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Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir revealed his personal phone number during a live broadcast, urging the public to send him documentation of police conduct—both positive and negative—during the Lag BaOmer events in Meron.

Speaking Wednesday evening on Kol Chai radio, Ben Gvir also addressed reports of a developing agreement between the United States and Iran, voicing firm opposition. He said Israel cannot accept a nuclear Iran and warned that the regime in Tehran cannot be trusted to uphold any agreement. While expressing confidence in President Donald Trump and his intentions toward Israel, Ben Gvir cautioned against what he described as naivety in dealing with a country seeking nuclear capabilities to destroy Israel.

Discussing broader security challenges, Ben Gvir said Israel must address threats from multiple fronts simultaneously, including Lebanon, Gaza, and Iran. “We cannot leave Hezbollah with weapons, we cannot leave Hamas in Gaza, and we cannot leave a nuclear Iran,” he declared. He praised Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu for leading operations targeting senior terror figures, including Sinwar, Nasrallah, and Khamenei, but stressed that the mission is not yet complete and that Israel has the capability to achieve a decisive outcome.

Turning to criticism of police conduct at Mount Meron during Lag BaOmer, Ben Gvir rejected claims of excessive force against chareidi participants. He said he has received hundreds of messages from citizens praising officers for their restraint and respectful behavior, contrasting this year’s events with past incidents that involved violence and injuries. He emphasized that there is a clear policy to treat the chareidi public as “brothers” and noted that officers underwent mental preparation to avoid offending sensitivities or the sanctity of the site.

Regarding restrictions on access to Meron, Ben Gvir explained that the decision was made by the Home Front Command out of concern for public safety. He said officials were presented with severe scenarios involving rocket or drone strikes hitting dense crowds, which could have resulted in mass casualties due to insufficient protected areas. “The decision was made to protect the public. Heaven forbid a missile had fallen—would we be going from family to family in mourning?” he said. Addressing questions about why other large events were allowed to proceed, he said security officials had provided explanations, noting that “there is a difference between Sammy Ofer Stadium and Mount Meron.”

On the issue of the draft law, Ben Gvir called for advancing legislation even if it faces likely challenges in the High Court. He urged chareidi parties to push for judicial reform, arguing that the court unfairly targets the chareidi community and harms women and children in matters such as daycare funding.

In closing, Ben Gvir addressed the possibility of criminal mediation in the cases involving the prime minister, calling it a mistake. He sharply criticized Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, referring to her as “a dismissed and fired adviser” and asserting that it is not possible to work with her in cooperation or engage in good-faith mediation.

In an unusual move, Ben Gvir publicly shared his personal phone number and invited citizens to send him footage documenting police behavior, both favorable and unfavorable, during the Meron events.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF avoided carrying out strikes in Lebanon on Lag BaOmer due to concerns that Hezbollah could retaliate toward Mount Meron, where large crowds had gathered, according to a report citing security sources.

Despite Home Front Command restrictions, thousands made their way to Meron for the hilula there, reaching the mountain by unconventional routes, including fields and wooded areas, in what observers described as determined efforts to attend the annual gathering.

The limitations placed on access to the site were tied to heightened tensions along the northern border and fears that Hezbollah might launch rockets or explosive drones toward the area. In the end, no such attack materialized, similar to the previous year during the height of fighting in the north.

According to the report, the IDF took steps to avoid further escalation and deliberately refrained from conducting operations in Lebanon throughout Lag BaOmer, out of concern that any military action could provoke a response aimed at Meron—potentially putting large numbers of civilians at risk.

Following the conclusion of Lag BaOmer, however, the IDF shifted its approach. In response to recent escalation by Hezbollah, Israeli forces carried out a targeted strike in the Dahiyeh district of Beirut, approximately one day after the end of the Meron gathering.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Every year, mamish every single year, I go to Meron by Rebbi Shimon for Lag BaOmer. From when I was a yingerman, this was my whole thing. I made sure to go. I leave everything, I take off from work, whatever it takes, I go.

And when I go, I don’t just stand there like a stone. I stand by the kever, I cry, I daven, I talk to Rebbi Shimon like a child talks to a father. I ask for yeshios—for parnussah, for gezunt, for shulem bayis, for nachas from the kinder, for everything I need the whole year.

And I always see, it works. Mamish works. The whole year I walk around with a certain brucha. Things go smoother. Even when there are problems, somehow it works out. I always say to myself, this is from Meron, from that one night by Rebbi Shimon.

But this year, I didn’t go.

Because of the war, because of the matzav, all the restrictions, they didn’t let us go like normal. It didn’t happen. I stayed home like a nebach.

And I cannot explain what I felt on Lag BaOmer. Everyone is talking about Meron, everyone is sending videos, everyone is singing, and I was sitting in my house. I felt empty. Mamish empty. And now I am very scared for the whole year.

Because by me, this is how it works. I go to Rebbi Shimon, I ask for yeshios, and then the year goes with a brucha. So now I am thinking, if I didn’t go, then what? Where will my yeshios come from this year? What will be with my parnussah? What will be with my family? Who is going to help me?

Maybe people will laugh at me. They will say I am a simple Yid, I don’t understand big things. Maybe it’s true. But this is my metzius. This is how I live. I am not a big tzaddik, I am not a big thinker. I am a simple Yid who goes to Rebbi Shimon and asks for help from Hashem in the zechis of the tzaddik.

Now I didn’t go, so I feel like I lost my whole “pipeline.”

I am trying to be mechazek myself. I say Hashem is everywhere. You can daven anywhere. You don’t need Meron. I say it again and again. But my heart is not listening. My heart is used to Meron, to the fire, to the singing, to the crying, to that feeling that Rebbi Shimon is hearing me.

This year I didn’t have it.

So I walk around with a pachad in my heart. Mamish a fear. What will be? How will this year go?

Maybe there are other Yidden like me. Maybe someone can say a word, a simple word, how even if a Yid didn’t go to Meron, he can still have yeshios and a good year with a big brucha. Because I need to hear it.

I am begging that next year everything should be back to normal, no war, no restrictions, and we should all go to Meron with a big simcha, and stand by Rebbi Shimon, and cry and ask Hashem, and everything should be good again.

A Yid Who is Very Worried

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Israel’s chareidi parties are expected to make a critical decision in the coming days on whether to advance legislation regulating the draft and the status of yeshiva bochurim, as the Knesset prepares to open its summer session.

The decision must be made quickly, with only a few months remaining before the political system enters an election period, during which such legislation cannot be passed.

Within Shas, officials have indicated support for continuing the legislative effort but are waiting for a final position from Degel HaTorah, as both parties previously agreed that any move would be carried out in full coordination.

“From the outset, Shas and Degel HaTorah have worked together in full coordination to advance the draft law,” a senior Shas official told Matzav.com. “Recently, the gedolim from the Litvishe community instructed that the legislation be delayed in order to allow for further discussions.”

A senior figure in Degel HaTorah said that a ruling from the rosh yeshiva, Rav Dov Landau, could come within the next 24 hours or early next week.

At the center of the discussions are several key options:

-Whether to accept the demands of the Knesset’s legal advisers and introduce changes and stricter provisions into the bill.

-Whether to pass the law without the backing of the Knesset’s legal counsel, risking that it could be immediately struck down and face an interim injunction.

-Whether to abandon the current legislative effort altogether and postpone the issue until the next Knesset, in the hope that the right-wing bloc remains in power.

The office of Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni issued a firm denial of reports claiming that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu had asked chareidi parties to delay completing the legislation until after the expected elections.

“The report that Prime Minister Netanyahu requested to delay the completion of the draft law until after the elections — is entirely false,” Gafni’s office said in a brief statement.

The denial followed a report by journalist Avraham Freund, who claimed that Netanyahu had recently held discussions with leaders of the chareidi parties and urged them to remove the draft law from the agenda and wait until after elections, arguing that there is currently no realistic path to passing it.

As noted, the chareidi parties are operating under significant time pressure. With the Knesset’s summer session approaching, only a limited window remains before the country enters an election period, when legislation of this kind cannot move forward. This situation is forcing party leaders to make a rapid decision: whether to continue pushing the law now or forgo the opportunity to pass it in the current Knesset.

{Matzav.com}

Khalil al-Hayya denied reports Thursday morning that his son Azzam was killed in an Israeli strike, saying instead that he was seriously wounded during the attack.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, al-Hayya addressed the reports that circulated the previous night, stating that his son had not been killed in the strike in Gaza City.

“What we heard is that in the group that was randomly attacked, so far Hamza al-Sharbati was killed, and my son Azzam and another group of people were seriously wounded,” al-Hayya said in the interview.

According to earlier reports, the strike took place in the al-Daraj neighborhood in eastern Gaza City during operational activity by IDF forces in the area. Palestinian sources had initially confirmed Azzam’s death, but al-Hayya now claims those reports were incorrect and that his son survived with severe injuries.

Al-Hayya, who serves as head of Hamas’s political bureau in the Gaza Strip, is considered one of the central figures in the organization’s leadership. He is currently in the final stage of a leadership contest within Hamas, facing Khaled Mashal ahead of internal elections expected in the near future.

This is not the first time al-Hayya’s family has been affected during the war. Another of his sons was previously killed in an Israeli strike in Qatar earlier in the conflict.

{Matzav.com}

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf publicly ridiculed Donald Trump on Wednesday, as reports circulated that Washington and Tehran may be nearing an agreement to end the ongoing conflict.

“Operation Trust Me Bro failed. Now back to routine with Operation Fauxios,” Ghalibaf wrote in a post on social media.

His comments appeared to take aim at the recently announced Project Freedom mission in the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump halted Tuesday night just two days after launching it, as well as a report from Axios indicating that the United States and Iran are close to finalizing a brief, one-page deal to bring the war to a conclusion.

Earlier that day, Trump issued a sharp warning to Iran in a post on his Truth Social platform, outlining the conditions under which hostilities could come to an end.

“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran.”

He followed with a direct threat, writing, “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

Later, speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said recent negotiations with Iran have been productive, adding that Iranian leadership is eager to reach an agreement and has indicated a willingness to abandon nuclear weapons.

“They want to make a deal badly. And we’ll see if we get there. If we get there, they can’t have nuclear weapons. It’s very simple,” Trump stated.

Trump also described what he characterized as a near-total dismantling of Iran’s military capabilities, pointing to losses across its navy, air force, and missile systems.

“They had a Navy with 159 ships, and now every ship is blown to pieces and lying at the bottom of the water. They had an Air Force, lots of planes, and they don’t have any planes. They don’t have any anti-aircraft. They don’t have any radar left. Their missiles are mostly decimated. They have some. They have probably 18, 19 percent, but not a lot by comparison to what they had. And their leaders are all dead. So I think we won.”

He added that while the administration is pursuing a negotiated resolution, further escalation remains an option if talks do not succeed.

“Now we have to get what we have to get. If we don’t do that, we’ll have to go a big step further. But with that being said, they want to make a deal. We’ve had very good talks over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” said Trump.

Trump reiterated his central position, emphasizing once again that “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. And they won’t. And they’ve agreed to that, among other things.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the ongoing conflict with Iran is likely to conclude in the near future, pointing to continued military pressure and advancing diplomatic efforts as signs that an end may be close.

Trump made the remarks during a tele-rally in support of Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Burt Jones.

“When you look at the kind of things that are happening, we are doing that for one very important reason: We cannot allow them to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

He added, “So I think most people understand that. They understand that what we are doing is right, and it’ll be over quickly.”

At the same time, a regional source told CNN that Iran is expected to deliver its formal response to mediators regarding a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war as early as Thursday.

According to the report, Iranian officials have been reviewing the proposal, and both sides appear to be moving closer to a possible agreement that would bring the conflict to a close.

Earlier in the day, Trump told reporters that recent discussions with Iran have been productive, adding that Iranian leadership is eager to finalize a deal and has indicated a willingness to forgo nuclear weapons.

“They want to make a deal badly. And we’ll see if we get there. If we get there, they can’t have nuclear weapons. It’s very simple,” Trump said.

Trump also described what he characterized as extensive damage to Iran’s military infrastructure, asserting that its naval and air capabilities have been largely eliminated.

“They had a Navy with 159 ships, and now every ship is blown to pieces and lying at the bottom of the water. They had an Air Force, lots of planes, and they don’t have any planes. They don’t have any anti-aircraft. They don’t have any radar left. Their missiles are mostly decimated. They have some. They have probably 18, 19 percent, but not a lot by comparison to what they had. And their leaders are all dead. So I think we won.”

He emphasized that while diplomacy remains the goal, further escalation remains on the table if negotiations fail.

“Now we have to get what we have to get. If we don’t do that, we’ll have to go a big step further. But with that being said, they want to make a deal. We’ve had very good talks over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” said Trump.

Trump again made clear that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains the central objective.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. And they won’t. And they’ve agreed to that, among other things.”

The remarks came shortly after Trump issued a public warning to Iran on his Truth Social platform, outlining conditions for ending the conflict.

“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran.”

He followed that with a direct warning, writing, “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

Trump’s ultimatum followed a report from Axios indicating that the United States and Iran are nearing a brief, one-page framework agreement that could formally end the war.

Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, responded with a mocking message directed at Trump.

“Operation Trust Me Bro failed. Now back to routine with Operation Fauxios,” Ghalibaf wrote in a post on social media.

His remarks appeared to reference both the recently halted Project Freedom operation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Axios report suggesting a pending agreement between the two sides.

{Matzav.com}