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Sinaloa Bloodshed: 20 Slain, Decapitated Corpses Displayed in Drug Cartel Turf War

Yeshiva World News -

Four decapitated bodies were found hanging from a bridge in the capital of western Mexico’s Sinaloa state on Monday, part of a surge of cartel violence that killed 20 people in less than a day, authorities said. A bloody war for control between two factions of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel has turned the city of Culiacan into an epicenter of cartel violence since the conflict exploded last year between the two groups: Los Chapitos and La Mayiza. Dead bodies appear scattered across Culiacán on a daily basis, homes are riddled with bullets, businesses shutter and schools regularly close down during waves of violence. Masked young men on motorcycles watch over the main avenues of the city. On Monday, Sinaloa state prosecutors said that four bodies were found dangling from the freeway bridge leading out of the city, their heads in a nearby plastic bag. On the same highway Monday, officials said they found 16 more male victims with gunshot wounds, packed into a white van, one of whom was decapitated. Authorities said the bodies were left with a note, apparently from one of the cartel factions, though the note’s contents were not immediately disclosed. Feliciano Castro, Sinaloa government spokesperson, condemned the violent killings on Monday and said authorities needed to examine their strategy for tackling organized crime with the “magnitude” of the violence seen. “Military and police forces are working together to reestablish total peace in Sinaloa,” Castro said. Most in the western Mexico state, however, say authorities have lost control of the violence levels. A bloody power struggle erupted in September last year between two rival factions, pushing the city to a standstill. The war for territorial control was triggered by the dramatic kidnapping of the leader of one of the groups by a son of notorious capo Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán who then delivered him to U.S. authorities via a private plane. Since then, intense fighting between the heavily armed factions has become the new normal for civilians in Culiacan, a city which for years avoided the worst of Mexico’s violence in large part because the Sinaloa Cartel maintained such complete control. In southeast Mexico on Monday, a priest was shot leaving his home in Villahermosa, Tabasco. The Tabasco Diocese said in a statement that Rev. Héctor Alejandro Pérez had been on his way to visit someone who was ill when he was shot. The diocese said Pérez lost a lot of blood and had internal injuries putting him in “very serious” condition. (AP)

Netanyahu Confirms Meeting with Trump in DC Next Week

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Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu confirmed on Tuesday that he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump and other senior officials in Washington next week.

The invitation from Trump “followed the great victory we achieved in ‘Operation Rising Lion’” against Iran, Netanyahu said during a Cabinet meeting. “Capitalizing on success is no less important than achieving it.”

Netanyahu said he is also scheduled to meet with Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State and acting White House National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff.

“We have a few matters to finalize beforehand to reach a trade agreement, in addition to other issues,” Netanyahu said of his planned meeting with Lutnick. “There will also be meetings with congressional and Senate leaders, as well as security meetings, that I will not detail here.”

According to Israel’s Ynet news outlet, Netanyahu is expected to depart for Washington on Sunday, ahead of a meeting with Trump at the White House the next day. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Bnei Brak Posek: “This Is Why A School In Pardes Katz Was Hit By A Missile”

Yeshiva World News -

The Rav of the Divrei Shir shul in Bnei Brak, the esteemed posek Rav Yehuda Aryeh Dinner, addressed the Iranian missile strike on Bnei Brak in a shiur he gave and revealed the reason for the direct hit. “To add to the chessed we experienced last week,” the Rav began, “I heard yesterday that you can see how everything is precise from Hakodash Baruch Hu—every explosion, every bomb, every missile—precise, precise.” “They said that the school in Pardes Katz, on which the missile fell, I heard in the name of the Mashgiach of Tifereta, Harav Noach, HaRav HaTzaddik Rav Noah Palay shlita—that he said that the laying of concrete for that building about 40 years ago was on Shabbos.” “The casting of that building was on Shabbos—that’s it, so that’s the answer. When there is Chillul Shabbos, there is no protection; there is no protection, my friends, everything is precise.” Rav Dinner continued by saying, “My son Rav Ze’ev shlita, told me that he met an American Jew who told him that during the Gulf War, over 30 years ago, his parents really, really wanted him to return to America. “He went to HaRav Shach, who told him, ‘Stay here.’ His parents pressed him a lot, he returned to America. After the war he returned here and went to HaRav Shach and said, ‘Rebbi, I was there, I  learned Torah there the entire time.” “HaRav Shach answered him, ‘I’m not satisfied with that. I knew you would study all the time. Surely you had Torah all the time, but if you had stayed here, you would have had both Torah and kirvas Elokim. You missed out on the kirvas Elokim that we felt.” “We really felt it now, my friends; these days we felt the Kirvas Elokim. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Matzav Inbox: Gevirim of Brooklyn: A Call for Affordable Chasunahs

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To our esteemed Gevirim and Community Leaders of Brooklyn,

I write to you with great admiration and respect, aware of the many ways in which you have supported and sustained our kehilla with generosity, leadership, and vision. Your dedication to Klal Yisroel — in Torah, chesed, and communal growth — has built institutions, supported families, and shaped the future of generations.

Recently, a remarkable initiative was launched in Lakewood: two new wedding halls, Ateres Blima and Ateres Esther, were established to directly address the crushing financial burden so many families face when marrying off children. These halls offer an elegant, all-inclusive simcha package — hall, catering, music, photography, flowers, and more — for just $13,000. The vision is not simply affordability, but a shift in expectations, a reset that prioritizes simcha, dignity, and achrayus over pressure and excess.

The results speak for themselves. Seventy-five weddings have already been booked. The halls are beautiful, efficient, and designed with the community in mind. More than that — they represent hope. They say to a struggling family: “You can make a chasunah without debt. You can celebrate without shame.”

And here is the question we must now ask:

If such a project is possible in Lakewood — and if it is being led, funded, and driven by gevirim from Brooklyn — why can’t we build the same in Brooklyn itself?

Why should Brooklyn families continue to face overwhelming simcha costs, while the very solution being praised in Lakewood remains out of reach for us here? The need is no less urgent in Brooklyn. The numbers are no less staggering. The impact would be just as powerful — and perhaps even more so, given the size and diversity of our neighborhoods.

The community respectfully urges our community leaders and donors to come together and bring this vision to life in Brooklyn. We already have the model. We already have the people. What we need now is the will.

Let us be the generation that changed the trajectory — that made weddings manageable, beautiful, and filled with real simcha. Let us act with foresight, with compassion, and with responsibility.

With heartfelt hope,

Y.R.B

 To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com

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U.S., Mexico to Resume Cattle Imports in July After Screwworm Scare

Yeshiva World News -

Mexico and the United States said they would gradually reopen the United States border to cattle imports from Mexico in July after U.S. agriculture officials suspended them in May over fears of the northward spread of the screwworm, agriculture officials in both countries said Monday. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said via X that “key progress” had been made. She noted that more than 100 million sterile flies were being dispersed weekly and there had been no northward spread in eight weeks. The U.S. restricted Mexican cattle shipments in late November following the detection of the pest, but lifted the ban in February after protocols were put in place to evaluate the animals prior to entry into the country. But after an “unacceptable northward advancement” of the screwworm, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement it was suspending them again in May. Mexico Agriculture and Rural Development Secretary Julio Berdegué said he participated in a virtual meeting with Rollins Monday and that the border opening would begin July 7. Rollins and Berdegué applauded the close cooperation between both governments. The screwworm is a larva of the Cochliomyia hominivorax fly that can invade the tissues of any warm-blooded animal, including humans. The parasite enters the skin, causing serious and life-threatening damage and lesions. (AP)

Trump: Expect Gaza Ceasefire Sometime Next Week

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President Donald Trump said he plans to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the White House next week, where the two will cover a number of key topics, including the recently concluded military confrontation with Iran and the continuing conflict in Gaza.

Trump mentioned that he anticipates a ceasefire in Gaza will be reached in the coming days and emphasized his continued desire to see all hostages freed.

“He’s coming here. We’re gonna talk about a lot of things. We’re going to talk about the great success we had [in Iran]. I mean, we had an incredible success, like nobody’s had in many years. That was a precision warstrike — and the word ‘obliteration’ can now be used, because the Atomic Energy Commission said you can’t even get into the place. It was demolished,” Trump said.

He continued, “We’re also going to talk about Gaza. We want to get the rest – we got a lot of hostages back, but we’re going to talk about Gaza.”

Netanyahu confirmed the visit during the opening of his Cabinet session on Tuesday, saying he will be heading to Washington to hold strategic talks in light of Israel’s achievements in Operation Rising Lion.

“I am due to leave next week for meetings in the US with US President Donald Trump,” Netanyahu said, noting that his itinerary also includes meetings with Vice President Vance, Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and the President’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Additional meetings are expected with the Commerce Secretary, key figures from Congress and the Senate, and other high-level security officials.

Trump had already indicated days earlier that negotiations for a truce in Gaza were progressing. During a press interaction on Friday, he remarked, “I think it’s close. I just spoke with some of the people involved. It’s a terrible situation that’s going on in Gaza, and we think within the next week, we’re going to get a ceasefire.”

{Matzav.com}

Trump Says He’ll Have to ‘Take a Look’ at Deporting Musk

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President Donald Trump said he would look into deporting billionaire Elon Musk in response to a question about the ally-turned-critic of his signature tax and spending legislation.

“I don’t know,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday when asked if he would deport the South African-born entrepreneur and US citizen, before adding that “we’ll have to take a look.”

The president’s comments are the latest salvo in a renewed feud between Trump and the world’s richest person, who has ramped up his criticism of a Republican tax bill that expedites the end of a consumer credit for electric vehicle purchases. Musk is the CEO of electric carmaker Tesla Inc., whose shares weaken more than 4% in premarket trading.

Trump has attributed Musk’s opposition to the bill to elimination of subsidies that his many business ventures benefit from. Earlier Tuesday, Trump took to social media, threatening to withdraw subsidies from Musk’s companies, a warning he reiterated to reporters.

The president said Musk was “losing his EV mandate” and added that “Elon could lose a lot more than that.”

The EV mandate generally is a reference to a suite of fuel economy standards and tailpipe-pollution limits that effectively compel automakers to sell an increasing number of electric models.

The administration has moved to unwind those policies, which are untouched by the measure pending in the Senate. However, the tax-and-spending measure would end a tax credit for individual electric vehicle purchases that has helped boost EV sales.

Musk has lambasted the Republican legislation, calling it an “insane spending bill” and threatened to help create a third political party in the US. He has denied, however, that his opposition is based on preserving government subsidies for his companies.

Musk threw his support behind Trump in the 2024 election and went on to serve as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency effort that worked to slash the federal government’s workforce and responsibilities before departing in late May.

The two had a public falling out over Musk’s criticisms of the tax bill, trading insults on social media. While that fight appeared to have cooled, Musk in recent days has posted repeated attacks on the legislation, reigniting their fight.

“We might have to put DOGE on Elon,” Trump said about the federal cost-cutting effort. “DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible?”

(c) 2025 , Bloomberg · Skylar Woodhouse and Akayla Gardner 

{Matzav.com}

Senate Remains Stuck On Trump’s Tax Cuts Bill After Voting All Night

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Senate Republicans are struggling to pass President Donald Trump’s massive tax and immigration bill, with GOP leaders still scrambling to secure 50 votes after a marathon overnight voting session that, by Tuesday morning, appeared to bring the bill no closer to final passage.

Trump has demanded that Congress send the bill – his top legislative priority – to his desk by July 4, but that deadline seemed to be slipping from reach Tuesday. Even if the Senate passes the $3.3 trillion bill, House Republicans would still need to overcome their divisions and pass it again before Trump can sign it.

The bill would raise the debt limit, which Congress must do in the coming weeks to avoid default. It would also extend tax cuts from Trump’s first term, cut more than $1.1 trillion from Medicaid and other health-care programs, and infuse billions of dollars into immigration enforcement and defense.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) conceded early Tuesday that he did not know if he had the votes yet to pass the measure. He huddled with Republican holdouts in his office and on the Senate floor in an attempt to persuade them to back the bill.

“They don’t have a bill. They’re delaying. They’re stalling,” Senate Minority Leader Charles. E Schumer (D-New York) told reporters Monday night. “They’re cutting a lot of backroom deals. They got a lot of members who were promised things that they may not be able to deliver on.”

Republicans can lose only three GOP votes and still pass the measure. One holdout, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), abruptly announced Sunday that he would not seek another term next year after Trump torched him for opposing the bill’s Medicaid cuts. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who is also up for reelection next year, has said she is also deeply concerned about the bill’s impact on health-care coverage. And Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has said for weeks that he will not support the measure because it lifts the nation’s borrowing limit by too much without cutting spending adequately.

Eager to avoid any more defections, Republicans loaded the bill up with benefits for Alaska to appease Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a moderate who has said she is concerned about the measure’s potential impact on her state.

The legislation appeared tailored to win her vote, including special carveouts for Alaska on Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the anti-hunger program formerly known as food stamps. It also included tax benefits for whaling captains and Alaskan fishermen. But the Senate parliamentarian excised the Alaska-focused Medicaid measure from the bill on Monday, determining that it violates the rules of the special Senate process that Republicans are using to pass the bill with a simple majority and dodge a Democratic filibuster.

“Radio silence,” Murkowski told reporters when asked early Tuesday whether she would support the bill.

Thune and Sen. John Barrasso (Wyoming), the No. 2 Senate Republican, spent hours talking with her Monday night and Tuesday morning on the Senate floor.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Thune spent more than half an hour in deep conversation with Murkowski standing on the Senate floor near one of the doors shortly after 5 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday. Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and two aides joined at times.

“I can’t vote for this,” Murkowski said one point, although it was unclear whether she was referring to the bill or a proposed change to it.

Thune and other leaders also met with Paul in Thune’s office to gauge whether his vote might be movable. Paul has said he would support the legislation if the debt ceiling were raised by $500 billion instead of $5 trillion, which he hopes would force Republicans to find more spending cuts when the federal government hit its borrowing limit again in a few months. Trump has been adamant with lawmakers he wants the larger debt-ceiling hike included in the bill, to push the next politically toxic vote on the issue beyond the 2026 midterm elections.

Murkowski has opposed Trump on big votes before, joining Collins and then-Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) to doom his repeal of the Affordable Care Act during his first term.

Asked after meeting with Murkowski in his office a little before 4 a.m. whether he could pull the vote, Thune told reporters, “Those are options I don’t even want to have to worry about.”

Murkowski, Collins, Paul and Tillis aren’t the only Republicans with reservations about the bill. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) and other deficit hawks have objected that the bill does not cut spending steeply enough to help offset the costs of the tax cuts.

The bill’s nearly $170 billion for the Trump administration’s border and immigration crackdown would be the one of the largest sums ever spent on homeland security. It also includes roughly $160 billion for the Defense Department, partially for Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” continental missile defense system.

Republicans started working on the bill last year shortly after Trump won and Republicans gained the Senate majority in the November election. They pledged to dramatically reduce government spending along with annual deficits, wary of adding to a national debt of more than $36 trillion. But some Republicans believe the bill’s cuts do not go far enough.

Elon Musk, the billionaire and former White House adviser who broke with Trump after criticizing the bill, pledged Monday to try to defeat Republicans who vote for the bill and who campaigned on cutting government spending.

Those Republicans “will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,” Musk wrote on X. He also said he would support Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky), whom Trump has threatened with a primary for voting against the bill last month.

Much of Trump’s 2017 tax law are set to expire at the end of the year. That law cut rates for virtually all taxpayers, although it concentrated the most benefits among wealthy individuals and corporations. Most Americans will pay more next year if Congress does not extend them. Republicans broadly support an extension.

But some Republicans have balked at voting for legislation that the Congressional Budget Office estimates will cause more than 11 million people to lose their health-care coverage. Tillis warned that Trump’s pledge that the bill would not cut Medicaid benefits would be proved as false as President Barack Obama’s promise after the passage of the Affordable Care Act that Americans who liked their health-care plans could keep them.

“The effect of this bill is to break a promise,” Tillis said Sunday on the Senate floor.

(c) 2025 , The Washington Post · Liz Goodwin, Theodoric Meyer, Jacob Bogage 

{Matzav.com}

Trump Eyes Tighter Cuba Restrictions, Targeting Tourism and Transactions

Yeshiva World News -

President Donald Trump has instructed his top Cabinet officers to review U.S. policy toward Cuba, ordering them to examine current sanctions and come up with ways to toughen them within 30 days. In a memo Monday, Trump said the reviews should focus on Cuba’s treatment of dissidents, its policies directed at dissidents and restricting financial transactions that “disproportionately benefit the Cuban government, military, intelligence, or security agencies at the expense of the Cuban people.” In one potential significant change, the order said the U.S. should look for ways to shut down all tourism to the island and to restrict educational tours to groups that are organized and run only by American citizens. The move is not a surprise given that Trump has previously said he plans to rescind the easing of sanctions and other penalties in Cuba that were instituted during the terms of Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In the days before leaving office, Biden had moved to lift the U.S. designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism. Trump’s memo “supports the economic embargo of Cuba and opposes calls in the United Nations and other international forums for its termination,” according to a fact sheet. In Cuba, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez responded swiftly to the document. “The Presidential Memorandum vs #Cuba released today by the US government strengthens the aggression & economic blockade that punishes the whole Cuban people and is the main obstacle to our development,” he wrote on X. “It’s a criminal behavior that violates the #HumanRights of an entire nation.” The Trump administration also has made Cuba one of seven countries facing heightened restrictions on visitors and revoked temporary legal protections for about 300,000 Cubans, which had protected them from deportation. The administration also has announced visa restrictions on Cuban and foreign government officials involved in Cuba’s medical missions, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called “forced labor.” In an interview with The Associated Press this month, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio accused the United States of trying to discredit the medical missions and criticized reversal of policy welcoming Cubans to the U.S. Rubio, whose family left Cuba in the 1950s before the communist revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power, has long been a proponent of sanctions on the communist island. (AP)

AOC Under Federal Probe? Tom Homan Says NYC Rep Hired Illegal Immigrant, ‘Educated’ Them To Evade ICE

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is facing serious accusations involving the employment of an illegal immigrant with a criminal background on her congressional team, according to reports.

According to Tom Homan, who is overseeing border enforcement efforts, federal authorities are actively investigating claims that Ocasio-Cortez hired an undocumented immigrant with a criminal record. She is also alleged to have guided the individual on how to avoid apprehension by ICE.

A video clip circulating on social media from The Benny Show features host Benny Johnson pressing Homan on the situation. “Just one final question, Mr. Border Czar, and it has to do with the region of New York and somebody who’s in the news a lot lately because she’s most likely planning on running for higher office: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. AOC has come—and what looks like to us crossed the line—a number of times. But two very curious stories out of her office: One, as soon as you were able to regain your position as Border Czar, AOC had a criminal alien who was working in her congressional staff flee the country. I can’t quite square how that’s possible. How is somebody allowed to be a criminal alien in this country and then go work in Congress where you have access to classified material and you have access to a lot of important information? Then AOC has gone on and obviously taught publicly illegal aliens how to avoid ICE. She’s done this with some of her colleagues in the Squad. Here’s the article of the criminal alien staffer that AOC had on staff. Maybe you could just start here, as an explainer to me and to this audience: How is this even possible?”

Johnson raised concerns about how someone living in the country illegally could find employment in a congressional office, especially given the sensitive information to which staffers often have access.

He also referenced public incidents where Ocasio-Cortez, along with other members of the progressive “Squad,” openly advised undocumented immigrants on ways to avoid deportation or ICE encounters, sparking intense political backlash.

{Matzav.com}

‘None Like You’: Netanyahu Honors United Hatzalah Volunteers at Emergency Logistics Center Launch

Yeshiva World News -

On Monday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu, inaugurated United Hatzalah’s new National Emergency Preparedness Logistics Center, which is expected to significantly enhance the organization’s logistics capabilities and serve thousands of field medical responders. During the visit, the Prime Minister and his wife received a comprehensive briefing on the activities of approximately 8,000 male and female volunteers nationwide. They were presented with documentation of volunteer medical response operations during Operation Rising Lion. The Prime Minister and his wife commended the dedicated volunteers who save lives daily. The Prime Minister and his wife were accompanied by Health Minister Uriel Buso, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, United Hatzalah’s management, branch heads and their deputies, and medical volunteers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “I decided to name this operation ‘Rising Lion,’ based on the verse ‘Like a lion the nation shall rise, like a lion it shall lift itself up.’ Do you know why? Because this is our nation, and you come from the nation, and you operate for the nation. There are none like you. You see it—from all sectors of Israeli society, from all communities, and with complete dedication. These ambulances are instruments; these Ambucycles are instruments. What we have here are people—women and men with tremendous spirit, with genuine willingness to throw yourselves into the fire and into the ruins, to extract and rescue. I want to tell you on behalf of all the people of Israel, the State of Israel, and all Israeli citizens—I tell you on behalf of many, many around the world—you deserve all the honor, and you deserve all the assistance.” United Hatzalah President and Founder Eli Beer said: “United Hatzalah volunteers represent the entire spectrum of Israeli society and operate with dedication around the clock for the noble value of saving human lives, working to arrive within 90 seconds of receiving a medical emergency call—with professionalism, courage, and heroism under fire. I am deeply moved by the tremendous appreciation of the Prime Minister and his wife, who work tirelessly for the safety and security of the people of Israel and have supported United Hatzalah’s sacred medical response work for many years. Together, we will continue to assist every citizen requiring medical care and always respond wherever needed.” Photo Credit: Maayan Tuaf/GPO

SIGH OF RELIEF: 14 Iranian Jews Arrested in Recent Raids Reportedly Released

Yeshiva World News -

Reports indicate that all 14 Jews arrested last week by Iranian authorities have been released, according to Iranian opposition activists and journalists speaking to JNS. Their arrests were part of a broader nationwide crackdown in which approximately 600 Iranians were detained after the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Rosa Parto, an Iranian-Israeli journalist, cited a reliable source inside the Iranian government — described as a Muslim man unfriendly to the regime — who confirmed that no Jews had been arrested in Tehran and that those detained in Shiraz and Isfahan on June 24 and 25 were later released. Parto explained that the Iranian regime’s security services were not specifically targeting Jews, but rather arrested hundreds for sharing or liking posts on social media deemed critical of the regime during the conflict. Among those detained were Jews who participated in a daf yomi group on WhatsApp. According to George Haroonian, an Iranian Jewish activist based in Los Angeles, regime cyber police had been monitoring the group, apparently mistaking its purpose for something political. Once authorities realized the group’s religious nature, those arrested were freed. Haroonian stated he had heard that as many as 35 Jews were detained, with all but two or three now released. Parto criticized exaggerated reports that as many as 700 Jews, including rabbanim and chazzanim, had been arrested. She attributed those claims to social media posts circulated by a small Iranian opposition group in Paris, which she said lacked genuine connections to the Jewish community in Iran. “They shamefully made up this fake news just to get media attention without any regard for the lives of Jews in Iran,” Parto told JNS, noting that her contacts in Tehran and other cities would have immediately informed her if large-scale arrests had truly taken place. Meanwhile, Iranian Jewish leaders have come under pressure from the regime to avoid contact with those outside the country, especially with Israel. A Jewish Iranian activist in Los Angeles told JNS, speaking anonymously, that community members inside Iran had been warned that communicating with Israelis could result in six months’ imprisonment on espionage charges. Some Jews in Iran have also been warned their phones and internet activity are being monitored. Parto recounted that several of her friends in Tehran and Isfahan had asked her not to contact them further out of fear of retaliation. Fred Saberi, an Iranian-Swedish analyst, suggested the regime’s actions reflected its weakness following military setbacks against Israel, describing the crackdown as a way to intimidate the broader population and deter dissent. On June 25, Iran’s state-controlled PressTV reported that three people accused of being Mossad spies had been executed, further fueling fear among the country’s Jewish minority. Jewish Iranian-American leaders have traditionally remained cautious in public comments to avoid provoking reprisals against the estimated 9,000-strong Jewish community still living in Iran. “The situation for Jews living in Iran right now is very precarious, and I would strongly urge anyone, especially groups in America, Europe, and Israel, to avoid making comments in the media that could possibly place our Jewish loved ones there in jeopardy,” Parto warned. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Trump: I’m Not Talking To Iran, Nor Offering It Anything After US Struck Nuke Sites

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President Donald Trump said Monday that there are no ongoing talks with Iranian officials and that he has not proposed any concessions to the regime, amid backlash from European leaders over threats reportedly made against the head of the UN nuclear agency.

Posting to Truth Social in the early hours, Trump wrote, “I am not offering Iran ANYTHING, unlike Obama, who paid them $Billions under the stupid ‘road to a nuclear weapon JCPOA (which would now be expired!), nor am I even talking to them since we totally OBLITERATED their Nuclear Facilities.”

His post appeared to counter claims made by Delaware Senator Chris Coons, who had told Fox News on Sunday that there are indications Trump “is now moving toward negotiation and offering Iran a deal that looks somewhat similar to the Iran deal that was offered by Obama. Tens of billions of dollars of incentives and reduced sanctions in exchange for abandoning their nuclear program.”

Trump also dismissed reports last Friday that his administration had explored a potential deal with Iran that would give them access to up to $30 billion to develop a civilian nuclear energy sector.

Iran responded on Monday by accusing Trump of playing political games, saying his mixed messaging on sanctions and diplomacy does not reflect a serious approach to resolving tensions between the two countries.

“These [statements by Trump] should be viewed more in the context of psychological and media games than as a serious expression in favor of dialogue or problem-solving,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told a press conference.

At the same time, European powers voiced strong disapproval of Iran’s behavior toward the chief of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, following Iran’s refusal to allow a site visit after Israeli and American strikes on its nuclear facilities.

Iran has blasted International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, accusing him of failing to condemn the attacks and calling his actions a “betrayal of his duties.” Iranian lawmakers voted this week to halt cooperation with the agency.

“France, Germany and the United Kingdom condemn threats against the director general of the IAEA Rafael Grossi and reiterate our full support to the agency,” foreign ministers Jean-Noel Barrot, Johann Wadephul and David Lammy said in a joint statement.

The European trio also issued a direct appeal to Iran, warning against further steps to undermine the agency’s mission.

“We call on Iranian authorities to refrain from any steps to cease cooperation with the IAEA,” they added.

“We urge Iran to immediately resume full cooperation in line with its legally binding obligations, and to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of IAEA personnel.”

{Matzav.com}

Man Who Shot And Killed 2 Firefighters Opened Fire After They Asked Him To Move His Car

Yeshiva World News -

Authorities say two firefighters were killed and another was critically wounded after they were shot while responding to a wildfire near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Here’s what to know about Sunday’s attack, the investigation and next steps. Attack began with a brush fire Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said firefighters first responded to an early afternoon report of a brushfire at Canfield Mountain, a popular hiking and biking area near the outskirts of town. A man began shooting at them after firefighters asked him to move his vehicle. Law enforcement officials responded, locking down neighborhoods nearby and trying to find the shooter in hilly terrain that had plenty of cover, with thick brush and trees and smoke from the fire nearby. First hours were chaotic Over the next few hours, it wasn’t clear if hikers or other recreationists were stuck on the mountain, or if civilians had been injured in the shooting, Norris said. What was clear was the danger firefighters and responding law enforcement faced. “We don’t know how many suspects are up there, and we don’t know how many casualties there are,” Norris told reporters at a Sunday afternoon news conference. “We are actively taking sniper fire as we speak.” A spokesperson with Kootenai Health later confirmed that three patients were brought to the hospital. Two were dead by the time they arrived and a third was injured. The names of the slain and wounded firefighters were released by fire department officials on Monday afternoon. Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, 42, who had been with the Kootenai County fire department for 17 years, was killed, county Fire and Rescue Chief Christopher Way said during a news conference. Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52, was also killed. He had worked with the department for 28 years. Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Engineer David Tysdal, 47, was in critical condition after undergoing two surgeries. Cellphone data helps law enforcement find the suspect Faced with more than 17,000 square feet (1,580 square meters) of containment area, part of it burning, authorities used cellphone data to narrow their search. They identified a cell signal around 3:15 p.m. and noticed it had not changed location for some time, Norris said. A tactical response team went to the location and found a deceased man with a weapon nearby. Officials believe the man was the shooter and that he killed himself, the sheriff said. Investigators said he acted alone. Who was the suspect? The suspect has been identified as Wess Roley, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Monday. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation. He had ties to California and Arizona and was living in Idaho “for the better part of 2024,” Norris said. Authorities said Monday that Roley had relatives north of Coeur d’Alene around the Priest River area and that it appeared Roley had been living out of his vehicle. He lived with T.J. Franks Jr. for about six months in Sandpoint, Idaho, while working for a tree service, Franks said Monday. Franks had cameras in his apartment that caught Roley throwing gang signs at them one day, which worried Franks to the point that he called police. “I didn’t know what to really think about it,” Franks said. “I just called […]

US Bolsters Israeli Defense With $510 Million Precision Munitions Sale

Matzav -

The United States revealed on Monday that it has approved a major arms deal with Israel, authorizing the sale of bomb guidance systems and related support valued at $510 million, AFP reports.

The assistance comes in the wake of Israel’s extensive use of weaponry during its recent military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran, leaving its reserves significantly depleted.

A statement from the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) confirmed the proposed transaction and highlighted its significance to regional stability and national defense.

“The proposed sale will enhance Israel’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to defend Israel’s borders, vital infrastructure, and population centers,” the DSCA stated.

Reinforcing the close defense relationship between the two countries, the agency added, “The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability.”

The State Department has already signed off on the deal, and the DSCA has formally submitted the notification to Congress, which must now decide whether to give the sale its final approval, AFP reported.

This move comes in the aftermath of Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, a military campaign that focused on crippling Iran’s nuclear operations and targeted top scientists and senior military officials.

In response, President Donald Trump authorized a retaliatory campaign—Operation Midnight Hammer—which included targeted strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

Trump addressed the matter during a press conference at the White House on Friday, saying he would “absolutely” weigh the option of further strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities if circumstances warranted it.

“Sure, without question, absolutely – it has to be unbelievable,” the President told reporters when asked specifically if he would consider bombing Iran if future intelligence reports offered a concerning conclusion on its enrichment of uranium.

Trump added that, in his view, Iran is not in a position to resume its nuclear development efforts in the near term as a result of the US military action.

He also mentioned that Iranian officials appear open to discussions with Washington, mirroring statements made by his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who indicated that preliminary conversations had already begun between the two nations regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi firmly pushed back last week against the notion that Tehran was preparing to reenter nuclear talks with the United States, dismissing any such reports following the recent hostilities.

{Matzav.com}

Netanyahu To IDF General Staff: Operation Rising Lion Will Be Etched In History

Matzav -

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu convened with the IDF General Staff Forum on Monday at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, joined by Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.

During the meeting, Netanyahu praised the IDF’s senior leadership for their execution of Operation Rising Lion in Iran and acknowledged their efforts in safeguarding Israel’s long-term security.

“Personally, I would like to express immense appreciation and gratitude to you Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, to you IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and to you, the members of the General Staff Forum for perfectly executing that missions that we set. ‘A people that rises up as a lion’ – and much more,” said Netanyahu.

He reflected on Jewish history, noting that for centuries, Jews were unable to resist their aggressors, enduring displacement, massacres, and ultimately genocide.

“Over the centuries of our exile, the Jewish People lost the ability to oppose those who attacked it. We became as a leaf driven in the wind, a people that experienced exile, pogroms, murders and, in the end, the worst act of murder in history,” he added.

Netanyahu described the birth of modern Zionism as a turning point, when early visionaries recognized that Jews wouldn’t be spared violence—but would instead need the strength to defend themselves.

“When the fathers of Zionism arose approximately 130 years ago, most of them did not think that the attacks on the Jewish People would end with the establishment of the State of Israel, but that we would formulate the diplomatic and military force to oppose these attacks. This is the line that separates between the generations of Jewish history and what has happened in our generation – the establishment of the state and the IDF.”

He spoke of Iran’s continued threat, calling it potentially more dangerous than the united Arab hostility Israel faced in past decades.

“In Iran, a threat was created for us that was no less strong and perhaps even greater than the pan-Arab threat at its peak, and it still threatens us,” the Prime Minister stated.

Netanyahu said he had long believed that the most serious threat to global safety was the combination of extremist Islamic regimes and nuclear weapons.

“40 years ago, and certainly 35 years ago, I thought that the greatest danger to humanity was the link between nuclear weapons and an Islamist regime, or the link between an Islamist regime and nuclear weapons.”

He outlined Iran’s multi-pronged strategy, saying it’s not limited to one path of destruction, but instead includes multiple layers of threats.

“But Iran did not suffice with this because, in effect, they built three axes of annihilation: First – the noose, a plan for the annihilation of Israel by means of an axis. The second – a plan for the annihilation of Israel by means of a missile threat. And the third – a plan for the annihilation of Israel by means of a nuclear threat.”

According to Netanyahu, Iran’s ruling regime is built on the goal of eliminating Israel—not merely as an end in itself, but as a prerequisite to regional domination.

“This is the raison d’etre of the regime. This is not the only reason why they want to annihilate us and we are not their main objective. But in order to realize the main objectives, they must get rid of us. It is impossible to conquer the Middle East without annihilating Israel. And if there is no Israel, the Middle East collapses immediately.”

Using a vivid metaphor, Netanyahu compared Israel’s security threats to a patient with two malignant tumors, stressing that survival depends on proactive and aggressive intervention.

“The State of Israel was like a person who has two cancerous tumors – one was the nuclear threat and the second was the missile threat. If you do not excise them – you die. It could be that you excise them and they return, like you treat cancer. But if you do not excise them, we die,” said Netanyahu.

He emphasized that there was no alternative but to act, and praised both the political leadership and the military for their unity and decisiveness throughout the process.

“Therefore, there was no question here. We had to make this decision. And the way in which it was made, unanimously by the political echelon, and unanimously by the IDF command – under your outstanding leadership, which improved exceptionally on a daily and weekly basis.”

Netanyahu also addressed concerns about U.S. support, clarifying that although Israel worked to secure American cooperation, the operation would have gone forward regardless.

“The question arose regarding the US, and I told you that we would do everything to get them on board, but this was not a condition. It was not a condition,” he stressed.

He concluded by highlighting the long-term significance of the military action, describing it as a defining moment not just in Israeli history, but in global military doctrine.

“But none of this would have been possible without the intensive and superb operation that will be etched in the history of our people, and – in my view – in the history of the world, certainly in the military history, which I believe everyone will come to study. This has major implications for our economy – we are already feeling it.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

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