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Australia has formally designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a state sponsor of terrorism, after intelligence agencies concluded the Tehran-backed force orchestrated antisemitic arson attacks on Jewish institutions in Sydney and Melbourne. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the move followed an Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) assessment tying the IRGC to two attacks: the […]

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that prosecutors will aggressively seek capital punishment for the accused gunman who carried out the brazen Thanksgiving-eve ambush on two West Virginia National Guard members in downtown Washington.
“I will tell you early, we will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against that monster who should not have been in our country,” Bondi told Fox News’ Fox & Friends.

The suspect, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal — whose past work with a CIA-backed counterterrorism unit in Afghanistan was confirmed by the agency — is already charged with multiple counts of assault with intent to kill as well as criminal possession of a weapon. Those alleged offenses carry a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

Federal prosecutors stressed that the case could escalate dramatically if either victim dies. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro made the stakes clear:
“If one of them is to pass, and God forbid that happens, this is a murder-one. Period, end of the story,” Pirro explained.

Bondi, visibly furious, accused liberal politicians and commentators of fostering animosity toward National Guard personnel and called for an inquiry into whether their rhetoric played any role in inspiring the attack. She condemned what she characterized as a torrent of hostility aimed at the troops deployed to protect the capital following President Trump’s decision.
“It’s actually sad what our country has come to with these progressive left idiots who are doing this and saying this about our heroes who are keeping them safe,” Bondi contended.

She pointed out that several of those most vocal in denouncing Trump’s security measures have armed protection of their own, yet continue to malign the Guard’s mission.
“What these lawmakers are doing, what some of these news anchors on other networks are doing, what their guests are saying is disgusting, it’s despicable,” she said.
“They should be praising our men and women in law enforcement. We’re looking at everything they have said and why they said it and if they encouraged acts of violence.”

Authorities say Lakanwal arrived in the United States in 2021 under the “Operation Allies Welcome” initiative after being born in Afghanistan. On Wednesday afternoon, around 2:15 p.m. ET, he allegedly drove into Washington, stepped out just blocks from the White House, and opened fire on uniformed Guard troops.

The victims, Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, sustained devastating injuries. Beckstrom’s father told the New York Times that she has a “mortal wound,” adding:
“It’s not going to be a recovery.”

Officials said both soldiers have undergone surgery, but remain in critical condition. Investigators have labeled the shooting a “targeted attack” and believe Lakanwal traveled from Washington state specifically to carry it out.

FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday that there “is an ongoing investigation of terrorism, make no mistake about it.” President Trump also called the shooting “an act of terror.” During a press briefing, Pirro emphasized the severity of the assault:
“This was not just an attack; it was a direct challenge to law and order in our nation’s capital.”

Lakanwal had applied for asylum in December 2024 and received approval in April. CIA Director John Ratcliffe has acknowledged Lakanwal’s work with the agency but declined to share additional details. Veterans with #AfghanEvac say he served in the elite NDS-03 unit in Afghanistan, a group closely supported by US intelligence.

Ratcliffe has placed responsibility on the Biden administration for allowing Lakanwal into the country in the first place.
“In the wake of the disastrous Biden Withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden Administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. Government,” Ratcliffe said.
“This individual — and so many others — should have never been allowed to come here,” the CIA boss added. “Our citizens and servicemembers deserve far better than to endure the ongoing fallout from the Biden Administration’s catastrophic failures. God bless our brave troops.”

Following the attack, the Department of Homeland Security announced that Afghan immigration processing will be paused “indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols.”

{Matzav.com}

A group of Chariedi Israelis associated with the organization “Chalutzei HaBashan” crossed the Syrian border on Thursday in an effort to stake out land in the Golan Heights, prompting a swift IDF response and brief confrontations with soldiers.

According to reports, the group breached the border fence and entered Syrian territory, leading forces from the IDF’s 210th Division to launch a pursuit. Kan News reported that two separate incidents unfolded simultaneously—one in the central Golan and another near the Hermon region.

Initial information indicates that approximately eight Israeli civilians broke through the barrier and clashed with soldiers who attempted to stop them and detain them.

The IDF confirmed the events in an official statement: “IDF forces responded to both locations, and after a short time, the civilians were located. After some of them confronted the forces, they were safely returned to Israeli territory under IDF escort. The suspects who were apprehended were transferred to the Israel Police for further handling. The IDF strongly condemns the incident and emphasizes that this is a serious event constituting a criminal offense that endangers both the civilians involved and IDF forces.”

The individuals were taken into custody for questioning as security officials warn that such actions pose significant operational risks on a highly sensitive border.

{Matzav.com}

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Tzachi Brim submitted a petition to the Supreme Court on Wednesday on behalf of dozens of Chareidi residents demanding that Israel Police immediately stop its use of skunk spray in residential neighborhoods. The petition states that over the past year, skunk spray has been used frequently and aggressively in crowded Chareidi neighborhoods, […]

Shas MK Yaakov Margi, a resident of the Negev, delivered a scathing speech about the collapse of governance in the Negev from the Knesset plenum on Tuesday. Margi, who lives on a yishuv near the Bedouin city of Rahat, described a daily reality of gunfire and a constant flow of weapons into criminal hands. “Every […]

The Shas movement has filed a defamation lawsuit against Yisroel Tropper, an activist associated with the Perel Yerushalmi faction, following comments he made during an interview on Channel 12 with journalist Rafi Reshef.

According to the party, Tropper falsely claimed that Rishon LeTzion Rav Yitzchok Yosef had “given in to severe criminal threats,” an allegation Shas says is baseless, inflammatory, and damaging to the standing of a senior member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah.

Shas announced that before moving forward, the party sought halachic guidance from its rabbinic leadership. Party officials said they consulted with rabbanim, dayanim, and poskim, who ruled that due to the frequent incidents of violence surrounding these issues, “the authorities will rule in this matter,” thereby granting Shas the space to pursue the matter through civil courts.

The lawsuit, submitted through attorney Yisroel Bach, accuses Tropper of presenting a “false and deceptive narrative” intended to undermine the legitimacy of the party’s spiritual leadership. The complaint notes that the comments were made only hours after the attempted lynching of MK Yoav Ben-Tzur, thereby giving Tropper’s statements “additional inciting force.”

In the interview, Tropper said, among other remarks: “I recommend that the chareidi Knesset members not walk near yeshiva bochurim these days — they are very angry.”

Shas argues that Tropper’s claims go beyond a personal attack on the Rishon LeTzion and amount to an effort to fabricate a narrative of internal chareidi violence. “The defendant knows full well that this is an absolute fabrication,” the lawsuit states.

In a statement, the party declared, “We will not remain silent in the face of disgrace to our rabbanim. Anyone who incites, spreads lies, and encourages violence will be held accountable and will pay the price.”

{Matzav.com}

A telescope in Chile has captured a stunning new picture of a grand and graceful cosmic butterfly. The National Science Foundation’s NoirLab released the picture Wednesday. Snapped last month by the Gemini South telescope, the aptly named Butterfly Nebula is 2,500 to 3,800 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. A single light-year is 6 trillion […]

CIA Director John Ratcliffe delivered a blistering assessment of the federal government’s handling of Afghan admissions after an Afghan national allegedly opened fire on two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., an attack he said “should never have been allowed to come here.”

Authorities say the suspect, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden-era program that resettled Afghans who had worked with American forces. He later filed an asylum request in December 2024, which was granted four months later.

While Ratcliffe acknowledged that Lakanwal had previously worked alongside the CIA, his office declined to offer clarity on how he was screened before entering the U.S. Veterans affiliated with #AfghanEvac, a coalition that helped evacuate Afghan partners during the withdrawal, noted that Lakanwal had once been part of NDS-03 — a highly trained Afghan counterterrorism unit created and funded in partnership with the CIA and American special forces.

In a harsh denunciation of the administration’s actions, Ratcliffe argued that the collapse in Afghanistan and subsequent rushed admission process created dangerous openings. “In the wake of the disastrous Biden Withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden Administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. Government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation,” he said.

Ratcliffe went further, insisting that the attack was part of a broader pattern resulting from poor oversight. “This individual — and so many others — should have never been allowed to come here,” he said. “Our citizens and servicemembers deserve far better than to endure the ongoing fallout from the Biden Administration’s catastrophic failures. God bless our brave troops.”

The fallout prompted swift action from the Department of Homeland Security, which announced that it was freezing all Afghan-related immigration processing while security reviews are conducted. “This Afghan national was paroled in by the Biden Administration,” DHS said. “Regardless if his asylum was granted or not, this monster would not have been removed because of his parole.”

The agency said it is initiating a sweeping pause and reassessment. “Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” the statement read. “The Trump Administration is also reviewing all asylum cases approved under the Biden Administration, which failed to vet these applicants on a massive scale.”

{Matzav.com}

The Jewish community of Chernivtsi, Ukraine, was shaken Thursday evening after the famed Sadigua beis medrash, known as the “Kloiz Kadisha,” was set ablaze by a mentally unstable individual. The historic building — considered one of the most significant structures in the entire chassidic world — suffered heavy damage. According to community officials, the arsonist […]

All year long, I find myself being asked the same question again and again: “What’s the halachah— and what’s the kashrus status— of vaping?” And all the time – particularly before Pesach – I run into the same wall: silence, confusion, and a sudden rush to talk about hashkafah instead of halachah. Let me be […]

A political firestorm broke out Thursday after Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth unveiled the latest version of his proposal to overhaul the military draft system for chareidim. Opposition parties immediately announced that they would fight the bill at every stage and prevent it from advancing.

Yoaz Hendel, head of the Reservists Party, blasted the proposal for its lax timetables and flexible recruitment targets. “The ‘new’ draft law that Bismuth is promoting is extremely lenient regarding the timing of enlistment and the quotas,” Hendel charged. “The text is yet another example of how governments that rely on non-Zionist parties are pressured into approving non-Zionist decisions.”

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett issued an unequivocal rejection of the legislation. “We will not let this go through,” he declared. Calling the moment “the ultimate test,” Bennett accused the government of deciding to push through what he labeled “the draft-dodging law” in its final readings. “This is the most anti-Zionist law ever legislated in our country’s history,” he said.

Bennett intensified his criticism, saying the plan amounted to “a declaration of war by the government on every reservist, every IDF soldier, and the entire serving public.” He vowed that Israelis “from every background—religious, secular, right, left—will unite and say no to the draft-dodging law.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid voiced similar outrage, warning that the legislation was an affront to those who serve. “We will not allow this anti-Zionist disgrace to pass,” he said. “We will not let them dishonor the fighters, the wounded, and the fallen like this. This is not a law—it’s pathetic politics by the corrupt and the shirkers at the expense of our children. Not happening, not possible, not passing.”

Criticism came not only from the opposition. Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, a former chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said the bill fails the most basic test of addressing national security needs. “As someone who has led the effort over the past two years to expand the IDF’s recruitment base, I say with deep regret: this is not a draft law,” he stated.

Referencing the trauma of October 7, Edelstein warned that the government had promised systemic change—and this bill delivers none of it. “Unlike the draft I proposed, the current version does not meet the IDF’s needs in any way,” he said. “It is yet another political band-aid instead of a historic law. We will not give up. We will fight to the end for a real draft law.”

Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel also announced she would oppose the bill, saying her commitment to national security requires independent judgment. “Blindly adopting legislation that harms security during wartime and undermines social cohesion will inflict grave long-term damage,” she said. “I will continue to fight for a draft framework that is fair, just, and real. In its current form, I will vote against it.”

United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf stated that the position of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah remains unchanged: any arrangement must fully protect Torah study and avoid imposing sanctions on those learning full-time. He said the draft text released Thursday will be presented to the senior Torah leadership for review, and the party will act solely based on their ruling.

The Religious Zionism party said it is still analyzing the proposal. “Our guiding principle remains the same,” the party stated. “We will only support a law that ensures real and rapid enlistment of chareidim into the IDF to meet security needs and ease the burden on soldiers, reservists, and their families.”

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Thursday distributed to committee members the updated draft of the Chareidi conscription law, which includes a series of stricter measures added at the request of the legal advisers. Committee chairman MK Boaz Bismuth said, “This is it—we are moving forward with a balanced, responsible conscription law that […]

IRAN ROUTES CASH TO Hezbollah THROUGH DUBAI MONEY-EXCHANGES: According to a Wall Street Journal report, U.S. intelligence says Tehran funneled “hundreds of millions of dollars” over the past year to Hezbollah via money exchanges and private businesses in Dubai using informal networks to bypass disruption of traditional smuggling and transfer routes. The cash reportedly originates […]

Black Friday has become something of an anachronism in the e-commerce era. The day after Thanksgiving marks the official start of the holiday shopping season, but retailers already have spent weeks flooding their websites and customers’ email inboxes with early Black Friday offers. While sales trends have been shifting, the best bargains may still be […]

“All of you sitting here have the opportunity to transmit the halachos of eruvin to Klal Yisrael, both the limud, the learning of hilchos eruvin and the practical halachos of eruvin, your zechus is inestimable!” These enthusiastic words of HaGaon HaRav Yehuda Aryeh Dunner, shlita, a prominent posek living in Bnei Brak and Rav of Beis Medrash […]

The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Thursday circulated the newest version of Israel’s draft law to committee members, revealing a series of tightened provisions added at the request of the committee’s legal advisers. The distribution is intended to allow formal discussions to begin at the start of next week.

Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth presented the release of the draft as the formal launch of the legislative process, stating: “This is it, we are moving forward with a balanced, responsible draft law that is good for the people of Israel. This law is not here to stabilize a coalition; it is here to stabilize a country.”

One of the most consequential changes is the hard definition and shortening of the law’s first year of implementation. Regardless of when the legislation ultimately passes, the first year will end on June 30, 2026. As a result, the first recruitment target—5,760 new draftees—will apply in just over six months.

The draft sets sharply rising recruitment targets for the years ahead: 6,840 in the second year, 7,920 in the third year, not fewer than 8,500 in the fourth year, and beginning in the fifth year, the enlistment of 50 percent of each annual cohort of graduates from the chareidi school system.

Another major revision dramatically narrows the civilian service track. Under the proposed changes, national service will be recognized only within security-related agencies such as the Israel Police, the Prison Service, the Shin Bet, and the Mossad. This removes the option of placement in general civilian institutions and ties alternative service exclusively to national security needs.

The law also introduces personal sanctions starting in the very first year. Individuals who do not meet the law’s requirements would lose eligibility for academic scholarships, and could also face restrictions on obtaining a driver’s license and limitations on traveling abroad. The draft replaces the previously planned involvement of a military rabbi with an officer from the IDF’s Manpower Directorate at the rank of lieutenant colonel, shifting oversight toward professional rather than sector-specific considerations.

Additional updates include narrowing the criteria for defining someone as chareidi for the purpose of recruitment calculations, eliminating the previously fixed quota for combat soldiers, and clarifying that license revocation would apply only to new draft evaders. Travel restrictions would apply only until the age of 23.

Debate on the draft is set to begin next week.

{Matzav.com}

The Cadillac Escalade which drove the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel around Eretz Yisroel the past week brought the Rebbe to the foot of the airplane as he flies back to the United States.

Volunteers from Hatzalah in Bnei Brak formed a moving convoy on Wednesday as they accompanied the late veteran responder Rabbi Moshe Mor z”l, who passed away suddenly. Rabbi Mor was among the long-serving and most dedicated members of the organization, known for decades of quiet chessed and lifesaving work throughout the city. His unexpected passing […]

Israel’s inner-city commuters are bracing for yet another fare hike as government ministries remain locked in disagreement. The latest change, expected to take effect in January, would push the price of a single ride from 8 NIS to 9 NIS — the result of an ongoing standoff between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Transportation Minister Miri Regev over where to slice the budget.

The looming increase comes just a short time after the government introduced its “Derech Shavah” initiative in 2022, which had originally slashed the price to 5.5 NIS. What was marketed as a major affordability reform has now become a sequence of rapid-fire fare shocks.

In under three years, the cost of a bus ride has climbed at a stunning pace. July 2024 saw prices rise to 6 NIS, and in April 2025 commuters were hit with a massive 45% jump that brought fares to 8 NIS. The upcoming boost to 9 NIS continues the steep upward trajectory.

Driving this pattern of increases is the effort to cover the expenses of the government’s “Transportation Justice” plan, which provides discounted transportation rates to roughly 80% of Israelis. To keep that program alive, Regev was compelled to sign off on raising fares and even to scrap funding that would have expanded routes and boosted frequency.

Although Regev has publicly expressed her opposition, officials in the Finance Ministry insist their hands are tied. They argue that “without budget cuts, the fare increases are inevitable.”

{Matzav.com}