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A senior Iranian official publicly mocked President Donald Trump on Monday after Trump disclosed that he had delayed a planned military strike against Iran to allow additional time for negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a top adviser to Iran’s supreme leadership, ridiculed Trump’s announcement in a social media post.

“He sets a deadline for a military strike and then cancels it himself! All with the delusional hope of making the Iranian nation and officials surrender!” Rezaei wrote in a post on social media.

He further threatened, “The iron fist of the powerful Armed Forces and the great nation of Iran will force them to retreat and surrender.”

Rezaei’s comments came shortly after Trump revealed on Truth Social that the United States had been preparing to carry out a military strike against Iran on Tuesday but decided to postpone the operation because of ongoing diplomatic discussions.

Later Tuesday, Trump elaborated on the decision while speaking with reporters, indicating that a major military action had been imminent.

“We were getting ready to do a very major attack tomorrow. I’ve put it off for a little while, hopefully, maybe forever, but possibly for a little while, because we’ve had very big discussions with Iran, and we’ll see what they amount to.”

Trump said several Gulf nations had urged Washington to delay military action in hopes that diplomacy could still succeed.

“I was asked by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and some others if we could put it off for two or three days, a short period of time, because they think that they are getting very close to making a deal. And if we can do that, where there’s no nuclear weapon going into the hands of Iran, I think, and if they’re satisfied, we will be probably satisfied also.”

The president said Israel and other regional allies were informed about the decision to hold off on the strike.

He stressed that the US informed Israel of the decision to hold off on the attack as well as “other people in the Middle East that have been involved with us.”

Trump described the current diplomatic effort as encouraging, though he cautioned that previous negotiations had also appeared promising before collapsing.

“It’s a very positive development, but we’ll see whether or not it amounts to anything. We’ve had periods of time where we thought [we were] pretty much getting close to making a deal, and it didn’t work out, but this is a little bit different,” said Trump, who added that the strike he halted would have been “very big and not something I wanted to do, but we have no choice because we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”

He also emphasized that he would prefer a negotiated settlement over military action if such an agreement could effectively block Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

He also said that “there seems to be a very good chance they could work something out. If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I’d be very happy.”

In a separate interview with the New York Post on Monday, Trump warned that Iran was aware that significant developments could occur soon as tensions continue rising despite the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.

Trump stated in the interview that Iran knows “what’s going to be happening soon” as the fragile ceasefire between the US and the Islamic Republic continues to fray.

The president also said he was unwilling to offer Tehran additional concessions during negotiations.

Trump further stated that he is “not open” to further concessions to Iran.

The renewed diplomatic maneuvering follows reports that Iran recently transmitted a revised proposal through Pakistani intermediaries. According to reports, the updated proposal contained only modest adjustments compared to earlier drafts.

Sources familiar with the proposal said the new Iranian offer included broader language pledging that Tehran would not seek nuclear weapons, though it reportedly lacked concrete commitments regarding uranium enrichment levels or Iran’s existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Pakistani sources said the updated Iranian proposal included a commitment not to produce nuclear weapons, but did not address the issue of enriched uranium or developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge in the United States has dealt a major legal setback to Francesca Albanese, ruling that the controversial United Nations official can be formally served in a defamation lawsuit brought against her by two Christian pro-Israel organizations.

The decision was handed down May 15 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. The court authorized the plaintiffs to serve Albanese through email and social media platforms, overcoming earlier complications tied to international procedures and her current reported residence in Tunisia.

Under the court order, Albanese now has 21 days to respond to the lawsuit. If she fails to answer the complaint within that timeframe, the court could enter a default judgment against her.

The lawsuit was filed in September by Christian Friends of Israeli Communities and Christians for Israel USA, two Colorado-linked Christian charities that say they were targeted by Albanese in what they describe as a coordinated campaign intended to intimidate and damage pro-Israel groups.

According to the complaint, the dispute began after Albanese sent letters to the organizations ahead of publishing a United Nations report that the plaintiffs characterize as deeply biased against Israel. The charities allege that Albanese threatened them with possible exposure to international criminal proceedings related to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In the letters, Albanese accused the groups of “knowingly spreading malicious lies” and linked them to allegations involving genocide and war crimes connected to the conflict in Gaza.

The organizations argue that her accusations severely harmed their reputations, interfered with their charitable activities, and were made intentionally to cause damage. The plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation, a formal retraction, and a court order prohibiting Albanese from repeating the statements.

Albanese has repeatedly faced criticism over statements viewed by opponents as hostile toward Israel. More recently, several European foreign ministers condemned remarks she made during an Al Jazeera conference, where she stated: “The fact that instead of stopping Israel, most of the world has armed, given Israel political excuses, political sheltering, economic and financial support … We who do not control large amounts of financial capitals, algorithms and weapons, we now see that we as a humanity have a common enemy.”

She later denied interpreting her remarks as labeling Israel itself a universal enemy.

Albanese later claimed in an interview that she “never, ever, ever said ‘Israel is the common enemy of humanity,'” calling the accusations “completely false accusations.”

Her past comments regarding Israel and Jewish influence have also drawn scrutiny. Social media posts uncovered in 2022 showed Albanese referring to what she described as the “Jewish lobby” controlling the United States.

At the time, Albanese denied that the comments were antisemitic, insisting they had been “mischaracterized,” though criticism over her rhetoric has persisted.

Her remarks about Israel intensified after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which she said should be understood within “context” and framed as a response to Israeli “aggression.”

Earlier this year, Albanese accused Israel of institutionalizing torture against Palestinians.

In late March, Albanese claimed that the world has given Israel “a license to torture Palestinians”, alleging that “torture has effectively become state policy” in Israel.

Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva responded sharply to those comments.

Responding to the comments, Israel’s mission in Geneva said in a statement, “Francesca Albanese is not a promoter of human rights; she is an agent of chaos… and any document she produces is nothing but a politically-charged, activist rant.”

The Israeli statement further charged that Albanese “advocates dangerous extremist narratives to undermine the very existence of the State of Israel,” it said.

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A labor agreement was reached Monday to end the strike that shut down the Long Island Rail Road, bringing relief to hundreds of thousands of commuters affected by the disruption to the nation’s busiest commuter rail network.

Kathy Hochul announced the breakthrough in a statement posted on X, saying the agreement balances worker compensation with protections for commuters and taxpayers. According to Hochul, train service is expected to resume beginning Tuesday at noon.

The strike began shortly after midnight Saturday after negotiations between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and leaders of five labor unions failed to produce a new contract. The rail system serves approximately 250,000 riders daily between New York City and Long Island.

Throughout the weekend, locomotive engineers, signal operators, machinists, and additional union members demonstrated outside train stations as the work stoppage continued.

To lessen the impact on commuters, the MTA began operating free but limited shuttle bus service Monday during peak commuting hours. Even so, many travelers were forced to rely on cars, buses, and subway lines to reach the city. Hochul had previously urged commuters to work remotely whenever possible.

Talks resumed Sunday afternoon and continued overnight into Monday under pressure from the National Mediation Board, the federal agency responsible for overseeing labor disputes involving railroads and airlines.

The unions, which collectively represent roughly half of the railroad’s workforce, argued that wage increases were necessary to keep pace with inflation and rising expenses. MTA officials countered that the unions’ earlier salary demands would likely result in increased fares for riders.

Contract discussions between both sides have been ongoing since 2023, with negotiations repeatedly breaking down over pay scales and employee healthcare costs.

The Trump administration stepped into the dispute in September after union leaders requested the appointment of a special panel of experts. Although the intervention temporarily prevented a strike at the time, negotiations remained deadlocked for months afterward.

The Long Island Rail Road operates across the 118-mile stretch of Long Island, serving communities from Brooklyn and Queens to the Hamptons, the well-known resort destination frequented by wealthy summer residents.

A large portion of the railroad’s passengers come from Nassau and Suffolk counties, home to nearly 3 million residents outside New York City.

Prior to this week’s strike, the last LIRR work stoppage occurred in 1994.

Transit officials said ridership on the emergency shuttle buses was significantly lower than anticipated. The MTA had expected approximately 13,000 passengers to use the buses Monday morning, but only slightly more than 2,000 riders utilized the service.

Transportation officials had strongly encouraged the roughly 250,000 daily riders to avoid commuting into Manhattan and instead work from home if they were able.

{Matzav.com}

New federal data released by the Department of Homeland Security shows that illegal crossings at the southern border have fallen dramatically under President Donald Trump, with fewer migrants apprehended in an average day this April than were caught during a single hour in late 2023 under the Biden administration.

The statistics also mark one full year in which no illegal immigrants were released into the United States after being encountered at the border, according to administration officials.

“Twelve straight months of ZERO releases at the border. Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, we are delivering the most secure border in American history,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

“The days of catch and release are over. We are enforcing the nation’s laws and sending illegal aliens back to their home countries.”

The numbers represent a dramatic shift from immigration levels seen during the Biden administration, when millions of migrants crossed into the country and border facilities frequently faced overcrowding.

According to DHS figures, Border Patrol agents averaged 298 apprehensions per day in April. By comparison, in December 2023, authorities were averaging roughly 336 apprehensions every hour.

Officials said apprehensions along the southern border have dropped 94% from the highest levels recorded during the Biden years as the Trump administration continues implementing aggressive immigration enforcement measures nationwide.

“What a difference, America! The U.S. Border Patrol released zero illegal aliens into our country again this month, unlike April 2024 when more than 68,000 were released under President Biden,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott.

“Every minute of every day President Trump’s border security policies are making every American safer.”

DHS also reported that, on a fiscal year-to-date basis, the monthly average of southern border apprehensions has fallen to the lowest point recorded since 1992.

Officials said the decline in illegal crossings has coincided with a sharp increase in narcotics seizures at the border.

“The sustained decline in illegal border crossings and apprehensions—now at levels not seen in over three decades—shows the impact of robust enforcement policies,” DHS said in a statement.

“With daily apprehensions down 95% from the previous administration and 15 consecutive months of fewer than 9,000 southwest border apprehensions, the border remains more secure than at any point in history.”

Customs and Border Protection reported that nationwide drug seizures in April rose significantly compared to the same month last year. Authorities confiscated 60% more cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and fentanyl than in April 2024.

Officials said heroin seizures increased 73% compared with March 2026, while methamphetamine seizures climbed 63% over the same period. CBP also reported seizing 463 pounds of fentanyl during April alone.

{Matzav.com}

Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy issued a new directive Monday ordering police officers who encounter draft dodgers during routine activity to detain them, notify the Military Police, and remain with the suspect until military authorities arrive.

Under the new policy, a strict time frame was established for handling such cases. According to the directive, Military Police personnel must reach the scene within 30 minutes after being contacted.

If no representative arrives within that half-hour window, officers are instructed to release the detaineee and provide a summons ordering the individual to report to the Military Police at a later date.

The move triggered an angry response from Shas, which accused the police commissioner of targeting yeshiva students instead of focusing on violent crime and public safety.

“At a time when acts of violence and crime are on the rise and murderers walk the streets freely, instead of the police tending to national security properly, they decide to direct resources to persecute the dear Torah students as if they were criminals,” the party statement read. “It is shameful that this happens in the Jewish state.”

The party also appealed directly to Levy, accusing legal authorities of trying to use the issue for political purposes.

“Sir Commissioner, don’t fall into the political trap that the Attorney General and her team are leading, which aims to topple the government. Don’t cast your hand against the yeshiva students and Torah learners.”

Jonathan Pollard delivered a blistering critique of both Israeli and American leadership during an extensive interview with Arutz Sheva and podcaster Martin “the Bulldog” Buksdorf, addressing issues ranging from Israel’s military policy and dependence on the United States to growing antisemitism abroad and the long-term future of the Jewish state.

Throughout the interview, Pollard repeatedly argued that Israel must free itself from overreliance on Washington and adopt a far more independent military and political posture.

“We are an American auxiliary. We are not an independent,” Pollard said, as he pushed for what he described as an “Israel first doctrine” built around military independence and sovereign strategic decision-making.

Pollard sharply criticized Israeli governments for what he described as excessive submission to American influence, claiming leaders in Yerushalayim too often shape policy around pressure from Washington. Referring to President Donald Trump, Pollard remarked, “He does not respect weakness,” while arguing that Israeli officials too frequently yield to U.S. demands.

During the conversation, Pollard also discussed his recent decision not to enter Israeli politics after briefly announcing plans to seek a seat in the Knesset. According to Pollard, the announcement triggered fierce backlash and threats from across the political spectrum.

“I got overwhelmed with death threats,” Pollard said, adding that many critics on the political left objected to his belief that Israeli hostages should be brought home “by strength, not by concession.”

Addressing criticism from supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Pollard stressed that he has repeatedly expressed appreciation to Netanyahu for helping secure his release from prison, while emphasizing that many others also played vital roles.

“There were a host of people who played very important roles in securing my release,” he said, specifically mentioning his late wife Esther, Ron Dermer, Miriam Adelson, Sheldon Adelson, and Rabbi Pesach Lerner.

A major portion of the interview focused on regional security threats facing Israel. Pollard warned that Iran, Turkey, and extremist organizations operating inside Syria represent growing dangers, and argued that Israel must prepare itself for future large-scale military confrontations.

Pollard also voiced alarm over increasing antisemitism throughout Western countries, saying many Jews living abroad still fail to grasp the seriousness of the threat. He described aliyah as both unavoidable and essential in light of growing hostility toward Jewish communities overseas.

“The only safe place for a Jew is right here in the Holy Land,” Pollard said, while faulting Israeli leaders for not adequately preparing for major future waves of Jewish immigration.

The interview additionally featured criticism of Israel’s bureaucracy and military procurement systems. Pollard argued that excessive hesitation, delays, and institutional caution have prevented Israel from implementing technologies and policies that he believes are critical for confronting modern security threats.

Toward the conclusion of the discussion, Pollard explained why he ultimately chose to remain outside the political system, saying it allows him to speak openly without party constraints.

“When you have this thing called party discipline, you can’t speak your mind,” he said. “Now it’s much more liberating to be able to sit as I am now… and discuss options, to discuss what we’re doing right, what we’re doing wrong.”

A soldier from the Nachal Brigade entered military prison Sunday evening to begin serving a 30-day sentence imposed after he wore a “Moshiach” patch on his uniform, sparking outrage among fellow soldiers and parents in his unit.

The soldier, identified only as A., had originally been scheduled to report to prison Sunday morning, but the growing public controversy surrounding the punishment reportedly led the IDF to alter the timing of his incarceration.

The soldier’s parents expressed disbelief over the decision and vowed not to remain quiet.

“We are digesting this, but we are in absolute shock!! We will not be silent in the face of this injustice.”

Members of the company reacted angrily to the punishment, saying it had deeply damaged morale throughout the unit.

“They lowered morale for all of us.”

One of A.’s platoon members, who fought alongside him in Lebanon and is currently engaged in operational activity in Samaria, published an emotional statement defending the imprisoned soldier and criticizing the army’s decision.

“For you, this is the patch controversy; for us, this is [about] our best friend. He was the heart of this family. To take a soldier who did everything for the country, and suddenly put him in prison for 30 days and remove him from combat service? It is inhuman. It crushes him and us, and since this happened, the entire company has been extinguished. The State is simply erasing everything for him in an instant.”

According to soldiers in the company, the punishment has dealt a major blow to the spirit of the unit, which they say achieved some of the army’s highest operational accomplishments during recent fighting in Lebanon.

After the decision to imprison the soldier was finalized Sunday, parents of fighters in the company issued a sharp statement accusing senior military leadership of selective enforcement and unfair treatment.

“We understand discipline, but patches exist throughout the army, in regular service and in the reserves. Why place an entire phenomenon on the shoulders of one innocent soldier who did what half the army does openly? There is outrageous discrimination here on the part of the senior command. The Chief of Staff leaves in their positions, without any punishment, figures who actively worked to dismantle the army from within, while against specifically a combat soldier they use the most crushing punishment. We will not remain silent about this.”

The parents also announced plans to begin a broader public campaign over the issue, saying they intend to continue the fight until the soldier’s name is cleared and the unit’s reputation restored.

“The struggle will not stop until justice is achieved, the name of the soldier and the entire company is cleared, and Jewish-Zionist pride and strength are restored to the fighters on the front line. At this time, the people of Israel need their heroes standing tall and proud of their identity, not under persecution and silencing.”