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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani voiced strong opposition to the ongoing U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran, criticizing the conflict on multiple fronts in a newly released interview.

Speaking with political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen, Mamdani argued that the war is fundamentally flawed. “It’s a war that should be opposed on every single ground, not just procedural, but also moral, but also political, and also a war that should be opposed on the grounds of the fact that it is being financed by the very money that could make it easier to keep calling this city, this country, home, and yet, there is a blindness to that fact,” Mamdani said.

At the outset of the conflict, Mamdani had already condemned the military action, describing U.S. and Israeli strikes as “a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression.”

In a post on X at the time, he expanded on his criticism, writing: “Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war. Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace.”

His comments come as President Donald Trump continues to weigh further military steps, including a possible deployment of U.S. forces inside Iran to secure its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium — a mission that could take several days to complete.

Such an operation would place American troops deep within Iranian territory, exposing them to potential attacks from short-range missiles and drones.

Meanwhile, the White House announced that the president will address the nation regarding the conflict. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared the announcement Tuesday evening.

“TUNE IN: Tomorrow night at 9PM ET, President Trump will give an Address to the Nation to provide an important update on Iran,” Leavitt said in a Tuesday evening post on X.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the military campaign against Iran is approaching its final stage, though he cautioned that the conflict will not conclude immediately.

Speaking with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Rubio said the United States is closing in on its objectives but emphasized that the end is not imminent. “We are well on our way. We are on or ahead of schedule on each of those four objectives. And we can see the finish line. It’s not today. It’s not tomorrow, but it is coming. We are going to get to the point where our military will have achieved all of its objectives in this mission.”

.@SecRubio: "We are going to get to the point where our military will have achieved all of its objectives in this mission, and they're doing so with extraordinary efficiency — something that I think will go down in history as one of the best run tactical military operations in… pic.twitter.com/NaoMThIhs2

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 1, 2026

Rubio sharply criticized Iran’s leadership, describing it as driven by extremist ideology. “This is a regime that is led by radical Shia clerics, by people who believe that it is their calling. I know this sounds fantastical, but it’s absolutely true. This is a regime led by people who believe that it is their calling and their purpose in life to usher in the end of the world.”

He argued that Iran’s nuclear ambitions are evident from its actions and capabilities. “These people want nuclear weapons. Why do we know that? Because they are assembling all the things you need for nuclear weapons. They’re assembling long-range rockets that can eventually reach the United States, can already range Europe. We saw them demonstrate two of them last week, despite denying that they had them. They enriched uranium to 60%…from 60 to 90%, which is what you need for a bomb, takes 12 to 14 days. They bragged about still having that. They demand the right to enrich, which is how you get from 60 to 90%. They’re the leading sponsor of terrorism, not in the region, in the world.”

Rubio reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons has been a central objective of President Trump for years. “They can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, which is what President Trump made very clear from the very first day of his presidency. In fact, from the very first day of his candidacy. When he came down that escalator in 2015, he talked about this,” he said, adding that Trump has consistently warned about the Iranian threat even before entering politics and has remained committed to confronting it.

He outlined the military campaign’s goals, saying significant progress has already been made. “We are going to destroy their Air Force. We have largely done that. We were going to destroy their Navy, which we have largely achieved that. We were going to destroy a significant percentage of their missile launchers. We are well on our way to achieving that. And we were going to wipe out their defense industrial base, meaning the factories that make the drones and the missiles. We are on our way to doing that,” he said.

Addressing the possibility of diplomacy, Rubio said the U.S. remains open to negotiations but remains cautious based on past experience. “We can’t ignore that for 47 years they’ve avoided and rejected any effort to negotiate. That doesn’t mean we’re going to stop trying.”

He emphasized that while negotiations are preferable, they cannot be used as a stalling tactic. “President Trump always, always would rather have negotiations than war. And he will always, we gave them 60 days early last year. We gave them additional time to negotiate after Midnight Hammer again earlier this year. But each and every time those things have proved fruitless. But we’re going to keep trying. There are messages being exchanged. There are talks going on. There is the potential for direct meeting at some point. We’re always going to be open for that. But President Trump is not going to allow fake negotiations to be used as a delay tactic to buy more time to buy themselves space.”

{Matzav.com}

Buckingham Palace announced Tuesday that King Charles will travel to the United States in late April for a state visit, a high-profile trip British officials hope will help mend relations with President Donald Trump following tensions over the Iran war.

The king and Queen Camilla are scheduled to take part in a previously arranged visit marking the 250th anniversary of American independence from Britain, after which they will continue on to Bermuda.

“Their majesties’ program will celebrate the historic connections and the modern bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States,” Buckingham Palace said, noting that the visit is being undertaken at the recommendation of the British government.

The trip will mark the first state visit to the United States by a British monarch since 2007, when Queen Elizabeth II — Charles’ mother — made her fourth official visit during her reign.

According to reports, King Charles III is expected to address a joint session of Congress during the visit, highlighting the enduring relationship between the two nations as the U.S. commemorates its milestone anniversary.

Relations between Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have come under strain in recent weeks, largely due to the U.K.’s reluctance to take a more active role in the Iran war and its refusal to allow American forces to launch initial strikes from British bases.

Although Britain has since permitted what Starmer described as defensive operations, Trump has openly criticized the prime minister, saying he was “not Winston Churchill” and accusing him of weakening the long-standing alliance between the two countries.

Trump has also dismissed Britain’s offer to contribute additional military resources to the region.

Beyond the Iran conflict, disagreements have emerged over Britain’s agreement with Mauritius to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, where the joint U.S.-U.K. Diego Garcia air base is located. Trump has called the arrangement a serious error, a stance welcomed by some of Starmer’s political opponents.

Starmer, who previously worked as a human rights lawyer, has questioned the legality of the military campaign against Iran — a position that has resonated with segments of the British public concerned about rising energy costs and the broader consequences of the conflict.

Despite those concerns, Starmer has refrained from directly attacking Trump and has maintained publicly that relations between the two leaders remain positive.

Since Trump returned to office, the British government has leaned on the monarchy’s diplomatic influence to help maintain goodwill with the White House. Trump has expressed strong admiration for the royal family, and officials hope that connection can help preserve cooperation on issues such as the war in Ukraine and potential trade disputes.

Charles previously hosted Trump for a rare second state visit to the United Kingdom last September, which included a ceremonial carriage procession and a formal banquet at Windsor Castle. During that visit, Trump praised the relationship between the two countries, calling it “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”

British officials are now looking to the 77-year-old monarch to once again help stabilize the relationship during a period of friction. Prince William is also expected to visit the United States later in the year during the soccer World Cup.

Trump said last week that the upcoming visit would proceed despite the tensions with Starmer. “He’s a friend of mine,” Trump said of Charles. “He’s a great gentleman.”

The visit, however, could place the king in a delicate position, requiring him to publicly engage with a U.S. president who remains unpopular among many British voters.

There are also policy differences between the two leaders, particularly on climate change, an issue Charles has championed for decades but where Trump has taken a markedly different stance.

In addition, Charles may face renewed scrutiny over his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who is currently under police investigation for alleged misconduct tied to his association with the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Some political figures in Britain have already voiced opposition to the visit. Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has previously argued that the trip should be canceled, saying Trump should not be rewarded diplomatically given his past criticisms of the United Kingdom.

The city of Bnei Brak is mourning the passing of Rabbi Meshulam Menachem Lerer z”l, a longtime chief military chazzan and a beloved figure known for his warmth and dedication to Torah. He passed away at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness.

Rabbi Lerer had been hospitalized in recent weeks as his condition worsened significantly.

He was a son of Rabbi Yosef Eliezer Lerer z”l. He married his wife, the daughter of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Shtok z”l. Together they built a home rooted in Torah, raising a distinguished family.

Those who knew him describe a man of integrity and kindness. “He was a person entirely defined by chessed and a warm countenance,” a family acquaintance said. Alongside his public role as chief military chazzan, he remained humble, consistently set aside time for Torah learning, and was widely admired by all who encountered him.

Over the years, he left a lasting impact on the world of chazzanus, using his powerful and moving voice to inspire tefillah and strengthen emunah.

He is survived by a prominent family that continues his legacy, including his son, Reb Yehoshua (Shuki) Lerer, one of the most recognized photographers in the chareidi world, and his son Reb Chaim Yaakov Lerer, a respected Lelover chossid.

The levayah was held at Heichal HaTorah Ateres Zehava in Shikun Hei in Bnei Brak, proceeding to the Segulah cemetery in Petach Tikvah.

Yehi zichro boruch.