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Israel’s defense establishment says its military campaign against Iran will press ahead without a deadline, as Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz declared that the country’s leadership has retreated into underground bunkers while Israeli and American forces continue coordinated operations.

Katz delivered the remarks Wednesday during a high-level security assessment with senior defense officials, where he said Israel intends to pursue the war until every strategic objective has been met.

The meeting was attended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Defense Ministry Director-General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram, Intelligence Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, Operations Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Itzik Cohen, Home Front Command head Maj. Gen. Shay Kalper, the defense minister’s military secretary Brig. Gen. Guy Markizeno, Research Division chief Brig. Gen. Ofir Mizrahi-Rozen, Operations Division head Brig. Gen. Israel Shomer, Israeli Air Force chief of staff Brig. Gen. Gilad Keinan, along with other senior security officials.

Speaking during the discussion, Katz commended the military’s performance and pointed to the close cooperation between Israel and the United States. “I praise the very impressive achievements in both offense and defense and the joint activity with our American partner. The surviving Iranian leadership are a group of cowards who act bravely only against women, children, and the elderly in the streets, specializing in massacres and the killing of civilians – and they are already threatening to murder and slaughter anyone who protests.”

Katz said Iran’s leaders have retreated underground in the face of sustained military pressure. “But as we see, Chief of Staff, when they encounter real force, they flee like rats into tunnels, just like the Hamas leadership in Gaza. Today they truly resemble Hamas, and from there they give orders to fire at civilians and children in Israel and across the region. That is exactly what remains of them – a Hamas-like leadership.”

He continued by describing the scope of the military campaign against Iran’s security apparatus. “The IDF, together with our partner, is carrying out impressive and systematic operations targeting regime personnel themselves, the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij. Many thousands have been killed, and because they shut down the internet they are concealing the numbers.”

Katz said intelligence assessments indicate that Iranian hospitals are overwhelmed by casualties among regime forces. “I understand that the morgues in hospitals are full, and we are talking here about terror forces, not civilians, and this effort must certainly continue. We will continue to act and crush the regime and its strategic targets in Tehran and across Iran, day after day, target after target. We will also continue in order to enable the Iranian people to rise up and remove this regime. Ultimately, this is something that depends on them.”

He also emphasized that the war effort is being directed jointly by the leaders of Israel and the United States. “This operation, led by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – who speak and coordinate daily and from there guide and set policy – and carried out by you and by CENTCOM together with the US military, will continue without any time limit, for as long as necessary, until we achieve all objectives and decisively win the campaign.”

{Matzav.com}

Nearly 600 Israelis arrived in Israel on Tuesday aboard two direct flights fully financed by the government of the United Arab Emirates, in an operation organized through efforts by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, according to a report by Roi Kais on Kan News.

The UAE is currently the only country known to have fully covered the cost of evacuation flights for Israeli citizens from anywhere in the world, including flights returning them to Israel. The aircraft reportedly flew along a longer-than-usual route and carried no external identifying markings.

Two days earlier, Israel’s Transportation Ministry announced the launch of Operation “Lionesses of the Gulf,” a plan aimed at bringing Israelis currently in the United Arab Emirates back home. The initiative followed a conversation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE leader Mohammed bin Zayed.

Under the arrangement reached between the two countries, special evacuation flights are being provided exclusively for Israeli citizens currently in the Emirates at no cost. The flights are being operated in cooperation with Emirati airlines to Israel and other destinations as soon as airspace conditions allow.

Meanwhile, Israeli airlines announced this past weekend that they would begin operating outbound flights from Israel starting Sunday. The flights are being conducted according to the Transportation Ministry’s framework for rescue operations from Israel, with passenger numbers on each departing flight temporarily limited to 70 people.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump has quietly appointed Erika Kirk, the chief executive officer of Turning Point USA, to the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors.

Secretary Burgum: “This terrorist regime began 47 years ago by literally taking U.S. hostages, and then here they are, 47 years later… holding the entire world hostage economically by threatening to close the strait. President Trump as made it very clear the consequences if they try to do that.”

Photos of the vehicle the crashed through a barricade at the White House, leading to one arrest. No injuries reported.

NYC Mayor Mamdani is facing intense backlash after hosting pro-terrorist protester Mahmoud Khalil at his residence while failing to recognize a two-star police chief who jumped over barricades to stop a Muslim bomber in New York City.

WATCH: Update from CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper on Operation Epic Fury:

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rav Yisroel Hager, is expected to travel to Germany next Sunday to undergo medical treatment there, following a series of treatments he has recently received in Yerushalayim.

The upcoming trip comes as a continuation of the care the Rebbe has been receiving from leading physicians at the Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center.

The journey was arranged through coordination between senior specialists at Hadassah and the medical team at the hospital in Germany where the next stage of treatment will take place.

Representatives of the Vizhnitzer chassidus have expressed appreciation for the dedication of the Hadassah administration and its medical staff, noting their tireless efforts on behalf of the Rebbe’s recovery.

All are asked to daven for Yisroel ben Leah Esther.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump insisted he had the answer for Republicans anxious about losing their congressional majority this year: build on an already strict national voter identification law to ban mail ballots and restrict transgender rights. “It’ll guarantee the midterms,” he told Republicans gathered in the ballroom of his golf course just outside Miami on Monday. “If you don’t get […]

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Two Israeli American men were brutally attacked outside a popular restaurant in San Jose on Sunday afternoon in what authorities are investigating as a possible hate crime. The victims, Lior Zeevi, 47, and Daniel Levy, 48, were waiting for a table outside Augustine, an upscale restaurant in the busy Santana Row shopping district, when three […]

CNN anchor Abby Phillip is facing backlash after lying on air that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was the target of a terrorist attack over the weekend — a characterization that bears little resemblance to what investigators say actually happened. During Tuesday evening’s edition of CNN NewsNight, Phillip previewed an upcoming segment by telling […]

A senior figure in the chareidi parties said Tuesday night that the Israeli draft law has not been abandoned, despite the government’s decision to delay its advancement because of the war and the need to pass the state budget.

According to the official, the halt in promoting the legislation is tied to the current security situation and the urgency of approving a budget that will fund Israel’s war effort.

“The draft law has not died but was postponed due to the war and the need to pass a budget to finance the fighting. After the war we will return to legislating the law with full force,” the official said.

The senior figure also criticized statements made by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, describing them as politically driven. “The statements are meant to gather votes in order to pass the electoral threshold and to justify his retreat from the reforms.”

Smotrich himself addressed the delay in advancing the draft law, explaining that the government has decided to temporarily set aside divisive issues during wartime.

“In order to succeed in this mission we are putting aside issues that are in dispute and not appropriate for wartime. We are putting aside the draft law, which will not be advanced now.”

He added that passing the state budget quickly would enable Israel to continue its security campaign while maintaining economic stability.

“War is a time for unity and national responsibility. Passing the budget immediately will allow us to win the war and strengthen Israel’s economy in the coming years.”

{Matzav.com}

As the war with Iran continues, the country’s Jewish community—estimated at roughly 15,000 people—is navigating a tense and uncertain reality while trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

Sources familiar with the situation say that, for now, conditions for Jews across Iran remain relatively stable. Community members are deliberately keeping a low profile in public and avoiding activities that might draw attention during the wartime period. At this stage, those monitoring the situation say there has been no unusual escalation in the regime’s treatment of Jews.

Individuals closely following the circumstances of the Jewish communities emphasize that the greatest concern now is simply their safety. “At this moment, all that remains is to pray that no harm comes to the Jews,” those familiar with the situation say, adding that discretion is essential under the current conditions.

According to sources with knowledge of the community’s internal decisions, all weddings and large gatherings within the Jewish community in Iran have been canceled. Community leaders believe it would be inappropriate to hold celebrations at a time when the country is under military attack.

Jewish community figures in several countries abroad who are in contact with those monitoring the situation have also issued a specific request to Israelis: they urge people not to attempt to communicate with Jews inside Iran, warning that such contact could put them in danger.

Last week it was reported that Iran’s Jewish community publicly condemned the Israeli and American strikes that resulted in the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Homayoun Sameh, the Jewish representative in the Iranian parliament, issued a statement praising the late leader.

“The leader was busy managing the affairs of the state until his last drop of blood and unjustly sacrificed his life for the Iranian nation,” Sameh said.

Sameh also released a condolence message following what he described as the “unjust death” of the leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the message he blamed the killing on what he called the “Zionist regime,” saying the event had brought deep sorrow to Iran.

“The Iranian Jewish community sends its sincere condolences to the noble Iranian nation, to his family, and to all lovers of the Islamic Revolution over this heartbreaking and painful loss. There is no doubt that dear Iran mourns the death of a wise, patient, and compassionate leader — a personality who dedicated his blessed life to the path of independence, dignity, and pride of this land, and who always emphasized national unity, empathy, and peaceful coexistence among followers of the divine religions.”

{Matzav.com}

Major storms whipped up tornadoes in parts of Illinois and Indiana that leveled homes, killing at least two people and injuring others, and another round of rain, hail and strong winds made its way through the region Wednesday, authorities said. “Please do not come here. Do not try to help right now,” Newton County Sheriff […]

Iran’s parliament speaker declared Tuesday that Tehran has no interest in pursuing a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, insisting instead that those he called the “aggressor” must face consequences.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf made the remarks in a message posted to social media, making clear that Iran intends to continue fighting rather than seeking a pause in the hostilities.

“Certainly we aren’t seeking a ceasefire,” Ghalibaf wrote in a post on social media.

“We believe the aggressor must be punished and taught a lesson that will deter them from attacking Iran again,” he added.

His comments followed a statement issued Monday by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps responding to remarks by US President Donald Trump, who had suggested that the war with Iran could conclude in the near future.

In remarks cited by Reuters, the IRGC said they would “determine the end of the war”, while warning that Iran could take steps to halt oil shipments from the region if attacks by the United States and Israel continue.

The statement added that Iran would not permit “one liter of oil” to leave the region under such circumstances.

Trump responded to the warning with a message posted on his Truth Social platform, cautioning Tehran against interfering with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.”

He continued with an additional warning directed at Iranian leadership.

“Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again – Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them – But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen! This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the situation Tuesday, saying the United States will not permit any disruption to maritime traffic or energy shipments in the region.

The US is acting so that “the United States and all our allies can receive their energy needs. President Trump will not allow rogue Iranian terrorists to strop the freedom of navigation and the free flow of energy,” Leavitt said in a statement.

“If they (Iran) do anything to stop the flow of oil or goods within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the world’s most powerful military 20 times harder than they have been hit thus far,” she threatened.

Leavitt also sought to reassure Americans concerned about rising fuel costs, saying the price increases would not last.

She added that “the increase in gas prices is temporary and in the long term prices will fall. Once the military goals are achieved, we will live in a world where Iran can no longer threaten.”

At the same time, CBS News reported that US officials believe Iran could be preparing to place naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would threaten one of the world’s most important shipping corridors.

Trump addressed the report on Truth Social, warning Iran not to take such a step.

“If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY! If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before. If, on the other hand, they remove what may have been placed, it will be a giant step in the right direction!” Trump wrote.

{Matzav.com}

North Korea announced Wednesday that it supports the Iranian people’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new Supreme Leader following the death of his father in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes last weekend.

Mojtaba Khamenei was selected earlier this week to take over leadership after his father was killed during the coordinated military operation carried out by the United States and Israel in Iran on Saturday.

North Korea’s official news agency KCNA reported that the country’s foreign ministry also issued a sharp condemnation of the attacks carried out by Washington and Jerusalem. The ministry criticized what it called the US and Israel’s “illegal” attacks against Iran, warning that such actions undermine global peace and contribute to rising instability.

Iran and North Korea have long maintained ties in the development of ballistic missile technology.

In 2013, reports surfaced indicating that the two nations had pledged to continue working together on the advancement of nuclear-capable missile systems.

A United Nations panel of experts later stated in 2021 that cooperation between the two countries on long-range missile programs had resumed the previous year, including the transfer of key components used in missile development.

{Matzav.com}

Centuries of British political tradition will end within weeks after Parliament voted to remove hereditary aristocrats from the unelected House of Lords. On Tuesday night members of the upper chamber dropped objections to legislation passed by the House of Commons ousting dozens of dukes, earls and viscounts who inherited seats in Parliament along with their […]

A significant development in Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s pardon request occurred on Wednesday when the Justice Ministry announced that the Pardon Department submitted its opinion on the request to Minister Amichai Eliyahu, bypassing Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who requested that the transfer be delayed until she issues her own opinion. i24NEWS reported on Tuesday that […]

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