Feed aggregator

A massive explosion echoed across northern Israel on Sunday evening as the IDF demolished one of Hezbollah’s largest and most heavily fortified underground terrorist installations in southern Lebanon. The sprawling tunnel complex, described by the military as one of Hezbollah’s most significant strategic assets, contained hundreds of weapons, approximately 80 tons of explosives, launch shafts, drones, and other military equipment intended for attacks against Israel.

Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisroel Katz announced that the operation, dubbed “Operation Closing Verse,” targeted Hezbollah’s underground infrastructure near the southern Lebanese village of Majdal Zoun. They said the mission dealt a significant blow to the terrorist organization while reaffirming Israel’s determination to continue eliminating threats along its northern border.

According to the Israeli leaders, the underground network stretched for more than 200 meters and reached a depth exceeding 25 meters beneath the surface. The facility housed hundreds of weapons and multiple launch shafts aimed at Israeli territory and civilian communities.

The IDF later revealed additional details about the sophisticated complex. Beyond its four launch shafts, the tunnel contained 12 fortified rooms that served as terrorist living quarters and weapons storage facilities. Reinforced blast doors had also been installed throughout the underground network in an effort to protect the site from military attack.

Troops discovered dozens of dismantled drones, aircraft components, explosive warheads, and approximately 80 tons of explosives inside the complex. Military officials said the tunnel represented one of Hezbollah’s most important strategic assets in the sector and had been constructed using technology and engineering expertise supplied by the Iranian regime.

During the operation, Israeli forces eliminated more than 20 Hezbollah terrorists in the area, including approximately ten members of the organization’s elite Radwan Force.

Netanyahu and Katz also disclosed that Israel informed the United States and the U.S. envoy to Lebanon in advance of the operation.

“IDF commanders and troops will remain in the southern Lebanon security zone and will continue to destroy terror infrastructure, eliminate threats to northern communities, and ensure the safety of Israel’s citizens,” the military said in a statement.

The IDF said troops from the 551st Brigade Combat Team, together with elite Yahalom combat engineers operating under the 91st Division, located and destroyed the underground complex during ongoing operations inside the security zone.

Ahead of the controlled detonation, regional councils across the Western and Upper Galilee alerted residents that an unusually powerful explosion would be heard as the IDF completed the destruction of Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure.

Military officials also warned that the force of the blast could activate independent earthquake detection systems that are not connected to the Home Front Command’s warning network.

In a message distributed to residents before the explosion, authorities wrote: “Due to the sheer force of the blast, local, independent earthquake alerts—which are not connected to Home Front Command systems—may be triggered. There is no danger to residents in the north.”

The controlled blast was heard across wide areas of northern Israel, marking the destruction of what the IDF described as one of Hezbollah’s largest and most strategically important underground military installations along the Lebanese border.

{Matzav.com}

The French Jewish community, both in Eretz Yisroel and throughout the Diaspora, is mourning the passing of Rav Ron Chaya zt”l, one of the most influential figures in French-speaking kiruv and harbotzas Torah, who was niftar at the age of 67 after suffering a stroke several weeks ago.

Rav Chaya, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Yeshuos Yosef in Yerushalayim, had been hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in recent weeks following the stroke. His condition deteriorated significantly during the day and he was niftar overnight.

Widely regarded as one of the foremost mekarvei rechokim among French Jewry, Rav Chaya devoted decades of his life to bringing thousands of Jews closer to Torah and Yiddishkeit. Through his inspiring lectures, infectious joy, and deep love for every Jew, he transformed countless lives, helping thousands of individuals and families reconnect with their heritage.

His unique speaking style earned him an enormous following throughout France, Israel, and beyond. Rav Chaya was known for presenting the timeless truths of the Torah with passion, clarity, and conviction, never hesitating to publicly articulate the Torah’s perspective, regardless of prevailing public opinion.

Over the course of many decades, he produced thousands of talmidim and played a pivotal role in spreading Torah throughout the French-speaking Jewish world. His influence extended far beyond the walls of his yeshivah, reaching communities across Europe and Israel.

Among those paying tribute was his former student, Knesset member Yossi Taieb, who mourned the loss of his revered mentor.

“The Torah mourns tonight. It is with profound sorrow that I learned of the passing of one of the greatest benefactors of the French Jewish community, our teacher Rav Ron Chaya, zt”l.

“Rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Yeshuos Yosef, the rav educated thousands of students and brought them closer to the Creator.

“Over the years, I merited to seek his counsel, appreciate the depth of his Torah wisdom, and receive his blessing.

“The rav, of blessed memory, welcomed everyone with a radiant smile, humility, selfless devotion, and love for every Jew.

“‘And the entire House of Israel shall weep over the burning that Hashem has kindled.'”

The levayah is scheduled to take place on Monday at 12:00 p.m. at Yeshivas Yeshuos Yosef on Chizkiyahu Shabtai Street in the Ramot Daled neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

Tehei nishmaso tzrurah bitzror hachaim.

{Matzav.com}

Following an intensive international effort spanning several days, the body of Reb Akiva Rand z”l, the young avreich who was killed in a tragic automobile accident in Moldova last week, arrived in Israel. The successful transfer of his remains brought a measure of relief to his grieving family and the hundreds of Tchernobyler chassidim who had anxiously awaited the outcome of an extraordinary campaign to preserve the kavod hameis.

Behind the scenes, a complex diplomatic and legal battle unfolded immediately after news of the tragedy reached Israel. The operation was led by Chabad shluchim Reb Mendy Axelrod and Reb Schneur Tiefenbrun. Also involved were the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Israel’s embassy in Moldova, and ZAKA’s International Unit, who all mobilized to assist the family during their darkest hours while working tirelessly to ensure that the niftar would be brought to kever Yisroel without delay.

At the same time, Reb Mendy Axelrod and Reb Schneur Tiefenbrun, and ZAKA’s International Unit, engaged in an intense legal and diplomatic struggle with Moldovan authorities and the country’s judicial system. Despite an initial insistence by local officials that an autopsy be performed, the askanim ultimately succeeded, through persistent efforts, in securing the release of the body without any postmortem examination.

Volunteers remained at the crash scene for many hours, carefully tending to every aspect of the recovery with the utmost respect and dignity. They meticulously gathered all necessary remains and evidence to ensure that Reb Akiva would receive a proper Jewish burial.

Hundreds of chassidim, relatives, and friends accompanied him on his final journey during the levayah, which departed shortly after midnight from the Tchernobyler beis medrash on Rechov Tuval in Yerushalayim. He was laid to rest on Har HaMenuchos.

The fatal accident occurred last Wednesday while Reb Akiva was traveling with a group of chassidim to Moldova to visit the resting place of the tzaddik, Rav Yechiel Heshel of Krylovitz, whose yahrtzeit had been observed the previous week. While driving near Kishinev, Reb Akiva apparently lost control of his vehicle, which veered off the roadway and plunged into a deep ravine. Local emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene, while the other passengers were injured and transported to a nearby hospital.

Friends and acquaintances recalled another painful dimension of the tragedy. For many years, Reb Akiva and his wife longed for children, pouring out countless tefillos before finally being blessed, through Heaven’s mercy, with three young children. Those three children have now been left orphaned by the devastating loss of their devoted father.

Tehei nishmaso tzrurah bitzror hachaim.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked fresh controversy on Sunday after saying he does not support Israel’s identity as a Jewish state and accusing Israel of using billions of dollars in American military aid to violate international law and kill civilians.

Speaking during an interview with ABC News, Mamdani was asked whether he supports Israel’s definition as a Jewish state. He responded, “I think any state that privileges one religion over another is a state that I cannot tell you I support, whether it be Israel, Saudi Arabia or anywhere else.” He added, “I’ve said time and again that I support the state of Israel as a state with equal rights.”

Zohran Mamdani to ABC News:

I've said time and again that I support the state of Israel as a state with equal rights.

I believe that any state that privileges one religion over the other is one that I can't tell you I support, whether it be Israel or Saudi Arabia or anywhere… pic.twitter.com/Rica4Fi05I

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 28, 2026

Mamdani also criticized continued U.S. military assistance to Israel, arguing that Democratic voters are increasingly opposed to the policy.

“We’ve seen Democrats turn out in droves in districts across this city to make clear that they are tired of tens of billions of dollars of our taxpayer money going to violate international law, to kill thousands of civilians,” he said.

Asked whether there is still room within the Democratic Party for lawmakers who support military aid to Israel, Mamdani declined to answer directly and instead argued that party leaders should follow the will of Democratic voters.

“I think what we’ve seen is that it’s time for us as elected officials to stop declaring what the party should be, but instead we should allow Democratic voters themselves to take the lead,” he said.

He also addressed the ongoing conflict involving Israel and the Palestinians, saying, “You and I know that right now the way Palestine is described is as though there is a ceasefire—that’s the language that’s generally used. More than a thousand Palestinians have been killed in this ‘ceasefire.’ What New Yorkers want to see is a politics of conscience, a politics of clarity, a politics of deep conviction. To act according to international law, to believe in the humanity of all people—that should not be too much to ask, and I think our party needs to listen to what Democrats are saying.”

Israel’s Consul General in New York, Ofir Akunis, sharply rejected Mamdani’s remarks.

“No one needs your recognition of Israel,” Akunis said. “If you knew a little history, instead of inciting and spreading hatred all day, you would know that Israel’s Declaration of Independence guaranteed full equality for all its citizens—and that has been the reality since the day our state was established.”

Akunis also warned that rhetoric such as Mamdani’s contributes to the rise in antisemitism across the United States.

“The surge in antisemitism across America is the result of ignorance and a lack of knowledge, combined with a fundamental hatred of the Jewish people,” he said. “I warn once again that Mamdani’s inciting words will end in very serious and violent acts against Jewish communities in the city and against the Israelis who live there.”

{Matzav.com}

A heated debate erupted Sunday during a Knesset House Committee meeting on the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study after MK Yitzchok Goldknopf of United Torah Judaism made remarks about military draft evasion, prompting angry interruptions from fellow lawmakers.

Addressing the committee, Goldknopf challenged the discussion surrounding draft evaders, declaring, “I heard here some poignant things that I never dreamed I’d have to talk about. I’m sure that the draft dodgers you’re talking about are the draft dodgers who live in Tel Aviv.”

His comments immediately drew fierce criticism from other members of the committee, several of whom interrupted his speech, shouting, “Shame on you, what nonsense!”

Goldknopf went on to explain that he was referring to individuals who receive military exemptions through special arrangements connected to “receive legal permission from Habima (performing arts theater), or from basketball, or soccer.” Committee members quickly pushed back, pointing out that even professional athletes serve in the IDF.

Later in the discussion, Goldknopf emphasized what he described as the indispensable role of Torah study in the existence of the Jewish state.

“We certainly appreciate all those who stand on the front and all those who choose this path, but there is no and would not be a Land of Israel without the Torah of Israel, and we all know this.”

He concluded by underscoring the longstanding tradition of uninterrupted Torah learning, saying, “there are great sages, there are instructions from generations back on how the Torah must be studied in the Land of Israel and how it must be studied around the world.” He added, “We live in a world with so many countries, I don’t know of any where they arrested someone who studied the Torah or prevented someone from studying the Torah.”

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. dollar has climbed back above the 3-shekel mark for the first time since late April, reversing months of shekel strength amid weakness in global AI and semiconductor stocks, heightened regional tensions, and growing expectations that the Bank of Israel will soon cut interest rates.

According to a report by N12, the shift in the currency markets has been driven by a combination of factors, including a sharp decline in technology shares worldwide, rising security concerns in the region, and forecasts that the Bank of Israel will lower its benchmark interest rate again next week.

One of the primary reasons for the shekel’s strong performance in recent months had been a steady inflow of U.S. dollars from major technology companies operating in Israel. A report by Leader Capital Markets noted that Mellanox, Nvidia’s Israeli subsidiary, exports products on a large scale and regularly converts substantial amounts of dollars into shekels to pay taxes in Israel—a process that strengthens the local currency.

That trend, however, reversed last week. The global SOX semiconductor index fell by approximately 8%, while weakness spread throughout AI-related stocks in markets across Asia and Israel. Tel Aviv’s Technology Index dropped 2.47% on Friday, with the technology sector’s decline contributing to the weakening of the shekel.

The Israeli currency also lost ground against a broader basket of foreign currencies, suggesting that geopolitical concerns are playing a significant role. Ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran, the security situation in Lebanon, and fears of continued regional instability have prompted investors to demand a higher risk premium for holding shekels.

For Israeli consumers, a stronger dollar is most noticeable in expenses tied to the U.S. currency, including airline tickets, overseas vacations, purchases from international online retailers, and certain imported goods. The impact on retail prices within Israel, however, is not expected to be immediate and will depend largely on importers’ pricing policies and future currency movements.

Attention is now turning to next week’s interest-rate decision by the Bank of Israel. Many economists expect the central bank to lower its benchmark rate by a quarter of a percentage point, from 3.75% to 3.5%. At the same time, the recent rise in the dollar could make policymakers more cautious, since a weaker shekel tends to increase import costs and place additional upward pressure on inflation.

Beyond the rate announcement itself, investors will be closely watching the Bank of Israel’s updated economic outlook. Markets are eager to see whether the central bank signals a clear path toward additional rate cuts or opts for a more cautious approach in light of ongoing security uncertainty, the government’s budget deficit, and continued volatility in financial markets.

{Matzav.com}