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U.S. investigators increasingly believe Iran may be responsible for a cyberattack that disrupted dozens of municipal water systems across Minnesota this week, according to officials familiar with the ongoing investigation.

The assessment was first reported by The New York Times, which cited three state officials who spoke anonymously after being briefed on the probe. While the investigation has not reached a final conclusion, authorities reportedly believe the evidence points toward Iranian involvement.

Federal officials say the methods used in the intrusion, combined with the lack of any ransom demand, suggest the operation was designed to cause disruption rather than generate money. Those characteristics have led analysts to tentatively attribute the attack to Iranian hackers.

The FBI said several indicators are consistent with previous Iranian cyber activity, including Tehran’s growing interest in America’s water infrastructure.

“The FBI is aware of recent public reporting around Water and Wastewater (WWS) sectors,” they wrote in a social media post. “The FBI is actively engaged with victims.”

Investigators also believe the hackers were focused on interrupting critical services instead of seeking a financial payoff.

Although officials confirmed that no drinking water was contaminated, cybersecurity experts say the incident had the potential to become far more dangerous. Metro State cybersecurity professor Faisal Kalim explained that the attackers appeared to focus on operational technology—the systems responsible for controlling essential infrastructure such as pumps and electrical equipment.

“OT deals with something called the industrial control system that actually controls these water pumps, wells, power sectors, and so on,” says Kalim.

Authorities continue to examine the full scope of the breach. Minnesota IT Services said the investigation remains ongoing as officials evaluate the systems impacted in roughly 30 communities throughout the state.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance and Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu held a private face-to-face meeting earlier this week in an effort to address mounting disagreements over U.S. policy toward Iran and broader Middle East strategy. While officials from both governments acknowledged that the conversation was unusually candid, they described it as constructive and said both sides remain committed to working together.

The meeting took place at Blair House after months of private friction between the two leaders over the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts with Iran and Netanyahu’s approach to the ongoing regional conflict, according to Axios.

An Israeli official said Netanyahu used the meeting to express concern over Vance’s recent public remarks criticizing the Israeli government and questioning Israel’s standing within the Republican Party.

“It was a frank and candid conversation,” the official said.

An American official echoed that description, calling the discussion “direct.”

Vance’s office declined to comment publicly on the meeting. However, another U.S. official said the vice president and the Israeli prime minister held a “cordial and productive conversation about Middle East issues that are important to both countries.”

“The vice president and the prime minister agreed to continue pursuing opportunities for Israel and the United States to cooperate in areas of mutual interest and shared goals,” the U.S. official said, emphasizing that the meeting was not hostile and that the two leaders continue to maintain a productive working relationship.

Vance has become one of the leading voices within President Donald Trump’s administration advocating continued diplomatic engagement with Iran, particularly after the ceasefire reached on April 8.

He also played a prominent role in defending the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, an agreement that Netanyahu reportedly opposed behind closed doors while refraining from publicly attacking it in hopes it would ultimately collapse.

That agreement eventually fell apart.

In recent months, the policy divide between Washington and Jerusalem has become increasingly public.

During June, Vance warned Israeli officials against publicly criticizing the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts, saying members of Israel’s government should not attack “the only powerful ally” they have.

Appearing on Joe Rogan’s podcast in July, Vance went further, alleging that certain members of the Israeli government were engaged in an influence campaign designed to push the United States away from diplomacy and toward prolonging the conflict.

During that same interview, he also asserted that Jeffrey Epstein had connections to “the highest levels of Israeli intelligence.”

Officials familiar with the relationship said Netanyahu has privately objected to several of Vance’s public comments, including claims that the Israeli premier encouraged opposition to the Iran agreement and failed to demonstrate sufficient loyalty to President Trump.

At the same time, there have been accusations that individuals aligned with Netanyahu in both Israeli and American media have sought to politically weaken Vance.

According to officials, this week’s meeting gave both leaders an opportunity to address those disputes directly rather than through public statements.

This was not the first time the two men reportedly clashed behind closed doors. During a telephone conversation in March, Vance challenged Netanyahu’s optimistic assessment of the war, including predictions that Iran’s government was on the verge of a popular uprising that could bring down the regime.

{Matzav.com}

Recent reports from several military correspondents have highlighted what they describe as a sharp increase in Chareidi enlistment in the IDF, attributing the rise to sanctions imposed on the Chareidi community. But critics argue the headline figures tell only part of the story—and may paint a misleading picture of what is actually happening.

At first glance, the reported increase appears to support the Defense Ministry’s claim that mounting pressure is producing results. But before accepting the numbers at face value, critics say one key question must be asked: What exactly is increasing? More importantly, they ask whether even a single additional Chareidi combat soldier has joined the battlefield as a direct result of the sanctions.

Sources familiar with the data contend that the reality behind the statistics is far more complicated. According to those sources, there has been no meaningful increase in the number of Chareidi combat troops. Instead, they argue, the military is grouping together a wide range of enlistment programs under the broad heading of “Chareidi recruitment,” even though many of those tracks do not address the operational manpower shortages the IDF has repeatedly emphasized in recent months.

For example, part of the reported increase stems from hundreds of recruits entering Chareidi hesder yeshivos. While these young men have officially enlisted, they continue in structured yeshiva programs and do not necessarily become active combat soldiers.

Another portion of the increase comes from young men who, in previous years, would likely have chosen national civilian service. Following the closure of many civilian service options for the Chareidi public, they have instead been redirected into other military frameworks that are now being counted as enlistments.

The figures also include specialized programs such as Kodkod and other technological and vocational tracks. From a Chareidi perspective, participation in these programs represents a significant departure from traditional norms. At the same time, critics argue that the military’s own public messaging has centered on an urgent need for combat troops—not expanded enrollment in non-combat or support roles.

In other words, critics say the IDF tells the public it urgently needs additional fighters, but when seeking to demonstrate that sanctions are working, it counts rear-echelon assignments, technological training programs, soldiers who are not necessarily intended for combat, and recruits transferred from civilian service frameworks.

According to the article, that is the central problem. When officials seek to justify increased pressure on the Torah world, they point to a shortage of combat soldiers. But when they present evidence that the policy is succeeding, they count nearly every Chareidi who enters any type of military framework.

Critics argue that this creates a narrative favorable to the defense establishment. The public is told that Chareidi enlistment is rising, while policymakers are led to believe the sanctions are beginning to achieve their intended effect. Yet if the numbers do not reflect a genuine increase in combat personnel, they contend, the statistics amount largely to an exercise in presentation rather than proof of success.

The article concludes that the public deserves a more precise accounting: How many additional Chareidim have actually joined combat units as a result of the sanctions? Not how many were formally inducted, entered technological programs, or shifted from civilian service into another framework—but how many new combat soldiers have truly been added.

Until that figure is released transparently, the article argues, claims of a dramatic rise in Chareidi enlistment should be viewed with caution. There may indeed be an increase in the categories the military has chosen to count, but whether that translates into meeting the operational need the IDF has repeatedly cited remains, according to the article, an open question.

{Matzav.com}

The editorial board of HaDerech, the newspaper affiliated with the Shas movement, launched a blistering attack on Israel’s emerging political parties and several prominent politicians, arguing that excluding the Chareidi parties from government has become the unifying goal of a new generation of self-described “value right” leaders.

Published under the headline, “Whoever Distresses Israel Becomes a Leader,” the editorial contends that the common denominator among the new political initiatives is a determination to form a governing coalition without the participation of the Chareidi parties.

“In these days, new parties are springing up like mushrooms after the rain, such as those of Trooper, Hendel, Gilad Erdan, Yuli Edelstein, Ayelet Shaked and others like them. And what are they offering?” the editorial asks. According to the paper, “These are ‘value right’ figures who shifted toward the center solely to detach themselves from the bloc aligned with the Chareidim. ‘We will establish a Zionist government without Chareidim and Arabs,’ they pledge, while declaring Yair Golan to be a worthy and preferred partner. Indeed, a worthy and principled partner for the people of the ‘value right.'”

The editorial also argues that Gadi Eisenkot’s political rise has not been fueled by a new diplomatic vision or economic platform.

“If we try to trace the reason for Gadi Eisenkot’s success—from a gray and nearly marginal political figure to someone leading the left-wing bloc and claiming the mantle of prime minister—we will not find any new diplomatic or economic doctrine, an inspiring platform or a revolutionary agenda that should capture the nation’s heart,” the editorial states.

Instead, the paper claims Eisenkot’s popularity stems from a different source.

“The primary reason for his success is simple: he promises to fulfill his voters’ instinct of hatred toward the other bloc and bring about its downfall.”

The editorial further argues that Eisenkot “doesn’t have to do much,” asserting that it is enough for him “to build his electoral prospects on hatred toward the Chareidim and wave it proudly.”

The newspaper also criticized former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, accusing him of intensifying anti-Chareidi rhetoric in an effort to revive his political standing.

“And then comes Bennett, the man who already reached the summit and experiences political decline every week—and goes crazy. Hatred of Chareidim? I know how to do that even better. And just like that, his entire platform becomes a horrifying campaign of incitement against Torah learners.”

The editorial also took aim at Avigdor Liberman and Yair Golan.

“And what about Liberman? After all, he was the one who invented the method when he sent the Chareidim to the garbage dump in wheelbarrows. That man certainly doesn’t need to be taught how to incite or cultivate hatred toward the Chareidi public. And Yair Golan? Well, he’s the one who ‘identifies processes,’ who called the believing public ‘eaters of death,’ and now also promises to deal with the ‘parasites’.”

At the heart of the editorial is the claim that opposition to the Chareidi community has become one of the few issues capable of uniting much of Israel’s political establishment.

“Thus, the Chareidi public has become the new consensus in Israeli politics. Nearly all party leaders, who frequently speak loftily about national unity, are united on one thing: unity without Chareidim. Hatred of the Chareidi public has become the most sought-after political commodity on the market.”

The editorial goes on to cite the teaching of Chazal, “Whoever distresses Israel becomes a leader,” arguing that while the statement historically referred to Israel’s enemies, there have also been internal opponents throughout Jewish history who sought to weaken Torah and those who dedicate themselves to its study.

The piece concludes by urging the Chareidi public to remain steadfast in its faith and commitment to Torah despite the political climate.

“We have nothing to do but continue on our path, with faith and trust, knowing that ‘Hashem will fight for you, and you shall remain silent.’ That is how it has been throughout the generations, and that is how it will be this time as well.”

{Matzav.com}

A moving and inspiring gathering took place Wednesday evening in the main beis medrash of the Gerer Chassidus in Yerushalayim, where approximately 1,400 bochurim were recognized for successfully mastering hundreds of dafim of Gemara as part of the annual “Mezumanim Biyado” Torah program. The Gerer Rebbe personally bentched the participants and presented each bochur with the program’s traditional apples in recognition of their dedication to Torah study.

The annual event, organized by the Gerer Institutions Association, is held each year during bein hazmanim to honor bochurim from Gerer’s yeshivos and mesivtos who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in Torah learning. This year, approximately 1,400 participants were tested on anywhere from 300 to more than 1,000 dafim of Gemara.

The “Mezumanim Biyado” initiative is built around a system of surprise examinations conducted three times each year. The format encourages participants to remain consistently engaged in their learning and prepared at all times to be tested on the material they have studied.

A highlight of the evening was a public examination administered by the distinguished examiner, Rav Yechiel Fishoff, who questioned the bochurim on numerous masechtos from throughout Shas. The participants’ rapid and precise responses drew widespread admiration from the thousands in attendance, including the roshei yeshiva who participated in the event.

Addressing the Gerer Rebbe, Rav Fishoff praised the extraordinary level of Torah knowledge displayed by the bochurim, comparing their mastery of foundational Torah knowledge to that of the great Torah giants of previous generations. He also noted that, according to the head of the program, Rav Nechemiah Alter, approximately 500 additional bochurim joined the initiative over the past year alone. In recent years, the program has become a model emulated by other communities throughout the Torah world.

The emotional high point of the evening came as all 1,400 bochurim filed past the Rebbe in an orderly procession to receive the traditional apple from his hand. As he distributed the apples, the Rebbe offered each participant words of blessing, saying, “Dear bochurim, may the Holy One, Blessed is He, help that this should be in the category of continually increasing, and may you merit great success in the study of Torah.”

The event concluded with a festive seudas mitzvah honoring the participants.

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{Matzav.com}

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is calling for Dr. Anthony Fauci to face contempt charges, be prosecuted for perjury, and ultimately serve jail time after the longtime public health official invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during Wednesday’s Senate hearing on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Years from now, they’ll look back and say, ‘What collective madness overtook this country?’” Cruz told Fox News Digital.

Cruz accused Fauci of misleading both Congress and the American public for years, pointing to newly released diary entries that he claims contradict Fauci’s public statements.

“I think Anthony Fauci has had contempt for Congress and contempt for the American people for decades,” he said. “His diary shows that he deliberately lied to the American people over and over and over again.”

The senator made those remarks after Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rand Paul announced plans to pursue contempt proceedings against Fauci following his repeated refusal to answer questions during the hearing by invoking his constitutional protection against self-incrimination.

“Dr. Fauci ought to think about what it says about the end of his career, that what he will be remembered for the most is pleading the Fifth more than 100 times,” Cruz said.

“He’s been the most damaging bureaucrat in the history of America.”

Cruz and Fauci have clashed for years over the federal government’s handling of the pandemic, particularly regarding Fauci’s statements about the origins of COVID-19 and whether he was truthful with Congress and the American people.

Referring to Fauci’s recently released diary, Cruz argued that it reveals a significant disconnect between Fauci’s private observations and his public messaging.

“In his diary, he wrote early on that it was clear that the COVID virus did not come from the wet market in Wuhan, and then he turned around and said exactly the opposite thing on national television,” Cruz said.

According to the released diary entries, Fauci acknowledged that scientists believed a laboratory origin for the virus—including the possibility that it had been deliberately introduced—was worthy of further investigation. Cruz argued that Fauci later minimized those possibilities in his public comments.

The Texas senator also accused Fauci of playing a central role in shutting down schools during the pandemic, saying the diary entries contradict Fauci’s repeated public denials.

According to Cruz, Fauci wrote that he persuaded officials in New York and California to close their school systems, despite later telling interviewers and testifying before the House Oversight Committee that he “did not close the schools.”

“In his diary, he brags about convincing Democrats in New York and California to shut schools down, and yet he goes on TV and says, ‘Oh, I wasn’t for shutdowns,’” Cruz said.

“The school shutdowns, which Fauci bragged that he was responsible for, may well be the single most destructive public policy step we’ve seen in decades. That learning loss will stick with those kids the rest of their lives when they’re 90 years old.

“They will still be suffering the consequences of Anthony Fauci’s corrupt and dishonest shutdowns.

“The fact that he knew he was lying to the American people — he should be held in contempt, he should be prosecuted for perjury, and he should go to jail.”

{Matzav.com}

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Two influential Democrats with deep ties to the Clinton and Obama administrations publicly broke with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week, criticizing both his controversial tax proposal and his positions on Israel. Former Clinton adviser Mark Penn blasted the mayor’s property tax plan, while former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel revealed details of what he said was a private confrontation with Mamdani over Israel.

The criticism is especially significant because it comes from longtime Democratic power brokers rather than Republican critics, targeting two issues that have become central to Mamdani’s political identity: his progressive economic agenda and his views on Israel.

Fox News Digital reached out to Penn, Emanuel and Mamdani’s office seeking comment.

Penn, a veteran Democratic strategist who served as a pollster and adviser to President Bill Clinton, sharply criticized Mamdani’s proposed pied-à-terre tax after the city released a searchable database identifying property owners who could be affected.

Writing in a lengthy post on X, Penn argued that the city’s property valuation system had expanded the proposal far beyond what had originally been presented, saying nearly one million property owners could now be swept into the tax instead of the approximately 30,000 luxury homeowners previously described as the intended targets.

“The $5 million figure was a fake,” Penn wrote, arguing the city’s valuation system had improperly classified properties and would force homeowners to prove they should not be taxed.

Penn also warned that the proposal could drive down property values, discourage investment in New York City and even invite constitutional challenges.

Meanwhile, Emanuel said during an appearance on the Unholy Podcast that he spent roughly 90 minutes meeting privately with Mamdani, where he challenged the mayor over his rhetoric concerning Israel.

Although Emanuel said he supported portions of Mamdani’s domestic agenda, including his childcare proposals, he objected to the mayor’s past use of the slogan “from the river to the sea.”

“I know where there’s a line. You don’t,” Emanuel recalled telling Mamdani.

Emanuel argued that both calls for a “Greater Israel” and the slogan “from the river to the sea” would only fuel “perpetual conflict.”

After Emanuel’s comments spread online, Mamdani communications director Anna Bahr disputed his account on social media.

“Can confirm this …. did not happen,” Bahr wrote on X in response to a post summarizing Emanuel’s remarks.

Bahr’s statement did not make clear whether she was denying that the meeting took place or disputing Emanuel’s version of the conversation.

Emanuel has also taken aim at the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in recent days. In a separate post on X, he argued that Democrats should focus on winning competitive elections instead of embracing what he described as ideological causes.

“You can be focused on winning tough races, flipping red seats blue. Or you can be focused on abolishing prisons and… the Senate and Supreme Court? You can’t do both,” Emanuel wrote. “I’m for winning this November and ending Trump’s corruption — and I’m also for putting an end to all the distractions from the DSA.”

{Matzav.com}

Elon Musk is reportedly preparing to make another major financial investment in Republican campaigns ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, reviving his political operation to help drive conservative voter turnout across the country.

According to Axios, Musk plans to reactivate America PAC, the super PAC that spent more than $260 million supporting President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

Sources familiar with the effort told Axios that the PAC’s strategy will center on grassroots voter outreach through door-to-door canvassing, digital advertising, and direct-mail campaigns. The focus will be on motivating conservative voters who traditionally do not participate in midterm elections.

Representatives for Musk declined to tell Axios how much money he intends to commit to the effort.

“America PAC was an essential partner for our historic GOTV operation in 2024, and their return for 2026 is a huge boost for Republicans across the country,” James Blair, a senior political adviser to Trump, told Axios.

“We will again outsmart our opponents and ruthlessly execute our mission for the GOP between now and Election Day,” Blair added.

Axios also reported that Republican super PACs and political committees currently hold an estimated $300 million fundraising advantage over their Democratic counterparts, while Trump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC alone has approximately $400 million available to spend during the election cycle.

America PAC also intends to coordinate its efforts with other Republican-aligned super PACs, allowing those organizations to devote more of their resources to television advertising, according to Axios.

“The president’s political team and the rest of the GOP apparatus have built a top-notch operation that will put Republicans in a strong position to buck history and retain control of Congress this fall, and we’re excited to again be part of the team,” America PAC spokesperson Andrew Romeo told Axios.

{Matzav.com}

Dr. Anthony Fauci exhibited multiple physical behaviors commonly associated with deception during Wednesday’s Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing, according to a prominent body language expert who analyzed his appearance before lawmakers.

Florida-based behavioral analyst Dr. Lillian Glass told The New York Post that Fauci’s reactions became noticeably different when senators pressed him with difficult questions.

“When he was asked poignant questions, his autonomic nervous system took over, and he became flushed, his breathing changed, hunched over, paler, squirmed around, blinked a lot [and] licked his lips — all signals of deception,” Glass wrote in an email.

According to Glass, Fauci’s demeanor shifted dramatically as the hearing progressed, changing from what she described as a confident and even arrogant posture to one that appeared “guarded” and “weak.”

She pointed specifically to Fauci’s exchanges with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), saying his discomfort became increasingly apparent under the senator’s questioning.

“During Senator [Josh] Hawley’s questioning, Dr. Fauci’s shoulders rose again, and he squirmed visibly,” she noted. “His face became red. His voice weakened further and sounded increasingly shaky. He appeared emotionally strained and at moments looked as though he might cry.”

Hawley, who previously served as Missouri’s attorney general, accused Fauci of using taxpayer-funded resources to pursue prestigious awards and financial prizes, including honors such as the Dan David Award, the Adelson Prize, and awards from the Smithsonian Institution, the National Academy of Medicine, and others.

The Missouri Republican also mocked Fauci’s repeated invocation of the Fifth Amendment, asking him a series of harmless questions—including about his necktie and the color of the room’s carpet—that Fauci declined to answer.

At one point, Hawley cited Supreme Court precedent while arguing that Fauci no longer enjoyed Fifth Amendment protections because, in Hawley’s view, “you’ve been pardoned.”

Glass said another of Fauci’s most revealing moments came during an intense exchange with Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), who sharply rebuked him while using multiple profanities.

“During Senator Moreno’s questioning, Dr. Fauci’s face became flushed and red,” Glass recapped. “He looked downward and appeared unable or unwilling to look directly at the people behind him. He swallowed hard, continued manipulating his pen, and squirmed more noticeably in his chair.”

“His breathing appeared heavier,” she observed. “His voice became much softer and weaker. By this point, he sounded meek and increasingly difficult to hear.”

Glass, who has spent more than 40 years studying behavioral analysis and has testified as an expert witness in both federal and state courts, said that even when someone refuses to answer questions, their physical behavior can still reveal important clues. She emphasized that in such situations, “the body continues to communicate.”

Throughout the hearing, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment approximately 111 times.

His only extended remarks came during his opening statement, when he criticized Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and accused the senator of seeking to have him prosecuted after publicly calling for his arrest.

“At the beginning, he appeared confident and sat upright. His tone then became more arrogant and defensive when he accused Senator Rand Paul of being out to get him and said that Senator Paul had made slanderous comments and publicly released his personal diary to embarrass him,” Glass assessed.

Glass added that Fauci appeared to relax whenever the questioning became less aggressive and other lawmakers came to his defense.

“When the questioning became less confrontational, and Dr. Fauci was being defended, his body appeared more settled. His posture looked less tense, and his breathing appeared steadier.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu met Wednesday with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) at Blair House in Washington, expressing gratitude for the senator’s outspoken support of Israel as Fetterman pledged to continue serving as what he called the “conscience of the Democratic Party.”

Greeting the Pennsylvania senator, Netanyahu praised Fetterman for consistently defending both the U.S.-Israel alliance and what he believes is in America’s best interest.

“Senator, it’s good to see you again. You’ve been a stellar patriot, talking about what is good for America, what is good for our alliance, of which you’ve been a champion, and you’ve been telling it like it is, with no fear, and just an indefatigable and courageous commitment to the truth, and I want to thank you on behalf of the people of Israel,” Netanyahu told Fetterman.

Netanyahu went on to say that Fetterman’s support has earned admiration well beyond Israel.

“Actually, I want to thank you on behalf of free people everywhere, because I’ve been receiving, from around the world, kudos for your courage and your clarity. So thank you. Thank you.”

Fetterman responded by saying that standing with Israel has been among the proudest aspects of his time in the Senate and reflected on his visits to the Jewish state.

“it was a supreme honor of my time here in the Senate, proud to stand with and for the vision and what Israel is, the miracle that Israel is. I’ve had the privilege of visiting a couple times, and when you witness it, and you can just realize what a miracle it is.”

The senator also expressed frustration with the direction of his own party, criticizing fellow Democrats over their approach to Israel and singling out New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

“And it’s been disappointing, as a Democratic politician, how our party continues to behave – and we had the culmination of that, where that worthless mayor in New York, you know, saying these kinds of ridiculous claims. Now I think, as far as I know, I was the only Democrat that was proud to push that trash back, and now here we are. I’m proud to stand with Israel through everything,” he added.

Netanyahu responded by saying Israel values Fetterman’s friendship and predicted that history would remember his steadfast support.

“Well, we’re doubly proud to have you as our friend, and I think history will record your contribution to truth and justice. And these are not just words that are coming out from my mouth; they’re coming out from my heart and from deeply felt convictions. And we’re very proud, very proud of your stats, it’s one that will be recorded in my history, for history, for posterity. So thank you”.

Fetterman reaffirmed that he intends to remain one of Israel’s strongest Democratic allies on Capitol Hill.

“I’m proud to remain the conscience of the Democratic Party in Congress; not just the Senate, but over in Congress, overall. I’ve always supported things like last year, Midnight Hammer, or what you were confronting in Gaza, and how necessary it was to destroy Hamas and Hezbollah, and also go after the Iranians with their capabilities.”

He concluded by defending Israel’s military campaign and lamenting what he sees as a shift in political attitudes toward the Jewish state.

“It’s always been a just war for me, and people forgot why this was even necessary, and look at the ways these organizations and the way Iran… I don’t understand how we’ve arrived with where we are politically, you know, at least in my party, but I have no regrets. So… thank you for your kind words, and I’m always so sorry for what Israel and the Jewish community has suffered, especially since after 10/7.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu dismissed claims that he is trying to persuade President Donald Trump to keep the United States engaged in military action against Iran, insisting that Trump alone is making the decisions while reaffirming the close partnership between Washington and Israel in confronting the Iranian threat.

During an interview Wednesday on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis, Netanyahu also voiced strong skepticism that Iran could be trusted in any diplomatic process.

“Well, I don’t know if it’s unlikely, but I’m skeptical about Iran’s modus operandi, I mean, the method of operating. They always lie, they always cheat, and they always play for time. Could that, within sufficient pressure — diplomatic, economic pressure — could that change? Give it a try.”

The interview came a day after Netanyahu and Trump held private meetings at the White House. Reflecting on their relationship, Netanyahu emphasized that while Israel and the United States are united in confronting Iran, Trump is clearly the leader of that alliance.

"They always lie, they always cheat, and they always play for time."

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said his goal is to make sure Iran does not have nuclear weapons in an exclusive interview with ABC News' Linsey Davis.
Watch tonight on ABC News Live Prime at 7p ET. pic.twitter.com/nkhtVU7K8G

— ABC News (@ABC) July 29, 2026

“The truth is, we’re partners. We’re allies. He’s the senior partner. It’s the United States of America, let’s not forget. And I’m a junior partner. But I’m the prime minister of Israel, and when I have to stand up for the interest of my country and the security of my country, I do so,” he said.

“But I always do so with a deep appreciation of the role that the United States under President Trump has played in joining forces with us against our common enemy that wants to destroy us both,” Netanyahu stressed.

Netanyahu also rejected remarks attributed to Vice President JD Vance, who suggested during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience that Israeli groups had financed campaigns designed to derail U.S.-Iran negotiations and encourage the continuation of the war.

“Well, we’re not actually. I had a very good conversation with the vice president this morning, and I think we straightened that out because we’re not. That’s not our policy,” he stressed.

Turning to declining public support for Israel among some Americans, Netanyahu argued that foreign governments have exploited social media platforms to influence public opinion.

“I think there’s been a change because of the proliferation of social media, and the fact that sovereign countries have manipulated with bot farms and other things. And we can see a direct relationship between the proliferation of social media and the decline in support for Israel.”

“Does it concern me? Yes, yes, it does. And I want bipartisan support for Israel because I think that’s a fundament of our national security,” he said.

Netanyahu also denied reports that he had attempted to pressure Trump into expanding military operations after the president remarked that intelligence had been shared with him “because he wants me to stay involved.”

“Actually, not. That’s the caricature, the cartoon picture. That is not true,” Netanyahu stated, explaining that their discussions centered on reviewing several strategic options, including pursuing negotiations with Iran, maintaining the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, or carrying out additional military operations.

“We actually analyzed all three possibilities, and I thought we did it in an open way between friends and allies, and it’s his decision. It’s his decision,” said Netanyahu.

The prime minister likewise rejected allegations that he had misled the Trump administration into entering the conflict by suggesting Iran’s regime was on the verge of collapse.

“No, I didn’t mislead anything… nobody tells President Trump what to do,” he stressed.

Speaking about the broader balance of power in the region, Netanyahu said he believes Iran has never been weaker while Israel has never been stronger, though he stopped short of predicting the regime’s immediate downfall.

“I think Iran is weaker than ever before. I think Israel is stronger than ever before, but I can’t tell you that the regime has already collapsed.”

Netanyahu warned that any future Iranian attack against Israel would trigger a decisive military response, calling such a move a “perilous mistake, and we’ll respond very, very forcefully.”

He concluded by emphasizing that he and Trump remain united in their primary objective of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

“My goal is to make sure that Iran, with this regime, doesn’t have nuclear weapons. And that’s something that President Trump and I both agree on, because it would be a different world.”

Although he declined to predict when Iran’s current leadership might ultimately fall, Netanyahu expressed confidence that “it ultimately will be.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing a sweeping military campaign against Iran that could involve up to two weeks of sustained airstrikes targeting the regime’s missile infrastructure, even as his administration continues to leave the door open for a diplomatic resolution.

According to a report published Thursday by The Wall Street Journal, Trump is reviewing plans prepared by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for a large-scale aerial operation lasting between 10 and 14 days that would focus on severely degrading Iran’s missile capabilities.

People familiar with the discussions told the newspaper that the proposal, developed by CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper, would represent a significant escalation beyond the previous round of American strikes against Iranian targets.

Despite the military planning, administration officials are also considering a more limited strike option that could preserve the possibility of renewed negotiations with Tehran.

A U.S. official told The Wall Street Journal that, as of Wednesday afternoon, Trump had not yet decided whether to proceed with military action or what targets, if any, would ultimately be selected.

The official added that Trump was “not surprised” by Iran’s decision to resume hostilities and described the president as being “in an escalatory mood” while senior officials weighed the next course of action.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump vowed a powerful response after Iran launched missiles at U.S. bases in Jordan overnight.

“We are going to hit them very hard. I can say that because there is very little they can do about it,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.

“We’re going to be hitting them very hard, because it’s our turn to hit them. They know it’s coming, they’re asking us not to do it. They tried shooting last night…we had five rockets shot going 8,500 mph, and all five rockets were knocked down to the ground – but they nevertheless took a shot, so it’s our turn,” Trump stated.

Trump had previously told Fox News, “We are going to beat the ‎‎‎ing ‎‎‎ out of them.”

He added, “We’ll be hitting them hard. They are going to get a beating.”

The president described Iran’s missile barrage as a surprise attack, saying U.S. forces had only minutes to intercept the incoming missiles before they reached their intended targets.

Tuesday night’s attack marked Iran’s first missile strike against a U.S. base in the region since Trump ordered a pause in military operations against Iran the previous Friday. Tehran fired missiles at locations in Jordan after several days without launching similar attacks.

Later that evening, CENTCOM announced that U.S. forces, working alongside the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces, carried out precision strikes in Iraq against Iran-backed terrorist groups directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to attack American troops and Saudi energy facilities.

“US and Saudi fighter aircraft struck multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq in a strong response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours,” said CENTCOM.

It added, “The unwarranted attacks against US forces were not successful.”

{Matzav.com}

Boeing disclosed Tuesday that it has absorbed yet another major financial loss on the long-delayed Air Force One replacement program, with total cost overruns now exceeding $3 billion as the company struggles to deliver two new presidential aircraft.

During its quarterly earnings call, the aerospace giant revealed it had recorded an additional $280 million charge tied to the project, pushing the program’s total losses beyond the $3 billion mark.

“While the charge is disappointing, we recognize how critical schedule performance is to our customer and we are investing accordingly to maintain our commitment to deliver the airplane in 2028,” Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said on the call.

Ortberg said the latest financial setback stems from Boeing’s decision to devote substantially more personnel and resources to constructing and testing the two specially modified Boeing 747 aircraft. According to the CEO, the added investment is intended to “help mitigate potential risk during certification and flight test.”

Under the terms of the $3.9 billion agreement President Trump negotiated with Boeing in 2018, the company—not the federal government—is responsible for covering any expenses that exceed the contract price.

By 2024, Boeing had already reported approximately $2.8 billion in cost overruns on the Air Force One program, according to Aviation Week.

The company originally pledged to deliver the first aircraft by December 2024, but the Government Accountability Office reported earlier this month that Boeing is now “almost 3 years behind its current baseline schedule.”

Boeing now expects the first presidential aircraft to be delivered in mid-2028, with the second scheduled to follow by mid-2029.

The current Air Force One fleet consists of two aging Boeing 747-200 aircraft that have served as presidential transports since the 1990s.

President Trump has also flown aboard the luxury $400 million aircraft donated by Qatar—often referred to as the “palace in the sky”—as the presidential plane. That aircraft, however, was removed from service earlier this month so it could undergo upgrades to strengthen its anti-missile defense systems.

Air Force One aircraft require some of the most advanced communications technology and defensive capabilities in the world to safeguard the president, making the program exceptionally expensive and technically demanding.

Trump has repeatedly criticized Boeing over the years for the ballooning costs and repeated delays surrounding the long-awaited replacement aircraft.

{Matzav.com}

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United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yitzchak Goldknopf launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the right-wing coalition in an interview in Hebrew with Kikar HaShabbat, accusing the Prime Minister of abandoning the Chareidi public, breaking his promises, and allowing unprecedented sanctions and arrests against yeshiva students. Goldknopf also declared that any future coalition must pass a draft law protecting Torah learners without quotas or sanctions.

Speaking against the backdrop of High Court rulings, the arrests of yeshiva students, and the ongoing battle over the military draft, Goldknopf said the Chareidi parties made serious strategic mistakes and accused Netanyahu of failing to honor commitments made to the Chareidi parties.

He also sharply criticized police conduct during demonstrations and the treatment of detainees held in military prisons, declaring that, as far as he is concerned, the so-called right-wing bloc no longer exists. He insisted that his support for any future government would depend on legislation fully protecting the status of Torah learners without enlistment targets or penalties.

Addressing the High Court’s decision to freeze the arrests law, Goldknopf said, “I think everyone knew there would be petitions against this issue, especially since the legal experts told us this law was hanging by a thread. But as long as there was something more that could be done regarding these arrests, I joined that effort and supported it.”

Asked about criticism within Agudas Yisroel that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri knew in advance the law would ultimately be struck down, Goldknopf replied, “We did it because we couldn’t avoid asking them to do it, but did it bring ahavas chinam or sinas chinam? I don’t think it brought so much ahavas chinam.”

Reflecting on the current crisis facing the Chareidi community, including sanctions that did not exist since the establishment of the state and the arrest of Torah learners, Goldknopf said, “How did we get here? Because we didn’t know how to say what Ben Gvir said and did. If Netanyahu had heard from us that we were leaving—and everyone would have left—believe me, there would have been a draft law exactly as we wanted, without sanctions.”

He continued his criticism of the coalition’s conduct, saying, “As long as Netanyahu knew we were only talking and didn’t really intend to carry it out, he rode on us, and he rode on us very well, and he had a good government. He stood in America next to Trump—how? Because we gave him 64. Who were the seven MKs who supported him? United Torah Judaism. If we had been stronger, we would have passed the draft law and not a hair on the head of a yeshiva student would have been harmed.”

Asked directly whether Netanyahu bears responsibility for the current situation, Goldknopf answered, “What kind of question is that? Is there any doubt? Have you ever seen something Netanyahu wanted that he didn’t accomplish? He knows how to lead and how to achieve results. If they had wanted to—and decided that the draft law came before everything else—and he said that—they could have passed it before the government was formed and before the state budget. They dragged it out, threw sand in our eyes, and made promises to us.”

Speaking about his visits to military prisons, Goldknopf expressed outrage over the detention of yeshiva students.

“I meet detainees there for nothing. I ask them, ‘Who did you murder?’ ‘Who did you steal from?’ ‘Money laundering?’ ‘Why are you sitting in prison?’ And they answer because ‘they sat and learned Torah.’ So what? Because of that you arrest a person? There is no law to arrest them. Why arrest them? Straight to prison? What is this, a chicken? How do you put a person in prison? What’s going on here? Is this atonement?”

Goldknopf also condemned what he described as excessive police force during Chareidi demonstrations.

“They decided somewhere that the blood of the Chareidi public is ownerless. When you see a police officer or Border Police officer grabbing his brother and stripping off his clothes—where in the world has anyone heard of such a thing? How can anyone even imagine that a person could do that? And for what? He demonstrated. Couldn’t cars and ambulances pass in Kaplan too?”

Asked whether he still considers himself part of the right-wing bloc, Goldknopf dismissed the idea outright.

“‘Bloc’? What bloc? How can there be a bloc? A bloc exists when people trust one another. When one betrays another, is that called a bloc? Netanyahu only betrayed us? Didn’t he also hurt us? What am I supposed to tell the thousands of yeshiva students who never received the money they were promised?”

Looking ahead to the next government, Goldknopf said his condition for joining any coalition would be clear.

“The status of Torah learners must be regulated so they are lawful citizens in the State of Israel like everyone else. We will not agree to sanctions or quotas. How can you even say that word (sanctions)? If someone works at Tnuva or Strauss, are you going to impose sanctions on him? What happened here? Who invented this word?”

He concluded with another forceful attack on the sanctions imposed on Torah learners.

“After everything we’ve gone through here, every part of our body has been slaughtered and torn apart. Today we are covered in blood because you carried out such an attack against us that today a Chareidi Jew is humiliated. One is afraid to walk in the street, another can’t send his child to daycare, another can’t travel abroad, they can’t go on vacation like everyone else, they can’t get a driver’s license. What happened here? Is there another country that discriminates against so many of its own citizens?”

Goldknopf reiterated that his demand remains unchanged.

“To recognize all the citizens of Israel as respected citizens who receive all their rights. The demand is that what existed until now should continue—that anyone who learns Torah receives a one-year deferment. A law without sanctions and without quotas. What are sanctions?”

{Matzav.com}

Thousands visit the kever of the Amora Rav Oshiya on Tu B’Av, when many observe the longstanding custom of circling the gravesite as a segulah. Just a five-minute walk downhill lies Ein Tiria, a tranquil spring nestled alongside Nachal Peki’in, offering visitors a peaceful setting with shaded seating, flowing water, and scenic surroundings.

Towering above the gravesite is a centuries-old oak tree that has long been revered by both Jews and local Druze residents. According to local tradition, the Druze never cut its branches for firewood or construction. They collected only the leaves that naturally fell to the ground, burning them as incense around the sick because they believed the sacred tree possessed healing powers.

Another local tradition tells of Ottoman soldiers who ignored the site’s sanctity and cut branches from the tree for firewood. According to the legend, none of them survived, a fate attributed to their desecration of the holy site.

Visitors who come to the kever often recite tefillos and perform the custom of walking in circles around the grave as a segulah. The site was once mistakenly identified as the burial place of Rav Yehoshua ben Chananyah, but that attribution has since been rejected. According to the Arizal, Rav Yehoshua is buried in Tzfas.

Although the exact date of Rav Oshiya’s passing is unknown, the accepted custom is to visit his kever on Tu B’Av.

Rav Oshiya of Tiria was a fourth-generation Amora who earned his livelihood as a launderer. Chazal relate that while washing clothes in a river, he found jewelry that had been lost by a Roman noblewoman while bathing. Even after she told him he could keep it, he insisted on returning the valuables, explaining that the Torah commands honesty and that its teachings must be upheld. Upon his passing, tradition relates that his bier was seen floating through the air, prompting his contemporaries to apply to him the verse, “If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, it would utterly be despised.”

A short five-minute descent from the kever brings visitors to Ein Tiria. Fed by natural springs and situated beside Nachal Peki’in, the area includes shaded picnic tables, small water channels, and a sealed well. A local Chassidic yeshiva has expressed interest in renovating the spring so it can be used as a mikvah, though local Druze residents have reportedly opposed the plan.

The site is easily accessible by entering “Kever Rabi Oshiya Ish Tiria” into Waze. Visitors will also find a small hospitality beis medrash near the entrance offering hot and cold drinks as well as restroom facilities, making it a convenient destination for those traveling during bein hazemanim.

{Matzav.com}