Authorities announced new restrictions on access to the Kosel ahead of the upcoming Shabbos, with several key routes leading to the plaza expected to be temporarily closed beginning Friday afternoon.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation informed the public that, due to the current security situation and directives from the Home Front Command, new limitations have been imposed on entry to the Kosel plaza in Yerushalayim. The measures are intended to ensure that the number of people present does not exceed the available protected areas in case of an emergency.
Under the updated guidelines, the number of people allowed to remain in the Kosel plaza at any given time will be limited to no more than 50 individuals. Officials said the decision was made in accordance with Home Front Command safety instructions aimed at minimizing potential risks.
At the same time, Israel Police announced that on Friday the pedestrian routes leading to the Kosel plaza will be closed between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The closure is expected to affect visitors and mispallelim planning to arrive ahead of Shabbos.
{Matzav.com}
Israel has confirmed that its air force carried out strikes against Basij checkpoints and personnel in several locations across Tehran. Footage released from the skies over the Iranian capital showed the attacks targeting positions recently established by members of the Basij militia.
According to Israeli military officials, the strikes followed intelligence assessments indicating that Basij fighters had begun setting up checkpoints throughout parts of Tehran in recent days. After identifying the deployment, the Israeli Air Force carried out attacks over the past 24 hours, guided by intelligence from the IDF Intelligence Directorate.
The Basij forces are part of Iran’s internal security apparatus and operate under the regime’s broader security structure. For years, these armed units have been responsible for implementing terror operations as well as enforcing the regime’s internal control.
In addition to their security role, the Basij have been heavily involved in suppressing domestic protests inside Iran. In recent months, they have been central to the regime’s crackdown on demonstrations, using violence, conducting large-scale arrests, and deploying force against civilian protesters.
Iran’s Fars news agency claimed that the incidents were connected to sabotage operations carried out inside the country by forces linked to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency together with groups loyal to Iran’s former royalist movement.
The Israeli military said the strikes are part of a broader effort targeting the Iranian regime’s core security infrastructure. An IDF spokesperson said the operations will continue wherever Iranian regime forces operate.
“The IDF will continue to strike the systems and operatives of the Iranian terror regime wherever they operate. The strikes that were completed are part of the phase of deepening the damage to the core systems of the Iranian terror regime and its foundations,” the spokesperson said.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump addressed growing questions on Thursday about the condition of Iran’s newly installed Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, as uncertainty continues to swirl regarding his health.
In an interview with Fox News Radio scheduled to air in full Friday morning, Trump said he believes the Iranian leader is still alive but suggested he may have been seriously wounded.
Asked whether Khamenei is alive after assuming leadership following the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint US-Israel airstrike, Trump responded, “I think he probably is.”
He continued, “I think he is damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form, you know.”
Mojtaba Khamenei was formally installed as Iran’s Supreme Leader on Sunday after the death of his father.
Since taking the position, he has yet to appear publicly. Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that he was injured during the opening day of the conflict.
The report said that Mojtaba Khamenei suffered a leg injury and is currently staying in a location where communications are limited.
Iranian state media released a statement Thursday attributed to Khamenei, the first message issued under his name since assuming leadership following his father’s death.
The statement pledged retaliation against the United States and Israel, instructed Iranian forces to maintain the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and warned that additional battlefronts could be opened in the conflict. However, the message was released without any accompanying video or audio, which has intensified speculation about the Iranian leader’s true condition.
{Matzav.com}
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu said that while Israel and the United States are taking steps intended to weaken Iran’s ruling regime and create conditions for change, it remains uncertain whether the Iranian public will ultimately overthrow the Islamic Republic. “You can lead someone to water; you cannot make him drink,” Netanyahu said during a press conference, his first since Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran on February 28, triggering an expanding regional war.
Addressing mounting anger in Israel’s northern communities after renewed attacks from Hezbollah, Netanyahu also delivered a warning to Lebanon’s leadership. He said the Lebanese government must “take your fate into your own hands” and dismantle the Iranian-backed terror organization itself, or Israel may be forced to act.
The prime minister also turned to the issue of his ongoing corruption trial, urging President Isaac Herzog to intervene. Netanyahu said US President Donald Trump “speaks from the heart” when criticizing Herzog for not granting him a pardon.
Speaking about the possibility that Iran’s regime could collapse, Netanyahu told reporters during the televised briefing that Israel and the United States are working to weaken Tehran’s leadership and give the Iranian population the opportunity to challenge it. “We will create optimal conditions to do this, including airstrikes as we did yesterday, as we are doing these days, to try to give [the Iranian people] the space needed to take to the streets.
“We are delivering crushing blows to the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij, their street forces, their checkpoints – and more is yet to come,” he went on.
Even so, Netanyahu acknowledged that outside forces cannot guarantee such an outcome. “I do not deny it: I cannot say for certain that the Iranian people will bring down the regime.”
Directly addressing citizens of Iran, he added: “We told you, ‘Help is on the way,’” he said, addressing the Iranian public. “Well, the help has come and more will follow.”
Netanyahu said many people hope the regime will ultimately collapse but emphasized that such a development must come from within Iran itself. “We all are hoping for the result of this regime falling,” said Netanyahu, but “ultimately, a regime is ousted from within.”
Regardless of how the war concludes, Netanyahu argued that Iran has already suffered significant damage. “It’s simply a different Iran — it no longer threatens as it did before,” he said. “It is not the same power. It’s not the giant bully that nothing can be done against and that no one can unite against.”
Because of security concerns surrounding the ongoing conflict, Netanyahu addressed reporters over Zoom. During the call, he repeated his assertion that the military campaign became necessary after Iran resumed work on nuclear weapons and ballistic missile capabilities following the 12-day Israel-Iran war last June.
Netanyahu said Iran’s previous supreme leader, Ali Khamenei — killed during the opening stage of the joint US-Israeli offensive nearly two weeks earlier — had been warned not to rebuild what he described as Iran’s dangerous weapons infrastructure. Instead, Netanyahu said Khamenei pushed ahead with those efforts and moved them deeper underground, ultimately prompting the strike that killed him.
“If we had not acted immediately, within a few months Iran’s industries of death would have become immune to any strike. Therefore, we went out together to battle — the United States and Israel — to continue what we began and to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. To prevent Iran from developing ballistic missiles that threaten Israel, the United States, and the entire world. That is our objective,” he said.
Netanyahu said that since the start of the current war, Israeli forces have struck Iran’s nuclear facilities and eliminated what he described as a key nuclear scientist. He also said the campaign has additional elements yet to be revealed.
Israel and the United States, he said, are acting together to prevent a regime that openly seeks Israel’s destruction from achieving that goal. “Our enemies are not disappearing in an instant, but look at our amazing successes.”
When asked whether Israel might target Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ali Khamenei who has been named the new supreme leader, Netanyahu responded: “I wouldn’t take out a life insurance policy on any of the leaders of the terror organizations.”
He dismissed Mojtaba Khamenei as a “puppet” controlled by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps who “cannot show his face in public.”
The newly installed leader has not appeared publicly since the war began and is believed to have been injured in an airstrike. Iranian state media broadcast a defiant statement attributed to him on Thursday — believed to be his first message since becoming supreme leader on Sunday — but he has not been seen or heard directly since the fighting started.
Netanyahu also said that Israel is receiving support from a number of countries in its confrontation with Iran, though some of that cooperation remains undisclosed.
“In these days, my team and I are weaving additional alliances with countries in the region – alliances that only a few weeks ago would have seemed unimaginable,” said Netanyahu, without elaborating.
The prime minister argued that Israel has emerged stronger despite the devastating Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023. According to Netanyahu, the country is now at least a regional power and has eliminated a dangerous adversary in Ali Khamenei. He described the Iranian leader as “a kind of Hitler” who had pursued Israel’s destruction for decades.
“We are crushing the terror regime in Iran. We are striking and defeating its proxies – Hezbollah in Lebanon,” he said. “Hezbollah is feeling our force, and it will feel it even more so. It will pay a very heavy price for its aggression.”
Earlier this month Hezbollah resumed firing rockets toward Israel, marking its first such attacks since a November 2024 ceasefire agreement between Israel and the group. That agreement required Lebanon’s government to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
On Wednesday night, Hezbollah fired roughly 200 rockets toward northern Israel, renewing concerns about how much of its arsenal remains intact and whether its supply networks are still functioning.
Israel has responded by sending troops deeper into Lebanese territory and carrying out large-scale airstrikes targeting Hezbollah-controlled areas. Those attacks have killed hundreds of people and forced large numbers of residents to flee neighborhoods in southern Beirut as well as parts of southern and eastern Lebanon.
While Netanyahu did not rule out a major ground operation in Lebanon, he indicated that Israel might avoid such a move if Beirut acts against Hezbollah. However, he warned that a significant offensive could become unavoidable if Lebanon’s government “continues to let Hezbollah act in violation of your commitment to disarm it.”
The November 2024 ceasefire ended more than a year of fighting that began when Hezbollah started attacking Israel on October 8, 2023 — one day after the Hamas invasion of southern Israel that ignited the war in Gaza.
Those attacks forced roughly 60,000 residents of northern Israel to evacuate their homes. In an effort to enable their return, Israel escalated its military operations against Hezbollah in September 2024, severely damaging the group’s leadership structure.
When asked whether he had overstated Hezbollah’s weakness at the time, Netanyahu acknowledged that the organization still retains some capabilities but maintained that it has suffered heavy losses.
“They have certain remaining capacities,” he said, but insisted the group had been greatly diminished.
“We’ll deal with it,” he said, promising not to “abandon the residents of the north.”
Netanyahu added that before Israel’s intensified operations in Lebanon in 2024, Hezbollah possessed around 150,000 rockets and missiles and had the potential to inflict catastrophic damage across Israel.
He said the arsenal could have been capable of destroying buildings in Tel Aviv and causing mass casualties. “bring down the skyscrapers of Tel Aviv and cause devastation in central Israel and beyond, with 15,000-20,000 fatalities.”
“That did not happen, because we hit them with a massive blow,” he said.
{Matzav.com}Israel’s Knesset Health Committee has approved a major piece of legislation intended to reduce the burden on hospitals and improve services throughout the healthcare system. The committee approved the so-called “Cap Law,” which regulates financial arrangements between the health maintenance organizations and hospitals for the next five years, covering roughly 20 billion shekels annually.
The bill was approved Thursday evening for its second and third readings by the Health Committee chaired by MK Yoni Mashriki. The legislation establishes a framework governing how hospitals and health funds settle payments with one another, an arrangement that affects a significant portion of the country’s healthcare budget.
Committee chairman MK Yoni Mashriki said the measure represents an important step forward for the Israeli healthcare system. “I would like to thank Shas chairman Aryeh Deri for pushing and closely accompanying this effort every step of the way until the law was approved. The Cap Law that we approved today is a major and meaningful development for Israel’s healthcare system that will reduce hospitalization overload and expand services in the community, allowing the healthcare system to operate in a more stable, balanced, and planned manner in the coming years.”
Mashriki explained that the new financial framework will be accompanied by additional measures designed to strengthen the healthcare system and reduce pressure on hospitals. “This important economic arrangement will join a series of additional steps — including the addition of tens of millions of shekels for home hospitalization, reducing overcrowding in internal medicine departments, increased funding to strengthen public hospitals, providing solutions for patients awaiting transfer to geriatric institutions, and protecting hospitals that were harmed during the war.”
He added that maintaining a strong public healthcare system is one of the government’s most important responsibilities. “The public healthcare system is one of the most important social services the state must provide to its citizens, and the law we passed today is a dramatic step designed to ensure that it will be stronger, more stable, and more accessible.”
{Matzav.com}
Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri visited Ichilov Hospital on Thursday evening together with Religious Affairs Ministry Director-General Yehuda Avidan to see Gedalyahu Ben Shimon, chairman of the Religious Council in Ramat Gan and Ra’anana, who remains hospitalized in serious condition after being severely wounded in a stabbing attack in Ramat Gan. They were accompanied by the hospital’s director-general, Dr. Eli Sprecher.
Speaking outside the patient’s room, Deri said, “There was a very great miracle here. Reb Gedalyahu comes from a family of great righteous people. I heard from the doctors about his severe condition when he was brought into surgery, and by the grace of Heaven they succeeded in saving his life.”
Deri added that prayers must continue for Ben Shimon’s recovery. “We must continue to pray for his complete recovery. Let us pray that with Hashem’s help the hand of Israel will prevail and that we will no longer know such acts of terror.”
Earlier in the day, Deri released a statement expressing shock over the attack. “I am shaken to the depths of my soul by the despicable attack carried out by a vile individual against the chairman of the Ramat Gan Religious Council, attorney Gedalyahu Ben Shimon, who was wounded and is in serious condition. I call on the public to increase prayers for the complete recovery of Gedalyahu ben Yeshuah.”
Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi, the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Dovid Yosef, also called on the public to daven for the injured official. “I call on every Jew to intensify prayers and arouse abundant Heavenly mercy for the emissary of the rabbinate, the highly active Gedalyahu ben Yeshuah, may he live long, and to recite Chapter 20 of Tehillim, ‘Ya’ancha b’yom tzarah,’ for his recovery.”
As previously reported, Gedalyahu Ben Shimon, chairman of the Ramat Gan Religious Council and a member of the Shas party, was stabbed earlier in the day on a street in Ramat Gan. He was evacuated to the hospital with multiple stab wounds and is listed in serious condition.
The attack occurred at approximately 3:15 p.m., when an Arab teenager, reportedly about 15 years old, approached the chareidi official and stabbed him several times. Reports indicate that the assailant shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack, strengthening suspicions that the incident was a terrorist assault.
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The United States moved Thursday to temporarily loosen sanctions on Russian oil shipments already at sea, allowing them to reach international buyers as the Trump administration seeks to bring down global energy prices that have surged during the war in Iran.
The Treasury Department issued the temporary waivers, which will remain in effect until April 11. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that releasing Russian oil currently stranded on tankers could inject hundreds of millions of barrels of crude into global supply, helping ease prices that have climbed close to $100 per barrel amid the conflict involving Iran.
The policy shift marked a notable change in Washington’s approach to punishing Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, the United States and other members of the Group of 7 have imposed sweeping sanctions aimed at restricting the Kremlin’s energy revenues. Those measures included placing a price ceiling on Russian crude and targeting a so-called “shadow fleet” of ships that exporters have used to transport oil while avoiding sanctions.
As the war with Iran has intensified, the Trump administration has been exploring ways to reduce economic strain tied to rising fuel costs. Last week, officials already allowed Russian oil that had been sitting offshore to proceed to India. At the same time, the administration has been working on a $20 billion maritime insurance guarantee through the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, which typically provides financing and investment support for international businesses and projects.
Bessent said Thursday that the limited sanctions relief would not meaningfully strengthen Russia financially, though he acknowledged that Moscow could see some benefit.
“To increase the global reach of existing supply, Treasury is providing a temporary authorization to permit countries to purchase Russian oil currently stranded at sea,” he wrote in a social media post. “This narrowly tailored, short-term measure applies only to oil already in transit and will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, which derives the majority of its energy revenue from taxes assessed at the point of extraction.”
Speaking on a podcast Thursday, Bessent said it was “unfortunate” that Russia might receive any financial upside from the situation created by the Iran conflict, but he expressed hope that the benefit would last only a “micro period.”
Senior Democrats in the Senate sharply criticized the administration’s decision to loosen the sanctions, arguing that the move was meant to blunt the economic fallout from a war they blame on President Trump.
“This war has resulted in huge spikes in gas prices for Americans, who are now paying more at the pump than at any point in either of President Trump’s two terms,” they wrote in a joint statement.
The decision also represents a reversal from policies adopted last summer, when the administration imposed steep tariffs on India in response to its purchases of Russian oil.
“In one fell swoop we’ve undone a huge amount of pressure on Russia,” said Edward Fishman, a senior fellow and director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.
According to the commodities analytics firm Kpler, roughly 130 million barrels of Russian crude are currently being transported at sea.
The administration’s move may also widen differences between Washington and European governments. Several European leaders have voiced concern over Trump’s military action against Iran and remain committed to maintaining strict economic pressure on Russia.
Fishman said he doubts the policy will succeed in lowering oil prices, pointing out that a similar decision last week allowing shipments to India did not produce a noticeable impact on the market. He also observed that Russian oil prices have been climbing since the conflict with Iran began and suggested that the temporary relief could eventually become permanent.
“I do worry that this is effectively the destruction of the oil sanctions on Russia,” said Mr. Fishman, the author of “Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare.”
{Matzav.com}Authorities have identified the man responsible for the attack Thursday at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, as a 41-year-old Lebanese-born U.S. citizen, according to information provided to CBS News by the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS officials said the suspect, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali of Dearborn Heights, legally entered the United States in 2011 after being sponsored by his then-wife, who is a U.S. citizen. He later obtained American citizenship in 2016. According to DHS, Ghazali arrived on an IR1 immigrant visa and submitted his application for naturalization on Oct. 20, 2015.
West Bloomfield Police Chief Dale Young said police were dispatched to the synagogue shortly after noon following reports of gunfire. Officers responded to what he described as an “active shooter situation” at approximately 12:19 p.m. on March 12, with first responders arriving within about five minutes. Investigators said the suspect drove a vehicle directly into the building.
Officials reported that the vehicle burst into flames after crashing into the structure.
“Temple security officers engaged the individual and neutralized the threat,” Young said. “Our officers, combined with area agencies, cleared the building multiple times and successfully evacuated all children and staff.”
The FBI has opened an investigation into the incident and is treating it as a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.”
“This is a deeply disturbing and tragic incident, and our deepest sympathies are with the victims, their family and the entire Jewish community,” said Jennifer Runyan, FBI Detroit’s special agent in charge.
Individuals in the local Lebanese American community, including one person who said he has known Ghazali for more than ten years, told CBS News that members of Ghazali’s family were killed in Lebanon during the ongoing conflict with Iran. According to those sources, several relatives — including his brothers and two of their children — died in an airstrike there. They also said Ghazali contacted his ex-wife roughly an hour before the attack in West Bloomfield, prompting her to immediately alert authorities.
Those familiar with Ghazali described him as someone who had lived in the area for roughly 16 or 17 years. They said he was not involved in political or ideological activity and insisted he was someone who “couldn’t hurt a bug.”
Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun issued a statement on social media condemning the attack and calling for unity in response to violence against religious institutions.
“Everyone deserves to worship in peace, and we must unequivocally condemn any attack on a house of worship or the people within it.”
“This tragedy comes at a time when communities everywhere are confronting rising hate and senseless violence,” Baydoun said. “No matter where violence occurs, whether in West Bloomfield or anywhere around in the world, harm against innocent people is something we must all stand firmly against. The tensions we see across the world too often find their way into our own neighborhoods, reminding us how deeply connected our shared safety is.”
Baydoun added that city officials are coordinating with local law enforcement to ensure additional protection for houses of worship and said he has been in communication with the West Bloomfield township supervisor to offer assistance.
Police departments across Southeast Michigan have also announced that they are stepping up patrols in their jurisdictions following the attack.
Temple Israel later confirmed that all 140 students and staff members inside the building at the time were safely accounted for.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said one of the synagogue’s senior security officers was struck by the vehicle and “knocked unconscious.” The guard was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment after fellow team members pulled him to safety.
Bouchard also reported that 30 responding law enforcement officers required medical treatment for smoke inhalation following the fire that erupted after the crash.
{Matzav.com}Dr. Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Yerushalayim and a longtime evangelical supporter of President Donald Trump, has launched a new billboard campaign across Israel displaying the message: “Thank You God & Donald Trump!”
Evans said the nationwide initiative was created to express appreciation for what he views as a pivotal moment in the region during the ongoing war involving Israel, the United States, and Iran.
Large billboards featuring an image of President Trump have been installed along major roadways and busy intersections in Yerushalayim and Tel Aviv.
“This is nothing less than a Purim miracle,” Evans said. “The courage and leadership shown by President Trump, combined with the faith of millions who believe in God’s protection over Israel, are changing the course of history in the Middle East. Many believe the events unfolding in Iran could ultimately bring freedom to the Persian people and greater security for the Jewish people in Israel.”
Evans traveled to Israel on Thursday, February 26, arriving just two days before hostilities began. He said he was the only prominent evangelical leader to enter the country before the conflict erupted, explaining that he wanted to demonstrate solidarity with Israelis and report developments to the large evangelical community worldwide that strongly supports Israel.
While in Israel, Evans toured several parts of the country with a professional film crew. The group visited sites where missiles had struck, as well as communities affected by the fighting. Evans also met with Israeli soldiers, visited wounded civilians in hospitals, attended funerals, and spent time speaking with Holocaust survivors. His team documented how Israelis were continuing daily life during wartime and looked for ways to provide practical assistance.
After completing his visit in Israel, Evans left the country through Egypt and then traveled directly to Washington, D.C., where he is continuing advocacy and diplomatic outreach on behalf of Israel.
The new billboard effort follows a number of similar campaigns Evans and the Friends of Zion movement have organized across Israel in recent years. One previous initiative featured the slogan “Cyrus the Great is Alive,” referencing the biblical Persian ruler who allowed the Jewish people to return to Yerushalayim, along with other campaigns emphasizing the relationship between the United States and Israel.
Evans has also been involved in several pro-Israel initiatives connected to the Trump administration. On December 11, 2017, he presented President Trump with the prestigious Friends of Zion Award in the Oval Office for his support of Israel. The award, commissioned by Israel’s ninth president, Shimon Peres, has been presented to 28 world leaders recognized for their friendship with the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
{Matzav.com}
Local government leaders from across Israel said Thursday evening that schools are likely to remain closed for another week due to the ongoing security situation.
Approximately 150 heads of municipal and regional authorities participated in a special situation assessment meeting with Home Front Command chief Maj. Gen. Shay Kalper to discuss the security developments and their impact on the possible reopening of the education system.
During the meeting, officials discussed coordination between the Home Front Command and local authorities, public guidance for residents, and the possibility of a gradual return to normal operations in educational institutions.
Chaim Bibas, chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities, said the current assessment indicates that schools in most parts of the country will probably not reopen next week. He explained that if the Home Front Command’s situation assessment scheduled for Saturday night leads to a decision to exempt certain areas, an official announcement will be issued.
Bibas stressed that the primary responsibility of local leaders is to ensure the safety of residents and children. He said municipalities are prepared to reopen schools as soon as the Home Front Command determines that it is safe to do so, but they will not take any steps that could endanger students.
Home Front Command chief Maj. Gen. Shay Kalper praised the efforts of local authorities, saying their cooperation with the military plays a key role in maintaining national resilience.
Kalper added that the security situation is being reviewed continuously and that only when it is deemed safe will officials consider a gradual and region-specific reopening of the education system.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the local officials said that based on the current assessment, classes are not expected to resume next week, though it is possible that several communities could be exempted depending on the updated evaluation expected on Motzoei Shabbos.
{Matzav.com}
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu said Thursday night that Israel’s controversial draft law remains on the government’s agenda and will be brought forward once the current war ends, explaining that the legislation has only been postponed due to the ongoing conflict.
Netanyahu made the remarks during a press conference — his first since the war with Iran began 13 days ago — where he addressed questions about the regional military campaign, the security situation along Israel’s northern border, and political issues at home.
The prime minister said that Israel and the United States have achieved significant successes in the conflict, strengthening Israel’s position both regionally and internationally. He noted that following Operation “Am KeLavi,” he and President Donald Trump warned the Iranian regime not to attempt to rebuild its missile and nuclear programs.
According to Netanyahu, despite those warnings, Tehran moved quickly to restore its capabilities and worked to conceal development facilities deep underground and beneath mountainous terrain. He said that had Israel not acted when it did, those capabilities could soon have become immune to military strikes.
Netanyahu also addressed the succession of Iran’s supreme leader, referring to Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed the position after his father’s death. The prime minister described him as “a puppet of the Revolutionary Guards who cannot show his face in public,” adding that he would not “take out a life insurance policy on any of the leaders of the region.”
Discussing the internal situation in Iran, Netanyahu said Israel is working to create conditions that could allow the Iranian people to overthrow the regime. At the same time, he acknowledged that it is impossible to predict whether such a development will occur in the near future. “Ultimately it depends on the Iranian people,” he said.
The prime minister added that Israeli forces continue to strike the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij militia while simultaneously working to strengthen regional alliances. According to Netanyahu, the conflict is already reshaping the strategic reality in the Middle East, noting that “this is not the same Iran and this is not the same Middle East.”
Turning to Hezbollah’s continued rocket fire from Lebanon, Netanyahu said Israel had previously removed a major threat along its northern border but emphasized that the group still retains what he called “residual firepower.” He said Israel has warned the Lebanese government that if it does not act against Hezbollah, Israel will do so itself.
Netanyahu was also asked about remarks made by President Trump regarding President Isaac Herzog in connection with the issue of a potential pardon in Netanyahu’s ongoing trial. The prime minister said he respects every president and does not intend to comment on statements made by an American president on the matter. Nevertheless, he reiterated his belief that the proceedings against him constitute a “politically motivated trial” and said the case should be brought to an end.
Concluding his remarks, Netanyahu addressed the ongoing political dispute over Israel’s draft law and emphasized that the government has not abandoned the legislation.
“We have not given up on the draft law,” Netanyahu said. “We have set aside all of our legislative initiatives. I hope we will be able to complete the term of this government and pass a draft law that is a very responsible law.”
{Matzav.com}The name of habochur Yehuda Chayon drew widespread attention this past week after it became known that prison authorities prevented him from hearing the laining of Parshas Zachor.
Tonight, following his release, dozens of bnei yeshiva gathered in Bnei Brak to welcome him home with a spirited reception combined with a delayed Purim celebration.
Two weeks after he had been imprisoned — and a week after Purim had already passed — the bnei yeshiva refused to allow their friend to miss the joy of the day. They organized an evening of dancing, singing, wine, and costumes in honor of the bochur who had just been released from the military prison.
As previously reported, Yehuda’s case became a major topic of discussion when it was revealed that prison authorities barred him from hearing Parshas Zachor. The incident sparked strong reactions among representatives of the tzibbur hachareidi, who voiced sharp criticism over the decision.
Following his release Thursday evening, his friends in the yeshiva resolved that he should still experience the simcha of Purim properly.
The celebration took place in the bais medrash Hameir La’aretz on Jabotinsky Street in Bnei Brak. The gathering began with words of bracha delivered by the mashpia, Rav Nota Paneth. After his heartfelt remarks stirred the assembled crowd, the participants broke out into lively dancing.
Costumes appeared, bottles of wine were opened, and the hall filled with spirited singing of Purim songs.
During the height of the celebration, the bochur publicly burned his draft order. Prior to the event, he had visited the homes of several Gedolei Yisroel to receive their brachos following his release.
{Matzav.com}
A joyous engagement was celebrated this evening in Tzefas for the youngest son of the renowned mashpia, Rav Elimelech Biderman. The chosson, Shlomo Biderman, a distinguished talmid in Yeshivas Tchernobyl in Elad, became engaged to a granddaughter of the Lelov and Dzhikov Vizhnitz dynasties.
The kallah is a granddaughter of the Lelover Rebbe and the daughter of his son, Rav Michael Eliezer Biderman, who is a son-in-law of the Dzhikov Vizhnitz Rebbe.
This engagement marks the third time that Reb Meilech has become related through marriage with the Dzhikov Vizhnitz Rebbe. The first time occurred when the Rebbe’s son, Rav Levi Yitzchok Adler — who serves as rav of the Dzhikov Vizhnitz community in Bnei Brak and leads the Imrei Naftali bais medrash — married a daughter of Reb Meilech. The second time was when the Rebbe’s grandson, the son of his son-in-law Rav Yisroel Lemberger of Makava, married another daughter of Reb Meilech.
In addition, this engagement represents a second marriage connection between the grandchildren of the Lelover brothers, the Rebbes Rav Shimon of Lelov and Rav Alter of Lelov. The mechutan, Rav Michael Biderman, is also related by marriage to Rav Sholom Sofer, who is a brother-in-law of Reb Meilech.
The l’chaim celebration was held this evening in Tzefas at the home of the mechutan, Rav Michael Eliezer Biderman.
{Matzav.com}
