldiers into tank units.

“This letter is a disgrace,” Golan said. “Women will integrate wherever they want and in every position the IDF needs them. Everyone will perform full military service, including Religious Zionists and Chareidim, and no sector will dictate conditions to the state. The IDF is the state’s national army, not a sectoral militia.”

UTJ Yaakov Asher responded by directing criticism not only at Golan but also at Religious Zionist chairman Betzalel Smotrich and other Religious Zionist figures.

“Smotrich, [MK Moshe] Solomon, HaRav Medan, and the entire chorus that has so enjoyed attacking the Chareidim lately,” Asher said. “As I have said repeatedly, you are a target just like us—if not more so.”

“Keep drilling holes in the ship, but don’t complain afterward. Understand that they don’t distinguish between ‘Chareidim’ and ‘Religious Zionists.’ We’re labeled ‘draft dodgers,’ and you’re labeled ‘messianics!'”

Meanwhile, senior military officials are warning that the High Court has placed them in an impossible situation as the IDF cannot afford to lose dozens of combat soldiers each draft cycle in exchange for a few female soldiers a year.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

A new report claims that elite American paratroopers were secretly deployed to Israel as part of U.S. contingency planning for a possible military operation against Iran.

According to independent American journalist Ken Klippenstein, internal U.S. Army deployment orders indicate that elements of the famed 82nd Airborne Division were sent to Israel earlier this year, despite Pentagon announcements only stating that the troops were being deployed to the broader Middle East region.

The report alleges that when the Pentagon announced the deployment of forces from the 82nd Airborne Division in March, it omitted a key detail: some of the troops were reportedly sent directly to Israel rather than to traditional American bases in the Gulf.

The 82nd Airborne Division is one of the U.S. military’s premier rapid-response units, trained for airborne assaults, deep penetration missions, and the rapid seizure of strategic territory in hostile environments.

According to Klippenstein, a military source familiar with operational planning claimed the deployment was linked to joint U.S.-Israeli contingency plans developed in recent months. Among the scenarios reportedly discussed were the possible seizure of Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical hub for the country’s oil exports, and the establishment of a foothold along Iran’s coastline.

The report cites an April 7, 2026 deployment order directing personnel from the 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment — known as the “Geronimo” Battalion — to deploy to Israel on temporary assignment.

To date, the Pentagon has not publicly acknowledged any deployment of U.S. combat troops to Israel. Official statements have only indicated that the forces were assigned to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operations in the region.

According to the report, keeping Israel’s role confidential may have been intended to avoid public scrutiny of potential U.S. involvement in future military operations against Iran, while also sparing Gulf Arab allies from the political sensitivities associated with hosting such missions.

Military analysts note that positioning forces in Israel would provide Washington with greater operational flexibility by reducing reliance on regional partners for logistical approvals in the event of a crisis.

Kharg Island, located in the Persian Gulf, is considered one of Iran’s most strategically important economic assets, serving as a primary export terminal for Iranian oil. Any operation targeting the island would represent a major escalation and could significantly impact Iran’s economy.

The report does not claim that any ground operation against Iran is imminent. Rather, it suggests that Washington sought to preserve a broad range of military options during a period of heightened tensions with Tehran.

Neither the Pentagon nor Israeli officials have publicly commented on the claims.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump signaled Wednesday that the United States is preparing to resume military strikes against Iran, citing a lack of progress in negotiations and the recent downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump expressed frustration with Tehran’s pace in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict and suggested that military action could soon follow.

“We’re going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard,” Trump said.

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The president appeared to point to the Apache helicopter incident as justification for renewed military action.

“Based on the helicopter, I guess we have the right to do that,” Trump told reporters.

Trump said discussions with Iran have continued for months but complained that Tehran has failed to finalize an agreement.

“I’ve been working with Iran for a number of months,” he said. “They should sign the deal. It’s a good deal.”

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The president repeatedly criticized what he described as Iranian stalling tactics.

“It was just tap, tap, tap,” Trump said. “I don’t know what they’re doing.”

Later in the exchange, Trump declined to rule out attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, as he vented frustration over the pace of the negotiations.

“They’re tapping and tapping, and they say, ‘All right, let’s give them a couple of more days,’” Trump said. “They’re tapping because it’s a meaningful paper.”

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The comments mark one of Trump’s strongest warnings yet toward Tehran and come amid heightened tensions following the reported downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing efforts to broker a broader agreement between Washington and the Iranian regime.

It remains unclear whether the administration has made a final decision regarding additional military action.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli police have completed their investigation into the murder of HaRav Yishai Por inside Bnei Brak’s Chazon Ish and have filed a prosecutor’s declaration against the suspect, Guy Echtlinger, clearing the way for a murder indictment to be filed in the coming days.

As YWN reported, the horrific attack occurred while Reb Yishai was learning with his only son, 13, who was born after many years of marriage. He was critically wounded in the stabbing and later pronounced dead at the hospital.

At the same time, questions continue to surround the suspect’s mental condition and the failure to carry out multiple court orders requiring a psychiatric evaluation.

According to reports, the court has issued three separate orders directing that Echtlinger undergo psychiatric observation in a hospital setting. None of those orders have yet been carried out.

On June 3, a judge ordered that the suspect be transferred for psychiatric evaluation. The district psychiatrist reportedly declined, arguing that a meaningful examination could not yet be conducted at that stage of the proceedings.

The following day, the court issued a second explicit order directing that the examination proceed and that the suspect be transferred before Shabbos. That order was also not implemented.

On June 7, the court again ordered that Echtlinger be transferred for psychiatric observation and requested an explanation from prison authorities regarding the failure to comply with the previous directives.

It was revealed Wednesday that this order, too, had not been carried out.

In response, the judge again ordered that the suspect be transferred for psychiatric examination as soon as possible, specifically noting that multiple prior court orders had gone unfulfilled.

The judge further stressed the need to comply with earlier rulings and noted that higher courts had already determined that a competency evaluation may begin at this stage of the legal process.

Until the psychiatric examination is completed, the court ordered that the suspect remain in custody under hospitalization conditions.

A formal murder indictment is expected to be filed in the coming days.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The U.S. military launched new waves of airstrikes against multiple targets across Iran on Wednesday evening, with explosions reported from the Strait of Hormuz to the outskirts of Tehran, marking the second major round of American attacks in two days and the fulfillment of hours of threats from President Trump and his top defense official.

U.S. Central Command said its forces began launching additional self-defense strikes at 5:15 p.m. ET at the direction of the commander in chief, calling them a response to Iran’s “unwarranted and continued aggression.” Iranian outlets reported explosions and activated air defenses in Sirik, Minab, and on Qeshm Island in the southern Hormozgan province near the strait, as well as in Isfahan and western Tehran. Iran’s state broadcaster said air defenses were also triggered in Asaluyeh, a hub of the country’s energy industry.

Trump had convened his national security team in the Situation Room on Wednesday to weigh additional attacks, hours after posting that Iran had taken too long to negotiate and warning on social media, “now they will have to pay the price.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, speaking earlier at CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, vowed strikes that would be “strong and clear” and said the U.S. had used the ceasefire period to sharpen its intelligence gathering and target selection on Iran.

President Trump told Fox News that Iranian officials contacted him while he was in the Situation Room and asked that the U.S. stop its bombing campaign. According to Trump, U.S. forces fired 49 Tomahawk missiles at targets in Iran, including sites near the Strait of Hormuz, targeting air defense systems and radar installations.

Asked what would happen if Iran refuses to sign an agreement, Trump responded: “We’ll bomb them again tomorrow night.”

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Wednesday’s barrage builds on a first round a day earlier. Those strikes hit Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz, retaliation for the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter. Iran said it answered with 21 attacks on U.S. military targets across the Middle East.

Tehran signaled it would not absorb the new strikes quietly. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any attack or threat against Iran would be met with a response, and the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency, citing a military source, said Iran would target additional U.S. interests if Washington kept up the attacks. President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country would “remain steadfast in the face of any pressure or threat.”

This is a developing story.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Knesset plenum on Wednesday approved the Basic Law: Limmud Torah, in a preliminary reading, with 56 lawmakers voting in favor and 42 opposed.

The legislation formally recognizes Limmud Torah as a fundamental value of the State of Israel.

Under the proposal, Limmud Torah would be enshrined as a foundational national value, and Lomdei Torah would be recognized as making a significant contribution to the state, including with respect to the benefits and rights they receive.

Because the measure is a Basic Law, it will require the support of 61 MKs in its second and third readings.

UTJ MK Yisrael Eichler said, “The Basic Law: Limmud Torah that passed in the Knesset aroused violent opposition from the antisemites, enemies of the Torah and its students. In contrast, most of the elected representatives of the Jewish people stood up and supported it out of love for the Torah and its students.

“This is not just another bureaucratic law, but a law that expresses the cry of the entire Jewish people from one end of the world to the other. This is a law that demands an end to the cruel persecution against Lomdei Torah in the Holy Land. It is intended to restore the honor of Bnei Torah who were trampled in the Holy Land, under the boots of the dictatorial jurists who seized power.”

UTJ MK Meir Porush said: “The Jewish people do not need legislation to recognize that Limmud Torah study is a foundational value of the Jewish nation.”

“Unfortunately, due to the malicious conduct of the legal system and the systematic persecution of Torah scholars in recent years, we were forced to address this through the Basic Law: Limmud Torah.”

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri called the bill’s approval “a historic step toward recognizing the supreme value of the holy Torah and the tremendous contribution of Lomdei Torah to Am Yisrael.”

“The Torah is the secret of our existence, and it is what has preserved the Jewish people throughout the generations,” Deri said. “Shas will continue working resolutely until the legislation is completed and Torah and its scholars receive the honor they deserve.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Senior IDF officials are expressing concern over the implications of a High Court ruling mandating the integration of female soldiers into tank units in the wake of the decision by 12 Roshei Yeshivos Hesder to forbid their talmidim from serving in the Armored Corps beginning with the next draft cycle.

According to a Ynet report, a senior military official said that “the High Court has placed us in an impossible position.” He warned of the operational consequences of losing dozens of combat soldiers in every draft cycle in exchange for a few female tank soldiers a year.

The official said the Roshei Yeshivos’ decision to stop sending their talmidim to the Armored Corps—similar to a previous step regarding the Artillery Corps—creates a significant challenge for the military at a time when it is already facing a substantial shortage of combat soldiers.

“From an operational standpoint, the equation created by the High Court ruling is clear: a handful of female tank soldiers each year versus giving up dozens of combat soldiers in every draft cycle,” the official said.

“If the Rabbanim carry out their threat, it will not be possible to do both. We’ve already seen the consequences in the Artillery Corps, and we can’t afford a similar situation to develop in the Armored Corps while also meeting the requirements dictated by the High Court.”

The Armored Corps plays a key role in combat operations on multiple fronts.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Donald Trump told Fox News the United States is closing in on a decision to strike Iranian power plants and bridges, accusing Tehran of “tapping the U.S. along” through stalled negotiations.

“I may keep going,” Trump told Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst. “They had a chance to sign a deal and survive.” The president said he was getting closer to ordering the military to hit Iran’s civilian infrastructure, accusing Iranian leaders of dragging their feet on a peace agreement that has gone weeks without progress.

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The comments came hours after U.S. forces struck Iranian targets overnight in retaliation for the downing of a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. A senior U.S. official told Fox News that 20 targets inside Iran were hit Tuesday night. U.S. Central Command said the strikes had ended but that the situation remained “active,” and that American forces were prepared to respond if Iran retaliated again.

In the same interview, Trump offered new details about how the Apache went down. He said the Iranian drone that hit the helicopter got “lodged between the two pilots,” and that the drone was on fire but did not explode as the crew brought the helicopter down into the water.

The two crew members were rescued within about two hours by an unmanned Navy surface vessel, in what the military described as the first operation of its kind. The drone boat, a roughly 24-foot uncrewed craft operated by CENTCOM’s Task Force 59, found the soldiers off the coast of Oman, and both were reported safe and in stable condition. A U.S. official told Axios that an Iranian drone struck the aircraft, though investigators had not determined whether the hit was intentional. CNN reported the weapon may have been a Shahed-type attack drone, a slow-moving model that flies to preset coordinates, a detail that could support the theory that the strike was not deliberate.

CENTCOM said the retaliatory strikes targeted Iranian air defense sites, ground-control stations and surveillance radar near the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil passes.

Iran answered quickly. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched drone attacks on the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait, along with a long-range missile strike on a base in Azraq, Jordan. It claimed it hit 21 U.S. targets and destroyed four, including an F-35 hangar at the base in Jordan.

U.S. assessments said nearly all of the missiles and drones were intercepted. Jordan said it shot down five Iranian missiles, with shrapnel causing no damage or casualties. Iran said the U.S. strikes hit reservoirs supplying drinking water to 20,000 people. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would leave no attack unanswered.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Michoel Petrov, a talmid of the Maalos HaTorah yeshivah, was sentenced on Wednesday by the military court to 40 days in prison.

Petrov is the son of HaRav Yosef Petrov, the Rosh Yeshiva of Maalos HaTorah and one of the leaders of Peleg Yerushalmi.

The ruling was issued due to Petrov’s refusal to report to the military induction office and discontinue his yeshivah studies, as well as the fact that he had been classified as a draft evader for five years.

The sentence was harsher than usual because Petrov had been a draft evader for five years. Peleg Yerushalmi denounced the sentence, saying that “he was arrested for the crime of Limmud Torah.”

Peleg Yerushalmi is expected to hold large-scale protests, possibly on Thursday. Protests had originally been planned for this past Monday but were postponed due to missile launches from Iran.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Donald Trump issued a blistering statement Wednesday morning, declaring that Iran’s military has been decisively defeated and warning that the Islamic Republic will now “pay the price” for rejecting earlier opportunities to reach a deal.

In a post released amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, Trump claimed that much of Iran’s military capability has effectively been destroyed.

“Iran’s Military is a complete and total mess,” Trump wrote. “Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore – They have been completely defeated.”

The president went on to mock Tehran’s recent threats and military claims, describing Iran as “all talk and no action.”

In one of the most striking lines of the statement, Trump declared: “The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!!”

Trump also asserted that Iran squandered opportunities to negotiate a favorable agreement with the United States before the conflict escalated.

“They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!” he wrote.

The remarks come amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation in the region following U.S. strikes on Iranian targets and Tehran’s subsequent claims of retaliatory attacks against American military installations throughout the Middle East.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump issued a blistering statement Wednesday morning, declaring that Iran’s military has been decisively defeated and warning that the Islamic Republic will now “pay the price” for rejecting earlier opportunities to reach a deal.

In a post released amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, Trump claimed that much of Iran’s military capability has effectively been destroyed.

“Iran’s Military is a complete and total mess,” Trump wrote. “Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore – They have been completely defeated.”

The president went on to mock Tehran’s recent threats and military claims, describing Iran as “all talk and no action.”

In one of the most striking lines of the statement, Trump declared: “The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!!”

Trump also asserted that Iran squandered opportunities to negotiate a favorable agreement with the United States before the conflict escalated.

“They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!” he wrote.

The remarks come amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation in the region following U.S. strikes on Iranian targets and Tehran’s subsequent claims of retaliatory attacks against American military installations throughout the Middle East.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

An anti-Israel progressive candidate who has faced scrutiny over a Nazi Totenkopf tattoo and past abuse allegations has won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Maine, setting up a high-profile general election showdown against longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins.

Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and former planning board chairman from the town of Sullivan, emerged victorious in the Democratic primary after a campaign that drew large crowds and strong support from the party’s progressive wing. He was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders, who campaigned alongside him in the final stretch before the election.

Platner, who has no experience in high elected office, made criticism of the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC a central theme of his campaign while also focusing on issues such as housing affordability and healthcare.

His victory is expected to intensify scrutiny of several controversies that surfaced during the campaign, including reports that he long displayed a Nazi Totenkopf tattoo on his chest. The Totenkopf, or “death’s head,” was prominently used by Nazi SS units during World War II and remains widely associated with Nazi ideology. Platner has also faced allegations of abuse, which have drawn criticism from opponents.

The race now moves to the general election, where Platner will challenge Collins, one of the Senate’s longest-serving Republicans and the only GOP senator representing New England.

Republicans are expected to make Platner’s anti-Israel positions, the Nazi tattoo controversy, and other personal allegations central issues in the campaign as they seek to hold the seat in what could become one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Nineteen of the detainees from the protest outside the home of High Court Justice Noam Sohlberg are classified as draft evaders and are expected to be transferred in the coming hours to the Military Police for further detention and possible prosecution through the military justice system.

Most of the remaining detainees were released to house arrest under restrictive conditions.

The court approved the release of 48 suspects to eight days of house arrest, subject to a NIS 1,000 bond and additional restrictions, including bans on contact with certain individuals and participation in gatherings.

Police are expected to request an extension of detention for only four detainees on alleged charges of vandalism.

The majority of the detainees were imprisoned for a week despite the lack of evidence that they had committed any offenses.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Donald Trump met on Tuesday at the White House with former Hamas hostage Rom Braslavski, who credited the U.S. president with helping secure his release after 738 days in captivity.

Photos from the meeting show Braslavski wearing a shirt emblazoned with the Hebrew words, “Thank you very much, Trump.”

According to Israel Hayom, this was Braslavski’s first meeting with Trump. He was unable to join a delegation of former hostages and family members that met with the president in November 2025 due to mental health challenges following his ordeal in captivity. Reports at the time indicated that Braslavski was suffering from PTSD and was concerned that the trip would be too difficult.

Following the White House meeting, Braslavski shared an emotional message on Instagram directed at the president.

“Mr. President Donald Trump – you are the man who got me out from the hell of 738 days of captivity,” he wrote. “You are my hero, may God bless you, may God bless America.”

Braslavski was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, while working as a security guard at the Nova music festival. He remained in captivity for more than two years before being freed in October 2025.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

As 51 Chareidim remain in custody a week after the protest outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Noam Solhberg in Alon Shvut, Attorney Natan Rosenblatt accused law enforcement authorities of carrying out an unprecedented wave of arrests despite the lack of evidence against the majority of the detainees.

Speaking on Kol Chai, Rosenblatt said that 65 protesters were initially arrested and appeared before multiple judges who reached completely different conclusions regarding their cases.

“Some judges ordered immediate release, while others extended the detentions by four, five, and even six days,” he said.

According to Rosenblatt, out of the 65 detainees, there is no evidence that 64 of them committed any offense. He emphasized that even if acts of vandalism occurred during the protest, that does not justify the mass arrest of all participants. “Never in the history of the State of Israel has an entire group of protesters been arrested because of the actions of one individual,” he said.

He revealed that during the hearings in the Magistrate’s Court, the police struggled to present any evidentiary basis justifying continued detention.

“The judge asked on what basis these people were being held, and the police had no answer,” he said.

He added that the lower court initially ordered the detainees released, but that decision was later delayed following an appeal to the district court.

Rosenblat explained that after appeals were filed by both the police and the detainees’ attorneys, it was decided that most of the detainees would remain in custody until Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Meanwhile, all minors were released, as well as several additional detainees, due to medical grounds. However, new suspects were arrested in other cases connected to the protests, including the brutal arrest of a Chareidi photographer.

“There is no real reason for these arrests other than an attempt to silence the Chareidi public,” he said.

Concluding the interview, Rosenblatt warned of the broader implications for the entire Chareidi sector, saying that the mass arrests are actually increasing solidarity with the protesters rather than weakening it.

“You’re turning everyone into Peleg Yerushalmi,” he said, referring to the police’s conduct.

In a separate report, Kol Chai correspondent Nati Kalish addressed the legal developments regarding the protesters, saying: “This is complete absurdity. Buses of protesters arrived to legally demonstrate, and among them were only a handful—maybe three to five people—who acted violently, broke a window, and damaged plants in the yard. The police are now holding 51 people in custody without any individual evidence, purely as political revenge. The judges handling these detention extensions are in a clear conflict of interest. Where was this collective punishment when it came to the Kaplan activists?”

Kalish described what happened on Sunday, when police brutally arrested a Chareidi man who had filmed the incident: “The police are trying to use his footage to fish for suspects because they have no other investigative material. Why wasn’t the Channel 13 cameraman, who had the exact same footage, arrested with the same brutality? The cameraman came to do his job, and I hope he stays strong. If he’s not obligated to hand over the material, he shouldn’t do so.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The terrorist who infiltrated Israel from Lebanon on Tuesday was discovered hiding in an abandoned IDF guard post near the moshav of Margaliot, Kan News reported.

According to the report, the armed terrorist managed to reach an area just a few hundred meters from the homes on the moshav before taking cover inside the guard post.

Security defense officials believe that he intended to continue toward one of the nearby yishuvim.

A series of unusual circumstances led to his discovery. Shortly before the incident, an IDF logistics soldier had been dispatched to the area following a report of a brush fire. While searching the area, he spotted the terrorist running toward the guard post and immediately reported the sighting. IDF soldiers quickly arrived at the scene and were met by gunfire. They returned fire at the terrorist and killed him.

The terrorist was wearing a Hezbollah-style camouflage uniform and Crocs and was carrying a pistol and a knife.

Following the incident, IDF commando forces launched extensive searches in the area amid concerns that additional terrorists had infiltrated the area.

The incident is now under investigation by Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, who is seeking to determine how the terrorist was able to cross into Israel and approach a civilian community without being detected until he was discovered by “chance.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Twelve leading Roshei Yeshivos of Hesder issued a joint statement on Tuesday declaring that they are forbidding their talmidim from enlisting in the IDF’s Armored Corps in the next draft cycle.

The move comes in response to the IDF’s decision to advance a pilot program integrating female soldiers into tank units. The program, expected to begin with the November draft, was advanced following the High Court ruling requiring the IDF to integrate female soldiers into tank units this year.

In a letter sent to the IDF, the Rabbanim wrote: “We, the undersigned, Roshei Yeshivos Hesder, whose students are serving on the front lines of the war, view the High Court’s decision requiring the IDF to integrate female soldiers into tank units with great severity.”

“We are pained by the weak response of the government and the IDF, which expressed no opposition to this move. As Roshei Yeshivos, we are fully aware of the weight of the responsibility placed upon our shoulders. The IDF is the army of Am Yisrael, and the kedushah of the military camp is the foundation of the IDF’s spirit and its success in defeating the enemy. Integrating female soldiers into tank crews alongside male soldiers has both spiritual and operational consequences that harm combat effectiveness.”

“After careful and extensive deliberation, we have concluded that service in the Armored Corps is prohibited according to halacha, and therefore we will not send our students to serve in the Armored Corps beginning with the next draft cycle,” they wrote.

“The thousands of our students who enlist in combat units will continue to do so out of a feeling of shlichus, but the responsibility rests with the IDF to provide an appropriate combat framework for soldiers with combat profiles who are not suited for infantry service.”

IDF officials have expressed deep concern over the decision, warning that the dispute could significantly affect tank crew staffing at a time when the Armored Corps continues to play a central role in combat operations on multiple fronts.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Twelve leading Roshei Yeshivos of Hesder issued a joint statement on Tuesday declaring that they are forbidding their talmidim from enlisting in the IDF’s Armored Corps in the next draft cycle.

The move comes in response to the IDF’s decision to advance a pilot program integrating female soldiers into tank units. The program, expected to begin with the November draft, was advanced following the High Court ruling requiring the IDF to integrate female soldiers into tank units this year.

In a letter sent to the IDF, the Rabbanim wrote: “We, the undersigned, Roshei Yeshivos Hesder, whose students are serving on the front lines of the war, view the High Court’s decision requiring the IDF to integrate female soldiers into tank units with great severity.”

“We are pained by the weak response of the government and the IDF, which expressed no opposition to this move. As Roshei Yeshivos, we are fully aware of the weight of the responsibility placed upon our shoulders. The IDF is the army of Am Yisrael, and the kedushah of the military camp is the foundation of the IDF’s spirit and its success in defeating the enemy. Integrating female soldiers into tank crews alongside male soldiers has both spiritual and operational consequences that harm combat effectiveness.”

“After careful and extensive deliberation, we have concluded that service in the Armored Corps is prohibited according to halacha, and therefore we will not send our students to serve in the Armored Corps beginning with the next draft cycle,” they wrote.

“The thousands of our students who enlist in combat units will continue to do so out of a feeling of shlichus, but the responsibility rests with the IDF to provide an appropriate combat framework for soldiers with combat profiles who are not suited for infantry service.”

IDF officials have expressed deep concern over the decision, warning that the dispute could significantly affect tank crew staffing at a time when the Armored Corps continues to play a central role in combat operations on multiple fronts.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Former senior Mossad official Oded Eilam sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of negotiations with Iran, warning that Israel’s confrontation with Tehran is far from over and describing the current situation as merely a temporary pause.

“It’s difficult to summarize where we are because we’re only in a pause,” Eilam said. “We haven’t finished anything, just as we haven’t finished anything on any front. We have achieved extraordinary military successes in every arena, but they are not truly being translated into diplomatic achievements.”

Eilam argued that one of the primary reasons for that gap is Trump’s approach toward Tehran.

“One of the central reasons is a capricious president named Trump, who is conducting negotiations in the Iranian bazaar,” Eilam said. “Every morning he comes to his stall with a sign that says, ‘By the end of the day I have to sell all my merchandise,’ and expects prices to drop. He doesn’t understand the terminology of the Middle East or its dialectic. The Iranians are giving him a master class.”

Despite the criticism, Eilam emphasized that Israel owes Trump a significant debt of gratitude.

“We have an enormous debt to this man,” he said. “He brought the Abraham Accords, was the dominant force behind the hostage deal, did what seven presidents before him failed to do, and struck Iran, which suffered severe blows.”

At the same time, Eilam warned that Trump can sometimes act against his own interests.

“We are dealing with a president who at times operates against his own interests and could write a glorious chapter in Barbara Tuchman’s ‘The March of Folly,’” he said.

Turning to the conflict with Iran and Hezbollah, Eilam said Israel must continue rejecting attempts by Tehran to dictate the rules of engagement.

“Israel must disconnect the equation in which the Iranian lawyer tells his Lebanese client, ‘I represent you, and I don’t care what you say,’” he said. “Israel did not accept that equation. Israel is sending a very clear message that the key to Beirut hangs on the wall in Tehran.”

Eilam argued that Israel’s most significant achievement in Lebanon has been its growing territorial control and continued pressure on Hezbollah.

“The thing that hurts the Iranians and Hezbollah the most is the loss of territory, and we are continuing to deepen that reality,” he said.

According to Eilam, Tehran is increasingly worried about growing cracks within Lebanese society, including among Hezbollah’s own Shiite base.

“What worries the Iranians most is that they are seeing the beginning of an internal unraveling in Lebanon, including within the Shiite community, where people are starting to ask questions,” he said.

“I speak with Lebanese people and closely follow what is happening there. We have never seen such sharp questions being asked from across the political spectrum.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Middle East appeared to move another step closer to a wider conflict on Tuesday night after Iran claimed it launched a large-scale retaliatory operation targeting U.S. military installations across the region.

In a series of statements published by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Tehran asserted that it struck 21 U.S. military targets, including air and naval facilities, following American attacks on Iranian targets earlier in the day.

Among the most dramatic claims was Iran’s assertion that it targeted Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan, including hangars housing advanced F-35 fighter jets and a U.S. command-and-control center. Iranian state-linked channels described the operation as a response to what they called ongoing American aggression against the Islamic Republic.

The IRGC also claimed responsibility for drone attacks targeting the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and said it had shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone. Iranian officials further alleged that U.S. strikes had hit locations along Iran’s southern coast, including Jask, Sirik, and Qeshm Island, damaging civilian infrastructure such as a telecommunications tower and water facilities.

Despite the sweeping Iranian claims, U.S. officials have not confirmed any successful attacks on American bases, aircraft, or naval assets.

A senior U.S. official told Fox News that approximately 20 targets inside Iran were struck Tuesday night as part of the American response. While U.S. Central Command indicated that its offensive operations had concluded, officials emphasized that the situation remains active and that American forces throughout the region remain prepared to respond to any further Iranian action.

At this stage, many of Iran’s claims remain unverified, and independent confirmation of damage or casualties has not been released.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Hundreds of Lakewood’s rabbanim, roshei yeshiva, roshei chaburah, dayanim, poskim, and marbitzei Torah assembled Sunday evening at Lakewood High School for an unprecedented maamad led by Harav Dov Landau shlit”a.

The evening opened with remarks from R’ Reuven Wolf shlit”a, who described the urgent circumstances that brought Rav Dov to America. Over the past two years, he explained, Keren Olam HaTorah has distributed more than $250 million to yeshivos and kollelim throughout Eretz Yisroel following the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision to halt critical government funding that had long served as the financial backbone of mosdos hatorah.

R’ Reuven noted the painful irony that while the court ruled that welfare benefits for the children of terrorists could not be curtailed, it demanded the termination of support for the children of lomdei Torah, highlighting the increasingly hostility confronting bnei Torah in Eretz Yisroel.

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Speaking b’shem Rav Dov and the other gedolei roshei hayeshiva guiding Keren Olam HaTorah, Rav Wolf called upon the assembled rabbanim and marbitzei Torah to designate the upcoming Shabbos, Parshas Shelach, as “Shabbos Keren Olam HaTorah,” urging their respective kehillos to rally behind the lomdei Torah of Eretz Yisroel and be mechazek their support for the mosdos hatorah facing unprecedented challenges.

Shortly thereafter, Rav Dov entered the packed auditorium to the palpable and reverent excitement of the assembled talmidei chachomim.

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In a brief address, Rav Dov spoke movingly about the difficult matzav facing bnei Torah in Eretz Yisroel, describing the mounting pressures, gezeiros, and threats confronting lomdei Torah and avreichim. He stressed that while American rabbanim and marbitzei Torah may feel physically distant from the struggle, they possess a unique ability to inspire their talmidim and kehillos to become active partners in sustaining the Torah world.

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“The hichayvus now resting upon your shoulders,” Rav Dov declared, “is your ability to influence your talmidim and those who listen to you.”

Rav Dov called upon the rabbanim to help expand Keren Olam Hatorah’s circle of supporters and ensure that the kol Torah is not silenced because of financial hardship.

The evening, however, did not conclude with the speech. What followed was a scene rarely witnessed even in the Torah capital of America.

For more than an hour, Rav Dov engaged the assembled talmidei chachomim in a breathtaking rischa d’oraysa, traversing numerous shvere sugyos throughout Shas and Poskim. Question followed question, answer followed answer, as the gadol hador demonstrated a mastery of Torah that left participants awestruck.

Despite having just arrived from Eretz Yisroel after an exhausting international trip undertaken for the sake of saving Toras Eretz Yisroel, Rav Dov remained fully immersed in the give-and-take of learning, discussing complex sugyos with extraordinary clarity, depth, and intensity.

In the wake of the recent tragedy in which a child lost their life after being forgotten in a vehicle, YWN has learned of a new initiative aimed at helping prevent such tragedies in the future.

An anonymous sponsor has stepped forward to provide sponsored access to playgroups, daycares, and summer camps that wish to implement the DropGuard safety system, which automatically alerts parents if their child doesn’t show up when expected.

The sponsor’s goal is simple: no parent should ever have to endure the pain of another preventable loss.

The system can be used on virtually any tablet, smartphone, or computer. The sponsor is also offering a limited number of filtered / locked tablets to playgroups and camps that do not already have a suitable device.

In a statement provided to The YWN, the sponsor said, “We’ve seen enough pain. This is our community’s opportunity to take a simple step that could help prevent the next tragedy.”

Eligible daycares, playgroups, and summer camps can apply for a sponsored or subsidized account by filling out the application form here.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a sharp warning Tuesday to the United States and other foreign militaries operating near Iran, saying they should leave the region or face the risk of becoming entangled in future confrontations.

The warning came amid soaring tensions following President Trump’s claim that Iran was responsible for bringing down a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.

“Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire,” Araghchi wrote in a post on X.

“To reduce risk, the best solution is for foreign forces to exit, as soon as possible, an environment which will never be hospitable to a hostile presence,” he added.

Araghchi also emphasized that while Iran prefers diplomacy, it is prepared to respond militarily if necessary.

“While we prefer the language of diplomacy, as our brave warriors have shown to the world, we know how to speak other languages too,” he said.

The comments echoed similar remarks made earlier by Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who recently vowed that Tehran would defeat American pressure and continue defending its interests throughout the region.

Araghchi further argued that the Strait of Hormuz is not an international waterway but rather a body of water shared by Iran and Oman. He warned that Iran’s armed forces remain on constant alert for any violation of Iranian airspace, territory, or territorial waters.

The strategic waterway, however, is widely recognized under international maritime law as an international strait through which commercial and military vessels have the right of transit passage.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that any peace agreement between Washington and Tehran would be “a home run for the American people,” regardless of whether Israel supports it.

In an interview on Fox News, Vance said the United States and Israel “have a lot of shared interests, but we also have some situations where our interests diverge.” While Israel had its own objectives, he said, Washington’s central aim was narrower: ensuring that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.

“Israel may like that, they may not like that,” Vance said of the prospective agreement. “But fundamentally, we think this is in the best interest of the United States of America.”

The vice president argued that any deal Trump reached would be stronger than the 2015 nuclear accord struck under President Barack Obama, which Trump abandoned in 2018. The earlier agreement, Vance said, lacked a rigorous inspections regime to guarantee Iran could never build a weapon. He stressed that long-term verification would be central to any new arrangement, calling it “a tall order” but one the administration was positioned to meet. Asked whether Iranian negotiators were trying to play the United States, Vance replied that “everybody’s always trying to play everybody.”

Vance’s remarks came as Trump told reporters in New York, after attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals, that the two sides were “in the final throes” of what he called a very good deal. Pressed on timing, the president said an agreement was “two or three days” away and predicted the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately upon signing.

Trump also pushed back on reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had defied him by striking back after Iran’s renewed missile barrage on Sunday night. “If I tell him to do something, he does it,” Trump said, according to the BBC, adding that Iran’s missiles had already been launched and Israeli forces were already mobilizing by the time the two leaders spoke.

Netanyahu reportedly called off a larger strike on Iran after Trump warned that Israel would be left to act alone.

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A Border Police officer and two IDF officers, including a reserve colonel, were arrested this week on suspicion of involvement in an attempted murder that took place approximately one month ago, according to Israel’s Department for Internal Police Investigations (Machash).

The three suspects are relatives. Investigators allege that the Border Police officer, his father — a reserve IDF colonel — and his nephew, who is also an IDF officer, were involved in planning and carrying out the shooting.

According to investigators, the case stems from a road dispute in the Negev several months ago involving the Border Police officer and a member of the Abu Arar family. Authorities claim that roughly six weeks after the altercation, the three suspects allegedly ambushed the victim and shot him in the back.

Machash alleges the shooting was a revenge attack connected to the earlier confrontation.

The suspects deny all allegations.

The three were brought before the Be’er Sheva Magistrate’s Court for a remand hearing. The Border Police officer’s detention was extended by nine days, while the two other suspects had their detention extended by three days.

Attorney Uri Ben Natan, who represents the suspects, rejected the accusations.

“The suspects deny being involved in the shooting of the victim who was shot in the back,” he said. “It is true that one of the suspects, a Border Police fighter, was allegedly attacked by the victim about a month and a half earlier following a near traffic accident. However, the officer specifically asked not to file a complaint in order not to escalate the dispute.”

The attorney added that, according to his understanding, the victim’s family is involved in numerous other disputes and that the shooting may have been unrelated to the earlier altercation involving the police officer.

The investigation remains ongoing.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Knesset Finance Committee on Tuesday approved the controversial “Daycare Law” for its first reading, advancing legislation that would continue government daycare subsidies for many chareidi families even if the father has not resolved his military service status.

The bill, sponsored by lawmakers from United Torah Judaism, Shas, and Otzma Yehudit, would base eligibility for daycare subsidies primarily on the mother’s employment status, rather than on whether the father is working or has fulfilled military service obligations.

The proposal passed despite strong opposition from professional officials in both the Finance Ministry and Justice Ministry, who warned of significant economic and constitutional concerns.

According to a position paper submitted by the Finance Ministry’s Budget Department, the legislation is expected to cost taxpayers approximately NIS 300 million annually. Of that amount, roughly NIS 200 million would go to households where the father is eligible for military service, while another NIS 100 million would benefit households where the father neither works nor is required to serve.

The legislation was originally introduced following a Supreme Court ruling that halted daycare subsidies for avreichim who had not regularized their military status. That ruling was intended to create an economic incentive for military service. The new bill seeks to restore eligibility by separating subsidy criteria from the father’s status and focusing solely on the mother’s employment.

Finance Ministry officials sharply criticized the proposal, arguing that it undermines two major national goals: increasing chareidi workforce participation and encouraging military service.

“The proposal clearly undermines” those objectives, the Budget Department wrote.

Officials argued that the bill weakens incentives for employment because families would continue receiving subsidies even when fathers remain outside the workforce. They also pointed to what they described as a built-in paradox: as a father’s income rises, the subsidy decreases, effectively rewarding non-employment.

The ministry further warned that the proposal is likely to significantly weaken economic incentives for military service among eligible chareidi men.

The legislation now moves to the Knesset for further consideration.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Vice President JD Vance is pressing federal prosecutors to investigate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison over allegations they failed to stop widespread social services fraud, amplifying concerns the White House will use a new Justice Department division to target political rivals.

Vance, who has been tapped to lead the Republican Trump administration’s anti-fraud efforts as he seeks to raise his political profile as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, cited in a letter to the Justice Department a report from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee that alleges Walz and Ellison were aware of pervasive misuse of government programs for years and let it flourish.

The Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to questions Tuesday about whether it would open an investigation. It was unclear what, if any, potential violations of federal law could support a probe into the Democratic Minnesota officials, who have characterized a separate Justice Department investigation involving state leaders as politically motivated.

A spokesperson for Walz didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Ellison called the allegations unfounded and said there’s no evidence his office ignored wrongdoing or failed to act as required by law. He dismissed Vance’s referral as “a political stunt from an administration that uses the machinery of government to target its perceived opponents while extending leniency to those aligned with its interests.”

“It is deeply troubling to see official powers and public resources diverted away from serving the people and instead aimed at pursuing political adversaries,” Ellison said in a statement. “That is not what government is for, and it diminishes public trust in our institutions.”

Vance’s referral to the Justice Department’s new National Fraud Enforcement Division marks an escalation in the Trump administration’s stated “war on fraud” in government programs that officials have said would not be political or partisan.

The new division has drawn intense scrutiny over the potential for political influence given its close relationship with President Donald Trump’s White House, which announced its formation in January and initially said its leader would answer directly to the president instead of the typical Justice Department command.

In his referral, Vance wrote that officials in Minnesota or anywhere else in the country “must be held accountable” if they facilitated fraud, prevented officials from stopping it or retaliated against whistleblowers who tried to report it.

“Minnesota state officials are not above the law,” Vance wrote in a post on X.

(AP)

Outgoing anti-Israel Rep. Thomas Massie used a House floor speech Monday to call for a new investigation into Israel’s 1967 attack on the USS Liberty, lending rare congressional prominence to a decades-old episode that has become a rallying point for critics of Israel.

Marking the 59th anniversary of the attack, the Kentucky Republican honored the crew of the intelligence-gathering ship and urged Congress to pass a resolution recognizing the dead and wounded. Twelve survivors watched from the House gallery; Massie said he had met with them before taking the floor. He called the moment “one of the biggest honors of my lifetime” and said the recognition was long overdue.

The USS Liberty was struck on June 8, 1967, during Israel’s Six-Day War, while stationed off the Sinai Peninsula. Israeli jets and torpedo boats attacked the vessel, killing 34 American crew members and wounding 171. Israel apologized, saying its forces had mistaken the ship for an Egyptian vessel, and later paid damages to the United States and to victims’ families. A US Navy court of inquiry and multiple subsequent investigations, including by the CIA, concluded the attack was a case of mistaken identity.

Massie, of course, disputed that conclusion. He described the Liberty as unarmed and flying a clearly visible American flag, and asserted that the assault was an intentional effort to leave no survivors, citing what he said were eyewitness accounts of Israeli forces firing on lifeboats and on crew members on deck. He argued that former US intelligence and military officials had cast doubt on the official findings, contending the attack was deliberate rather than accidental.

Massie, who lost his Republican primary in May and is set to leave Congress next year, has increasingly broken with party leadership on Israel and US foreign policy.

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Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, Massie’s ally in anti-Israel arms, thanked Massie and questioned why a close US ally had attacked an American ship. Other figures on the right pushed back. Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas wrote that the incident had a clear conclusion under any objective reading of the facts and suggested Massie was chasing online attention.

The episode has gained renewed traction online as a vehicle for anti-Israel sentiment. The Anti-Defamation League has warned for years about efforts to recast the attack as a deliberate act, saying such narratives are amplified to sow distrust and undermine US-Israel relations despite the official finding of mistaken identity. ADL counterextremism official Oren Segal told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who has devoted segments to the theory, has done more than anyone recently to spread it. Carlson has argued that questioning the attack does not make someone antisemitic. The far-right streamer Nick Fuentes and influencer Candace Owens have also promoted claims of a deliberate Israeli strike, and Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback has called for the attack to be taught in schools.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

U.S. forces began launching strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday on President Trump’s orders, U.S. Central Command announced, in retaliation for the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier.

CENTCOM described the operation as self-defense strikes carried out at the commander in chief’s direction and called the mission a proportional response to what it termed “unjustified Iranian aggression.”

Trump had signaled the response earlier Tuesday. In a post on social media, he said the military had informed him that Iran shot down one of the helicopters while it patrolled over the Strait of Hormuz, that both crew members were safe and uninjured, and that “the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”

The AH-64 Apache went down near the coast of Oman during a patrol. U.S. officials said the helicopter was brought down by an Iranian drone, and that the aircraft was assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. Its two crew members were pulled from the water by an unmanned Navy vessel within about two hours and were in stable condition — the first time the U.S. military has used a sea drone to recover personnel. CENTCOM had said Tuesday morning that the cause was under investigation and, at that point, did not assign responsibility to Iran.

Iran issued a warning hours before the strikes. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said any foreign military personnel near Iranian territory was “at constant risk” and should leave the area as soon as possible, and disputed that the strait constitutes international waters.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

U.S. forces carried out a second wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday night, hours after an initial barrage, in retaliation for the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, after President Trump vowed a forceful response and Iran threatened to hit back.

U.S. Central Command announced the first wave shortly after 5 p.m. Eastern, saying its forces had begun launching self-defense strikes at the commander in chief’s direction. CENTCOM called the operation “a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.” A follow-on wave struck later in the evening, extending the assault across southern Iran’s Hormozgan coast.

Trump had signaled the response earlier Tuesday. In a post on social media, he said the military had informed him that Iran shot down one of the helicopters while it patrolled over the Strait of Hormuz, that both crew members were safe and uninjured, and that “the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”

Trump described the operation as it unfolded. Speaking by phone with ABC News as CENTCOM released its statement, he said the strikes were a response to the helicopter’s downing and that the U.S. was “responding as we speak,” adding that he believed the reply should be strong and powerful. He said a deal to end the war was still very good and would probably hold.

Iranian state and local media reported strikes across a string of military sites near the strait. According to unofficial local reports in Hormozgan province, the strikes targeted the Sirik and Jask naval bases, an air defense position in Bandar Abbas, coastal missile batteries in Minab and Qeshm, and the port of Qeshm. Iranian state television confirmed a projectile strike in Sirik, and said explosions and air defense activity were reported in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm and Sirik, while the semiofficial Mehr news agency reported strikes at Jask and Kouhe Mobarakeh. A local report said two water tanks were hit in Sirik’s Bamani district, cutting drinking water.

A U.S. official sought to frame the strikes as limited. The strikes were intended as a warning rather than a broader escalation, and Washington does not believe they will derail negotiations to end the conflict, the official told CNN. Adm. Brad Cooper, the CENTCOM commander, briefed senators for about 90 minutes.

Iran vowed to retaliate. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s armed forces “will leave no attack or threat unanswered” and warned U.S. forces to leave the region to be safe, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force said it would deliver a heavy response.

The AH-64 Apache went down near the coast of Oman during a patrol. U.S. officials said the helicopter was brought down by an Iranian drone, and that the aircraft was assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. Its two crew members were pulled from the water by an unmanned Navy vessel within about two hours and were in stable condition — the first time the U.S. military has used a sea drone to recover personnel. CENTCOM had said Tuesday morning that the cause was under investigation and, at that point, did not assign responsibility to Iran.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

U.S. forces carried out three waves of strikes against Iran on Tuesday night, in retaliation for the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, after President Trump vowed a forceful response and Iran threatened to hit back.

U.S. Central Command announced the first wave shortly after 5 p.m. Eastern, saying its forces had begun launching self-defense strikes at the commander in chief’s direction. CENTCOM called the operation “a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.” A follow-on wave struck later in the evening, extending the assault across southern Iran’s Hormozgan coast.

Trump had signaled the response earlier Tuesday. In a post on social media, he said the military had informed him that Iran shot down one of the helicopters while it patrolled over the Strait of Hormuz, that both crew members were safe and uninjured, and that “the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”

Trump described the operation as it unfolded. Speaking by phone with ABC News as CENTCOM released its statement, he said the strikes were a response to the helicopter’s downing and that the U.S. was “responding as we speak,” adding that he believed the reply should be strong and powerful. He said a deal to end the war was still very good and would probably hold.

Iranian state and local media reported strikes across a string of military sites near the strait. According to unofficial local reports in Hormozgan province, the strikes targeted the Sirik and Jask naval bases, an air defense position in Bandar Abbas, coastal missile batteries in Minab and Qeshm, and the port of Qeshm. Iranian state television confirmed a projectile strike in Sirik, and said explosions and air defense activity were reported in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm and Sirik, while the semiofficial Mehr news agency reported strikes at Jask and Kouhe Mobarakeh. A local report said two water tanks were hit in Sirik’s Bamani district, cutting drinking water.

A U.S. official sought to frame the strikes as limited. The strikes were intended as a warning rather than a broader escalation, and Washington does not believe they will derail negotiations to end the conflict, the official told CNN. Adm. Brad Cooper, the CENTCOM commander, briefed senators for about 90 minutes.

Iran vowed to retaliate. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s armed forces “will leave no attack or threat unanswered” and warned U.S. forces to leave the region to be safe, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force said it would deliver a heavy response.

The AH-64 Apache went down near the coast of Oman during a patrol. U.S. officials said the helicopter was brought down by an Iranian drone, and that the aircraft was assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. Its two crew members were pulled from the water by an unmanned Navy vessel within about two hours and were in stable condition — the first time the U.S. military has used a sea drone to recover personnel. CENTCOM had said Tuesday morning that the cause was under investigation and, at that point, did not assign responsibility to Iran.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Dozens of Chareidi protesters blocked major roads Tuesday evening in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, leading to clashes with police and significant traffic disruptions.

The demonstrations, held in protest of the arrests of yeshiva bochurim, saw protesters blocking key intersections and setting objects ablaze in the roadway. Police, Border Police, and riot-control units were dispatched to disperse the crowds and reopen the roads.

In Jerusalem, the main protest took place along Bar-Lev Boulevard, while in Beit Shemesh demonstrators gathered near the Nahar Hayarden area.

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After police declared the gatherings unlawful and ordered protesters to clear the roads, officers moved in to disperse the crowds. During the operation, police used crowd-control measures, including stun grenades.

“Israel Police acts to allow freedom of expression and lawful protest,” police said in a statement. “However, blocking major traffic arteries and disrupting the daily lives of citizens will not be tolerated.”

VIDEOS AND PHOTOS VIA REUVEN BIALA

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

When Manhattan’s original Pennsylvania Station was demolished in 1963, it marked the undignified end to one of America’s great public works, a monolithic Beaux Arts train terminal with Roman-style columns and a spacious central waiting area that at the time was the largest indoor space in the city.

In its place rose Madison Square Garden — home of NBA’s New York Knicks and NHL’s New York Rangers — while train commuters were forced underground into gloomy, claustrophobic, low-ceilinged corridors by the decidedly more utilitarian redesign completed in 1968.

“Through Pennsylvania Station one entered the city like a god,” the architectural historian Vincent Scully famously lamented. “One scuttles in now like a rat.”

But a dramatic new vision for the busiest transit hub in the Western Hemisphere calls for a return to the old grandeur of the station, which was originally opened in 1910 and currently serves Amtrak, the national rail carrier that owns the terminal, as well as commuter rail lines to the surrounding suburbs and connections to the city’s vast subway system.

Renderings released Monday by Amtrak and Penn Transformation Partners, the design and development consortium picked for the project, feature a rectangular, stone facade lined with imposing columns along a grand entry way.

Inside, commuters are to be greeted by a sunlight-drenched grand concourse with soaring ceilings more than 50 feet high in places. It includes such touches as bronze finishings and other ornamental details, like a bas relief of the city’s famous skyline and a large, classic station clock, also made of bronze.

An interior wall near a entryway bears the seal of President Donald Trump, who had Amtrak assume control of the project last year after decades of bureaucratic red tape and political infighting among transit agencies and the competing interests of other powerful players, including James Dolan, the billionaire owner of MSG, the Knicks and the Rangers, who has staunchly opposed moving the arena.

Trump has mentioned renaming his hometown station in his honor as he’s sought to burnish his legacy through public works projects, from a massive new ballroom at the White House to a triumphal arch leading into the nation’s capital.

For now, though, the name etched in capital letters across the proposed grand facade would still read, “Pennsylvania Station,” renderings released Monday show.

“I’m not focused on names at all,” said Andy Byford, who Amtrak named as a special adviser to oversee the redevelopment, when asked about a potential name change.

“This building has a name, and the name is there,” added Peter Cipriano, one of the lead developers.

Proposal aims to make Penn Station an icon again

The proposed design draws from the ornate, Beaux-Arts design of Grand Central Terminal, the city’s other major rail hub, as well as Art Deco landmarks like the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, according to Vishaan Chakrabarti, one of the leaders of the team awarded the project.

Designers also looked to the monumental, federalist style of government buildings in Washington, D.C., and those built by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression.

The vision, he said, is to restore Penn Station’s place among the pantheon of the city’s greatest landmarks and bring a “sense of public ambition” back to one of the nation’s vital civic spaces.

“There was this fearless embrace of ornament and decoration that in some ways we’ve lost,” Chakrabarti said. “We want to bring some of that sense of craftsmanship back.”

The redesign is projected to cost around $7 billion to $8 billion, and construction is targeted to begin before the end of 2027, officials said Monday. Penn Station would remain in operation throughout as the project progresses in phases over about six years.

More than 600,000 commuters traverse through the rail hub on any given work day, or more than the three major international airports that serve greater New York City — John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty — combined.

Knicks and Rangers home arena would remain at site

Plans floated over the decades have called for relocating MSG, but under the plans revealed Monday, the “World’s Most Famous Arena” would remain in place.

A theater owned by MSG and built directly above the tracks, however, would have to be razed to make way for the new facade and concourse.

The developers and MSG owner James Dolan have reached a “memorandum of agreement” for this critical part, which helped the rail carrier in picking the proposal over three other bidders, according to Byford. Final terms of the deal, including payment, haven’t been determined.

“You’ll understand why we wouldn’t want to negotiate that in public,” said Byford.

The next phase of the project will include refining the preliminary designs and going through the extensive federal environmental review process, which will help in generating a more detailed breakdown of costs, according to Byford.

He stressed there are no plans for the government to take surrounding properties to expand the station, as some concerned locals have suggested. The project will also not be borne of the backs of commuters.

“There will be no fare hike to pay for this project,”, Byford said. “It’s not going to happen.”

(AP)