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IDF Keeps Home Front Restrictions in Place; Schools to Remain Closed Nationwide

Matzav -

The Israel Defense Forces announced Monday evening that Home Front Command restrictions will remain in place following a fresh assessment of the security situation, leaving current nationwide guidelines unchanged.

In a statement, the IDF said the existing directives will continue through Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. Military officials explained that the decision was based on the latest evaluation of security conditions and noted that the policy could be revised if developments on the ground require it.

Following the announcement, Education Minister Yoav Kisch said that schools throughout Israel will remain closed and will not resume classes before Sunday.

The government had previously planned to introduce the “Yellow Framework,” a program designed to begin reopening schools gradually in municipalities considered to be at lower risk. That plan has now been delayed.

The Ministry of Education said the framework was developed together with local authorities and is expected to begin early next week, pending approval from the Home Front Command and depending on the evolving security assessment.

Officials in the ministry added that coordination with the Home Front Command is ongoing as they prepare for a range of possible scenarios, with the goal of enabling students to return to classrooms safely and in stages once conditions allow.

{Matzav.com}

Belarus Journalist Convicted Of Treason And Sentenced To 9 Years In Prison

Yeshiva World News -

Belarusian journalist Pavel Dabravolski was convicted Monday of treason and sentenced to nine years in a maximum-security prison, activists said, the fifth media worker to be jailed in two weeks in a relentless government crackdown on freedom of the press. Dabravolski, who has reported for international and domestic news outlets and won numerous prizes for […]

Top Iranian Official: Islamic Republic Prepared for Long War

Matzav -

A senior Iranian official said Monday that Tehran is prepared for an extended confrontation with the United States, warning that Iran is willing to keep striking targets in Gulf countries in an effort to push regional governments to pressure President Donald Trump to halt the conflict.

The remarks were made by Kamal Kharazi, a foreign policy adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, during an interview with CNN in Tehran. His comments reflected a defiant posture from the Iranian leadership as the war entered its tenth day, while also dismissing the possibility of diplomatic talks in the near term.

“I don’t see any room for diplomacy anymore. Because Donald Trump had been deceiving others and not keeping with his promises, and we experienced this in two times of negotiations — that while we were engaged in negotiation, they struck us,” Kharazi told the outlet on Monday.

“There’s no room unless the economic pressure would be built up to the extent that other countries would intervene to guarantee termination of aggression of Americans and Israelis against Iran,” Kharazi said.

Kharazi suggested that economic fallout from the conflict could eventually force Gulf Arab states and other nations to push Washington toward ending the war.

“This war has been producing a lot of pressure — economic pressure — on others, in terms of inflation, in terms of lack of energy, and so if it will be continued, this pressure will be built up more, and therefore others have no choice to intervene,” he said.

Since the United States and Israel began their military campaign against Iran, Tehran has carried out attacks in several countries across the Middle East. Iranian officials claim the strikes are directed at American interests in Gulf states, though some of the missiles and drones have also struck residential areas and airports.

The fighting has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, threatening major oil infrastructure and shipping routes throughout the region. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has sharply declined, while crude oil prices climbed above $100 per barrel on Monday, unsettling international markets and fueling concerns over rising energy costs.

Data compiled by Rapidan Energy Group indicates that roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply has been affected by the conflict — about twice the level of disruption recorded during the 1956–57 Suez crisis.

The war has also eliminated much of the oil market’s so-called spare capacity, the emergency production reserves that can typically be brought online quickly to stabilize supply during disruptions.

A spokesman for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Sunday that Iranian forces are currently using about 60% of their military firepower to strike U.S. bases and what he described as “strategic interests” throughout the region.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH: Chaos Erupts at Ben Gurion Airport as Wartime Rule Reversal Leaves Ticketed Passengers Stranded

Yeshiva World News -

Scenes of confusion and anger erupted at Ben Gurion Airport on Monday after travelers who had purchased tickets discovered they could not board their flights despite the airport reopening for outbound travel. Passengers arriving for departures were stunned to learn that the number of travelers allowed on each flight had been abruptly reduced overnight, leaving […]

IS IT ENDING? President Trump Says War With Iran “Pretty Much Complete,” Claims Tehran’s Military Is “Finished”

Yeshiva World News -

President Donald Trump hinted Monday that the U.S.–Israeli military campaign against Iran is nearing its conclusion, asserting that Tehran’s armed forces have been largely dismantled after weeks of intense strikes. Speaking to CBS News, Trump said the operations targeting Iran — known as Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion — are progressing far faster […]

France Preparing Naval Mission to Reopen Strait of Hormuz as Iran War Enters Second Week

Matzav -

France and several international partners are planning a naval operation aimed at reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz, President Emmanuel Macron said Monday, as the conflict with Iran moved into its second week and continued to disrupt regional stability.

Macron arrived by helicopter aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which had been deployed to the Mediterranean after the U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 ignited a broader conflict that has rattled the Middle East and raised fears of a wider regional escalation.

Earlier in the day, during a visit to Cyprus, Macron explained that the planned mission would focus on escorting cargo vessels and oil tankers so that maritime traffic through the strait could gradually resume “after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict.”

“This is essential for international trade, but also for the flow of gas and oil, which must be able to leave this region once again,” Macron said during a visit to the island to discuss regional security.

Standing alongside Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Macron emphasized that the planned effort would involve a coalition of countries and would serve strictly protective purposes, describing it as a “purely defensive, purely support mission.”

The Netherlands also announced that it plans to deploy a naval frigate to the Mediterranean at France’s request.

The European Union indicated Monday that it is prepared to expand its maritime security operations in the Middle East.

EU officials have been considering strengthening their naval presence in the Red Sea after the American-Israeli strikes on Iran sparked a wider regional confrontation.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to global markets and carrying roughly one-fifth of the world’s crude oil — has largely come to a standstill since the war erupted on February 28.

Macron’s trip to Cyprus followed a recent incident in which Iranian-made drones targeted the EU member island nation earlier this month.

The French president warned that any strike against Cyprus must be viewed as an attack against Europe itself.

“When Cyprus is attacked, it is Europe that is attacked,” he said.

“We will not accept that the slightest piece of European territory, like Cyprus, be exposed to danger,” added Mitsotakis.

Following the drone attack, France moved the Charles de Gaulle carrier to the Mediterranean and also dispatched a frigate and air-defense units to Cyprus.

French officials have repeatedly stressed that the country’s actions in the region are intended solely for defensive purposes.

While aboard the Charles de Gaulle, Macron was expected to meet with sailors serving in the carrier’s strike group, according to the Elysee Palace.

The aircraft carrier is the centerpiece of a broader French naval deployment that will include eight frigates and two amphibious helicopter carriers operating across a wide zone stretching from the eastern Mediterranean to the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.

One French frigate is already participating in the European Union’s Operation Aspides, a mission launched in the Red Sea in 2024 to protect commercial shipping from attacks carried out by Iran-backed Houthi forces.

Macron said France plans to maintain a long-term contribution to Operation Aspides by assigning two frigates to the mission.

“What we want to do is to ensure freedom of navigation and maritime security,” he said.

Separately, Macron also spoke Monday morning with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to discuss developments in the Middle East and the situation in Lebanon, the Elysee Palace said.

{Matzav.com}

Lalechet: No Evidence of Assaults on Jewish Travelers During Egypt Evacuation Route

Yeshiva World News -

Lalechet has released a statement detailing its evacuation operations over the past week, transporting thousands of passengers from Yerushalayim to the Egyptian border, then onward through Sharm el-Sheikh Airport and European hubs including Bucharest and Lisbon before arriving safely in New York. The organization says staff accompanied passengers throughout the entire journey to ensure safety, […]

Travel, Evacuation Flights, Government Services – What You Need to Know Today

Matzav -

Chaim V’Chessed continues to be inundated with calls relating to the ongoing Iran crisis. Below is a roundup of the latest developments regarding travel to and from Israel, evacuation options, and government services.

Inbound Travel to Israel

Israeli airlines – primarily El Al,  but also Israir, Arkia, and Air Haifa – have begun operating flights back to Israel.

At this stage, the overwhelming majority of seats are being allocated to passengers who previously held tickets on these airlines. These passengers are being proactively contacted and offered new reservations.

Those wishing to travel to Israel who did not previously hold tickets – or who held tickets on foreign airlines that are currently not flying – have extremely limited options. While some seats are being sold, available dates are often far off.

Passengers unable to secure flights in the coming days and who have the flexibility to travel may consider entry via Egypt – see below.

Outbound Flights from Israel

The Israeli airlines listed above have also begun operating outbound flights. However, flights are officially limited to approximately 70 passengers per flight.

Passengers who previously held tickets on these airlines are being contacted and offered alternative departure dates. Passengers are being assigned to flights in a fashion that those whose original departure dates were earlier are generally being prioritized for the earliest available flights.

Those without existing tickets – or who had tickets on airlines that remain suspended – face very limited availability. Although tickets are being sold, departure dates are often weeks away.

Chaim V’Chessed has been flooded with inquiries from passengers facing genuine emergency situations who urgently need to travel to or from Israel. Due to the extremely limited number of seats and the overwhelming volume of requests, we are unable to assist with placement on flights. It is somewhat possible, however, that after the initial bottleneck of delayed passengers clears this week, it may become easier to obtain seats.

U.S. Embassy Evacuation Flights

The United States Department of State is arranging no-cost departure options for American citizens seeking to leave Israel. Flights may be to the United States or to third countries outside the region.

Flights are being offered in a somewhat unpredictable manner to those who have registered through the Department of State’s Crisis Intake Form, as well as to those who have registered via Chaim V’Chessed’s evacuation interest list (which has been shared with the Department of State). Individuals are welcome to complete both forms.

It is important to note that these are not standalone charter evacuations. Rather, American citizens are being placed on flights that are already scheduled to depart Israel.

Those who have indicated that they wish to depart Israel immediately may receive very short notice – at times being instructed to report to Ben Gurion Airport on short notice. Passengers report significant confusion and a lack of organization at the airport for the State Department flights.

The “30-Day Rule”

Due to the severe flight limitations, the Israeli government has sought to condition departure on an agreement not to return in the near future.

El Al has indicated that passengers may not return for 30 days, while other airlines have referenced a 21-day restriction.

There is little doubt that should hostilities cease, such commitments would not be enforced. Additionally, numerous passengers have reported that despite public discussion of this policy, they were not asked to sign any such document prior to departure.

Travel Through Egypt

For those unable to obtain outbound flights, travel through Egypt remains an option.

While there is an official travel warning regarding entry into Sinai, thousands have successfully utilized this route in recent days.

For those traveling via Egypt, Chaim V’Chessed strongly recommends only traveling with organized groups, such as Lelechet, Emes Travel or Plan It Rite. (Please note: Chaim V’Chessed does not endorse any group or travel package.)

Government Offices

The majority of government offices across Israel remain closed, creating significant challenges for citizens requiring services.

The Israel Population and Immigration Authority (Interior Ministry) has opened limited branches, including the Mevaseret  and Har Homa Branches.

United States Embassy

The United States Embassy in Israel remains closed for routine services.

However, embassy officials have informed Chaim V’Chessed that emergency passport services will be available this week from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at both the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv locations, for those requiring passports in order to depart Israel. No appointments are needed; applicants are strongly encouraged to arrive early.

The Embassy will implement an important leniency for parents with recently born newborns. Due to government offices being closed, many have been unable to obtain birth certificates from the Interior Ministry. Parents will be permitted to present the Hodaa al Leida from the hospital, in lieu of an official birth certificate.

Chaim V’Chessed continues to monitor developments closely and remains available during regular business hours to assist the English-speaking community in navigating this rapidly evolving situation.

{Matzav.com}

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