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A well-known rav in Netanya was murdered early Wednesday morning after an assailant entered his bais medrash and stabbed him multiple times. Large numbers of police officers and emergency personnel rushed to the scene as the victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead.

The attack occurred on Rechov Shimon Bar Yochai in Netanya. Authorities have launched a homicide investigation and are searching for the suspect, whose identity and motive have not yet been disclosed.

Magen David Adom received the initial emergency call at approximately 5:45 a.m. reporting a man who had suffered serious stab wounds.

MDA paramedics and EMTs arrived at the scene and found the rav suffering from multiple penetrating injuries. While performing prolonged resuscitation efforts, they transported him to Laniado Hospital in critical condition. Despite the doctors’ efforts, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Senior MDA motorcycle unit EMT Maor Brantz and MDA EMT Yonatan Yankelvitz described the harrowing scene.

“We found the victim unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing, suffering from severe penetrating injuries to his body. We immediately began lifesaving medical treatment, including prolonged resuscitation efforts, and evacuated him to the hospital in critical condition while fighting to save his life.”

Police remained at the scene throughout the morning, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses as the investigation into the shocking murder continued. Authorities have not yet released additional details regarding the suspect or a possible motive.

{Matzav.com}

The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted down a second effort by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to direct U.S. military operations in Lebanon, rejecting the measure by a vote of 235-189 as negotiations involving Israel, Lebanon, and Iran continue.

The resolution, H.Con.Res. 108, invoked Section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution and sought to require the president to withdraw U.S. armed forces “from any hostilities in Lebanon” within seven days. The proposal, however, preserved ongoing security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces and allowed continued protection of U.S. diplomatic facilities.

Tlaib’s first attempt to pass similar legislation, H.Con.Res. 84, was overwhelmingly defeated on June 4 by a vote of 324-92. Democratic leaders opposed that version, arguing its broader requirement to remove U.S. forces “from Lebanon” could inadvertently force the withdrawal of American troops assigned to protect the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.

The revised resolution won the support of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Gregory Meeks of New York. Even so, 22 Democrats voted against the measure, while two Republicans broke with their party to support it.

Speaking to fellow lawmakers on Monday, Tlaib argued that the legislation was intended to halt American involvement in Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon.

She said the vote was about “immediately ending all U.S. participation in the Israeli government’s violent assault against the people of Lebanon,” accusing Israel of “ethnic cleansing and territory expansion” through its bombing campaign in the south.

Meeks defended the updated resolution, saying it addressed the concerns that doomed the earlier proposal and would help prevent the United States from becoming entangled in another prolonged conflict. He also said that, to his knowledge, American forces are not currently participating in combat alongside Israeli troops in Lebanon.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., sharply criticized the measure, arguing that it would undermine efforts to achieve peace by benefiting Hezbollah.

Calling the resolution “a win for terrorists,” Mast said it protected the one group continuing to obstruct a diplomatic resolution.

“Hezbollah is the one holdout that is standing in the way of peace between Israel and Lebanon,” Mast said. “The Lebanese government wants the fighting to stop. Israel wants the fighting to stop.”

The vote came amid intensified diplomatic efforts following last week’s agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which links an Israeli military withdrawal to Hezbollah’s disarmament. The Iran-backed terrorist organization has thus far rejected that condition. At the same time, Iran and Hezbollah have insisted that a complete Israeli withdrawal is a prerequisite for finalizing the broader U.S.-Iran framework aimed at ending the conflict.

Because H.Con.Res. 108 is a concurrent resolution, it is nonbinding and would not have required President Trump’s signature even if it had been approved by Congress.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump recently considered the possibility of launching a renewed large-scale military campaign against Iran but has, for now, decided to continue pursuing diplomacy, according to U.S. officials familiar with internal discussions who spoke to The Wall Street Journal.

According to the report, Trump held multiple meetings with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine to examine potential military options. While those conversations included plans for possible new operations, the president ultimately opted to continue giving negotiations a chance.

Officials familiar with the deliberations said the discussions included whether the United States should abandon the current diplomatic process in favor of a broad military offensive. Some within the administration characterized such an approach as “finishing the job.”

Despite keeping military action on the table, Trump reportedly told senior advisers that launching a major bombing campaign now could derail ongoing diplomatic efforts and undermine the broader goal of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

The president has also signaled that he is prepared to allow negotiations to continue beyond the August 18 deadline that had been set for reaching a nuclear agreement, believing that additional time could improve the chances of a diplomatic breakthrough.

In the meantime, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is comfortable authorizing limited, targeted strikes against Iranian assets if Tehran breaches the existing agreements. That approach was put to the test over the weekend, when a series of confrontations threatened the fragile ceasefire reached just two weeks earlier.

Although military contingency planning is a routine part of Pentagon operations under any administration, the newspaper reported that these recent discussions underscore Trump’s effort to balance diplomacy with the credible threat of force. Administration officials acknowledged that a return to full-scale conflict would effectively amount to an admission that the administration’s widely promoted peace initiative had failed.

One administration official told The Wall Street Journal that Trump’s preference remains focused on diplomacy, adding that Iranian leaders would be well served by reaching an agreement with the United States. Neither Hegseth nor Caine commented on the private meetings.

The report comes on the heels of weekend clashes in which U.S. forces twice struck Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran allegedly violated the ceasefire.

On Saturday night, Trump cautioned that the United States could be compelled to “militarily complete the job” if Iran continued violating the ceasefire.

By Monday, however, the president announced that American and Iranian officials would meet in Qatar, despite earlier statements from Iran denying that such talks would take place.

Later reports indicated that U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was traveling to Doha to participate in the meetings with Iranian representatives.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu said Tuesday night that he intends to form a broad national coalition after the upcoming election, making clear that the chareidi parties would be welcome partners and declaring that he has “zero boycotts” against any legitimate political allies.

Speaking in an interview on Channel 14’s The Patriots with Yinon Magal, Netanyahu discussed his vision for Israel’s next government, his ongoing criminal trial, the toll public life has taken on his family, and the country’s political future.

Asked whether his next coalition would include the chareidi parties and Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, Netanyahu responded unequivocally.

“Of course. I want a broad national government. It’s not a spin. I want to bring about a broad national government, and in these elections it will either be a broad national government led by me, or a narrow left-wing government led by Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan.”

He added, “I accept everyone who is relevant. Zero boycotts.”

Netanyahu also addressed the corruption trial against him, arguing that the prosecution’s case has steadily unraveled.

“This case collapsed years ago when the judges said there was no bribery,” he said. “This will also collapse—you’ll see. There’s nothing there. The judges tried to push for a plea bargain, but I didn’t give in. I’m on a mission.”

He noted that he has already testified 98 times and maintained that the proceedings have failed to substantiate the allegations against him.

Explaining why he previously sought to end the trial, Netanyahu argued that the legal proceedings have deepened divisions within Israeli society.

“The trial tore the nation apart,” he said, claiming it fueled political boycotts, intensified the country’s political instability, and contributed to Israel’s repeated election cycles.

The prime minister also spoke about the personal burden his family has borne throughout his years in office.

He described an incident involving his wife, Sarah Netanyahu, who works as a psychologist in Jerusalem’s religious school system. According to Netanyahu, she spent hours supporting the family of a critically ill woman at Ichilov Hospital, helping them through their final moments with their mother and later assisting the children after the woman’s passing.

At the very same time, he said, demonstrators were gathered outside their home, carrying balloons and issuing threats.

“There were balloons and threats to murder her, and sometimes me as well,” he said.

When Magal asked whether the intense public hostility directed toward him affects him personally, Netanyahu acknowledged that attacks on his family have been especially painful.

“It affects me very much when Sarah, my sons, and everyone around me are hurt. It leaves emotional scars,” he said.

Nevertheless, he said his sense of purpose enables him to continue.

“I’m flesh and blood, but I’m on a mission, and that is stronger than everything. It does affect me, but the mission is stronger than anything else.”

Concluding the interview, Netanyahu said Israel faces critical national challenges that require unity and focus, while reiterating his belief that the legal proceedings against him should come to an end.

“We are facing much greater missions. We need to unite the people. The divisions are deep, and I know what missions and opportunities lie before us. I want to move the country forward. The trial needs to end,” he said.

{Matzav.com}