The Lebanese army said that an Israeli aircraft scattered leaflets over Beirut that included QR codes which, according to Lebanese officials, connect to online contact channels operated by an Israeli intelligence unit that recruits agents.
In a statement, the Lebanese military said the codes printed on the leaflets direct users to communication platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook. According to the army, the purpose of the material was to reach out to civilians and encourage them to cooperate in intelligence-gathering activities.
The Lebanese army also issued a warning to residents, urging them not to scan the QR codes or follow any links appearing on the leaflets.
The statement further cautioned that interacting with the links could expose civilians to legal and security risks. Officials also claimed the links could potentially compromise mobile phones, including enabling access to devices and personal information.
{Matzav.com}
Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed the controversy surrounding comments by President Donald Trump regarding a possible pardon for former Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, speaking Friday at the site of a strike in the town of Zarzir. Herzog said that while political and legal disagreements can continue for years, statements that he described as attacks on Israel’s governing institutions require a clear response.
During his remarks at the location of the strike, Herzog drew a distinction between routine disputes within the political system and criticism that targets the state’s official symbols and authority. “Political matters may be debated for years, but attacks on the symbols of government demand a response,” he said.
Herzog went on to explain that his concern was not about personal respect but about the dignity of the country itself. “I do not seek my own honor, but the honor of the state. There is a saying in our sources: ‘A king whose honor is forgiven, his honor is not forgiven.’ I am not a king; I am the president of Israel, a sovereign and independent state. Under these circumstances, there is a difference between political and legal debates-even with our allies-and blatant attacks on the symbols of Israel’s government and sovereignty, therefore a statement must be made on this matter.”
He also made clear that any decision regarding a potential pardon for Netanyahu would be made independently and without outside pressure. Herzog emphasized that the process would follow legal and constitutional procedures, regardless of international commentary.
“Ultimately, our honor, independence, and sovereignty are not for sale to anyone. I will handle the pardon request, when it arrives, in the most independent and impartial way, without pressure or interference, with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
{Matzav.com}Thousands of American citizens whose flights back to the United States were canceled due to the war with Iran are currently staying in Israel.
As part of an arrangement between the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Yerushalayim, and EL AL, Matzav.com has learned that beginning March 16, EL AL will operate six non-stop flights from Tel Aviv to New York designated exclusively for American citizens. These flights are expected to depart at full capacity, subject to Government Approvals.
Starting Sunday morning, EL AL will proactively contact American citizens holding valid EL AL flight tickets whose flights were canceled and have not yet been reassigned, and will offer them placement on these dedicated flights At No Additional Cost. We kindly request that all EL AL customers holding American citizenship complete the following Registration Website form.
EL AL is prepared to expand the Flight Schedule for dedicated flights for American citizens, understanding that the current number of flights provides only a partial solution and does not meet the high demand. Any expansion of activity will be carried out Subject to additional Government Approvals.
Register for these special flights HERE.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning to Iran on Friday, signaling that the United States was prepared to escalate its response as fighting across the Middle East intensified. In a series of social media posts, Trump declared that Iran’s military capabilities were being heavily damaged and cautioned that the day could bring further consequences for Tehran.
Posting early Friday on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Iranian forces were suffering severe losses and predicted additional developments.
“We are totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran, militarily, economically, and otherwise,” Trump wrote in an early morning post on Truth Social. “Iran’s Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth.
“They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them,” Trump added. “What a great honor it is to do so!”
Trump also warned that more action could follow, writing in another message that Iran’s forces were being “decimated” and adding, “Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today.”
Iranian officials quickly dismissed the remarks. Speaking during Quds Day demonstrations, Iranian security official Ali Larijani said the suspected Israeli strike that occurred in Tehran reflected weakness rather than strength.
Larijani told Iranian media that the attack was “a sign of its desperation.”
He also argued that Trump misunderstood the effect of pressure on the Iranian public, saying that “the more pressure he puts on the people, the greater their willpower will be.”
The exchange of threats came as Iran launched a new round of attacks across the Gulf early Friday. Dozens of drones were reportedly sent toward Saudi Arabia, part of a broader escalation that has spread fighting across several countries in the region.
Saudi officials said their air defenses intercepted nearly 50 Iranian drones that arrived in several waves. In neighboring Bahrain, warning sirens sounded after authorities detected incoming aerial threats.
In Dubai, authorities reported a fire in an industrial zone after debris from a missile interception ignited a blaze. Officials also said a structure inside the Dubai International Financial Center sustained damage after fragments from an intercepted missile fell nearby.
In Oman, two individuals were killed when drones crashed in an industrial section of the Sohar area, according to the Oman News Agency.
The attacks came after comments from Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who urged Gulf Arab states to close American military bases and promised retaliation for Iranians killed during the conflict.
Khamenei said the idea that the United States could protect regional governments was “nothing more than a lie” and pledged Iran would “not refrain from avenging the blood” of those killed.
The conflict also extended northward into Turkey. Early Friday, NATO defenses intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran.
Residents in the southern Turkish city of Adana reported hearing a loud blast and sirens at Incirlik Air Base, which hosts U.S. forces. Turkey’s Defense Ministry later said NATO air defense systems intercepted and destroyed the missile over the eastern Mediterranean.
Inside Iran, an explosion shook Tehran’s Ferdowsi Square during Quds Day demonstrations supporting Palestinians.
Iranian state television acknowledged the blast but said the cause was unclear. Israel had earlier issued a warning telling civilians to leave the area ahead of a planned strike.
Despite the alert and the ongoing war, thousands gathered in Tehran for the annual rally, shouting “death to Israel” and “death to America” while smoke rose from the square.
{Matzav.com}Ben Shapiro sharply criticized Megyn Kelly on Thursday after she accused him a day earlier of implying that she was anti-Semitic. The dispute erupted after Kelly defended Piers Morgan, whose program Shapiro had recently attacked for hosting what he described as extreme anti-Semitic voices.
Shapiro addressed the controversy while taking questions from viewers during his program. One viewer asked about a pattern Shapiro has encountered in confrontational interviews, suggesting that critics often accuse him of focusing on Israel when they run out of other arguments.
“Josh says, quote, ‘Dear Ben, I’ve been watching a lot of your adversarial interviews lately, and I’ve noticed that once they run out of arguments, they always fall back on the Israel issue.’ Yeah, I noticed that, too,” Shapiro began before reading the remainder of the viewer’s question.
“‘I noticed this especially in Megyn Kelly’s defense of Tucker Carlson, where she claimed that your issue with him and recently her all boiled down to Israel, which I believe is an incorrect characterization. They just find it convenient to blame Israel instead of facing the actual points you are making. My question is: How do you deal with people like this? People who, anytime you disagree with them just say the reason you disagree with them is because of Israel? I like the way Matt Walsh said it: People that are Israel first, but from the opposite direction—meaning the first thing they care about is being anti-Israel. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.”
Shapiro responded bluntly to the suggestion that critics were misrepresenting his arguments.
“So yes, they’re lying. Megyn is lying, and so is Tucker. I mean, period. They’re just lying, OK?” Shapiro replied.
He said his criticism of Tucker Carlson began years earlier and had little to do with Israel.
“I started originally criticizing Tucker Carlson for his economic programs back in 2018. And then in the more modern, post-Fox iteration of Tucker, I started criticizing Tucker over his going to Russia to sniff the bread and kiss Vladimir Putin…”
Shapiro also pointed to Carlson’s decision to interview white nationalist Nick Fuentes as a major reason for his criticism.
“My generalized critique of Tucker in the last few months has been one: he hosted and glossed over a Nazi, Nick Fuentes, which doesn’t have to do with Israel. It has to do with glazing a Nazi, Nick Fuentes. And then I did a speech at Heritage in which I went through the fact that Tucker Carlson is in no way, shape, or form a traditional conservative and he’s a conspiratorial near-anarchist at this point, seeking to tear down the fundamental ideas and institutions of the United States.”
Shapiro referenced a speech he delivered at the Heritage Foundation to emphasize that Israel was not the focus of his critique.
“Go watch the Heritage Speech. I believe Israel is mentioned once in a 35-minute speech that is all about Tucker’s general view of the world and how it does not represent traditional conservatism in any way.”
He then accused Kelly of being even more misleading about the origins of their disagreement.
“Megyn is even more dishonest. I’ve literally never—not once—mentioned Megyn Kelly in the context of Israel. My critique of Megyn Kelly began when—and again, go back and watch the tape because it’s all on tape, gang. Go back and watch the tape. Megyn wanted me to come and do one of her live events, which we did for free, obviously, and came down as a favor to Megyn because Megyn and I were friendly.”
Shapiro said he had also supported Kelly professionally in the past.
“And of course, we’d had a long, longstanding business relationship in which we had really, really helped her launch her business, which she freely admits or admitted at the time. I don’t know if she does anymore. She used to have me on her Fox News show sometimes. Now I see she’s taking credit for my entire career. Well, you know, congrats, Megyn, I suppose. And see if you’re happy about your decisions. I disagree about my career trajectory, but that’s fine. If you want to take credit, sure.”
He said the disagreement between them stemmed from his criticism of Kelly for not confronting other conservative figures over controversial statements.
“In any case, my critique of Megyn on the stage was: Why don’t you call out Candace Owens for implicating Erika Kirk in the murder of Charlie Kirk? That was my critique on the stage. And why don’t you call out Tucker Carlson for glazing Nick Fuentes as the leading enemy of Charlie Kirk? Because Nick Fuentes hated, despised Charlie Kirk, and the feeling was mutual. That was my critique of Megyn,” Shapiro continued.
He said Kelly had defended Owens and disputed his claims.
“And then she went on to claim that I was lying about Candace and that actually Candace was even, quote unquote, ‘defending in her own way, Erika Kirk.’ Well, that didn’t age amazingly, as it turns out,” Shapiro jabbed.
Shapiro also insisted that he has never accused Kelly of anti-Semitism.
“So here’s what’s actually happening: What’s actually happened is that there is a game that has now emerged on this part of the right. The game goes something like this: I don’t accuse you of anti-Semitism. You instead claim that I did. And then you say, “How dare he call me an anti-Semite. He’s trying to cancel me.” It’s the Jussie Smollett of political claims. You attack yourself and then you claim that I attacked you as an anti-Semite. That’s absurd.”
He reiterated that his criticism of Carlson was focused on Carlson’s platforming of anti-Semitic figures.
“I think that Tucker Carlson has fostered anti-Semitism by having on some of the worst anti-Semites in America over and over and then essentially laundering their views. I have never remotely called Megyn Kelly an anti-Semite. Nor, by the way, did I call Piers Morgan an anti-Semite. I said that his show is the Jerry Springer of politics—a clown car of stupidity. And it is. That’s all. That’s literally all. I didn’t say that he should be taken down. I didn’t say that people should stop watching his show if they want to. I said I did not wish to appear in the clown car stupidity, which seems to me an aspect of free speech. I don’t have to associate with Piers’s dumb show. I mean, lots of people like it. Good for him. And Piers measures his morality by clicks.”
Kelly responded to Shapiro’s remarks later Thursday on her own program and defended Morgan, arguing that he challenges controversial guests rather than promoting their views.
“It’s very sad to me as somebody who’s known Ben forever, and made Ben. One hundred percent—he became a star on my show at The Kelly File. I’m very sorry to see this happen. And like, there is absolutely no cause to go run around policing the guests on somebody else’s show and trying to diminish somebody who is as interesting but—and I mean this complimentarily—benign as Piers Morgan,” Kelly said.
She rejected the idea that Morgan represents a harmful force and accused Shapiro of imposing ideological tests on others in conservative media.
“Piers is not a pernicious force. Piers is an interesting guy who’s got an interesting show. Maybe it’s for you, maybe it’s not. It’s up to you. I think he’s really interesting, and I think his interviews are great. But now we have to get rid of Piers Morgan? So obviously, in Ben’s view, Tucker had to go. Clearly, even though he helped build Candace, she had to go,” Kelly continued.
She said their long friendship made the public dispute particularly disappointing.
“Then I had to go, even though I’ve had a 15-year friendship with this guy—publicly attacked me. Same thing. Not even a text in advance, even though we had had a text literally four months or four weeks earlier saying, “No matter what, who we’re friends with”—because he was mad I was friends with Tucker—’our friendship means more to us than it, and we won’t do anything to [mess] it up.’ Next thing I know, I get attacked by him on stage at Turning Point.”
Kelly concluded by questioning how many figures in conservative media Shapiro would criticize.
“Now, Piers Morgan—how many people have to go? Truly, how many people must be called out from the conservative movement in order to make Ben happy? This is ridiculous, and it’s not just Ben. There are others who take his lead once he calls you an anti-Semite or says you need to be kicked out of polite society. There are a couple of others—not a huge amount, I have to say. Ben’s numbers are very bad right now, but he’s got some influence with some crew. This is so wrong. Good for Piers Morgan for fighting back. I’m completely on Team Piers, and I’m sorry to see Ben going in this direction.”
{Matzav.com}
[COMMUNICATED]
As the matzav in Eretz Yisroel weighs heavily on our hearts, some have asked whether the upcoming Shuvu Dinner should be postponed. After consulting with our Daas Torah the guidance was clear: this is precisely the time to continue.
For 35 years, Shuvu has provided Torah education to children across Eretz Yisroel, many from homes with little prior exposure to authentic Torah learning. Today, more than 6,000 children attend Shuvu schools, where they are being prepared for lives of Torah, mitzvos, and Yiras Shamayim.
Shuvu was founded by Rav Avrohom Pam zt”l, whose vision was to bring Torah to Jewish children throughout Eretz Yisroel. That mission continues today under the leadership of our nesiim, Rav Reuven Feinstein shlita and Rav Elya Brudny shlita.
Especially in difficult times, the learning of these children carries profound meaning. Strengthening their Torah is not separate from the moment – it is part of our response.
For this reason, Shuvu will move forward with its 35th Annual Dinner, be’ezras Hashem, on Sunday, March 15 at Bell Works in New Jersey.
Many members of our team in Eretz Yisroel must remain with their families and may not be able to travel to assist with fundraising. We therefore turn to you to help ensure that Shuvu’s schools and the thousands of children that depend on them remain strong.
Please join our dinner campaign at shuvuusa.org/dinner or call 718-692-3434.
In this zechus, may we be zoche to see yeshuos and nechamos for Klal Yisroel.
