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The Department of Justice has decided to withdraw subpoenas issued to several New York Times reporters as part of an investigation into reporting on President Donald Trump’s new Air Force One aircraft, federal prosecutors informed a judge Thursday, ending a legal dispute over the government’s efforts to compel journalists to testify.

The announcement came during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan, where the court had been considering the newspaper’s request to invalidate the subpoenas directed at its reporters, according to MS NOW.

Earlier this month, on July 10, the Justice Department served subpoenas requiring several Times journalists to appear before a federal grand jury, according to the newspaper. Federal agents reportedly delivered some of those subpoenas directly to the reporters’ homes.

The subpoenas had been authorized by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, whom President Trump has nominated to serve as director of national intelligence.

The New York Times also reported earlier this week that the Justice Department had notified the newspaper that it had obtained subpoenas for phone and text message records from third-party telecommunications providers. According to the paper, one subpoena even sought records belonging to the mother of one of its reporters.

The federal investigation followed reporting by the Times concerning security issues involving President Trump’s newly acquired Air Force One aircraft, which had been donated by the government of Qatar.

In a July 8 report, the newspaper stated that Trump had flown from Turkey aboard the older Air Force One aircraft rather than the recently donated Boeing 747-8 because of heightened security concerns following renewed hostilities with Iran.

Citing individuals familiar with the aircraft, the Times also reported that “the new plane does not have all the features of the older plane” in terms of security.

Reacting to the subpoenas after they were issued, New York Times attorney David McCraw sharply criticized the Justice Department’s actions.

“The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects,” said David McCraw, The Times’ lawyer, in a statement on July 11.

“Our journalists report the facts and advance the American public’s right to know how their government is operating and their taxpayer dollars are being used,” McCraw said. “This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu is expected to convene Israel’s restricted security cabinet on Friday in an unusual meeting amid growing intelligence assessments that Iran could launch the next round of fighting by striking Israel first, as defense officials remain on heightened alert for a possible escalation over the weekend.

The rare Friday meeting comes as Israel’s security establishment prepares for multiple scenarios following updated intelligence assessments indicating that Tehran may be changing its strategic approach toward Israel.

According to intelligence assessments developed in recent days by Western intelligence agencies, one of the leading scenarios is that Iran could seek to draw Israel into a broader military confrontation by initiating hostilities itself. The assessment was reported Thursday by Ynet.

According to the report by Nadav Eyal, Iranian leaders believe Israel may currently be reluctant to return to a full-scale military campaign. Tehran is also believed to be looking to exploit what it views as recent strains and disagreements between Jerusalem and Washington.

At the same time, President Donald Trump told Israeli journalist Barak Ravid that he is nearing a decision on Iran and is considering a military strike that would exceed anything carried out previously.

“We are fully prepared for it,” Trump said, adding that “Israel will join within two minutes if I ask them, but we don’t need anybody.”

Trump’s remarks come as tensions across the Middle East continue to intensify. Overnight, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) completed another wave of strikes against military targets inside Iran. According to the report, the operation targeted advanced naval capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and Iranian air defense assets. In an unprecedented move, American forces also bombed the Shalamcheh border crossing linking Iran’s Khuzestan Province with southern Iraq.

Israeli defense officials are closely monitoring developments throughout the region while analyzing Iran’s intentions based on intelligence indicating that Tehran may be increasingly willing to take calculated military risks.

Friday’s security cabinet meeting is expected to focus on developing Israel’s strategic roadmap for responding to the emerging threats, including both intelligence operations and military preparedness.

According to the report, the primary objective of the discussions will be to ensure that Israel is prepared to respond rapidly—or act preemptively if necessary—and prevent Iran from exploiting what it perceives as tactical or diplomatic vulnerabilities. Senior defense officials believe Tehran is attempting to capitalize on the current international climate and the complex political environment as it searches for an opportunity to shift the balance of the conflict.

{Matzav.com}

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers has introduced legislation that would authorize the Department of Homeland Security to shut down artificial intelligence systems deemed to pose a serious threat to human life or the U.S. economy. The proposal comes just days after OpenAI disclosed that one of its AI models behaved unexpectedly during a security test and compromised another AI company’s systems.

The measure, known as the “AI Kill Switch Act,” was introduced by Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., and Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas. Under the proposal, the Department of Homeland Security would be granted authority to step in during what the legislation defines as a “loss-of-control scenario”—a situation in which an AI model performs a dangerous action that its developers neither intended nor authorized.

The lawmakers unveiled the bill shortly after OpenAI acknowledged that one of its AI agents went rogue during internal testing and launched a hacking attack that breached the infrastructure of AI startup Hugging Face.

“This is urgent, common sense legislation ⁠to ⁠address the problem of an advanced AI model that has gone rogue and escaped its guardrails,” Lieu wrote in a post on X.

The OpenAI incident has heightened concerns among AI experts that increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence systems are beginning to present the very security risks many researchers have warned about for years. The episode also underscored that even leading AI developers can be caught off guard by vulnerabilities their own models are able to exploit.

{Matzav.com}

Travelers planning to fly during the bein hazemanim vacation period can expect flights to continue as scheduled, according to Israel Airports Authority Chairman Maj. Gen. (res.) Yiftach Ron-Tal, who said Israel’s airspace will remain open even if the security situation deteriorates.

Speaking Wednesday in an interview on Kan News’ Bachatzi Hayom program, Ron-Tal rejected concerns that additional American aerial refueling aircraft arriving in Israel could disrupt operations at Ben Gurion Airport. His comments come amid heightened regional tensions and concerns over a possible escalation involving Iran.

“I’m pleased that there is a policy that was updated just two days ago by the transportation minister, and I agree with it 1,000%,” Ron-Tal said. “There is absolutely no intention of closing the airspace of the State of Israel, even under the sensitive strategic and security circumstances in which we currently find ourselves.”

Ron-Tal’s remarks directly contradict comments made just one day earlier by Israel Airports Authority Director General Sharon Kedmi, who warned during the same program that Ben Gurion Airport would be unable to maintain its full flight schedule if additional U.S. refueling aircraft were stationed there.

“We can’t accommodate even one more refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport. If one more arrives, we’ll have to begin canceling flights,” Kedmi said.

Ron-Tal, however, painted a far more optimistic picture, saying airport officials are determined to keep Israel’s skies open during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.

“We will do everything in our power to keep the skies over the State of Israel open during a season that is so important to the Israeli public,” he said. “I’ll go even further than that—every day that passes is setting new records this year.”

The Airports Authority chairman said Ben Gurion Airport is already handling approximately 90,000 passengers per day and emphasized that all operations are being carried out in close coordination with Israel’s defense establishment.

According to Airports Authority figures, more than two million passengers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport during July, representing an increase of approximately 25 percent compared to the same period last year.

The surge reflects the continued recovery of Israel’s aviation industry following Operation Rising Lion. Terminal 1 has reopened for international flights, and airport officials say traffic is steadily returning to normal. Approximately 230,000 international passengers are expected to travel through Terminal 1 during July alone.

Ron-Tal stressed that his position is fully aligned with the Transportation Ministry’s policy of keeping Israel’s airspace open. Transportation Minister Miri Regev has previously stated that the government is committed to maintaining open skies throughout the summer travel season while meeting the growing demand for flights to and from Israel.

Government preparations have included intensive coordination with all relevant agencies, including relocating some American military aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport to create additional capacity for commercial flights during the busy summer season.

The government has also approved an exceptional compensation package of up to 55 million shekels for Israeli airlines to offset losses incurred from empty flights they were required to operate during Operation Rising Lion.

Officials say the strong passenger numbers demonstrate renewed confidence in Israel’s aviation sector among both the traveling public and international airlines. Numerous foreign carriers have resumed regular service to Ben Gurion Airport, and Israelis are once again flying in numbers not seen since the outbreak of the war.

In recent days, Ben Gurion has repeatedly set new post-war passenger records. Last Thursday alone, approximately 85,000 travelers passed through the airport on arriving and departing international flights—the highest daily total since the start of Operation Rising Lion.

{Matzav.com}

Kozo Okamoto, the last surviving member of the three-man terrorist squad that carried out the 1972 massacre at Ben Gurion Airport, has died in Beirut at the age of 78. Okamoto participated in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Israel’s history, in which 24 people were murdered and 71 others were wounded before he was later released from prison in the 1985 Jibril prisoner exchange.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) announced Okamoto’s death, stating that he died in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district, a Hezbollah-controlled area of the Lebanese capital.

On May 30, 1972, Okamoto landed at what was then known as Lod Airport, now Ben Gurion Airport, aboard an Air France flight together with two fellow members of the Japanese Red Army.

Moments after arriving, the three terrorists pulled Kalashnikov assault rifles from their luggage and began spraying gunfire into crowds of passengers before hurling grenades into the terminal.

The attack left 24 people dead and another 71 wounded.

Okamoto was the only member of the terrorist cell to survive the massacre. His two accomplices were killed during the assault, while he was wounded, captured by Israeli authorities, and taken into custody.

An Israeli court sentenced him to life in prison, but after serving 13 years, he was freed in 1985 as part of the Jibril prisoner exchange. Following his release, he relocated to Lebanon, where he remained for the rest of his life.

Although the attackers were members of the communist Japanese Red Army, they carried out the massacre on behalf of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which had recruited and trained the group for the operation.

Over the years, Japan repeatedly requested that Lebanon extradite Okamoto to face justice, but Lebanese authorities consistently refused those requests.

Okamoto lived largely out of the public eye during his decades in Lebanon, making only occasional public appearances.

One of his few public appearances came in May 2022 during a ceremony in Beirut commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Ben Gurion Airport massacre.

The event took place at a cemetery where numerous Palestinian terrorists are buried, near a memorial dedicated to four Japanese nationals who had been involved with Palestinian terrorist organizations.

At the ceremony, Okamoto wore a Palestinian flag along with a scarf bearing the slogan of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Appearing visibly frail, he was assisted to the memorial by several companions.

Although he remained silent throughout the approximately 30-minute ceremony, he occasionally smiled and waved to those in attendance.

{Matzav.com}

With his party continuing to lose ground in the polls, Bennett Party chairman Naftali Bennett sparked a political firestorm after delivering a blistering speech attacking the chareidi community, warning that Israel must “dismantle the anti-Zionist chareidi state” or risk losing the Zionist state altogether.

Addressing a conference of party activists, Bennett called for a fundamental change in the government’s approach to the chareidi public, arguing that the era of political compromise had come to an end.

During his speech, Bennett said: “Therefore, the era of compromises is over; no exemptions, no budgets. If we do not dismantle the anti-Zionist chareidi state, we will lose the Zionist state. And I want to tell you, I say this out of love for our brothers—I do not hate them…”

The remarks, delivered just days before Tishah B’Av, drew widespread criticism because of both their timing and their unusually harsh tone. Tishah B’Av is traditionally a time for reflecting on the dangers of internal division and baseless hatred among the Jewish people.

Bennett’s comments also come as his political standing continues to deteriorate. Recent public opinion surveys have shown his party steadily losing support after previously polling at significantly higher levels.

Political analysts are now debating whether the increasingly aggressive rhetoric is an attempt to shore up support among his base as his poll numbers slide or whether it signals a broader shift toward a more confrontational campaign strategy ahead of the next election.

A Channel 13 News poll released Tuesday night showed Bennett’s party falling to a new low of just 14 Knesset seats.

According to the same survey, Likud lost one seat, while the anti-Netanyahu bloc also dropped by one seat to 60 mandates, despite the Arab parties gaining two seats.

{Matzav.com}

The European Union imposed a 890 million euro ($1 billion) antitrust fine on Google on Thursday, accusing the tech giant of violating the bloc’s digital competition rules by using Google Play and its dominant search engine to steer users toward its own products and services at the expense of rivals.

The penalty marks the latest in a series of aggressive actions by European regulators targeting major technology companies. Brussels has positioned itself at the forefront of global efforts to curb the market power of some of the world’s biggest tech firms, including companies based in Silicon Valley and China.

The crackdown comes despite growing tensions with President Donald Trump, who has sharply criticized the European Union’s digital regulations. His broader disputes with the 27-member bloc have included imposing steep tariffs, threatening to seize Greenland from Denmark by force, and raising concerns about the future of the NATO alliance.

Trump has previously warned that the United States could retaliate if European regulators continue imposing heavy penalties on American technology companies.

The latest decision follows Google’s recent defeat in its appeal against a separate $4.5 billion antitrust fine imposed by the European Union over allegations that it used the dominance of its Android mobile operating system to suppress competition and limit consumer choice.

Announcing the latest penalty, the European Commission—the EU’s executive arm and chief antitrust authority—said its investigation concluded that Google’s practices harmed competition and reduced options for consumers.

“The best products should succeed because they’re better, not because they’re owned by the company running the search engine. And European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut,” said Teresa Ribera, the commission’s Executive Vice President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.

Google strongly rejected the ruling. Kent Walker, the company’s President of Global Affairs, denounced the fine as “product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants” and argued that the decision would ultimately hurt both European businesses and consumers.

Walker also criticized the EU’s Digital Markets Act, saying it forces Google “to strip away real-time search features Europeans love — like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights, and restaurants — and dismantle safety protections on Google Play.”

The European Union classifies seven of the world’s largest technology companies as digital “gatekeepers” because of their control over key online platforms. Those companies include Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Defending the enforcement action, European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said the rules are intended to preserve fair competition and consumer choice across the digital marketplace.

“In the EU, businesses have the right to compete fairly. Gatekeepers have the obligation to ensure a level playing field and consumers the right to choose for cheaper alternative offers,” European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said.

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, reported $403 billion in revenue in 2025.

A massive search operation is underway in Ashkelon after a 4-year-old boy disappeared near the city’s Hofit Beach on Thursday, prompting police to launch an intensive land, sea, and air search amid fears for his safety.

Large numbers of Israel Police officers, joined by volunteers, marine police units, divers, and an aircraft from the police air unit, have spent hours combing the area for Yuval Kogan, a 4-year-old Ashkelon resident who vanished near the shoreline. Authorities have classified the case as that of a high-risk missing child and are urging the public to come forward with any information that could help locate him.

The search began shortly after the child was reported missing early Thursday afternoon, Tishah B’Av. Given Yuval’s young age and the fact that he disappeared near the water, police immediately launched an extensive emergency response, treating the incident as a life-threatening situation.

As the hours passed and concerns mounted, police significantly expanded the search effort, bringing in additional emergency personnel and specialized units. The operation has grown into a large-scale, coordinated effort involving multiple rescue agencies working together to locate the missing child as quickly as possible.

Searches are being conducted simultaneously on land, at sea, and from the air. A police helicopter is surveying the coastline and nearby open areas from above, while marine police officers and specially trained police volunteer divers are searching the water and surrounding beaches using advanced operational and technological equipment to determine whether the child may have entered the sea.

Meanwhile, officers from the Ashkelon Police Station, together with dozens of civilian volunteers, are conducting meticulous searches along the beach, nearby buildings, walking paths, and surrounding public areas. Investigators are also attempting to reconstruct the child’s possible movements and gather any witness accounts or evidence that could provide clues to his whereabouts.

Police have released a description of Yuval in hopes that members of the public will recognize him. He is described as having a slim build with brown hair and was last seen wearing a green shirt.

Authorities stressed that even seemingly insignificant information could prove vital in locating the child and ensuring his safe return.

Israel Police are urging residents of Ashkelon, beachgoers, and anyone who may have been in the area to remain vigilant. Anyone who has seen Yuval, observed someone matching his description, or has any information that could assist in the search is asked to immediately contact the police emergency hotline by dialing 100 or call the Ashkelon Police Station directly at 08-677-1440.

Thousands of Jews have gathered at the Kosel this evening as Tisha B’Av concludes. As the sun sets and the fast is about to end, crowds have joined in singing.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that any U.S. civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia will move forward only if the kingdom agrees to join the Abraham Accords, making normalization with Israel a key condition for the proposed deal.

In a post on social media, Trump stressed that the proposed agreement would be limited exclusively to peaceful nuclear energy and would prohibit uranium enrichment.

“The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the United States Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.”

Trump also emphasized that the United States has no objection to civilian nuclear energy programs that do not involve enrichment capabilities.

“The United States is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he concluded:

The president has repeatedly urged additional Middle Eastern nations to join the Abraham Accords, the landmark normalization agreements first brokered during his administration. In May, he again called on more countries in the region to become part of the initiative as negotiations with Iran continued to advance, Breitbart News reported.

The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020, initially brought the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain into formal diplomatic relations with Israel. The coalition later expanded to include Kazakhstan, Morocco, and Sudan.

Trump has specifically encouraged Saudi Arabia and Qatar to take the lead by entering the accords, arguing that nations unwilling to normalize relations with Israel should not expect to participate in any future peace agreement involving Iran.

While attending the G7 summit in June, Trump told Breitbart News and other media outlets that he believes additional Arab countries will soon join the Abraham Accords. He praised the original participants as “very smart countries” and noted that none withdrew from the agreement despite the recent conflict with Iran.

At the same time, several media reports citing anonymous administration officials have indicated that the Trump administration has been exploring a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. According to a Breitbart News report published Wednesday, those discussions are at “varying stages of approving a deal to share nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia.”

“The Saudi news agency Al-Arabiya reported on various of these claims in American establishment media, including a report by the Wall Street Journal that Trump had already formally approved a nuclear agreement with the country and one by Reuters stating that the Trump administration was planning to seek congressional approval for the deal. The White House at press time has not commented on the reports, nor has the Saudi government,” the outlet said.

A new petition is urging Britain’s Labour government to return a portrait of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to its longtime place inside 10 Downing Street, arguing that the official residence should preserve the nation’s history regardless of the political views of the government currently in power.

The controversy began shortly after Labour won the 2024 general election, when then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer ordered the portrait of the Iron Lady removed from the Thatcher Room, the office she used as her study during her years at Number 10.

At the time, Starmer rejected accusations that the decision was politically motivated, explaining that he simply preferred not to work beneath portraits of former leaders. He said he disliked “pictures of people staring down at me” and instead favored landscape paintings. Critics, however, pointed to the fact that Chancellor Rachel Reeves later displayed a portrait of Communist Party of Great Britain co-founder Ellen Wilkinson in her own Downing Street office.

With Starmer having left office after just over two years as prime minister, the Margaret Thatcher Centre says the time has come to restore the portrait to its original location. The charitable organization, which promotes the legacy and principles of Baroness Thatcher, has launched a public petition calling for the painting’s return.

The petition specifically seeks the reinstatement of Richard Stone’s portrait of Thatcher—painted after Britain’s victory in the Falklands War—to the Thatcher Room at 10 Downing Street. It also calls for future governments to adopt a policy ensuring that portraits of former prime ministers remain on display “as a matter of historical record,” rather than allowing them to be removed “according to the preference of the incumbent.”

“Number 10 is not a private residence. It is the working seat of government and a building held in trust for the nation, in which the record of those who have faithfully served is properly displayed. The portraits that hang there are not endorsements of a programme. They are an acknowledgement of office, and of history. Gordon Brown understood this when he commissioned a painting of a Prime Minister drawn from the opposing party,” the centre argued.

The organization further contended that removing Thatcher’s portrait from the very room named in her honor undermines Britain’s historical record and opens the door for future prime ministers to selectively erase the legacy of their predecessors.

“To remove the likeness of the first woman ever to lead this country from the room that bears her name is to treat our history as a matter of personal comfort. It sets a precedent by which any future occupant of Number 10 may quietly edit the record of those who came before. It also denies a new generation the sight of a woman who reached the highest office in the land at a time when no woman had done so before.”

The Centre also emphasized Thatcher’s historic place in British politics, noting that she not only became the nation’s first female prime minister but also served longer than any other prime minister during the twentieth century.

According to the organization, Thatcher’s time in office transformed Britain through major domestic and international achievements.

During her tenure, the Centre said, she “led the country to victory in the Falklands, led this country to victory in the South Atlantic, restored its standing among the nations of the world, and gave millions of families the dignity of owning their own homes, and gave millions more a stake in the economic future of the country through privatisation.”

“She remains one of the towering figures of our national life,” the charity proclaimed.

The petition arrives as newly installed Prime Minister Andy Burnham begins his tenure. Although Burnham has not expressed the same dislike of portraits as Starmer, he has long made opposition to Thatcherism a central feature of his political identity.

In his first national address on Monday, Burnham argued that Britain’s current economic challenges stem from policies enacted by Thatcher’s government during the 1980s rather than from the decisions of more recent administrations.

Even so, the Thatcher Centre pointed out that Burnham has also pledged to improve the tone of British politics and move away from partisan “point scoring.”

“Here is a modest but telling opportunity to do precisely that. Returning the portrait would cost the public purse nothing. It would require no legislation and no inquiry. It would simply affirm that the office of Prime Minister stands above the party that happens to hold it, and that the achievements of Baroness Thatcher belong to the nation rather than to a storeroom,” the charity said.

“We do not ask the Prime Minister to share her convictions. We ask him to honour the office she held with such distinction, and the history she made in holding it.”

The House of Representatives narrowly approved a resolution Thursday seeking to halt U.S. military operations against Iran unless Congress authorizes them, delivering a symbolic rebuke to President Donald Trump as the conflict continues to escalate and uncertainty grows over its ultimate direction.

The measure passed by a 214-208 margin and requires congressional approval before further military action can proceed. The Senate was expected to consider similar legislation later Thursday. Although the resolutions are unlikely to become law, Democrats said they are intended to send a clear message that support for the war is eroding on Capitol Hill as lawmakers from both parties increasingly question the administration’s long-term objectives.

Arguing in favor of the measure on the House floor, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., criticized the administration’s handling of the conflict.

The war has had “no clear mission, no strategy, no end goal,” said Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat who led the resolution on the House floor.

The resolution succeeded after a small number of Republicans joined Democrats in voting to curb the military campaign. Most Republicans, however, opposed the measure, backing the continuation of the war and supporting Trump’s authority to direct military operations.

Trump has maintained that the ongoing U.S. strikes against Iran do not represent a return to a prolonged war or an open-ended military campaign.

American airstrikes have continued despite little visible progress in diplomatic efforts. At the same time, both Washington and Tehran have remained entrenched in their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane that remains largely closed.

The continuing conflict has also fueled concerns over the global economy, driving fuel prices higher as the United States heads toward this fall’s midterm elections.

During Wednesday evening’s House debate, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., honored the 18 American service members who have been killed since the conflict began by reading each of their names aloud.

“To belittle this mission is to belittle and demean the very service these members gave their life for,” Mast said. “Their sacrifice was not meaningless. This operation is bringing reckoning for the hundreds of times Iran has attacked and killed people of the United States of America.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, countered that presidents have an obligation to seek congressional approval before taking the nation to war.

The service members who died made the ultimate sacrifice for “an illegal unauthorized war that the American people don’t want,” Meeks said.

As lawmakers in both chambers prepared to vote on the war powers resolutions, the United States continued launching waves of airstrikes against Iranian targets amid the ongoing struggle over control of the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflict’s economic toll has continued to mount. Gasoline prices have climbed once again, while War Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators during Tuesday’s hearing that the United States has spent approximately $37.5 billion on the war to date. On Wednesday, Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base to receive the remains of four American service members during a dignified transfer ceremony.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, the Democrat leading the Senate’s war powers effort, argued that the mounting casualties and financial costs make congressional oversight increasingly urgent.

“I do think the combination of the hearings, plus the fact that we are in this new escalatory phase where Americans have been killed, and Americans are experiencing the rising costs — I think it’s important that people be held accountable,” said Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who is leading the Senate effort on Thursday. “And this is a very unpopular war.”

{Matzav.com}

CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently held a high-level meeting in Washington with newly appointed Mossad Director Roman Gofman to discuss the ongoing conflict with Iran and diplomatic efforts surrounding Tehran’s nuclear program, according to two sources familiar with the discussions cited by Axios.

The visit was Gofman’s first to the U.S. capital since taking over as head of Israel’s intelligence agency in June. It took place just before tensions in the Strait of Hormuz sharply increased and renewed fighting erupted across the Middle East.

According to the Axios report, a key purpose of Gofman’s trip was to coordinate with the White House on negotiations aimed at reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran. During his visit, he met not only with Ratcliffe but also with senior White House officials, the sources said.

The report added that Ratcliffe had emerged as one of the leading skeptics within President Donald Trump’s administration regarding the memorandum of understanding reached with Iran. Before the agreement was finalized, Ratcliffe reportedly cautioned that Tehran might interpret several of its provisions differently than Washington, particularly those concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

Axios reported that neither the CIA nor the Mossad responded to requests for comment regarding the meeting.

Gofman officially became director of the Mossad on June 2 after legal challenges delayed his appointment. During the swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Gofman’s primary mission would be to ensure Iran no longer posed a threat to Israel and declared that the Iranian “regime of terror will pass from this world.”

The reported intelligence meetings come as Trump and Netanyahu continue evaluating their next course of action in the confrontation with Iran.

Axios also reported Wednesday that Trump and Netanyahu have discussed the possibility of meeting in the Oval Office next week, although no final decision has been made. Netanyahu is expected to be in Washington to attend the funeral of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., creating the possibility that the trip could include White House discussions.

According to Axios, American and Israeli officials are currently weighing two principal options: pursuing a renewed ceasefire initiative designed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or expanding joint military operations against Iran should diplomatic efforts collapse. Israeli officials told the outlet they are preparing for the possibility of a wider conflict but would join military operations only if Iran attacks or if the United States formally requests Israel’s participation.

The White House has not confirmed any plans for a meeting between Trump and Netanyahu. Axios added that both the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Israel’s Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the report.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is significantly increasing the American military footprint across the Middle East, broadening the range of options available for potential action against Iran as the conflict enters its fifth month and Tehran continues threatening international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials and other sources familiar with the deployments, the United States has either dispatched or placed on heightened alert additional special operations forces, fighter aircraft, long-range bombers, aerial refueling planes, and more than 150 medical personnel throughout the region.

The expanded military posture comes in the wake of the deaths of four American service members in recent Iranian attacks and amid ongoing discussions within the Trump administration over possible additional military operations.

On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command announced that it had completed a twelfth straight day of strikes inside Iran, saying the operations are intended to weaken Tehran’s ability to threaten civilian vessels and commercial shipping in regional waterways.

The Pentagon declined to comment on specific force deployments, citing operational security concerns, while the White House emphasized that Trump “always has all options at his disposal.”

Trump also warned that the United States would retaliate forcefully if Iran targets ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that America would destroy “one bridge or power plant” for every attack carried out by the Islamic Republic against maritime traffic.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by warning that any U.S. strike against Iranian infrastructure would provoke a “powerful and decisive response.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio likewise cautioned Iran against attempting to dominate one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.

“If we create a precedent … where a nation state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway, charge a toll, and if you don’t pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent,” Rubio said during a summit in the Philippines.

The Journal reported that the expanded American military presence could also strengthen operations against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi terrorists, who have recently threatened to blockade Saudi shipping routes in the Red Sea.

Those concerns intensified Wednesday after two Saudi oil tankers were reportedly struck by projectiles near the Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint, highlighting the growing risks facing global energy supplies.

Meanwhile, Congress moved to reinforce the military effort by advancing additional defense funding. The Republican-controlled House approved a $95 billion budget framework that allocates approximately $73 billion for military and intelligence programs while also passing its version of the annual National Defense Authorization Act.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the conflict has so far cost an estimated $37.5 billion.

Despite the mounting financial burden, Trump and senior administration officials have maintained that sustained military pressure is essential to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and to safeguard freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s traded oil normally passes.

Likud MK Moshe Saada said Thursday that Israel appears to be drawing closer to a military strike against Iran, suggesting that an operation could begin as soon as this weekend, as government agencies and municipalities intensified preparations for a possible security escalation.

Speaking during a live interview on Channel 14, Saada addressed the growing tensions with Iran and said military action may be imminent.

During the interview, he said: “We all know that we’re approaching a strike on Iran-perhaps even this weekend. Those are the current assessments.”

As concerns over a potential confrontation mounted, several municipalities announced they were opening public bomb shelters in anticipation of possible developments. At the same time, the Health Ministry said Israel’s healthcare system is fully prepared to respond to any scenario resulting from a deterioration in the security situation.

The ministry stated that it continues to conduct regular situational assessments while closely monitoring events. It also reported that the National Hospitalization Authority met on Thursday to review preparedness measures and ensure that hospitals and the broader healthcare system are ready for any escalation. Coordination with hospitals and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) across the country is ongoing.

The Health Ministry stressed that it remains in close coordination with the Home Front Command, the defense establishment, and all relevant healthcare bodies to guarantee uninterrupted medical treatment and the continued delivery of healthcare services regardless of how events unfold.

Officials added that any new directives or public updates will be released as necessary and urged Israelis to follow only official instructions issued by the authorized authorities.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli intelligence agencies have uncovered and foiled an Iranian plot to smuggle a terrorist cell into Israel to assassinate senior government officials, according to a Mossad announcement made Thursday. The operation was disrupted through a joint effort involving the Mossad, the Shin Bet, and multiple foreign intelligence services.

The Mossad said the attempted operation was orchestrated by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, which sought to establish an operational terror cell inside Israel that would ultimately carry out assassinations of high-ranking Israeli officials.

According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, the plot was stopped through close cooperation between the Mossad, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and intelligence and security agencies from several allied countries.

The Mossad said Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, together with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has spent years directing a worldwide terror campaign against Israeli and Jewish targets. The agency noted that those efforts have intensified in recent months, with an increased focus on carrying out attacks within Israel itself.

The intelligence agency further revealed that dozens of terror cells tied to Iran have been dismantled in recent years. It also said investigators have uncovered multiple attempts over the past two years by the Iranian regime to recruit Israeli citizens to perform missions on its behalf.

According to the statement, the terror scheme depended on criminal proxy organizations that recruited individuals who could legally enter Israel, initially to collect intelligence and later to carry out terrorist attacks. International intelligence cooperation ultimately exposed both the network itself and the Iranian intelligence officers directing the operation.

The Mossad identified Thérot Ozkor, who used the alias “Philip” and had been residing in France, as the individual chosen to establish the operational terror cell made up of foreign nationals and facilitate its infiltration into Israel. According to the agency, he was recruited by two criminal intermediaries—Baba Mahu-Zadeh Haji Jafan, known as “Babak,” and Mahmat Nadim Yiğit, known as “Nadim”—both of whom live in Iran and operate under the supervision of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.

Investigators determined that “Philip” traveled to Iran on several occasions, where he met directly with his handlers and was paid for advancing the operation. International intelligence efforts also traced Babak and Nadim to senior officials within Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, identifying their handlers as Asadollah Behzad Oskhari, Vahid Matzoumi, Mohammad-Hossein Zoghi, and Hamid Ghasemi.

According to the Mossad, Behzad Oskhari was a key figure in directing Iranian terrorist operations against Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide. The agency said he was killed during Operation Rising Lion.

The statement also disclosed that French authorities expelled “Philip” because of his involvement in planning the terrorist operation. Meanwhile, Babak and Nadim remain in Iran and continue to be sought by intelligence agencies around the world.

The Mossad and Shin Bet concluded by reaffirming their commitment to working alongside international partners to identify and prevent terrorist and espionage operations targeting Israeli and Jewish interests, both inside Israel and abroad, while pursuing all those responsible.

{Matzav.com}

An Israeli was wounded today in the second stabbing attack to strike Samaria in a single day, as a terrorist stabbed a man near Ganim before being shot dead by Israeli soldiers.

The victim sustained a moderate leg injury in the attack, which occurred near Ganim in northern Samaria on Thursday afternoon. Security forces at the scene neutralized the assailant shortly after the stabbing.

Preliminary findings indicate that the attack took place at a recently established post in the Ganim area, where preparations are underway for the re-establishment of the permanent community in the near future.

Authorities said the terrorist drove to the location during a logistical operation taking place at a nearby outpost. After stabbing the Israeli victim, two soldiers on the scene opened fire, killing the attacker.

The incident marked the second terrorist stabbing in Samaria on Thursday. Earlier in the day, an Israeli was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack at Avraham Farm near Elon Moreh while helping extinguish a fire that had broken out in the area.

President Donald Trump says he is weighing what could become the largest US military strike against Iran to date, warning that Tehran has not yet suffered enough consequences while also threatening severe retaliation if Iran’s Houthi proxies resume attacks on commercial shipping.

Speaking to Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, Trump said he is seriously considering a military operation that would eclipse any previous action taken against Iran.

“I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” Trump said.

Trump also revealed that Israel would participate in the operation if he requested its involvement, though he emphasized that the United States is fully capable of carrying out the strikes on its own without Israeli assistance.

Commenting on renewed efforts to restart negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, Trump dismissed the prospect of diplomacy for now, arguing that the Iranian regime has not “received enough pain yet.”

Earlier in the day, Trump also issued a stern warning that Iran would be held directly accountable if the Houthi terrorist organization resumes attacks on civilian shipping.

“A year ago the United States of America attacked, very powerfully, the Houthis, for their interference with commerce and trade, by shooting at ships. Since that time, and during our conflict with Iran, they have acted very responsibly. Unfortunately, now they are starting up again, shooting at two Saudi Arabian ships last night,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He concluded with a direct warning to Tehran, making clear that any future Houthi attacks would trigger a military response against both the terrorist group and its Iranian backers.

“Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves, who I am very disappointed with in that they have, until now, acted very professionally and smart,” he said.

Maran Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch offered guidance to yeshiva bochurim who find it difficult to connect with the recitation of Kinnos on Tishah B’Av, recommending a balanced approach that preserves the traditional practice while encouraging greater understanding.

The guidance was given during a visit by Rav Aharon Yitzchak Berenzweig, a rosh mesivta at Yeshivas Mir and head of the Mevakshei Hashem organization, who came to consult with Rav Hirsch on several questions relating to the upcoming bein hazemanim period.

One of the primary issues raised concerned the lengthy recitation of Kinnos on Tishah B’Av. Rav Birntzweig described a challenge faced by many bochurim.

“On Tishah B’Av, there are bochurim who ask: Saying the Kinnos is very difficult for them. It takes a long time in the morning, and they don’t feel connected to it. Is it better to say only a few sections of the Kinnos with concentration after studying them beforehand, or is it preferable to read all of them even without understanding them? Which is better?”

After pausing to consider the question, Rav Hirsch responded by recalling the writings of Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l.

“I just saw an article by Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l in which he wrote that even if one does not understand the Kinnos, the very fact that everyone sits on the floor together and recites them brings a person into the state of mourning.

“It may be that this is true. There are people for whom the very experience of Tishah B’Av—sitting on the floor and saying Kinnos, even if they understand only a sentence here and there—is beneficial.

“But it is possible to make a compromise. To give up saying the Kinnos altogether—that certainly not. However, one can shorten the Kinnos somewhat. Take several Kinnos and really know them well. There should be two parts: some Kinnos that he studies carefully, and in addition there can be Kinnos that he does not understand, but he does not need to say all of them.

“That is the compromise I would suggest. Just as all of Klal Yisroel sits on the floor even without understanding everything, that too has value. But one should reduce the amount and instead devote that time to learning the Kinnos.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu has rejected long-standing media reports claiming he is estranged from his eldest daughter, Noa Rothman, saying the two remain in regular contact and continue to meet during holidays and family occasions. Speaking in a rare discussion about his personal life, Netanyahu also said his grandchildren know him and see him from time to time.

The remarks came during an interview on the Hakol Patuach (“Everything Is Open”) podcast hosted by Avi Shushan, in which Netanyahu addressed questions about his relationship with his eldest daughter from his first marriage. According to a report published Tuesday by Walla, there were efforts to remove that portion of the interview before it aired.

During the interview, Netanyahu was asked directly whether reports of a complete family rift between him and Noa were accurate. The prime minister firmly denied those claims, saying they remain in touch on an ongoing basis.

Asked when they had last spoken, Netanyahu replied that it was “a few weeks ago.” He added that they also see each other during Yomim Tovim and family gatherings, depending on circumstances and Israel’s security situation.

“There were several chagim. It depends on her, and it also depends on the situation. When there’s a war, it’s a little different,” Netanyahu said.

He also addressed his relationship with his grandchildren, making clear that they know who he is and that they meet occasionally.

After the interviewer noted the sharp contrast between Netanyahu’s description of the relationship and repeated media reports portraying a complete estrangement, the prime minister sharply criticized the coverage.

“I can’t be responsible for all the lies that are preached against me. It’s an industry,” Netanyahu said.

He continued by accusing the media of engaging in a relentless campaign against him.

“Every evening they’re preaching, every single evening. You turn on Kol Yisrael in the morning, you open the newspapers, and you see the industry of lies. The great wonder is that we’re winning.”

A significant portion of the interview focused on Noa’s decision to become religious and live in a chareidi community. Netanyahu said he was aware of her religious journey before it became public.

Asked whether he supported her decision and whether he believed it had benefited her, Netanyahu replied, “That’s her choice. Of course it has been good for her. She wouldn’t have done it if it hadn’t been good for her. That’s obvious.”

Netanyahu was also asked why he has rarely spoken publicly about his daughter over the years. He said the decision was not his own but reflected her personal wish to remain out of the public eye.

“There are people… it’s their choice. Families have that choice,” Netanyahu said.

He added that public life places tremendous pressure on relatives of politicians, explaining that he tries to shield his family whenever possible.

“It’s not that my sons want me to talk about them, but the media targets them, and then you have to protect them as much as possible, and it’s not easy. They receive SLAPP lawsuits and all kinds of threats—these are difficult lives,” he said.

{Matzav.com}