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A Republican congressman known for his strong support of Israel has introduced a resolution urging the United States to end its annual military aid package to Israel and replace it with a new arrangement under which Israel would purchase American defense equipment using its own resources. The proposal has received the backing of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana unveiled the measure on Wednesday, calling for negotiations on a new memorandum of understanding that would gradually move the U.S.-Israel defense relationship away from direct aid and toward a framework based on arms purchases funded by Israel.

The proposal seeks to replace the current 10-year agreement that provides Israel with $38 billion in military assistance through 2028. Rep. Abe Hamadeh of Arizona has joined Stutzman in supporting the initiative.

According to Stutzman, he personally presented a draft of the resolution to Netanyahu during a 45-minute meeting at the prime minister’s office in Yerushalayim on May 27. Hamadeh also attended the meeting.

“I like it,” Netanyahu replied after reading, according to Stutzman.

“This is the direction I’ve been wanting to go for a long time,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu later reinforced that position in a letter sent Monday expressing support for the effort. In the letter, he wrote that Israel remains grateful for American military assistance but believes the relationship has reached a new stage.

Israel, he wrote, “appreciates the financial component of the military aid” but that “the time has now arrived for us to move from aid recipient to partner.”

Supporters of the proposal stress that it does not call for an abrupt termination of military cooperation. Instead, it envisions replacing direct aid with a trade-based defense partnership while maintaining extensive strategic collaboration between the two countries.

Additional forms of cooperation could continue under joint defense programs, including discussions surrounding provisions in the next National Defense Authorization Act that would expand cooperation in weapons development and military technology.

During the Jerusalem meeting, Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s desire for greater self-sufficiency while preserving its close alliance with the United States.

“We want to stand on our own feet,” Netanyahu told the lawmakers in Jerusalem, language the prime minister has used publicly for months.

Stutzman argued that changing the structure of the relationship would address shifting attitudes in the United States and help strengthen public support for the alliance.

“A lot of taxpayers don’t even like foreign aid altogether, but there’s a lot of questions around why are we giving Israel $3.8 billion a year under the MOU,” he said.

The congressman said the proposal would demonstrate that Israel is a capable strategic partner rather than a nation dependent on American assistance.

The goal, he added, is to signal “to the rest of the world that Israel is not just leaning on America,” and that “even though we will have a strong partnership with them going forward, it’ll look different.”

Stutzman said he has already discussed the idea with the White House, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office, senators, and AIPAC, and reported a generally favorable reception.

He described the response as “very much an openness to the dialogue.”

Recent developments suggest that the proposal is gaining traction among some policymakers. Earlier this week, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee publicly referenced a future arrangement based on trade rather than aid.

In a post on X, Huckabee wrote that the “New MOU w/ Israel ends aid & will be based on trade,” marking the first public confirmation by an American official that such a framework is being discussed.

The debate comes as public opinion toward Israel has become more divided in the United States. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in spring 2026 found that 60 percent of American adults view Israel unfavorably, compared to 53 percent a year earlier. Among Republicans under age 50, 57 percent expressed negative views.

Hamadeh praised the proposal, saying it reflects the evolution of the U.S.-Israel alliance into a more equal partnership.

The relationship, he said, is “moving towards true collaboration as strategic partners.”

The resolution itself would not immediately change existing policy. As a nonbinding measure, it serves primarily as a statement of congressional intent and would not alter the current military aid agreement, which remains in effect through 2028.

Police have arrested two additional suspects accused of throwing stones and other objects from the roof of a Yerushalayim hotel at demonstrators affiliated with Peleg Yerushalmi during a protest earlier this week.

The arrests mark a significant development in an ongoing investigation into the incident, which drew widespread attention after footage surfaced showing objects being hurled at protesters marching on a nearby roadway.

Earlier in the week, police arrested a security guard employed at the hotel who is suspected of facilitating access to the roof for those involved in the attack.

Investigators from the Moriah police station continued gathering evidence and eventually identified two additional suspects—a 20-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man, both residents of eastern Yerushalayim.

According to police, the pair are believed to be the individuals seen in video footage throwing stones and other objects at demonstrators below.

The investigation included reviewing videos circulated on social media, collecting witness testimony, and examining evidence gathered from the scene.

According to police, footage obtained during the investigation allegedly shows hotel employees throwing objects from the rooftop while the armed security guard, who had already been arrested, stood nearby without intervening or attempting to stop the incident.

The three suspects are expected to appear Wednesday before the Yerushalayim Magistrate’s Court, where police will seek an extension of their detention as the investigation continues.

Authorities said they remain committed to fully investigating the incident and pursuing legal action against all individuals found to have been involved.

Earlier this week, the Yerushalayim Magistrate’s Court granted a police request to extend the detention of the hotel security guard by three days.

Investigators believe the guard, who was employed as an armed security officer at the hotel, accompanied other workers to the roof and played a role in enabling the incident.

According to the allegations, he used his authority to unlock the secured rooftop access door, effectively allowing the other suspects to reach the roof.

Police contend that despite his responsibility to maintain order and security, the guard failed to prevent the attack, did not stop the individuals involved, and did not notify the appropriate authorities about what was taking place.

{Matzav.com}

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}