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Israeli Sephardic Chief Rabbi Rav Dovid Yosef sharply condemned a High Court decision issued on Shabbos night permitting a hearing regarding demonstrations at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, in light of Home Front Command guidelines on large gatherings.

In its ruling, the court approved a framework allowing up to 600 demonstrators at Habima Square, while limiting attendance at other locations across the country to a maximum of 150 participants.

“This is an unlawful act in a Jewish state,” Rav Yosef stated. “These judges sit on Shabbos, trample the law, and compel state representatives to respond on the holy day in complete contradiction to the law. They are acting recklessly and crudely trampling the traditions of Israel and our holy Torah.”

He noted that the religious tzibbur had the option to insist on holding the traditional Birkas Kohanim at the Kosel, but refrained due to the ongoing war. At the same time, he said, left-wing demonstrators turned to the court specifically in order to protest and be mechalel Shabbos.

Rav Yosef went on to say that confidence among the religious public in the judicial system has eroded, describing what he sees as a consistently one-sided and anti-religious posture.

“There is not a single religious Jew today who places trust in this brazen group of the Supreme Court. Through their actions, they have become enemies of Judaism,” he said.

“We will fight with all our strength for the identity of the State, and in the end, Judaism will be what prevails.”

New intelligence cited by The Telegraph indicates that, since the war began, four Chinese vessels have docked in Iran carrying materials used in the production of solid fuel for missile engines, raising concerns about Tehran’s potential to expand its ballistic arsenal.

The report states that the ships sailed from Gaolan port in Zhuhai, a major center known for housing some of China’s largest liquid chemical storage facilities.

According to expert assessments, the cargo may have included sufficient quantities of sodium perchlorate to support the manufacture of hundreds of ballistic missiles. At the same time, uncertainty remains over whether Iran is currently capable of producing such weapons after recent strikes by the United States and Israel damaged key facilities.

Against this backdrop, President Donald Trump warned Iran that it has 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face serious repercussions.

Previously, Trump had threatened to strike Iran’s critical infrastructure, including its power grid, oil installations, and desalination plants, cautioning that such an attack could effectively “return the country to the Stone Age.”

President Donald Trump tonight shared newly released video showing American airstrikes carried out in Tehran, highlighting the impact of the operation on Iran’s military leadership.

Posting the footage on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Many of Iran’s Military Leaders, who have led them poorly and unwisely, are terminated, along with much else, with this massive strike in Tehran!”

Earlier in the day, Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, saying the country faces severe consequences within 48 hours if it fails to change course.

In a message posted on Truth Social, he wrote, “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!”

Since the conflict began, Iran has effectively blocked or heavily restricted access through the Strait of Hormuz. The regime has declared the passage “closed,” threatened commercial shipping, deployed fast attack boats, drones, and missiles, and reportedly placed naval mines in the area.

A far-left anti-war protest took place this evening in Habima Square in Israel, with police moving in to disperse participants after the crowd exceeded the permitted limits. Ten demonstrators were taken into custody.

At the scene, a police officer urged the crowd to leave, warning that the gathering posed a danger to public safety. He later announced that authorities would begin clearing the area, stating, “If necessary, we will use force.”

The protest came after a High Court ruling issued during Shabbos permitting a demonstration of up to 600 participants in the square. The court criticized what it described as inconsistent enforcement, noting that Home Front Command restrictions were being applied to protests while similar guidelines were not uniformly enforced at other events and locations. “This situation is difficult to reconcile,” the ruling stated, adding that officials were aware of other gatherings where regulations had not been enforced.

The decision drew sharp backlash across the political spectrum, particularly because it was issued on Shabbos, raising strong concerns of Chillul Shabbos. The Shas party denounced the move as “a trampling of the sanctity of Shabbat” and announced plans to file a formal complaint against the judges after Yom Tov.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also sharply criticized the ruling, warning that it places the public at risk. “Supreme Court judges making such decisions – whose side are you on?” he said, adding that demanding a response within an hour on Shabbos is unreasonable and undermines security.

Deputy Communications Minister Yisrael Eichler condemned the ruling in strong terms, calling it “a declaration of war against the sanctity of Shabbat,” and accusing the justices of being out of touch and intent on eroding Jewish tradition.

UTJ chairman MK Moshe Gafni likewise spoke out against the decision, describing it as reckless and insensitive. He said issuing such a ruling on Shabbos was done “to prove their superiority over the public in Israel.”

An IDF soldier was killed during combat operations in southern Lebanon, the military announced Saturday night, identifying the incident as a friendly fire tragedy that occurred amid an active mission.

Sergeant First Class Guy Ludar, 21, from Yuvalim, served in the elite Maglan Unit of the Commando Brigade and was killed on Friday while engaged in operational activity in southern Lebanon.

During the same incident in which Sergeant First Class Guy Ludar lost his life, another soldier sustained severe injuries.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement following the news, saying: “Our hearts are with the family of Maglan unit fighter, Sgt. First Class Guy Ludar, of blessed memory, who fell in the unfortunate incident in southern Lebanon.”

“My wife and I send our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Guy, of blessed memory, who fought with courage and bravery to protect our communities and our citizens. May his memory be blessed.”

According to reports, Ludar was killed as a result of friendly fire during an operation in the village of Shebaa in southern Lebanon, where forces were carrying out an arrest mission. Another soldier was seriously wounded in the same event.

Preliminary findings indicate that a Maglan special forces team operating late Friday in Shebaa had surrounded a building as part of an effort to detain an individual suspected of collaborating with Hezbollah when the incident occurred.

At one point during the operation, a soldier spotted figures he believed to be “suspects” attempting to flee the area and opened fire.

It was later discovered that those individuals were fellow members of the same unit. The IDF has classified the incident as friendly fire caused by a breakdown in coordination regarding the positioning of troops, resulting in one fatality and one serious injury.

The suspect believed to have aided Hezbollah was ultimately captured and brought into Israel for interrogation.

NASA’s Artemis II mission lifted off Wednesday evening, sending a four-person crew aboard the Orion spacecraft on a historic journey around the moon — the first time astronauts have traveled beyond low-Earth orbit in more than five decades.

The crew — NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — boarded the 322-foot Orion spacecraft at Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center earlier in the day, ahead of a scheduled liftoff at 6:35 p.m.

The mission is set to carry the astronauts on a trip around the moon and back to Earth, marking the first crewed deep-space voyage since 1972.

While Artemis II will not include a lunar landing, it will take the crew farther from Earth than any human mission since the Apollo program.

NASA has described the Orion spacecraft as the most powerful rocket system it has ever developed.

Rising 322 feet into the sky, the launch system is designed to propel both the spacecraft and its crew into deep space, serving as a critical test for systems needed in future missions aimed at landing astronauts on the moon.

With the crew now in orbit, they are expected to spend several days in space, including a multi-day passage around the far side of the moon before returning for a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

The mission had originally been targeted for a February launch, but technical problems uncovered during testing delayed the timeline. Among the issues were fuel and helium leaks that required repairs to the Space Launch System rocket.

Artemis II follows the successful uncrewed Artemis I mission and represents a key step toward future objectives, including Artemis III, which is intended to place astronauts back on the lunar surface.

NASA has said the broader Artemis program is designed to support sustained exploration of the moon and to help prepare for eventual human missions to Mars.

The Artemis initiative was launched in 2017 under President Donald Trump as part of an effort to return American astronauts to the moon.

Ahead of Wednesday’s launch, Trump praised the mission and its crew.

“America is going back to the Moon!,” he said. “America doesn’t just compete, we DOMINATE, and the whole World is watching. God bless our incredible Astronauts, God bless NASA, and God bless the Greatest Nation ever to exist, the United States of America!”

House Speaker Mike Johnson also commended the astronauts and NASA’s efforts.

“Praying for the safety and success of the Artemis II crew and @NASA as they undertake a mission that will carry humanity farther into space than we have gone in over half a century,” he said. “I had the privilege of hosting these courageous pioneers at the State of the Union earlier this year. Americans are watching proudly as our Golden Age reaches new heights!”

Vice President JD Vance has informed intermediaries engaged in talks between the United States and Iran that President Donald Trump is eager to reach an agreement to bring the war to an end, according to a source familiar with the discussions cited in a CNN report Wednesday.

Vance, who has taken on a more central role in efforts to negotiate a resolution, has been in contact with officials from mediating countries, including Pakistan and Turkey, as recently as Tuesday.

According to the source, Vance conveyed a warning intended for Iranian officials, describing it as a “stern message” that pressure on Iran’s infrastructure would intensify “unless the Iranians made a deal.”

Trump has previously warned that critical infrastructure in Iran, including power stations and desalination facilities, could be targeted if Tehran refuses to allow oil shipments to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

As he prepares to deliver a national address on Iran later Wednesday, Trump directed Vance to communicate that the United States is open to a ceasefire, provided its conditions are met, CNN reported.

One of those key conditions is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump reiterated in a social media post must be cleared before any halt in fighting would be considered.

In that same message, Trump also claimed that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had sought a ceasefire.

Iran rejected that assertion, with its Foreign Ministry describing the claim as “false and baseless.”

Separately, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said it maintains full control over the strategic waterway.

“This strait will not be opened to the enemies of this nation through the ridiculous spectacle by the president of the United States,” it said, adding that the strait “is firmly and decisively under the control” of its forces.

A mohel from Bnei Brak who is under investigation for allegedly causing the death of an infant through negligence has been released to house arrest, following a court decision on Wednesday morning, just ahead of Pesach.

The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court ruled to free the suspect under restrictive conditions, including house arrest. Police filed an appeal, but the District Court upheld the lower court’s decision, extending the house arrest until April 9, 2026. Police stated, “The investigation is ongoing in order to uncover the truth.”

The mohel’s attorney, Yair Ben Shitrit, said in response, “What began with great fanfare has ended quietly. My client shares in the family’s deep sorrow over this tragic incident. However, it should be emphasized that my client acted throughout in accordance with the required professional standards, and even beyond that.

“The police appeal to the District Court against the release decision was also rejected, and my client was released, which speaks for itself. It should be noted that the infant’s death occurred approximately three weeks after the circumcision—a significant detail that greatly weakens any attempt to establish a causal link or negligence on the part of my client. Under these circumstances, we are confident that once all examinations are completed, the case will be closed with nothing remaining.”

The mohel, a resident of Bnei Brak, was initially arrested on suspicion of negligence following the death of a baby after a circumcision he performed. The procedure took place about a month ago, and authorities suspect that a complication led to an infection that caused the infant’s death roughly two weeks later.

He is suspected of negligent manslaughter of a minor. After being questioned, he was detained, and as noted, was brought to court this morning for a hearing on extending his detention.

Israel Police said in a statement last night: “Investigators from the Bnei Brak–Ramat Gan police opened an investigation upon receiving a complaint today regarding the death of an infant, on suspicion of causing death by negligence, due to a suspected complication from a circumcision procedure performed by the mohel. Patrol officers arrested the suspect, a 66-year-old mohel from Bnei Brak. Israel Police shares in the family’s grief and will continue a thorough investigation to uncover the truth and carry out all necessary actions.”

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez indicated this week that she would reject all U.S. assistance to Israel, including funding for defensive systems, according to a report on remarks she made during a private meeting with members of the Democratic Socialists of America.

The position represents a shift from her earlier stance. While she has long opposed aid tied to offensive military capabilities, she had previously supported funding for defensive measures such as the Iron Dome missile defense system.

The comments were first reported by Peter Sterne, an editor at City and State NY, who covered the meeting, which was streamed for DSA members. The gathering was held to consider whether the organization would endorse Ocasio-Cortez’s reelection campaign.

During the discussion, Ocasio-Cortez was asked about backing an arms embargo on Israel. According to the report, she responded, “I have not once ever voted to authorize funding to Israel, and I will never. The Israeli government should be able to finance their own weapons if they seek to arm themselves.”

A follow-up question pressed her on whether that position would extend to all military-related funding, including defensive systems. “If the moment presents itself in Congress, will you commit to voting ‘no’ for any spending on arms for Israel, including so-called ‘defensive capabilities?’”

Ocasio-Cortez answered, “Yes.”

Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the progressive bloc in Congress often referred to as “the Squad,” has repeatedly voiced sharp criticism of Israel, including accusations related to its conduct in Gaza.

She later defended her use of the term “genocide,” arguing in an interview that conditions in Gaza had “crossed the threshold of intent.”

In an earlier 2019 radio interview, she described Israel as “criminal” in its treatment of Palestinian Arabs, asserting that they have no alternative but to “riot” against the country.

She has also previously said that reducing or cutting U.S. military and economic support to Israel should be “on the table” as a way to express opposition to Israeli policies, and has characterized Israel as an “apartheid state.”