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U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday wrapped up participation in the annual NATO summit facing an alliance that had largely bent to his will. Far from the tense meetings of Trump’s first term, much of the annual summit in The Hague seemed catered to the impulses and worldviews of the Republican president whose “America First” foreign policy ethos downplays the importance and influence of multilateral coalitions. After less than 24 hours on the ground in the Netherlands, Trump headed back to Washington having secured a major policy change he’s pushed for since 2017: a significant boost in defense spending by other NATO countries whom the president has for years accused of freeloading off the United States. The focus on Ukraine was scaled back dramatically, with its invasion by Russia earning only a passing mention in the summit’s official statement, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s profile at the gathering diminished. Trump also sent NATO scattering for reassurances that the United States would remain committed to the alliance’s mutual defense pledge, affirming on Wednesday that he would abide by Article 5 of the NATO treaty just a day after he rattled the 32-nation alliance by being equivocal about the pact. “I stand with it. That’s why I’m here,” Trump said when asked to clarify his stance on Article 5. “If I didn’t stand with it, I wouldn’t be here.” Trump shifts his tone on NATO At a news conference later Wednesday, Trump sounded reflective as he described feeling inspired by other NATO countries that were motivated to provide for their own defense by bolstering their own spending. “They want to protect their country, and they need the United States, and without the United States, it’s not going to be the same,” Trump said, later adding: “I left here differently. I — I left here saying, ‘These people really love their countries. It’s not a rip-off.’ And we are here to help them protect their country.” He had mused just a day earlier that whether he abides by the treaty “depends on your definition” of Article 5. The mutual praise in The Hague on Wednesday stands in stark contrast to Trump’s previous harsh words for the alliance, whose value he had long questioned. It also reflects the efforts made by other world leaders during the early months of Trump’s second term to approach the mercurial president using his own language of superlatives and flattery. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer showed up to the Oval Office in February to hand-deliver an invitation from King Charles III for a second state visit, which Starmer called “unprecedented.” Italy’s Giorgia Meloni has promised to “make the West great again,” echoing Trump’s campaign slogan. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte wrote in a message to “Mr. President, dear Donald” that his push for increased alliance defense spending would help “achieve something NO American president in decades could get done.” Trump gets a win on spending increase The 32 leaders endorsed a final summit statement saying: “Allies commit to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defense requirements as well as defense- and security-related spending by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective obligations.” “I’ve been asking them to go up to 5% for a number of years,” Trump said earlier in the day as he met with Rutte, whose private message of praise the U.S. president posted on his Truth Social account. Spain had already officially announced […]

An American Airlines flight returned to Las Vegas airport on Wednesday after its engine emitted flames and smoke mid-flight. The plane landed safely, with no injuries reported.

WH Press Secretary responds to CNN’s story about the successful strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities: “This story has now been debunked — widely — by not just the United States, but also Iran and Israel as well.”

Bill Clinton congratulates Zohran Mamdani on his primary election win last night.

At the opening of Wednesday’s cabinet session, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu delivered a somber and unwavering address to the nation, mourning the lives lost and reaffirming the government’s mission.

“We have a difficult day today. We lost seven of our heroic soldiers, who fell in the campaign to defeat Hamas and for the release of our hostages. Our hearts are with the families. We take them to our hearts in their unbearably difficult hour.”

Turning to his colleagues in government, Netanyahu praised their efforts in managing the ongoing war. “I would like to again commend the ministers of the Government. It is not self-evident that the State of Israel would succeed in maintaining functional stability in the face of barrages of lethal missiles. It was done by dedicated, expedited, and successful work by the Government ministries.”

He then shifted focus to the country’s rebuilding efforts, describing the approach his administration has mandated. “We are currently immersed in the task of rebuilding, of course. The directive that I have given, and I know that it will be carried out, is to render generous assistance quickly.”

Expanding on the specifics of that directive, Netanyahu said: “Generous – this means that the resources of the state will be directed, like we did during the Corona crisis. It helped and we got Israel out of that crisis first in the world.”

He continued: “Quickly – this means cutting through bureaucracy, which always makes these things difficult. It is a mission, and I know that you are dedicated to it.”

The Prime Minister went on to express his gratitude to one key figure in particular. “I would like to specially thank Defense Minister Israel Katz, who worked with me shoulder-to-shoulder in managing the campaign. This combination and the action that the Government ministries took to give us space to work, what we did together, Israel, greatly assisted, and was a critical component, in achieving the result. Thank you, Israel.”

During his remarks, Netanyahu shared a piece of writing he received from a member of the public, Naama Kadosh. “The name of the poem is ‘A People as a Lion’: ‘Sometimes we stand without words in the face of the greatness of the hour. The heart contracts and expands in the same breath. As we see everyone, lion and lioness, how the Eternal People, the Chosen People, has risen again before our eyes.'”

Concluding his address, Netanyahu pointed to the deeper meaning of recent events. “I think she says the primary thing, and we really do have a great achievement. We have a great victory in the campaign against an enemy who came to destroy us. By this victory we have removed two immediate existential threats in order to ensure the eternity of Israel.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Donald Trump addressed the recent hostilities between Israel and Iran and commented on the U.S. military response during his appearance at the NATO summit in the Netherlands.

“Last weekend, the United States successfully carried out a massive precision strike on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities,” Trump stated. “This incredible exercise of American strength has paved the way for peace, with a historic ceasefire agreement.”

When asked what gave him confidence that the fighting between the two nations had ended, Trump replied: “I dealt with both and they’re both tiered and exhausted. They fought very hard and viciously. They were both satisfied to go home and get out.”

He acknowledged the possibility that tensions could flare up again, but explained: “I think a big telltale sign is that Iran somewhat, but not much, violated the ceasefire, and Israel had the planes going out that morning, they had a lot of them. 52 of them. I said ‘You gotta get them back,’ and they got them back, they didn’t do anything.”

A journalist inquired whether Iran had the opportunity to relocate any sensitive materials before the U.S. launched its bombing campaign. Trump firmly denied that possibility, saying: “No, just the opposite. We think we hit them so hard and so fast, it didn’t get to move… it’s very hard and very dangerous to move.”

He added further detail, noting: “We’ve collected additional intelligence and we’ve also spoken to people who have seen the site — and the site is obliterated.”

To reinforce his remarks, Trump read aloud from a letter he received from the Atomic Energy Commission of Israel. The letter stated that “the devastating US strike on Fordow destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility totally inoperable.”

{Matzav.com}

New information has emerged from the ongoing investigation into the deadly incident in Khan Yunis, where one officer and six soldiers from the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion, part of the 188th Brigade, lost their lives. Military correspondent Doron Kadosh reported Wednesday evening on preliminary findings, which indicate that the blast was caused not by an explosive affixed to the Puma armored personnel carrier (APC), but by one hurled into it by a terrorist.

The tragic event unfolded during an assault carried out by the 188th Brigade in Khan Yunis. A fighter jet was dispatched to strike a target situated in close proximity to the unit. Just before the airstrike, another group from the same battalion had come under attack from an explosive device and rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fire, resulting in two injuries—one soldier in serious condition and another with light wounds.

Military safety regulations dictate that when an airstrike is about to occur near ground forces, the soldiers must seek shelter in armored vehicles to protect themselves from flying debris and shrapnel caused by the bombing. In line with this protocol, seven soldiers entered the Puma APC briefly to shield themselves ahead of the planned airstrike.

The inquiry found that during the time the soldiers were inside the APC, a terrorist rapidly closed in, managed to climb onto the vehicle in mere seconds, and tossed an explosive directly into the carrier from above. The report states that the soldiers were struck within moments of the blast, with the explosion inflicting immediate and devastating damage.

The investigation further confirmed that there were no additional explosives or demolition materials from the engineering unit stored inside the APC—only the standard ammunition carried by the soldiers themselves.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist from Queens, has surged to the top of New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, leading the field after the first round of ranked-choice voting and leaving former Governor Andrew Cuomo trailing in second place. The upset has sent immediate shockwaves through the city’s political and financial sectors, with many business leaders describing the result as both unexpected and deeply unsettling. Mamdani has not officially secured the Democratic nomination. New York City uses ranked-choice voting, in which voters rank candidates in order of preference. Because no candidate received more than 50% of the first-choice votes, the city will now begin eliminating the lowest-polling candidates and redistributing their votes based on second- and third-choice rankings. Still, Mamdani’s commanding first-round performance makes him the frontrunner in a race many had expected Cuomo to dominate. For the city’s business community, Mamdani’s rise is cause for concern. “This is what we’ve been afraid of,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, earlier this week. “People are terrified.” Investors and executives worry that a Mamdani administration could usher in sweeping changes to tax policy, business regulation, and public spending. His platform includes proposals to expand social programs, raise taxes on the wealthy, and roll back police funding — all positions that have drawn sharp criticism from Wall Street. Bradley Tusk, a tech investor and former campaign manager for Michael Bloomberg, warned of broader implications. “When a major financial center elects a high-profile socialist mayor, it doesn’t stay local,” he told Axios. “It affects investor confidence everywhere.” Mamdani’s performance comes amid a wave of left-leaning political victories in major U.S. cities. Chicago elected progressive Brandon Johnson last year, and Boston’s Michelle Wu continues to implement ambitious policy goals. But the results have been mixed: Johnson is currently facing historically low approval ratings, while Wu has retained support heading into her re-election campaign. Tusk cautioned that New York could face a similar fate. “Detroit and Baltimore were once economic powerhouses too,” he said. “And when the business base leaves, it’s hard to bring it back.” The result has also reignited discussion about the “Wall Street South” trend — the migration of finance firms from New York to Florida. Ken Griffin’s decision to move Citadel’s headquarters to Miami in 2022 symbolized the shift. Some warn Mamdani’s potential election could accelerate the exodus. This isn’t the first time New York’s business leaders have feared a progressive takeover. During the 2013 mayoral race, Bill de Blasio’s populist campaign raised concerns about a looming tax hike on top earners. But de Blasio ultimately built relationships with corporate leaders, including Goldman Sachs’ Lloyd Blankfein and media mogul Rupert Murdoch. Whether Mamdani will pursue a similar approach — or break from past precedent — remains to be seen. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Trump announced on Wednesday that American representatives are preparing to hold discussions with Iranian officials in the coming days, following the recent US bombing campaign which he claimed buried Iran’s enriched uranium deep beneath layers of rubble.

“We’re going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don’t know,” Trump stated during a press conference held after the NATO summit concluded in The Hague.

He did not disclose the location of the meeting or identify who would represent the United States in the talks. The announcement came on the heels of Trump brokering a cease-fire earlier in the week between Iran and Israel, putting an end to what he termed the “12-Day War.”

“I could get a statement that they’re not going to go nuclear. We’re probably going to ask for that, but they’re not going to be doing it anyway.”

Trump reiterated his stance: “We may sign an agreement, [but] I don’t care if I have an agreement or not.”

He went on to explain that he believes a significant amount of Iran’s enriched uranium — close to 900 pounds — is now buried beneath what he described as 300 feet of destruction at the Fordow nuclear facility, which had been targeted by a barrage of twelve massive “bunker buster” bombs, each weighing 30,000 pounds.

“We think everything nuclear is down there, they didn’t take it out,” he said.

“We think we hit them so hard and so fast, they didn’t get to move. And if you knew about that material, it’s very hard and very dangerous to move,” the president said.

“They call it dust, but it’s very heavy, it’s very, very hard to move. And they were way down. You know, they were 30 stories down. They’re literally 30-35 stories down underground. We think it’s covered with granite, concrete and steel.”

On Tuesday, Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told Fox News that the UN agency was unaware of the uranium’s current location.

“We do not have information of the whereabouts of this material,” Grossi said, adding that the uranium had been enriched to 60% purity — still short of the 90-93% needed to manufacture nuclear arms.

Speaking to reporters before heading home from Europe, Trump, 79, lashed out at the media, accusing some journalists of downplaying the effects of the US strikes and likening the operation to America’s atomic bombings of Japan at the close of World War II.

“It was so bad that they ended the war,” he said of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Addressing a leaked Defense Intelligence Agency report that suggested the Iranian nuclear effort might be restored within months, Trump dismissed the claim as mere speculation, saying, “they didn’t see it.”

On Wednesday, the Israel Atomic Energy Commission released its own evaluation, strongly supporting the impact of the strike on the Fordow site. The commission asserted that the bombs “destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable.”

“We assess that the American strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, combined with Israeli strikes on other elements of Iran’s military nuclear program, has set back Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years.”

One remaining question is how the US intends to handle sanctions enforcement against Iranian oil exports — an issue that Trump has toughened in recent months.

In a post on social media Tuesday, Trump remarked that “China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran,” though he did not elaborate on the comment during Wednesday’s remarks, beyond noting: “they’re going to need money to put that country back in shape. We want to see that happen.”

{Matzav.com}

This evening in Israel, Magen David Adom teams transferred dozens of patients from Rambam back to Carmel Hospital in Haifa using MICU buses & ambulances. These patients were evacuated at the start of Operation Am K’Lavi – Rising Lion for protection in Rambam’s underground facility.

INSANE FOOTAGE: Hamas terrorists seen attacking a convoy of armored IDF carriers in Gaza – coming directly up to the APC’s in an attempt to kill the soldiers inside.

In a press conference at the NATO summit in The Netherlands, President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed the United States’ military strike on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, declaring the operation a resounding success and a key turning point in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Trump: “Last weekend, the United States successfully carried out a massive precision strike on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities… this incredible exercise of American strength has paved the way for peace, with a historic ceasefire agreement.” While U.S. officials have yet to release full satellite imagery or damage assessments, Trump left little ambiguity about the strike’s effectiveness. “We’ve collected additional intelligence and we’ve also spoken to people who have seen the site — and the site is obliterated,” Trump confirmed. The president also claimed personal involvement in defusing tensions between Israel and Iran, revealing for the first time that he intervened to stop a massive Israeli airstrike. “I dealt with both, and they’re both tired, exhausted. They fought very, very hard and very viciously… and they were both satisfied to go home and get out… Israel had 52 planes going out that morning, I told them to turn back, and they did.” Despite his claims of successful diplomacy, Trump acknowledged the severity of recent attacks on Israel. “Israel got hit very hard, especially the last couple of days. Israel was hit really hard… Those ballistic missiles, boy, they took out a lot of buildings, and, they’ve been great… Bibi Netanyahu should be very proud, they’ve really been great… But their [Iran] not gonna be building bombs for a long time.” Looking ahead, Trump hinted at a possible diplomatic thaw with Tehran — though he insisted that Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been dealt a crippling blow. “The last thing they want to do is enrich anything right now. They want to recover… I think we’ll end up having somewhat of a relationship with Iran… the last thing they want to do is enrich.” President Trump: “The pilots did an unbelievable job like nobody’s ever seen. They hit paydirt.” He clarified that the strike was limited in scope, dismissing rumors of resource exploitation: “We’re not taking over the [Iranian] oil. We could have.” President Trump: “And I got a call that the pilots and the people on the plane were devastated because they were trying to minimize the attack. Real scum come out and write reports that are as negative as they could possibly be. It should be the opposite. You should make them heroes.” Pressed on whether Iran was able to salvage any nuclear material, Trump dismissed the possibility. “No, just the opposite. We think we hit them so hard and so fast. They didn’t get to move. And if you knew about that material, it’s very hard and very dangerous to move… many people they call it dust, but it’s very, very heavy. It’s very, very hard to move.” While Trump downplayed any interest in renewed talks with Iran, he left the door open — albeit grudgingly — for a potential agreement. “They fought, the war is done. I just asked him the question as we were walking on the stage. Do you want to draw up a little agreement for them to sign? Because I think […]

Hackers backing Tehran have targeted U.S. banks, defense contractors and oil industry companies following American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — but so far have not caused widespread disruptions to critical infrastructure or the economy. But that could change if the ceasefire between Iran and Israel collapses or if independent hacking groups supporting Iran make good on promises to wage their own digital conflict against the U.S., analysts and cyber experts say. The U.S. strikes could even prompt Iran, Russia, China and North Korea to double down on investments in cyberwarfare, according to Arnie Bellini, a tech entrepreneur and investor. Bellini noted that hacking operations are much cheaper than bullets, planes or nuclear arms — what defense analysts call kinetic warfare. America may be militarily dominant, he said, but its reliance on digital technology poses a vulnerability. “We just showed the world: You don’t want to mess with us kinetically,” said Bellini, CEO of Bellini Capital. “But we are wide open digitally. We are like Swiss cheese.” Hackers have hit banks and defense contractors Two pro-Palestinian hacking groups claimed they targeted more than a dozen aviation firms, banks and oil companies following the U.S. strikes over the weekend. The hackers detailed their work in a post on the Telegram messaging service and urged other hackers to follow their lead, according to researchers at the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks the groups’ activity. The attacks were denial-of-service attacks, in which a hacker tries to disrupt a website or online network. “We increase attacks from today,” one of the hacker groups, known as Mysterious Team, posted Monday. Federal authorities say they are on guard for additional attempts by hackers to penetrate U.S. networks. The Department of Homeland Security issued a public bulletin Sunday warning of increased Iranian cyber threats. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a statement Tuesday urging organizations that operate critical infrastructure like water systems, pipelines or power plants to stay vigilant. While it lacks the technical abilities of China or Russia, Iran has long been known as a “chaos agent” when it comes to using cyberattacks to steal secrets, score political points or frighten opponents. Cyberattacks mounted by Iran’s government may end if the ceasefire holds and Tehran looks to avoid another confrontation with the U.S. But hacker groups could still retaliate on Iran’s behalf. In some cases, these groups have ties to military or intelligence agencies. In other cases, they act entirely independently. More than 60 such groups have been identified by researchers at the security firm Trustwave. These hackers can inflict significant economic and psychological blows. Following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, for instance, hackers penetrated an emergency alert app used by some Israelis and directed it to inform users that a nuclear missile was incoming. “It causes an immediate psychological impact,” said Ziv Mador, vice president of security research at Trustwave’s SpiderLabs, which tracks cyberthreats. Economic disruption, confusion and fear are all the goals of such operations, said Mador, who is based in Israel. “We saw the same thing in Russia-Ukraine.” Collecting intelligence is another aim for hackers While Iran lacks the cyberwarfare capabilities of China or Russia, it has repeatedly tried to use its more modest operations to try to spy on foreign leaders — something national security experts predict Tehran is […]

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir in a video statement says that “after twelve days of unprecedented fighting, the IDF operated at its best and fully achieved the aims and objectives of the operation… “According to the assessment of senior officials in the IDF Intelligence Directorate, the damage to the nuclear program is not a localized blow, but a systemic one,” he says.

Sparks of a Nation began as a WhatsApp Status—sharing powerful stories, uplifting messages, and sparks of Yiddishkeit. *Now, we’re bringing that same inspiration to your Shabbos with Sparks of a Nation: Shabbos Edition—a beautifully curated, bi-weekly print magazine.* Each issue is designed to uplift and enrich your Shabbos, featuring heartwarming stories, Torah insights, stunning visuals, and meaningful content the whole family can enjoy—all in a format you can hold, savor, and share. Read more: https://sparksofanation.com/sparks/introducing-sparks-of-a-nation-shabbos-edition-now-at-your-doorstep/

Federal traffic safety regulators are looking into suspected problems with Elon Musk’s test run of self-driving “robotaxis” in Texas after videos surfaced showing them braking suddenly or going straight through an intersection from a turning lane and driving down the wrong side of the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday that it has asked Tesla for information about the apparent errors. Though many other videos show robotaxis driving perfectly, if regulators find any major issues, that would likely raise questions about Musk’s repeated statements that the robotaxis are safe and his claim that Tesla will dominate a future in which nearly all cars on road will have no one behind the wheel — or even need a steering wheel at all. “NHTSA is aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information,” the agency said in a statement. Passengers in Tesla robotaxis on the road in Austin, Texas, have generally been impressed, and the stock rose 8% Monday. Investors grew more cautious Tuesday after news of NHTSA’s inquiry, and the stock fell more than 2%. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A bullish Tesla financial analyst who was driven around in a robotaxi on Sunday when the test runs began said his ride was perfect and suggested the videos on X and YouTube showing errors were no big deal. “Any issues they encounter will be fixed,” said Wedbush Securities’ Dan Ives, calling the test a “huge success” in the past three days “despite the skeptics.” One of those skeptics, a Telemetry Insight expert in car technology, said the videos were alarming enough that the tests as currently run should be halted. “The system has always had highly erratic performance, working really well a lot of the time but frequently making random and inconsistent but dangerous errors,” said Sam Abuelsamid in a text, referring to Tesla’s self-driving software. “This is not a system that should be carrying members of the public or being tested on public roads without trained test drivers behind the wheel.” In one video, a Tesla moves into a lane with a big yellow arrow indicating it is for left turns only but then goes straight through the intersection instead, entering an opposing lane on the other side. The car seems to realize it made some mistake and begins to swerve several times, with the steering wheel jerking back and forth, before eventually settling down. But the Tesla proceeds in the opposing lane for 10 seconds. At the time, there was no oncoming traffic. The passenger in the car who posted the video, money manager Rob Maurer, shrugged off the incident. “There are no vehicles anywhere in sight, so this wasn’t a safety issue,” Maurer said in commentary accompanying his video. “I didn’t feel uncomfortable in the situation.” Another video shows a Tesla stopping twice suddenly in the middle of the road, possibly responding to the flashing lights of police cars. But the police are obviously not interested in the Tesla or traffic in front or behind it because they have parked on side roads not near it, apparently responding to an unrelated event. Federal regulators opened an investigation last year into how Teslas with what Musk calls Full Self-Driving have responded in low-visibility […]

Democrat Nominee for NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani vows to obstruct ICE Arrests: “It’s where the mayor will use their power to reject Donald Trump’s fascism, to stop masked ICE agents from deporting our neighbors.”

President Trump boards Air Force One for his return to D.C. following a highly successful NATO Summit in The Hague, Netherlands.

FLATBUSH: Last night at an event to benefit Yedid of Misaskim with music by Pumpadesa.