Israeli Police arrested a suspect Sunday after footage circulated online showing individuals cheering as air raid sirens sounded warning of Iranian rocket fire toward Israel.
The video, which spread across social media and came to the attention of officers in the Judea region of the Shai District, shows several Palestinians alongside Israeli activists celebrating as sirens blared, signaling that Iran had launched missiles at Israel.
Following a brief intelligence investigation, police identified one of the suspects as a 60-year-old resident of Samu. He was taken into custody for questioning, and authorities said additional arrests are expected among others seen rejoicing in the footage.
In a statement, police said: “The Israel Police will act decisively against anyone who exploits the security situation during wartime to incite against the State of Israel, encourage the enemy, and support harm to the security of Israel’s citizens, wherever they may be.”
{Matzav.com}Israeli fighter jets have unleashed more than 2,000 bombs on Iranian regime positions and military installations since the fighting with the Islamic Republic began on Shabbos, the Israel Defense Forces announced, describing an extensive and fast-moving aerial campaign across Iran.
According to the military, the volume of ordnance released during the first 30 hours of combat amounts to roughly half of what the Israeli Air Force expended during the entire 12-day war in June 2025.
The IDF said that since the launch of the current operation, Israeli aircraft have flown over 700 missions and secured control of Iranian airspace within the first day. The military added that numerous air defense systems in western Iran were neutralized as part of the opening phase of the assault.
“In recent hours, air force aircraft have been operating with air superiority over the skies of Tehran, striking and destroying numerous targets,” the IDF said in a statement.
With control of the air established, Israeli pilots were able to deploy “stand-in” munitions directly over Tehran — meaning bombs dropped straight onto their targets rather than relying on long-range missile fire.
Throughout Sunday, Israeli forces struck a wide range of sites across Iran, including ballistic missile launchers, air defense batteries, and military headquarters, reportedly facing little resistance from remaining Iranian defenses.
After signaling that its campaign would move into the “heart” of the Iranian capital, the IDF later said it had demolished dozens of regime command centers in Tehran, including the headquarters of Iran’s internal security forces, in a large-scale assault involving dozens of fighter jets.
The military said the internal security headquarters “served as a command and control center responsible for linking the command echelon with the Iranian terror regime’s forces on the ground, and led the brutal repression against the Iranian people.”
The IDF also reported the destruction of a facility used by the Thar-Allah Headquarters, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unit responsible for securing the Tehran region.
In a subsequent wave of attacks later Sunday, more than 100 aircraft targeted additional regime command centers affiliated with the IRGC, including intelligence, air force, and internal security branches, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said during an evening briefing.
“These are significant and powerful strikes. These headquarters operated against Israel and the entire world. Today they were destroyed along with everyone operating in them,” Defrin said.
Beyond command hubs and missile infrastructure, the military said it destroyed two Iranian F-4 and F-5 fighter jets that were positioned for departure at Tabriz airport in western Iran.
The IDF said the strike on those aircraft was intended to “cause a blow to activities of the Iranian Air Force and to deepen the damage to the regime’s defense systems.”
During a meeting with senior commanders Sunday night, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Israel had already achieved major gains inside Iran.
“We are less than 48 hours into the campaign we are engaged in; many more days of fighting lie ahead. We will do everything and operate to the best of our abilities to accelerate the achievements, and we are sparing no effort,” Zamir said in a video released by the IDF.
“We opened with a powerful surprise and with very significant achievements that have affected the development of the campaign and its results. Already now we can say that the achievements we reached at the outset will influence our end-state,” he added.
At the same time, Iran continued firing missile barrages at Israeli territory. Nine people were killed when a projectile struck Beit Shemesh. Military officials said an inquiry was underway into why the missile was not intercepted, while reiterating longstanding warnings that air defense systems cannot provide complete protection. Later Sunday evening, additional injuries were reported after an Iranian missile hit a roadway.
The IDF said the missile interception rate has been “high,” though it did not release specific figures. It added that Israeli fighter jets, helicopters, and air defense batteries have shot down more than 50 drones launched from Iran.
As the confrontation widened, the military confirmed it had called up 100,000 reservists in connection with the conflict, apparently in addition to the 50,000 already serving.
The IDF said ground forces were reinforced along Israel’s borders with Syria, Lebanon, and the Gaza Strip, as well as in the West Bank.
The Home Front Command alone mobilized 20,000 reservists, primarily assigned to search-and-rescue missions, while additional reinforcements were deployed to the Air Force, Navy, and Intelligence Directorate.
{Matzav.com}
Amid the ongoing “Shaagat HaAri” war and dramatic developments in Iran, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Sfas Emes, Rav Shaul Alter, delivered remarks connecting current events to the approaching days of Purim, emphasizing that Jewish strength lies not in military calculations but in trust in Hashem and immersion in Torah.
Rav Alter drew a clear distinction between battlefield achievements and spiritual responsibility, cautioning against overconfidence following reported successes in Tehran. Referring to the many interceptions seen in the skies over Yerushalayim on Shabbos, he opened with a pointed observation: “There are many who look upward, but they are not looking at the right place. They just want to see whether it hit or didn’t hit. There is a completely different concept.”
Quoting the Megillah, he said: “It says in the Megillah, ‘And the king said to Esther the queen: In Shushan the capital the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men… what have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces?’” Rav Alter explained that while military strategists analyze strength and weakness in conventional terms, the Jewish perspective is fundamentally different. “The king makes calculations of a general and an army — who is stronger and who is weaker… we Jews rely on the Ribbono Shel Olam. These are not calculations of flesh and blood at all.”
Addressing the visible miracles of recent nights, Rav Alter recalled the Gulf War, noting that it too took place in the month of Adar. “It was in the month of Adar, and the Rebbe (the Pnei Menachem zt”l) said then that ‘Adar da’ihu mazleih d’Yisrael,’ and Klal Yisroel is victorious. Indeed, then no Jewish soul was harmed.” He added with a smile and in a tone of secrecy, “Mordechai and Esther are there, so we also have an agent in Iraq and in Iran… Don’t just look at the airplanes.”
At the same time, the Rosh Yeshiva stressed the obligation of practical caution and responsible action. “We must be careful, because we are required to make hishtadlus. We are not worthy that it should be this way without effort, but we must make normal efforts and, above all, immerse ourselves in learning.”
He referenced Mordechai HaYehudi, who was engaged in teaching the laws of kemitzah to the children even in the midst of the decree against the Jews, and urged the public to focus on what truly endures. “That is the only thing that is true and correct and lasting. The main thing is to look upward — that is what we need to remember.”
{Matzav.com}
As the Middle East reels from the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader in the heart of Tehran, Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a sharply worded condemnation of the operation, accusing the United States and Israel of carrying out what he called a “cynical murder” and warning of severe regional consequences.
In an official letter of condolence sent to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Putin denounced the assassination of Ali Khamenei as a blatant violation of international norms. He described it as a “cynical murder” committed in “violation of all norms of human morality and international law.”
For the Russian leader, the 86-year-old Iranian figure was far more than a political counterpart. Putin characterized him as an “outstanding statesman” who made a significant personal contribution to strengthening friendly ties and the strategic partnership between Moscow and Tehran.
The Kremlin views the development as a serious strategic setback. Khamenei had been a key ally for Russia, particularly during Moscow’s war in Ukraine, and his death represents another blow in what analysts see as a string of geopolitical losses for Putin. In December 2024, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, another close Russian ally, fled to Moscow. Earlier this year, in January, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured in a U.S. operation. Now, Russia is watching its most important Middle Eastern partner destabilized.
Moscow had only recently deepened its alliance with Tehran. In 2025, Russia and Iran signed a strategic partnership agreement that included expanded military cooperation. Against that backdrop, Russian officials have expressed grave concern over the broader implications of the assassination.
Russian authorities described the strikes as a “dangerous adventure” that could trigger an unprecedented regional “catastrophe.” While Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has been holding urgent consultations with his Iranian counterparts, Putin has conveyed what Russian officials described as unwavering support for the Iranian people and government during what he called a critical and painful moment.
{Matzav.com}President Donald Trump said Sunday that the military operation which killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was so sweeping that it removed nearly all viable successors, creating a leadership vacuum in Tehran.
Speaking to ABC News, Trump referred to reported assassination attempts by Iranian intelligence and declared, “I got him before he got me. They tried twice. Well, I got him first,” framing the strike as both preemptive and decisive.
When asked who he now envisions leading Iran, Trump said that those once considered possible replacements are no longer alive. “The attack was so successful it knocked out most of the candidates. It’s not going to be anybody that we were thinking of because they are all dead. Second or third place is dead,” he told ABC News.
In a separate interview with The New York Times, Trump had previously said there were “three very good choices” for Iran’s future leadership but declined to identify them. He discussed several potential paths for a transition of power in Tehran without committing to any single outcome.
One scenario he mentioned resembled what he described as his approach in Venezuela, where only former President Nicolas Maduro was removed during an American strike, while much of the governmental structure remained intact and later adopted a more pragmatic posture toward the United States.
Trump also indicated in that interview that the United States stands ready to continue its military campaign against Iran for “four to five weeks” if necessary, signaling that further action remains on the table following Khamenei’s elimination.
{Matzav.com}
Veteran Channel 12 Arab affairs analyst Ehud Yaari said Iran appears to be recalibrating its strategy and may be moving toward ending the current confrontation by accepting terms dictated by the United States.
In his assessment, Yaari suggested that a decisive moment may be approaching. “We are approaching the point where Israel and the US, or each one separately, must consider telling the Iranian public: ‘We control the sky above Tehran. Whoever goes out to the street and someone tries to attack them, we are defending from above,” Yaari stated.
He explained that recent statements from President Trump followed what he described as a noticeable shift in Tehran’s stance. “Trump’s remarks come after the Iranians reversed their policy. The new leadership, led by Ali Larijani and Abbas Araghchi, explains that they are no longer attempting to expand the war to a regional one, there is no threat to close the Straight of Hormuz, we will stop the attacks on the Arab states, after Saudi Arabia and UAE made clare that if the attacks continue they would join the fighting with their own air forces.”
Yaari further noted that this change includes a signal to Iran’s regional allies. According to him, “Larijani and Araghchi are effectively granting Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis an exemption from joining the war. That has not happened in the past. At the same time, they are signaling to the United States that they are interested in talks. After less than two days, we are at a crossroads, where the Iranians are beginning to falter.”
{Matzav.com}The New York Times drew sharp criticism on social media following its headline and obituary coverage of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after news of his death.
The newspaper’s headline read, “Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hard-Line Cleric Who Made Iran a Regional Power, Is Dead at 86.” In the obituary, the Times characterized Khamenei as “avuncular and magnanimous.”
The article further stated, “With his spectacles, Palestinian kaffiyeh, long robes and silver beard, Ayatollah Khamenei cast himself as a religious scholar as well as a writer and translator of works on Islam. He affected an avuncular and magnanimous aloofness, running the country from a perch above the jousting of daily politics,” the NYT’s obituary read.
The framing prompted an immediate wave of criticism from political figures and commentators online.
Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Montana, responded publicly and shared what he described as an alternative version of the headline.
Other critics objected to the tone of the obituary, arguing that Khamenei presided over a regime responsible for thousands of deaths. The Times’ own report referenced the government’s role in ordering the killing of protesters who spoke out against the regime in January and again in 2022.
Fox News contributor Joe Concha reacted succinctly, writing, “I give up…”
Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen also weighed in, posting, “You can’t be serious.”
Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton responded with the phrase “mostly peaceful,” a remark widely seen as referencing CNN’s coverage of the 2020 Kenosha protests, when the network aired a chyron reading, “FIERY BUT MOSTLY PEACEFUL PROTESTS AFTER POLICE SHOOTING.”
News Nation’s Batya Ungar-Sargon added, “You don’t have the media enough.”
Jason Bedrick of the Heritage Foundation offered a blunt assessment, writing, “The NYT is garbage,” in response to the headline.
Amid the criticism, the New York Times’ communications team addressed the backlash in a post on X.
“The Times’s obituaries report and reflect lives in full, illuminating why, in our judgment, they were significant. We fairly and accurately include the newsworthy details of each life and death, and don’t treat them dishonestly to score points like you’re trying to do here,” the communications team wrote on X in response to the Libs of TikTok account’s criticism of the headline.
The Washington Post also encountered criticism for aspects of its obituary, which described Khamenei as “avuncular” and noted his “easy smile.”
“With his bushy white beard and easy smile, Ayatollah Khamenei cut a more avuncular figure in public than his perpetually scowling but much more revered mentor, and he was known to be fond of Persian poetry and classic Western novels, especially Victor Hugo’s ‘Les Misérables.’ But like the uncompromising Khomeini, he opposed moderates’ efforts to promote political and social reforms domestically and to secure rapprochement with the United States,” the Post’s obituary of the supreme leader said.
{Matzav.com}The IDF launched airstrikes across Lebanon early Monday after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israeli territory, marking the first missile attack by the group since the November 2024 ceasefire.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed the operation in an official statement. “In response to Hezbollah’s projectile fire toward the State of Israel, the IDF is currently striking Hezbollah targets,” the statement said.
The military accused Hezbollah of acting as a proxy for Tehran. “The Hezbollah terrorist organization is operating on behalf of the Iranian regime, opening fire against the State of Israel and its civilians. The IDF will operate against Hezbollah’s decision to join the campaign, and will not enable the organization to constitute a threat to the State of Israel and harm the civilians of northern Israel,” the statement continued.
חיזבאללה מצטרף למערכה – ויורה לעבר ישראל לראשונה מאז הפסקת האש: יירוט הרקטה מלבנון בוצע באמצעות מערכת הלייזר "אור איתן"@rubih67 pic.twitter.com/PmtAqNptpA
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) March 2, 2026
The IDF further warned that Lebanon would bear the consequences of Hezbollah’s actions. “The Hezbollah terrorist organization brings ruin to the State of Lebanon, and the IDF will forcefully respond to such actions. IDF troops have prepared for such a scenario as part of standard combat preparations as part of Operation ‘Roaring Lion’, and are prepared for an all-fronts scenario and for combating any threat against the State of Israel,” the statement concluded.
Following the rocket launches, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment with members of the General Staff. During the meeting, Zamir approved additional operational plans and ordered preparations for sustained offensive and defensive activity.
Speaking after the assessment, Zamir placed responsibility squarely on Hezbollah. “Hezbollah opened a campaign against Israel overnight, and is fully responsible for any escalation. IDF troops have prepared for such a scenario as part of standard combat preparations for Operation ‘Roaring Lion’. Any enemy that threatens our security will pay a heavy price – we will not allow any harm to come to the people of Israel and our northern border”.
Lebanese media outlets reported that the Israeli Air Force struck sites in Beirut, with explosions heard in the Dahieh district of the capital.
Earlier in the night, at approximately 1:00 a.m., warning sirens sounded without advance notice in Haifa and nearby areas, as well as in several communities along the northern border. The IDF later confirmed that the alerts were triggered by launches originating from Lebanon.
According to the military, three rockets were fired in the barrage. One was intercepted, while the other two landed in open terrain.
Magen David Adom said no injuries were reported as a result of the attack.
The interception marked the first operational use of the “Or Eitan” laser defense system.
Hezbollah claimed the rocket fire was carried out following the elimination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and in response to Israeli strikes. The group said it had aimed at a military installation south of Haifa.
The attack represents the first instance of Hezbollah launching missiles toward Israel since the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon came into force in November 2024.
Israeli defense officials issued a warning in response to the escalation, stating that “Hezbollah carried out the launches from Lebanon – there will be an especially harsh response.”
Last week, a Hezbollah official told AFP that the organization would refrain from involvement if the United States conducted “limited” strikes on Iran.
However, the same official made clear that any action targeting Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would cross a “red line.” Khamenei was eliminated in the US-Israeli strikes in Iran over the weekend.
Under the terms of the US-brokered ceasefire with Israel, Hezbollah had been expected to disarm. The group has instead denounced the Lebanese government’s plan to strip it of its weapons and has repeatedly vowed to retain its arsenal.
{Matzav.com}
In light of the current emergency situation and the ongoing war with Iran, the noted posek, Rav Amram Fried, has issued a detailed set of halachic rulings addressing what should be done if a siren sounds in the middle of the reading of Megillas Esther on Purim. The rulings were obtained by Matzav.com today and translated for this Matzav report here:
Speaking, Pausing, and Walking to a Protected Area[1] One should not speak while walking to a protected space. However, if someone did speak, it does not invalidate the reading, and they may continue the Megillah from where they stopped.
[2] Once in the protected area, the Megillah reading should continue from the point where it was interrupted. The act of walking does not constitute a halachic interruption. Even if there was a lengthy delay — long enough to complete the entire Megillah — it is not considered a break.
[3] If the Megillah was not continued in the protected space and those present waited there silently, they should resume reading from where they left off upon returning to the shul. Even if the pause lasted a significant amount of time, it is not deemed an interruption in the reading.
Speaking Between the Brachos and the Beginning of the Reading[4] If the siren sounded after the blessings were recited but before the reading began — and it was impossible to immediately begin reading even a few words — then an interruption is more severe. In such a case, if one spoke or became completely distracted, the brocha of “Al Mikra Megillah” must be recited again before beginning the reading. However, the brachos of “She’asa Nissim” and “Shehecheyanu” should not be repeated.
It is emphasized that speaking between the brocha and the start of the reading requires repeating the brocha whether the one who spoke was the reader or one of the listeners.
Hearing the Megillah During the Siren[5] If someone heard the Megillah during the siren and heard every word from the reader, they have fulfilled their obligation. Even if they spoke during the reading, as long as they heard every word, they have fulfilled their obligation.
However, if even a single word was missed, it must be completed from a kosher Megillah or from a Chumash in front of the listener. The individual should continue reading until reaching the place where the reader currently is (see below that one must read or hear at least the majority of the Megillah from a kosher scroll).
When completing the missed portion independently, one must ensure that the words are audible to oneself but not loud enough for others to hear, so as not to confuse them.
Continuing With a Different Reader[6] If only part of the minyan went to the protected space, they may continue the reading there with a different baal korei, provided that the new baal korei was present from the beginning of the reading in the shul and heard the brachos from the original baal korei.
Continuing Individually[7] Individuals who returned home and cannot come back to hear the Megillah read publicly from a kosher Megillah may continue reading at home from a Chumash, on condition that they already heard the majority of the Megillah from the baal korei who read from a kosher scroll. The midpoint of the Megillah is Chapter 5, verse 8.
In such a case, the brocha of “Harav es Rivenu” after the reading should not be recited, as this brocha is made only when reading with a minyan and not individually. However, one who is lenient and does recite it individually is not to be rebuked.
Additional Laws and Reading Individually[8] One who hears the Megillah via telephone or other electronic means — even if it is a live broadcast — does not fulfill the obligation.
[9] Care should be taken to read the Megillah with a minyan. If that is not possible, certain halachic differences apply, as follows:
The halachic authorities disagree whether one reading individually recites the brocha of “Harav es Rivenu” after the reading. The practical ruling is that it should not be recited, though one who does so should not be protested.
When reading with a minyan, the reader must stand both for the brachos and for the reading itself. One reading individually does not need to stand for the reading, only for the brachos.
An individual reader is also not required to spread out the entire Megillah and fold it page by page before beginning the reading.
{Matzav.com}
