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New data released Monday reveals that the overwhelming majority of Iran’s attacks over the past three weeks have targeted Arab Gulf states rather than Israel, highlighting a significant strategic shift in Tehran’s campaign.

According to the report, which analyzes the period between February 28 and March 23, 2026, approximately 87% of Iran’s missile and drone launches were aimed at members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), while only 13% were directed at Israel. The findings are based on official statements from the IDF, Gulf defense ministries, and additional open-source intelligence.

Out of a total of 6,330 launches during the reporting period, the United Arab Emirates emerged as the primary target, absorbing nearly half of all attacks. The data shows that 3,056 strikes—48.3% of the total—were directed at the UAE.

Kuwait ranked second, with 1,061 attacks accounting for 16.8% of the total. Israel, despite being a central focus of Iranian rhetoric, was targeted 822 times, representing just 13% of the overall volume of attacks.

Additional figures show that Saudi Arabia sustained 648 attacks (10.2%), Bahrain was hit 429 times (6.8%), Qatar faced 289 strikes (4.6%), and Oman recorded 25 attacks (0.4%).

The report suggests that Iran’s strategy has centered on imposing economic and strategic costs on Gulf states, particularly by targeting energy and security infrastructure. Recent reported strikes on facilities in Ras Laffan, Qatar, and gas fields in Abu Dhabi are cited as examples of this approach.

Israeli military officials emphasized that the stark disparity—87% directed at Arab states versus 13% at Israel—indicates that the current conflict is largely about regional dominance and control over global energy resources. According to this assessment, Israel has played a secondary role in Iran’s targeting priorities.

Despite criticism of Gulf air defense systems, the data indicates that Iran is focusing the bulk of its efforts on destabilizing neighboring Arab states economically and politically, while leveraging the conflict with Israel as a broader strategic cover for advancing its regional ambitions.

{Matzav.com}

A legal dispute over a luxury vehicle has highlighted the blurred boundaries between business assets and personal property, after an Israeli court ruled that a husband must return a car he had taken from his wife during a marital conflict.

The case involves a couple married since 1991 who built a large family over the years. During the marriage, the husband operated a successful business through which various assets were acquired for family use, including a vehicle worth hundreds of thousands of shekels that was used exclusively by the wife.

As tensions between the couple escalated, the husband arranged for the vehicle to be taken from the wife while it was undergoing routine maintenance. He argued that because she had been dismissed from her position in the company, she no longer had the right to use what he claimed was a company-owned asset.

However, the Haifa District Court rejected the husband’s arguments on appeal, upholding the earlier ruling and emphasizing that the distinction between the couple’s business dealings and their personal lives had been “blurred” throughout the years.

The court determined that the vehicle had effectively been given to the wife as a personal gift for her exclusive use, rather than as part of any formal employment arrangement.

Judges also found that, despite the issuance of salary slips, the wife did not actually perform work for the company, and that the payments she received were part of the couple’s internal financial arrangements rather than evidence of a genuine employer-employee relationship.

The ruling further stressed the need for judicial intervention to prevent unilateral actions during ongoing disputes, warning against what it described as “coercive conduct” intended to alter the status quo while legal rights are still being determined.

In its final decision, the court ruled that jurisdiction over the matter lies with the family court, as the dispute is fundamentally personal rather than a standard labor-related case.

The husband’s appeal was denied, and he was ordered to immediately return the vehicle to his wife. In addition, he was required to pay 7,500 shekels in legal costs.

Bottom line: Shalom bayis is a good idea!

President Donald Trump surprised Israel and the international community by granting Iran an additional five days to continue negotiations, even as US and Israeli military operations remain ongoing, but wide differences between the sides continue to cast doubt on the chances of reaching an agreement.

Earlier today, Trump announced that he was postponing his ultimatum regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and moving forward with renewed talks with Iranian representatives. Despite his optimistic tone, officials acknowledge that significant disagreements remain between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking Monday evening, Trump said he believes an agreement to end the war could be reached in the near future and would help eliminate threats against the United States. “We’ve had great talks with Iran. We’ve spoken to them a lot, but this time they’re serious,” he said.

Despite those remarks, it remains unclear whether any concrete deal is actually taking shape or whether the talks are primarily aimed at buying time and calming global economic concerns.

During a conversation earlier in the day between Prime Minister bIBI Netanyahu and Vice President J.D. Vance, Netanyahu was updated on the ongoing contacts between Washington and Tehran. According to the message conveyed to Israel, the United States intends to stand firm on its red lines, which closely mirror Israel’s own position.

Those conditions reportedly include the removal of enriched uranium from Iran, a full halt to its nuclear program, the reinstatement of intrusive inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, limits on Iran’s ballistic missile program — with Washington pushing for a five-year freeze — and an end to Iranian funding of terrorist organizations.

Israeli officials have expressed skepticism that Iran would agree to such terms, viewing them as equivalent to a surrender. They have also questioned Trump’s optimism, particularly as Iranian officials continue to deny publicly that any agreements have been reached.

According to reports, Israeli officials are concerned that Iran may use the negotiations to stall for time, while Trump may ultimately accept a partial agreement that allows him to declare success without insisting on all of the stated conditions.

Additional reports indicate that Iran has conveyed messages suggesting that Lebanon should be included in any final agreement, further complicating the diplomatic process.

Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei, recently appointed as a military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, responded to Trump’s earlier threat to target Iran’s electrical infrastructure — a threat that has since been withdrawn — with a warning. “This time it will not be an eye for an eye, but a head for an eye, and you will leave the Gulf. The war will continue until we are compensated for all our losses, all economic sanctions are lifted, and we receive international legal guarantees that Washington will not interfere in our affairs,” he said.

At the same time, there are indications that Iran may be open to certain concessions. According to Channel 12, Iranian negotiators have signaled a willingness to consider a temporary five-year freeze on their missile program. They have also indicated openness to discussions on reducing uranium enrichment, although the scope of those reductions remains unclear.

A central issue in the talks is Iran’s stockpile of approximately 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, much of which is believed to be buried beneath damaged facilities in Fordo and Natanz. Iran has also reportedly expressed readiness to allow international monitoring of its remaining centrifuges, as well as to discuss curbing support for regional proxy groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and militias in Iraq.

However, conflicting messages from within Iran’s leadership continue to raise doubts about the seriousness of the negotiations. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has denied that any talks have taken place, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has signaled its intention to continue fighting “until the end.” These contradictions have led to questions about whether there is a clear authority in Tehran capable of negotiating a binding agreement.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, Iran has set extremely high conditions for ending hostilities, including demands that have slowed progress in the talks. Arab officials involved in mediation efforts said that discussions are focused in part on the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

One proposal under consideration would place the strategic waterway under the control of a neutral regional body to ensure free passage for shipping. Egyptian officials have also reportedly suggested a five-day ceasefire as a way to build trust between Tehran and Washington.

In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has demanded a new arrangement in which Iran would be allowed to collect fees from ships passing through the strait, similar to Egypt’s model in the Suez Canal.

Additional Iranian demands reportedly include guarantees that the war cannot resume, the closure of American bases in the Middle East, compensation for damages caused during the conflict, and an end to Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has emerged as a potential mediator, with discussions underway about a possible meeting between the parties as early as this Saturday in Islamabad. The effort is being led by General Asim Munir, Pakistan’s military chief and de facto leader, who is also facing internal pressure from the country’s Shiite population over the government’s stance toward Iran.

Trump said earlier that he is in contact with a “respected leader” in Iran, though not with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly. Israeli officials believe the discussions may be taking place with Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf, who denied the claim and described it as “fake news intended to manipulate markets and escape the quagmire in which the United States and Israel are trapped.”

However, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that a request for talks with Ghalibaf had indeed been received from the United States, although Tehran has not yet responded. Iran’s Foreign Ministry also confirmed that regional countries are attempting to mediate an end to the war.

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu addressed Trump’s remarks on the negotiations, saying, “Earlier today I spoke with Trump. He believes there is an opportunity to leverage the tremendous achievements of the IDF and the US military to achieve the objectives of the war through an agreement, an agreement that will preserve our vital interests.”

{Matzav.com}

A major development in the world of chazzanus in Yerushalayim was made official today, as Yeshurun Synagogue revealed that the renowned Chazzan Yitzchak Meir Helfgott will assume the role of chief chazzan of the prominent shul, accompanied by choirs, Matzav.com has learned.

Helfgott will take over the position from Chazzan Nissim Saal, who has served as the shul’s chief chazzan for the past three years.

In a statement, the shul said: “The Yeshurun Central Synagogue is pleased to announce to the public the joining of the great chazzan, one of the leading cantors of our generation and a world-renowned figure and first-class master of prayer, Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Helfgott, who will serve as the chief chazzan of the Yeshurun Central Synagogue accompanied by choirs. The Yeshurun Central Synagogue community believes that his voice and vast experience will contribute greatly to strengthening spiritual life and prayer, and to uplifting the hearts of the Jewish people.”

The kehillah also expressed appreciation to Saal for his years of service, noting his impact on the shul’s atmosphere and communal life.

“We wish to express deep gratitude and appreciation to Cantor Rabbi Nissim Saal for three beautiful and blessed years of service at the synagogue. During his tenure, he contributed greatly to the atmosphere of prayer, to uplifting the spirit, and to strengthening community life, with dedication, pleasantness, and professionalism. We thank him wholeheartedly for his important contribution, and wish him much continued success in his path, that he continue to bring joy to hearts and increase the honor of Heaven wherever he goes.”

{Matzav.com}

Photos and footage circulating online appear to show an Iranian government aircraft flying over Tehran, despite the closure of the country’s airspace, which is reportedly under Israeli control.

The three-second clip, widely shared on social media, has drawn significant attention, as it seemingly contradicts the current restrictions on flights in the region.

According to a report by Israeli journalist Itay Blumental of Kan News, the aircraft was likely carrying senior Iranian officials en route to Islamabad, Pakistan, as part of efforts to advance talks between the United States and Iran. “We understand that this is part of a process taking place behind the scenes,” he said.

Blumental added that the flight may have been coordinated and approved by international actors, suggesting possible American involvement in facilitating the movement. “It’s possible that American officials informed Israel, which allowed the flight to take off,” he noted.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that Kyiv has conclusive evidence Russia is continuing to provide intelligence support to Iran, warning that such actions are helping to extend the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Zelenskyy made the remarks after a meeting with Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, stating that the information in Kyiv’s possession leaves no doubt about Moscow’s involvement.

“Russia is using its own signals intelligence and electronic intelligence capabilities, as well as part of the data obtained through cooperation with partners in the Middle East,” he said on X after meeting the head of military intelligence.

In a later video address to the nation, Zelenskyy said additional indications have emerged pointing to ongoing Russian assistance to Iran.

“This is clearly destructive activity and must be stopped, as it only leads to further destabilization. All responsible states have an interest in ensuring security and preventing bigger problem,” he said.

He also warned that the consequences of this cooperation are already being felt beyond the battlefield, particularly in global markets and energy supply.

“Markets are already reacting negatively and this is significantly complicating the fuel situation in many countries. By helping the Iranian regime survive and strike more accurately, Russia is effectively prolonging the war.”

Russia, for its part, has denied the allegations. The Kremlin last week rejected a Wall Street Journal report claiming that Moscow had been providing Iran with satellite imagery and enhanced drone technology, dismissing the report as “fake news.”

Air travel through Ben Gurion Airport has been sharply reduced following new directives from the Transportation Ministry, with Israel’s major airlines moving into emergency operating mode and significantly cutting back flights and passenger capacity.

El Al announced that it is scaling its activity down to roughly 5% of normal operations. Under the new framework, the airline will operate up to 15 outbound flights per day, each limited to a maximum of 50 passengers. The reduced schedule will include only select routes to key destinations such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Paris, Rome, and Athens. The airline noted that inbound flights to Israel will continue without passenger restrictions.

Due to the limited number of available seats, passengers will be assigned based on the original booking date of their tickets, with priority given to urgent humanitarian and medical cases.

Israir also outlined a revised plan, stating that it will cut its operations to approximately half of its usual capacity. Outbound flights will likewise be restricted to 50 passengers per aircraft. The airline will focus on maintaining routes to nearby destinations, including Athens, Larnaca, Rome, Tbilisi, and Addis Ababa, which will serve as connecting hubs for onward travel.

The company further announced that all flights purchased through April 8 will be canceled under the new plan. Affected passengers will be offered the choice between a full refund or a travel voucher valued at 130% of the original ticket price, valid for up to 24 months. Travelers who had booked flights from Ben Gurion Airport to the listed destinations will be reassigned to flights departing from those same cities, in accordance with the updated schedules.

Both airlines emphasized that these measures are being implemented out of necessity due to the current security situation and government-imposed restrictions. They stressed that operations are being conducted with a focus on passenger and crew safety, while making efforts to maintain essential air links between Israel and the rest of the world.