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Dear Matzav Inbox,

Many in our community are still reeling from the shocking story of R’ Binyomin Kubani—a devoted yungerman, a kind-hearted friend, a beloved father and husband—who, without warning, found himself thrown behind bars in what can only be described as a baseless and bewildering bilbul.

How does something like this happen? How can a man like this  be dragged into such an absurd nightmare? It’s the kind of thing you read and hear about and shake your head—“Crazy story, no?”—until it hits close to home and you realize it could happen to anyone.

But as I sat with the story and tried to make some sense of it, a thought came to me, unsettling as it may be:

Maybe this wasn’t random. Maybe it was a kapparah.

Recently, we’ve watched as gedolim, rabbonim, dayanim, and others have been targeted by vicious bilbulim. We’ve seen their names dragged through the mud. We’ve allowed the honor of Torah to be trampled in the name of “accountability,” gossip, or public curiosity.

We’ve seen bizayon haTorah. To gedolei Torah. Rabbonim. Dayanim. Poskim.

And maybe Hashem, in His infinite justice, gave us a mirror. Perhaps He showed us what it feels like when someone we know, someone innocent, becomes the victim of a fabrication, of a smear campaign.

Maybe He gave us this bilbul—so absurd, so public—to stir our hearts and shake us awake.

Because if R’ Binyomin Kubani could be accused and shackled, maybe people will think twice before nodding along to a bilbul about a gadol or believing that next whisper about a rov or dayan.

Maybe now, we’ll feel the pain just a little deeper.

Maybe now, we’ll cry out for the honor of the Torah itself.

Just a thought.

P.S. I am not referring to anything specific. But if you think I am, or you know something I don’t, then I am. 

A Yid

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{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

In the aftermath of the disgraceful arrest of R’ Binyomin Kubani — a father whose only “crime” was trying to hire help at a car wash — I’ve been hearing disturbing whispers. Not just from the news or social media. From real people. From my own cleaning lady. From the streets. From those who see what happened and are already preparing to exploit it.

They saw that a 15-year-old boy made up a wild story — no evidence, no investigation, no common sense — and within minutes, an innocent man was behind bars. No due process. No questioning. No presumption of innocence. Just a quick arrest, because it was easy.

Because he was a religious Jew.

Now, immigrants and others in the Lakewood area know just how simple it is to weaponize the system. They’ve watched how the police responded to a baseless accusation by tossing a frum man into jail with barely a second thought. And they’ve taken notes.

I’ve heard it with my own ears: “That’s how you get a U visa.”

“Say a Jew tried to take you — they’ll arrest him right away.”

They know exactly what buttons to press and what stories to tell. And who to target.

This isn’t a theory. It’s a threat I’ve heard with my own ears.

They’ve seen how easy it was — how one teenager could make up a story, no evidence needed, and walk away with credibility, while a Jewish father of seven was handcuffed, humiliated, and jailed.

Now, others are watching. Talking. Planning. They understand the formula: say the right few words, cry a little, and the system will do the rest. No one will question them. No one will check the facts.

Not if the accused is wearing a yarmulka.

Some are openly discussing how they’ll use this tactic to gain legal immigration status — especially through U visas, which are handed out to those who claim to be victims of certain crimes. All they need is an arrest. Not a conviction. Just an arrest. And if it’s a visibly Jewish man? Even better. They know the climate. They know the fear of backlash. They know that law enforcement would rather quietly take someone in than risk being accused of ignoring a minority accuser.

What we’re dealing with isn’t just one false accusation. It’s the beginning of a trend. There are already whispers in immigrant communities: “Just say he tried to touch you.” “Say he offered you money to get in the car.” “Say he threatened you.” They’re crafting scripts. Swapping stories. Learning what works. They’re strategizing, because the rewards are real — and the consequences, for them, are nonexistent.

If this isn’t stopped now, frum men will be picked off one by one, victims of calculated lies. And every time, the headlines will say “Arrested,” the damage will be done, and even if the truth comes out later, it will be too late to undo the pain.

The playbook has been written. Now it’s just a question of how many innocent Jews will pay the price.

Sincerely,

Worried Sick

Lakewood, NJ

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The opinions expressed in letters on Matzav.com do not necessarily reflect the stance of the Matzav Media Network.

{Matzav.com}

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is launching a two-day tour of South Carolina on Tuesday, meeting voters across rural areas — and some GOP strongholds — in the early-voting state, the latest signal that the Democrat is eyeing a 2028 run for president. Over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday, Newsom is slated to make a total of eight stops across the state, a trip that state Democratic Party officials have said includes coffee shops, small businesses and churches. The investment of time in a state pivotal to picking his party’s presidential nominees, and Newsom’s trajectory across some of its reddest areas, suggest that the term-limited governor is angling to shed his San Francisco liberal image, get out ahead of what it sure to be a crowded 2028 field and make inroads with the diverse Democratic electorate whose buy-in has long been seen as critical for their party’s nominee. Starting in South Carolina’s northeast on Tuesday, Newsom then turns on Wednesday toward the conservative Upstate, among the state’s most GOP-rich areas. He kicks off that day with an event in the small town of Seneca, which four-term GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham calls home. In last year’s general election, President Donald Trump won more than 75% of votes cast in surrounding Oconee County. Treading in that territory fits with the image that Newsom has been cultivating for himself ahead of a possible 2028 White House bid. Increasingly willing to break from some of the policies that have defined his brand and his deeply Democratic state, Newsom has hosted Trump’s allies on his podcast, even stunning some members of his own party by agreeing with podcast guests on issues such as restricting biological males playing in girls sports. Saying dismantling police departments was “lunacy,” Newsom also kept silent when longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon falsely said Trump won the 2020 presidential election against Democrat Joe Biden. Although the 2028 Democratic primary calendar won’t be set for many months, potential candidates for the party’s upcoming presidential slate have already started visiting South Carolina, with the expectation that the state will continue to play a pivotal role. At the urging of Biden — whose 2020 candidacy was saved by his resounding South Carolina primary win — the state led off Democrats’ 2024 calendar, and party chair Christale Spain has said that she will renew the argument to keep the state’s No. 1 position in the next cycle. South Carolina has long been the first southern state to hold a primary, giving it a unique role in the Democratic nomination process due to its diverse electorate, particularly the significant influence of Black voters. In May, a pair of governors — Minnesota’s Tim Walz and Maryland’s Wes Moore — headlined a weekend of events hosted by South Carolina Democrats, introducing themselves and testing out their possible candidacy arguments in front of the party faithful. Both men also addressed attendees at Rep. Jim Clyburn’s World Famous Fish Fry, a storied night of cold drinks, hot fried fish and raucous political stumping in which scores of Democratic presidential hopefuls have participated through the years. (AP)

“A beautiful and exceptional discourse from Rabbi Yehudah ben Bezalel” –  the famed Maharal of Prague. This drush was delivered in honor of Shabbos HaGadol in the year 1589. In it, the Maharal masterfully weaves together many themes from all parts of the Torah. He does this according to the four methods of Torah study – pshat, remez, drush and sod – known by the acronym ‘Pardes.’ The Maharal concludes his drasha with a focus on the subject of the sukkah and the Arba Minim!

A new psak from Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein is making waves, particularly among yeshiva bochurim and others who have adopted the popular practice of enjoying cholent on Thursday nights. In a sharply worded response, the prominent posek rules that eating Shabbos foods during the week — especially cholent, a dish traditionally prepared for Shabbos day — is inappropriate and undermines the honor due to Shabbos Kodesh.

The psak was published this week in Divrei Chemed, the widely circulated Torah pamphlet that shares halachic insights from Rav Zilberstein.

The question addressed to the Rav came from several bnei yeshiva, who noted the growing trend of Thursday-night cholent gatherings: “We wanted to ask the Rav shlit”a, since there is a great inyan to eat chamin [cholent] on Shabbos Kodesh, and this dish has historically been reserved for the seudas Shabbos morning, and some would fulfill Toameha chaim zachu by tasting it on Friday night. But recently, many have begun ‘being mehader’ to taste this dish already on Thursday night, preparing large pots specifically for that purpose — not to honor Shabbos, but for their own enjoyment. Some even eat it on Thursday day and on other weekdays. Our question is: Does this diminish the uniqueness of a food that was traditionally reserved for Shabbos? Should Shabbos foods remain special to Shabbos?”

Rav Zilberstein responded with a detailed analysis. He cited numerous sources from Chazal and the poskim that emphasize the importance of designating special foods for Shabbos, rather than making them common during the week. These sources include the Midrash Tanchuma, Tikkunei Zohar, the Ramban, Radak, and others.

Among his points, Rav Zilberstein referenced the Yam Shel Shlomo, who suggests that one should avoid eating fish on Friday night so they can enjoy it more during the Shabbos day meal, since kavod yom takes precedence over kavod laylah. The Rav then applied this concept even more strongly: “If one should avoid eating a beloved food on Friday night to honor the daytime meal, then all the more so one should not eat special Shabbos foods during the weekdays. That way, when Shabbos arrives, they can truly honor it as is fitting.”

Rav Zilberstein also cited the example of the Arizal, who was stringent never to cook any dish during the week that was typically made for Shabbos, such as pashtida. He mentioned a story about the Baal Shem Tov, who told a child eating onions and eggs: “This is a food that Jews eat only on Shabbos.” Similarly, the Chasam Sofer once refused to eat a dish made with cinnamon during the week, saying, “That’s a Shabbos food, and we don’t eat it on weekdays.”

He further noted that cholent was created specifically to honor Shabbos, as it allows for the fulfillment of oneg Shabbos through a hot dish, even on Shabbos morning. As the Ba’al HaMaor writes, eating chamin on Shabbos is part of a takanas chachamim, and one who refuses to eat it requires investigation to determine if he is a heretic or apikores.

Rav Zilberstein added an additional point from the Bnei Yissaschar, who wrote that although some feared the effects of cholent on health, on Shabbos there is a special berachah in the food, which protects those who eat it. He quoted the Mishnah Berurah, who writes, “Shomer mitzvah lo yeda davar ra” — one who observes the mitzvah is protected. However, that protective blessing does not apply during the week.

The psak concludes: “Cholent is a dish created specifically for Shabbos. Therefore, it is very appropriate to refrain from eating it on weekdays, in order to properly honor Shabbos with this special dish. Especially since it is not considered a healthy food, and only the sanctity of Shabbos imbues it with blessing and delight, as well as protection for the one who eats it.”

It remains to be seen whether this ruling will influence yeshiva bochurim and the wider public to give up their beloved Thursday-night cholent. But one thing is certain: Rav Zilberstein has drawn a clear halachic line in defense of kavod Shabbos.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Trump administration has launched a nationwide effort to take back U.S. farmland from Chinese Communist Party-linked owners.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sends a warning to truck drivers who don’t speak english: “We’re going to put your rig out of service if you can’t speak the language. Common sense.”

A 35-year-old man tragically died at Milan’s Orio al Serio Airport after being pulled into the engine of a Volotea Airbus A319 bound for Asturias, Spain, with uncertainty surrounding whether he was a passenger or airport staff, as he reportedly ran onto the tarmac.

U.S. military vehicles, carrying National Guard and Marines, patrol Los Angeles streets amid immigration enforcement operations.

NYC WEATHER ALERT: Potentially severe thunderstorms are expected to develop across the area later Tuesday, threatening intense winds and flooding rains that have already prompted National Weather Service alerts. Tuesday is a scorcher during the day, as Temps will rise in the low 90s in the city, but we’ll see heat indices into the triple digits in some spots as we reach peak heating. Heat advisories are in effect across the region.

MONTICELLO: Emergency personnel are on the scene of an overturned vehicle on Route 17 West (heading upstate) between exit 107/106. The highway is totally closed. Unknown extent of injuries.

Israel Police officers at Ben Gurion Airport foiled a smuggling attempt involving hundreds of firearm parts during a covert operation. The suspect was detained upon arrival and handed over for further investigation.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) issued a fierce condemnation on Monday in response to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s arrival in Washington, D.C., for a high-profile meeting with President Donald Trump.

Calling the event “a shameful day in America,” Sanders pointed to the International Criminal Court’s recent decision to issue arrest warrants for both Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of perpetrating “war crimes.”

Although the United States and Israel are not members of the ICC, Sanders wrote, “Today, a war criminal under indictment from the ICC will be welcomed to the White House.”

Sanders did not limit his remarks to the current administration. He blasted both Trump and his predecessor, stating, “Trump, like Biden before him, has aided and abetted the extremist Netanyahu government as it has systematically killed and starved civilians in Gaza.”

The senator, who is Jewish, has consistently spoken out against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which began after the October 7, 2023, terror attacks launched by Hamas in southern Israel.

In November, Sanders introduced a resolution aimed at stopping the sale of offensive weapons to Israel, citing growing concern over the number of civilian deaths in Gaza. The Senate ultimately rejected that measure.

A few months later, in March, Sanders made another attempt to block military support to Israel—this time opposing a $9 billion arms deal. That effort was also defeated, with both resolutions failing in an April vote.

Sanders remains one of the most vocal critics of Israel within Congress. Last year, he refused to attend Netanyahu’s address to Congress, labeling the Israeli leader a “war criminal.”

He has previously described the Israeli government as “racist” and has repeatedly called for placing conditions on U.S. aid to Israel.

{Matzav.com}

Amazon is extending its annual Prime Day sales and offering new membership perks to Gen Z shoppers amid tariff-related price worries and possibly some consumer boredom with an event marking its 11th year. The e-commerce giant’s promised blitz of summer deals for Prime members starts at 3:01 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday. For the first time, Seattle-based Amazon is holding the now-misnamed Prime Day over four days; the company launched the event in 2015 and expanded it to two days in 2019. Before wrapping up Prime Day 2025 early Friday, Amazon said it would have deals dropping as often as every 5 minutes during certain periods. Prime members ages 18-24, who pay $7.49 per month instead of the $14.99 that older customers not eligible for discounted rates pay for free shipping and other benefits, will receive 5% cash back on their purchases for a limited time. Amazon executives declined to comment on the potential impact of tariffs on Prime Day deals. The event is taking place two and a half months after an online news report sparked speculation that Amazon planned to display added tariff costs next to product prices on its website. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denounced the purported change as a “hostile and political act” before Amazon clarified the idea had been floated for its low-cost Haul storefront but never approved. Amazon’s past success with using Prime Day to drive sales and attract new members spurred other major retail chains to schedule competing sales in July. Best Buy, Target and Walmart are repeating the practice this year. Like Amazon, Walmart is adding two more days to its promotional period, which starts Tuesday and runs through July 13. The nation’s largest retailer is making its summer deals available in stores as well as online for the first time. Here’s what to expect: More days might not mean more spending Amazon expanded Prime Day this year because shoppers “wanted more time to shop and save,” Amazon Prime Vice President Jamil Ghani recently told The Associated Press. Analysts are unsure the extra days will translate into more purchases given that renewed inflation worries and potential price increases from tariffs may make consumers less willing to spend. Amazon doesn’t disclose Prime Day sales figures but said last year that the event achieved record global sales. Adobe Digital Insights predicts that the sales event will drive $23.8 billion in overall online spending from July 8 to July 11, 28.4% more than the similar period last year. In 2024 and 2023, online sales increased 11% and 6.1% during the comparable four days of July. Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, noted that Amazon’s move to stretch the sales event to four days is a big opportunity to “really amplify and accelerate the spending velocity.” Caila Schwartz, director of consumer insights and strategy at software company Salesforce, noted that July sales in general have lost some momentum in recent years. Amazon is not a Salesforce customer, so the business software company is not privy to Prime Day figures. “What we saw last year was that (shoppers) bought and then they were done, ” Schwartz said. “We know that the consumer is still really cautious. So it’s likely we could see a similar pattern where they come out early, they’re ready to buy and then they take a step back.” Tariffs don’t seem to be impacting costs much (so far) Amazon executives reported in May that the […]

[COMMUNICATED]

“A beautiful and exceptional discourse from Rabbi Yehudah ben Bezalel” –  the famed Maharal of Prague.

This drush was delivered in honor of Shabbos HaGadol in the year 1589. In it, the Maharal masterfully weaves together many themes from all parts of the Torah. He does this according to the four methods of Torah study – pshat, remez, drush and sod – known by the acronym ‘Pardes.’ The Maharal concludes his drasha with a focus on the subject of the sukkah and the Arba Minim!

President Donald Trump’s border enforcement leader, Tom Homan, announced that immigration arrests in New York City are set to rise sharply as part of a broader campaign targeting sanctuary cities that obstruct cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

“We’re going to be in New York City,” Homan said during a Monday press briefing at the White House. “President Trump said it two weeks ago — we’re going to double down and triple down on sanctuary cities. Why? Not because it’s a blue city or a blue state, but because we know that’s where the problem is.”

His comments follow recent statements from New York City mayoral contender Zohran Mamdani, a Queens assemblyman and vocal advocate for left-wing policies, who pledged to completely sever coordination between local agencies and ICE if he wins in November.

Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, has publicly supported cutting off ICE’s access to city buildings, halting the sharing of data with federal officials, and increasing taxpayer-funded legal support for undocumented immigrants. In response, Homan previously issued a stern warning: any interference with ICE operations by Mamdani would mean “game on.”

While immigration enforcement actions in cities like Los Angeles have included visible public arrests of vendors and workers, the approach in New York has so far been more subdued, often focusing on detentions at immigration offices or court appearances. But Homan indicated that’s about to change.

“If they don’t let us arrest the bad guy who comes to jail, we’re going to arrest him in the community,” he said. “We’re going to increase community operations.”

Since President Trump took office, over 1,900 individuals have been detained by ICE agents in New York City — an increase of 11% from the same period last year, according to data compiled by the Deportation Data Project and reviewed by Bloomberg. By contrast, Los Angeles saw a 69% jump, Chicago 57%, and Miami a staggering 161% rise in arrests.

New York is one of several sanctuary cities across the country that limit the flow of information between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies. Homan voiced frustration over the city’s policy of ignoring ICE detainer requests, which ask local jails to hold individuals for pickup by federal agents.

“We know they’re releasing public safety threats and national security threats to the streets every day because they don’t honor our detainers,” he said. “We don’t have that problem in Florida, where every sheriff in the state is working with us.”

Mayor Eric Adams, running for re-election as an independent, has faced criticism for his efforts to bring ICE officers back into the Rikers Island jail system — a facility where federal immigration agents have been largely restricted since 2014.

Homan’s remarks come as ICE prepares for a massive boost in funding and manpower. The budget bill signed by Trump last week allocates $30 billion to ICE — triple its usual funding — for the hiring of 10,000 new agents and the expansion of detention capacity. This is part of a broader $150 billion package aimed at tightening border security and immigration enforcement nationwide.

At the same time, more counties and states are entering into 287(g) partnerships with ICE, allowing for closer collaboration between local law enforcement and federal agents. Florida, which leads the country in these agreements, recently saw Governor Ron DeSantis unveil a new detention site in the Everglades. Dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” the facility — composed of tents and trailers — was constructed in under a week to accommodate detained immigrants.

{Matzav.com}

In a significant shift that could impact how religious leaders address politics from the pulpit, the IRS has signaled it will no longer enforce the controversial Johnson Amendment against houses of worship — including shuls, churches, and other tax-exempt religious institutions. The Johnson Amendment, enacted in 1954 and named for then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, prohibits tax-exempt nonprofits from endorsing or opposing political candidates. While rarely enforced, the rule has long cast a shadow over rabbanim who wish to speak freely on political matters from a Torah perspective. Now, in a joint legal filing in federal court in Texas, the IRS and plaintiffs — including the National Religious Broadcasters Association, an Evangelical media group — have asked the court to interpret the amendment so that it does not apply to communications made by a house of worship to its congregants during religious services or through other traditional channels. In other words, the IRS is formally backing a carve-out that would exempt shuls, churches, and other religious bodies from this long-standing speech restriction. “The Johnson Amendment should be interpreted so that it does not reach communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith,” the court filing states. The lawsuit, originally filed last year, argues that the Johnson Amendment violates the First Amendment rights of religious organizations, including freedom of speech and free exercise of religion. President Donald Trump, who has long been critical of the Johnson Amendment, signed an executive order in 2017 urging the Treasury Department not to enforce it. “I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution,” he said at the time. Although the IRS has typically avoided penalizing religious institutions for political speech, the current filing would set a precedent that could provide clarity and legal protection for rabbanim who wish to speak out on political matters that intersect with Torah values — especially in today’s charged moral and political climate. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Without naming a particular candidate as his pick, David Paterson, the former governor of New York, urged the centrist independents still in the mayoral race—specifically Mayor Eric Adams and ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo—to team up in a bid to stop Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani. “It’s going to take a united effort, and it’s going to take some sacrifice that someone is going to have to make to make this work,” Paterson said, emphasizing that cooperation is the only path to victory.

Paterson noted that a solution likely wouldn’t come from the candidates themselves, pointing instead to financial and business figures to step up and invest in whichever contender is deemed most viable to defeat the democratic socialist. “If he’s the cure to heal the party, then cyanide is the cure for a headache,” he remarked, delivering a biting critique of Mamdani’s platform.

During a Monday appearance on CNBC, Adams shared that after Cuomo lost the Democratic primary, he approached Adams with a request to exit the race—despite still having his name on the general election ballot and not officially launching a campaign. “I said, Andrew, are you that level of arrogance? I’m the sitting mayor,” Adams recounted. “I’m the sitting mayor of the city of New York, and you expect for me to step aside when you just lost to [Mamdani] by 12 points.”

Cuomo’s defeat became official on June 24, the night of the primary, when he conceded to Mamdani after trailing in the final count, 56% to 44%. This outcome marked a turning point for a race in which Cuomo had held a polling lead after entering in March, only to fall short when it mattered.

Last week, another independent contender, Jim Walden—a longtime attorney who once worked in the Eastern District’s U.S. Attorney’s Office—put forward a plan aimed at consolidating support behind a single anti-Mamdani candidate. His idea was for all non-Democratic candidates—himself, Adams, Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa—to unite behind whichever among them polls strongest in a neutral survey taken ahead of the general election.

On Monday, Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi reiterated the campaign’s position that Adams has no realistic shot at winning, saying, “nothing has changed” since Cuomo declared his independent bid. “We do not see any path to victory for Mayor Adams,” Azzopardi stated.

Still, while casting doubt on Adams’ chances, the Cuomo team conceded that a fractured field could ultimately deliver a win to Mamdani—something they called dangerous for the city. In that context, Walden’s plan gained some legitimacy as a potentially effective means of preventing a socialist victory. “This is the time to put aside the usual political selfishness and agree to do what is truly best for all New Yorkers. While we review this proposal, we call on other candidates to do the same,” Azzopardi added.

Meanwhile, Mamdani’s team brushed aside the political jockeying among his opponents, instead highlighting the grassroots momentum that brought him victory in the primary and the progressive ideas that fueled it. “More than 545,000 New Yorkers voted for Zohran Mamdani, the most votes any Democratic primary candidate has received in 36 years,” his campaign said in a statement. “In the coming months, Zohran looks forward to growing this coalition and reaching new voters with his vision for an affordable New York City and his plan to deliver universal childcare, fast and free buses, and a rent-freeze for more than 2 million New Yorkers.”

{Matzav.com}

Yemen’s Houthi rebels continued an hourslong attack Tuesday targeting a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea, authorities said, after the group claimed to have sunk another vessel in an assault that threatens to renew combat across the vital waterway. The Greek-owned Eternity C remains “surrounded by small craft and is under continuous attack,” the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center warned Tuesday. At least two people on board the ship were reported to be hurt and two others missing. The bulk carrier had been heading north toward the Suez Canal when it came under fire by men in small boats and by bomb-carrying drones Monday night. The security guards on board also fired their weapons. The European Union anti-piracy patrol Operation Atalanta and the private security firm Ambrey both reported those details. While the Houthis haven’t claimed the attack, Yemen’s exiled government and the EU force blamed the rebels for the attack. The Houthis separately attacked the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier Magic Seas on Sunday with drones, missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire, forcing its crew of 22 to abandon the vessel. The rebels later said it sank in the Red Sea. The two attacks and a round of Israeli airstrikes early Monday targeting the rebels raised fears of a renewed Houthi campaign against shipping that could again draw in U.S. and Western forces, particularly after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration targeted the rebels in a major airstrike campaign. The attacks come at a sensitive moment in the Middle East, as a possible ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war hangs in the balance, and as Iran weighs whether to restart negotiations over its nuclear program following American airstrikes targeting its most sensitive atomic sites during the Israel-Iran war in June. The Houthi rebels have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group’s leadership has described as an effort to end Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. Their campaign has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually. Shipping through the Red Sea, while still lower than normal, has increased in recent weeks. The Houthis paused attacks until the U.S. launched a broad assault against the rebels in mid-March. That ended weeks later and the Houthis hadn’t attacked a vessel until this weekend, though they did continue occasional missile attacks targeting Israel. (AP)