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The White House said Wednesday that the United States and Israel have dealt major blows to Iran since launching Operation Epic Fury, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declaring that the Iranian regime is being decisively defeated under President Trump’s leadership.

Speaking at her first press briefing since the military campaign began, Leavitt said the offensive marks a turning point in America’s posture toward Iran. She told reporters that “under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, the rogue Iranian terrorist regime is being absolutely crushed.”

Leavitt said the current operation represents the end of decades in which Iran was allowed to sponsor terrorism without facing sufficient consequences. She stated that “47 years of tolerating and enabling the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism are over,” adding that “Iran’s murderous terrorist leaders are paying for their crimes against America, and they are paying in blood.”

Reviewing Iran’s record of attacks against Americans, Leavitt said the regime has long been responsible for violence targeting the United States. She noted that since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Tehran “has actively and intentionally facilitated the killings of Americans.” She cited several examples, including the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and the resulting hostage crisis, the Beirut barracks bombing that killed 241 American service members, and attacks in Iraq that left American troops dead or seriously wounded.

Leavitt also criticized previous administrations for what she described as failing to confront the threat posed by Iran. “Prior leaders have been too weak and ineffective to address this threat,” she said, adding that earlier governments pursued “stupid and naive deals that put Iran on the path of developing nuclear bombs.”

Turning to the ongoing military campaign, Leavitt said President Trump outlined four major objectives when launching Operation Epic Fury. She said the first goal was to “destroy the regime’s deadly ballistic missiles and completely raze their missile industry to the ground.” The second aim, she said, was to “annihilate the Iranian regime’s navy.”

According to Leavitt, American forces have already inflicted heavy damage on Iran’s naval capabilities. She said U.S. forces have “destroyed more than 20 Iranian ships, including their top submarine last night, using a torpedo for the first time since World War II.” She added that “there is not a single Iranian ship underway in the Arab Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, or the Gulf of Oman.”

The third objective of the campaign, she said, is to ensure that Iran’s network of proxy forces can no longer threaten regional stability or target American personnel. In her words, the goal is to make sure Iran’s “terrorist proxies in the region can no longer destabilize the region or the free world and attack our armed forces.” The fourth objective is to “guarantee that Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon.”

Summing up the campaign’s progress so far, Leavitt said the operation has already achieved significant success. “It’s safe to say that thus far, Operation Epic Fury has been a resounding success,” she stated.

She said U.S. forces have already carried out widespread strikes throughout Iran. According to Leavitt, American aircraft and missiles have hit “more than 2,000 targets,” eliminating “hundreds and hundreds of ballistic missiles, launchers, and drones.” She also said the Department of War expects the United States and Israel “to have complete and total dominance over Iranian airspace in the coming hours.”

Responding to critics, Leavitt referenced a previous U.S. operation targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities. She pointed to Operation Midnight Hammer, which she said “obliterated Iran’s three major nuclear sites” last June. Despite that blow, she argued that Iran continued efforts to rebuild its nuclear program even while engaging in negotiations.

“The world knows this president’s preference is always peace and diplomacy first,” she said, while emphasizing that “the terrorist Iranian regime refused to negotiate in good faith.”

Leavitt said the United States had presented Iran with multiple proposals aimed at resolving the nuclear dispute peacefully. According to her, American negotiators offered sanctions relief, free nuclear fuel for a civilian energy program, and assistance with peaceful nuclear energy development within an agreed framework.

She said those proposals required only one key concession from Tehran: “Yet in response, Iran would have to forfeit their enrichment capacity once and for all. But Iran rejected. They accepted none of these generous and unprecedented offers by the United States.”

Leavitt argued that Iran refused the diplomatic route because its leadership remained determined to pursue nuclear weapons. “Iran rejected the path of peace because the terrorist in charge of this regime wanted to build nuclear weapons to use against Americans and our allies,” she said.

She also said the military campaign has already removed many senior Iranian leaders from power. According to Leavitt, “49 and counting of the most senior Iranian regime leaders, including the Supreme Leader, have already been wiped off the face of the earth.” She added, “When President Trump makes a threat … President Trump does not bluff.”

During the briefing, Leavitt also addressed the loss of American service members in the conflict. She offered condolences to the families of six troops who were killed during the operation, saying, “These heroes represent the very best among us.” She continued, “They laid down their lives in defense of our country and we will never forget their legacy or their sacrifice.”

Leavitt said President Trump plans to attend the dignified transfer ceremony for the fallen service members, adding that the Department of War is currently coordinating the timing of the event.

She also discussed efforts to evacuate Americans from the Middle East as the conflict continues. According to Leavitt, since the start of Operation Epic Fury, “more than 17,500 Americans have safely returned home from the Middle East,” including “over 8,500 American citizens returning home to the United States just yesterday alone.”

For Americans still in the region seeking to return home, Leavitt said the administration is working to assist them quickly. “If you are a US citizen in the Middle East looking to return to the United States, the Secretary of State asks that you please register with the State Department at step.state.gov,” Leavitt said. She added that the administration is “rapidly chartering flights free of charge and booking commercial options.”

Leavitt concluded by saying the administration will continue its efforts until both objectives are achieved: bringing Americans home safely and eliminating the threat posed by Iran. “The Trump administration will not rest until every American is home safely and until the terrorist threat from Iran has been completely destroyed,” she said.

{Matzav.com}

An Iranian naval vessel was sunk by a U.S. submarine near Sri Lanka, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Wednesday, describing the strike as the first time since World War II that the United States has destroyed an enemy ship with a torpedo.

The incident left significant casualties among the crew of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena. According to officials in Sri Lanka’s navy and defense ministry speaking to Reuters, one sailor was confirmed dead, 78 were injured, and at least 101 others were initially reported missing after the ship went down.

The IRIS Dena was a heavily armed warship equipped with large-caliber guns, surface-to-air missile systems, anti-ship missiles, and torpedoes. The vessel also had the capability to carry a helicopter as part of its operations.

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Reports indicated that the frigate, which had a crew of roughly 180 sailors, transmitted a distress signal early in the morning shortly before the sinking.

Speaking to reporters during a briefing, Hegseth confirmed the strike and described how the Iranian vessel was destroyed. “An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo,” Hegseth told reporters at a press briefing.

The defense secretary characterized the attack as swift and silent. He described it as a “quiet death.” He also emphasized the historic nature of the strike, explaining that it marked the first time since World War II that an American submarine had sunk an enemy ship with a torpedo, adding: “Like in that war, we are fighting to win.”

Earlier Wednesday, the U.S. military said it had already destroyed 17 Iranian vessels as part of its broader campaign, stating that the objective is the destruction of “the entire navy.” The Israel Defense Forces also said that the American military had assumed full responsibility for operations targeting Iran’s naval activities.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said authorities in the island nation carried out a rescue effort and managed to save 32 sailors who were badly wounded aboard the IRIS Dena. The warship sank just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

Herath said two Sri Lankan naval ships and an aircraft were dispatched to conduct the rescue operation. He did not provide details about the cause of the warship’s sinking.

Sri Lanka’s defense ministry said search teams were looking for more than 100 additional crew members from the IRIS Dena. The vessel went down approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the island.

“We are keeping up a search, but we don’t know yet what happened to the rest of the crew,” an official told AFP, suggesting that hopes of locating more survivors were fading.

However, a spokesman for the Sri Lankan navy later disputed the earlier report about 101 missing sailors. He told Reuters that 32 injured crew members had been rescued from the scene by Sri Lankan naval forces.

Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath said the rescue operation was conducted in accordance with Sri Lanka’s international maritime responsibilities. He added that the 32 Iranian sailors who were recovered were transported to the main hospital in Galle, located about 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of the capital, Colombo.

Security was increased outside the Galle hospital as the wounded sailors arrived under the care of local authorities.

“We responded to the distress call under our international obligations, as this is within our search and rescue area in the Indian Ocean,” Sampath told AFP.

During a parliamentary session, an opposition lawmaker asked whether the Iranian vessel had been struck as part of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran. Sri Lankan officials did not immediately respond to the question.

Both the Sri Lankan navy and air force said they would not release video or images from the rescue operation, explaining that the incident involved the military forces of another country.

{Matzav.com}

Senior American defense officials said Wednesday that the United States and Israel have rapidly seized the upper hand in the war against Iran, describing sweeping military successes only days after the campaign began.

United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine spoke with reporters Wednesday morning and asserted that American forces are achieving overwhelming results. Hegseth said that “America is winning decisively, devastatingly, and without warning.”

According to Hegseth, the operation is still in its earliest stages but has already produced striking gains. Though the campaign has been underway for just four days, he said the results have been “incredible.” He credited the success to the unique military capabilities of the United States and said that no other nation could have carried out such an effort on its own. He added that “when you add the Israeli Defense Force, a devastatingly capable force, the combination is sheer destruction for our radical Islamist adversaries. They are toast, and they know it.”

Hegseth also said the United States and Israel are close to achieving full aerial dominance over Iran. Beginning overnight and expected to be fully completed within the coming days, he explained, the two allied militaries will soon control the airspace across Iran.

He said that once that stage is reached, “the two most powerful air forces in the world will have complete control over Iranian skies – uncontested airspace… We will fly all day and all night, finding and fixing the missiles and defense industrial base of the Iranian military. Finding and fixing their leaders and military leaders… Iranian leaders will look up and see only US and Israeli airpower, every minute until we decide this is over.”

Hegseth also repeated President Trump’s warning that the current wave of strikes is only the beginning and that the pace of the campaign will continue to intensify.

Quoting the President, he said that “more and larger waves are coming. We are just getting started. We are accelerating, not decelerating. Iran’s capabilities are evaporating by the hour, while American strength grows fiercer, smarter, and utterly dominant. More bombers and more fighters are arriving just today.”

The secretary outlined the types of weapons currently being deployed in the campaign, saying U.S. forces are using 500-pound and 1,000-pound GPS-guided and laser-guided precision gravity bombs to destroy Iranian targets. He added that Iranian missile stockpiles are being depleted as the conflict continues.

Hegseth also addressed the deaths of six American servicemembers who were killed in Iranian missile attacks earlier in the fighting, vowing that the United States will respond forcefully. “We will avenge them, no doubt,” he said.

Providing additional details about overnight operations, Hegseth said U.S. forces destroyed one of the Iranian navy’s most important vessels. According to the secretary, American forces sank Iran’s flagship warship, the Soleimani.

He added that a U.S. submarine also destroyed another Iranian naval vessel that believed it was operating safely in international waters. The submarine fired a torpedo that sank the ship, marking what Hegseth described as a historic moment. He said the warship “that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead it was sunk by a torpedo; quiet death. The first sinking of a torpedo since World War Two.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s defense minister warned that any new leader installed by Iran’s ruling regime could be treated as a military target as Israel presses forward with its campaign against Tehran.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz issued the warning in a message posted on X, saying Israel is prepared to strike Iranian leaders who continue policies aimed at threatening Israel and its allies.

“Every leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue and lead the plan to destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people—will be an unequivocal target for elimination,” Katz wrote early Wednesday.

“It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides,” he added.

Katz said he and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu have instructed the Israel Defense Forces to be ready to carry out such actions as part of Israel’s broader military operation against Iran.

“The Prime Minister and I have instructed the IDF to prepare and act by all means to carry out the mission as an integral part of the objectives of Operation Lion’s Roar,” he wrote.

The defense minister also said Israel intends to continue working closely with the United States in an effort to weaken Iran’s ruling regime while encouraging conditions that could eventually bring about political change in the country.

“We will continue to act with full force, together with our American partners, to crush the regime’s capabilities and create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow it and replace it,” he wrote.

Israel and the United States launched a series of airstrikes against Iranian targets on Shabbos, focusing on military facilities and senior officials in the regime. The strikes marked one of the most direct clashes in the long-running confrontation between the two countries.

Iran responded by firing missiles and deploying drones against Israeli territory and American positions across the region, fueling concerns that the fighting could broaden into a larger Middle East war as both sides continue exchanging attacks.

Among the names mentioned as a possible successor to Iran’s leadership is Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had long been viewed by some observers as a potential heir to the position even before his father was killed in the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Shabbos.

Despite that speculation, Mojtaba Khamenei has never held elected office or an official role within Iran’s government.

{Matzav.com}

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday sharply criticized Israel, referring to it as an “apartheid state” and raising the possibility that the United States may eventually need to reconsider its military backing of the country. His remarks came as President Donald Trump faces growing political pressure in Washington following U.S. military strikes against Iran.

Newsom made the comments during an event in Los Angeles while promoting his newly released memoir.

During a discussion with Jon Favreau, host of the “Pod Save America” podcast, Newsom was asked whether the United States should begin “rethinking our military support for Israel.”

Newsom responded: “It breaks my heart, because the current leadership in Israel is walking us down that path where I don’t think you have a choice about that consideration,” Politico reported.

The California governor, who traveled to Israel in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, has found himself navigating a politically sensitive issue that deeply divided Democrats during the 2024 presidential race.

Newsom has previously emphasized the strong relationship between California and Israel, while also noting that he did not receive campaign donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

AIPAC typically focuses on federal elections rather than state-level contests. Through its affiliated federal political committees, the organization supports candidates seeking seats in Congress.

The group describes its mission as supporting “pro-Israel Democratic and Republican members of Congress and congressional candidates,” a focus that centers specifically on elections for the U.S. House and Senate.

At the Los Angeles event, Newsom directed criticism toward the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting that internal political considerations in Israel are influencing policy decisions.

“He’s got his own domestic issues. He’s trying to stay out of jail. He’s got an election coming up. He’s potentially on the ropes. He’s got folks, the hard line, that want to annex the West Bank,” Newsom said, adding that some “are talking about it appropriately as sort of an apartheid state.”

Newsom also took aim at the Trump administration’s military campaign in Iran, expressing skepticism about the administration’s stated objectives.

Iranian state media reported that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes, and other reports have described a widening American military campaign against Iran that has drawn legal and political scrutiny from Democrats while being praised by many Republicans.

“We’re talking about regime change?” Newsom said. “For two years, they haven’t even been able to solve the Hamas question in Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

Several roshei yeshiva and senior rabbonim within the Religious Zionist community sharply criticized a directive issued by Israel’s Education Ministry instructing boarding schools to send their students home for Shabbos following the outbreak of the war with Iran.

Speaking to Arutz Sheva, the rabbonim said the sweeping order was applied to institutions across the country without proper consideration of the circumstances at each yeshiva or campus. According to them, officials failed to examine whether individual schools had adequate protected areas where talmidim could remain safely, and the decision was issued without meaningful consultation with recognized poskim or other gedolei Torah.

Some mechanchim explained that while certain institutions may indeed have lacked sufficient shelter and therefore needed to send their students away, many others were properly equipped with secure areas and could have safely kept their talmidim on campus for Shabbos. They argued that issuing a blanket directive caused unnecessary chillul Shabbos in situations where there was no clear or immediate danger.

One prominent rav described the ministry’s action as “scandalous,” saying that schools suddenly found themselves placed in an impossible situation—forced to choose between obeying government orders or remaining faithful to their hashkafah and halachic standards. In some instances, he said, institutions that hesitated to carry out the directive faced pressure from authorities and were compelled to make their own independent decisions.

According to reports, in several locations buses arrived during Shabbos in order to take the students home. In other cases, parents traveled to pick up their children themselves. However, some yeshivos chose to delay the departures until after Shabbos, deciding it was preferable to wait before arranging transportation.

At least one evacuation, according to the reports, was carried out only after receiving explicit authorization from a local rav.

{Matzav.com}

Iranian intelligence officials quietly reached out to the CIA to explore possible terms for halting the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against their country shortly after the attacks began, according to a report, even as Tehran has publicly rejected negotiations with President Donald Trump.

According to Middle Eastern officials and representatives of a Western government who spoke anonymously to The New York Times, operatives tied to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence contacted the CIA indirectly through the intelligence service of a third country just one day after the strikes began.

Despite the contact, officials in Washington are doubtful that either side is ready to seriously pursue negotiations in the immediate future.

Even so, the reported outreach has raised questions about whether Iran’s leadership would be capable of implementing any ceasefire arrangement while the country’s power structure is being shaken by ongoing Israeli strikes targeting top officials.

Neither the White House nor Iranian officials responded to requests from the Times for comment on the report, while the CIA declined to comment.

According to the report, Israeli officials have urged the United States not to engage with the Iranian overture, as Israel intends to continue its extended campaign aimed at crippling Iran’s military capabilities and potentially undermining the stability of its ruling regime.

President Trump signaled Tuesday that negotiations were unlikely, writing on social media that it was now “too late” to pursue talks with Tehran.

Later in the day, while speaking with reporters, Trump noted that many of the Iranian officials the United States once viewed as potential negotiating partners had been killed in the strikes.

“Most of the people we had in mind are dead,” Trump said. “Pretty soon, we are not going to know anybody.”

The outreach from Tehran highlights a major dilemma facing the Trump administration as it considers its longer-term strategy toward Iran: what kind of leadership might take shape in Tehran if the current government weakens or collapses.

At the beginning of the conflict, Trump suggested that widespread unrest among the Iranian public could produce an entirely new leadership. More recently, however, his comments have suggested a more practical approach in which new figures might rise from within the existing political structure.

Officials familiar with the administration’s thinking say any agreement to stop the bombing campaign would likely require Iran to abandon—or sharply scale back—its ballistic missile and nuclear programs, while also ending its backing of proxy groups such as Hezbollah.

In return, Trump has suggested that Iran’s remaining leaders might be permitted to retain certain levels of economic and political power.

Trump recently pointed to developments in Venezuela as a possible model for reshaping leadership in Iran.

“What we did in Venezuela, I think, is the perfect scenario,” Trump said in an interview Sunday with The New York Times. “Leaders can be picked.”

Some analysts, however, caution that such an outcome may be difficult to achieve.

Steven A. Cook, a Middle East expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump’s recent remarks could reflect differing views between Washington and Israel about the ultimate objectives of the military campaign.

Israel, he suggested, does not want the United States pursuing what Cook described to the Times as a “Venezuela-like solution to change in Iran,” which could involve figures tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an organization that controls large segments of the country’s economy.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes against Iran’s leadership have continued.

On Tuesday, Israeli forces targeted a compound where senior Iranian clerics had gathered to discuss selecting a successor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike on Saturday.

Before the strikes began, the CIA reportedly compiled an intelligence assessment analyzing several possible leadership scenarios that could emerge in Iran following a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign.

Officials who were briefed on the analysis said none of the potential outcomes carried a high level of certainty, given the many unknowns surrounding Iran’s complex political system.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz disclosed Wednesday that Israel’s military campaign against Iran had originally been scheduled for later in the year but was moved forward significantly because of shifting developments.

Katz made the remarks during a meeting with IDF intelligence soldiers and commanders, where he described how evolving conditions led to an accelerated timetable for the operation.

Addressing the intelligence personnel, Katz said: “Since the war was planned for the middle of the year, with the same goal, but because of the developments and circumstances, mainly within Iran, the US President’s position, and the possibility of creating a joint operation, the need arose to move everything up to February.”

He praised the intelligence units for their work leading up to the campaign, noting that their efforts helped make the earlier launch possible. “We ourselves hoped for this, but weren’t sure, and you advanced the intelligence aspect significantly. From day to day and hour to hour, another capability and more dimensions, and of course, operational preparedness. You have a giant part in building this ability, which also led to this combination and the result of the fantastic opening blow and onward,” the Minister added.

Katz stressed that the fighting is still ongoing but expressed confidence that the campaign will ultimately strengthen Israel’s security standing. “We are in the midst of a campaign, we are convinced that it will end well, and that the result will be the most significant boost to Israel’s security and position, the removal of threats and everything that we have been contending with for a long time,” Katz emphasized.

He said Israel’s edge in the confrontation stems largely from its intelligence capabilities and operational strength. “Our advantage over Iran in this campaign is mostly on two dimensions: intelligence and operational capabilities. If you asked what surprised the Iranians to the point that they weren’t ready despite the strategic warning, it’s because they didn’t know how to estimate the two dimensions: the width and depth of intelligence on every target, and the operational ability to utilize the intelligence to hit, attack, destroy, and ruin their abilities.”

The head of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, also addressed the soldiers and described the role of intelligence units during the ongoing conflict. “We are operating from this very place to provide timely warnings in a multi-front campaign. We are constantly monitoring all arenas and ensuring we deliver high-quality intelligence that will give us the alert we need. We also provide intelligence for decision-making, and above all, we are now supplying intelligence for victory over the enemy, for victory over Iran across all dimensions, in every mission, and in all the capabilities we have determined to degrade. We are operating 24/7.”

{Matzav.com}

A senior Iranian Shiite cleric has issued a religious decree urging Muslims worldwide to wage jihad after Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi released the ruling shortly after Khamenei’s death, framing the event as a religious turning point and calling on followers of Islam to respond.

In the decree, Shirazi wrote that “the lowest of the enemies of humanity and the most evil infidels” succeeded in killing the “leader of the Islamic revolution,” Ali Khamenei, who “fulfilled his dream to be a martyr.”

Shirazi argued that throughout Islamic history, sacrificing one’s life in the service of Allah has often been the cost of preserving honor and independence. He also suggested that such sacrifices are part of the spiritual preparation for the arrival of the Mahadi, the Islamic messianic figure.

The cleric stressed that the Islamic Revolution is larger than any single leader and will continue regardless of Khamenei’s death. He said the country’s Assembly of Experts must move quickly to select a new supreme leader, while Iranian security forces should take firm action to ensure that foreign enemies cannot exploit the moment to stir unrest within the country.

The ruling directly blamed both the United States and Israel for Khamenei’s killing, with Shirazi referring to Israel as “the cursed Zionist entity,” and declared that Muslims everywhere were religiously obligated to avenge the slain Iranian leader.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rabbi Refoel Avrohom Yitzchok Hakohen Portowicz zt”l, a devoted mechanech who influenced generations of talmidim over more than five decades in the field of Torah education, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to Torah, chinuch, and the growth of countless young lives.

For more than fifty years, Rabbi Portowicz stood at the forefront of Torah education, guiding and inspiring talmidim with patience, clarity, and a deep sense of responsibility for every student entrusted to his care. For many years he served as menahel of Yeshivas Ziv Hatorah in Brooklyn, where he played a central role in building and strengthening the yeshiva’s educational environment. Under his leadership, generations of boys were guided not only in their learning, but in their development as bnei Torah and ehrliche Yidden.

His influence extended far beyond the classroom. With genuine care and a deep understanding of the challenges young people face, he invested himself in the growth of each student, offering guidance, encouragement, and direction.

Rabbi Portowicz’s dedication to chinuch was not limited to the school year. During the summer months, he continued his work with young people in the camp setting, where his presence was felt by hundreds of campers who benefitted from his guidance and inspiration. He served as head counselor of Camp Rayim, where he helped create an atmosphere of growth, camaraderie, and meaningful learning.

He also served as director of Camp Kochavim, where he worked tirelessly to ensure that the camp environment was not only enjoyable, but also uplifting and spiritually enriching for the boys who spent their summers there.

In addition, Rabbi Portowicz served as teen learning mashpia of Camp Romimu, where he inspired older campers to deepen their commitment to Torah and avodas Hashem.

Throughout his decades of work in chinuch, Rabbi Portowicz became known for his warmth, sincerity, and dedication to the success of every talmid. Whether in the classroom, the beis medrash, or the camp grounds, he approached his role with a deep sense of mission. His talmidim remember a mechanech who believed in them, pushed them to grow, and remained a source of guidance long after they left his direct care.

A couple of years ago, Rabbi Portowicz moved to Lakewood, where he resided in the Albert area.

The levayah will take place today at 2:30 PM at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, New Jersey. Kevurah will follow at the adjacent Mt. Sinai Cemetery.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF has released footage showing soldiers operating in Lebanon.

X is rolling out a new policy aimed at curbing the spread of artificial intelligence–generated war footage, as misleading videos tied to the ongoing Iran conflict circulate widely online. Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, said the platform will penalize users who post AI-generated videos of armed conflicts without clearly disclosing that the footage was […]

CENTCOM: While the Iranian regime indiscriminately targets civilians with missiles and drones, U.S. forces continue to aggressively hunt and destroy Iranian missile launchers with precision.

URGENT CAMPAIGN! Widows, orphans, and vulnerable families in Israel are under crushing financial strain. With income lost and daily life disrupted, many cannot cover basic necessities. Your tzedakah provides emergency food, rent assistance, and critical support. Please give generously. DONATE NOW: https://thechesedfund.com/kupahsheltzedaka/when-crisis-strikes-we-must-stand-together?aff=4

The IDF carried out a wide-scale strike on a large Iranian military compound in eastern Tehran that housed multiple command centers of the regime’s security apparatus. The compound included headquarters for the IRGC, the Intelligence Directorate, the Basij, the Quds Force, Internal Security forces, cyber warfare units, and a unit responsible for suppressing protests.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the first New York City neighborhoods that will offer free day care for 2-year-olds this fall under the new 2-Care initiative.

Mamdani joined Hochul and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels during a visit to the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling in Harlem, one of the providers expected to participate in the 2-K program.

City officials said the initial rollout will provide about 2,000 2-K seats across four areas: Washington Heights and Inwood; Fordham and Kingsbridge; East Brooklyn, including Canarsie, Brownsville and Ocean Hill; and Ozone Park and the Rockaways.

“Launching 2-K in these four neighborhoods is just the beginning of our work to put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, strengthen our entire economy and help more families build their lives here,” Mamdani said.

The city plans to gradually expand the program over the next several years, with full implementation expected by the 2029–2030 school year.

“This is the first time the State of New York has made such an unprecedented commitment to the families and children of the City of New York, and we’re not going backwards, we are committed,” Hochul said.

According to Hochul, the pilot phase has already secured funding. Officials say the program will grow to serve 12,000 children next year and will ultimately expand to cover all 2-year-olds in New York City within four years. In the meantime, participation will remain limited to selected neighborhoods.

“These determinations were made in part, on a reflection of which neighborhoods had those providers ready to go before the end of this year, and also as a reflection of economic need that will continue to be some of the ways in which we making determinations for the 12,000 seats next year,” Mamdani said. “But then by the end of year four, it’s every single 2-year-old in the City of New York.”

Staten Island will not be part of the first phase of the program. Mamdani did not offer a specific explanation for the borough’s exclusion but said it will be included in the expansion next year.

Officials said enrollment will open this summer, though the process for selecting participating children has not yet been finalized.

{Matzav.com}

Anthropic’s moral stand on U.S. military use of artificial intelligence is reshaping the competition between leading AI companies but also exposing a growing awareness that maybe chatbots just aren’t capable enough for acts of war. Anthropic’s chatbot Claude, for the first time, outpaced rival ChatGPT in phone app downloads in the United States this week, […]

In major events in Jerusalem on February 16 and 17, the State of Israel and World Jewry celebrated the reclamation of the 3,000 year old Har Hazeitim, the historic burial site of more than 150,000 Jews over the ages. Among them Nevi”im, many great Rabbis, and notable modern Israeli leaders. The events were sponsored by […]

Amid the ongoing security tensions, Israel’s Chief Rabbinate has reportedly held emergency discussions about the possibility of declaring a leap year and adding a second month of Adar in order to delay Purim celebrations until conditions improve.

According to a report published Tuesday, urgent consultations have taken place in recent days in the offices of Israel’s chief rabbis—Rishon LeTzion Rav Dovid Yosef and Chief Rabbi Rav Kalman Bar. The discussions reportedly included senior security officials and focused on the halachic possibility of declaring ibbur hashanah—intercalating the year by adding a second Adar—even though the current year is scheduled to be a regular year according to the established Jewish calendar.

The report states that the talks began after the outbreak of the war with Iran during Operation Shaagas HaAri. The central concern raised in the discussions was the prospect that large segments of Israel’s population might be forced to celebrate the days of Purim in bomb shelters and protected spaces due to the ongoing rocket threats.

According to those familiar with the discussions, the chief rabbis expressed deep concern that the security situation could undermine the spirit of the holiday. The fear is that the commandment of v’nahafoch hu—the transformation of danger into joy—could instead be overshadowed by anxiety and fear if people are required to celebrate the festival under emergency conditions.

For that reason, the rabbis reportedly examined whether it might be halachically possible to redefine the current month as Adar I and add an additional month of Adar II, in the hope that the security situation would stabilize by then and allow the holiday to be celebrated properly and with communal joy.

During the extended deliberations, historical precedents from the Beis Din HaGadol were reviewed. In past eras, the year was sometimes intercalated not only due to astronomical considerations but also because of pressing circumstances that could prevent the proper fulfillment of mitzvos.

One of the questions raised during the discussions was whether the current situation—where many Israelis must remain in shelters—could be considered a form of oneis, a halachic circumstance beyond people’s control that might justify extraordinary measures in the calendar.

Another concern mentioned was the potential timing of Pesach, particularly in light of statements by President Donald Trump suggesting that the war could last approximately four weeks, which could place additional holidays under the shadow of ongoing hostilities.

Sources close to the chief rabbis described the discussions as reflecting a difficult dilemma between preserving the fixed Jewish calendar and addressing the emotional and spiritual challenges facing tens of thousands of Israelis currently living under constant threat.

The Chief Rabbinate issued a brief response to the report, stating: “Following consultations between the chief rabbis, it was decided to wish everyone a happy Purim, including those who enjoy the Purim humor in the report.”

Ah frelichen Shushan Purim.

{Matzav.com}

Footage from the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon.