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Drivers and public transportation passengers across central Israel are being warned to prepare for major traffic disruptions on Thursday, as large-scale demonstrations by Peleg Yerushalmi against the arrest of bnei yeshivah coincide with three major concerts expected to draw tens of thousands of attendees.

The demonstrations, scheduled for Thursday afternoon, are expected to cause significant disruptions along key transportation routes throughout the Gush Dan region and surrounding areas.

At the same time, enormous crowds are expected to converge on several major entertainment venues. Singer Omer Adam is scheduled to perform at Ramat Gan Stadium, Eyal Golan will appear at Bloomfield Stadium, and Ben Tzur will perform at Petach Tikvah’s HaMoshavah Stadium. Heavy congestion is anticipated beginning in the afternoon on major highways and at nearby train stations.

Transportation officials expect the heaviest traffic to affect Highway 4, the Geha Interchange, the Ayalon Highway, Derech Namir, Derech HaShalom, the Jabotinsky corridor, and major access roads leading into Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, Petach Tikvah, and southern Tel Aviv.

In response to the expected surge in travel demand, Israel Railways announced a substantial expansion of service. The plan includes additional trains to destinations around the country, extended routes for existing rail lines, and increased staffing and operational readiness at the Bnei Brak and Petach Tikvah Kiryat Aryeh stations.

Authorities are urging motorists and commuters to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and consider using public transportation whenever possible as the region braces for one of its busiest transportation days in recent months.

Vice President JD Vance acknowledged that the United States and Israel do not always see eye-to-eye on regional issues, emphasizing that while the two allies remain close partners, the Trump administration will ultimately pursue what it believes serves American interests best, particularly as negotiations with Iran continue.

The comments came during an interview with CBS News, where Vance discussed the sometimes-complicated relationship between Washington and Jerusalem amid the ongoing tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu, look, he governs a country that has obviously been a very close partner of the United States. But, even when we’ve been close partners, sometimes we have interests that are perfectly aligned and sometimes we have interests that are misaligned,” Vance told Robert Costa in an interview airing this week on “CBS Sunday Morning” and of which excerpts were released on Wednesday.

Vance described Netanyahu as a leader focused on advancing Israel’s interests, while stressing that President Trump is equally committed to advancing the priorities of the American people.

“Sometimes that means we’re on the same page and sometimes it means that we’re not,” Vance said, adding that “where that diverges, we, unfortunately for the Israelis, have to choose the side of the American people, which we always do.”

Asked whether Netanyahu had made mistakes in his handling of issues involving the United States and the Iranian crisis, Vance indicated that the Israeli prime minister’s decisions have not always been perfect.

“He’s certainly gotten some things wrong,” stated Vance, who chose not to elaborate on specific errors, noting that such discussions “are better left in private.”

Despite those differences, Vance emphasized that cooperation between the two governments remains strong.

“But what I would say is that he’s been a good partner,” Vance said. “We’re gonna keep on working together. But where interests diverge, the United States is gonna pursue the best interests of our nation, and that’s how it’s gonna be.”

The vice president’s remarks come after weeks of public messaging from Trump underscoring that negotiations with Tehran will be directed by Washington and that Israel must recognize the president’s determination to chart his own course in seeking an agreement.

In additional excerpts from the interview released earlier this week, Vance said the administration believes it is nearing a long-term agreement aimed at preventing Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon, though he cautioned that a final breakthrough could come quickly or could still take months to complete.

“Right now, I feel that we are in a position to get a deal that is good for the United States economically and that really does deal with the Iranian nuclear program, not just now, not just while Donald Trump is president, but for the long term, to where my kids can say when they’re adults, ‘Iran is not going to have a nuclear weapon,'” Vance said.

He expressed confidence that the administration is making significant progress toward that objective.

“That’s the goal of the policy. And I think we’re very close to achieving that goal. But we still got some wood to chop. We’re going to keep doing it,” he added.

Vance delivered a similar message during an appearance on Fox News Monday evening, again emphasizing that while the United States and Israel share many strategic goals, American policy toward Iran will ultimately be guided by what Washington believes is best for the United States.

“The Israelis and the United States, we have a lot of shared interests. But we also have some situations where our interests diverge, and I think where the president has been very clear here is that while Israel obviously has some objectives that it has, the United States’ main objective in Iran is to ensure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said.

He argued that recent developments have created an opportunity to pursue a lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

“Over the last year and a half, we’ve created the space necessary where the president believes – and I think he’s right – that we can get a long-term settlement to Iran’s nuclear issue,” Vance stated.

Vance concluded by making clear that the administration’s strategy will proceed regardless of whether Israeli leaders fully embrace it.

“Now, Israel may like that, they may not like that, but fundamentally, we think this is in the best interest of the United States of America,” he said, adding that Washington will continue pursuing that goal because “that’s what the president of the United States was elected to do.”

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Ilhan Omar is continuing to push back against allegations surrounding her financial disclosures, even as Republicans increase pressure for a formal review of her finances and ties to a massive pandemic-era fraud scandal.

Questions about the Minnesota Democrat’s finances escalated after public disclosure reports appeared to show a dramatic decline in her estimated net worth. One filing placed her wealth in a range of approximately $6 million to $30 million, while a subsequent disclosure listed assets estimated at only about $18,000 to $95,000.

The controversy has drawn the attention of House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, who has publicly encouraged the House Ethics Committee to examine both Omar’s financial disclosures and any possible connections she may have had to the ‘Feeding Our Future’ scandal, a fraud case that federal authorities say cost taxpayers roughly $250 million.

When asked about reports suggesting she is facing an Ethics Committee investigation, Omar rejected the claim outright.

“No,” Omar told Fox News Digital, laughing, when asked if she is under an Ethics Committee investigation. “No. We go over this all the time.”

She was also questioned about continued scrutiny regarding the reported discrepancy in her financial filings and the possibility that her disclosed net worth had dropped by nearly $29 million.

“There’s also the possibility that it might rain on this sunny day,” Omar replied.

Republican efforts to increase scrutiny of Omar have extended beyond Congress. Last month, Vice President JD Vance announced that the Justice Department would launch an investigation into allegations involving the congresswoman as part of the administration’s newly created anti-fraud task force.

Omar has consistently denied any knowledge of wrongdoing connected to the Feeding Our Future organization, which claimed to provide meals to needy children during the COVID-19 pandemic while allegedly carrying out a massive fraud scheme.

Federal prosecutors have described the case as one of the largest pandemic-related fraud operations ever uncovered. According to reporting by The Associated Press, the Justice Department called it the “single largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the country.” Aimee Bock, who led the nonprofit organization at the center of the case, was sentenced to 42 years in prison for her role in orchestrating the scheme.

Republicans have also focused on Omar’s sponsorship of the MEALS Act, legislation included in federal pandemic-relief efforts. Critics argue that the measure expanded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s waiver authority in ways that created opportunities for fraud. They contend that the legislation weakened oversight mechanisms designed to verify participation in federal nutrition programs and contributed to conditions that allowed the fraud to flourish.

In earlier comments to Fox News Digital, Omar disputed those claims, arguing that the operational rules governing the program were established under President Donald Trump’s Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins.

Although Omar continues to dismiss suggestions that she is the subject of an Ethics Committee inquiry, Republican lawmakers appear determined to continue pressing for a formal investigation into both her financial disclosures and allegations tied to the fraud case.

{Matzav.com}

Florida Republicans scored a significant legal win on Wednesday when the state’s Supreme Court ruled that newly drawn congressional districts can be used in this year’s midterm elections, boosting GOP efforts to protect and potentially expand their narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The lawsuit challenging the map was brought by a group of voters who argued that the new district boundaries violated Florida’s constitutional ban on partisan gerrymandering. They asked the court to block the revised map and require the state to use the congressional districts employed in the last election.

In a 6-1 ruling, the Florida Supreme Court rejected the request for an emergency injunction. The justices did not address the underlying legal questions, instead concluding that the case must continue working its way through lower courts before they can intervene.

Republicans currently control 20 of Florida’s 28 congressional seats. Political observers say the new districts, approved after a special legislative session and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, could position the GOP to gain as many as four additional seats in the upcoming election.

The ruling also removes uncertainty for prospective candidates as the state approaches Friday’s filing deadline for participation in Florida’s Aug. 18 congressional primaries.

Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier celebrated the outcome, describing it on social media as a “complete and total victory.”

Opponents of the map reacted with anger but pledged to continue pursuing the case through the courts, even if a final resolution does not arrive until after multiple election cycles.

“The Florida Supreme Court’s failure to stop this brazen partisan power grab is not only an assault on democracy, but an abdication of its duty to the people of Florida,” said Genesis Robinson, executive director of Equal Ground, a community organizing group that sued.

Florida is among several Republican-controlled states that have revisited congressional boundaries between census cycles as part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump and GOP leaders to maintain control of the House in November.

State lawmakers approved the new congressional map on April 29, the same day the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana. Although the ruling had not yet been issued when DeSantis called the special legislative session, his administration anticipated that outcome.

Officials in the governor’s office have maintained that race played no role in the creation of the map presented to lawmakers. One notable change redraws a South Florida district that the administration said had originally been designed to help elect a Black member of Congress in accordance with the federal Voting Rights Act.

Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment, adopted by voters in 2010, not only prohibits partisan gerrymandering but also bars the drawing of districts in ways that weaken the electoral influence of racial or language minorities. The amendment further requires districts to remain compact and, when practical, follow existing political and geographic boundaries.

In guidance provided to legislators, DeSantis General Counsel David Axelman argued that the racial provisions of the Fair Districts Amendment conflict with the U.S. Constitution. Axelman contended that if those provisions are unconstitutional, then the entire amendment—including its anti-gerrymandering protections—cannot stand.

Lawyers representing state officials advanced similar arguments before the Florida Supreme Court. They also maintained that altering district boundaries at this stage would create significant election-related complications and that there was insufficient time to revert to the previous map.

In court filings, attorneys for the state praised the new districts, calling them “cause for celebration” during America’s 250th anniversary. “Perhaps for the first time in Florida’s history, the State has a truly colorblind map; a map that refuses to assault the dignity of men and women by color-coding them,” their court filing said.

Attorneys challenging the map countered that the districts were intentionally designed to favor Republicans. In their filings, they described the plan as “among the most extreme partisan gerrymanders enacted in any state over the past half-century.”

According to attorney Chris Shenton, who represents Common Cause and other groups opposing the map, the changes disproportionately affect Democratic voters. He noted that 82% of voters currently living in Republican-held districts remain in the same districts under the new map, while only 41% of voters in Democratic-held districts remain within their previous district boundaries.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration is moving rapidly to build the president’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, with newly disclosed federal planning documents revealing an ambitious goal of finishing the massive structure within the next two to three years.

Records released by the National Park Service indicate that the White House intends to keep construction underway for up to 20 hours each day throughout the year, operating two separate 10-hour shifts. Industry professionals told The Washington Post that such an intensive schedule is rarely seen on federal projects that are not responding to emergencies.

By accelerating the construction process, administration officials hope to ensure the monument is completed before President Trump leaves office.

The proposed arch would rise at Memorial Circle, the prominent traffic circle adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, and would represent one of the most dramatic changes to the capital’s landscape during Trump’s presidency.

Planning documents show that the structure would be built using concrete covered with granite rather than being carved entirely from natural stone, a technique experts say could significantly reduce construction time compared with many of Washington’s historic memorials.

“He’s obviously in a hurry to try to get this all done before he leaves office,” University of Maryland architecture professor Matthew Bell told the Post. “Most of the major monuments in D.C. are stone.”

According to Park Service filings, the project would require several massive cranes during construction, including one reaching roughly 320 feet and another approaching 300 feet in height.

The location has also drawn attention because it lies beneath an active flight corridor used by aircraft arriving at and departing from Reagan National Airport.

As a result, the Federal Aviation Administration is evaluating the impact the towering monument could have on air traffic. In an initial assessment released last week, the agency said the structure would need flashing red warning lights visible to pilots during nighttime operations. FAA officials confirmed Tuesday that their review has not yet been completed.

Administration representatives have stated that construction will move forward as soon as all regulatory approvals are secured.

“The Triumphal Arch in Memorial Circle is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington, D.C., but throughout the world,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement.

Trump has repeatedly championed the monument as a centerpiece of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations. The proposal has already won approval from the Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission could take up the matter for final consideration as soon as next month.

Opposition to the project remains strong among a number of preservation organizations and veterans groups, many of whom argue that the monument would permanently alter the character of the area surrounding Arlington National Cemetery.

Several military veterans have already gone to court in an effort to stop the project, contending that the new structure would fundamentally change the experience of visiting the nation’s most revered military cemetery.

The Society of Architectural Historians has likewise voiced objections to the proposal.

In a recent letter sent to the National Capital Planning Commission, the group’s conservation committee argued that the arch “threatens to negatively impact the historic and architectural context of its setting, disrupts views to existing significant historic monuments, and runs counter to decades of design and preservation guidance for this area that has been prepared by none other than the applicant itself.”

As part of the approval process, the National Park Service last week launched a 10-day public comment period, allowing members of the public to weigh in before construction begins. Feedback may be submitted online or by email through June 15.

Administration officials have pledged that the public will receive a minimum of two weeks’ notice before any construction activity starts at the site.

{Matzav.com}

Protests over the arrest and planned transfer of yeshiva students to military authorities intensified Wednesday afternoon after the Eidah Hachareidis took the unusual step of ordering all of its kollelim closed and directing its members to join demonstrations taking place across Israel.

In a statement issued on behalf of the members of the Eidah Hachareidis Badatz, headed by Rav Moshe Sternbuch, the organization called on the public to take part in what it described as a determined campaign against the authorities’ efforts to transfer yeshiva students and avreichim to military prisons.

The statement declared that “in light of the authorities’ attempt to hand over dozens of bochurim and avreichim to military prison, every individual is obligated to participate in protests and an all-out battle with mesirus nefesh at the gates of the various prisons throughout the country in order to stop the destruction.”

Following the directive, all Eidah Hachareidis kollelim reportedly suspended learning activities, and large numbers of avreichim joined demonstrations already underway in several locations, including Yerushalayim.

The protests began earlier in the day, led primarily by members of Peleg Yerushalmi, with demonstrations taking place near the Russian Compound in Yerushalayim and in the Abu Kabir area.

The immediate catalyst for the protests was the decision by authorities to transfer 19 yeshiva bochurim arrested during the disturbances outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg to military custody.

According to notices distributed by Peleg Yerushalmi organizers, demonstrations were held simultaneously at four major locations: near Nitzan Prison in Ramle for residents of Beit Shemesh and southern Israel; at the Russian Compound in Yerushalayim; near Hadarim Prison along Route 4 between Ra’anana and Netanya for residents of the north and Sharon region; and in the Abu Kabir area for participants from Bnei Brak and central Israel.

In Yerushalayim, confrontations broke out between demonstrators and police. Protesters accused officers of using excessive force to disperse crowds, including the deployment of stun grenades.

Police, however, said demonstrators attacked officers, threw objects, and refused repeated orders to disperse.

In a statement, police said, “Police forces, together with Border Police, riot-control units and special operations personnel, acted to clear the roads and push back those involved in the disturbances, using crowd-control measures including stun grenades and mounted police. Forces continue to operate in the area in order to restore order and keep major traffic routes open.”

The latest protests follow last week’s demonstration outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, when dozens of protesters gathered outside the residence, smashed windows, damaged the entrance to the home, and destroyed flower pots and planters. More than 70 people were arrested during that incident after large police forces were dispatched to the scene.

A sharp internal dispute erupted within the Religious Zionism Party after Finance Minister and party chairman Betzalel Smotrich removed MK Moshe Solomon from all Knesset committees on which he serves as a representative of the faction, following Solomon’s vote against the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study.

The disciplinary measure came after Solomon broke with the party line during a Knesset vote earlier in the day, opposing legislation that the faction had agreed to support at this stage of the legislative process.

Sources close to Smotrich said the move was prompted by what they viewed as a blatant breach of party discipline. According to party officials, Solomon did not object during faction discussions in which members agreed to support the bill in its current reading. The party’s position was to back the legislation while working later in the legislative process to remove a controversial provision equating Torah learners with active IDF servicemen. After Solomon voted against the measure despite that agreement, party leaders decided to impose immediate sanctions by stripping him of his committee assignments.

Solomon refused to retract his vote or apologize, insisting that his decision was driven by deeply held convictions that outweighed political considerations.

In a statement posted on X, Solomon confirmed the move against him.

“I was informed a short time ago that the Religious Zionism faction and its chairman have decided to remove me from membership on all Knesset committees,” he wrote. “It pains me that this decision was made. I am part of Religious Zionism, and I will remain part of Religious Zionism.”

The lawmaker said he has consistently expressed the same position since the start of the war and believes he is representing the values of the public that elected him.

“In my view, and as I have said everywhere since the outbreak of the war, I represent the values of Religious Zionism and those who sent us. Of course there are disagreements—whether over the interpretation of a law, political conduct, or public policy decisions. But I am convinced that my colleagues in Religious Zionism also would not have wanted this bill brought to a vote, and they believe they are representing our public.”

Solomon emphasized that while he remains loyal to the faction and its collective decisions, he also sees himself as accountable to the broader public.

“I am loyal to the faction and to joint decisions. At the same time, I am a public servant. I cannot betray my conscience. I cannot look into the eyes of bereaved families from our Religious Zionist community and vote in favor of a law that says there is no need to combine Torah and military service.”

He said that accompanying the funerals of numerous students and graduates of hesder yeshivos, higher yeshivos, and pre-military academies during the war left a lasting impression on him.

“As I accompanied dozens of students and graduates of hesder yeshivos, higher yeshivos, and pre-military academies to burial throughout the war, I promised myself that I would not take part in what I see as such an eternal moral wrong. If this is the price I have to pay, then so be it. I accept the decision of the party chairman, and I hope I will be able to change the faction’s position in the future.”

He concluded his statement by citing the Talmudic teaching: “Those who are insulted but do not insult others, who hear their disgrace and do not respond, who act out of love and rejoice in suffering—about them the verse says: ‘And those who love Him shall be as the sun when it goes forth in its might.’”

{Matzav.com}

A heated diplomatic dispute erupted at the United Nations after Colombian President Gustavo Petro used a Security Council address to draw comparisons to Nazism, prompting fierce condemnation from Israeli officials who accused him of distorting Holocaust history and fueling antisemitic rhetoric.

Petro’s appearance before the Security Council drew immediate criticism from Israel, with officials objecting both to the content of his remarks and to the UN providing a platform for what they described as inflammatory rhetoric.

During his speech, the Colombian leader repeatedly referenced Nazi Germany while discussing current international issues, including migration and the conflict in Gaza. His comments came just days after he generated controversy by posting “Heil Hitler” on X, drawing widespread condemnation from critics around the world.

Addressing the Security Council, Petro declared: “That’s what makes missiles rain down on people, on babies. 20,000 people have been killed in Gaza. Those numbers cannot be hidden. And that is the real red thread of what I’m going to say here: We’re going back to the era of the Nazis.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, responded with a sharply worded statement condemning both Petro’s remarks and the broader use of Nazi analogies in contemporary political discourse.

“The United Nations Security Council was not created to serve as a stage for bizarre ideological rants and the dangerous distortion of Holocaust history. Giving legitimacy to rhetoric that recklessly manipulates the memory of Nazism dishonors the victims of the Holocaust and undermines the credibility of this institution. There is a profound moral difference between serious diplomatic debate and the casual, repeated abuse of Nazi comparisons for political provocation. When world leaders invoke Hitler and Goebbels to attack political opponents or democratic states, they erode the historical truth of the Holocaust and fuel dangerous antisemitic discourse. Pedro – You should be ashamed of your remarks!”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also lashed out at the Colombian president, accusing him of antisemitism and of repeatedly diminishing the significance of the Holocaust through such comparisons.

“The disgraced outgoing President of Colombia is a stain on his great nation. This antisemite is systematically trivializing the memory of the Holocaust. He is a communist that ruined his great country. Soon, he will be history.”

{Matzav.com}

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sharply escalated his criticism of Israel on Wednesday, claiming that Israeli military operations in Syria and Lebanon now pose a threat to Turkey itself and warning against any further moves in the region.

Speaking about developments across the Middle East, Erdoğan declared, “We see comprehensive initiatives led by Israel in the Mediterranean, and no one should pursue adventures there.”

He accused Israel of destabilizing the region and broadened his criticism beyond the current conflicts, asserting that “Israel’s aggression threatens the entire world.” Erdoğan further warned that any harm to Turkish interests would draw a forceful reaction from Ankara, saying, “If the rights of Turks or Turkish-Cypriots are harmed in the Middle East – our response will be unequivocal and strong.”

The Turkish leader also emphasized what he described as Turkey’s wider strategic responsibilities in the region. “Turkey’s security does not begin in Hatay, but also in Aleppo, Damascus and Beirut. We will not tolerate any ‘fait accompli’ in our brotherly nations, and we will not turn a blind eye to aggression against them.” Referring to comments made in Israel regarding a “Greater Land of Israel,” Erdoğan added, “If Allah wills, we will never allow that.”

His remarks appeared to be linked to a report published last December by the Greek news outlet TA NEA, which claimed that Israel, Greece, and Cyprus have been discussing the establishment of a joint military framework in the eastern Mediterranean.

According to the report, the proposed alliance would consist of approximately 2,500 personnel, along with naval assets, combat aircraft, and supporting infrastructure. The force would reportedly operate from facilities in Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, including deployments on the Greek islands of Rhodes and Karpathos.

The report further stated that Israel and Greece would each contribute roughly 1,000 troops, while Cyprus would provide another 500 personnel. It also alleged that both Israel and Greece would assign an air force squadron to the initiative.

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded forcefully to Erdoğan’s accusations, issuing a statement condemning the Turkish leader.

“The antisemitic dictator Erdoğan – who is committing genocide against the Kurds, supports the Hamas terrorist organization, oppresses his own people and imprisons political rivals – is the last person who can lecture the State of Israel on morality.”

Netanyahu added that Israel would continue its military efforts against regional threats.

“The State of Israel and the IDF, the most moral army in the world, will continue to take forceful action against Iran and its proxies, which threaten the Middle East and the entire world.”

Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar also blasted Erdoğan, accusing him of hypocrisy and warning against any confrontation with Israel.

“The tyrant Erdoğan, whose hands are covered in blood, must be held accountable for his crimes and not preach morality to the only democratic state in the Middle East. If he dares to test us – his fate will be worse than that of the dying Iranian regime.”

The exchange comes amid increasingly hostile rhetoric from Turkish officials toward Israel. In recent days, Turkey’s Interior Minister, Mustafa Çipçi, delivered remarks at a conference of the ruling party in which he predicted that Turkey would eventually gain control of Jerusalem.

Drawing parallels to recent geopolitical developments in the region, Çipçi declared, “As we saw the liberation of Damascus, Aleppo and Karabakh, so, with Allah’s help, one day we will see the liberation of Jerusalem as well.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States escalated its military campaign against Iran on Wednesday evening, launching another round of strikes after President Trump signaled that further action was imminent unless Tehran returned to meaningful negotiations over a broader peace agreement.

Announcing the operation, U.S. Central Command confirmed that additional attacks had begun under orders from the president.

“U.S. Central Command [CENTCOM] forces began launching additional self-defense strikes today at 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction,” the Tampa, Fla.-based combat command said in a statement on X.

“The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.”

Military officials did not immediately release details regarding the locations targeted, the extent of the damage, or whether there were any casualties.

The latest strikes followed a day of heightened regional tensions after Iran launched attacks against Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait, all countries that host American military personnel. The operation also came one day after Washington carried out its first wave of attacks in response to an Iranian drone shooting down a U.S. Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier Wednesday, the U.S. military reported taking action against a commercial tanker accused of violating the American blockade of Iranian ports along the strategically vital waterway. According to CENTCOM, a U.S. aircraft disabled the Palau-registered tanker M/T Settebello by targeting its engine compartment. The vessel became the eighth merchant ship put out of operation by American forces in waters surrounding Iran.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesman, said an American aircraft fired “precision munitions” into the engine room of the Palau-flagged vessel M/T Settebello, making it the eighth merchant vessel disabled by US forces in waters off Iran.

India’s government later reported that three Indian crew members aboard the tanker were unaccounted for following the strike, while 21 others were safely rescued. New Delhi’s statement did not reference either the United States or the maritime blockade.

According to Hawkins, U.S. forces issued warnings to those aboard the vessel before opening fire.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday afternoon, Trump made clear that additional military action was on the way while again urging Iran to accept a deal that would eliminate its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

“We’re going to hit them again hard today,” Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday afternoon before urging Iran to sign a peace deal that would include them giving up ambitions of acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Defense officials echoed the president’s message, emphasizing that American military operations would continue.

“CENTCOM will be busy tonight because President Trump said we will be hitting Iran hard — and we will be,” War Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters in Florida.

Hegseth argued that Tehran still had an opportunity to reach an agreement but had repeatedly failed to follow through.

“Iran has a chance to make a good deal, a great deal, to codify what they said they’ve been willing to do, and they haven’t been willing to do it,” he added.

He also warned that the administration’s patience had run out.

“As President Trump said, they’ve been tap, tap, tapping [the US along on making a deal] … instead, they are going to have tap, tap, tap, bombs dropping on key facilities in Iran from the United States of America.”

Iran’s government responded defiantly. Addressing the United Nations Security Council, Tehran’s ambassador rejected any suggestion that pressure or military threats would force concessions.

“Iran has never negotiated under threats and pressure and will never submit to pressure or question,” Tehran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, told the Security Council.

Despite the military escalation, diplomatic efforts have not completely ceased. After discussions with American officials, a Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Wednesday to continue mediation efforts, according to a source familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity.

At the center of the dispute remains Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Washington insists that Tehran must surrender the material, which experts say is only a short step away from weapons-grade enrichment, even though Iranian officials continue to maintain that their nuclear program serves peaceful purposes.

Iran, however, has refused to relinquish the uranium reserves and is demanding significant sanctions relief. Tehran is also seeking access to frozen assets before any final agreement is completed, a condition Trump has firmly rejected.

With both sides maintaining sharply different positions, prospects for a breakthrough remain uncertain. Trump expressed frustration Wednesday in a Truth Social post, accusing Iran of dragging out the process.

He wrote that Iran was taking “too long to negotiate a deal” and “now they will have to pay the price!!!”

Complicating matters further, Tehran has insisted that any agreement ending the conflict must also halt hostilities involving its ally Hezbollah and Israel. Israel, however, has moved in the opposite direction, expanding military operations against the Lebanon-based terror organization.

{Matzav.com}

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Nir Hefetz, a former spokesman for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, claimed that President Donald Trump would not be disappointed if a different leader were to take office in Israel, arguing that attitudes toward Netanyahu within Trump’s inner circle have changed significantly.

Speaking in an interview with 103FM, Hefetz was asked about Trump’s recent remarks regarding the possibility of another Netanyahu candidacy, in which the president said he was unsure whether Netanyahu even wanted to continue serving as prime minister. Hefetz said those comments reflect a broader shift in Washington’s view of the Israeli leader.

According to Hefetz, “Trump’s close circle has for quite some time viewed Netanyahu as a major problem,” adding that during his years in the Prime Minister’s Office, communications with senior American officials were handled by only a handful of trusted advisers.

Reflecting on those discussions, Hefetz said, “During my time, the only people on calls like these were Ron Dermer, who served either as diplomatic adviser or ambassador to the United States, and at times whoever was serving as national security adviser. Sometimes both advisers would participate in the calls. Sometimes it was literally two ears and four eyes, however you want to describe it.”

Hefetz also addressed the possibility of a future leadership change in Israel and suggested that Trump would have little objection to such a development.

“Trump won’t shed a tear if Gadi Eisenkot is Israel’s prime minister six months from now — to put it mildly, he won’t shed a tear,” Hefetz said.

Toward the end of the interview, Hefetz was asked whether he believes relations between Trump and Netanyahu have deteriorated. He responded that he is convinced they have.

“Yes. I’m certain of it. Quite a while ago I said that I identified the beginning of the deterioration in their relationship on the day Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner stood in Hostages Square after the deal. When Witkoff mentioned Netanyahu’s name, the crowd booed. I looked at their faces, and they smiled.”

Hefetz’s comments come amid growing discussion about Israel’s political future and ongoing questions surrounding Netanyahu’s plans ahead of the next national election.

{Matzav.com}

A 30-year-old Israeli citizen was arrested in Thailand on suspicion of using local nominees to acquire land on the island of Koh Phangan in violation of Thai laws restricting foreign ownership of real estate.

According to Thai authorities, the suspect was taken into custody Tuesday at the airport on the island of Koh Samui as part of a broader investigation into alleged schemes designed to conceal foreign ownership of land through the use of Thai citizens serving as nominal shareholders.

Police allege that the Israeli held shares in a company established through an accounting firm that allegedly arranged for Thai nationals to act as proxy shareholders. Authorities claim that land on Koh Phangan was purchased through the company and that the suspect intended to build a private vacation home on the property.

The arrest occurred shortly after the suspect re-entered Thailand. Officials said a regional court in Koh Samui had issued an arrest warrant for him on May 21. During an initial interview with investigators, the suspect reportedly acknowledged that he was the individual named in the warrant.

Authorities further allege that he left Thailand before investigators were able to carry out additional searches connected to the case.

The arrest forms part of a large-scale operation targeting similar arrangements throughout the Koh Phangan area. Thai law enforcement agencies have been investigating networks suspected of using local citizens as fronts to circumvent restrictions on foreign ownership of land.

As part of the ongoing crackdown, authorities issued 45 arrest warrants in mid-May. To date, 27 suspects have reportedly been taken into custody.

Police said the investigation remains active and is examining the possible involvement of the accounting firm as well as Thai nationals who allegedly served as nominee shareholders in the transactions.

{Matzav.com}

The Peleg Yerushalmi faction launched a series of emergency demonstrations across Israel on Wednesday following plans to transfer 19 yeshivah students classified as draft evaders to the military police after their release from custody in connection with the disturbances outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg.

The protests were organized after authorities moved forward with efforts to hand over the detainees, who had been arrested during the unrest near Sohlberg’s residence and are now facing transfer to military jurisdiction.

In a statement issued by the Committee for the Preservation of the Torah World, which is affiliated with Peleg Yerushalmi, organizers called on “bnei Torah and all those who fear the word of Hashem” to immediately join widespread demonstrations against what they described as “the extradition process to the army for the crime of learning Torah.”

Demonstrations were held at four primary locations around the country, including outside Nitzan Prison in Ramle, near the Russian Compound in Yerushalayim, adjacent to Hadarim Prison, along Route 4 between Ra’anana and Netanya, and in Abu Kabir.

Peleg Yerushalmi leaders warned that if the detainees are ultimately transferred to military custody, the protests are expected to intensify dramatically in the coming days. Organizers declared that “the country will burn — everywhere, at all times.”

Over the past hour, clashes were reported between demonstrators and police at several locations. In Abu Kabir, protesters reportedly attempted to block roads and engaged in disturbances, while in Yerushalayim police said dozens of demonstrators gathered near the Russian Compound in an effort to prevent vehicles transporting the detainees from leaving the nearby detention facility.

Police said reinforced forces were deployed to the area and were operating “in order to disperse those involved in the disturbances.”

Additional confrontations were reported near the Russian Compound as police worked to clear demonstrators from the area and maintain access for prisoner transport vehicles.

The Eidah Hachareidis also announced its participation in the protests. In a statement, representatives said that, under the directive of the ga’avadim and members of the Badatz of the Eidah Hachareidis headed by Rav Moshe Sternbuch, the public was being called upon to take part in protests outside prisons throughout the country in opposition to the transfer of bochurim and avreichim to military detention facilities.

The statement described the effort as an obligation upon every individual and called for a determined campaign, conducted with mesirus nefesh, to prevent the authorities from carrying out the transfers.

Following the directive, all Eidah Hachareidis kollelim reportedly closed during the past hour, with large numbers of avreichim joining the demonstrations across the country.

{Matzav.com}

Visitors to Meron will now benefit from a newly completed restroom complex located near the main entrance to the tziyun of the tanna Rav Shimon bar Yochai, following the inauguration this week of a modern and fully accessible facility designed to serve the hundreds of thousands who visit the site annually.

The project, which took years of planning and construction to complete, was spearheaded by the Ministry of Religious Services under the leadership of Director-General Rabbi Yehuda Avidan. It was carried out in cooperation with the Safra Foundation in Israel, represented by Yair Turnheim, as well as the regional planning authorities and the Committee of Five responsible for overseeing the Rashbi site.

The new structure is part of a broader effort to upgrade infrastructure and visitor services throughout the holy site and is intended to provide a significantly improved experience for the large crowds that travel to Meron throughout the year.

Designed to accommodate the needs of the many visitors who frequent the site, particularly during peak periods, the facility replaces the temporary restroom system that had previously operated near the tziyun. Dozens of spacious, modern, and fully equipped restroom stalls have been installed to provide a more comfortable and dignified experience for worshippers and guests.

As part of the initiative, extensive infrastructure work was carried out and the surrounding area underwent substantial improvements. The project forms part of an ongoing campaign to enhance accessibility, visitor services, and overall conditions at the site.

The location of the new facility was selected following consultation with the late Gaon Rabbi Dovid Shmidel and representatives of Asra Kadisha, who carefully evaluated several potential locations around the holy site before identifying the final location.

Special attention was also given to the needs of kohanim. In addition to the general improvements, the structure was built using a system of kipin al gabei kipin to ensure accessibility for kohanim, and a dedicated pathway was created connecting the facility to the existing route designated for kohanim. Halachic oversight was provided by representatives of Asra Kadisha and members of the Committee of Five headed by Rav Shmuel Rabinovitch, Rav of the Kosel and the holy sites.

The new building was also specifically designed to meet modern accessibility standards, making it easier for individuals with disabilities and those with mobility challenges to visit the tziyun throughout the year.

Officials described the project as another important milestone in the continuing effort to improve conditions in Meron and expand the site’s infrastructure for the benefit of the many mispallelim and visitors who come to the holy site.

{Matzav.com}

A growing debate over how Likud will select its next Knesset slate has placed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at the center of a major internal battle, with reports indicating he is considering several significant changes to the party’s candidate-selection process ahead of the next election.

According to a report in Israel Hayom, Netanyahu and senior party officials are currently evaluating three primary options for determining Likud’s future Knesset list, a decision that could reshape the party’s internal balance of power.

Under the first proposal, the traditional primary system would be scrapped entirely and replaced by a selection committee. The committee would reportedly include local government leaders and other prominent figures affiliated with Likud and would be tasked with assembling the party’s candidate list.

A second option would preserve the primary system while substantially expanding the chairman’s authority to reserve spots on the slate for candidates of his choosing. The third alternative would leave the current system untouched, allowing primaries to proceed exactly as they do today.

One senior Likud minister predicted that the party will ultimately retain the primary process, although he believes Netanyahu will seek broader powers to place candidates on the list. “The grassroots won’t easily give up their right to choose,” he said.

Others within the party argue that meaningful reforms are necessary if Likud hopes to strengthen its electoral prospects. According to one senior faction official, “Likud must improve the quality of its candidate roster. Without significant personnel changes, the party could lose valuable votes in the next election.”

The political debate is unfolding alongside a parallel legal dispute over the party’s rules and procedures.

Likud Comptroller attorney Shay Galili has reportedly prepared a draft legal opinion stating that any effort to abolish the primary system would require broad approval from party members.

The draft further suggests that a major expansion of the chairman’s appointment powers could also face legal obstacles. According to the opinion, candidates cannot simply be inserted onto the slate without first participating in the party’s standard selection process.

Meanwhile, concerns regarding organized and financially supported party registrations continue to loom over the discussion. The issue has previously drawn scrutiny from the State Comptroller and remains a source of tension within the party.

Some Likud officials warn that if allegations regarding funded memberships are substantiated, the primary results could be significantly affected and new internal power centers could emerge.

“If the concerns materialize, independent power blocs could develop within Likud,” one party source said. “This is a direct threat to the stability of the faction and to the party’s ability to form and manage a stable coalition.”

{Matzav.com}

MK Meir Porush, chairman of the Shlomei Emunim faction, issued a passionate call Tuesday night for greater unity among the leaders of the chareidi parties, warning that the Torah world is confronting one of the most difficult periods in its history.

Speaking before community leaders in Bnei Brak, Porush described the current challenges facing the chareidi community as unprecedented in the decades since the establishment of the State of Israel.

“Almost no day passes without being worse than the one before it,” Porush said. “The chareidi community has not faced problems this severe since the founding of the state.”

Porush argued that the growing crisis surrounding the status of bnei yeshivah and the Torah world demands cooperation and coordination among all segments of the chareidi leadership.

According to Porush, the attorney general has assumed an outsized role in shaping policy, while government officials continue to follow her lead on key issues affecting the chareidi public.

“The attorney general has taken control of everyone, and they are all being dragged along behind her,” he said. “At a time like this, unity is required. Klal Yisrael is in distress. If we do not know how to unite and take the proper actions, then chas v’shalom what could happen. Our message is simple: let us come together.”

Porush delivered the remarks during a sheva brachos celebration attended by prominent community leaders in Bnei Brak. The event was hosted by the Shlomei Emunim faction in honor of the wedding of the daughter of Deputy Mayor Yossi Yaakovowitz.

The call for unity comes just days after a similar appeal by Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, who urged the leadership of United Torah Judaism to establish a joint operations center to coordinate efforts in addressing the ongoing draft crisis affecting the Torah community.

“Let us join hands, establish a joint headquarters, and work together on all the practical steps and the management of this struggle in order to achieve real results for the Torah world,” Deri said in his appeal last week.

Deri proposed launching broad public-relations and advocacy initiatives aimed at strengthening support for bnei yeshivah and ensuring that every yeshivah bochur can walk proudly despite the current challenges.

He expressed confidence that the current atmosphere would not last indefinitely.

“What is happening in the streets right now is only a temporary period of hester panim,” Deri said. “Very soon, things will return to their proper place.”

{Matzav.com}

Electronic cigarettes were long promoted as a safer substitute for traditional tobacco products, but a major new scientific review is raising fresh concerns about the dangers of vaping. Researchers now say e-cigarettes may significantly increase the risk of serious lung disease, challenging years of claims that they represent a harmless alternative to smoking.

The findings, published in the respected journal NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine, come from a large-scale meta-analysis that combined data from 17 separate studies involving more than 4.3 million individuals. The research identified a strong association between e-cigarette use and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive and irreversible illness that causes long-term inflammation and narrowing of the airways.

According to the analysis, people who currently use e-cigarettes face a 47.3% greater likelihood of developing COPD than those who have never vaped. Even more alarming, former users showed a 76.6% increased risk, suggesting that damage caused by vaping may continue long after a person quits.

The study comes amid growing concern over smoking and vaping rates in Israel. While approximately one-fifth of the general population smokes, estimates within the chareidi community are significantly higher, reaching between 30% and 40% in some segments of the population. Health advocates say the widespread availability of vaping devices has further intensified the problem, particularly among yeshivah students and younger users.

In many chareidi yeshivos, vaping has become socially accepted even in batei medrash, including among individuals who would never consider smoking a conventional cigarette indoors.

In response to mounting concerns, a government committee recently recommended introducing tighter controls throughout the tobacco and vaping supply chain. Proposed measures include a licensing framework, a computerized tracking system, and new legislation that would authorize authorities to confiscate illegal tobacco products. Regulators are also evaluating restrictions on the size, appearance, and design of vaping devices.

At the same time, existing anti-smoking laws already empower municipal leaders and local inspectors to enforce smoking restrictions in public areas. Revenue generated through fines is transferred directly to local authorities. As part of a nationwide reporting initiative, municipalities were required to submit enforcement statistics for 2025.

The latest figures show growing participation in the reporting process. Ninety-two local authorities submitted enforcement reports for 2025, compared with roughly 80 for 2024 and just 50 for 2023. Despite the increase in reporting, the total number of citations issued nationwide remained largely unchanged, rising only slightly from 11,605 in 2024 to 11,692 in 2025.

The data also reveal significant disparities in enforcement from one municipality to another. Jerusalem led the country by a wide margin, issuing 4,240 fines through a force of 440 smoking-enforcement inspectors. Haifa and Tel Aviv also ranked among the most active municipalities. Haifa handed out approximately 2,500 fines with only 40 inspectors, while Tel Aviv-Jaffa recorded 1,320 citations during 2025.

By contrast, enforcement in some large cities was far more limited. Rishon Lezion, one of Israel’s largest and wealthiest municipalities, issued just 120 fines, a figure viewed as unusually low relative to its population size.

Several municipalities reported no enforcement activity whatsoever. Ashdod and Ness Ziona recorded zero fines during the year, indicating no meaningful enforcement of smoking regulations. Similar results were reported in Herzliya, Ra’anana, Ramat Hasharon, Mevasseret Zion, and Yokneam Illit. In Rosh Ha’ayin, only a single citation was issued throughout the year, while Rehovot reported just 10 fines.

Public health officials also highlighted persistent exposure to secondhand smoke. According to the data, 28.9% of the Jewish population and 48.5% of the Arab population are regularly exposed to passive smoking.

The human toll remains substantial. On average, 33 Israelis die every day from illnesses linked to smoking, accounting for nearly one-quarter of all deaths nationwide.

A separate study examining smoking-related mortality found that approximately 12,386 deaths in Israel during 2022 could be attributed to smoking, representing about 23% of all deaths in the country. While the overwhelming majority were tied to active smoking, passive smoke exposure also contributed significantly. Researchers noted that the figures represent an increase compared with findings from a similar study conducted in 2014.

{Matzav.com}