President Donald Trump disclosed that the United States military employed a previously undisclosed “secret sonic” weapon during the operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, while boasting that no other country possesses the technology and highlighting what he described as America’s unmatched military capabilities.
Speculation about the use of a sonic device intensified after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the equipment deployed in the raid caused Venezuelan troops to suffer severe physical reactions, including nosebleeds and vomiting blood.
Despite the growing attention, Trump declined to offer specifics when asked about the weapon during an interview on the NewsNation program Katie Pavlich Tonight, adopting a notably guarded tone.
When host Pavlich asked whether Americans should be worried about the weapon’s strength, Trump reacted with a raised eyebrow and replied, “Well, yeah.”
He then added, “It’s something I don’t wanna…nobody else has it,” before continuing, “But we have weapons nobody else knows about.”
Trump went on to say, “And, I say it’s probably good not to talk about it, but we have some amazing weapons.”
Reflecting on the operation itself, he remarked, “That was an amazing attack,” without elaborating further.
As uncertainty remains over the exact nature of the device, Russia has demanded additional details from Washington. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow has assigned its special services to seek more clarity regarding Trump’s comments.
Sonic weapons are designed to incapacitate targets through powerful sound waves. Some systems emit concentrated, painful beams aimed directly at individuals, while others rely on higher-frequency sounds that can affect people differently depending on their hearing range.
Such weapons are known to trigger symptoms including headaches, disorientation, balance issues, confusion, and, in some cases, lasting hearing damage.
According to Leavitt, however, the effects of the U.S. device were even more extreme. Citing an eyewitness account from someone who claimed to be among Maduro’s guards, she said the individual was unable to remain standing after the weapon was activated.
“At one point, they launched something; I don’t know how to describe it,” the statement said, as quoted by Fox News. “It was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly, I felt like my head was exploding from the inside.”
“We all started bleeding from the nose,” the account continued. “Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move. We couldn’t even stand up after that sonic weapon — or whatever it was.”
The witness added that he had “never seen anything like it.”
Venezuela’s interior minister said the assault on Maduro’s compound resulted in at least 100 deaths, according to Reuters, though it remains unclear whether any of those fatalities were directly linked to the sonic weapon.
While the deployment of sonic weapons is not prohibited under international law, members of Congress have raised questions about the legality of Trump’s decision to seize the Venezuelan president.
Commenting on the aftermath of the raid, Trump said, “It’s a whole different Venezuela, and Venezuela is going to be very successful, and the people of the United States are going to be big beneficiaries.”
He later wrote on Truth Social that “BIG OIL” intended to invest “at least 100 billion dollars” in Venezuela.
{Matzav.com}
It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Noach Heisler zt”l, the longtime rov of the Sanhedria Hamurchevet neighborhood in Yerushalayim, who collapsed in his home and was niftar at the age of 89.
Emergency medical teams were summoned to his residence on Re’im Levin Circle in Sanhedria Hamurchevet after he suddenly collapsed.
The levayah is scheduled to take place this evening, departing from his home at Re’im Levin Circle 125 in Sanhedria Hamurchevet and proceeding to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.
Rav Heisler was born in Kislev 5697 (1936) to his father, Rav Zalman Zeidel Heisler, and his mother, Mrs. Tamar, daughter of Rav Moshe Porush, one of the founders of Agudas Yisroel in Yerushalayim. In his youth and formative years, he studied at Yeshivas Eitz Chaim. Upon reaching marriageable age, he married into the Rokeach family.
In 5731 (1971), Rav Heisler was appointed rov of the Sanhedria Hamurchevet neighborhood, a position he held for decades with dignity and devotion. Residents recall the sense of majesty and warmth he brought to the community. Each morning he davened at the Maor Chaim beis medrash, where he greeted every individual with a welcoming countenance and patiently answered questions in halachah and hashkafah. His derashos on Shabbos Shuvah and Shabbos Hagadol drew large crowds who came to hear his words.
He maintained a close and special relationship with the leaders of the Torah world, including Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach and Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, who trusted him and would refer matters to him.
In Sanhedria, his passing is a tremendous loss, particularly following the earlier petiros of the neighborhood’s leading figures, including Rav Boruch Shmuel Deutsch and Rav Uri Lupolianski, the founder and longtime chairman of Yad Sarah.
During his lifetime, Rav Heisler endured profound personal tragedy, losing two daughters: Mrs. Bila Weinberg a”h and Mrs. Sarah Rachel Drebkin a”h of the Ramat neighborhood of Yerushalayim, an educator at Bais Yaakov in Givat Shaul, who passed away at the age of 57.
Rav Heisler leaves behind a dor yesharim umevorach: his rebbetzin, his sons, among them Rav Naftali Heisler, rav of Ramat Beit Shemesh Daled, who is expected to continue his father’s role in the rabbanus of Sanhedria Hamurchevet, and Rav Meir Heisler, a dayan with the Badatz of Bnei Brak. His brother is Rav Meir Heisler.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com}
A court in Yerushalayim approved a compromise agreement on Thursday in the high-profile daycare case in the city, ordering the caregivers involved to remain under house arrest for nine days under restrictive conditions, even as the mother of a child who died in the tragedy appeared in court to speak forcefully in their defense.
Under the agreement reached with the prosecution, the caregivers were placed on house arrest and barred from returning to their workplace. Additional conditions imposed by the judge include a 45-day prohibition on working in childcare and a ban on contacting parents of the children or other individuals connected to the case.
In an extraordinary development, Chani Katz, the mother of Aharon Katz, the infant who died in the daycare tragedy, left her home during the shivah period to testify on behalf of the daycare director and staff. Addressing the court, she said the caregivers were being treated unjustly and insisted they bore no responsibility for her son’s death.
“We are like family. A terrible wrong is being done here,” Mrs. Katz told the court. “She lost a child just like I did.”
Standing before the judge only days after her loss, Mrs. Katz added, “I lost my son two days ago. I have known these caregivers for seven years. I sent all my children to them. I still have two children who have been with them for years. My children always loved being there. I know exactly who they are, and I am the most anxious mother in Jerusalem.”
Fighting back tears, she recounted the decision she made the night before the tragedy. “I hadn’t planned to send him to a permanent daycare. The night before, I debated where to place my most precious treasure — with my family or with Miriam. I chose Miriam because I felt calm and safe. This decree was from Heaven. He was meant to pass away on that day and at that hour, and God showed me kindness by not taking him while he was at home with me.”
Mrs. Katz went on to criticize the way the caregivers were being portrayed. “It hurts me to see them sitting here like two terrorists,” she said. “My pure Ari merited to be with Miriam longer than he was with me. Just as I lost a son, Miriam lost a child. I will get up from this and choose life, but she will never recover from this. It’s important to me to seek justice. They are innocent.”
Turning directly to the daycare director, Mrs. Katz concluded, “Miriam, be strong. We are with you.”
At the same time, other parents whose children attended the daycare submitted a letter to the court expressing their support for the educational staff. In the letter, they wrote that the caregivers’ “care, devotion, and sense of responsibility went far beyond what is expected,” adding that “each child received personal attention, meals on time, and every mother received a full report on her child’s day.”
The parents further stated that since the daycare was shut down, the absence has been clearly felt by the children. “The rumors, suspicions, and publications that have circulated are nothing more than fabrications and lies that harm innocent people,” the letter said.
Emergency response at the scene of the incident involved United Hatzalah, which assisted in evacuating children from the daycare following the tragedy.
{Matzav.com}
The Trump administration is intensifying efforts to bring about a political shift in Cuba, aiming to dismantle the island’s communist leadership and reach an agreement that would end decades of one-party rule before the close of the year, according to a new report.
As part of that effort, U.S. officials are attempting to identify figures within the Cuban government who might be willing to cooperate with Washington in easing the current leadership out of power, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
While officials have not yet finalized a specific strategy to topple the communist system that has governed Cuba for nearly seven decades, they believe the regime is now more vulnerable than at any point in recent memory.
That assessment follows the removal of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro, an event U.S. officials say has sent shockwaves through Havana and pushed Cuba’s already weak economy toward the brink.
According to U.S. intelligence evaluations cited in the report, Cuba is grappling with widespread shortages of food, medicine, and other essentials, alongside rolling power outages that have become a regular feature of daily life.
The situation is being compounded by the island’s dependence on Venezuelan oil supplies, which officials warn could dry up within weeks. Washington is now seeking to block any additional Venezuelan crude from reaching Cuba as a way to further strain the government’s ability to function.
Senior U.S. officials told the Journal that the operation that led to Maduro’s capture — and the leverage it gave Washington in extracting concessions from Caracas — is being studied closely as a possible model for dealing with Havana.
That Jan. 3 mission, which resulted in Maduro’s arrest, succeeded in part because of assistance from someone inside his inner circle, officials said.
In hopes of finding a comparable opening in Cuba, Trump administration officials have been holding discussions with Cuban exile leaders and civic organizations in Miami and Washington, according to the report.
At the same time, the administration is considering escalating pressure on the Cuban government while offering a negotiated exit path for senior figures, including 94-year-old Raúl Castro, brother of the late Fidel Castro, and current President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
President Trump has already publicly signaled to Havana that patience is running out and urged the leadership to come to terms with Washington.
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!” Trump wrote in a Jan. 11 post on Truth Social.
“I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” he added.
{Matzav.com}
Federal officials say anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student, is expected to be deported to Algeria, a move that would close out a lengthy legal fight over his immigration status.
Khalil, who was born in Syria and taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement early last year, is facing removal from the United States after the Trump administration alleged he committed fraud in obtaining his green card.
“It looks like he’ll go to Algeria. That’s what the thought is right now,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Wednesday during an appearance on NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich Tonight.
“It’s a reminder for those who are in this country on a visa or on a green card. You are a guest in this country — act like it,” she added.
“It is a privilege, not a right, to be in this country to live or to study.”
The Trump administration has sought to remove the 31-year-old since he was among the first individuals detained amid the federal crackdown on anti-Israel demonstrations on college campuses.
The government alleges Khalil supports Hamas, and he spent roughly three months held in an immigration detention facility in Louisiana, a period during which he was absent for the birth of his first child.
Federal authorities defended his arrest by citing a little-used provision of immigration law that permits the deportation of noncitizens whose views are considered harmful to U.S. foreign policy interests.
In June, a federal judge in New Jersey ordered Khalil’s release, concluding that the government’s justification would likely be found unconstitutional.
That decision was reversed last week, when a federal appeals court sided with the White House and overturned the order that had freed him from ICE custody.
The three-judge panel ruled that Khalil’s case should have proceeded through the immigration court system before he was entitled to challenge his detention in federal court.
Following the ruling, McLaughlin publicly called on Khalil to “self-deport now before he is arrested, deported, and never given a chance to return.”
As of now, officials have not said when authorities may move to detain him again.
Khalil has rejected the claims against him as “baseless and ridiculous,” arguing that the case is a “direct consequence of exercising my right to free speech as I advocated for a free Palestine and an end to the genocide in Gaza.”
{Matzav.com}
[Video below.] President Donald Trump on Thursday launched his Board of Peace at a ceremony on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, attended by representatives of at least 18 nations.
Leaders and representatives from Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan were among those on stage as Trump spoke during the signing ceremony, The Guardian reported.
The board, which will initially focus on solidifying the ceasefire with Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip, “can do pretty much whatever we want to do” once it is “completely formed,” said Trump in remarks.
“And we’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations,” he added.
“I’ve always said the United Nations has got tremendous potential, has not used it, but there’s tremendous potential in the United Nations, and you have some great people at the United Nations,” the president said.
“You know, on the eight wars that I ended, I never spoke to the United Nations about any of them,” he went on. “They tried, I guess, in some of them, but they didn’t try hard enough.”
The Board of Peace can be “something very, very unique for the world,” Trump continued. “The first steps toward a brighter day for the Middle East and a much safer future for the world are unfolding right before your very eyes.”
The new body will seek to end “decades of suffering, stop generations of hatred and bloodshed, and forge a beautiful, everlasting and glorious peace for that region and for the whole region of the world,” he said.
“We’re going to have peace in the world,” the president declared.
As the signing ceremony got underway, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared, “The charter is now in full force, and the Board of Peace is now an official international organization.”
Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy for peace missions, told attendees that Trump “created a sense of hope for what the future can bring in Gaza and in all other places where the Board of Peace will operate.
“I remember when the president asked Jared [Kushner], I, and of course our great secretary of state [Marco Rubio] to work on something that the world thought was impossible and unattainable,” the envoy said in his speech. “But the president—on this peace deal for Gaza, as on all other deals we work on his behalf—said we had to try and, of course, we were inspired by that.
“We have achieved a peace deal in Gaza. We have brought the hostages home all of the bodies, except for one, and we will bring that body home too,” Witkoff vowed.
Witkoff thanked “my good friend from Qatar,” Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others.
During the event, Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and a Middle East real estate developer, presented plans to disarm Hamas and develop the Gaza Strip into a free market hub for tourism with an airport and seaport after U.S.-backed reconstruction efforts conclude by 2035.
Netanyahu on Wednesday accepted Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace. While the body’s efforts will initially focus on Gaza, it “is like a new United Nations,” Netanyahu told Knesset lawmakers on Monday.
Speaking in Davos on Wednesday, Trump acknowledged that the Board of Peace has “some controversial people. But these are people that get the job done. These are people that have tremendous influence. If I put all babies on the board, that wouldn’t be very much.”
He continued, “I think the Board of Peace will be the most prestigious board ever, and it’s going to get a lot of work done that the United Nations should’ve done. And we’ll work with the United Nations, but the Board of Peace is going to be special. We’re going to have peace.”
Trump went on to mention the U.S. military strikes against Iran’s nuclear project in June as the platform that facilitated peace in the Middle East.
“It started off with Gaza in the Middle East. We’ve got peace in the Middle East. Tremendous peace in the Middle East. Nobody thought that was possible. And that happened by taking out the Iran nuclear threat. Without that, it could’ve never happened,” said Trump. JNS
{Matzav.com}
