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Several hours after Israel confirmed a ceasefire with Iran, sirens blared in northern Israel, indicating an incoming missile attack. Iran launched two ballistic missiles, which, b’chasdei Hashem, were successfully intercepted. Shrapnel from an interceptor missile fell on the moshav of Yodfat in the Lower Galil, injuring several cows. Following the launch, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz stated that he ordered the IDF “to respond forcefully to Iran’s violation of the ceasefire by launching intense attacks against regime targets in the heart of Tehran.” “In light of Iran’s blatant violation of the ceasefire announced by the US President, and in accordance with the policy set by the Israeli government to respond forcefully to any violation, I have instructed the IDF, in coordination with the Prime Minister, to continue the powerful attacks on regime targets and terror infrastructure in Tehran, in continuation of yesterday’s actions,” Katz stated. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment following Iran’s violation of the ceasefire and stated, “In light of the serious violation of the ceasefire carried out by the Iranian regime, we will attack with force.” An Israeli diplomatic official said that “Iran violated the ceasefire, and it will pay.” Tehran denied that Israel fired missiles after the ceasefire began and threatened that Israel bear responsiblity for any attack. Shortly later, the Revolutionary Guards claimed that “Israel attacked targets in Iran until 9:00 a.m. in three stages. The forces previously announced that they would not leave any attack unanswered and that Israel will pay a heavy price.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld In Shemos 10:22 Moshe tilted his hand toward the heaven and darkness descended all over Mitzrayim and one was able to feel the darkness. Rashi explains the reason Hashem made darkness was so that the Jews of that generations who were resha’im and did not want to leave Mitzrayim would die during those three days and the Mitzriyim would not see it and say that the Jews are being punished just like us. In the gemara in Megillah 11a we see that Dasan and Aviram were wicked from beginning to end. Why were they not killed during those three days of darkness?                 There are a number of answers to this question. The first answer is based on the Rosh that says the only ones who were killed during the three days of darkness were the ones who did not believe they would be redeemed. Dasan and Aviram believed that they would be redeemed; hence they were not killed.                 The second tirutz is based on the Divrei Sholom that says that Dasan and Aviram were destined to have the earth open up to swallow them together with Korach and his followers. It would seem that they had no free will. The explanation could be that they had free will, but Hashem knew what they would choose, therefore Hashem predetermined that they should be swallowed in to the earth. This decree dated as far back as the six days of creation. The Chasam Sofer adds that the miracle of the earth opening up was made special for Dasan and Aviram since Korach and the rest of the community were first burned and the earth swallowed them only after they died. Dasan and Aviram were swallowed into the ground while they were still alive.                         The third tirutz is based on the Maharil Diskin that says that since Dasan and Aviram were destined to be part of the Jewish taskmasters who took the hit for the Bnei Yisroel when Pharaoh added to their hard work they were unable to be killed by the Malach Hamaves. The Malach Hamaves cannot kill anyone who takes a punishment on behalf of other Jews. The taskmasters (including Dasan and Aviram) also had the zchus that the Yam Suf was split in their merit. Yet all this could not save them and their children under age 13 from being swallowed into the ground. This goes to show how great is the punishment for machlokes. The fourth tirutz is based on the Chasam Sofer in Parshas Beshalach  that says since Dasan and Aviram helped Moshe out by making him run away to Midyan which was where he was raised. Despite the fact they meant it to be a rishus, Dasan and Aviram nevertheless got rewarded for it. There is an animal call the Ayala that has a tight uterus and can’t give birth, so Hashem makes sure that at the time of birth the uterus gets bitten by a snake helping it give birth. The snake, who appears to be hurting the Ayala, is actually helping him. Similarly, Dasan and Aviram actually helped Moshe. The fifth tirutz is that Hashem wanted to kill all the reshaim in Mitzrayim, but Moshe davened to Hashem to save their lives. Hashem said I will save two reshaim in your zchus, but you will see what kind of damage they will perpetrate. The ta’ana against Moshe was that he should have davened that these reshaim should do teshuva, not just save their lives. The sixth and final tirutz is that it could be that since Dasan and Aviram looked like tzaddikim and if they would have died it would have been a chillul Hashem, the people would say that even tzaddikim died during the three days of darkness. They therefore were zocheh to stay alive. May we be zocheh to be like the people in Mitzrayim who believed in the geulah and may we have the geulah sheleima bikarov.

The Israeli government released an official statement on Monday morning announcing that all goals of Operation “Am K’Lavi” (“Like a Lion”) have been achieved — and far beyond. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened the Security Cabinet last night, along with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and Mossad Director David Barnea, to formally update them on the operation’s outcomes. “Israel has removed an immediate, dual existential threat — both from Iran’s nuclear program and its ballistic missile capabilities,” the statement read. The IDF reportedly achieved full air superiority over Tehran, dealt a major blow to Iran’s military leadership, and destroyed dozens of key government and regime targets. In the last 24 hours alone, the IDF struck central government targets in the heart of Tehran, eliminated hundreds of Basij operatives — the regime’s brutal internal enforcement force — and took out another senior Iranian nuclear scientist. “Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their unwavering support and for partnering in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat,” the statement continued. With the operation’s objectives achieved, and in full coordination with President Trump, Israel has agreed to the President’s proposal for a mutual ceasefire. “Israel will respond with full force to any violation of the ceasefire.” The government also urged Israeli citizens to continue following Home Front Command directives until the ceasefire is fully verified. “Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones, and we pray for the complete recovery of the wounded.” “Through Operation ‘Am K’Lavi,’ the State of Israel has achieved historic and monumental success, positioning itself alongside the world’s leading powers.” “This is a tremendous victory for the Jewish people and for our brave fighters who have removed two existential threats to our nation and secured the future of Am Yisrael.” Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to deliver a public statement later today.

TRAGEDY GROWS: MDA Spokesperson: Following the missile fire towards Israel: As of 7:45, at the Beersheva missile impact site: 7 fatalities 2 moderately injured 20 minor injuries and anxiety. MDA teams are continuing search and rescue operations.

DEATH TOLL RISES: Rescue teams have recovered the body of a woman from beneath the rubble of an apartment building in Be’er Sheva, bringing the death toll from the Iranian ballistic missile strike to four. Emergency crews continue to search the scene for any additional victims.

Iran’s state-run media finally confirmed a cease-fire with Israel early Tuesday morning, several hours after President Trump had already declared that a deal was in place. The Israeli government did not immediately respond to the report, though it acknowledged that missile attacks from Iran were ongoing, with at least three fatalities confirmed.

President Trump announced the breakthrough following more than a week of intensifying rocket exchanges between the two nations. His statement came two days after U.S. forces carried out airstrikes on Iranian nuclear targets.

According to Mr. Trump, the cease-fire would roll out in phases starting Tuesday. However, exact details about the agreement’s implementation remained unclear. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi posted online around 4:30 a.m., implying that hostilities had already ceased, stating that Iranian forces had fought “until the very last minute.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Forces reported that Iran had continued launching missiles at Israel in three successive waves during the early morning. Israel’s emergency response services confirmed that at least three people lost their lives in the new strikes.

Such overlaps between combat and cease-fire announcements are not uncommon, as skirmishes often persist briefly until the full cessation of hostilities is enforced.

President Trump’s declaration followed an Iranian missile barrage targeting Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar — the largest U.S. military facility in the region — in what appeared to be a counter-response to the recent American airstrikes on Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure. U.S. officials noted that Iran had issued advance warnings to minimize harm. The base houses around 10,000 American service members and functions as the operational hub for U.S. Central Command in the Middle East.

Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Vice President JD Vance weighed in, remarking that the conflict seemed to be “effectively over” and emphasizing that a chance now existed to “restart a real peace process.”

Mr. Trump, known for his direct style, used definitive language in his post.

“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,” the president wrote on social media. He also clarified that ongoing military activities would need to be wrapped up before the cease-fire would be fully enforced, noting that this process would unfold in stages over the course of the day.

Three senior diplomats, requesting anonymity due to the delicate nature of the discussions, revealed that Qatari leadership played a crucial mediating role. Acting on behalf of the Trump administration, Qatari officials reportedly convinced Tehran to accept the American cease-fire proposal after assurances that Israel had already agreed to it.

{Matzav.com}

BEERSHEVA: Rescue teams are seen combing through the building struck by an Iranian missile as they desperately search for survivors beneath the rubble.

Multiple people killed in Israel as Iran violated the ceasefire, and Trump just posted this.

In the early hours of Tuesday, Israel’s military reported a series of missile attacks launched from Iran, carried out in three waves targeting Israeli territory.

The initial salvo was fired just after 5:00 a.m. and was successfully intercepted without any damage or injuries, according to a statement from Magen David Adom (MDA).

A second wave of missiles followed around 5:30 a.m., consisting of four projectiles. One of those struck a residential building—seven stories tall—in the city of Be’er Sheva. Emergency responders from MDA and other rescue units rushed to the site.

Paramedics treated three critically wounded individuals: a man in his 40s, a woman in her 30s, and a young man in his early 20s. Tragically, all three succumbed to their injuries. One person was reported to be moderately hurt, and five others were treated for minor wounds.

A third round of missile fire was detected shortly after 6:10 a.m., triggering air raid sirens across central Israel, as well as the Shfela and Sharon regions.

These missile strikes occurred just hours ahead of a ceasefire announced by President Donald Trump, which he said was set to begin at 7:00 a.m. Israel time on Tuesday.

Posting to Truth Social, Trump explained that the ceasefire plan includes Iran ceasing its attacks six hours before the start time, with Israel set to follow suit six hours after that.

{Matzav.com Israel}

On Monday night, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee reacted with enthusiasm following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran.

“It’s 3:00 a.m. in Israel and awakened by phone instead of ballistic missile, as President Trump gives the world great news of ceasefire soon to be in place! 12 days felt like 12 months!” Huckabee wrote in a post on X.

He added, “Trump didn’t just ‘pray for the peace of Jerusalem’, he delivered it!”

In an interview with NBC News following the ceasefire announcement, Trump described the development as a milestone moment for global stability. “It’s a wonderful day for the world, in my opinion,” he said.

Trump emphasized the importance of the breakthrough: “It’s a great day for America. It’s a great day for the Middle East. I’m very happy to have been able to get the job done,” he said. “A lot of people were dying, and it was only going to get worse. It would have brought the whole Middle East down.”

When asked about the potential duration of the truce, Trump said confidently, “I think the ceasefire is unlimited. It’s going to go forever.”

Trump had posted earlier that the terms of the ceasefire include an initial 12-hour period, beginning at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, Israel time.

He also explained that Iran would be the first to halt aggression, doing so six hours prior to Israel, which would then follow with a ceasefire of its own six hours later.

While the Israeli government has yet to release a formal response to the announcement, a representative from Iran confirmed to Reuters that Tehran has accepted the ceasefire, which was mediated by Qatar.

{Matzav.com}

A new poll released Monday revealed a dramatic shift in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, with Zohran Mamdani pulling ahead of Andrew Cuomo in a ranked choice scenario—marking a surprising turn in the race.

According to the Emerson College Polling/Pix 11/The Hill survey, Cuomo initially holds a narrow lead in the hypothetical first round, drawing 35% support among likely Democratic voters. Mamdani follows closely at 32%, while city Comptroller Brad Lander garners 13%. Speaker Adrienne Adams comes in at 8%, Scott Stringer at 3%, and another 5% is divided among Zellnor Myrie, Whitney Tilson, Jessica Ramos, and Michael Blake. Four percent of voters remain undecided.

Since no candidate reaches the 50% threshold needed for an outright win, the ranked choice voting system would come into play. Under this method, voters’ subsequent preferences are factored in as lower-polling candidates are eliminated, potentially reshaping the outcome with each round.

In the simulated ranked choice tally, Mamdani overtakes Cuomo in the eighth round, reaching 51.8% to Cuomo’s 48.2%.

“Over five months, Mamdani’s support has surged from 1% to 32%, while Cuomo finishes near where he began,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.

“In the ranked-choice simulation, Mamdani gains 18 points compared to Cuomo’s 12, putting him ahead in the final round for the first time in an Emerson poll.”

In Emerson’s previous poll last month, Cuomo had a 12-point advantage in the first round and held onto a lead of 8 percentage points—54% to 46%—in the tenth and final round.

Mamdani’s rise appears closely tied to Lander’s voter base, who overwhelmingly favored the Queens assemblyman once Lander was eliminated.

At round seven of the ranking process, Cuomo still leads slightly—40.5% to 39.4%—when Lander exits the race with 20% of the vote. But many of Lander’s supporters then shift to Mamdani, giving him a 3.6-point edge in the following round.

Lander, who has publicly backed Mamdani as his alternate choice, has helped consolidate progressive support. The Working Families Party also urged its voters not to rank Cuomo at all.

Additional polling, including a survey conducted by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion last week, still shows Cuomo in front—but Mamdani gaining steadily.

Emerson also asked voters whether they had already voted early or planned to vote on primary day.

Among early voters, Mamdani holds a solid 41% to 31% lead over Cuomo.

Among those waiting until Tuesday, Cuomo leads 36% to 31%.

Voter preferences diverge significantly across demographics.

Mamdani holds a two-to-one advantage among Democrats under 50. On the other hand, Cuomo wins handily among voters aged 50 to 59 with a 63% to 37% split, and he carries the over-60 demographic by a margin of 56% to 44%.

Black voters favor Cuomo 62% to 38%, while Hispanic voters prefer him 60% to 40%.

White voters, however, back Mamdani 61% to 39%, and Asian voters support him by an overwhelming margin of 79% to 21%. Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, is of Indian-American and South Asian heritage.

When sorted by education, Cuomo leads among those without a four-year college degree, 61% to 39%. In contrast, Mamdani leads among voters with college degrees, 62% to 38%.

Men favor Mamdani by a margin of 56% to 44%, while women lean slightly toward Cuomo, 52% to 48%.

The poll, which surveyed 729 likely Democratic voters, has a margin of error of ±3.6%, indicating the race could still go either way.

Emerson College conducted the poll using a combination of SMS text messages, landline robocalls, and an online voter panel.

In the final Emerson poll before the 2021 Democratic mayoral primary, Eric Adams was shown narrowly ahead of Kathryn Garcia—52% to 48%. Adams ultimately won that contest by less than one percentage point.

Cuomo’s campaign swiftly dismissed the new Emerson numbers.

“This is an outlier: Every other credible poll in this election — including two released last week — has shown Governor Cuomo with a double digit lead, which is exactly where this election will end tomorrow,” said Cuomo campaign spokesman Rich Azzopardi.

“Between now and then we will continue to fight for every vote like he will fight for every New Yorker as Mayor.”

In parallel, Fix The City, a pro-Cuomo Super PAC, released its own poll showing a completely different result. That survey had Cuomo defeating Mamdani handily in the seventh round of ranked choice voting—winning 52% of the vote, with Mamdani and Adrienne Adams earning 28% and 20%, respectively.

{Matzav.com}

Richard Hirschhaut, the Los Angeles regional director of the American Jewish Committee, told JNS on Monday that the AJC group “welcomes” an apology from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, after the department issued a statement referring to the “victims” of the strikes on Iran.

The department, under Robert Luna, the sheriff of Los Angeles County, “has been unwavering in its support and protection of the Jewish community and other vulnerable populations across Los Angeles County,” Hirschhaut said.

“While a mistake was made, it was quickly acknowledged and corrected, with a pledge to review internal protocols to prevent any future recurrence,” he told JNS. “The events of recent weeks demand that we all move forward with a focus upon keeping our communities safe and free from fear and intimidation.”

On Sunday, the day after Washington bombed key Iranian nuclear facilities, the sheriff’s department stated that “our hearts go out to the victims and families impacted by the recent bombings in Iran.”

“While this tragic event occurred overseas, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is closely monitoring the situation alongside our local, state and federal partners,” it said in the since-deleted post.

The department first amended the post by deleting the sentences referencing the “victims” and the “tragic event.” It then removed the whole post and apologized “formally” on Sunday for what it said was an “offensive and inappropriate social media post,” which it said was “unacceptable, made in error and does not reflect the views of Sheriff Robert G. Luna or the department.”

The department added that “as a law enforcement agency, we do not comment on foreign policy or military matters” and that it is launching an “internal review to determine how it was created and published.”

“Steps are being taken to strengthen our social media oversight protocols and ensure that any future communications align with our department’s standards of professionalism, respect and accountability,” it stated.

Jay Town, a former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, wrote to the department on social media asking, “How exactly was Operation Midnight Hammer a ‘tragic event’ exactly?”

“Also, why did you delete this tweet after you edited it?” he wrote. “Finally, when did you decide to become an embarrassment to the badge?”

Alex Villanueva, former Los Angeles County sheriff, wrote that Luna, the current sheriff, needed to apologize and resign.

StopAntisemitism stated that the department “deleted their outrageous post mourning ‘victims’ of the U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.”

“There were zero casualties. This was not an attack on civilians but a precision strike on the world’s top state sponsor of terror, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” it said. “We hope the investigation yields accountability for this careless and misleading post.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

A monumental and emotional event took place in Cleveland, Ohio, last night as Yeshivas Telz celebrated 150 years since its founding.

The historic maamad, was marked by grandeur and reverence, honoring a century and a half of Torah greatness.

The Munkatcher Rebbe made a rare and historic visit from New York to return to the yeshivah where he once learned in his youth. His arrival was greeted with great excitement and emotion by the roshei yeshivah, talmidim, and alumni present.

The event drew prominent rabbanim, roshei yeshivah, distinguished alumni, and members of the Cleveland Jewish community, all coming together in celebration of Telz’s contribution to the OLam HaTorah.

PHOTOS:

President Trump’s first-term ambassador to Israel demonstrates how he has achieved things that everyone said was impossible.

Senior Advisor to President Trump Stephen Miller: “Everyone said, who was a critic of this action, that it would lead to World War III, and instead, we have a ceasefire and instead, we have the beginnings of a new era of stability and peace and security in the Middle East.”

The largest digital camera ever built released its first shots of the universe Monday — including colorful nebulas, stars and galaxies. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located on a mountaintop in Chile, was built to take a deeper look at the night sky, covering hidden corners. Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Energy, it will survey the southern sky for the next 10 years. The observatory’s first look features the vibrant Trifid and Lagoon nebulas located thousands of light-years from Earth. A light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles. A gaggle of galaxies known as the Virgo Cluster were also captured, including two bright blue spirals. The observatory hopes to image 20 billion galaxies and discover new asteroids and other celestial objects. The effort is named after astronomer Vera Rubin, who offered the first tantalizing evidence that a mysterious force called dark matter might be lurking in the universe. Researchers hope the observatory’s discerning camera may yield clues about this elusive entity along with another called dark energy. (AP)

With great sadness, Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Nochum Pavlov zt”l at the age of 78.

A distinguished talmid chochom and devoted marbitz Torah, Rav Pavlov dedicated his life to building Torah and spreading Yiddishkeit in Eretz Yisroel.

Originally from Iowa, Rav Pavlov’s early years were marked by dedication to limud haTorah. In the 1960s, he learned in Skokie Yeshiva, where he developed into a serious ben Torah and laid the foundation for a life of avodas hakodesh.

He would eventually relocate to Eretz Yisroel, where he became a respected rov in the city of Ashkelon. There, he threw himself into kiruv rechokim and harbotzas haTorah. With warmth and dedication, Rav Pavlov impacted numerous people.

Tragically, while visiting America on behalf of his yeshiva, Rav Pavlov became ill and was niftar during his stay.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

The Dushinsky Chassidus in the United States is mourning the sudden petirah of Reb Shlomo Chaim Felsenstein z”l, a devoted chassid known for his boundless acts of tzedakah and chesed, and for his extraordinary archival work capturing decades of Jewish life through his lens. He passed away suddenly from cardiac arrest at the age of 56.

Born in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Yerushalayim, Reb Shlomo Chaim was widely admired for his warm personality, generosity, and deep dedication to the tzibbur. He was a man of conversation, heart, and depth, who left a lasting impression on everyone he met.

From a young age, he was drawn to photography, becoming one of the most passionate and prolific documentarians of the chareidi world. With great love and reverence, he photographed gedolei Yisroel, rabbanim, admorim, and significant historical moments. His rare and expansive photo collection — particularly of Yerushalayim and its religious life over the generations — became a treasured reservoir of nostalgia for countless Jews around the world.

Reb Shlomo Chaim was among the founding members of the “Nostalgia 100 Sha’arim” group, where he generously shared hundreds of his personal photos from his private archive.

Chareidi photographer Shlomi Trachter paid tribute to him with emotion: “Shlomo Chaim was the one who pushed me to begin, who gave me the first encouragement to take up a camera. He believed in me. I can’t process this. It’s just unreal.”

The levayah will take place tomorrow.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}