Feed aggregator

Iran’s supreme leader has quietly authorized contingency measures to get out of the capital if the security apparatus falters amid the widening unrest, according to a Western intelligence assessment shared with The Sunday Times.

The profile portrays Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, now 86, as increasingly brittle following last year’s 12-day war with Israel, describing him as “weaker, both mentally and physically.” Analysts say that period deepened what they characterize as an overriding fixation on staying alive.

During the conflict, the assessment says, Khamenei largely stayed inside a fortified bunker, reinforcing what it calls his “obsession with survival.” The same document depicts him as a “paranoid” figure who mixes rigid ideology with tactical flexibility when circumstances demand it.

Officials familiar with the assessment say a fallback plan has been mapped out in case there are signs of defection or disobedience among forces tasked with suppressing demonstrations. In that scenario, Khamenei would leave Tehran with a tight group of relatives and trusted aides.

“The ‘plan B’ is for Khamenei and his very close circle of associates and family, including his son and nominated heir apparent, Mojtaba,” an intelligence source told The Times.

The preparations are said to echo the events of 2024, when Bashar Al-Assad departed Syria for Moscow ahead of opposition advances into Damascus. According to the intelligence source, Khamenei’s inner circle has “plotted an exit route out of Tehran” and has been “gathering assets, properties abroad and cash to facilitate their safe passage.”

Former Israeli intelligence officer Beni Sabti said the most likely destination would be Moscow, Russia. He argued there are few alternatives, adding that “there is no other place for him,” and explaining that the Iranian leader “admires Putin, while the Iranian culture is more similar to the Russian culture”.

Financially, the supreme leader presides over an immense web of holdings. A 2013 Reuters investigation estimated that assets controlled through Setad, a sprawling network of foundations, totaled about $95 billion. The assessment also notes that numerous senior regime figures already have family members living overseas, including in the United States, Canada, and Dubai.

The intelligence briefing arrives as demonstrations fueled by economic distress continue in cities across Iran. Protesters accuse the Revolutionary Guard, the Basij, police, and the army of responding with live ammunition, tear gas, and water cannons—forces that ultimately answer to Khamenei.

Over the weekend, the supreme leader addressed the unrest publicly. Speaking in Tehran during a Shiite holiday, he acknowledged the economic pressure facing ordinary Iranians, saying the grievances were “just.” He added, “The shopkeepers have protested against this situation and that is completely fair.”

At the same time, he drew a sharp line between protest and disorder, warning there would be no tolerance for what he labeled violence. While saying “authorities must have dialogue with protesters,” he insisted that “it is useless to have dialogue with rioters. Those must be put in their place.”

{Matzav.com}

Thousands of people packed the main beis medrash of the Nadvorna chassidus complex in Kiryat Nadvorna, Bnei Brak, on Sunday night for a mass reception welcoming yeshiva bochurim who had been detained for not enrolling in the army.

The event was organized by the Chayei Olam and Ezram U’Maginam organizations and drew leading gedolei Torah from across the chareidi world.

Gedolei Yisrael and senior roshei yeshiva arrived to personally greet the detainees and to publicly reinforce the Torah community amid growing concern over arrests of bnei yeshiva accused of evading military service.

Rav Chaim Feinstein addressed the crowd with sharp remarks, openly criticizing government authorities and institutions that, he said, act without the guidance of Torah leadership. “We are not afraid of arrests,” he declared.

The central address was delivered by Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, who framed the event as both a celebration and a painful moment for Klal Yisrael.

“Today is, in a sense, a day of joy,” Rav Hirsch said. “Young men were arrested because they learned Torah, and that itself is a merit. But at the same time, prison is difficult, and therefore when two of them were released, that is a reason for happiness.”

Rav Hirsch said, however, that the arrests also revealed a deep misunderstanding within Israeli society regarding the meaning and value of spiritual life.

“At the same time, this is a day of sorrow,” he continued. “Our fellow Jews do not understand a very simple truth: it is audacious to ask someone to enter an environment where, God forbid, his spiritual level will decline. And it will not merely decline, it will certainly fall. It is forbidden for anyone to enter such a place, and it is audacious to even make such a request. There is no such thing as asking a person to lower his spiritual level.”

Addressing claims often heard from the broader public, Rav Hirsch rejected the argument that spiritual sacrifice should be demanded in the same way physical sacrifice is demanded.

“I have heard people say, ‘Why not lower it? We also sacrifice.’ To say that someone should sacrifice his spirituality shows a total lack of understanding of what spirituality is, what the purpose of creation is, and who the Master of the World is. It is the greatest foolishness imaginable.”

He warned that demanding spiritual compromise from the Torah world places the entire country at risk.

“To demand that the world of yeshivos lower its spiritual standard is unthinkable,” Rav Hirsch said. “Eretz Yisroel cannot endure those who undermine its holiness.”

Rav Hirsch then posed what he described as the fundamental question facing the State of Israel.

“So the question must be asked: Why is there a state at all?” he said. “There is only one answer—because of those who learn Torah. Talmidei chachomim sustain the entire state. To deny this is both audacious and absurd. All Torah leaders of the past and present have ruled unequivocally that entering the army is forbidden for bnei yeshiva.”

Turning to Israel’s secular population, Rav Hirsch urged reflection on Jewish history and continuity.

“The secular world must ask itself why, in 1948, the nations were willing to give the Land of Israel to the Jewish people,” he said. “There is one reason: Jews were always here, in every generation.”

He traced that continuity through centuries of devastation.

“After the great destruction of Yerushalayim, when foreign powers conquered the land and the yeshivos were destroyed, who remained here for over a thousand years? Only people of Torah. They came to mourn the destruction and to learn Torah. They left everything behind in exile and came to the Land of Israel to learn Torah. That is why Jews were always here. For hundreds of years—more than a thousand years—it was only us.”

Rav Hirsch concluded with a passionate call for recognition of Torah as the foundation of Jewish sovereignty.

“The Torah is the reason there is a state at all,” he said. “It is because of Torah that the nations gave the land. To refuse to recognize the greatness of Torah is another act of audacity. May God grant that people understand this, recognize the centrality of Torah study, and know that any place where spirituality declines is forbidden to enter—for every yeshiva student and every chareidi Jew. May this bring honor to Heaven and merit us compassion and a complete redemption, speedily in our days.”

Additional remarks were delivered by Rav Dov Landau, who praised the detainees for their resolve while warning of the broader danger posed by continued arrests.

“Fortunate are you for being arrested because of Torah,” Rav Landau said. “We are deeply concerned, especially about the severe spiritual consequences that could result if arrests of yeshiva students continue. We are making every effort, through representatives and other means, to ensure that yeshiva students are not prevented from learning Torah under any circumstances.”

Rav Landau expressed admiration for the students’ strength in the face of pressure.

“Those who were arrested for Torah deserve our deepest appreciation,” he said. “They stood firm against both temptation and hardship, declaring that ‘many waters cannot extinguish the love we have for Torah.’”

He recalled a historical episode involving the Chazon Ish to underscore the gravity of imprisoning Torah learners.

“When Rav Amram Blau was imprisoned, the Chazon Ish came to visit him and said: ‘It is not Rav Amram who is in prison. The Shabbos is in prison.’”

Rav Landau concluded with a stark warning.

“When a yeshiva student is imprisoned simply because he wants to learn Torah, it is not the student who is in prison,” he said. “The Torah itself is in prison. Let everyone who takes part in this know: You are not fighting flesh and blood. You are fighting the Torah and the One who gave it.”

{Matzav.com}

Nicolas Maduro was transported to New York over the weekend and placed into federal custody following a U.S. military operation that forcibly removed him from Venezuela, according to reporting by the Associated Press. He is expected to appear in Manhattan federal court on Monday to face criminal charges tied to an alleged decades-long criminal enterprise.

Court proceedings are scheduled to begin at noon before Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who will preside over the arraignment at the federal courthouse in Manhattan. Prosecutors have brought a four-count indictment accusing Maduro of directing a 25-year narco-terrorism conspiracy.

Video footage released after his arrival showed Maduro being transferred by helicopter from a Manhattan helipad and taken for processing at the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division headquarters. He was later moved to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he remains held.

Federal authorities said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained at their residence located on a military installation in Venezuela. The pair were taken aboard a U.S. warship before Maduro was flown to the United States. A plane carrying him touched down Saturday evening, and agents were seen escorting a detainee from the aircraft.

The capture followed an overnight operation carried out by U.S. forces, which resulted in Maduro being removed from power and extracted from the country. Hours later, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would administer Venezuela “at least temporarily” while overseeing its resources.

Addressing reporters after the operation, Trump said the U.S. would move quickly to “fix” Venezuela’s oil infrastructure and export “large amounts” of oil to foreign markets, pointing to the country’s vast energy reserves as a key focus of the interim plan.

{Matzav.com}

TRUMP: “Somalians are ripping off our country to the tune of, it looks like, $19B — but that’s only what they can find… Every one of them should be forced to leave this country, including Ilhan Omar, who’s a total crook… We’re not going to pay it anymore.”

Trump on Venezuela: “It’s a dead country right now… We need to bring it back. The oil companies are ready to go.”

Joe Biden’s decades-long run in public office has positioned him to receive what analysts say is the largest taxpayer-funded retirement package ever collected by a U.S. president, with projected annual payments totaling about $417,000 — a figure that exceeds the presidential salary itself, the NY Post reports.

According to an analysis by Demian Brady, vice president of the National Taxpayer Union Foundation, Biden, now 83, qualifies for retirement income from multiple government programs during his first year out of office, a combination that sets him apart from every prior occupant of the White House.

“It’s pretty unusual, historically unusual, to have such a large pension amount,” Brady told The Post.

“I would have to say that it’s the largest,” the taxpayer advocate added when asked to compare Biden’s retirement benefits with those of past presidents.

The projected payout is roughly twice the amount received by Barack Obama after leaving office and about $17,000 more than the $400,000 annual salary Biden earned while serving as president.

Brady said the size of the pension reflects Biden’s “unique situation,” noting that his career path — which included lengthy service as a senator, vice president, and president — allows him to draw from more than one taxpayer-backed retirement system under current law.

Biden, who once described himself as “one of the poorest members” of Congress, is eligible to receive benefits under both the Former Presidents Act of 1958 and the Civil Service Retirement System that applies to former senators.

The CSRS benefit is calculated based on a formula that factors in Biden’s 44 years of combined service in the Senate and as vice president, along with his three highest-earning years during that period.

“Biden’s starting pension could be as much as $166,374, including an $18,186 set aside in the program for the spousal portion of benefit,” Brady said, emphasizing that the estimate assumes Biden opted to maximize his Senate pension.

Absent a statutory cap, Biden’s CSRS payments could have exceeded $254,000 annually. However, the system limits benefits to 80 percent of a retiree’s highest salary, which in Biden’s case was $230,700 during his tenure as vice president and president of the Senate.

Biden entered the Senate in 1972, before changes were made to reduce the generosity of the retirement plan for newer lawmakers.

In addition to his Senate and vice presidential benefits, Biden is also entitled to a presidential pension of roughly $250,000 per year. Under the 1958 law, that pension is pegged to the salary of a Cabinet secretary, currently $250,600.

The Former Presidents Act was passed amid public concern that Harry Truman faced financial hardship after leaving office. Historians have since argued that Truman was in fact a multimillionaire and not at risk of financial distress.

Beyond pensions, the law provides former presidents with a range of other taxpayer-funded benefits, including office space, staff, and equipment.

For fiscal year 2026, the General Services Administration allocated more than $1.5 million for Biden’s post-presidency expenses, including $727,000 for office space alone — a higher total than for any other former president.

“There’s no cap on the rent for that,” Brady said. “So it could be in a high-density area with high rent, and there is no limit on the amount of square footage that’s being rented and funded by taxpayers.

“It’s also provided for life.”

A representative for Biden did not respond to a request for comment.

Brady questioned whether relatively younger former presidents should be able to bill taxpayers indefinitely for office space that is often used to write memoirs or arrange lucrative speaking engagements.

He also urged lawmakers to revisit the structure of presidential retirement benefits to prevent similar payouts in the future.

“Biden is making more in retirement than the current president gets,” he said. “It’s a very unique situation, but even though it is unique, it is one that’s ripe for reform going forward.

“Congress ought to look at that to prevent such an extravagant pension amount in the future.”

Last year, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa introduced the Presidential Allowance Modernization Act, which would cap presidential pensions at $200,000 and scale back benefits such as office space, staff, and travel.

A similar bill cleared Congress in 2016 but was vetoed by Obama just months before he left office, at a time when he stood to benefit from the provisions it sought to eliminate.

Concerns about taxpayer-funded retirement benefits extend beyond former presidents.

Under federal law, members of Congress become eligible for a pension after completing five years of service, a system that costs taxpayers an estimated $38 million annually.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia drew attention last year when she said her final day in Congress would be Jan. 5 — just two days after the start of the new session — allowing her to meet the five-year threshold and qualify for an annual pension of $8,717.

While that amount pales in comparison to the estimated $107,860 per year that longtime Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California is expected to receive when she leaves Congress in 2027, Greene could still collect more than $265,000 over her lifetime through the taxpayer-funded benefit.

{Matzav.com}

Q: “Who’s in charge of Venezuela?” TRUMP: “Don’t ask me who’s in charge. I’ll give a controversial answer” Q: “What does that mean?” TRUMP: “We’re in charge.”

TRUMP: “This isn’t a country that’s on the other side of the world… We’re in the business of having countries around us that are viable and successful, and where the oil is allowed to freely come out… It gets the prices down. That’s good for OUR country.”

An Iranian police officer records himself burning a portrait of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and then spray painting “Javid Shah” (“Long live the Shah”) on the wall.

Footage reportedly shows a 9K38 “Igla” MANPADS firing at a U.S. military helicopter during last night’s operation in Caracas to capture President Maduro.

Senior Trump Administration officials—including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine—will brief congressional leaders on Monday at 5:30 p.m. about the recent operation targeting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Punchbowl News reports.

New footage shows pro-Shah youth burning a Basij militia base in Punak, northwest Tehran.

What would Klal Yisroel look like without any Bnei Torah? This is the question Harav Eliezer Piltz shlit”a, the renowned rosh yeshiva of Tifrach, warns us we don’t ever want to have to answer.Not having bnei Torah would be unbearable for Klal Yisroel, Rav Piltz says, adding that those who have true daas and understand what […]

With the Senate set to consider a bipartisan war powers resolution next week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sharply criticized the Trump administration’s military actions in Venezuela, accusing the White House of acting without authorization and misleading both lawmakers and the public.

Schumer argued that the administration’s moves contradict repeated assurances he says were delivered in private briefings over recent months. “The administration has assured me three separate times that it was not pursuing regime change or taking military action in Venezuela. Clearly, they are not being straight with Americans,” he said.

The New York Democrat also took aim at President Trump’s comments earlier in the day suggesting the United States would “run” Venezuela until a “safe” transition could be arranged. Reacting to that idea, Schumer warned, “The idea that Trump plans to now run Venezuela should strike fear in the hearts of all Americans. The American people have seen this before and paid the devastating price.”

In an initial statement responding to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Schumer acknowledged Maduro’s lack of legitimacy but condemned the manner in which the operation was carried out. “Let me be clear: Nicolás Maduro is an illegitimate dictator,” he said. “But launching military action without congressional authorization and without a credible plan for what comes next is reckless.”

The criticism comes as the Senate prepares to vote on a privileged war powers resolution that would seek to halt U.S. military activity in Venezuela, including the overnight bombing of Caracas. Because of its procedural status, the measure cannot be blocked from reaching the floor and would require only a simple majority to pass.

The resolution is sponsored by Sens. Tim Kaine, Rand Paul, and Adam Schiff. Kaine framed the effort as a necessary constitutional check on executive power. “It is long past time for Congress to reassert its critical constitutional role in matters of war, peace, diplomacy and trade,” he said in a statement. “My bipartisan resolution stipulating that we should not be at war with Venezuela absent a clear congressional authorization will come up for a vote next week.”

Kaine added a broader warning about democratic norms, saying, “We’ve entered the 250th year of American democracy and cannot allow it to devolve into the tyranny that our founders fought to escape.”

Beyond questions of war powers, Schumer portrayed the administration’s actions as a political diversion from domestic problems. “To distract from skyrocketing costs Americans face and the historic cover up of the Epstein files, Donald Trump is attempting to the throw Americans into more international chaos and uncertainty,” he said.

Taken together, the remarks underscore growing resistance on Capitol Hill to the administration’s Venezuela strategy, setting the stage for a high-stakes Senate vote that could redefine Congress’s role in the unfolding crisis.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

SEN. SCHUMER: “It’s a violation of the law to do what they did without getting the authorization of Congress.”

New footage shows seven MH-60M Black Hawks and five MH-47G Chinooks from the U.S. 160th SOAR flew low over Caracas during Saturday’s operation targeting President Maduro.

President Trump has departed Palm Beach, Florida, and is returning to Washington, D.C. after spending the holidays at Mar-a-Lago. Trump had remained in Palm Beach for an extended stay, during which he oversaw the U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro.

Reaction to the dramatic U.S.-led operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro has reverberated far beyond Latin America, reaching Kyiv and Moscow alike and injecting new tension into already fraught global diplomacy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded approvingly to the downfall of the Venezuelan leader, who had ruled since 2013, suggesting that similar decisive action could be applied elsewhere. Speaking after a meeting of European national security advisers, Zelensky commented on the U.S. operation, saying, per Ukrinform: “Well, what can I say? If dictators can be dealt with like this, then the United States of America knows what it should do next.”

The remarks were widely interpreted as a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Russia’s war against Ukraine approaches its fourth year. Zelensky’s comments came as the Trump administration continues efforts to broker a long-term peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, adding an additional layer of sensitivity to an already volatile diplomatic environment.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized in a series of early-morning strikes carried out by a U.S. Special Forces–led operation. Both are now facing criminal charges in the Southern District of New York connected to alleged narco-terrorism activities.

In Moscow, the response was swift and sharply critical. Russian officials denounced the U.S. action, urging Washington to “reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse.” The Kremlin further insisted that “any existing issues between the United States and Venezuela” should be resolved “through dialogue,” despite Russia’s own reliance on military force in Ukraine.

The situation has also fueled speculation about possible escalations elsewhere. Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis suggested that the Maduro operation might embolden similar thinking in Moscow, remarking that Putin could be asking himself: “Maybe I should arrest Zelensky too and hand him over to Russian justice?”

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have already been heightened following claims by the Kremlin that Ukraine carried out a drone strike targeting Putin’s presidential residence in Russia’s Novgorod region. While Moscow has asserted it possesses proof, U.S. intelligence assessments reportedly concluded that the strikes were not intended to hit the Russian leader’s residence.

Before his capture, Maduro had been a vocal ally of Putin and an outspoken critic of Zelensky. During an episode of his weekly television show, With Maduro, in March of last year, the Venezuelan leader derided the Ukrainian president as a “clown.”

Maduro also predicted a grim end for Zelensky, claiming he would ultimately be abandoned by Washington. He said it was Zelensky’s “fate” for having sold his “soul to the devil” of America.

{Matzav.com}

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani has ordered city agencies to hold “Rental Ripoff Hearings” across all five boroughs within his first 100 days in office. The goal is to enable renters to testify publicly about unsafe living conditions, hidden and excessive fees, and other deceptive landlord practices, allowing the city to identify widespread problems and strengthen […]

In a sweeping briefing, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan “Raizin” Caine laid out new details of the U.S. military operation that culminated in the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia. The mission, carried out without a single American casualty, was described as one of the most complex and tightly coordinated actions undertaken by the U.S. armed forces in recent memory.

President Trump later confirmed that the operation concluded with no loss of U.S. personnel or equipment, despite reports of explosions across Caracas in the hours leading up to the raid, including activity near Fuerte Tiuna, a major military installation believed to include Maduro’s bunker.

Caine emphasized that the effort relied on exhaustive intelligence preparation and interagency cooperation. “We leveraged our unmatched intelligence capabilities and our years of experience in hunting terrorists. We watched, we waited, we prepared.” He noted that analysts from the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency compiled an unusually detailed profile of Maduro, down to his daily habits, wardrobe, meals, and even the whereabouts of his pets.

According to Caine, the military had been on alert for weeks as conditions aligned. “In early December, our force was set pending a series of aligned events… through Christmas and New Year’s, the men and women of the United States military sat ready, patiently waiting for the right triggers to be met and the president to order us into action.” Timing was selected carefully to limit risk to civilians and detainees alike. As Caine explained, “choosing the right day to minimize the potential for civilian harm and maximize the element of surprise and minimize the harm to the indicted personnel, so, as the President said, they could be brought to justice.”

When the order finally came, it was decisive. “At 10:46 pm Eastern time… the President ordered the United States military to move forward with this mission. He said to us, and we appreciate it, Mr. President, ‘Good luck and Godspeed.’”

The scope of the deployment spanned much of the hemisphere. More than 150 aircraft took off from over 20 bases, involving an array of platforms and personnel. “Bombers, fighters, intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance, rotary wing were in the air. Our youngest crew member was 20, and our oldest was 49.”

As helicopters carrying the apprehension teams advanced toward Caracas at low altitude, they were shielded by an extensive aerial escort that included F-22s, F-35s, F-18s, B-1 bombers, EA-18s, and remotely piloted drones. The air campaign neutralized Venezuelan air defense systems ahead of the ground insertion to protect the force.

The helicopters reached Maduro’s compound at 2:01 a.m. local time. Upon arrival, the team came under fire and responded. “One of our aircraft was hit, but remained flyable,” Caine confirmed.

Describing the overall effort, Caine said it reflected years of accumulated experience. “This mission was meticulously planned, drawing lessons from decades of missions over the last many years.” He added, “Those in the air over Caracas last night were willing to give their lives for those on the ground and in the helicopters.”

Earlier in his remarks, Caine characterized the operation itself in stark terms. Addressing Operation Absolute Resolve, he said it was “an audacious operation that only the United States could do.” He formally outlined its legal basis at the outset of the briefing: “Last night, on the order of the President of the United States and in support of a request from the Department of Justice… the United States military conducted an apprehension mission in Caracas, Venezuela, to bring to justice [to] two indicted persons, Nicholas and Cilia Maduro.”

The operation was tied directly to federal indictments filed in the Southern District of New York. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced charges against Maduro and his wife that include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machineguns and destructive devices.

Caine said the action demonstrated the full integration of U.S. military capabilities across domains. “This particular mission required every component of our joint force with soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and guardians, working in unison with our intelligence agency partners and law enforcement teammates.”

Summing up the broader significance, Caine underscored the message sent by the operation. “This was a powerful demonstration of America’s Joint Force. Our jobs are to integrate combat power so when the order comes, we can deliver overwhelming force… against any foe anywhere in the world.”

He concluded with praise for those who carried out the mission and their families. “I am immensely proud today of our joint force and filled with gratitude to represent them here today. There is simply no mission too difficult for these incredible professionals and the families that stand by them. Their courage and tireless commitment to our nation are what makes us strong.”

{Matzav.com}