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The IDF announced Monday morning that Sergeant Nehoray Leizer Hy”d, 19, of Eilat, was killed during combat operations in southern Lebanon.

According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, Sergeant Leizer was killed Sunday at approximately 3:00 p.m. when an explosive drone launched by the Hezbollah terror organization detonated near a group of Israeli soldiers operating in the area.

The attack also left another IDF soldier seriously wounded.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli intelligence officials now believe that the violent demonstrations and repeated clashes along the Gaza border fence in the months leading up to October 7 were part of a deliberate Hamas operation aimed at preparing for the massive terror assault on southern Israel.

According to newly uncovered intelligence assessments, Hamas operatives exploited the protests to study Israeli military response patterns and locate vulnerable areas along the security barrier.

Israeli officials say terrorists posing as civilian demonstrators, balloon launchers, and rioters collected operational intelligence during the disturbances and even marked specific sections of the fence that would later serve as breach points during the invasion.

The findings, first reported Sunday by the Israeli news outlet Srugim, indicate that Hamas identified 114 separate locations along the Gaza border fence in advance of the attack.

Those same locations were reportedly activated simultaneously on October 7, when more than 6,000 Hamas Nukhba terrorists and armed Gazans poured into southern Israel.

According to the report, some of the breaches were narrow openings intended for individual gunmen, while others were large enough to allow motorcycles and pickup trucks to move through rapidly, transforming parts of the border into what Israeli officials described as a “terror highway” leading directly into Israeli communities.

The intelligence conclusions are reportedly supported by an internal Hamas document attributed to slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

Officials involved in the assessment say the document indicates that Hamas leadership believed Israel had completely misread the purpose of the border unrest and failed to grasp the broader military operation being quietly developed behind the scenes.

Israeli intelligence sources cited in the report said Hamas determined that Israeli officials “did not take the staged protests seriously” and failed to realize that the disturbances were being used to gather intelligence and rehearse the large-scale infiltration that unfolded on October 7.

{Matzav.com}

A $25,000 reward is now being offered for information leading to the safe return of Esther, the missing Toronto teenage girl whose disappearance has sparked widespread concern and ongoing search efforts throughout the community.

Newly released posters distributed Sunday identify the girl as possibly going by the names “Esti” or “Sylvia” and include updated information about her last known movements. According to the latest details, Esther was last spotted in downtown Toronto on a bus at approximately 12:35 a.m. on May 16.

Authorities also released a new surveillance image showing Esther wearing gray sweatpants and a green top, believed to be the outfit she was wearing at the time she disappeared.

The updated posters prominently announce a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to her safe return and urge anyone with information to come forward immediately.

The case has drawn major attention in Toronto and beyond, with volunteers, community organizations, and law enforcement continuing intensive efforts to locate her.

Family members and organizers involved in the search continue pleading with the public to remain alert and report any possible sightings or information that could assist investigators.

Anyone with information is urged to call 647-478-2230 immediately.

{Matzav.com}

A yeshiva bochur who recently enlisted in the IDF described a painful and humiliating confrontation he says he experienced at a train station in Haifa, where a woman allegedly screamed at him for not serving in the military — and then spit in his face after he showed her proof that he had just signed his enlistment papers.

The incident came to public attention after media personality and Channel 14 host Yinon Magal shared on X a WhatsApp message he received from the young man, identified only as Ariel.

In the message, Ariel wrote: “Hi Yinon, I’m a yeshiva bochur and today I signed enlistment papers for the IDF. On my way back, a leftist woman around 60 years old started screaming at me about why I’m not enlisting. When I showed her the document proving that I signed up for the army, she spit in my face. And then people say this isn’t pure hatred of chareidim.”

Magal responded in disbelief, writing: “She spit in your face?? Crazy.”

Later Sunday evening, Ariel recounted the incident in an emotional interview with Yaakov Grodka on Kol Barama Radio’s main news program, describing the ordeal in greater detail.

“I was returning from the enlistment office after signing my IDF draft papers,” Ariel said. “At the train station, a woman around 60 years old approached me and started screaming that I’m a chareidi who doesn’t enlist. When I showed her the document proving that I had literally enlisted that very day, she simply spit in my face.”

The yeshiva bochur openly described the emotional toll the encounter took on him.

“After she spit on me, the thought crossed my mind that maybe this whole thing was a mistake and why I even needed to enlist in the first place,” he shared. “I felt deeply humiliated, and it took me a long time to calm down. At the same time, I’m not looking for anyone’s appreciation — this is something between me and myself, and I’m completely at peace with it.”

Ariel also said he believes the woman’s behavior reflected deep-seated hostility toward the chareidi community rather than anger over military service itself.

“That woman didn’t want to see chareidim in the army — she simply hates chareidim,” he said. “They hate that we are in the government, and they hate our very existence. While she was publicly humiliating me and spitting at me, several of her friends were standing there laughing together with her.”

{Matzav.com}

A quiet meeting between former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni took place last week immediately after Rav Dov Landau’s dramatic declaration regarding the “dismantling of the right-wing bloc,” according to a report aired Sunday evening on Channel 12 News.

The reported meeting comes amid mounting political turmoil surrounding the draft law and intensifying efforts by opposition figures to reshape alliances ahead of a possible election campaign.

According to the report, the atmosphere during the meeting was positive despite the sensitive backdrop surrounding the ongoing debate over the enlistment of bochurim and members of the chareidi community.

At the same time, Eisenkot has recently come under attack from political rivals who argue that his proposed draft framework is significantly softer on chareidi enlistment than the positions advanced by Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman.

Under Eisenkot’s proposal, approximately 30 percent of bnei yeshiva would receive exemptions and would not face sanctions. Bennett and Lieberman, however, continue insisting on universal enlistment policies under the principle that “whoever does not serve receives nothing.”

Sources close to Eisenkot declined to confirm or deny that the meeting took place, saying only that “he is operating through numerous channels to advance elections and bring down the government.”

Meanwhile, representatives for Gafni’s office stated that they “do not comment on meetings held by Gafni with various public figures.”

Last week, Eisenkot made clear that the issue of military service remains a red line for him politically, even if it leads to another round of elections.

“There are profound disagreements between myself and the chareidim, and the distorted reality that has developed cannot be accepted,” Eisenkot said during a conference hosted by the Association of Corporations.

Reports published roughly two weeks ago indicated growing communication between chareidi political figures and Eisenkot. According to those reports, chareidi representatives urged him not to rush into alliances with Bennett or Yair Lapid, while expressing the view that Eisenkot’s enlistment framework is more practical and leaves room for compromise.

Shortly after those reports surfaced, Eisenkot was seen touring Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market, where he also declined to rule out joining a future coalition government that includes chareidi parties.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Land Authority officially enacted a new policy Sunday barring individuals classified as draft evaders from participating in government-subsidized housing lotteries, marking a significant escalation in efforts to pressure military-age citizens to regularize their status with the IDF.

The move follows a recent High Court ruling ordering the government to revoke various state benefits from individuals designated by the military as draft-eligible citizens who failed to resolve their enlistment status.

Under the newly published decision by the Israel Land Authority Council, eligibility for participating in discounted housing programs such as “Target Price Housing” will now depend on military records confirming that neither the applicant nor a spouse is classified by the IDF as a draft evader who has not arranged his or her legal status.

According to the decision, sections 4.7.19 and 4.7.20 of the Israel Land Council regulations governing subsidized housing tenders were formally amended to include the new restrictions.

The policy change comes roughly one month after Israel’s High Court ruled that certain government benefits should be denied in order to encourage military enlistment. The justices emphasized at the time that the measures constituted the revocation of benefits rather than the denial of inherent legal rights.

As part of that ruling, the court specifically instructed the Israel Land Authority to convene and formulate a policy regarding eligibility for housing discounts — a directive now implemented through Sunday’s announcement.

The court also ruled that resolving one’s military status with the IDF would become a prerequisite for receiving additional state subsidies and discounts, including daycare assistance, after-school program subsidies, public transportation discounts, and municipal property tax reductions.

The judges noted that these measures represent only an initial phase and stressed that additional enforcement actions may still be necessary in the future.

In the same ruling, the High Court also criticized Israeli police for previously refusing to cooperate with the military in detaining draft deserters until military police arrived. Since then, the issue has gained renewed attention following a policy shift announced by Police Commissioner Danny Levy regarding police cooperation with military enforcement efforts.

{Matzav.com}

New American intelligence findings indicate that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has gone into deep hiding at a secret location and is almost entirely cut off from direct communication with the outside world, according to a CBS News report released Sunday.

US officials familiar with the intelligence said the secrecy surrounding Khamenei’s whereabouts is so extreme that messages to him are being relayed through an elaborate chain of couriers rather than through conventional communication channels.

The breakdown has reportedly crippled the Iranian regime’s internal operations. Officials tasked with handling discussions involving the Trump administration are struggling to communicate even among themselves, creating major delays in negotiations and slowing progress on both current and previous agreements with Washington.

Sources told CBS News that whenever the United States sends diplomatic proposals or revisions connected to a possible deal, the complicated process of delivering the information to Iran’s top ruler creates severe delays. Two American officials said responses from Tehran can take an unusually long time because of the bottleneck.

A White House spokesperson declined to address questions regarding intelligence connected to Khamenei’s location or the regime’s communication methods.

Even amid the chaos, officials say some headway has been made. A senior administration official said Sunday that the Supreme Leader had approved the broad outlines of the latest draft agreement. At the same time, President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that he expects a final decision within days.

Khamenei, who was reportedly wounded during joint American and Israeli strikes carried out as part of Operation Epic Fury, has adopted extraordinary security precautions following attacks similar to those that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran from 1989 until Feb. 28. The extent of the secrecy surrounding him is evident in the fact that he has neither appeared publicly nor been heard from since before the war began.

American officials believe the paranoia gripping the regime stems from repeated intelligence penetrations by the US and Israel. According to one official cited by CBS News, intelligence gathered from sources inside Iran’s own government enabled the targeting and elimination of much of the country’s senior leadership during the conflict.

As a result, senior Iranian officials are reportedly living in near-total isolation. Sources said many of the regime’s remaining leaders rarely emerge into public view, spending extended periods inside heavily protected bunkers and limiting contact with one another unless absolutely necessary.

“Watching them try to figure out how to talk to each other is almost like watching a sitcom. They are completely exasperated,” one official remarked.

Officials said the strictest security measures are centered around the Supreme Leader himself. Even top-ranking members of the Iranian government reportedly do not know his exact location and have no direct means of reaching him. Instead, information is passed through a carefully designed courier network intended to conceal where he is hiding.

“This is why you see people saying things like, ‘The Supreme Leader has agreed to the framework,’ or ‘We’re waiting to hear back on the final deal points.’ Every piece of information he receives is dated and there’s a lot of latency to his responses,” an official explained.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio forcefully defended the Trump administration’s ongoing negotiations with Iran on Sunday, dismissing criticism from fellow Republicans as “absurd” amid growing backlash over a possible agreement involving the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.

Speaking during a press conference in India, Rubio rejected suggestions that President Trump would approve any arrangement that strengthens Tehran’s nuclear position.

“The idea that somehow this president, given everything he’s already proven he’s willing to do, is going to somehow agree to a deal that ultimately winds up putting Iran in a stronger position when it comes to nuclear ambitions is absurd,” Rubio said.

“That’s just not going to happen. But our preference is to address this through a diplomatic means, and that’s what we are endeavoring to do here. I think we’ve made some progress. I’m always cautious when I say that because you can agree to things on paper; they actually have to be implemented,” he added.

Rubio’s comments followed President Trump’s announcement that negotiations with Iran were “largely negotiated” after discussions with Arab allies throughout the Middle East. Trump indicated that one major component of the agreement would involve reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the critical global shipping route that has remained effectively shut amid the regional conflict.

“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.”

The emerging framework has sparked alarm among several Republican senators and conservative foreign policy figures, many of whom fear the administration could concede too much to Tehran after months of military confrontation.

Sen. Lindsey Graham warned that any agreement allowing Iran to maintain regional leverage would dramatically alter the balance of power in the Middle East.

“If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate force requiring a diplomatic solution,” Graham wrote in a post on X.

Sen. Ted Cruz also expressed deep concerns over reports surrounding the negotiations, suggesting some voices within the administration may be pushing the White House toward a dangerous compromise.

“President Trump’s decision to strike Iran was the most consequential decision of his second term. He was right to do so, and we achieved extraordinary military results—including destroying all of their missiles & drones and sinking their entire navy,” Cruz wrote.

“If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime—still run by Islamists who chant ‘death to America’—now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake,” he continued.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also voiced skepticism over the direction of the talks, comparing the rumored framework to Obama-era negotiations that conservatives long criticized.

“The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)] to build a WMD program and terrorize the world,” Pompeo said in an X post.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Cory Booker said Sunday that Democrats are facing a leadership crisis ahead of the midterm elections, arguing that voters have lost confidence in the party establishment and are looking instead for candidates who focus more on people than politics.

Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” the New Jersey Democrat said his party must reinvent itself if it hopes to regain public trust before November’s elections.

“We need to focus on the people, and the Democratic Party desperately needs new leadership, and that’s what’s exciting me about this cycle. It’s not only new leaders emerging, but a new vision for our party,” Booker told host Jake Tapper.

Booker pointed to several Democratic Senate candidates whom he believes are helping reshape the party’s image, including Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, along with Roy Cooper and James Talarico, the Democratic Senate nominees in North Carolina and Texas.

According to Booker, those candidates are “leaders” who are “stepping up and saying, ‘I don’t give a damn about parties. I care about people.’”

The senator argued that the Democratic Party’s larger problem is a lack of public confidence in its political machinery.

“You cannot lead the people if they don’t trust you, and that’s what’s lacking right now with the party apparatus. But the people running out there that I’m running around this country trying to support, they’re building real trust with the American people, and that’s my hope,” Booker added.

His remarks come as Democrats continue grappling with fallout from the party’s disappointing 2024 election performance. Lawmakers within the party recently criticized the Democratic National Committee over its newly released autopsy report analyzing Kamala Harris’s loss to President Trump.

The 192-page review notably avoided addressing President Biden’s decision to seek reelection despite concerns over his age, as well as Harris becoming the nominee without facing a competitive primary process.

Booker acknowledged that the DNC faces serious problems moving forward.

“The Democratic National Committee has got to do a lot better if they’re going to meet this moment in history,” he said.

Still, Booker suggested that many Americans are no longer paying close attention to party structures and political infighting, because they are far more focused on their own financial and personal struggles.

“The American people have lost trust because of all politics as usual. People are suffering, people are hurting, and they’re going to support the leaders,” Booker added.

When asked directly whether Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer remains one of the leaders he trusts, Booker avoided giving a direct endorsement. However, he stressed that Schumer, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and the broader Democratic leadership must present a clear alternative vision to President Trump.

“You are not going to win this election just by what you’re against,” he noted. “You need to start articulating who you’re for and what you’re for. Have a vision that’s compelling that not only engenders trust but makes sense for the American people.”

{Matzav.com}

The World Health Organization said Sunday that the current hantavirus outbreak linked to a South Atlantic cruise ship remains under control for the moment, even as international health agencies continue monitoring the situation closely following multiple deaths tied to the virus.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that there have been 12 confirmed cases of hantavirus and three fatalities connected to the outbreak, with no additional confirmed deaths reported since May 2. Investigators believe the outbreak began in South America after infected passengers boarded the cruise ship MV Hondius earlier this month.

“All passengers and crew remain in quarantine and under close monitoring to ensure they receive care if needed,” Tedros wrote on the social platform X. “The situation is stable for now. We continue to remain vigilant and in close contact with all relevant governments.”

The latest update came shortly after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Friday that he had signed a targeted Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration aimed at accelerating research and medical response efforts involving the Andes strain of hantavirus.

“This action helps remove barriers to research and response efforts while we continue monitoring the recent outbreak linked to the South Atlantic cruise ship,” Kennedy said in a statement posted to social media. “HHS is taking this situation seriously and will continue working to protect public health and support the safe development of potential treatments and countermeasures.”

Authorities in Argentina said a Dutch couple who later died had participated in a bird-watching excursion that included a stop at a garbage dump, where they may have come into contact with rats carrying the virus. A German tourist also contracted the Andes strain and died.

Argentinian officials said scientific teams would investigate how the outbreak began. The Associated Press previously reported that the MV Hondius departed Argentina on April 1.

Health officials in the United States quarantined 17 Americans and one British citizen in either Nebraska or Georgia after they were exposed to hantavirus aboard the ship. Most of those individuals have not developed symptoms. One person tested positive while remaining asymptomatic, while another experienced mild symptoms but tested negative.

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that there were no confirmed cases of the Andes strain inside the United States.

Public health authorities have repeatedly emphasized that the outbreak bears little resemblance to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, stressing that hantavirus spreads differently and has a different incubation period and transmission profile.

At the same time, another international health concern continues unfolding in Africa, where an outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease has led to more than 500 suspected cases in Congo alone. In response, the WHO declared that outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

{Matzav.com}

A leading pro-Israel activist is urging New York Governor Kathy Hochul to deploy the National Guard to New York City ahead of next week’s Israel Day Parade, citing rising antisemitic incidents and fears of potential violence targeting Jewish participants.

Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism and a former New York state assemblyman representing heavily Orthodox neighborhoods in Brooklyn, said the New York Police Department deserves strong support but could benefit from additional manpower during the large public event.

Hikind argued that security concerns extend beyond the official parade route itself, warning that Jews carrying Israeli flags or wearing visibly pro-Israel clothing could become targets in surrounding areas of Manhattan.

“We need to make sure bad things don’t happen,” Hikind said. “We want to make sure there is safety for the Jewish community. I’m calling on Governor Hochul to bring in the National Guard to help the New York City Police Department.”

Governor Hochul has previously authorized National Guard deployments at major transit centers throughout New York City as part of crime-prevention and security efforts.

Despite Hikind’s concerns, organizers of the Israel Day Parade said they are confident in the NYPD’s existing preparations and are not requesting National Guard assistance.

Jewish Community Relations Council of New York CEO Mark Treyger said parade organizers are working closely with law enforcement agencies ahead of the annual event.

“I have full faith and confidence in the greatest police department in the world, the NYPD, under the exceptional leadership of Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who has done a tremendous job ensuring the safety and success of major events and parades across New York City, including the Israel Day on Fifth parade in recent years,” Treyger told The Post.

Treyger added that extensive preparations are already underway.

“Commissioner Tisch, the NYPD, and all of our law enforcement partners have left no stone unturned in preparing for next Sunday’s parade.”

He also noted that the Community Security Initiative — the joint security partnership between JCRC-NY and the UJA-Federation of New York — is coordinating closely with law enforcement to safeguard participants.

“New Yorkers should know that extensive planning, coordination, and security infrastructure are in place to ensure a safe, successful, and joyful celebration next Sunday,” Treyger said. “We look forward to proudly celebrating our Jewish identity, our connection to Israel, and our appreciation for living in the best city in the world, New York City,”

Hikind, however, maintained that additional security measures are justified in light of recent anti-Israel demonstrations outside Jewish institutions, including protests near Park East Synagogue and Young Israel Senior Services in Midwood, Brooklyn.

He also pointed to the decision by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani — a vocal critic of Israel — to boycott the parade.

The Israel Day Parade is scheduled for Sunday, May 31, and will proceed along Fifth Avenue from 62nd Street to 74th Street in Manhattan.

Governor Hochul’s office confirmed that the New York State Police will maintain a presence at the event, though officials stopped short of committing to deploy National Guard troops.

“Keeping New Yorkers safe is Governor Hochul’s top priority — especially as communities gather for major celebrations. At the Governor’s direction, State Police maintain an increased presence at large events throughout the state, and we will be closely coordinating with the NYPD and law enforcement partners in New York City to ensure the safety of all involved,” a Hochul spokesperson said.

Her office added that National Guard members remain stationed at major transportation centers as well as key bridges and tunnels throughout New York City.

State authorities also said law enforcement agencies are actively monitoring social media activity and remain on heightened alert for any credible threats to public safety.

{Matzav.com}

The New York Knicks are not the only thing on a historic run this postseason — ticket prices at Madison Square Garden are reaching unbelievable heights as fans scramble for a chance to witness a possible NBA Finals appearance.

With the Knicks holding a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers and standing on the verge of their first Finals berth since 1999, the resale market has exploded.

According to sports business reporter Darren Rovell, two courtside seats for a potential Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden have already sold on StubHub for an eye-popping $279,804.

The skyrocketing resale market reflects the frenzy surrounding a Knicks team trying to end the franchise’s 53-year championship drought.

As of Sunday morning, the cheapest single ticket available for a possible Finals Game 3 at The Garden was listed at $3,265 on TickPick — and that seat was located high in Section 418.

Fans hoping for a closer view of the action are facing even more staggering prices.

On SeatGeek, seats in Section 6D behind the Knicks bench were listed for as much as $192,000. The report noted that the price tag exceeds the cost of some one-bedroom apartments currently listed for sale in midtown Manhattan.

The pricing surge at Madison Square Garden dwarfs what fans are currently paying for potential NBA Finals games in the Western Conference.

If the Oklahoma City Thunder advance to the Finals, they would host Game 1 at Paycom Center, where the most expensive resale ticket currently listed is $12,339 for a seat in Section 106.

Potential Finals games involving the San Antonio Spurs are somewhat pricier, though still nowhere near Knicks territory.

At Frost Bank Center, the highest listed prices include a center-court seat in Section 8 selling for $21,803 on SeatGeek, along with a luxury box seat priced at $29,126.

Even the lowest-priced Finals tickets in Oklahoma City or San Antonio hover around $1,000 — roughly one-third of the current “get-in” price for a possible Finals game at Madison Square Garden.

{Matzav.com}

The White House sought Sunday to calm growing conservative outrage over President Donald Trump’s emerging agreement with Iran, insisting Tehran will receive no meaningful sanctions relief unless it fully gives up its stockpile of enriched uranium.

Administration officials stressed that despite Trump’s optimistic public comments about a developing memorandum of understanding, no final agreement is close to being signed and major disputes remain unresolved.

Trump revealed over the weekend that Washington and Tehran were nearing a framework that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore oil shipments while creating a 30-day window for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

The proposal immediately triggered alarm among Republican lawmakers and pro-Israel figures, prompting senior Trump officials to clarify that negotiations remain incomplete and that any finalized agreement is still at least several days away.

A senior administration official emphasized that Iran would gain little economically unless it follows through on private commitments to surrender its highly enriched uranium.

“Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!” Trump wrote on Truth Social Sunday, one day after declaring the agreement was “largely negotiated.”

Administration officials said that description remains broadly accurate, though the remaining unresolved issues are proving to be the most difficult.

“95% is done, but literally changing words requires days of deliberation in their system,” the official said.

The senior administration source held multiple briefings with reporters Sunday in an effort to make clear that no agreement is imminent and that the Trump administration has no intention of repeating the Obama administration’s controversial cash payments to Iran.

“No dust, no dollars — in other words, no highly enriched uranium, then the Iranians aren’t going to get any real relief,” the official told journalists in a morning briefing.

“If they do nothing, they get nothing. If they do a lot, they can actually get a lot.”

The same official later argued that Trump’s negotiations would ultimately produce a far stronger agreement than the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

“we’ll get a better deal” than Obama’s multinational Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) pact, with the new arrangement featuring “clear enforcement, or no deal.”

The administration also stressed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would not trigger immediate financial concessions to Tehran.

There will be “no pallets of cash [and] no other relief for opening the strait,” the official said.

Several Republican senators publicly voiced concern that the administration may be moving too quickly toward an agreement while leaving major questions unresolved after nearly three months of conflict.

Lindsey Graham described the possible framework as “a nightmare for Israel,” while Ted Cruz said he was “deeply concerned” the deal could become “a disastrous mistake.”

The administration official contrasted the current talks with the Obama administration’s nuclear agreement, which allowed Iran to continue limited uranium enrichment.

Under the JCPOA, “there were pallets of cash, and we did fly $1.7 billion of money from American banks there, and they used it to build centrifuges and finance terrorism,” the official said.

According to the administration source, U.S. and Iranian negotiators are now discussing a sweeping long-term ban on uranium enrichment, though the exact duration remains under debate.

“No one disputes that the stockpiled enriched material will be disposed of. It’s a question about how,” the official said.

“And then simultaneously, while we’re figuring out that question of how, we’re going to have this thing where the strait open, the blockade is lifted and we get the economy some breathing room.”

Trump himself repeatedly invoked the Obama-era agreement in social media posts Sunday, signaling awareness inside the White House that critics remain deeply skeptical of Tehran’s intentions.

“Our deal is the exact opposite, but nobody has seen it, or knows what it is. It isn’t even fully negotiated yet,” Trump wrote.

“So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about. Unlike those before me who should have solved this problem many years ago, I don’t make bad deals!”

Exactly how Iran might dispose of its enriched uranium remains one of the most sensitive unresolved issues in the talks.

The administration official acknowledged that Iranian domestic politics and “national pride considerations” have complicated negotiations over the uranium stockpile.

“There is a political value in the United States to getting it. There is obviously a political value in the Iranians not handing it over to the United States,” he said.

“A lot of the debate is not really what happens to the stockpiled material. But it’s how the Iranians can sell it to their own hardliners and to their own population in a way that gets us what we need as well, and that’s really the conversation that’s happening.”

According to the official, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has already “signed off on the broad template” of the agreement, despite continued denials in Iranian state media that Tehran is considering major nuclear concessions.

Trump recently floated the possibility of destroying Iran’s estimated 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium if it is handed over to the United States, while also referencing comments from Iranian officials suggesting only the U.S. or China could recover the material from the wreckage of Iran’s bombed nuclear facilities.

“They will open up the strait in exchange for us lifting the blockade, and they will agree in principle to dispose of the highly enriched uranium, but then there’s a question about how precisely to do that,” the U.S. official said.

As negotiations enter what officials describe as the decisive stage, the administration says competing political interests are attempting to shape or sabotage the outcome through leaks and pressure campaigns.

“Various foreign actors and sometimes domestic actors try to use selective leaks in order to push certain narratives or to derail certain things,” the official said.

“Now, I would say, by and large, most people in the Iranian system don’t love the deal, but they also don’t like the idea of going back to war,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu told President Donald Trump that Israel must retain full operational freedom against threats in Lebanon during a phone conversation centered on the emerging diplomatic framework between Washington and Iran, according to an Israeli source familiar with the discussion.

The call came as expectations mounted that a potential breakthrough could be nearing in the three-month conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

Trump announced over the weekend that Washington and Tehran had “largely negotiated” a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the fighting and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that has effectively remained shut since the U.S. and Israel launched military operations against Iran in February.

According to the Israeli source, Netanyahu made clear during the conversation that Jerusalem would not accept restrictions on Israeli military activity against threats emanating from Lebanon.

“In last night’s conversation with President Trump, the Prime Minister emphasized that Israel will maintain freedom of action against threats in all ⁠arenas, including Lebanon, and President Trump reiterated and supported this principle,” the Israeli political source told Reuters on Sunday, asking not to be named.

The developing agreement reportedly is being brokered in part through Pakistani mediation efforts, and Trump suggested that reopening the Strait of Hormuz could become one of the central achievements of the deal.

Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported that the draft framework includes provisions under which the United States and its allies would agree not to attack Iran or its regional proxies, while Tehran would pledge not to carry out preemptive strikes against them.

The emerging framework has already sparked concern inside Israel.

Benny Gantz warned that it would ⁠be a strategic mistake for Israel to accept a ceasefire arrangement in Lebanon while Israeli forces remain engaged in operations against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group.

According to the Israeli source, Washington has continued updating Israeli officials on the status of the negotiations with Iran as talks advance.

The source added that Trump remains firm on his central demands regarding Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.

“President Trump made it clear that he will stand firm in negotiations on his consistent demand for the dismantling of the Iranian nuclear program and the removal of all enriched uranium from its territory,” the source said, “and that he will not sign a final agreement without these conditions being met.”

Following the conversation, Trump posted briefly on Truth Social, writing that his discussion with Netanyahu had gone “very well.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly defended President Donald Trump on Sunday as a fierce Republican backlash erupted over the administration’s emerging agreement with Iran, a framework that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extend the current ceasefire for 60 days while postponing final negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The developing proposal has already triggered sharp criticism from Republican hawks and skepticism from Iranian officials, with opponents warning the agreement could strengthen the Islamic Republic and alter the balance of power across the Gulf region.

Speaking from the Indianapolis 500 during an appearance on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Johnson said he spoke with Trump Saturday night and insisted the president remains firmly committed to preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

Johnson described Trump as “resolute as he’s been from the beginning.”

The House speaker said the administration intends to successfully address the nuclear issue while reopening the strait to commercial shipping, arguing the move would calm international energy markets and reduce gasoline prices in the United States.

Johnson added that lower fuel prices could help Republicans expand their congressional majority in the upcoming midterm elections.

The framework Trump outlined Saturday in a social media post calls for extending the ceasefire by 60 days, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and launching follow-up negotiations focused on Iran’s nuclear program.

Trump said he discussed the proposal with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, and Israel, describing the developing package as a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE” that still requires final approval.

Iranian officials, however, appeared to dispute portions of the proposed framework, with a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry telling state media that nuclear matters are not currently part of the negotiations.

The proposal has created deep divisions within Republican ranks, pitting traditional Iran hawks against Trump allies defending the president’s diplomatic push.

Ted Cruz voiced alarm over reports suggesting Iran could retain influence over the Strait of Hormuz while continuing uranium enrichment activities.

He warned such an outcome would amount to a “disastrous mistake.”

Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, argued that a 60-day ceasefire “would be a disaster” and claimed the military gains achieved during Operation Epic Fury could ultimately be squandered.

Lindsey Graham also criticized the framework, warning it could shift the regional balance of power and become “a nightmare for Israel.”

Cruz later became involved in a public online clash with Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz, who mocked the senator for criticizing the president.

“Cool, Ted. No one asked you, bro,” Bruesewitz wrote, accusing Cruz of attempting to undermine Trump politically.

Cruz responded moments later with his own sharp rebuke.

“Hush, child. The adults are talking. I’m not your ‘bro.’ And young political grifters pushing Iran appeasement are not remotely helping the President.”

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also attacked the proposal, dismissing it as “Not remotely America First.”

That criticism drew an aggressive response from White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, who reportedly fired back on social media by saying Pompeo did not understand the issue and should “shut his stupid mouth.”

The immediate question now facing the administration is whether the fragile framework can survive long enough to become a finalized agreement.

Trump has repeatedly insisted that the U.S. blockade surrounding the Strait of Hormuz will remain in place “until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.”

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{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump reportedly urged leaders from several Arab and Muslim nations to establish diplomatic ties with Israel if an agreement is reached to end the conflict with Iran, according to an Axios report citing two U.S. officials familiar with the conversation.

The report said Trump views expanding the Abraham Accords as one of his administration’s top strategic goals once the Iran conflict concludes. His central objective is reportedly a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, though officials acknowledge that regional tensions and Israel’s approaching elections could complicate those efforts.

Trump reportedly held a conference call with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain to discuss the emerging diplomatic framework involving Iran.

One U.S. official said multiple leaders on the call voiced support for Trump’s handling of the negotiations.

“They all said we are with you on this deal. And if it doesn’t work, we will be with you too,” the official said.

According to another U.S. official familiar with the discussion, Trump informed the regional leaders that he intended to speak afterward with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and expressed hope that Netanyahu would eventually participate in a similar multinational call.

The officials added that Trump directly encouraged countries that still do not maintain diplomatic ties with Israel to join the Abraham Accords once the Iran war ends.

According to the report, leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan appeared caught off guard by the request, leading to a moment of silence on the call before Trump jokingly asked whether everyone was still on the line.

Trump reportedly told participants that his senior envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, would continue discussions on the issue in the coming weeks.

On Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social thanking Middle Eastern countries for their “support and cooperation,” while signaling that future regional relations could deepen through additional participation in the Abraham Accords.

The president also floated the possibility that Iran itself could eventually join the accords — a dramatic step that would require Tehran to formally recognize Israel.

Lindsey Graham publicly backed Trump’s proposal Sunday in a post on X, arguing that a broader normalization effort tied to ending the Iran conflict could reshape the Middle East.

Graham said that if Arab and Muslim nations joined the Abraham Accords as part of the diplomatic process, the agreement could become one of the most significant geopolitical breakthroughs in the region’s modern history.

He also urged Saudi Arabia and other regional powers to support Trump’s initiative, warning that rejecting the proposal could carry consequences for their future ties with Washington.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had previously signaled openness toward normalization with Israel, though reports indicate his stance has become more cautious over the past year.

According to Axios, Trump personally raised the issue during a White House meeting with bin Salman last November, but the Saudi leader reportedly pushed back against immediate progress.

Saudi officials continue insisting that Israel commit to what they describe as an irreversible and time-limited path toward the establishment of a Palestinian state before normalization can proceed — a condition strongly opposed by Israel’s current government.

Israeli and American officials reportedly believe Saudi Arabia is unlikely to make major moves toward normalization before Israel’s September elections and the formation of a new government afterward.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump appeared to deliver another pointed warning to Iran on Sunday, posting a dramatic image on Truth Social showing a bomb mounted beneath a fighter jet alongside the message, “THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!”

The post was widely interpreted as a signal from the White House that Tehran should not test Washington’s patience as negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program continue.

The image came shortly after Trump defended the developing negotiations with Iran in a separate Truth Social post, insisting that any agreement reached under his administration would be far tougher than the Obama-era nuclear deal.

“If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one, not like the one made by Obama, which gave Iran massive amounts of CASH, and a clear and open path to a Nuclear Weapon. Our deal is the exact opposite, but nobody has seen it or knows what it is. It isn’t even fully negotiated yet,” the President claimed.

Trump also lashed out at critics attacking the still-unfinished negotiations.

“So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about.”

The president concluded the post by drawing a sharp contrast between his approach and that of previous administrations.

“Unlike those before me who should have solved this problem many years ago, I don’t make bad deals.”

Trump’s comments echoed another lengthy statement he issued earlier Sunday in which he blasted the Obama administration’s Iran nuclear agreement while praising the current negotiations being conducted by his administration.

“One of the worst deals ever made by our Country was the Iran Nuclear Deal, put forth and signed into existence by Barack Hussein Obama and the rank amateurs of the Obama Administration. It was a direct path to Iran developing a Nuclear Weapon. Not so with the transaction currently being negotiated with Iran by the Trump Administration – THE EXACT OPPOSITE, in fact!”

Trump said negotiations with Tehran were advancing steadily and emphasized that American negotiators had been instructed not to rush toward a final agreement.

“The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side.”

He also made clear that U.S. pressure on Iran would remain fully intact unless and until a finalized agreement is formally completed.

The president noted that the blockade of Iran will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is “reached, certified, and signed.”

Trump announced Saturday that the final details of a potential agreement with Iran would be unveiled “shortly.”

According to a Reuters report, the emerging framework could unfold in three phases: formally ending the current conflict, resolving tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, and opening a 30-day negotiation window aimed at securing a broader long-term agreement, with the possibility of extending talks if necessary.

Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that one of the central pillars of the proposed agreement involves Iran surrendering its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

According to two U.S. officials cited in the report, Tehran has already indicated a willingness to relinquish the dangerous nuclear material as part of a final arrangement with Washington.

{Matzav.com}

A major political dispute erupted within Israel’s coalition Sunday night after Degel HaTorah reportedly informed Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu that it does not intend to move forward with the controversial draft law before the next elections.

The message deepens the ongoing crisis surrounding one of the most explosive issues facing both the government and the chareidi public.

Sources close to Netanyahu reacted angrily to the development, accusing Degel HaTorah of never having truly wanted a draft law agreement in the first place.

“From the beginning they did not want a draft law,” figures in Netanyahu’s circle charged, while also claiming that Degel HaTorah attempted to “shift the responsibility onto the prime minister.”

Senior Likud officials reportedly expressed frustration over the conduct of the chareidi party, insisting that repeated efforts had been made to reach mutually acceptable language for the legislation, but that parts of the chareidi leadership refused to cooperate.

Political observers believe the decision is tied in part to the position of Hagaon Rav Dov Landau, who reportedly is unwilling to approve the current version of the law — viewed by many in the chareidi world as especially harsh — without the full agreement and partnership of Hagaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch.

The standoff now threatens to further destabilize coalition negotiations over the highly sensitive issue of military conscription for bnei yeshiva.

{Matzav.com}