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President Donald Trump acknowledged that tensions surfaced during a recent phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, confirming reports that he sharply criticized Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon amid concerns that the fighting is hindering efforts to reach an agreement with Iran.

In an interview released Wednesday on The New York Post’s “Pod Force One,” Trump said he was frustrated by the continued conflict but emphasized that his relationship with Netanyahu remains strong despite the disagreement.

“We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him,” Trump told The New York Post’s “Pod Force One.”

Trump’s confirmation of the heated exchange comes as his administration faces mounting pressure to bring the Iran conflict to an end. Rising energy costs, economic uncertainty, and disruptions to international trade have become growing political concerns for Republicans ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, Trump declined to offer a firm timeline for when the conflict might be resolved. He also suggested that shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could continue for some time, though he expressed confidence that the situation would eventually improve.

“I don’t know. I mean, I think it could be (closed through Labor Day), but I think it’s unlikely. I think that we’ll have it. I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly,” Trump said.

The president reiterated that a central American objective remains preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and reopening the strategic waterway through which a significant portion of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies pass.

Trump also discussed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, saying he remains involved in efforts to negotiate an end to the war.

“They have a lot of respect for him,” Trump said in the interview with “Pod Force One.”

According to Trump, Khamenei continues to play a role in approving decisions despite reportedly suffering injuries in a previous airstrike.

“They say he’s giving approval because that’s the way it has been for a long, long time.”

While diplomatic activity continues, prospects for a lasting ceasefire remain uncertain as military operations in Lebanon show little sign of ending.

On Wednesday, an Israeli strike targeted a vehicle traveling along a major highway south of Beirut, just hours before a second round of negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese representatives was scheduled to take place in Washington.

The strike occurred in the town of Khaldeh without prior warning. Officials did not immediately confirm whether the individual targeted in the attack was killed. Israel has frequently stated that such operations are directed at Hezbollah operatives.

The attack came only days after Israel and Lebanon reached a U.S.-mediated understanding under which Israel agreed to refrain from striking Beirut’s southern suburbs while Hezbollah would halt attacks on northern Israel.

That agreement was announced shortly after Israel signaled plans for extensive operations near Beirut, which would have represented the most significant strikes in the area since a ceasefire formally took effect on April 17.

According to the State Department, negotiators made progress during Tuesday’s opening session. Lebanese officials are seeking a broader ceasefire covering all parts of the country, while Israel continues to insist that Hezbollah must be disarmed before Israeli forces end their operations and withdraw from southern Lebanon.

Shortly after the Khaldeh strike, the Israeli military reported intercepting what it described as a hostile aircraft launched from southern Lebanon. Officials did not immediately attribute the incident to Hezbollah, which has not publicly claimed responsibility for any cross-border attacks since the recent agreement was reached.

Meanwhile, Israeli military activity continued throughout southern Lebanon, particularly around the heavily damaged cities of Tyre and Nabatiyeh. Overnight strikes near Tyre reportedly killed four Syrian nationals and two Palestinians.

Israel also issued warnings to residents of Christian neighborhoods in Tyre, alleging that Hezbollah operatives were operating among the local population. Many Shiite residents had relocated to those areas in recent days after other coastal regions came under heavy bombardment.

Following the warning, the Lebanese Armed Forces deployed troops to the Christian district in an effort to demonstrate that Hezbollah maintains no military presence there and to discourage further Israeli attacks.

The current conflict began on March 2 after Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel in support of Iran. Israel responded with a military campaign that eventually expanded into a ground offensive in southern Lebanon.

Over the past week, Israeli forces have advanced deeper into Lebanese territory while Hezbollah has continued to announce rocket and drone attacks against Israeli targets.

The fighting has taken a heavy toll. Lebanese authorities report that 3,468 people have been killed and approximately 1.2 million displaced since the conflict began.

According to Netanyahu’s office, at least 27 Israeli soldiers and one defense contractor have been killed during operations in or near southern Lebanon. Two Israeli civilians have also lost their lives in attacks in northern Israel.

Among the latest casualties was an Israeli soldier whose death was announced Monday night. The military said seven additional soldiers were wounded in the same incident, including three who sustained serious injuries.

Israeli military officials have also cited Hezbollah’s growing use of fiber-optic-guided drones, which are difficult to detect and have posed a significant challenge to Israeli forces operating in the region.

{Matzav.com}

George Santos, the disgraced former New York congressman whose political career unraveled amid fraud convictions and expulsion from Congress, is now facing questions over his activity on online prediction markets, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The scrutiny reportedly centers on betting activity tied to a market offered by Kalshi that asked whether Santos would attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address earlier this year.

According to one source, Kalshi detected unusual trading patterns involving the market and launched an internal review. The platform allegedly concluded that the account responsible for the activity belonged to Santos.

The market attracted millions of dollars in wagers from users betting on whether various public figures would appear at the president’s address. Those listed reportedly included Santos, Barron Trump, hockey star Jack Hughes, and MAGA-aligned journalist Nick Shirley, whose reporting on a Minnesota fraud case drew widespread attention online.

Before the speech, Santos publicly indicated that he planned to attend. However, he ultimately did not appear at the event.

The source said Kalshi determined the account belonged to Santos, froze the account, and referred the matter to the Justice Department and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

A second source said the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the federal agency responsible for overseeing prediction markets, has opened an investigation into the matter.

CNN contacted Santos for comment. Kalshi declined to comment on the allegations.

The federal inquiry was first reported by NPR. In comments to NPR, Santos said he was unaware of any investigation involving insider trading allegations. NPR further reported that the Justice Department is also examining the matter. CNN subsequently sought comment from the department.

The latest controversy comes after Santos’ highly publicized criminal case. He had been serving a seven-year prison sentence after being convicted on aggravated identity theft and wire fraud charges tied to his 2022 congressional campaign. President Trump commuted his sentence last year, resulting in Santos spending fewer than three months behind bars.

The case also shines a spotlight on the rapid growth of prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket, which allow users to wager on a wide range of future events, from sporting contests and elections to entertainment outcomes.

These platforms operate under federal oversight and are regulated as commodity futures markets. However, critics argue that the industry’s explosive expansion has outpaced the regulatory framework governing it, prompting growing concern among lawmakers and state officials who believe additional safeguards may be needed.

{Matzav.com}

Tensions between the United States and Iran intensified overnight after American forces reportedly struck a Revolutionary Guards communications tower on Iran’s Qeshm Island, prompting Tehran to launch missiles and drones toward Kuwait and Bahrain in what it described as a retaliatory operation.

According to Iran’s Mehr News Agency, explosions were reported overnight on Qeshm Island. Shortly afterward, Kuwait’s military announced that its air-defense systems had been activated to intercept incoming missiles and hostile drones.

A short time later, air-raid sirens sounded in Bahrain amid what authorities believe was a missile attack launched from Iranian territory.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the missile and drone barrage directed toward Kuwait, saying the operation targeted American military installations in response to the earlier U.S. strike on Qeshm Island.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American forces successfully intercepted multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. According to the military, the strikes on Qeshm Island were conducted as acts of self-defense following Iranian attempts to carry out attacks elsewhere in the Middle East.

Iranian officials said the United States targeted a Revolutionary Guards communications tower located in the southern part of Qeshm Island.

“The American enemy attacked a communications tower belonging to the Revolutionary Guards in southern Qeshm Island using air-launched missiles,” the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement.

Iranian officials also claimed that their retaliatory operation struck American military facilities in the Gulf region.

“They struck an air force base and the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet in one of the countries in the region,” the Revolutionary Guards asserted.

The group further warned that additional attacks could follow if the confrontation continues.

“Any aggression will be met with a different and harsher response, and this has indeed been carried out.”

The exchange comes amid mounting friction between Washington and Tehran as President Donald Trump continues efforts to secure a new agreement with Iran while also facing domestic pressure related to energy prices and regional stability.

At the same time, reports have pointed to growing disagreements between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over policy toward Iran and the conflict in Lebanon, adding another layer of complexity to the regional crisis.

The latest Iranian attacks come at a particularly delicate moment, with the U.S. administration reportedly seeking to advance an interim arrangement with Tehran.

According to recent reports, Iranian officials are reviewing a new draft proposal submitted by the United States. However, Tehran is said to be maintaining a tough negotiating stance even as diplomatic efforts continue alongside the escalating military confrontation.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday establishing a new voluntary review framework that encourages artificial intelligence companies to submit advanced AI models for government evaluation before making them available to the public.

The measure calls on developers to provide their AI systems for federal review 30 days prior to launch, a shorter timeframe than what administration officials had initially considered.

According to Politico, the order represents a revised version of a proposal circulated last month that would have asked companies to participate in the review process 90 days before releasing new models. The president approved the updated policy after meeting with senior officials to discuss growing concerns surrounding AI safety and cybersecurity risks.

The executive order emphasizes both the strategic benefits and potential security challenges posed by increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence technologies.

“Advanced AI capabilities make our Nation stronger, but also introduce new national security considerations that require coordinated action across executive departments and agencies (agencies), and components. As these capabilities evolve, my Administration will continue to work closely with industry to ensure that the best and most secure technology is deployed rapidly to confront any and all threats to our country. We will continue to lead an America First cybersecurity effort that enhances both our national security and our global AI dominance.

“It is the policy of the United States to promote AI innovation and security by working collaboratively with the private sector to modernize government and private sector information systems and harden them against external threats; to protect American ingenuity and intellectual property from exploitation and theft by adversaries; and to cultivate America’s advanced AI-enabled capabilities.”

The administration had originally planned to move forward with the more expansive 90-day review requirement on May 21. However, that proposal was withdrawn just hours before it was scheduled to be signed.

Throughout Trump’s presidency, the administration has generally favored reducing regulatory obstacles for AI developers in an effort to maintain America’s competitive edge in the rapidly evolving technology sector. At the same time, officials have expressed growing concern about the security implications of increasingly powerful AI systems.

Those concerns have been heightened by reports that Anthropic’s Mythos AI model may possess capabilities that could threaten even highly sensitive computer networks, fueling calls for stronger safeguards while still allowing continued innovation.

{Matzav.com}

Although the 2026 tax season has ended, a number of Americans are still waiting for their federal tax refunds. For many of those taxpayers, however, their money could arrive in the coming weeks.

Federal officials projected that average refunds for the 2025 tax year would exceed $3,400, representing an increase of roughly 11 percent compared to the previous year. While that marked a notable rise, it fell short of claims by some administration officials that refunds would increase by as much as $1,000.

The timing of a refund depends largely on when a taxpayer submitted a return and whether it was filed electronically or on paper.

According to the IRS, most taxpayers who submit returns electronically receive refunds within approximately 21 days. Those who mail paper returns often face longer processing times, and any errors, corrections, or amended filings can further extend the wait.

As a result, taxpayers who filed by the standard April 15 deadline generally should have received their refunds already.

There are exceptions, however, and some groups of taxpayers remain in the processing pipeline.

Among those most likely to receive refunds in June are filers who submitted returns in May, either because they obtained filing extensions or because the IRS granted additional time in areas affected by natural disasters.

The IRS routinely extends tax deadlines for communities impacted by severe weather and other emergencies. For example, residents affected by storms, flooding, and the “remnants of Typhoon Halong” in parts of Alaska last October were given until May 1, 2026, to file returns and make certain payments that had originally been due before October 8, 2025.

Additional May 1 extensions applied to taxpayers affected by storms and flooding in Montana, as well as those impacted by “severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides” in parts of Washington state. Similar relief deadlines continue to affect certain taxpayers in Mississippi, Hawaii, and Georgia.

Another category of taxpayers who may finally see refunds arrive this month includes those whose payments were delayed because they failed to provide required banking information.

Earlier this year, Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee disclosed that thousands of taxpayers had received notices informing them that their refunds were being held up. In some cases, the delays lasted “more than 2 months” because the IRS lacked the necessary banking details needed to issue payments electronically.

The IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service previously cautioned taxpayers that refunds could be placed on hold if direct-deposit information was missing. Those refunds generally remain frozen until taxpayers either provide the required information or choose to receive a paper check instead.

Many affected individuals have already received IRS notices directing them to update or verify their banking information through the agency’s website. Others may simply be issued paper refund checks after a waiting period of approximately six weeks.

Lawmakers have warned that taxpayers relying on mailed checks could face significantly longer delays.

In a letter earlier this year, Reps. Danny K. Davis of Illinois and Terri A. Sewell of Alabama noted that taxpayers receiving paper checks “could face more than a 10-week delay (over 2 1/2 months).”

For taxpayers who filed closer to the April deadline and later encountered processing issues, those extended timelines could mean that their long-awaited refunds may not arrive until sometime this month.

Your tax return will still be processed, even if you did not include banking information, the IRS said. You can find more details, including how to receive assistance by phone, here.

You can track your refund’s status with the IRS’s Where’s My Refund? Tool. If you filed electronically, your refund status is available within 24 hours. If you filed a paper return, it takes four weeks for your status to appear.

{Matzav.com}

The Social Security Administration announced Tuesday that it plans to finish phasing out paper benefit checks during 2026, advancing a government-wide effort to shift federal payments entirely to electronic methods.

Officials are urging beneficiaries who still receive checks through the mail to switch immediately to either direct deposit or a government-backed prepaid debit card to prevent any interruption in future payments.

The initiative is part of a broader federal modernization effort launched through Executive Order 14247, titled “Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account,” which President Donald Trump signed on March 25, 2025.

Under the order, the Treasury Department was instructed to end the use of paper checks for nearly all federal payments by September 30, 2025. The directive applies to programs including Social Security benefits, Veterans Affairs payments, and federal tax refunds issued by the IRS.

Administration officials have argued that eliminating paper checks will reduce fraud, lower administrative expenses, and decrease problems associated with lost or undeliverable mail.

Although the September 2025 deadline formally ended routine issuance of federal paper checks, Social Security has continued serving a small group of recipients who have not yet transitioned to electronic payment methods while encouraging them to make the change.

According to agency data released last year, fewer than one percent of the approximately 70 million people receiving Social Security benefits were still being paid by paper check.

In a blog post published Tuesday, the agency cited Treasury Department statistics showing that producing and mailing a paper check costs an average of $3.07, approximately twenty times the cost of sending an electronic payment. The agency also noted that paper checks are sixteen times more likely to be lost, stolen, altered, or returned than digital transactions.

Federal officials have estimated that maintaining the infrastructure required to support paper payments cost taxpayers more than $657 million during fiscal year 2024.

Recipients who wish to enroll in direct deposit can do so through their online my Social Security account or by providing their banking information directly to the agency.

Individuals without traditional bank accounts can instead receive benefits through the Treasury Department’s Direct Express program by calling 1-800-967-6857 or visiting GoDirect.gov.

The government said exemptions remain available for certain beneficiaries who face significant barriers to electronic banking. Those living in remote locations, lacking banking access, or experiencing documented hardships may seek a waiver through the U.S. Treasury by calling 1-877-874-6347.

As of Tuesday, Social Security had not announced the exact date when the final paper benefit check will be issued, stating only that it expects all remaining beneficiaries to complete the transition sometime during 2026.

The move mirrors similar efforts across the federal government. In recent months, agencies including the Labor Department, Justice Department, and Internal Revenue Service have issued their own guidance outlining how they will comply with the Treasury’s mandate to eliminate paper payments.

{Matzav.com}