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The House of Representatives voted Tuesday for a third time to restrict President Donald Trump’s ability to continue US military action against Iran, with seven Republicans joining Democrats in supporting the measure as the war becomes an increasingly prominent issue ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The measure passed with backing from seven Republican lawmakers, three more than supported the House’s previous resolution concerning the conflict. Democrats have characterized the latest action as their most substantial attempt so far to push back against Trump’s handling of the war, particularly with Congress nearing its final votes before the elections.

House Republican leaders have not formally directed GOP members on how to vote on the Iran resolutions. Trump, however, has publicly criticized Republicans who have broken with his position on the conflict, underscoring the importance he has placed on maintaining congressional support.

In July, the House approved a nonbinding resolution urging Trump to bring US military operations against Iran to an end. That measure passed by a 214-208 margin, with four Republicans joining all Democrats who voted in favor.

A separate joint resolution was later blocked in the Senate in a 47-49 procedural vote. Unlike the House measure, the Senate proposal would have carried the force of law if enacted, though it likely would have faced a presidential veto had it passed Congress.

The House has repeatedly sought to place restrictions on Trump’s military authority in connection with Iran. Lawmakers pursued another effort in June to limit the administration’s authority, but that measure ultimately failed after White House pressure prompted a Republican senator to change his vote.

It remains uncertain whether Senate Democrats can attract enough support to move another attempt forward. They are expected to try again later this week as the congressional debate over US military operations against Iran continues.

Thousands gathered at the main Dushinsky bais medrash in Yerushalayim on Monday night to hear the annual Shabbos Shuvah drashah of Rav Moshe Sternbuch, who delivered a forceful address focusing on the draft of yeshivah bochurim, chareidi military programs, the dangers of internet use and the need to strengthen shemiras Shabbos and regular study of its halachos.

The massive crowd included admorim, rabbonim, roshei yeshivah, dayanim, marbitzei Torah and members of the broader Yerushalayim Torah community. Dozens of prominent rabbonim and morei horaah were seated along the eastern wall as the bais medrash filled with people who had come to hear Rav Sternbuch’s traditional pre-Yom Kippur address.

Rav Sternbuch opened by addressing what he described as the struggle facing Torah Jewry against those seeking to undermine the Torah world and its institutions.

“The wicked are plotting to completely destroy us, to demolish the fortresses of Torah and the holy yeshivos, and to turn us into a nation like all other nations and a people like all other peoples. However, regarding this, the posuk has already promised us and Hakadosh Boruch Hu has declared: ‘That which enters your minds shall not come to pass!’ Our obligation at this time is to shake ourselves free and distance ourselves completely from the secular, not to look toward them at all, not to associate with them and not to participate with them in any matter whatsoever, because it is specifically in this separation that the foundation of our success and continued existence lies.”

To underscore the point, Rav Sternbuch cited an explanation from Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin regarding a passage recited during the Hoshanos.

“Rav Yehoshua Leib explained our plea, ‘Hoshana, three hours, Hoshana,’ that during the final three hours before the arrival of the righteous redeemer, a terrible and frightening spirit of heresy and impurity will blow through the world. He further warned with holy foresight: Only one who completely separates and distances himself from the wicked will merit to be saved and to see the light of redemption.”

Rav Sternbuch then turned to the ongoing controversy surrounding the draft of yeshivah bochurim and the arrests of those who have refused to enlist, declaring, “The blood of our brothers is not hefker!”

“To our sorrow, during Rosh Hashanah, eighty precious bochurim sat in prison, despite having committed no sin or wrongdoing, other than their intense desire to cling to Hashem and toil in Torah, and their refusal to enlist in an army filled with impurity and heresy. Over this we protest with all our strength and cry out: The blood of our brothers is not hefker! Chazal have already said, ‘One who causes another to sin is worse than one who kills him,’ and this terrible decree hanging over the yeshivah bochurim is truly comparable to a death sentence, because without Torah we have no life at all. May Hakadosh Boruch Hu frustrate their counsel and disrupt their plans, and in the merit of the mesirus nefesh of those who learn Torah, may the decree soon be annulled.”

Rav Sternbuch also issued a strong warning against military programs marketed specifically toward chareidi men, including programs offering limited working hours and substantial financial compensation while promising an environment geared toward religious participants.

“To our sorrow, they have opened programs supposedly adorned in ‘chassidishe clothing,’ through which they entice the public to work a few hours and receive large amounts of money, thereby trapping the yeshivahleit in their net. Therefore, the obligation of the hour is to warn loudly: It is forbidden to go to them under any circumstances! The very foundation of the army is built upon heresy, and their entire aim and objective is simply to connect us with them so that we become like them, chas v’shalom.”

Turning to technology, Rav Sternbuch described internet use as one of the defining spiritual challenges confronting the current generation and urged the public to distance itself as much as possible.

“The obligation of the hour is to awaken people regarding the danger of the internet, which is the most difficult nisayon of the generation and leads to the ultimate source of impurity. Fortunate is one who does not use it at all, even ‘filtered internet,’ for as we say to the nazir, ‘Go around, go around; do not approach the vineyard.’ Boruch Hashem, today there are already holy groups in every community whose members undertake to distance themselves from all these things, and they should be called holy for overcoming the challenges of the times with strength.”

Rav Sternbuch devoted another portion of his drashah to Shabbos, noting that the first day of Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos this year and that Klal Yisroel therefore did not perform the mitzvah of shofar on that day. He said this makes strengthening shemiras Shabbos particularly important.

“This year Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos and we did not merit the mitzvah of shofar, and in such a year we need the merit of Shabbos to stand on our behalf and sweeten the judgments. Therefore, we must strengthen ourselves especially in observing Shabbos, so that it will serve as an advocate for us before the Throne of Glory. Chas v’shalom, if we do not observe it properly, it could instead become a source of prosecution, rachmana litzlan.

“Every single person should undertake to learn the halachos of Shabbos on a regular basis, as well as to protest against the increasing desecration of Shabbos. If we do what is incumbent upon us, Shabbos will stand as our advocate, and the words ‘If I safeguard Shabbos, Hashem will safeguard me’ will be fulfilled for us, and Hakadosh Boruch Hu will save us from all harm.”

At the conclusion of the lengthy address, thousands filed past Rav Sternbuch in an orderly procession to receive his brachah for the new year. Among the first to approach were the Dushinsky Rebbe and the Skulen Yerushalayim Rebbe.

Another notable scene unfolded afterward as the rabbonim of the Eidah Hachareidis passed before Rav Sternbuch and received his brachah together with a special Yom Tov gift of $1,000 apiece. More than $100,000 was distributed at the gathering through Rav Sternbuch’s Kupas Tomchin D’Oraisa, continuing his longstanding financial support for rabbonim, roshei kollel and avreichim throughout the year.

Moved by the occasion, Rav Yehudah Fisher, a member of the Badatz of the Eidah Hachareidis, rose and expressed the appreciation of the assembled rabbonim to Rav Sternbuch for carrying the needs of the community and assisting its members both spiritually and materially.

Following the gathering, large crowds accompanied Rav Sternbuch from the Dushinsky bais medrash through the streets of Yerushalayim, escorting him with great honor as far as Shmuel Hanavi Street. From there, Rav Sternbuch returned to his home in Har Nof.

{Matzav.com}

With 42 days remaining until Israel’s election for the 26th Knesset, a new Channel 14 poll released Tuesday night shows the right-wing bloc retaining a 64-seat majority, while the left-wing bloc receives 44 seats and the two Arab lists combine for 12. The overall bloc breakdown is unchanged from Channel 14’s previous survey on September 9.

Likud remains the largest party in the poll with 30 seats, down one from the previous survey. Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party also loses one seat, falling from 22 to 21. Shas remains unchanged at 10 seats, while the Democrats rise by one to nine.

Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad, United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit and the Religious Zionism-Zehut alliance each receive eight seats. Beyachad and United Torah Judaism each gain one seat from the previous Channel 14 poll, while Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism-Zehut remain unchanged.

Among the remaining parties, the Joint List rises from six seats to seven, while Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beytenu drops from seven to six. Ra’am falls from six seats to five. Together, the two Arab lists continue to account for 12 seats.

Several parties remain below the electoral threshold. Ofer Winter’s Amcha Yisrael increases slightly from 2.1% to 2.3%, while the Reservists-Economic Party rises from 1.4% to 2.1%. Blue and White receives 0.4%, Noam 0.3%, and the Haredi Public Party 0.2%. None would enter the Knesset based on this survey.

The poll also asked respondents which of several candidates they considered most suitable to serve as prime minister. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu received 51%, unchanged from the previous Channel 14 survey. Eisenkot received 35%, up one percentage point, while Bennett fell two points to 9% and Lieberman rose one point to 5%. These figures represent responses to this specific Channel 14/NEXT DATA survey rather than a forecast of the election result.

In a separate head-to-head question asking respondents to choose between Netanyahu and Eisenkot, 53% selected Netanyahu and 47% selected Eisenkot, the same breakdown recorded in the previous survey.

The poll was conducted on September 15 by NEXT DATA among 483 adults from the general population, with the results analyzed by pollster Shlomo Filber.

{Matzav.com}

The mother of a married avreich who was arrested at the Taba border crossing while traveling to Uman has accused Israeli military authorities of denying her son and other detained yeshivah bochurim basic rights, including telephone calls, family visits, access to lawyers and proper personal supplies.

Speaking in an interview with Kol Chai’s Central Edition, the mother described the ordeal her family has faced since her son was detained last Thursday and transferred to Military Prison 10. She said the family was never formally notified of his arrest and was forced to determine his whereabouts on its own.

“We live in a democratic country, not a Third World country where people are kidnapped by a military junta in the dead of night. No authorized official informed me that my son had been arrested and was in Prison 10. Because of a phone call his wife received, I was forced to begin tracing his steps and searching for where my son was being held.”

The mother said many of the young men now facing arrest had previously attempted to resolve their military status through official channels, only to encounter repeated bureaucratic obstacles.

“They tried to resolve the matter and leave legally, but all of their requests on the websites were rejected. They sent young men from the Yerushalayim area all the way to recruitment offices in Be’er Sheva or Haifa, and when they arrived, they were told that they were late. Bureaucratic callousness.”

She went on to allege that the treatment of the detainees following their arrests has included the denial of telephone access and personal necessities, along with expedited disciplinary proceedings conducted without legal representation.

“To this day, I have not received even one phone call from him to know that he is under arrest. The supplies we sent him to the prison disappeared along the way, and basic requests for hygiene supplies were denied. They brought them supplies in garbage bags in a horrifying manner. They have all already been tried without legal advice and without a lawyer. They are pressured to stand trial immediately, the judging officer sentences them to days of confinement at his discretion without a written explanation and without protocols that can be appealed. The rights of these young men are simply being erased.”

She added that her son’s status as a married man should entitle him to additional rights while in custody, but claimed those requests had also been rejected.

“We are talking about a married man, and according to the law he is entitled to rights such as a family visit, but they denied all the requests.”

Concluding the interview, the mother issued an emotional appeal to the authorities, contrasting what she described as the treatment afforded to imprisoned Nukhba terrorists with that received by the chareidi detainees.

“Nukhba terrorists walk around the prison and they check whether they have fruit or not, and my son isn’t allowed a single phone call! If you established a special task force to arrest them – it is your obligation to give them the rights they are entitled to under the law.”

{Matzav.com}

A significant milestone was marked Tuesday in Yerushalayim with the signing of the foundation charter for the future Pnei Menachem World Center, a sprawling complex that will serve as the central bais medrash and institutional hub of the kehillah led by Rav Shaul Alter.

The modest but emotional ceremony took place on the large parcel recently allocated by the Yerushalayim municipality on Torah Mitzion Street, at the former site of the Israel Broadcasting Authority complex. Joining Rav Shaul were his brothers, Rav Yaakov Meir Alter and Rav Daniel Chaim Alter, sons of the Pnei Menachem of Ger, along with the rabbonim of the kehillah, including Rav Betzalel Wexelstein, and senior and prominent members of the community.

The event began with Rav Shaul conducting a brief lechayim tish, after which he and his brothers signed the foundation charter. The document will eventually be buried at the site during the formal cornerstone-laying ceremony, which is expected to take place at a later date.

Before the ceremony, Rav Shaul and his brothers stood on a specially constructed platform overlooking the property where the new complex will rise. Nachman Wideslavsky, director-general of the institutions, and architect Aharon Oestreicher presented the plans for the enormous project.

The complex is expected to include a large and magnificent bais medrash, shtiblach for tefillah, an expansive mikvah, a wedding hall, a Talmud Torah and kindergartens, along with other facilities serving the growing Pnei Menachem community.

As he viewed the architectural plans, Rav Shaul remarked that while a bais medrash needs to be carefully designed, the Bais Hamikdash will descend and be built even without architectural plans.

Yisrael Hakohen Levin, director of the Old Seminary, who served as master of ceremonies, raised a question about the timing of the gathering. Why, he asked, was such a ceremony being held specifically during the spiritually intense days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? Could a more seemingly appropriate time not have been chosen?

In response, he recalled words spoken by the Pnei Menachem approximately half a century ago at the cornerstone-laying ceremony for a bais medrash named in memory of the Bais Yisroel of Ger: “A yeshivah is built with tears.”

“Following that same idea,” Levin said, “we too can say that a bais medrash is built not from stones, but from tears, from yearning and from the desire to draw closer and rise higher in the service of Hashem. Those aspirations motivated the members of the community to build a house for Hashem, and they are now privileged to see their offering accepted with favor.”

Levin concluded his remarks by recognizing Wideslavsky for his tireless efforts on behalf of the community, as well as Yisrael Mordechai Tzishinsky and Shaul Yechiel Margolies, who helped lay the groundwork for the project.

Rav Daniel Chaim Alter, rosh yeshivah of Pnei Menachem, spoke about the leaders of the dynasty, beginning with the Chiddushei Harim. He recalled that although the Chiddushei Harim occupied a distinguished position, when he saw that the pursuit of truth was burning in Peshischa, he did not hesitate to leave his position and embark upon a new path despite the persecution he endured.

Rav Daniel Chaim said that the actions of earlier generations became a model for their descendants, with the rebbes of the dynasty dedicating themselves to cultivating authentic Torah and yiras Shomayim. He said that under Rav Shaul’s leadership today, the community continues to witness unmistakable siyata diShmaya as it establishes a path for those seeking closeness to Hashem, despite the considerable sacrifices involved. He pointed in particular to the growth and flourishing of the Pnei Menachem educational institutions and the planned construction of the new central bais medrash.

At the center of the gathering, Rav Shaul delivered divrei Torah, citing the well-known words of the Ramban concerning the purpose of a bais haknesses: that people should gather there and give thanks to the Creator, declaring before Him, “We are Your creations.”

Rav Shaul explained that a person must thank Hashem each day for the kindnesses he is privileged to witness, but the central expression of that gratitude takes place in the bais haknesses, where a person declares his complete relationship with his Creator. Gratitude alone, he said, is insufficient; it must bring about personal change.

Citing the words, “He gave their land as an inheritance — an inheritance to Yisroel, His servant,” Rav Shaul said that while the community is preparing to enter a new property and construct a bais haknesses, it must never lose sight of the true objective. The physical inheritance is meant to help Klal Yisroel become servants of Hashem and recognize, “We are Your creations.”

Rav Yaakov Meir Alter, the eldest of the brothers, then read aloud the foundation charter, which was composed by senior rabbonim of the community.

The document recounts the development of the kehillah, which was established from virtually nothing seven years ago, and describes its commitment to the heritage and path of Peshischa, Kotzk and Ger. It emphasizes an approach that refuses to allow routine and habit to weaken a person’s inner spiritual drive, instead seeking constant renewal and renewed inspiration through intensive Torah learning and penetrating halachic study, together with work on one’s middos, yielding to others and judging people favorably.

The Pnei Menachem institutions are now preparing to move ahead with construction of the world center. Plans call for an expansive central bais medrash, a large Torah study hall, numerous shtiblach intended in part to alleviate the shortage of shuls in the surrounding neighborhood, a large mikvah, a wedding hall, communal assistance and chesed operations, a Talmud Torah and kindergartens.

The ambitious complex is intended to serve both residents of the surrounding area and the thousands who regularly come to the Pnei Menachem community to learn Torah and hear shiurim and guidance from Rav Shaul Alter.

המעמד בקהילת הגר”ש אלתר (צילום: דניאל נפוסי)

המעמד בקהילת הגר”ש אלתר (צילום: דניאל נפוסי)

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המעמד בקהילת הגר”ש אלתר (צילום: דניאל נפוסי)

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המעמד בקהילת הגר”ש אלתר (צילום: דניאל נפוסי)

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המעמד בקהילת הגר”ש אלתר (צילום: דניאל נפוסי)

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{Matzav.ciom}

The IDF and Shin Bet announced Tuesday that they had eliminated Nael Abu Obeid, the commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade and a senior figure in the terror organization, in a targeted strike in the southern Gaza Strip. Abu Obeid also served as the head of Hamas’s operations array.

According to the Israeli security agencies, Abu Obeid took command of the Rafah Brigade following the elimination of his predecessor, Mohammed Shabana. Before assuming the position, Abu Obeid served in several senior roles, including deputy commander of the Rafah Brigade and commander of the Tel al-Sultan and Yabna battalions.

In his most recent position, Abu Obeid was responsible for overseeing Hamas terrorists in the Rafah area and directing plans for attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians. Israeli officials said he was also heavily involved in efforts to rebuild the Rafah Brigade after it suffered severe losses during the war.

Palestinian sources in Gaza reported that two people were killed, including an 8-year-old girl, and 14 others were wounded in three strikes targeting tents housing displaced Gazans in western Khan Yunis. According to those reports, two adjacent tents near the entrance to the Al-Sumoud camp were struck. The first explosion was reportedly caused by an explosive drone, followed by two missiles fired from an aircraft.

Abu Obeid was regarded as one of Hamas’s most powerful remaining figures in Gaza and had reportedly taken a leading role in the organization following the elimination of Mohammed Sinwar and later Shabana. Shabana was eliminated in a June 2025 strike in Khan Yunis together with Mohammed Sinwar, who at the time headed Hamas’s military wing.

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu responded to Abu Obeid’s elimination with a brief statement: “No terrorist is immune, and Hamas will not be in Gaza.”

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz also addressed the operation, saying: “The policy being led by the prime minister and myself, and which the IDF is implementing in the most professional and proper manner, is clear: We eliminate terrorists and remove threats, and do not attack civilians and uninvolved individuals — contrary to the blood libel spread by the creators of the film ‘Naza’ against our heroic soldiers. No terrorist is immune, and Hamas will not be in Gaza.”

The strike came amid an increasing pace of targeted operations against senior Hamas commanders. In recent days, the Shin Bet located Mohammed Yazouri, also known as Abu al-Haytham, the commander of Hamas’s Khan Yunis Brigade. He was eliminated while together with a company commander and another Hamas terrorist.

The IDF carried out five additional targeted eliminations on Monday, including the commander of Hamas’s Jabalia Battalion. In a joint announcement, the IDF and Shin Bet said: “During the night, the IDF and Shin Bet struck in the northern Gaza Strip and eliminated terrorist Ahmed Batash, commander of the Jabalia Battalion in the Northern Gaza Brigade of the military wing of the Hamas terrorist organization.”

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The first stage of the Federal Aviation Administration’s sweeping effort to modernize the nation’s aging air traffic control system is expected to cost $16 billion, billions more than Congress has provided for the project, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told lawmakers Tuesday.

Congress approved $12.5 billion last year for improvements to the air traffic control system, with $9 billion designated for modernization efforts and another $3.5 billion allocated for construction and upgrades to facilities.

“It’s costing $16 billion to do phase one,” Bedford said during testimony before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee.

Bedford said the FAA is covering the difference by drawing money from its existing facilities and equipment budget. Looking ahead, the agency is seeking at least another $10 billion from Congress to carry out the second phase of the modernization program, and Bedford urged lawmakers to provide those funds.

“The agency is working on scale-up to get ‌this done and get it done right,” Bedford said.

The warning came the same day the Government Accountability Office released a report finding that the FAA has not fully calculated the long-term cost of operating the new air traffic control system or established a sufficiently detailed schedule for completing the overhaul.

According to the GAO, the first phase encompasses more than 11,000 individual projects, which the FAA had previously estimated would cost $10.6 billion. Bedford noted that the agency had said last year that it would need between $15 billion and $16 billion for the initial phase, accounting for the funding gap.

Congress provided the modernization money amid longstanding concerns over the age of the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure, persistent airport congestion and flight delays, a shortage of controllers, and a series of technology failures that have highlighted weaknesses in the existing system.

One particularly costly component is the effort to replace antiquated telecommunications infrastructure. The projected price of those upgrades has risen by $4.75 billion, reaching $5.91 billion, according to the GAO. Bedford said the FAA intends to completely eliminate the outdated copper-wire telecommunications system by September 2027.

As part of the broader overhaul, the FAA selected Peraton, which is owned by Veritas Capital, in December to oversee the modernization initiative. The company was awarded a $1.5 billion contract for that role.

President Donald Trump sharply criticized the Biden-era FBI and former FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday following the release of new federal records concerning Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who attempted to assassinate Trump at his July 13, 2024, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump also alleged, without presenting evidence, that the shooting was part of a Democratic plot to remove him from the presidential race. Investigators have previously said they found no evidence that Crooks had co-conspirators or was acting at the direction of a political organization.

Trump accused the FBI under President Joe Biden and Wray of improperly handling the investigation and claimed that crucial material was no longer available by the time he returned to the White House.

“By the time I got into Office, on January 20th, most of the information was missing, altered, corrupted, or gone,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “New info was just found! Why wasn’t it seen long ago?”

Trump went further, alleging without offering evidence that the assassination attempt was “a Democrat Plot, to get me out of the Election, that failed.” Current FBI Director Kash Patel has said investigators found no evidence Crooks was working with anyone else.

During its initial investigation in 2024, the FBI similarly said it had uncovered no co-conspirators or individuals who had advance knowledge of Crooks’ plans.

Trump’s comments came as newly obtained federal records provided to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, offered additional details about Crooks and his activities leading up to the Butler attack. Grassley has been conducting an investigation into the assassination attempt.

According to the records, Crooks developed an increasingly intense interest in firearms and long-range shooting during the years before the attack.

His father, Matthew Crooks, told investigators that his son’s interest in guns began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crooks subsequently spent considerable time practicing and eventually became capable of accurately shooting at distances beyond 100 yards.

Matthew Crooks told investigators that on the morning of July 13, he gave his son the Panther Arms A-15 rifle that would later be used in the assassination attempt because he believed Crooks was headed to a shooting range.

The FBI had previously said Crooks’ father provided him with the rifle that afternoon under the impression that his son planned to go to the Sportsman’s Club.

Investigators determined that Crooks had practiced shooting at the club the day before the rally and had also conducted reconnaissance of the Butler rally grounds before carrying out the attack.

The newly reported records also indicate that Crooks used the name “Bob Dole” when making online purchases of firearms-related products and became increasingly focused on improving his shooting skills.

According to the records, Crooks’ father also described troubling behavior shortly before the attack, including seeing his son pacing and talking to himself while cleaning a firearm.

Crooks ultimately climbed onto a rooftop overlooking the rally and fired eight shots toward Trump. One bullet struck Trump in the ear, rally attendee Corey Comperatore was killed, and two other people were wounded. A Secret Service sniper then shot and killed Crooks.

The FBI opened investigations into both an attempted assassination and possible domestic terrorism following the attack.

Trump on Tuesday directed particular criticism at Wray, saying the former FBI director “should pay a price for the way he handled this assassination attempt.”

Wray had originally been nominated by Trump to serve as FBI director during Trump’s first administration. He resigned from the position before Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.

President Donald Trump’s administration has approved a massive $2.8 billion weapons sale to Israel that includes 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, according to a U.S. official cited by The New York Times, marking one of the largest transfers of heavy American munitions to Israel in recent years.

The package includes 20,000 MK-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, both weighing approximately 2,000 pounds. The Washington Post reported that the package also includes 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads, which are designed to penetrate hardened structures.

The $2.8 billion package is expected to be financed through U.S. military assistance provided to Israel rather than paid for directly with Israeli funds, according to the Washington Post. The proposed transfer has already been informally communicated to the congressional committees that review major foreign arms sales.

The enormous size of the package is notable even by the standards of the longstanding U.S.-Israel defense relationship. The Washington Post described it as the largest single sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel in recent years.

The MK-84 is a general-purpose bomb that can be used against buildings, fortified positions and other large targets. The BLU-117 is another 2,000-pound general-purpose bomb, while the I-2000 is a penetrator warhead intended for use against hardened targets.

Israel has used 2,000-pound bombs during military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Their use in densely populated areas has drawn criticism from some arms-control and human-rights experts because of the extensive blast damage such weapons can cause. Israel has repeatedly said that it targets terrorists and military infrastructure, does not deliberately target civilians, and takes measures intended to reduce civilian casualties.

“If Hezbollah or whoever is in a building, an MK-84 will bring down the whole building,” Trevor Ball, a former U.S. Army explosive-ordnance-disposal technician, told the Washington Post.

Brian Finucane, a former State Department lawyer who is now a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group, raised concerns about how the weapons could be employed.

“Given the way Israel conducted its air war in Gaza and, to some extent, in southern Lebanon, there are real concerns about how such weapons would be used in densely populated areas,” Finucane said.

“That’s assuming that you have valid military targets to start with because there are concerns about what Israel deems to be valid military targets,” he added.

The new package follows a separate $2.04 billion munitions sale approved by the Trump administration in February 2025. That earlier package included up to 35,529 MK-84 or BLU-117 bomb bodies, or a combination of the two, as well as 4,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads. At the time, the administration invoked emergency authority to bypass the normal congressional review period.

The Biden administration had temporarily halted a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel in 2024 amid concerns about their possible use in densely populated areas of Gaza. Trump lifted that restriction shortly after returning to the White House in January 2025, allowing the previously withheld weapons to be delivered.

The newly approved package comes amid continuing U.S. military backing for Israel and heightened regional fighting involving Iran and Iranian-backed forces. The United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, 2026, prompting Iranian strikes against Israel and Gulf states hosting American military installations.

The arms sale could still face scrutiny on Capitol Hill. Major foreign military sales are ordinarily submitted to Congress, where lawmakers have procedures available under the Arms Export Control Act to seek to block a transaction. Reuters reported that the $2.8 billion package had already been informally presented to the relevant congressional committees.

Asked about the pending transaction before reports emerged that Trump had approved it, a senior White House official told the Washington Post that “all foreign arms sales are moving through the appropriate process. We do not comment on pending sales.”