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Sen. Bernie Sanders is refusing to back away from his support for progressive Democratic candidates despite criticism from Sen. John Fetterman, vowing to continue campaigning for candidates he believes will challenge powerful financial interests and fight for working Americans.

The clash began after Fetterman questioned Sanders’ involvement in several key Democratic primaries during an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju on Tuesday. Referring to Sanders’ endorsement of progressive Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, Fetterman remarked, “maybe sit a few out,” before adding, “Maybe sit a few out, Bernie,” and, “You’re not helping.”

Sanders dismissed the criticism during an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, while alluding to ongoing speculation that Fetterman may eventually leave the Democratic Party.

“John — not going to take your advice,” Sanders replied.

He added, “We’re going to work as hard as we can not only to elect El-Sayed, but Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota and strong congressional candidates across the country who have the guts to start taking on big money and representing workers,” the senator continued.

Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary is set for Tuesday, when El-Sayed will face Rep. Haley Stevens for the party’s nomination. The winner will advance to the November general election against former Rep. Mike Rogers as the candidates compete to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters.

A new Emerson College Polling/WLNS/WOODTV survey released Thursday showed El-Sayed holding a sizable advantage over Stevens. The poll found the progressive candidate with 54 percent support, compared with 39 percent for Stevens, giving him a 15-point lead heading into the final days of the campaign.

Collins also asked Sanders whether he would support Stevens if she were to defeat El-Sayed in the primary. Sanders and El-Sayed have both criticized Stevens over her backing of Israel and her acceptance of campaign donations from super PACs.

“I don’t know that she’d want me. I’d support her,” Sanders responded. “I want Democrats to control the Senate. I think both Haley and Abdul have made it clear that if the other candidate wins they will be supportive. So will I.”

{Matzav.com}

A new Emerson College poll released Thursday shows progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed opening a commanding lead over Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, giving him a 15-point advantage just days before voters head to the polls on Aug. 4.

The survey found El-Sayed receiving 54 percent support compared to Stevens’ 39 percent, with six percent of voters still undecided. When those undecided voters were asked which candidate they lean toward, El-Sayed’s advantage widened to 57 percent to 41 percent. The winner of the Democratic primary will compete in November to succeed retiring Sen. Gary Peters, with both parties viewing the seat as one of the nation’s key battlegrounds.

Although El-Sayed was defeated by more than 20 points in Michigan’s 2018 gubernatorial race while serving as Wayne County’s health director, he enters this contest in a far stronger position. His campaign has been endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and the United Auto Workers. If elected, he would become the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Stevens, who has represented suburban Detroit in Congress for four terms, has secured the backing of Sen. Gary Peters, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. During their final debate this week, the candidates sharply disagreed over AIPAC funding, Israel, and socialism.

Pollsters say El-Sayed’s lead is being fueled largely by younger voters. Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball pointed to a pronounced age divide among Democratic primary voters.

“There is a clear age divide in the Democratic Primary: voters under 50 break for El-Sayed by 42 percentage points, 67% to 25%, and that gap tightens among voters in their 50s to a 12-point lead, and voters over 60 flip to Stevens by a 14-point margin, 53% to 39%,” Kimball said.

El-Sayed also enjoys a substantial advantage among independent voters, leading Stevens by 27 points, 60 percent to 33 percent. Among registered Democrats, however, the race is much closer, with El-Sayed holding a nine-point edge. Demographically, he leads white voters by 32 points, while Stevens performs considerably better among Black voters, who favor her by a 33-point margin.

Whitmer’s standing with Democratic primary voters has also slipped since earlier this year. The poll found that 62 percent now approve of her performance, down from 79 percent in April. Among voters who continue to approve of the governor, Stevens leads El-Sayed 49 percent to 42 percent. Those who disapprove overwhelmingly back El-Sayed by a margin of 78 percent to 17 percent.

The poll comes as Michigan Democrats head into the final stretch of a fiercely contested primary that has highlighted the growing divide between the party’s progressive and establishment factions. During a recent donor call, El-Sayed said a victory would allow him to “put one ogre on a pike” and advance the progressive movement. The Democratic nominee will face Republican Mike Rogers, who is running unopposed in the GOP primary. A separate Glengariff Group survey found Rogers holding a 10-point lead over El-Sayed in a hypothetical general election matchup.

{Matzav.com}

The State Department announced Thursday that it is significantly increasing public access to the commemorative U.S. passport featuring President Donald Trump, citing exceptionally strong demand for the special-edition travel document.

According to the department, an additional 250,000 copies of the “Patriot Passport” will be produced after public interest far exceeded expectations. Officials said the expansion comes “in response to overwhelming demand” from Americans eager to obtain the commemorative passport.

Until now, the special passport had only been available through the State Department’s passport office in Washington, D.C. Beginning immediately, however, Americans can schedule appointments by phone to obtain one at any of the department’s 24 additional passport offices nationwide.

The commemorative passport was first introduced in April as part of the nation’s preparations for its 250th anniversary. Among its distinctive features is a page displaying Trump’s inaugural portrait alongside the text of the Declaration of Independence. Another page showcases an artistic rendering of the Founding Fathers signing the historic document.

Several passport agencies—including those in Centennial, Colorado; Chicago; Dallas; Detroit; Minneapolis; New Orleans; and Stamford, Connecticut—will distribute the commemorative passport during special application events on Aug. 8. Additional passport offices are expected to begin offering it in the weeks that follow.

“Since its release in celebration of 250 years of American independence, the commemorative passport has generated extraordinary public interest,” the State Department noted in its Thursday release. “The Department of State is responding by expanding access so Americans across the country can obtain this unique and special document.”

Trump is the first sitting president ever to appear on an American passport. The document also features illustrations of Mount Rushmore, home to the carved likenesses of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.

In addition to the new imagery, the passport contains quotations from several past presidents, including Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson.

The commemorative passport is the latest in a series of government initiatives over the past year and a half that have incorporated Trump’s name or likeness. Those efforts have included changes involving both the U.S. Institute for Peace and the Kennedy Center, although Trump’s name was removed from the Kennedy Center building in June following a federal court order.

Later this fall, the U.S. Mint is also expected to issue a special $1 gold coin bearing Trump’s portrait as part of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration.

{Matzav.com}

Senior U.S. officials warned Thursday that President Donald Trump would be disappointed if Israel rejects a newly announced Gaza agreement, while insisting the framework was developed in close coordination with Jerusalem and is designed to bring about the complete disarmament of Hamas and other terrorist organizations in the Strip.

During a briefing with reporters, senior members of the Trump administration joined representatives of the Gaza Board of Peace to discuss the agreement, which Trump unveiled earlier in the day. The officials described the arrangement as a landmark initiative aimed at removing Hamas from power and transferring authority to a new governing body.

Administration officials stressed that Washington worked hand in hand with Israeli leaders throughout the negotiations, saying the United States coordinated “very closely” with Israel during every stage of the process. They acknowledged that Israeli officials approached the talks with deep skepticism but emphasized that “they are not being asked to do much right now”. They also underscored that the agreement does not rely on trust but rather on concrete actions and verifiable benchmarks, while pledging that the United States will also ensure Israel fulfills its obligations.

One senior American official acknowledged that Jerusalem objected to Turkey and Qatar serving on the executive leadership of the Board of Peace. Even so, he said those two countries, together with Egypt, were instrumental in advancing the negotiations and applying substantial pressure on Hamas to reach an agreement.

Another U.S. official cautioned that “if Israel refuses the agreement, President Trump will be disappointed.”

A representative of the Gaza Board of Peace said that, for the first time, Hamas and every other armed faction in Gaza has agreed to both the framework and its implementation plan in full. The representative stated that there will be an “absolute monopoly” on weapons and said Hamas will entirely relinquish its governing role. By the conclusion of the transition, the Board of Peace’s interim government is expected to exercise complete authority over all weapons in Gaza.

American officials explained that the technocratic administration envisioned under the agreement would function as “an alternative to both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.” They also disclosed that Iran sought to derail the negotiations, saying, “Iran tried to convince Hamas to reject the deal, but the US managed to overcome that.”

According to the officials, implementation of the demilitarization plan is expected to begin within the coming weeks and proceed in carefully staged phases. Local police will surrender their weapons first, followed by the dismantling of heavy military equipment, while all armed activity throughout Gaza must come to an end as the agreement moves forward.

Officials acknowledged that fully disarming Gaza will be a lengthy undertaking. However, they pointed to the past eight months as evidence of progress, noting that the United States has already succeeded in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza residents while preventing Hamas from exploiting those supplies.

Trump celebrated the agreement Thursday in a Truth Social post, calling it “a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY.”

“This agreement is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people. At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks,” Trump wrote.

Trump’s announcement followed a Channel 13 News report revealing that Hamas had privately requested a long-term ceasefire lasting between 10 and 15 years.

According to the report, Hamas leaders drafted an English-language letter that was delivered to the White House. In the message, they informed Trump they were prepared to abide by an agreement and disarm, while requesting a prolonged truce under which Israel would halt military operations in Gaza, stop targeting senior Hamas leaders, and gradually withdraw its forces from the territory.

Israeli officials dismissed the proposal as Hamas “spin,” arguing that its contents differ significantly from the Trump framework that was agreed upon last October.

Earlier Thursday, a senior Israeli diplomatic official emphasized that Gaza was not discussed during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meetings with President Trump in Washington this week.

The official reiterated Israel’s position, declaring, “Israel is demanding the complete disarmament of Hamas, including the removal of all weapons from the Gaza Strip and the territory’s full demilitarization, as a precondition for any process. The reported 15-point document does not provide an adequate response to these demands, and Israel has conveyed its reservations on the matter to envoy Tony Blair.”

He further stated, “There will be no Israeli withdrawal from the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip before Hamas is disarmed and the Strip is fully demilitarized.”

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Rav Moshe Eisemann zt”l, a beloved mechanech whose remarkable life carried him from Nazi Germany to England, Switzerland, Moldova, and ultimately Eretz Yisroel, has passed away at the age of 98. A survivor of the famed Kindertransport rescue effort, he devoted decades to educating generations of talmidos and bringing countless Jews closer to Torah and mitzvos. He was laid to rest at Har Hamenuchos in Yerushalayim.

Rav Eisemann was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, to his father, Rav Shmuel Halevi Eisenman. Following Kristallnacht, he was sent alone to England as part of the Kindertransport, the rescue mission that brought thousands of Jewish children to safety before the Holocaust. His parents joined him in England sometime later.

Family members recalled that during the journey, when Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands provided kosher food for the refugee children, the young Moshe—only nine or ten years old at the time—refused to eat because he was uncertain whether the hechsher met his standards.

He later moved to Switzerland, where he became a distinguished mechanech, teaching for more than three decades and helping shape the lives of hundreds of talmidos. About 30 years ago, he settled in Kiryat Sefer, where he continued his lifelong dedication to Torah.

Even after the age of 70, Rav Eisemann accepted a mission in Kishinev, spending several months there despite living in an apartment without running water. He undertook the challenge solely to bring Jewish children and families closer to Torah and mitzvos.

About 20 years ago, he was widowed following the passing of his wife, Mrs. Chava Eisemann, a”h, née Cohen. His only sister, Mrs. Rosental, a”h, was closely associated with the Gateshead Seminary in England.

Those closest to him said his love of Torah never diminished, even during his final years. His son and sons-in-law recalled that whenever they visited him, even when illness made reading difficult, he would invariably begin by discussing a Torah question or sharing an insightful thought from the Ramban on the weekly parshah.

He is survived by his son, Rav Shmuel Eisemann of Bnei Brak; his daughters Mrs. Birnbaum, one of the founders and principal of Beis Chinuch in Kiryat Sefer, and Mrs. Schlass, also of Kiryat Sefer; as well as another daughter who lives in Antwerp.

His health declined in recent years, and about three weeks ago he was admitted to Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, where he remained until his passing at the age of 98.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

The release of more than 1,000 pages of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s private COVID-era diary has sparked a storm of political debate and renewed scrutiny of the government’s pandemic response. Beyond the diary’s contents, one question has captured widespread attention: How did the federal government get hold of what many assumed was a personal journal?

The answer is more complicated than many expected.

It Wasn’t Seized From Fauci

Despite speculation on social media, there is no indication that federal agents confiscated a handwritten notebook from Fauci’s home or office.

Instead, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the diary was recovered from government computer systems during an internal records search. According to Kennedy, HHS investigators located the files after searching multiple federal servers.

Kennedy told Fox News that his department spent roughly eight months searching before locating the material.

“It took us about eight months to dig these out of 11 separate servers,” Kennedy said.

After the files were recovered, HHS provided them to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Rand Paul, which had subpoenaed Fauci as part of its investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

Why Was Fauci Keeping a Diary?

The diary appears to have been a running journal that Fauci maintained throughout the pandemic while serving as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

The entries begin in December 2019, shortly before COVID-19 exploded into a worldwide crisis, and continue through December 2022, when Fauci retired from federal service after nearly four decades leading NIAID.

Rather than resembling a personal memoir, the journal reads more like an executive daily log.

Many entries begin with a chronological account of Fauci’s schedule—meetings, conference calls, media interviews, conversations with world leaders, White House briefings and scientific discussions. They often conclude with his personal reflections about the events of the day.

The diary documents:

• White House meetings with President Donald Trump.
• Internal debates over the origins of COVID-19.
• Scientific discussions about vaccines and treatments.
• Conversations with foreign officials.
• Television appearances.
• Encounters with celebrities.
• Personal reactions to his sudden fame.
• His frustrations with political leaders and the media.

Why Was It on Government Servers?

That remains one of the biggest unanswered questions.

Neither HHS nor Sen. Paul’s office has publicly explained exactly where the diary was stored or why it existed on government computer systems.

Several possibilities have been suggested.

The journal may have been written using Fauci’s government-issued computer or government email account while he was performing official duties.

It is also possible the files were automatically backed up onto NIH or HHS servers under federal records-retention policies.

Another possibility is that the diary was stored on network drives used by senior federal officials.

At this point, however, none of these possibilities has been officially confirmed.

The only public statement is Kennedy’s assertion that the files were recovered from “government computers” after searching 11 different servers.

Was the Diary a Government Record?

That question has not yet been definitively answered.

Federal employees routinely create records that become government property if they document official business.

Purely personal journals generally remain private.

Fauci’s diary appears to blur those lines.

Much of it consists of descriptions of official government meetings, policy discussions, scientific briefings and conversations conducted in his capacity as a federal official.

Whether the entire diary qualifies as a federal record—or only portions of it—has not been publicly addressed by HHS or the National Archives.

How Was It Found?

The recovery appears to stem from a broader congressional investigation.

Sen. Rand Paul has spent years investigating the government’s handling of COVID-19 and the virus’s origins. As chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, he subpoenaed numerous federal agencies seeking records connected to the pandemic.

According to Kennedy, HHS personnel conducted an extensive search that ultimately uncovered Fauci’s diary on government systems and then transmitted the material to Paul’s committee.

Neither HHS nor Paul’s office has publicly disclosed:

• which specific servers contained the diary;
• what search methods were used;
• whether the files had been archived;
• whether Fauci knew they remained on government systems;
• or whether additional unpublished diary entries still exist.

CBS News reported that Paul’s office declined to explain precisely how the committee obtained the records.

Why Didn’t Anyone Know About It?

Before its release, Fauci had never publicly discussed keeping an extensive day-by-day diary during the pandemic.

The existence of more than 1,000 pages of contemporaneous notes surprised both supporters and critics.

Some of the diary’s material had already appeared, in summarized form, in Fauci’s 2024 memoir and in public interviews. However, the newly released journal provides a far more detailed chronological account of his daily activities and private thoughts during one of the most consequential public health crises in modern history.

Why Is the Diary So Significant?

Unlike memoirs written years later, Fauci’s entries were created in real time.

Historians often regard contemporaneous journals as particularly valuable because they capture events before memories fade or narratives evolve.

The diary records Fauci’s immediate reactions to rapidly changing events, including uncertainty about the virus’s origins, disagreements inside the White House, scientific debates, and his own response to becoming one of the most recognizable public figures in America.

Supporters argue the journal demonstrates the extraordinary uncertainty facing public health officials during the early months of the pandemic.

Critics contend that some entries raise questions about whether Fauci’s private assessments always matched his public statements.

Those competing interpretations have made the diary one of the most closely examined government records to emerge from the COVID-19 era.

What We Still Don’t Know

Despite the diary’s publication, several key questions remain unanswered:

• Why did Fauci begin keeping such detailed daily notes?
• Did anyone at NIH or HHS know he was maintaining the diary?
• Was he instructed to keep it, or was it entirely his own initiative?
• Was it considered an official government record during the pandemic?
• Why was it spread across 11 government servers?
• Are additional entries still unreleased?
• Did Fauci expect the diary to eventually become public?

Until HHS, the National Archives, or Congress provides additional documentation, many of those questions remain unresolved. What is clear, however, is that the diary was not recovered from a private notebook but from government computer systems after an extensive records search, making it an unusual and potentially important historical record of the federal government’s response to COVID-19.

{Matzav.com}

First Lady Melania Trump is leading a humanitarian effort aimed at reuniting Ukrainian and Russian children separated by the war with their families, with approximately 30 Ukrainian children safely returned since the initiative began last year, according to the White House.

The White House announced this week that five additional groups of children have now been reunited with their relatives. In the latest phase of the effort, five more children were safely returned to their families, bringing the total number of Ukrainian children reunited through the program to about 30.

The humanitarian initiative officially launched in October 2025 after President Donald Trump personally delivered a handwritten letter from Melania Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their summit in Alaska in August 2025.

According to the White House, the First Lady and her representatives continue to work with both the Russian and Ukrainian governments to facilitate the safe return of additional children displaced by the war.

In a statement, the White House said, “The First Lady’s leadership bridged political divides in pursuit of one humanitarian mission — putting the well-being of children above the conflict and reuniting families torn apart by war.”

Speaking about the initiative in April, Melania Trump said, “This is not an easy mission. I commend the leadership of both nations for working alongside my representatives and me to restore love and security to everyone who has been displaced by this terrible war.” She added, “Together, we can change people’s lives for the better.”

According to United Nations figures, thousands of civilians—including many children—have been killed since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with the past year proving to be the deadliest since the war began.

{Matzav.com}

Health officials have confirmed New York’s first known case of Bourbon virus, a rare tick-borne disease that has no vaccine, no approved treatment, and no widely available diagnostic test. The case is raising concerns that the virus may be far more widespread than previously believed, particularly as lone star ticks continue expanding across the Northeast.

The patient, 67-year-old Michael Larkin, contracted the virus after being bitten by two lone star ticks while doing outdoor work in Suffolk County on Long Island.

Because Bourbon virus is so uncommon and produces symptoms that resemble more familiar tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease, physicians initially diagnosed Larkin with Lyme and prescribed antibiotics. While that treatment is effective against bacterial infections, it has no effect on Bourbon virus, allowing the illness to progress unchecked.

As the infection worsened, Larkin developed a high fever, severe headaches, a rash, and drenching night sweats. Patients infected with the virus may also experience extreme fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and other flu-like symptoms.

Larkin spent five days hospitalized before ultimately recovering. Not every patient has survived, however.

Although only a small number of Bourbon virus infections have been documented—primarily in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma—the disease has already claimed two lives. On average, fewer than one confirmed case has been reported each year in those states.

“Now we know the virus can be lethal. On Long Island, at least, we have a lot of lone star ticks,” Dr. Luis Marcos, who treated Larkin, told CBS News. “And honestly this may be the very, very tip of the iceberg.”

The virus takes its name from Bourbon County, Kansas, where it was first identified. It is transmitted by the lone star tick, an aggressive species easily recognized by the distinctive white spot on the back of adult females. These ticks commonly inhabit forests, brush, and areas with tall grass.

The spread of lone star ticks has been fueled in large part by booming white-tailed deer populations. As deer increasingly live near residential neighborhoods—and with many of their natural predators gone—they provide an ideal host for growing tick populations.

Climate conditions are also contributing to the problem. Warmer winters and longer summers are allowing ticks to remain active for extended periods and expand farther north into states where they were once uncommon.

In addition to Bourbon virus, lone star ticks are responsible for transmitting ehrlichiosis, a bacterial illness that produces flu-like symptoms. They can also trigger alpha-gal syndrome, a condition that can leave people with a long-lasting allergy to red meat and dairy products.

“There are a lot of lone start ticks in New York and in the Northeast, we have dense populations,” Marcos said in a press release.

Although Larkin became ill in 2021, confirming the diagnosis required specialized laboratory testing that was unavailable at the time. It took five years before doctors were able to definitively identify Bourbon virus as the cause of his illness, raising new questions about how many infections may have gone unnoticed.

“The Bourbon virus is likely more prevalent than we think in our region and other cases are likely not being diagnosed,” Marcos said.

Marcos and his colleagues say the case highlights the urgent need for expanded surveillance, improved laboratory testing, and greater awareness among healthcare providers so patients can be diagnosed more quickly.

Since there is currently no medication that directly targets Bourbon virus, treatment focuses on managing complications. Hospitalized patients may receive intravenous fluids to combat dehydration along with medications to reduce fever and relieve pain while their immune system fights the infection.

“Without identifying the cause of an infection, the chances of developing accurate diagnostic tests or effective treatments are minimal,” Marcos said. “That is why it is so important to first understand the true impact of the virus in high-risk areas.”

Experts recommend taking precautions to reduce the risk of tick bites, including avoiding wooded, brush-filled, and grassy areas whenever possible and staying in the middle of marked trails when hiking. They also advise treating clothing with 0.5% permethrin and using EPA-approved insect repellents containing ingredients such as DEET to help keep ticks away.

{Matzav.com}

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has disappeared from public view for months, and according to intelligence officials and former operatives, the CIA and Israel’s Mossad are engaged in an intense effort to determine whether Iran’s new supreme leader is alive, where he is hiding, and what role he is playing as President Trump weighs his next steps in the conflict with Tehran, the Times-UK reports.

Following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an Israeli airstrike on February 28, Mojtaba assumed the country’s highest religious position. Since then, however, he has effectively vanished, prompting American and Israeli intelligence agencies to launch a joint search for the elusive leader.

Their biggest obstacle is silence. Intelligence sources believe Mojtaba has avoided using telephones, computers, or any electronic communications for roughly five months. Reports suggest he is concealed inside a fortified underground shelter, suffering from facial injuries sustained during the strike that killed his father, and is avoiding any exposure that could allow U.S. satellites to detect his movements.

The campaign that located Ali Khamenei relied heavily on advanced cyber capabilities. American and Israeli intelligence reportedly infiltrated Tehran’s surveillance systems, including traffic cameras, allowing analysts from the NSA and Israel’s elite Unit 8200 to identify the movements of the supreme leader’s security detail and senior commanders. That intelligence ultimately enabled the strike that eliminated them.

Finding Mojtaba presents a far more complicated challenge. Even if Iran’s military establishment now holds much of the nation’s real power, intelligence officials believe the new supreme leader remains central to key regime decisions, particularly those involving military operations. Yet no reliable trace of his location has surfaced.

Rather than depending on electronic surveillance, intelligence agencies are increasingly turning to traditional human intelligence—known as HUMINT—to solve the mystery.

Some within the intelligence community have even questioned whether Mojtaba survived at all. They suspect elements within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may be maintaining the illusion that he is alive in order to preserve the regime’s legitimacy during its confrontation with the United States.

Investigators are therefore pursuing two fundamental questions: Is Mojtaba still alive, and if so, where is he hiding? Analysts believe possible locations include an extensive network of underground tunnels beneath Tehran or a heavily protected military facility near the holy city of Qom.

With digital surveillance yielding few results, Mossad is leaning heavily on its network of informants inside Iran, including Iranian citizens who have become disillusioned with the regime, hoping someone can provide the breakthrough intelligence.

“The challenge for Israel is the same problem we had in trying to find and release hostages in Gaza,” said Rami Igra, a former division chief of Mossad.

“Israeli intelligence controlled the whole of Gaza, every toilet was rigged [bugged] to trace where they were being held but we didn’t find them. There was too much reliance on electronic technology and not enough on real people, human intelligence.

“Mojtaba may not be using a phone but if he exists at all, he has other forms of communication, like little pieces of paper. They are using multiple layers of couriers carrying messages.

“These couriers are unaware of what they’re doing, other than taking messages from one person to the next. So, if they [Mossad] find him it will be because of a human element. But the regime in Tehran is aware of this danger.”

The approach echoes the operation that led American intelligence to Osama bin Laden. Rather than locating the terrorist leader directly, the CIA painstakingly followed one of his trusted couriers until the trail ultimately led to his compound. Israeli intelligence is believed to be attempting a similar strategy with anyone carrying messages to or from Mojtaba.

“The only real way to get to Mojtaba is to recruit an agent who is in contact with him,” said Igra.

“But this is very difficult because there is tough screening in Iran of all people close to him, and probably only two or three members of the IRGC know how to contact him.

“We can also track other people using their phones and listen in on discussions about Mojtaba and where he might be. Iran is a country where the people are suffering from lack of money and we have ways of offering rewards on the internet for information,” he said.

Questions have also emerged regarding claims made by senior Iranian officials. President Masoud Pezeshkian recently asserted that he personally spent more than two hours with Mojtaba and that the supreme leader was recovering well.

“This is bullshit,” Igra said. “The Iranian president never saw him.”

Former Mossad lieutenant colonel Avner Avraham believes another layer of deception is complicating the search. According to him, the regime may be employing body doubles to obscure Mojtaba’s true whereabouts.

“They are also using doubles, just like Saddam Hussein did,” he said.

He added: “Mojtaba stays in different locations and people are employed to feed him. But what they don’t know is whether the food they are providing is for the real Mojtaba or a double. So they go home at night and believe they are looking after the supreme leader when it fact he’s probably a fake.”

Despite months of secrecy, many believe the Iranian public will eventually expect proof that its new supreme leader is alive. Mojtaba notably did not appear at his father’s funeral, and aside from official wartime statements issued under his name, no public evidence has emerged confirming his condition.

Avraham suggested Mojtaba could eventually follow a strategy similar to that used by Osama bin Laden while in hiding, releasing an audio message without revealing his appearance.

“Even if he doesn’t show his face, he could use his voice to give a message to the Iranian people,” Avraham said. “But that could make him vulnerable. It’s possible to glean information from the voice file, such as the type of recorder used and possibly the location where the voice was recorded.”

A former senior U.S. defense official believes intelligence gathering inside Iran has become significantly more difficult since the February strike.

“I am quite sure, given [the airstrike] on February 28, that Mojtaba is practicing much better operational security and, as a result, human intelligence will be more important in the hunt for him.

“I am sceptical about US humint since Iran has been a denied area for 40 years. Israeli human intelligence is clearly much better but it also has its limits.”

Should American and Israeli intelligence eventually pinpoint Mojtaba’s location, the discovery would hand Washington and Jerusalem an enormously consequential decision.

As one former senior U.S. intelligence official put it: “I think we have probably dispatched enough Iranian leaders for the time being, unless there is very strong confidence that the current leader will be replaced by someone committed to a democratic future for Iran and who will ride in on a white horse.”

{Matzav.com}

A frightening ordeal for a family visiting Israel ended safely after a 6-year-old boy who accidentally boarded the wrong bus in Yerushalayim was located late Wednesday night through a coordinated police search and the city’s extensive surveillance camera network.

The incident occurred while the family was touring eastern Yerushalayim. As they prepared to board public transportation, the young boy mistakenly got onto a different bus than the one his family entered. The bus pulled away, leaving the child alone and separated from his parents.

According to Israel Police, the confusion was apparently caused by the crowded conditions and commotion at the bus stop, and the boy had no way of contacting his family once the bus departed.

The family realized only moments later that the child was missing. Alarmed and unfamiliar with the city, the parents immediately contacted police, prompting an urgent search operation.

Officers from the Shalem Police Station in Yerushalayim’s Kedem District quickly launched an investigation, working to determine where the child had traveled and identify the bus he had boarded.

To speed up the search, police partnered with operators from Yerushalayim’s “Mabat Yerushalayim” surveillance command center. Using the city’s network of security cameras, operators retraced the routes of buses and monitored nearby transit stops until they spotted the child and identified the bus carrying him.

The real-time tracking allowed officers to determine the vehicle’s destination and dispatch police to intercept it before the child could wander off.

A short time later, officers located the bus at its final stop at Yerushalayim’s Central Bus Station, where they found the boy safe, calm, and unharmed.

Police immediately took the child into their care and contacted his anxious parents. The emotional reunion that followed brought tears of relief, as the grateful family thanked both the responding officers and the surveillance team for their swift and professional efforts in bringing the frightening episode to a safe conclusion.

Police noted that incidents involving children becoming separated from their families in crowded public areas—particularly major tourist destinations—can quickly become high-risk situations. In a busy city like Yerushalayim, where heavy traffic, numerous bus routes, and large crowds are common, children can easily become separated from their parents. The challenge is even greater for tourists who are unfamiliar with the city, do not speak the local language, and have difficulty navigating the transportation system.

Israel Police emphasized that rapid reporting is crucial whenever a child goes missing or contact is lost. Officials said the family’s immediate call to the emergency hotline allowed officers to activate emergency search procedures without delay, deploy resources quickly, and focus on major public transportation routes before the bus had traveled beyond the city.

Police also credited the advanced technology used by the “Mabat Yerushalayim” command center with helping bring the incident to a swift resolution. The surveillance system, which includes hundreds of cameras covering major intersections, bus stops, and other key locations throughout Yerushalayim, enabled operators to locate the child, track the bus’s exact route, and direct officers to the terminal where the boy was safely recovered.

{Matzav.com}

Passengers arriving at Ben Gurion Airport are continuing to face lengthy waits for their checked baggage, with airport officials attributing the delays to the presence of American aerial refueling aircraft that have placed an unusual strain on airport operations during the height of the summer travel season.

Many travelers on Thursday reported waiting several hours before their luggage arrived, as heavy congestion disrupted the normal pace of baggage handling and airport operations.

The Israel Airports Authority said the delays are directly linked to the presence of U.S. refueling aircraft, referred to by officials as “partner aircraft,” which are creating an exceptional operational burden at one of the busiest times of the year.

While acknowledging the frustration experienced by travelers, airport officials stressed that their top priority is keeping flights on schedule and preventing cancellations.

According to the Airports Authority, the presence of the American refueling aircraft has created “an exceptional operational burden” and a “domino effect” that is disrupting flight schedules and slowing airport operations across the board.

The impact has been especially noticeable during the peak summer travel season, as Ben Gurion Airport is handling record levels of passenger traffic and flight activity each day.

In a statement, the Airports Authority said it understands passengers’ frustration and apologized for the inconvenience, explaining that the operational challenges stem from the added demands created by the American refueling aircraft while emphasizing that every effort is being made to maintain normal flight operations and minimize disruptions.

Nine months after returning home from Hamas captivity, former hostage Evyatar David is sharing the painful details of the ordeal he endured beneath Gaza. Appearing Thursday in a televised interview alongside his childhood friend, Guy Gilboa-Dalal—who was kidnapped with him from the Nova music festival on October 7—David described months of starvation, psychological torture, and being forced to participate in Hamas propaganda videos while imprisoned in underground tunnels.

David began by recalling the chaos of October 7, when he and several friends fled the Nova festival under heavy terrorist gunfire. He said the last time he saw Ron Zarfati and Idan Harmati was when they motioned toward him before the group became separated. After he and Gilboa-Dalal concealed themselves in nearby bushes, Hamas terrorists found them, captured them, and forced them into a vehicle headed for Gaza. Looking back, David said, “While we were being taken, I remember thinking that at least Guy and I were together. We were sharing the same destiny, and somehow that gave me a little strength.”

After arriving in Gaza, the two friends were confined inside an apartment, where they were forbidden to speak or even acknowledge each other for the first two weeks. Gilboa-Dalal recalled, “We were in the very same place, but for two full weeks we couldn’t exchange even a single word.” David said the hardest part was not knowing whether his friend was okay. “All I wanted was one quick glance or one simple question to know you were still all right.”

Food and clean water quickly became precious commodities. David said their captors gave them only tiny amounts of dirty, salty water, and the relentless hunger took an enormous emotional toll. “There was virtually nothing to eat,” he said. “When you’re starving, your emotions are all over the place. You’re constantly on edge, and that hunger turns into anger because you don’t know how else to deal with it.”

According to David, conditions deteriorated dramatically about three months before Hamas released a propaganda video featuring him. As his body became increasingly gaunt from starvation, the terrorists decided to exploit his appearance. They ordered him to remove his shirt, photographed him, and selected him because of how thin he had become. Before filming, they forced him to swallow water mixed with soap and dirt, then marched him blindfolded past guards who deliberately ate in front of him.

One of the most horrifying moments came when his captors brought him to a partially dug pit and handed him a shovel. “They told me, ‘Take the shovel, climb into the hole—this is where you’re going to be buried.’ At that moment, I truly believed they were about to kill me,” David said. “Digging was almost impossible because I was so weak. All I could think was that this might actually be the place where my life would end.”

The trauma deepened when Hamas ultimately separated the two lifelong friends. David said the moment left him shattered. “When Guy and I were taken apart, I completely broke down,” he recalled. “I remember crying, punching the tunnel walls, and feeling so overwhelmed that I didn’t even know how to release the pain and frustration.”

Since returning home, David has been working with Glen Cohen, a clinical psychologist in Israel’s defense establishment who specializes in treating released hostages. He said the psychological scars remain severe, including recurring nightmares and the ongoing struggle to rebuild his life. “People tell me they brought me back from the dead, but I was alive every moment I was there,” David said. “Captivity isn’t death. If anything, being there makes you fight even harder to stay alive.”

Mental health professionals who spoke with the Financial Times said former hostages are expected to require extensive long-term psychological care, along with sustained financial assistance, as they recover from the profound trauma caused by prolonged confinement in Hamas’ underground tunnel network.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) is renewing his sharp criticism of Anthony Fauci, accusing the longtime public health official of deceiving the American people and helping suppress questions about the origins of COVID-19 after Fauci’s testimony Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

In a statement to Breitbart News, Cotton pointed to entries in Fauci’s personal diary, arguing they show a coordinated effort to discredit him after he publicly raised concerns that the coronavirus may have originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

“In January 2020, I warned China was lying and the COVID virus almost certainly came from China’s coronavirus lab. Tony Fauci’s diary shows how he worked with the liberal media to smear me, cover for China, and lie to the American people,” Cotton said.

He went on to call for legal consequences, declaring, “Fauci is a lying disgrace who should be prosecuted. And the left must never be given power again.”

Long before the lab leak theory gained broader attention, Cotton publicly questioned China’s explanation for the outbreak and urged the U.S. government to investigate whether the virus had escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan. At the time, many Democrats, major media organizations, and technology companies dismissed the theory as baseless.

In January 2020, shortly after the pandemic began, Cotton sent a letter to then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, urging a thorough investigation into the virus’s origins.

“If the virus didn’t originate in the seafood market, it’s critical to determine where it did— especially, I must add, since Wuhan is also home to a biosafety-level-4 super-laboratory that engages in the study of coronavirus, among other deadly pathogens,” the senator wrote.

The following month, Cotton continued raising the possibility that the virus leaked from a laboratory, drawing widespread criticism from legacy media outlets that portrayed the theory as unfounded.

Among those publications was The New York Times, which ran the headline, “Senator Tom Cotton Repeats Fringe Theory of Coronavirus Origins.”

The Huffington Post published a headline reading, “Don’t Listen To Sen. Tom Cotton About Coronavirus,” and further claimed that Cotton was “boosting a debunked fringe theory circulating among tabloids and conservative media outlets.”

CNN also criticized Cotton’s comments, publishing an article titled “Tom Cotton is playing a dangerous game with his coronavirus speculation.”

Business Insider likewise rejected the theory, writing that “a GOP senator keeps pushing a thoroughly debunked theory that the Wuhan coronavirus is a leaked Chinese biological weapon gone wrong.”

{Matzav.com}

The Justice Department has launched the first-ever case before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, seeking to revoke the permanent residency of a 47-year-old Afghan woman from Texas whose son and son-in-law were previously convicted in connection with an ISIS-inspired plot to carry out a mass shooting on Election Day in 2024.

Federal prosecutors filed the unprecedented petition against Nazira Haji Zada of Fort Worth on July 15. Authorities arrested her shortly before a public hearing scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday in Washington, D.C.

According to court records, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche approved the application on June 30. Chief Judge Joan N. Ericksen, a federal judge from Minnesota who oversees the tribunal, later determined there was probable cause for the case to proceed to a public hearing.

The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was established under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, but until now had never been used. According to the Federal Judicial Center, no previous administration had ever filed a petition before the specialized court.

The tribunal consists of five federal district judges from different judicial circuits who serve staggered five-year terms after being appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States. The Chief Justice is also authorized to appoint judges who serve on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

Under the court’s procedures, judges are permitted to examine classified evidence in private, while the individual facing removal receives only an unclassified summary. Any appeal is heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

That framework is a key element of the government’s legal strategy.

In a Justice Department statement, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said the court exists because “The court reflects the recognition that the government should not have to choose between allowing a dangerous alien to remain in the United States and disclosing sensitive classified information.”

Haji Zada herself has not been criminally charged.

However, prosecutors allege in an unclassified filing that she pledged loyalty to the Islamic State, helped instill the group’s ideology in her children, and concealed the family’s plan to relocate to ISIS-controlled territory from her husband, who entered the United States under a visa program created for Afghan allies of American forces.

Her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, who was arrested at age 17 but prosecuted as an adult, received the maximum 15-year prison sentence in November 2025 and agreed that he would be deported to Afghanistan after completing his sentence.

Her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to providing material support to ISIS and to firearms offenses after purchasing two AK-47-style rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition from an undercover FBI agent.

Attorneys representing Haji Zada through the federal public defender’s office have indicated they intend to challenge the legality of the tribunal itself.

“This entire scheme is in violation of due process and is unconstitutional,” public defender Matthew Farley told the court, according to NPR.

To prevail, the government must establish by a preponderance of the evidence that Haji Zada qualifies as an alien terrorist under the statute, a standard that would permit her removal from the United States.

Legal observers say Thursday’s proceedings are expected to establish the blueprint for how the previously unused tribunal—and its procedures for handling classified national security evidence—will operate in future terrorism-related deportation cases.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has introduced a new online cooking program designed to teach Americans how to make nutritious, low-cost meals using fresh, whole-food ingredients.

The debut episode of “The Real Food Show” was released Thursday on YouTube and features Kennedy teaming up with celebrity chef Andrew Gruel to prepare crispy salmon cakes served with apples, white beans, and a green salad.

According to Kennedy, the series will travel to communities across the country, where he will collaborate with chefs to showcase wholesome recipes that are easy to prepare, widely available, and affordable for families.

The new program expands on the updated federal nutrition guidelines Kennedy unveiled earlier this year, which encourage diets centered on vegetables, fruits, protein, dairy products, and healthy fats while discouraging the consumption of highly processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates.

Kennedy said improving Americans’ diets could play a major role in reducing chronic disease and rejected the common argument that eating whole, unprocessed foods is significantly more expensive than relying on processed meals.

The launch comes as Americans continue to face higher food costs, with both grocery and restaurant prices increasing 0.2% between May and June, according to the Consumer Price Index.

Speaking with USA Today, Kennedy said the purpose of the show is to demonstrate that preparing healthy meals can be both practical and affordable, without costing more than less nutritious alternatives.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that an agreement has been reached to completely disarm Hamas and every other armed terrorist group in the Gaza Strip, calling it a landmark achievement that he said will pave the way for a new governing authority in Gaza and lasting security for Israel.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump revealed that the international Board of Peace had finalized what he described as a breakthrough diplomatic agreement to bring about the total demilitarization of Gaza’s terrorist organizations.

Celebrating the development, Trump wrote, “Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza. This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY.”

He said the agreement would allow Gaza to transition to a new governing body while ending the territory’s use as a launching pad for terrorism against Israel.

“This agreement is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people. At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks,” Trump wrote.

Trump explained that the accord is a key component of his broader regional peace initiative, saying implementation will occur in multiple stages. As terrorist groups surrender their weapons, Israeli forces will gradually leave Gaza, while an International Stabilization Force, working alongside a newly established Palestinian police force, assumes responsibility for maintaining order and protecting civilians.

Describing the agreement’s role in his broader Middle East strategy, Trump said it marks “a major milestone in the implementation of the Trump 20-Point Plan. The agreement will be carried out in carefully structured phases. As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors.”

Trump also reflected on how dramatically conditions have changed since the height of the war, contrasting today’s diplomatic progress with the violence that gripped the region a year ago.

“One year ago there was a violent raging war, humanitarian crisis and hostages kept in brutal captivity. We have made historic progress and there is still much work to do,” he noted.

The president expressed appreciation to the countries that helped broker the negotiations, along with members of his own administration who participated in the diplomatic effort.

“I want to thank the mediators – Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye – for their important efforts, and especially my outstanding team, whose tireless work made this historic breakthrough possible,” he shared.

Trump also made clear that the terrorist threat which emerged from Gaza before the October 7 attack would not be permitted to return.

“The threat that emerged from Gaza on October 7 will NOT be allowed to rebuild!”

Emphasizing his vision for Gaza’s future, Trump said the territory would ultimately be governed by leaders focused on serving the Palestinian population rather than terrorist organizations.

“Under this agreement, Gaza will finally be in the hands of a new Palestinian government that serves its PEOPLE.”

He concluded his announcement with a celebratory message marking what he described as an unprecedented diplomatic achievement.

“CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL ON THIS AMAZING DEVELOPMENT, THAT EVERYBODY SAID COULD NEVER BE ACHIEVED!”

Trump’s announcement came just hours after Israel’s Channel 13 News reported that Hamas had conveyed to the White House its willingness to accept a ceasefire lasting between 10 and 15 years.

According to the report, Hamas leaders drafted a letter in English addressed to President Trump, stating that they would be prepared to honor an agreement and disarm if Israel agreed to a lengthy ceasefire, halted targeted strikes against senior Hamas leaders, and gradually withdrew its military forces from the Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials dismissed the reported proposal, characterizing it as Hamas “spin” and insisting that the group’s reported demands do not align with the framework negotiated under Trump’s peace initiative last October.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is considering temporarily withdrawing Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to become attorney general permanently rather than negotiating with Republican senators who are demanding changes to agreements involving the president’s family business and financial arrangements reached with the Justice Department.

Despite the nomination dispute, Trump made clear he remains firmly committed to Blanche, his former personal attorney, praising him as “a STAR” and indicating he is prepared to keep him serving as acting attorney general until Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina are no longer in the Senate.

“I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name,” Trump posted on his social media site. “If they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office.”

Cornyn and Tillis, both of whom are scheduled to leave office next year, have insisted on receiving written guarantees confirming the permanent termination of the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which was established as part of the settlement resolving Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

Trump’s remarks followed the Senate Judiciary Committee’s decision to delay a scheduled Thursday vote on Blanche’s nomination. Cornyn and Tillis, both members of the committee, have refused to support advancing the nomination until Blanche provides written assurances addressing concerns over the controversial IRS settlement that granted President Trump and members of his family protections from future tax audits.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF carried out a major overnight operation in southern Lebanon early Thursday, destroying a vast Hezbollah tunnel complex near the Beaufort Ridge that Israeli officials say was a key part of the terror group’s long-term plan to infiltrate and attack communities throughout the Galilee.

In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the underground network played a central role in Hezbollah’s strategy to invade Israeli towns in northern Israel.

The statement said the military used roughly 700 tons of explosives to demolish the extensive tunnel system as part of its continued campaign to eliminate Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Israeli officials added that the operation was launched after Hezbollah committed what they described as a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Netanyahu and Katz reiterated that Israel will respond forcefully to any future violations. “Any attempt by Hezbollah to target IDF forces or Israeli civilians will be met with a harsh and powerful response that will exact a heavy toll on the terror organization,” the statement read.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit also announced the operation, stating, “A short while ago, as part of a limited activity within the area of the Security Zone, IDF soldiers dismantled several key underground tunnels beneath the Beaufort Ridge.”

According to the military, the underground facility functioned as a primary command center where Hezbollah commanders and operatives coordinated combat operations and directed attacks against Israeli troops and civilians.

The IDF said the sprawling tunnel complex represented one of Hezbollah’s most significant strategic strongholds. Built over approximately two decades and stretching across multiple underground levels, it served as the central command center for Hezbollah’s Bader Unit in southern Lebanon. Israeli officials said the project was financed and planned by the Iranian regime.

“The tunnel network posed a threat to the residents of northern Israel and IDF soldiers, as it was located just 6 kilometers away from the area of Metula and the Galilee Panhandle. Over the course of the war, dozens of UAVs, explosive devices, and anti-tank missiles were launched from this infrastructure toward Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Tonight, the IDF dismantled a significant portion of the underground tunnel network,” it continued.

The military said preparations for the demolition had been underway for weeks. “Over the past several weeks,” the IDF statement continued, “IDF soldiers completed their deployment in the area of the Beaufort Ridge, while maintaining operational control of the underground tunnel network and preparing it for dismantling.”

The IDF emphasized that its forces remain fully prepared for any escalation along the northern front. “IDF soldiers continue to operate in the area of Ali Taher Ridge, remain on high alert, and are prepared for both defensive and offensive scenarios. Attacks on IDF soldiers will be responded to accordingly.”

Reaffirming Israel’s position on the ceasefire, the military concluded, “The IDF continues to remain committed to the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and will continue to operate to remove any threat posed to IDF soldiers.”

Hours before the controlled explosions began, authorities notified residents across northern Israel that loud blasts would likely be heard between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. because of planned military activity in the area.

Because of the enormous amount of explosives used, residents of Metula and Misgav Am were instructed to keep their windows open to reduce the risk of shattered glass from the shockwaves. Officials emphasized that there was no change in the overall security situation and that no additional safety directives were issued for surrounding communities.

{Matzav.com}