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Israel’s defense leadership convened Thursday evening for a high-level security review at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, as Defense Minister Yisroel Katz met with top military and intelligence officials to assess the situation regarding Iran.

Among those participating in the meeting were IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram, Military Intelligence chief Shlomi Binder, Operations Directorate head Itzik Cohen, Planning Directorate head Hedi Zilberman, Home Front Command chief Shai Klepper, and several other senior officers and defense figures.

Following the assessment, Katz delivered a stark message about Israel’s readiness. “Israel is prepared to renew the war against Iran. The IDF is ready in both defense and offense, and the targets have been marked.”

“We are waiting for a green light from the United States – first and foremost to complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty – the architect of the extermination plan against Israel – and the successors of the successors of the Iranian terror regime’s leadership, and in addition to return Iran to the Dark Ages by blowing up its central energy and electricity facilities and crushing its national economic infrastructure,” Katz said. “The terror regime in Iran specializes primarily in the internal repression of the population through the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij, and in energy blackmail through threats to raise global oil prices.”

“It is lying on the ropes, its leaders are hiding in tunnels and struggling to communicate and make decisions, its skies are completely exposed, and all of its national infrastructure and strategic facilities are vulnerable to attack – yet it declares that it is winning,” he stated. “Because, just like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, it does not care about the heavy price paid by the population – only about personal survival, which itself is not guaranteed.”

“This time the attack will be different and deadly, and will add devastating blows in the most painful places – on top of the enormous blows the Iranian terror regime has already suffered – blows that will shake and collapse its foundations,” the Defense Minister concluded.

The Trump administration on Thursday announced that it was loosening restrictions on marijuana to boost medical research, days after President Donald Trump appeared to express frustration with the pace of easing federal restrictions on illegal drugs.

The Justice Department said that it was immediately reclassifying marijuana products that had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as lower-risk drugs and establishing a new registration process for state medical marijuana licenses. Acting attorney general Todd Blanche also said that the administration would hold a new hearing to “fully” reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act.

“These actions will enable more targeted, rigorous research into marijuana’s safety and efficacy, expanding patients’ access to treatments and empowering doctors to make better-informed healthcare decisions,” Blanche wrote on social media.

Marijuana has long had the same Schedule I classification as heroin, but administration officials have sought to reclassify the drug as Schedule III, similar to some common prescription painkillers. Medical marijuana is now reclassified as Schedule III under the Justice Department’s order, which does not decriminalize marijuana for recreational use.

Some health care advocates have spent years pressing for more access to marijuana as a potential treatment, warning that restrictions on the drug made it too hard to conduct research. The administration’s moves also bring national policy closer to legitimizing state laws that have authorized medical marijuana businesses, after years of stalemates over whether states should be in compliance with federal law.

“It’s a long-overdue correction that finally treats cannabis as medicine,” Howard Kessler, a longtime Trump supporter and founder of the Commonwealth Project, a pro-medical-cannabis group, said in a statement. “It’s a clear win for patients and responsible healthcare innovation.”

Other groups panned the administration’s announcement, with some citing last weekend’s move by Trump to ease access to psychedelics, too.

“With this move, we are now confronted with the most pro-drug administration in our history,” Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which opposes legalization, said in a statement. “Policy is now being dictated by marijuana CEOs, psychedelics investors, and podcasters in active addiction – it is a travesty and injustice to the American people of unprecedented proportions.”

Trump administration officials had deliberated on the best path to loosen restrictions on the drug. White House officials said Wednesday that the administration was working to “expeditiously” implement Trump’s December executive order to increase medical marijuana research.

Trump in December ordered federal agencies to quickly ease restrictions on marijuana and make CBD more available, framing the moves as efforts to improve medical research. He also stressed that he was not decriminalizing marijuana on a federal level, as many states have for recreational or medical use.

“Unless a drug is recommended by a doctor for medical reasons, just don’t do it,” the president said last year. “At the same time, the facts compel the federal government to recognize that marijuana can be legitimate in terms of medical applications when carefully administered.”

But until Thursday, there had been little public action to reschedule the drug since Trump’s order, frustrating advocates who have spent years urging the federal government to relax restrictions.

Trump over the weekend expressed his own frustrations as he prepared to sign an order loosening federal restrictions on psychedelics.

“Will you get the rescheduling done, please?” Trump said this past weekend in the Oval Office, appearing to direct his comments toward White House policy officials. “Joe, they’re slow-walking me on rescheduling,” the president added, addressing podcaster Joe Rogan, a proponent of rescheduling marijuana and psychedelics. It was not clear which drug the president was referring to.

President Joe Biden’s Justice Department in 2024 formally recommended that marijuana be reclassified as Schedule III, but the move stalled amid legal disputes and a pending Drug Enforcement Administration hearing.

Drug policy experts said that federal agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services were required to undertake reviews related to public health and safety, even if the pace of that work agitated Trump.

“His frustration with government processes, particularly those that protect public health, is evident,” said Regina LaBelle, director of the Addiction and Public Policy Initiative at the Georgetown University Law Center and a former drug policy official in the Obama and Biden White Houses. “The executive order doesn’t negate the need for the analysis that HHS and DEA are obligated to follow.”

Most Americans support relaxing restriction on marijuana. An Economist/YouGov poll conducted this month found that 53 percent of adults supported legalizing the drug, including 35 percent of Republicans.

Some critics of the Trump administration’s plans noted that support for legalization has softened as the drug has become more available, with much of the shift coming from Republicans. An April 2022 YouGov poll found that 60 percent of adults supported legalizing marijuana, including 46 percent of Republicans.

“I think that people are seeing the effects of marijuana in their community as it’s become more ubiquitous,” Sabet said. He cited data on the effects of the drug, including studies that have linked youth use of marijuana and later schizophrenia, as well as quality-of-life concerns, such as the smell of the drug that has become familiar in major cities.

Advocates for legalization of marijuana have argued that federal restrictions are outdated and unnecessary.

“I feel like it should be like alcohol,” Rogan said on his podcast in December. “I think you should be of a certain age to be able to use it.”

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Dan Diamond 

Widespread anger and alarm gripped Jewish communities after disturbing footage surfaced in recent days from Osh, where a hotel displayed a blatantly antisemitic message at its entrance. Management at Hotel Villa had posted a sign declaring that “Jews and animals” were not permitted inside.

The notice, presented in Kyrgyz, Russian, and English, featured images of a Star of David and a dog each struck through with a red line. The imagery echoed the degrading symbols used during the Holocaust, recalling the systematic dehumanization carried out by Nazi Germany.

Yoav Bistritsky, Israel’s ambassador to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, moved quickly in response, coordinating with local authorities to have the sign taken down and to initiate proceedings against those responsible.

“I welcome the swift action by the authorities to remove the antisemitic sign and launch a criminal investigation against those responsible,” the ambassador said, emphasizing that hatred of this kind has no place in modern society.

Amid mounting public outrage and diplomatic pressure, the offensive sign was taken down within a day of its discovery.

{Matzav.com}

The widely circulated video showing two yeshiva bochurim being mocked has now led to actual legal action, with a formal warning letter sent to a Channel 12 journalist demanding an apology and threatening a lawsuit if the matter is not addressed.

The Emes L’Yaakov Yisroel organization, through attorney Natan Rosenblatt, sent a sharply worded letter to Channel 12 reporter Inbar Tuizer following the publication of footage in which two young yeshiva bochurim appear at her door and are subjected to ridicule and invasive questioning.

The incident, which drew strong public criticism, began when the bochurim arrived to request charity assistance for a hachnasas kallah. According to the organization, what began as a routine act of tzedakah turned into a humiliating episode filmed and shared publicly. The group is now demanding a public apology and warning of legal consequences over what it describes as harm to the minors.

The letter claims Tuizer used her media platform to turn a charitable act into a subject of mockery and harassment. The attorneys strongly object to what they say was an attempt to portray the bochurim as draft dodgers, arguing that while Tuizer benefits from public resources funded by taxpayers, the chareidi community fills societal gaps through systems of mutual aid and chesed.

Rosenblatt also included personal criticism of Tuizer’s military service, writing: “Before you dare to use terms such as ‘sharing the burden,’ it would be appropriate for you to engage in some personal reflection. Your military service, like that of your political patron Yair Lapid, consisted of writing for a military publication for 32 months. This amounts to paid draft evasion in every sense.”

The letter contrasts Tuizer’s behavior with what it describes as the inclusive approach of chareidi charitable organizations, emphasizing that such groups assist anyone in need regardless of religious background. “See the profound difference: can you imagine two secular individuals coming to a charitable organization (most of which are chareidi) asking for help, and being turned away because they do not observe Shabbos? Never! Chareidi charitable organizations – Yad Sarah, Ezra L’Marpeh, hospital meal services – assist every Jew regardless of sector or level of observance. They would never do what you and your colleagues are doing: persecuting and rejecting those who think differently from you. While the students acted out of love for a fellow Jew, you acted out of baseless hatred,” the letter states.

The attorneys further argue that the incident constitutes public humiliation—halbanas panim—of two minors in pursuit of online attention. The letter accuses Tuizer of targeting a law-abiding chareidi public while remaining silent in the face of more aggressive groups. It adds, “History has shown that cultures of lost identity such as the one you represent are ‘a passing cloud destined to disappear,’ in contrast to Torah scholars who have endured for 3,000 years.”

The letter concludes with a firm demand that Tuizer issue a public apology and correct what the organization calls a serious injustice, including the publication of the minors’ images without blurring. It calls on her to retract her use of the term “draft evasion” in reference to Torah students and to immediately stop any actions that infringe on their privacy. The warning ends with a clear threat: “If you do not act immediately to correct the injustice, we will take all legal measures available, including claims for damages and legal proceedings, without any further warning.”

{Matzav.com}

President Trump announced Thursday that he has directed the U.S. Navy to use lethal force against any Iranian vessels attempting to deploy naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a sharper military stance even as a fragile cease-fire remains in place.

“I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat — small boats though they may be — that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There is to be no hesitation.”

“Additionally, our mine ‘sweepers’ are clearing the Strait right now,” he added. “I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled-up level!”

The announcement followed confirmation earlier in the day from the War Department that U.S. forces had seized a tanker in the Indian Ocean carrying Iranian oil in violation of sanctions, marking the second such interception in recent days.

These developments place additional strain on a cease-fire that has already been extended multiple times in an effort to stop weeks of hostilities between the United States and Iran, including military strikes and disruptions to key shipping routes.

Trump most recently renewed the truce on Tuesday, stating that it would remain in effect while Iran prepares a “unified” proposal ahead of a planned second round of negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Despite the extension, tensions have remained high.

Vessels linked to Iran and its proxy forces have repeatedly posed threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for global oil transport, using naval mines and fast attack boats to harass and damage passing tankers.

Separately, a report on Thursday indicated that British military divers are preparing to carry out mine-clearing operations in the strait as part of a possible multinational initiative. According to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense, Royal Navy personnel trained in explosive ordnance disposal are ready to deploy alongside advanced unmanned mine-detection systems.

European nations, including the United Kingdom, have been discussing a broader coalition effort for weeks aimed at securing the waterway and ensuring safe passage for commercial vessels, though those plans have yet to be fully implemented.

In the meantime, the United States has intensified its maritime enforcement operations, targeting vessels suspected of helping Iran evade sanctions as part of a wider effort to cut off financial support for its military activities.

Diplomatic efforts remain uncertain, with negotiations aimed at reducing tensions encountering setbacks, as Iranian officials have at times declined to engage even as U.S. representatives continue to press for renewed talks.

Trump’s latest directive underscores a more aggressive approach at sea, one that could either push Iran toward negotiations or further strain the already delicate cease-fire.

Speaking to The New York Post on Wednesday, the president said that “it’s possible” new developments regarding talks with Iran could emerge as soon as Friday.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has privately told associates that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is pushing for a position in his administration, including the possibility of serving as attorney general, according to multiple sources familiar with the conversations, Axios reports.

Sources said DeSantis has also shown interest in other high-level roles, including secretary of defense and even a future nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, based on discussions relayed by several individuals briefed on the matter.

With his second term as governor set to end in January, DeSantis has been exploring his next move, one source said, noting that Trump appears open to assisting the former rival who has since rebuilt ties with him.

The topic of DeSantis’ future reportedly came up during a recent lunch between the two at Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami.

“Ron was begging me to be AG,” Trump told one confidant, who relayed the remark to Axios.

Another source described the exchange more cautiously, saying, “There was a conversation at that lunch. I don’t think AG is real. But he’s gonna be looking for work and Trump likes him.”

Talks between Trump and DeSantis have intensified in recent weeks following changes within the administration, including the removal of Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary and Pam Bondi as attorney general.

In the interim, Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal attorney and held the No. 2 position at the Justice Department under Bondi, has taken over as acting attorney general.

One adviser said Trump is looking for Blanche to pursue charges against several political opponents as part of a case referred to as the “Grand Conspiracy,” which is being handled by the Justice Department’s Southern District of Florida.

“Todd has about 90 days to show what he can do,” that adviser said.

The White House declined to comment on the reports. A spokesperson for DeSantis, Alex Lanfranconi, responded by emphasizing the governor’s relationship with Trump, saying he “enjoys a great relationship with President Trump.”

“Some in the media prefer to focus on fake rumors rather than the many accomplishments of Florida’s partnership with the Trump administration,” he added.

“The governor looks forward to continuing to work with President Trump on enforcing immigration laws, restoring the Everglades, and helping to reform college athletics.”

According to sources, DeSantis first raised the idea of a future appointment with Trump last year after the election.

At that time, Trump was considering naming DeSantis as defense secretary but ultimately selected Pete Hegseth, who had been a commentator on Fox News.

Even so, sources indicated that DeSantis could still be a strong candidate for the role if it becomes vacant, though Hegseth currently remains in good standing with the president.

“DeSantis is 100% not interested in the AG job, but he would be interested in two things: War secretary or Supreme Court, which would be his dream job,” said another source familiar with the discussions.

That same source added that DeSantis has a close relationship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, saying the two “almost have a father-son relationship and would be a hell of a legacy for Trump.”

DeSantis previously ran against Trump in the 2024 Republican primary, in a contest that was marked by sharp exchanges, even as many figures in Trump’s orbit remain skeptical of the Florida governor.

“Bygones are bygones,” said one Trump adviser. “But that doesn’t mean people forget.”

Another adviser was more blunt, saying, “There’s a big reason the president wouldn’t pick Ron to be his attorney general: There’s a way-too-high chance he would try to f*ck the president over.”

“Trump needs someone at Justice he absolutely trusts. But the Defense Department or Supreme Court or something else? Sure.”

A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that California cannot enforce a law requiring federal immigration agents to reveal their identities while on duty, preventing the measure from taking effect.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that a key provision of California’s No Vigilantes Act—mandating visible identification for federal officers, including those with Immigration and Customs Enforcement—conflicts with the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause. The legislation had cleared both houses of the state legislature and was signed into law by Gavin Newsom in September 2025.

In its opinion, the court stated, “We conclude that § 10 of the No Vigilantes Act attempts to directly regulate the United States in its performance of governmental functions,” The court’s opinion, authored by Trump-appointed Judge Mark Bennett, read in part. “The Supremacy Clause forbids the State from enforcing such legislation.”

The disputed section of the law required officers to display identification indicating their agency affiliation along with either their name or badge number. It excluded undercover personnel and those operating under specific conditions, and classified noncompliance as a misdemeanor.

Expanding on its reasoning, the court added, “Section 10 of the No Vigilantes Act attempts to directly regulate the federal government in its performance of law enforcement operations. It expressly applies to federal officers,” the ruling continued. “It seeks to control their conduct in performing law enforcement operations.”

Reacting to the decision, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli praised the outcome, writing on X, “Huge legal victory this morning in the Ninth Circuit, where the court permanently enjoined California’s unconstitutional mask law targeting federal agents.”

California has been a focal point of efforts to restrict ICE enforcement activity, as well as large-scale protests, including demonstrations that swept Los Angeles last summer. In October 2025, the Department of Justice announced the arrest of ten individuals accused of assaulting law enforcement during a chaotic anti-ICE protest at a marijuana farm in the state.

At the federal level, Democratic lawmakers have also sought broader reforms. In July 2025, legislation was introduced to require federal agents nationwide to operate without masks, led by Sens. Cory Booker and Alex Padilla. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security remains shut down amid ongoing disputes in the Senate over proposed changes to ICE operations, including mandates for body cameras and restrictions on face coverings.

Yarden Bibas, whose wife and two young sons were murdered while in Hamas captivity, published a deeply emotional message on Wednesday night addressed to his family, expressing grief and longing following his return from captivity without them.

In the post, Bibas turned directly to his wife Shiri and their children Ariel and Kfir, who were killed during their time in captivity. The message, shared on social media, reflects the anguish of a father and husband grappling with devastating loss after months of isolation under harsh conditions.

“We moved to the Golan like we wanted… but you are missing every second. I feel so alone without you,” Bibas wrote, describing the painful reality of returning to a life without his family.

He continued with a line that captured the depth of his sorrow: “I also died that day, but only you stopped breathing. The fact that I am here and you are not – that is what hurts me the most.”

Bibas went on to describe how, in his darkest moments, he looks upward in search of connection to his loved ones. “I look to the sky and search for my three stars – Shiri, Ariel and Kfir,” he concluded.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Iran’s seizure of two vessels does not constitute a violation of the ceasefire, emphasizing that the ships were neither American nor Israeli.

Speaking during an appearance on The Story on Fox News, Leavitt addressed questions raised by host Martha MacCallum regarding the incident.

MacCallum asked, “I want to ask you about these ships that Iran seized. We’re continuing to get reporting on this. Does the seizure of two ships — as we said, they were Greek and Mediterranean-owned ships with cargo on them, and the reports are that Iran basically seized them and then moved them into Iranian waters. We don’t know what’s going to happen to these crews. We’re not sure where all of this is going. Does the president view that as a violation of the ceasefire?”

Leavitt responded by rejecting that characterization, stating, “No, because these were not U.S. ships. These were not Israeli ships. These were two international vessels. And for the American media, who [are] sort of blowing this out of proportion to discredit the president’s facts that he has completely obliterated Iran’s conventional Navy, these two ships were taken by speedy gunboats. Iran has gone from having the most lethal Navy in the Middle East to now acting like a bunch of pirates. They don’t have control over the strait. This is piracy that we are seeing on display. And the naval blockade that the United States has imposed continues to be incredibly effective. And, to be clear, the blockade is on ships going to and from Iranian ports. And the point of this is the economic leverage that we maintain over Iran now. While there’s a ceasefire with respect to the military and kinetic strikes, Operation Economic Fury continues, and the crux of that is this naval blockade.”

A report showing the efficacy of the covid-19 vaccine that was previously delayed by the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been blocked from being published in the agency’s flagship scientific journal, according to three people familiar with the decision who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. The report showed that the vaccine reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations among healthy adults by about half this past winter.

The move, which has not been previously reported, has raised concerns among current and former officials that information about the vaccine’s benefits is being downplayed because it conflicts with the views of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been an outspoken critic of the shots. Kennedy’s vaccine agenda has received pointed questioning from lawmakers during budget hearings that began last week and conclude Wednesday.

The Washington Post reported two weeks ago that Jay Bhattacharya, who is temporarily overseeing the CDC, delayed publication of the report over concerns about methodology. The report had been scheduled for publication March 19 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

In recent days, a decision was made that the report would not be published, according to two of the people who spoke to The Post.

Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, confirmed the delay two weeks ago. At that time, he said it was “routine for CDC leadership to review and flag concerns about MMWR papers, especially relating to their methodology, leading up to planned publication.” Nixon said that Bhattacharya had raised concerns about “the observational method used in the study to calculate vaccine effectiveness” and that the scientific team was working to address them.

Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, is leading the CDC while Erica Schwartz, a top health official during President Donald Trump’s first term, awaits Senate confirmation.

On Tuesday, Nixon described the decision differently: “The MMWR’s editorial assessment identified concerns regarding the methodological approach to estimating vaccine effectiveness and the manuscript was not accepted for publication,” a characterization that differs from accounts by people familiar with the report’s review.

The report is gaining attention at a delicate political moment: The Trump administration has sought to soften its public posture on controversial vaccine actions ahead of the midterm elections. GOP pollsters have warned of the political risks of vaccine skepticism, and many voters oppose Kennedy’s efforts to roll back vaccine policies. Publishing findings showing the vaccine’s effectiveness would be at odds with the administration’s moves to restrict its use, particularly for children, former CDC officials say.

The report had cleared the agency’s scientific-review process, which includes dozens of scientists, according to two of the three people who spoke to The Post. Stopping an MMWR report at that stage is highly unusual, former CDC officials say.

“I cannot recall CDC stopping an MMWR report in the publication phase after scientific clearance and editorial review. On rare occasions we shifted the timing slightly to better align communications plans with competing or reinforcing pieces,” said Michael Iademarco, who was the director of the CDC center with oversight of the MMWR from 2014 to 2022.

Bhattacharya had concerns about a methodology that has long been used by the CDC to evaluate vaccine effectiveness for respiratory viruses, including influenza. A report about flu vaccine effectiveness this past winter – using the same methodology – was published in the MMWR a week earlier. An HHS official had previously said Bhattacharya was not in a position to review the earlier study and would have raised the same concerns.

A report using this methodology to gauge covid vaccine effectiveness in children was published in MMWR in December.

The methodology was also used in a 2021 study on covid vaccine effectiveness in clinics and hospitals published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Vaccine effectiveness estimates using the same methodology have also been published in other peer-reviewed journals, including JAMA Network Open, the Lancet and Pediatrics.

An HHS official said that Bhattacharya met with scientific staff and that the report’s authors did not want to adjust their methodology.

Kennedy, founder of a prominent anti-vaccine group, once referred to covid-19 shots as the “deadliest vaccine ever made.” Last year, he posted a video on X directing the CDC to stop recommending the vaccine for healthy pregnant women and children – an unprecedented move that bypassed the agency’s long-standing process of relying on its federal vaccine advisory panel. The decision drew widespread criticism from medical and public health experts.

Kennedy has said he is not anti-vaccine but is seeking to give Americans transparency and medical choice.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Lena H. Sun