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Israel’s police are preparing to move away from the use of the malodorous crowd-dispersal agent known as “Skunk,” amid sustained criticism and legal challenges over its effect on civilians, Hamevaser reported.

According to the report, recent internal deliberations within the police have resulted in a decision to begin examining other ways of addressing riots and public disturbances, with the long-term goal of abandoning the odor-based substance altogether.

“Skunk,” which was developed in Israel, is intended to scatter crowds through an overwhelming stench instead of tear gas or physical force. It is most commonly deployed via water cannons mounted on riot-control vehicles, though it has also been used in handheld devices and other delivery mechanisms. The product has additionally been sold to law-enforcement bodies outside Israel.

For years, the spray has drawn sharp opposition, especially in chareidi neighborhoods, where residents and communal leaders have said its use amounts to collective punishment, impacting families and passersby who have no connection to protests. Detractors have also warned that the substance can leave long-term damage to homes, streets, and the local environment.

The reported change in policy comes in the wake of a petition submitted to Israel’s Supreme Court by Yerushalayim Deputy Mayor Yitzchok Meir Brim, head of the Agudats Yisroel faction on the city council. Brim has maintained that the spray causes disproportionate harm to children, the elderly, and other vulnerable residents, and has called on police to stop deploying it in densely populated areas.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said the United States stands ready to respond forcefully if Iran moves to execute people detained during the ongoing anti-government demonstrations, warning that Washington would not tolerate mass hangings of protesters.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil scheduled to air Tuesday evening, addressing reports of severe repression as unrest continues across Iran.

“We will take very strong action. If they do such a thing, we will take very strong action,” Trump said.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW:

The President said he is aware that a significant number of demonstrators have already lost their lives during more than two weeks of turmoil. According to information cited by CBS News, at least 12,000 people are believed to have been killed, with some estimates placing the figure as high as 20,000.

Trump reiterated that aid is being directed toward the Iranian public, saying “there’s a lot of help on the way” and noting that support is coming in “different forms,” including economic assistance. He also referred to U.S. airstrikes carried out last year against three Iranian nuclear sites, though he did not elaborate.

When asked what outcome he is seeking in Iran, Trump replied: “The end game is to win. I like winning.”

Pressed to explain what that means, the President pointed to major actions carried out during his first and second terms, including the recent capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, the 2019 U.S. raid in Syria that killed ISIS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and the 2020 operation that eliminated Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Quds Force.

“We don’t want to see what’s happening in Iran happen,” Trump said. “And you know, if they want to have protests, that’s one thing, when they start killing thousands of people, and now you’re telling me about hanging – we’ll see how that works out for them. It’s not going to work out good.”

.@POTUS: "We had a wonderful speech in front of great people in Detroit… I'm going back to the White House now, we're going to look at the whole situation that's going on in Iran… We'll get some accurate numbers as to what's happening with regard to the killing." pic.twitter.com/g0WZ1lXdyr

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 13, 2026

Later, after returning from a visit to Detroit, Trump told reporters that he planned to review the situation further upon his return to Washington. “I’m going back to the White House now, we’re going to look at the whole situation that’s going on in Iran… We’ll get some accurate numbers as to what’s happening with regard to the killing,” he said.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump posted a message on social media warning Iranian authorities that they would “pay a big price” if the violence continues, while telling Iranian citizens that “HELP IS ON ITS WAY.” He also said that all contacts and meetings with Iranian officials would be suspended until the killings stop.

An Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday that approximately 2,000 people have been killed during about two weeks of protests nationwide, including members of the security forces.

The official described those responsible for the unrest as “terrorists” and said fatalities included both demonstrators and security personnel, without providing a detailed accounting.

On Monday night, two Defense Department officials speaking to CBS News said Trump has received briefings on a wide range of military and covert tools available for use against Iran, options that go well beyond traditional airstrikes.

Multiple sources familiar with the discussions said the President’s national security team is scheduled to convene at the White House on Tuesday to assess updated courses of action regarding Iran. It is not yet clear whether Trump will personally attend the meeting.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge has scheduled an April 27 trial date for the lawsuit filed by Elon Musk against OpenAI chief executive Samuel Altman and other defendants, including Microsoft, according to a court order issued Tuesday.

The case will focus on Musk’s contention that OpenAI and Altman strayed from the organization’s founding purpose as a nonprofit created to serve the public good, and that he was misled as the group evolved into a profit-driven operation closely tied to Microsoft.

In his complaint, Musk alleges that Altman “intentionally courted and deceived” him by presenting OpenAI as a nonprofit meant to counter Google’s DeepMind research arm and to develop artificial intelligence as open-source technology for the benefit of humanity.

The lawsuit argues that OpenAI’s leadership later reorganized the company, established for-profit entities, and entered into multibillion-dollar agreements that, according to Musk, conflicted with that original mission.

Musk, who leads Tesla and SpaceX, was among OpenAI’s original founders and its largest early backer when it launched in 2015, contributing tens of millions of dollars in initial funding before departing three years later.

After OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022, Musk went on to start a competing artificial intelligence venture, xAI.

Microsoft, which began investing in OpenAI in 2019, has since committed billions of dollars to the company and became its largest shareholder following a restructuring completed last year.

The jury trial will take place in Oakland, California, under the supervision of US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s High Court of Justice on Tuesday evening canceled a hearing that had been scheduled for Thursday on petitions seeking the dismissal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The justices ruled that, in the absence of a substantive response from the prime minister—whose decision is at the center of the petitions—there was no practical purpose in holding the hearing at this stage.

In its decision, the court stated that “given the lack of substantive engagement with the merits by the prime minister, whose decision stands at the heart of the petitions, we see no practical value in proceeding with the hearing.”

The hearing has been postponed until March, and the judicial panel will be expanded to five justices. According to the court, the new hearing date will be set no later than the end of March 2026.

The decision also noted that the government’s response failed to provide a detailed engagement with the factual foundations presented by the other parties to the case. The justices further pointed to the absence of a direct, substantive position from the prime minister himself regarding the contested decision.

In addition, following a request by Ben Gvir and in light of what the court described as the “significant weight of the claims” raised in the petitions, the justices ordered the immediate expansion of the panel.

At the same time, the court signaled that the matter remains active and unresolved. Citing the continued lack of a substantive response, the justices indicated that the expanded panel would consider issuing a conditional order and said that a decision on that question would be issued by the end of the month.

{Matzav.com}

A senior U.S. State Department official said Washington is prepared to consider a wide range of responses if Britain follows through on a possible ban of Elon Musk’s social media platform X, as U.K. regulators investigate the spread of AI-generated sexualized deepfakes.

Sarah B. Rogers, the under secretary of state for public diplomacy, told GB News that the United States is closely watching the actions of British authorities and is not ruling out any options tied to free speech concerns. “I would say from America’s perspective … nothing is off the table when it comes to free speech,” Rogers said during the interview, which aired early Tuesday in the U.K.

She added that the next steps hinge on decisions by Britain’s media regulator, saying, “Let’s wait and see what Ofcom does and we’ll see what America does in response.”

Rogers, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, has been a vocal critic of European governments’ approaches to regulating online speech. She played a role in the State Department’s move last month to sanction former European Commissioner Thierry Breton along with four other European nationals connected to initiatives aimed at combating disinformation.

Support for X has also come from Capitol Hill. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican aligned with Trump, said last week that she is preparing legislation that would impose sanctions on the U.K. should it decide to bar the platform.

During her GB News appearance, Rogers accused British officials of seeking “the ability to curate a public square, to suppress political viewpoints it dislikes.” She went on to argue that X carries a “political valence that the British government is antagonistic to, doesn’t like, and that’s what’s really going on.”

When asked whether Rogers’ comments reflected official administration policy, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in London responded briefly: “Her remarks speak for themselves.”

British officials pushed back strongly on the suggestion that the issue involves suppressing expression. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer rejected that characterization, stressing that the country has defended free expression “for many hundreds of years, and will do in future too.”

The spokesperson said the focus is instead on criminal material produced through artificial intelligence. “It’s about the generation of criminal imagery of children and women and girls that is not acceptable. We cannot stand by and let that continue. And that is why we’ve taken the action we have.”

Ofcom, the U.K.’s online safety regulator, is examining whether X breached obligations under the Online Safety Act by allowing its Grok AI chatbot to generate and share non-consensual intimate images, including material that could constitute child sexual abuse.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall told Parliament on Monday that the government fully supports Ofcom using the strongest measures available if violations are confirmed. Those powers include fines of up to £18 million or 10 percent of a company’s global turnover, and in extreme circumstances, seeking a court order that would block X’s operations in Britain.

Kendall rejected claims that the enforcement effort threatens civil liberties. “This is not, as some would claim, about restricting freedom of speech, which is something that I and the whole Government hold very dear. It is about tackling violence against women and girls. It is about upholding basic British values of decency and respect, and ensuring that the standards that we expect offline are upheld online. It is about exercising our sovereign power and responsibility to uphold the laws of this land,” she said.

According to people familiar with the discussion, Starmer reinforced that message in a closed-door meeting with Labour lawmakers on Monday, warning that swift action would follow if the platform fails to rein in its AI tools. “If X cannot control Grok, we will — and we’ll do it fast because if you profit from harm and abuse, you lose the right to self regulate,” the prime minister said.

{Matzav.com}

The father of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sharply criticized Columbia University’s antisemitism task force during a faculty senate meeting, accusing the panel of operating like a punitive authority rather than serving the campus community, according to a report published Tuesday by The Washington Free Beacon.

Mahmood Mamdani, a veteran Columbia professor, delivered the remarks at a Dec. 12 meeting of the university senate, based on transcripts reviewed by the outlet.

“It became very clear that [the task force] saw itself not as representing the community, but as a prosecutorial agency,” Mamdani said, arguing that the group’s approach was intensifying divisions on campus instead of confronting antisemitism constructively.

He went on to liken the task force’s methods to the British Empire’s colonial-era policy of “divide and rule,” contending that its work was breeding suspicion and alienation among both students and faculty. Mamdani asserted that the panel’s actions were leaving segments of the university population feeling excluded.

Addressing fellow senators, Mamdani, whose academic work focuses on decolonization, colonialism, and racial capitalism, said the task force was escalating conflict rather than fostering cohesion within the university.

Two individuals present at the December meeting confirmed that Mamdani made the statements as described, while a third attendee said the unofficial transcript accurately matched his own notes from the session.

After Mamdani finished speaking, acting Columbia President Claire Shipman, who was chairing the meeting, publicly expressed appreciation for his comments and requested his input, formally referring to him as “senator.”

The remarks come as Columbia continues to face heavy criticism over its response to antisemitism, particularly following months of pro-Palestinian protests that erupted on campus after the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.

Columbia is among several elite universities where demonstrations have featured chants widely denounced as antisemitic, rhetoric calling for Israel’s destruction, and significant disruptions to campus operations. Jewish students and advocacy organizations have accused university leadership of failing to protect them from harassment and intimidation.

The Trump administration has previously confronted Columbia and other universities over their handling of antisemitism, warning that federal funding could be jeopardized if institutions do not uphold civil rights protections for Jewish students.

As part of that effort, the administration has urged colleges to adopt clearer definitions of antisemitism and to discipline students and faculty involved in extremist or discriminatory behavior.

Columbia’s antisemitism task force was formed amid that federal pressure, alongside congressional probes examining whether universities violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by permitting a hostile environment for Jewish students.

University officials have maintained that the task force is a necessary mechanism to address antisemitism and ensure compliance with federal law, while critics within the campus community argue it has been wielded to silence political speech critical of Israel.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is expected to announce the next stage of a U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire, advancing a strategy designed to marginalize Hamas terrorists and overhaul how the devastated territory is governed, according to a report published Tuesday by the Financial Times.

Despite doubts from some U.S. allies and a shortfall in international funding, officials in Washington and Jerusalem say they are pressing ahead with what they describe as “phase two” of the ceasefire arrangement that brought an end to more than two years of fighting, the report said.

This next phase is expected to focus on restructuring Gaza’s civil administration, increasing humanitarian access, and taking concrete steps to strip Hamas of control over civilian institutions within the enclave.

According to the Financial Times, the United States could present a new governance model for Gaza as soon as Wednesday. The plan would transfer daily administrative responsibilities from Hamas to a Palestinian technocratic committee.

The report said Nickolay Mladenov, a former United Nations envoy and Bulgarian defense minister, is slated to be appointed as “high representative” for Gaza. In that role, Mladenov would supervise a 14-member Palestinian technocratic panel responsible for restoring essential services and rebuilding civilian governing structures.

At the same time, the report noted that the formal launch of Trump’s proposed Board of Peace is expected to face delays.

U.S. and Israeli officials involved in shaping the plan argue that visible progress is achievable in the near term, pointing to potential “early wins” such as reopening the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, increasing medical assistance, and loosening restrictions on imports into Gaza.

Significant hurdles remain, however, including the absence of an international peacekeeping force and a major gap in reconstruction funding. The report said only about $1 billion has been secured so far, well below the tens of billions of dollars estimated to be necessary for rebuilding.

Western and Muslim nations have been hesitant to provide troops or substantial financial support while Israeli forces continue operating in parts of Gaza and Hamas terrorists maintain influence in other areas, the Financial Times reported.

Another unresolved issue is Hamas’ disarmament, which Israeli leaders insist must be addressed before any broad reconstruction effort or large-scale withdrawal of forces can take place.

The report also pointed to disagreements within policy circles over earlier aid initiatives, including the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-supported effort intended to deliver assistance while bypassing Hamas-controlled distribution channels.

That program encountered serious challenges, including security breakdowns and disputes over who was responsible for food shortages and deadly incidents near aid distribution centers.

Even so, officials in the Trump administration remain optimistic, citing the ceasefire itself and the release of Israeli hostages as evidence that their strategy is producing results. They are expected to seek further political and financial support at the Davos economic forum later this month.

{Matzav.com}

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen rejected US President Donald Trump’s push to take control of the island, declaring Greenland would rather remain part of Denmark amid rising geopolitical tensions

Trump on the success of the “Trump Tariffs”: “They brought hundreds of billions of dollars pouring into the United States Treasury, helped curb inflation, and helped cut the federal budget deficit by a staggering 27% — and that’s only for a short period of time.”

Senior officials from Denmark and Greenland are scheduled to hold talks at the White House on Wednesday with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as tensions rise following President Donald Trump’s renewed push for U.S. control of Greenland, according to Denmark’s foreign minister.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, requested the meeting after Trump intensified public statements about taking over Greenland, which is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.

“U.S. Vice President JD Vance also wanted to participate in the meeting, and he will host the meeting, which will therefore be held at the White House,” Rasmussen told reporters in Copenhagen on Tuesday.

“Our reason for seeking the meeting we have now been given was to move this whole discussion… into a meeting room where we ⁠can look each other in the eye and talk about these things,” he added.

Trump initially raised the idea of the United States acquiring Greenland in 2019 during his first term, but the proposal encountered resistance in Washington, including from members of his own party. Greenland, which Denmark has governed for hundreds of years, has steadily expanded its autonomy since 1979 and continues to move toward eventual independence, a position supported by every party represented in Greenland’s parliament.

Separately, Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said he will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels next week to address security issues in the Arctic, alongside Greenland’s Motzfeldt.

Poulsen also said Denmark intends to increase its military footprint in Greenland, with additional NATO nations expected to take part in training and military exercises there in 2026.

“It has been a Danish priority over the past several years to have a discussion within NATO, but not least to also get greater attention from NATO in relation to issues regarding NATO’s presence in and around the Arctic,” Poulsen said.

{Matzav.com}

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced new proposed measures aimed at protecting synagogues and other houses of worship from demonstrations, citing a sharp rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia across the state. Speaking during her annual State of the State address in Albany, Hochul said stronger action is needed to safeguard religious institutions. […]

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday renewed his call for Iranians to continue protesting against their government, urging demonstrators to take control of state institutions and document the identities of those involved in violent crackdowns. Speaking during a speech in Detroit that was largely focused on the US economy, Trump returned to comments he had […]

Canadian authorities have charged two Edmonton-area men in separate cases for allegedly posting online threats against the Jewish community in December. The Edmonton Police Service said Monday that Amjad Jaradat, 31, was arrested on Dec. 19 and charged with uttering threats after allegedly posting messages on social media that threatened harm against Jews. According to […]

The 2026 global passport rankings have been released, confirming that Singapore once again holds the top position, offering its citizens the widest international mobility of any country in the world.

Holders of a Singapore passport can travel to 192 destinations without needing a visa. Close behind, Japan and South Korea are tied for second place, with each passport providing visa-free access to 188 countries.

A group of five European nations occupies the third spot. Citizens of Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Luxembourg can each enter 186 countries without a visa.

The United Kingdom is ranked seventh in the new index, with its passport allowing entry to 182 countries. Overall, European nations continue to dominate the upper tier of the rankings, reflecting the strong global standing of their travel documents.

The United States places tenth on the list, with Americans able to visit 179 countries visa-free. Israel is ranked 18th, with access to 165 destinations.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Afghanistan sits at the bottom of the index in 101st place, as its passport permits visa-free travel to only 24 countries.

Syria follows just above Afghanistan, with access to 26 countries. Iraq’s passport allows entry to 29 destinations, while citizens of Yemen and Pakistan can travel visa-free to just 31 countries.

The United Arab Emirates stands out for its dramatic rise over time, having added 149 visa-free destinations since the Henley Passport Index began tracking changes in 2006. In the 2026 rankings, the UAE places fifth overall.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police arrested Yaakov Kassman, the operator of a news hotline that reports on arrests of draft evaders by military police, accusing him of inciting thousands to take to the streets and confront law enforcement during violent riots that erupted about a month ago on Bar-Ilan Street in Jerusalem. According to police, Kassman was the […]

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday that Iran’s governing structure is approaching collapse, arguing that the Islamic Republic is reaching its final stage amid expanding nationwide protests and a harsh security response.

Speaking with reporters during an official visit to India, Merz said any government that survives only through coercion has already forfeited its legitimacy. “If a regime can only keep itself in power by force, then it’s effectively at the end,” he said. “I believe we are now seeing the final days and weeks of this regime.”

Merz went on to say that Iran’s leadership does not command genuine public support, stressing that it is not grounded in free and democratic elections. “The population is now rising up against this regime,” he said.

Demonstrations began spreading across Iran in late December, fueled by worsening economic conditions, including runaway inflation, a collapsing currency, and sharp increases in food prices. Protests have been reported in many cities, in what analysts describe as the most extensive unrest Iran has seen in years.

Authorities in Tehran have answered the protests with force. A senior Iranian official has acknowledged that roughly 2,000 demonstrators have been killed, according to reports cited by Reuters, though human rights activists say the actual figure may be higher. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports that more than 10,700 people have been arrested. Witnesses have also accused security forces of fatally shooting civilians who were not actively participating in the demonstrations.

President Donald Trump has strongly condemned the Iranian government’s response and has warned of repercussions. Earlier this week, he said the United States would impose a 25% tariff on imports from countries that continue doing business with Iran. He has also warned that Washington could step in if Iranian authorities persist in using deadly force against peaceful protesters.

Trump recently said that Iran’s leaders have indicated an interest in talks, but he warned that additional steps could be taken if the violence continues. Iranian officials, meanwhile, have cautioned that any US military action would trigger a severe response.

{Matzav.com}

Chabad-Lubavitch has secured a sprawling, 300,000-square-foot campus in the heart of Los Angeles. West Coast Chabad announced Tuesday that it has acquired a 16-story property at 9911 West Pico Boulevard that will become the Chabad Campus for Jewish Life, the largest Jewish center in North America. The roughly $100 million campus was donated by real […]

A report released Tuesday by Iran International asserts that more than 12,000 people were killed in Iran amid a recent wave of nationwide protests, with the majority of fatalities said to have occurred during two back-to-back nights late last week.

The outlet reported that the unrest has unfolded alongside a sweeping clampdown on information, including internet disruptions, the silencing of media outlets, and intimidation designed to block the flow of information and obscure the extent of the violence used against demonstrators.

In the face of those restrictions, Iran International said it launched a large-scale effort to corroborate fragmented accounts of killings and repression emerging from across the country.

According to the report, information was collected from a broad network of sources, among them individuals with proximity to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, figures within the presidential office, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel stationed in several cities, eyewitnesses, relatives of victims, reporters operating on the ground, and medical staff.

Iran International’s editorial board stood by the reported death toll, stating that the number was established through a “rigorous, multistage process conducted in accordance with established professional standards.”

“In the largest killing in Iran’s contemporary history, carried out largely over two consecutive nights, Thursday and Friday, Jan. 8 and 9, at least 12,000 people were killed,” the editorial board said in its conclusion.

The demonstrations mark the latest surge of unrest in Iran, fueled by widespread frustration over economic collapse, systemic corruption, political repression, and the clerical regime’s reliance on force to crush opposition.

Protests have erupted repeatedly across the country in recent years, often met by security forces employing mass detentions, live fire, and sweeping internet blackouts to restore control.

Iran’s government has a well-documented record of responding violently to public dissent, including during the protests of November 2019, when human rights organizations estimated that hundreds, and possibly thousands, of people were killed.

Officials have consistently rejected independent casualty estimates, curtailed outside reporting, and pressured victims’ families in an effort to prevent information about deaths from becoming public.

As details of the latest crackdown surfaced, U.S. officials told CNN that President Donald Trump has weighed military options aimed at assisting Iranian protesters, including potential strikes on security units in Tehran involved in suppressing demonstrations.

Trump has also offered explicit public backing for the protest movement. Writing on Truth Social on Tuesday, the president said, “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!

“Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!”

Iranian authorities have not independently verified the reported death toll and continue to depict the unrest as the result of foreign interference rather than a grassroots uprising driven by domestic grievances.

{Matzav.com}

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday publicly encouraged Iranians to take control of their country’s institutions, announcing that he has suspended all contact with Iran’s leadership as long as security forces continue to violently suppress protests.

In a series of posts on social media, Trump warned that those responsible for killing demonstrators would face consequences, rejecting Tehran’s claims that it has been maintaining dialogue with Washington during the unrest.

“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price.”

He followed by declaring a complete freeze on diplomatic engagement with Tehran until the bloodshed ends.

“I have canceled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” he added.

Human rights groups say the violence has already claimed hundreds of lives. Since the demonstrations erupted, Iranian forces are believed to have killed at least 646 protesters, with fears that the final toll will be far higher. Reuters has reported that as many as 2,000 people may have been killed, citing an unnamed Iranian official.

Amid the escalating crisis, the White House confirmed on Monday that Trump is considering military action against Iran in response to the crackdown.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that while diplomacy remains the administration’s preferred course, the president is prepared to act forcefully if he believes it is required. She said Trump “has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary.”

Leavitt stressed that the president is deeply disturbed by the images emerging from Iran’s capital and beyond.

“He certainly doesn’t want to see people being killed in the streets of Tehran. And unfortunately that’s something we are seeing right now,” she added.

Iranian authorities have responded to the protests with lethal force and widespread repression, including shutting down internet access across large parts of the country to prevent photos and videos from reaching the outside world.

The current uprising marks the most serious challenge to the Islamic Republic since the nationwide demonstrations that followed the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of Iran’s morality police.

International leaders have also weighed in, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggesting that Iran’s ruling system may be nearing collapse.

“I assume that we are now witnessing the final days and weeks of this regime,” he told reporters during a visit to India on Tuesday.

Merz said the government’s reliance on violence signals its weakness rather than strength. “When a regime can only maintain power through violence, then it is effectively at its end. The population is now rising up against this regime,” he added.

{Matzav.com}