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The IDF on Thursday morning cleared for publication the names of two reserve soldiers who were killed during combat operations in southern Lebanon after a deadly explosion struck an IDF force. Four additional reservists were seriously wounded in the same incident.

The fallen soldiers were identified as Major (Res.) Harel Birenstock, 34, of Nokdim, who served as a company commander in the 2855th Battalion of the 55th Brigade, and Chief Master Sergeant (Res.) Tamir Vaknin, 33, of Eilat, a combat soldier in the same battalion.

The IDF said that four other reserve soldiers sustained serious injuries in the blast. They were evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, and their families have been informed.

According to the military, the incident took place at approximately 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday in the Majdal Zoun area of southern Lebanon.

The explosion occurred while troops from the brigade combat team were conducting operations to eliminate terrorist infrastructure inside a building. During that mission, a powerful blast killed Birenstock and Vaknin and left four fellow reservists critically injured.

On Wednesday evening, the Gush Etzion Regional Council announced Birenstock’s passing. He was the son of Shlomo and Yonat Birenstock of Neve Daniel and the grandson of Nechama Birenstock of Efrat.

In a statement, the council said, “The Gush Etzion Regional Council announces with deep sorrow the death of Harel Birenstock. We mourn the heavy loss and extend heartfelt condolences to his parents, wife, brothers, sisters, and all the members of the family.”

{Matzav.com}

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has sharply criticized the government’s legislation aimed at preventing the arrest of bnei yeshiva who are considered draft evaders, reportedly calling the measure “fundamentally flawed” even after the High Court of Justice temporarily froze its implementation.

According to a report aired Wednesday evening on Channel 12 News, Zamir voiced his objections during a meeting of the IDF General Staff, saying the military had repeatedly warned the political leadership that it opposed the legislation but was ignored. According to the report, he remarked that “no one listened.”

Zamir also noted that the High Court has already suspended the law from taking effect and expressed doubt that it would ultimately survive judicial review.

The chief of staff instructed senior IDF commanders to closely monitor legal developments surrounding the legislation. According to officials who participated in the discussion, that directive was understood as an order to ensure continued cooperation between the Israel Police and the Military Police in enforcing the law against draft evaders and carrying out arrests where necessary.

Before the legislation was approved, Zamir had already made the military’s position clear in a letter sent to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, and the chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. In that letter, he stressed that the IDF would not approve sweeping exemptions from military service.

A key Senate investigative panel has obtained a copy of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government-issued cellphone from his time at the Department of Health and Human Services, adding a new development to the congressional investigation just as lawmakers prepare to vote on whether to hold him in contempt of Congress.

Fox News Digital confirmed that the pandemic-era iPhone was transferred from HHS to the Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, led by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.

A spokesperson for Johnson told Fox News Digital that the subcommittee “obtained a copy of Dr. Fauci’s iPhone that was used during his time at HHS.”

It remains uncertain whether investigators have been able to access the contents of the device.

The phone’s transfer, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, comes as the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee prepares for a Thursday morning vote on whether Fauci should be held in contempt of Congress. The development also follows HHS’s recent release of more than 1,000 pages from Fauci’s personal diary to the committee only days before last week’s widely watched hearing.

The hearing was scheduled after Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., subpoenaed Fauci to testify regarding his alleged involvement in funding what Paul has described as “risky” gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, where COVID-19 originated.

According to a source familiar with Paul’s office who spoke to Fox News Digital, the senator is also in possession of the cellphone.

The hearing had been expected to be the latest and most consequential confrontation between Paul and Fauci. Paul has repeatedly accused the former health official of misleading Congress and has argued that Fauci should face criminal penalties over his role in shaping the nation’s pandemic response.

Instead, Fauci declined to answer questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination on the advice of legal counsel.

“Although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions,” Fauci said.

Republican members of the committee proceeded to question Fauci on a wide range of topics, including the theory that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory leak, as well as numerous other issues. Democrats defended Fauci’s decision to invoke his constitutional rights, arguing that doing so was appropriate given what they characterized as an effort by Paul and other Republicans to trap him into making potentially incriminating statements.

Following the hearing, Paul pledged that Fauci’s refusal to testify would have consequences and suggested the courts may ultimately have to determine whether the presidential pardon granted by Joe Biden shields him from further legal exposure.

“I think there’s another legal question that the courts may have to decide upon, and that is whether or not a presidential pardon offers you complete immunity,” Paul said at the time.

{Matzav.com}

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged Wednesday that communication with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has become “very difficult at the moment,” while insisting that the country’s new leader remains a source of strength as Iran confronts mounting military and economic pressure.

In an interview published on the Iranian president’s official website, Pezeshkian claimed that the United States and Israel killed Iran’s previous supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, on February 28 in a failed attempt to bring about the collapse of the Islamic Republic.

According to Pezeshkian, the operation did not achieve its intended goal. “However, the country continued, and our (new) beloved leader was selected,” he said. “Our new dear leader’s presence is a very great strength for us to be able to continue this path, although communication with him is very difficult at the moment.”

Pezeshkian went on to describe the challenges facing Iran as the most severe in the country’s recent history. He pointed to intensified banking sanctions, tighter restrictions on international financial transactions, a naval blockade, and the continuing war as evidence that Iran is enduring its “most difficult” period.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ali Khamenei, was chosen by Iran’s Assembly of Experts in early March to serve as the country’s new supreme leader.

Florida has formally subpoenaed Dr. Anthony Fauci as part of the state’s expanding investigation into his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Attorney General James Uthmeier saying the probe is focusing heavily on allegations that Fauci personally benefited while serving in government.

The investigation began last week after Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. On Wednesday, Uthmeier announced that his office had taken the next step by issuing a subpoena under Florida law.

“Just about an hour or two ago, we issued a formal subpoena to Dr. Fauci, under Florida state law, seeking a breadth of documents ranging to what he knew, when he knew it, his doubts about the safety and efficacy of vaccines that he’s out there promoting, and we’re really focused in on his self-dealing,” Uthmeier said during an interview with Fox News host John Roberts.

Uthmeier alleged that evidence gathered by his office indicates Fauci sought to profit personally from the pandemic while serving as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

“This is outside of his government duties, his official role. He’s trying to pursue book deals, awards, get connected with high rollers that you know might help him come into millions and millions of dollars. This is wrong, and it could go towards a deceptive trade practice, fraud, public nuisance – you name it,” the attorney general said, adding that Fauci’s personal diary documents his growing public profile and interest in the recognition he received during the pandemic.

Uthmeier also claimed investigators have obtained communications showing Fauci sought assistance from subordinates in pursuing awards and other opportunities that generated personal income.

“We’ve got communications, emails with subordinates where he’s asking them to help work on applications for these awards. We know one award in particular. he made 900,000 on that. Again, this is separate and independent from his government salary. So here, you know, government officials they have a lot of immunities. They have protections when they’re doing their job, but when somebody like Dr. Fauci is lying and deceiving the American people, pushing out directives and mandates that he privately questions as unsafe, and he’s deriving a profit from it, that raises larger legal questions,” Uthmeier said, emphasizing that his office intends to pursue the investigation fully.

The attorney general said Florida is committed to determining whether Fauci’s actions were motivated by financial gain rather than public health.

“A lot of people were hurt and suffered, but we respect procedure, rule of law. We will get to the bottom of it. We will leave no stone unturned, and we want to find out at the end of the day, you know, was he pursuing profit, or was he trying to protect the people of Florida? And his diary, it screams of fame and fortune,” he said, adding that Fauci had been “doubting the risks of myocarditis” while publicly criticizing Florida’s pandemic policies.

“So much so that he traveled down. He did news hits, radio hits. He went down with Jill Biden. All the while, we now know privately he has a lot of doubts about safety [of the vaccine],” Uthmeier pointed out.

Fox News host John Roberts responded by sharing his own experience, saying, “Well, I can tell you, as somebody who nearly died from the booster, I had a lot of doubts about the safety of the vaccine as well.”

The subpoena comes just days after Fauci declined to answer numerous questions before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. In response, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) introduced a resolution to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress, with the Senate expected to vote on the measure Thursday morning.

{Matzav.com}

A newly formed political party seeking to attract liberal-minded members of the Chareidi community is facing fresh scrutiny following a report claiming that two close associates of Gadi Eisenkot played key roles in its early development. Party officials, however, are strongly denying the allegations and calling them defamatory.

The party, known as “Hatzibur Hachareidi” and headed by Moti Leitner, was established to represent Chareidim seeking an alternative political voice. According to a report by Kan News, the party received strategic guidance during its formative stages from individuals closely associated with Eisenkot, the leader of the “Yashar!” party.

The report states that Ronen Manelis and Ronen Aviani, both considered members of Eisenkot’s inner circle, were involved in the party’s initial organization and helped shape its strategic direction. Once the party’s infrastructure, leadership team, and overall strategy had been put in place, the two reportedly stepped back from day-to-day involvement, although Aviani is said to have continued offering advice on selected matters.

Kan News also reported that, in private conversations, Aviani expressed skepticism that the party would succeed in crossing Israel’s electoral threshold in the next Knesset election. In addition, Inbar Giti, a candidate on Eisenkot’s Knesset slate, is reportedly in contact with members of the new party as well as some of its donors.

The Hatzibur Hachareidi party forcefully rejected the report, issuing a statement that read: “We regret that the reporter chose to publish false information. It should be emphasized that Ronen Manelis, Ronen Aviani, and Inbar Giti have never advised the party, and any claim to the contrary amounts to serious defamation. The Hatzibur Hachareidi party was established out of the cry of tens of thousands of Chareidim seeking representation, while remaining firmly aligned with the right-wing bloc and camp. A group of panicked political operatives from the Chareidi parties, who have placed all their hopes on dismantling the right-wing bloc and are in a state of panic, are busy spreading lies instead of looking the real problems facing Chareidi society squarely in the eye.”

A new Channel 13 poll released Wednesday night shows a dramatic shift in Israel’s political landscape, with Gadi Eisenkot’s newly formed “Yashar!” party emerging as the largest faction if elections were held today. The survey also shows Shas slipping to just seven seats for the second consecutive week, while Eisenkot holds a significant lead over Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the race for prime minister.

According to the poll, “Yashar!” would win 23 Knesset seats, narrowly edging out Likud, which would receive 22 seats. Naftali Bennett’s party would remain steady with 13 seats.

Yisrael Beiteinu gains one seat to reach 11, while the Democrats also climb to 11 seats. Otzma Yehudit would secure 9 seats, United Torah Judaism would receive 8, and Shas would remain at a low of just 7 seats for the second straight week.

Hadash-Ta’al is projected to win 6 seats, while both the Religious Zionist Party and Ra’am would receive 5 seats each. Falling below the electoral threshold in the current survey are the parties led by Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel, Balad, and Benny Gantz’s Blue and White.

The bloc breakdown gives the opposition 58 seats, while Netanyahu’s coalition would hold 51 seats. The Arab parties together would account for 11 seats.

When respondents were asked who is better suited to serve as prime minister, Eisenkot led with 46%, compared to 36% for Netanyahu.

The poll also examined several potential party merger scenarios. A joint list of Hadash-Ta’al and Balad would receive 8 seats. If Yoav Segalovitz were to join forces with Mansour Abbas, Ra’am would increase its representation to 7 seats. Even under those merger scenarios, the parties led by Tropper and Hendel, Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein, and Benny Gantz and Alon Schuster would all remain below the electoral threshold.

The survey also asked whether Ra’am should be allowed to join a future governing coalition if it were to sever ties with the Islamic Movement and be joined by Yoav Segalovitz. Overall, 45% of respondents said they oppose such a move, 29% support it under those conditions, and 26% said they were undecided.

Among coalition supporters, opposition was overwhelming, with 79% rejecting the idea, compared to just 6% in favor and 14% undecided.

Within Israel’s Arab sector, 65% supported Ra’am joining a coalition under those circumstances, while 23% opposed the move and 12% said they had no opinion.

Among respondents who do not identify with the current coalition, 37% supported bringing Ra’am into a future coalition under the proposed conditions, 32% opposed it, and 31% said they had not yet formed an opinion.

The second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement is expected to unfold over a period of 210 days in five successive stages, with each phase dependent on the successful completion of the one before it, according to a report published by Asharq Al-Awsat citing Hamas sources.

According to the report, Hamas has made clear that implementation of the second phase will not begin unless Israel first fulfills all of its obligations under the initial stage of the agreement. Among the group’s primary conditions are maintaining the ceasefire, refraining from carrying out targeted assassinations, and withdrawing Israeli forces back to the original yellow line established under the October 2025 ceasefire arrangement.

The report further states that Israel would also be required to fully carry out the humanitarian provisions of the agreement. Those measures reportedly include allowing 600 aid trucks to enter Gaza each day, restoring essential civilian infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and bakeries, and permitting the entry of heavy engineering equipment to clear rubble throughout the Strip. The plan also calls for expanded operations at the Rafah Crossing to facilitate the movement of people into and out of Gaza.

According to the report, the National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip would gradually assume responsibility for areas where weapons have been collected and placed into storage. At the same time, Israeli forces would carry out a phased withdrawal tied to progress in implementing each stage of the agreement.

The Hamas sources also claimed that, under the proposed framework, the United Arab Emirates has committed to providing $400 million over a three-year period to pay outstanding debts owed to both public- and private-sector employees in the Gaza Strip.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States continues to strike Iran forcefully while insisting his administration still prefers a negotiated settlement over a broader military conflict.

Speaking during an appearance in Nevada, Trump said military pressure has been intense but stressed that his ultimate objective is to avoid unnecessary bloodshed through diplomacy. “I would rather make a deal because I don’t want to kill people,” the President stated, adding, “We were set for the biggest attack of any attack, and we’ve hit them very hard for the last few months, but we were all set for the biggest attack since World War II. And they called me, and they said, ‘Please don’t do it, let’s talk. And then they said, we never said that.”

Trump continued by saying discussions with Tehran remain underway despite Iran’s public denials. “But we are talking, let’s see what happens. But they respect us. They respect us,” he said, continuing, “It’s been 50 years. And no other president has done what you should have done a long time ago, because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump: "I don't want to kill people. I do not want to kill people. But … " pic.twitter.com/is8y4tRrRt

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 5, 2026

The president’s remarks echoed comments he made Tuesday night during an interview on Fox News, where he confirmed that communication between Washington and Tehran is ongoing while warning that additional military action could follow if key maritime shipping lanes remain blocked.

During that interview, Trump reaffirmed that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains a non-negotiable objective. “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. They already can’t, but it’s going to be formal. The Strait’s going to be open very soon, or they’re going to get hit very hard, and then the Strait’s going to be open,” he said in the interview.

Trump also insisted that negotiations are progressing, even if Iranian officials publicly deny they are taking place. “They are having very good discussions,” he said before adding, “They don’t like to admit that, but you know it’s a little bit disconcerting. You tell people ‘we’re having wonderful discussions’ and then some guy will come out of Iran and say ‘We have not met.’ It’s a lie. They want to make a deal.”

Asked how long he is willing to continue pursuing diplomacy before concluding the effort has failed, Trump replied simply, “I have plenty of time.”

Those comments followed statements the president made Monday, when he indicated he remains prepared to authorize major military operations if necessary while still giving diplomacy every opportunity to succeed.

“I think we’re going to maybe get something, but I want to give them every last chance before decapitation,” he noted, observing, “Very tough to do what we have planned, still planned. We’ll see what happens, but it’s a very, very tough thing to do.”

Trump again emphasized that, despite military preparations, he hopes a peaceful resolution can still be achieved. “I think I’m very proud of the fact that I will give people a chance,” he said, adding, “This is a big move to do an attack that big on a country. I’d rather not do it.”

Earlier Monday, the president sharply criticized Iran’s leadership after officials in Tehran denied reports that direct talks with the United States were taking place.

In a Truth Social post, Trump accused Iranian officials of saying one thing privately while claiming something entirely different in public. “Iranian leadership is unbelievably duplicitous! They ask for a meeting, some would say ‘beg,’ talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they’re not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they’re only dealing with ‘Oman.'”

Despite ongoing security tensions, several major foreign airlines continue to postpone their return to Israel, while others are increasing their operations—and a number of international carriers have resumed service to Ben Gurion Airport in recent days.

Portugal’s national carrier, TAP Air Portugal, announced Sunday that it is extending the suspension of its flights to Israel until September 15. Meanwhile, American Airlines has also delayed its return, saying its New York–Tel Aviv route will not resume before March 2027.

While some airlines remain cautious, others are expressing confidence in the Israeli market. Ethiopian Airlines has continued operating its flights and has maintained its commitment to serving Israeli travelers throughout the recent period of uncertainty.

Two foreign airlines resumed flights to Israel this week.

German carrier Condor, represented in Israel by Tal Aviation, officially launched its new scheduled route between Frankfurt and Tel Aviv with the arrival of its inaugural flight at Ben Gurion Airport on Saturday.

The new service will operate daily, strengthening air connectivity between Germany and Israel while providing convenient travel options for both business and leisure passengers. Founded in 1956, Condor is one of Germany’s oldest and best-known airlines.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), part of the Lufthansa Group, also resumed flights to Israel on Saturday, coinciding with Switzerland’s National Day.

SWISS will operate a daily Zurich–Tel Aviv route using Airbus A330 aircraft. The airline’s return is part of the Lufthansa Group’s broader expansion of flight operations to Israel.

The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ending nearly a year in which the nation’s leading public health agency operated without a permanent leader.

Schwartz was confirmed by a 51-44 vote that largely followed party lines, with Republicans backing her nomination and most Democrats voting against it. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., broke with his party to support Schwartz, saying last month that he regretted opposing former CDC Director Susan Monarez and had since apologized to her.

Before her confirmation, Schwartz served as deputy surgeon general during President Donald Trump’s first administration. Earlier in her career, she served as a Navy physician and later as the Coast Guard’s chief medical officer.

The CDC has been led by a succession of acting directors since August 2025, when Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed Susan Monarez just 29 days after she assumed the position. Most recently, the agency was headed by Jay Bhattacharya, who has overseen the CDC since February while simultaneously serving as director of the National Institutes of Health. Although federal law required the administration to nominate a permanent CDC director by March, Schwartz’s nomination was submitted a month later.

As the agency’s new leader, Schwartz will be responsible for directing the nation’s public health efforts, including overseeing responses to disease outbreaks and approving vaccine recommendations. She assumes the role amid the largest measles outbreak in the United States in 35 years, as well as a growing outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness linked to shredded iceberg lettuce. She will also confront increasing vaccine hesitancy, which some public health experts contend has been fueled by Kennedy’s rhetoric and policy decisions.

Although Schwartz was generally viewed as a mainstream choice to lead the CDC, some public health specialists expressed disappointment with her testimony before the Senate last month, arguing that she did not sufficiently distance herself from several of Kennedy’s more controversial positions. During the hearing, Schwartz affirmed that vaccines are safe and effective but said she was unfamiliar with some of Kennedy’s vaccine policy changes and declined to say whether she supported them.

During that hearing, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and a physician, criticized Schwartz for what he viewed as evasive responses when asked whether she would oppose Kennedy if scientific evidence were being undermined.

“We need a CDC director that will actually stand up to crazy, stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization,” Cassidy said.

Despite those concerns, Cassidy later announced his support for Schwartz after holding additional conversations with her and consulting individuals who had worked closely with her.

“I am confident that she knows what she is doing and will stand against those who do not,” he said during a HELP Committee meeting on July 23.

Cassidy also noted that, “as a sign of good faith,” the Department of Health and Human Services recently revised a CDC webpage discussing vaccines and autism. While the page continues to state that studies have not definitively ruled out a connection between childhood vaccines and autism, it now also notes that scientists have not identified the underlying causes of autism.

The National Public Health Coalition, an advocacy organization made up of former CDC employees that has frequently criticized Kennedy, said last month that it could not support Schwartz’s confirmation based on her Senate testimony.

“The public needed to hear clear commitments about how she would protect CDC guidance from political pressure. Too often, her stated commitments were incomplete, vague, or missing,” the group said.

Responding to those criticisms, HHS spokeswoman Emily Hilliard defended Schwartz, saying her qualifications were well established.

“Claiming that Dr. Schwartz was evasive because she declined to speculate on policy decisions outside the scope of her nomination is simply political theater,” she said in a statement.

Kennedy, who has long been associated with anti-vaccine activism, revised the federal childhood immunization schedule in January to recommend fewer vaccines for all children, though a federal judge blocked that policy in March. Last year, he also dismissed every member of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee and replaced them with new appointees, many of whom have expressed skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines. Monarez later testified before Congress that Kennedy removed her because she refused to automatically approve recommendations from the new advisory panel.

During her confirmation hearing, Schwartz insisted that Kennedy would never pressure her to pre-approve vaccine recommendations.

“As CDC director, my sacred responsibility is to provide the American people with public health guidance that is clear, honest and evidence-based,” she said. “I will never betray the science.”

Former Shas chairman Eli Yishai is reportedly considering a return to Israeli politics through an alliance with the newly formed Hatzibur Hachareidi party, according to a report aired by Channel 12.

The report says Yishai, who led Shas for 14 years, has recently held a series of meetings with representatives of the new party, and the possibility of a joint run in the next Knesset election is being seriously explored. No final decision has been reached, however, and both Yishai and party officials declined to comment on the report.

Hatzibur Hachareidi has positioned itself as an alternative for working Chareidim and voters who have grown dissatisfied with the established Chareidi parties. At the same time, the party’s stance on the enlistment of Chareidim into the IDF has become its most controversial issue, drawing strong opposition from members of the Chareidi community who remain firmly committed to the olam haTorah and the protection of bnei yeshiva.

The reported talks have generated particular interest because of Yishai’s long history at the helm of Shas, as well as his previous attempt to establish an independent political movement. In 2014, after leaving Shas, Yishai founded the Yachad party together with Maran HaGaon Rav Meir Mazuz zt”l. Although the party received approximately 125,000 votes, it failed to cross the electoral threshold.

According to the report, political observers believe that a partnership between Yishai and Hatzibur Hachareidi could improve the new party’s chances of entering the Knesset. At the same time, they acknowledge that the issue of military service could become a major obstacle, particularly among Chareidi voters who view preserving the status of bnei yeshiva as a non-negotiable principle.

Channel 12 also reported that the party hopes to attract voters who have become disillusioned with Shas, pointing to recent polling that reflects dissatisfaction among some of the party’s traditional supporters. Nevertheless, analysts say there is a significant difference between criticizing Shas politically and embracing a party perceived as supporting Chareidi enlistment, a position that could make it difficult for the new party to gain broad acceptance within the wider Chareidi community.

For now, the discussions remain preliminary and no agreement has been finalized. Even so, the prospect of Eli Yishai returning to politics through a new party—particularly one whose message centers on the highly sensitive issue of the draft—is already fueling intense debate within the Chareidi political world.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir declared Wednesday that Israel’s military will continue aggressively targeting Hamas, preventing new threats from emerging along the country’s borders, and relentlessly pursuing everyone responsible for the October 7 massacre during a visit to troops operating in the Gaza Strip.

Zamir toured the sector alongside Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, 99th Division Commander Brig. Gen. Elad Tzuri, Gaza Division Commander Brig. Gen. Liron Batito, and other senior officers. During the visit, he received operational briefings from field commanders and reiterated that the IDF’s security strategy is being applied consistently across every one of Israel’s borders.

“We are implementing the security strategy we defined-not only here, but along all of the State of Israel’s borders,” Zamir said. “The IDF is positioned at the front, ahead of the communities and their residents, in order to protect them.”

Discussing the campaign against Hamas, Zamir said Israeli forces have dramatically altered the battlefield and inflicted major damage on the terror organization while making Israel’s southern frontier significantly more secure.

“In the Gaza Strip, we have struck Hamas, significantly weakened it, and fundamentally changed the security reality,” he stated. “The IDF will continue to operate proactively and according to the principle we established-to remove threats and, in every situation, protect the communities and their residents and safeguard their security.”

The chief of staff emphasized that Israel will never again permit the kind of terrorist buildup that culminated in the October 7 attacks.

“We will not allow a threat to emerge on our borders like the one we experienced during the October 7 massacre,” Zamir declared.

Zamir also placed the fighting in Gaza within the context of Israel’s broader regional military campaign, noting that the same determination he observed during a recent visit to forces in southern Lebanon is evident among the troops now operating in Gaza.

“The Gaza front is part of a multi-front effort,” he said. “Last week I met with the troops in southern Lebanon, and here I see the same spirit-a spirit of initiative, determination, and commitment to the mission. It is this spirit that enables us to continue implementing the principle we established and to maintain the initiative in our hands.”

He commended the Southern Command and the units fighting in Gaza for maintaining constant offensive pressure, pointing to the military’s ongoing effort to track down every terrorist involved in planning and carrying out the October 7 atrocities.

“I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Southern Command and the divisions operating in this sector for their initiative, determination, and sustained offensive approach,” he said. “A clear example of this is the pursuit of the Nukhba terrorists and everyone involved in planning and carrying out the October 7 massacre.”

Zamir stressed that bringing the perpetrators of the massacre to justice remains a permanent obligation for the IDF, saying the victims continue to guide the military’s mission.

“The images from the communities, the Bibas family, the surveillance soldiers, and all the victims of the October 7 massacre are before our eyes every day,” Zamir said. “We will continue to pursue those responsible, and we will not relent until we bring every person who played a part in the massacre to justice-sooner or later. This is a permanent and ongoing mission.”

Closing his remarks, Zamir reaffirmed the military’s commitment to safeguarding the residents of communities surrounding the Gaza Strip, saying the IDF will continue strengthening security and maintaining a forward defensive posture.

“We must continue acting to protect the residents of the communities near the Gaza Strip,” he said. “Your protection and security are our mission-we will continue working to strengthen security. We have fundamentally changed the security reality, and we will continue to act to ensure that the IDF remains at the front, protecting the communities and their residents and safeguarding their security.”

New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act officially took effect Wednesday, allowing certain terminally ill adults to request life-ending medication, though access to the law is expected to vary across the state as hospitals and healthcare systems determine whether and how they will participate.

With the law now in force, New York becomes the 13th U.S. jurisdiction to authorize medical aid in dying, joining 12 other states and Washington, D.C. Under the legislation, mentally competent adults who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and are expected to live six months or less may request medication to peacefully end their lives.

The New York State Department of Health says patients must be capable of administering the medication themselves, a requirement intended to ensure that the decision is made voluntarily and intentionally. The law does not compel physicians, hospitals, or healthcare providers to participate, and many are still awaiting additional guidance from the Department of Health. State officials have also emphasized what the governor’s office describes as “additional guardrails that will make sure people won’t be taken advantage of.”

The new law remains highly controversial, with opponents warning that it could place vulnerable individuals at risk.

“As part of our work, the work of the church, we do a lot to care for the vulnerable, vulnerable populations. And that includes the medically disenfranchized, the poor, the medically underserved, and, of course, the disabilities community,” Kristen Curran, the New York State Catholic Conference’s Director of Government Relations said. “We do a lot of work with the disabilities community. And we know, again, having watched this law be implemented elsewhere. We know that this is a very dangerous and devastating law.”

Supporters argue that individuals facing terminal illness should be free to make their own end-of-life decisions without religious objections preventing others from exercising that option.

“We also don’t believe that the religious views of some should be able to stop other people from using a law if they so desire,” Death With Dignity National Legislative Consultant Geoff Sugerman said.

New York’s legislation closely mirrors Oregon’s pioneering law, which was first enacted in 1994. Since then, several states have modified their statutes by expanding eligibility, permitting advanced practice nurses and nurse practitioners to participate in the process, eliminating residency requirements, and shortening waiting periods between approval and the dispensing of medication. In New York, the required waiting period is five days.

The law has already been challenged in court.

Just last week, a federal district judge ruled that a lawsuit filed by a coalition of disability rights advocates could not proceed because the plaintiffs lacked legal standing, rejecting their request to block the law from taking effect.

A separate lawsuit has been filed by four Catholic religious orders and several Catholic healthcare ministries, which argue that the law violates their religious liberty by compelling them to participate in medical practices that conflict with their religious beliefs.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an incident in which Marine One, carrying President Donald Trump, briefly came too close to a commercial airliner Tuesday evening as the presidential helicopter approached the same Washington-area airport where a deadly midair collision occurred in 2025.

According to the FAA, a preliminary review found there was a “momentary loss of separation” between Marine One and a commercial aircraft. Under FAA regulations, aircraft are generally required to maintain at least 1.5 miles of horizontal separation and 500 feet of vertical separation.

The agency said air traffic control was in contact with both aircraft throughout the incident and emphasized that President Trump “never in danger.” Officials added that the circumstances surrounding the close encounter remain under investigation.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the incident, noting that flight operations at Reagan Washington National Airport were not suspended following the brief loss of separation.

Marine One departed from the White House on Tuesday afternoon en route to Joint Base Andrews at roughly the same time a regional commercial flight bound for Pensacola, Florida, was departing Reagan National Airport, Reuters reported.

The incident has drawn added attention because it occurred near Reagan National Airport, where an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River in 2025, killing all 67 people aboard. The tragedy was the deadliest aviation disaster in the United States since November 2001.

That fatal crash followed several other close calls in the Washington airspace and prompted the FAA to tighten restrictions on helicopter traffic near the airport. Reuters also reported that air traffic controllers are typically given about three minutes’ notice before Marine One departs from the White House area so they can temporarily halt nearby air traffic.

The latest incident comes as questions continue to surround the president’s aircraft fleet. Last month, the Boeing VIP jet gifted by Qatar officially entered service as the new Air Force One, with President Trump using it to travel to a NATO summit in Ankara.

However, after hostilities between the United States and Iran resumed, the president switched back to the older Air Force One during his departure from Turkey, flying instead to RAF Mildenhall, a U.S. Air Force base in Suffolk, England.

President Trump said the change was made so American service members stationed at the base could “a chance to tour the Aircraft,” although reports indicated the Secret Service requested the aircraft swap. The move fueled questions about the newer plane’s defensive systems and whether they match the capabilities of the long-serving presidential aircraft.

Although President Trump initially dismissed concerns, he later acknowledged that the Qatar-donated aircraft would undergo another round of upgrades to ensure its security features are “maxed out.” He did not provide details about the planned enhancements, and it remains unclear whether the projected one-month upgrade period will be sufficient to bring the aircraft’s defensive systems in line with those of the previous Air Force One.

{Matzav.com}

A new move by the British government is threatening to deal a significant financial blow to the yeshiva world, as authorities have launched investigations into British Chareidi donors who contributed to several Torah institutions located beyond the Green Line.

According to a report by Ari Kalman of i24NEWS, British authorities have recently notified a number of donors that they are under investigation for transferring funds to Chareidi yeshivos operating in those areas.

The investigations come in the wake of Britain’s recognition of a Palestinian state and its policy prohibiting assistance to Israeli communities beyond the Green Line. As part of that policy shift, several British citizens who donated to Torah institutions there have already received formal notices that they are being investigated.

In response, the Association of Yeshivos and Seminaries for Overseas Students urgently appealed on Wednesday to Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Education Minister Yoav Kisch, and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, calling on them to intervene immediately before the investigations expand further.

The organization warned that if the probe broadens, it could severely damage the fundraising network on which many yeshivos depend and significantly undermine their financial stability.

{Matzav.com}

Fresh off his projected victory in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, Abdul El-Sayed reaffirmed his sharply critical views of Israel during a Wednesday appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” describing the Jewish state as “bloodthirsty” and arguing that the issues he sees with Israel extend well beyond the leadership of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Asked whether his criticism was directed primarily at Netanyahu’s government, El-Sayed responded that his objections go much deeper.

“I think we’ve seen the worst of what the Israeli government has done [under Netanyahu] but don’t forget that we’ve been talking about an illegal apartheid regime for a very, very long time, and that supersedes Netanyahu himself,” El-Sayed said.

He continued by accusing Israel of becoming increasingly aggressive under Netanyahu’s leadership while criticizing continued American military support.

“I understand that Netanyahu is a big reason why they’ve gotten so aggressive and frankly so bloodthirsty under his reign, but I also understand that it’s impossible for us to say we want a two-state solution while we’ve been aiding, arming and abetting the very people who have been trying to foreclose on the possibility of a Palestinian state,” he continued.

El-Sayed also argued that U.S. foreign policy should hold allies to the same standards it applies elsewhere, alleging that Israel has violated international law.

He said the United States should “hold foreign actors accountable to international law,” claiming Israel has “conducted a genocide, has at baseline done apartheid and has taken us into a war we have no business fighting. So why, of course, are we sending money to that country to fund their military?”

Discussing U.S. military assistance, El-Sayed said he opposes providing unconditional military aid not only to Israel but to other countries as well, including Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. He noted that his family emigrated from Egypt.

El-Sayed also addressed Jewish voters who supported his primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, because of concerns over his views on Israel, insisting that he remains committed to fighting antisemitism.

“The Democratic nominee said his message to Jewish voters who backed his opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) because of his message on Israel, is that his ‘commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own kids. We have a responsibility to take on antisemitism in all of its forms wherever we see it. It’s the same responsibility we have to take on Islamophobia. … So the things that bring us together are so much bigger than the things that divide us.’”

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration has returned roughly $100 billion in tariff payments collected under President Donald Trump’s “liberation day” trade policy after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the administration lacked the authority to impose the duties under emergency economic powers.

According to a filing made Tuesday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the U.S. Court of International Trade, the agency has already refunded approximately 60% of the $165 billion collected under the tariff program, the Financial Times reported Wednesday.

The refunds began after the Supreme Court, in February, allowed a lower court’s ruling to stand, preventing the administration from relying on emergency powers to enforce the tariffs. As a result, CBP was directed to begin processing repayment claims.

CBP also disclosed that it has approved more than $128 billion in refund requests for processing, signaling that billions of dollars in additional repayments are still expected.

The speed of the refund effort has caught many trade lawyers and industry observers off guard, especially after administration officials previously indicated that resolving the claims could take years.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in February that ongoing court battles would likely delay any repayments and argued that, if refunds ultimately became necessary, they would amount to “the ultimate corporate welfare.”

President Trump has sharply criticized the Supreme Court’s decision. Writing on Truth Social last month, he argued that the ruling cost the United States “TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS” by striking down the tariffs.

Trade attorney Ted Murphy of Sidley Austin said the administration has processed the refunds at a surprisingly rapid pace. Walker Livingston, an analyst at Capstone, likewise said he was “very pleasantly surprised” by how quickly the government has moved.

Not everyone is satisfied with how the money is being distributed.

Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, argued that the refunds are flowing back to importing companies rather than to the consumers who ultimately absorbed the higher prices caused by the tariffs.

“Trump is sending the ‘refunds’ to the companies, not working people,” Casar said. “Every single cent of these refunds should go back to American consumers.”

Under the court’s refund framework, only the official “importer of record” is eligible to submit claims through CBP. As a result, many smaller businesses that paid higher costs indirectly cannot seek refunds themselves, while others say they were unaware of the process or lack the resources needed to file claims.

Even as the refunds continue, the administration is pressing ahead with a new round of tariffs under separate legal authority. Last week, it imposed fresh duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% on imports from more than 60 countries and territories under different statutory provisions.

Those newly imposed tariffs have already been challenged in court at least three times, including by attorneys who successfully fought the original “liberation day” tariffs.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON — Newly declassified White House documents reveal that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation in 2017 examining whether President Donald Trump was “wittingly or unwittingly” acting on behalf of Russia after he dismissed then-FBI Director James Comey.

The investigation, code-named “Oxferd Comma,” stemmed from the FBI’s broader Crossfire Hurricane probe, which examined allegations that Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign had coordinated with the Kremlin.

One of the newly released FBI memoranda states, “Based on the facts and circumstances provided to date, the FBI believes that opening this investigation is the least intrusive method to address the serious national security risk posed by the activities alleged.”

At the time, the White House publicly said Comey was fired because of his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state. It was later disclosed that Trump was also frustrated because Comey declined to publicly state that the president was not personally under investigation in the Crossfire Hurricane probe.

The May 16, 2017, memorandum authorizing the Oxferd Comma investigation was approved by then-FBI General Counsel James A. Baker and Bill Priestap, who headed the bureau’s counterintelligence division.

According to the memo, investigators were tasked with determining whether Trump “is or was directed by, controlled by, and/or coordinated activities with, the Russian Federation in a manner constituting a threat to the national security of the United States and/or a violation of federal criminal statutes.”

The memo further stated, “In addition, this investigation will also seek to determine whether President Trump and others yet to be named obstructed and/or conspiracy to obstruct any associated FBI investigation.”

Although Trump himself was not under investigation for alleged collusion with Russia during the 2016 campaign, Comey’s dismissal prompted scrutiny over whether the firing amounted to obstruction of justice. That issue ultimately became a central focus of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

Internal FBI communications from the period also show that some bureau officials questioned whether the Russia investigation should continue after many investigative leads had failed to produce supporting evidence.

“I hesitate in part because of my gut sense and concern there’s no big there there,” then-Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok wrote in a May 19, 2017, text message to FBI attorney Lisa Page.

The newly disclosed records could also become part of an ongoing review by Justice Department Counselor Joe diGenova, according to former Just the News editor-in-chief John Solomon.

Solomon, who now serves in the Trump administration on an election integrity task force, announced the document release on X and asked followers: “Should Special U.S. Attorney Joe diGenova treat the opening of Oxferd Comma as an overt act in a criminal conspiracy to violate President Trump’s civil liberties.”

Solomon also noted that the FBI launched the investigation only after agents had cleared former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn of collusion allegations and discredited key claims contained in the dossier compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele.

The Oxferd Comma investigation was formally closed on April 9, 2019, without any charges being brought against Trump.

Only weeks earlier, Mueller had concluded his investigation, finding no evidence that Trump or members of his campaign conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election, although the report noted contacts between campaign associates and individuals linked to the Kremlin.

A separate investigation led by Special Counsel John Durham later concluded that the FBI’s decision to open the original Trump-Russia investigation was “seriously flawed” and lacked an adequate evidentiary foundation, according to Durham’s May 2023 report.

Trump has repeatedly denounced both Crossfire Hurricane and the Mueller investigation as a “witch hunt,” arguing they demonstrated that federal law enforcement agencies had been weaponized against him. He has also frequently referred to Comey as a “dirty cop.”

Before Comey’s dismissal, then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein submitted a memorandum to Attorney General Jeff Sessions recommending that the FBI director be removed because of his handling of the Clinton email investigation.

In the May 9, 2017, memo, Rosenstein wrote that Comey “announced his own conclusions about the nation’s most sensitive criminal investigation, without the authorization of duly appointed Justice Department leaders.”

He continued, “Although the President has the power to remove an FBI director, the decision should not be taken lightly. I agree with the nearly unanimous opinions of former Department officials. The way the Director handled the conclusion of the email investigation was wrong.”

Rosenstein concluded, “As a result, the FBI is unlikely to regain public and congressional trust until it has a Director who understands the gravity of the mistakes and pledges never to repeat them. Having refused to admit his errors, the Director cannot be expected to implement the necessary corrective actions.”

Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan is facing fierce criticism after comments he made about the enlistment of Chareidim resurfaced this week, including remarks in which he described the Chareidi community as “a population of people that is uneducated.”

The remarks were delivered during a conference about a month ago but were republished Wednesday, igniting a political firestorm over Golan’s characterization of the Chareidi public and his views on military service.

“There is no issue that has fallen victim to cheap populism like the conscription of Chareidim,” Golan said. “It is impossible to draft all the Chareidim tomorrow morning, even if there were an amazing law. We also wouldn’t want to draft them all tomorrow morning, because we would not want to create an army that suddenly receives thousands of people in every draft cycle and has to establish gender-segregated conditions for them… In short, it’s simply impractical.”

Golan went on to argue that the process must be gradual, adding, “We also would not want such a population of people that is uneducated, lacks motivation, and lacks physical capability. It doesn’t work that way. Chareidi conscription is a process. Arab conscription is a process. The enlistment of Chareidi women is a process.”

He also said that if Israel intends to implement a system of universal national service, it would first need to overhaul the existing framework.

“If we truly believe that the guiding principle is that every young man and woman at the age of 18 or 19 should give at least one year of service to the state, then we need to reorganize the entire system,” he said.

Golan emphasized that he favors expanding national service opportunities beyond the military.

“I support service in Magen David Adom, the Fire and Rescue Service, the Israel Police, the Prison Service, and hospitals-any framework that can be supervised and genuinely serves the public.”

He further argued that while the number of young people reaching draft age continues to increase, the IDF is unlikely to expand at the same pace.

According to Golan, “the army will not grow in proportion to the size of those draft cohorts, and that is unreasonable.”

After his remarks drew widespread criticism, Golan issued a statement seeking to clarify his position.

“Service for everyone. Period,” he wrote. “The prime minister of the draft-dodgers and the office under investigation in the Qatar affair continue to play with edited video clips. That’s all they have left as their government collapses. In reality, they failed against Iran, failed in Gaza, failed in Lebanon, and passed draft-evasion laws that placed the entire burden on those who serve and on the reservists. Those who voted for draft evasion have no right to lecture us about service.”

He continued, “I served in the IDF for decades and was Deputy Chief of Staff. I say this as clearly as possible: service for everyone. Period. Recruitment according to the IDF’s needs and capabilities. Anyone who does not serve in the IDF will perform full national service. No tricks, no exemptions, and no draft-evasion laws. Under us, everyone serves.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir blasted Golan’s comments, accusing him of demonizing the Chareidi community.

“Yair Golan is an Israel-hater, a self-hating antisemite who spreads racist blood libels against the Chareidi sector. While he claims that Chareidim are ‘people without education or physical ability,’ we have already recruited 1,400 Chareidim into the Border Police, the Israel Police, and the national security services. As soon as the candidate lists are submitted, Otzma Yehudit will petition the Central Elections Committee to disqualify him from running because of his disgusting racism.”

{Matzav.com}