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Israel confirmed Wednesday that it carried out a targeted strike in Tehran that resulted in the death of Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, marking another high-level hit against senior figures in the Iranian regime.

An Israeli official said the Israeli Air Force launched the operation Tuesday night in an attempt to assassinate Khatib, which Israeli leaders now say was successful.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the outcome, stating that Khatib had been “in charge of the Iranian regime’s mechanisms for murder and internal repression, and of advancing external threats.”

“Israel’s policy is clear and unambiguous: No one in Iran is immune, and they are all targets.”

The IDF released a statement detailing the operation, saying: “Overnight (Wednesday), the Israeli Air Force, acting on IDF intelligence, eliminated the Iranian terrorist regime Minister of Intelligence, Esmaeil Khatib, in a targeted strike in Tehran.”

“Khatib had been appointed Minister of Intelligence by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in 2021. In his role, Khatib oversaw the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, the Iranian terrorist regime’s primary intelligence organization, which also played a key role in supporting the regime’s repression and terrorist activities.

“The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence possesses advanced intelligence capabilities, overseeing surveillance, espionage, and the execution of covert operations worldwide, particularly against the State of Israel and Iranian citizens.

“As the Intelligence Minister, Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, both with regards to the arrest and killing of protestors as well as shaping the regime’s intelligence assessment. Similarly, he operated against Iranian citizens during the Mahsa Amini protests (2022-2023).”

The military added that Khatib had also been involved in directing operations beyond Iran’s borders, noting, “In addition to his activities targeting the State of Israel, Khatib led the Ministry of Intelligence’s terrorist activities against Israeli and American targets around the world, as well as activities directed against targets within Israel during Operation Roaring Lion.”

The IDF further outlined his background, stating, “Khatib previously held several key roles within the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), primarily holding intelligence positions, where he served as a significant source of knowledge.”

According to the statement, his death is part of a broader campaign targeting senior Iranian leadership. “His elimination joins dozens of other eliminations of senior commanders of the Iranian terrorist regime throughout the operation, including senior figures in the Ministry of Intelligence, and significantly degrades the regime’s command and control structures.

“The IDF will continue to operate against Iranian terror regime commanders.”

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Sicko commentator Candace Owens is facing widespread criticism after a video surfaced in which she refers to Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro using harsh and dehumanizing language, including calling him a “maggot,” a “worm,” and a member of a “different species” that is “not human.”

The comments appear in a video of about 70 seconds that has been widely shared on X, emerging amid a growing public dispute between Owens and Shapiro. The tensions between the two have escalated in recent months, particularly following the killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

Demonic grifter Candace Owens goes full Neo-Nazi, referring to Ben Shapiro as a "maggot" and a "worm" and saying that he is a different "species" that is not human

She is doing this because she is trying to create a mental justification for one of her lunatic followers to harm… pic.twitter.com/pYjyqqzNbG

— Ian Miles Cheong (@ianmiles) March 17, 2026

Owens has repeatedly accused Shapiro of using Kirk’s legacy for personal or institutional advantage within Turning Point USA (TPUSA), and in prior remarks she has described him as a “maggot rotting on a corpse.”

The clip gained further attention after being highlighted by Ian Miles Cheong, a well-known conservative commentator on X, whose post drew tens of thousands of views. Cheong characterized Owens’ rhetoric as “full Neo-Nazi” and alleged that her statements were aimed at creating a “mental justification” for potential violence against Shapiro by one of her supporters.

{Matzav.com}

Thousands of participants in the popular Daf Yomi shiur delivered by Reb Eli Stefansky were surprised this week when he introduced a newly published book about the Ribnitzer Rebbe and shared a personal story about himself that had remained unknown for decades.

During the shiur, Eli presented the new Hebrew book, “The Ribnitzer,” which recounts the life and wonders of the revered tzaddik, Rav Chaim Zanvil of Ribnitz. He noted that the book includes a personal account involving him, immediately sparking curiosity among the many listeners.

The story describes how Eli’s father, Rav Yaakov Dovid Stefansky—an accomplished talmid chochom and close talmid of Maran Rav Shach zt”l—would go out of his way to visit the Ribnitzer Rebbe late at night. During those visits, the Rebbe would seat young Eli on his lap while reciting Tehillim.

On one of those late-night visits, the Ribnitzer Rebbe made a striking statement that became well known within the family: “This child will grow to become one of the gedolei hador.” The words, spoken by a tzaddik renowned for his far-reaching vision, accompanied Eli throughout his life.

Addressing the story during this week’s shiur, Eli responded with a sense of humor. He told his audience that, in his view, it would be excessive—and even foolish—to claim that he is a gadol hador.

“The Rebbe knew that one day I would have the zechus to establish the largest Daf Yomi shiur in the world,” said Eli. “Although I am not a gadol hador in any way, every single day I am in contact with thousands of Yidden who are learning Torah from me.”

A senior Israeli Home Front Command official warned Tuesday that traditional large gatherings during Pesach, including tishen, may not be permitted if the current security situation continues, as concerns grow over a potential escalation from Hezbollah.

Col. Yehonatan Raz, commander of the Ganim district in the Home Front Command, issued a clear message to residents in central Israel, stressing the need for heightened vigilance.

“The war is not over. We are striking our enemies with chasdei Shamayim, but we must remain alert. As part of the threat, we are likely to face significant rocket fire from Lebanon, and therefore we have instructed local authorities that tonight requires greater caution than usual,” he said.

While attempting to reassure the public, Raz emphasized the importance of preparedness and public cooperation.

“Although the enemy’s capabilities toward central Israel are more limited, it is still important to be prepared. We will do everything possible to respond quickly and handle any incident, but the public must be familiar with the guidelines and follow them,” he said in an interview with Yaakov Grodka on Kol Barama.

Raz also revealed a striking detail about the situation in Bnei Brak, noting that many residents may be unaware of the extent of the danger.

“The public in Bnei Brak may not realize this, but dozens of explosive fragments from missile warheads have already fallen within the city. The great miracle we saw on Rechov Yerushalayim, where an entire family was saved by entering a protected space, proves that the discipline of the tzibbur chareidi saves lives,” he said.

Looking ahead to Pesach, and in light of fears of further escalation on the northern front in addition to the ongoing war with Iran, Raz made clear that the Home Front Command will not take unnecessary risks.

“We are in close contact with the city leadership, as well as with the courts and chassidic communities. If we are placed under ‘Level 3’ restrictions, we will not be able to allow large gatherings and tishen as we have known them. We are working with planning teams to find alternative solutions, similar to what was done during the coronavirus period,” he said.

Raz also praised the preparedness of the Bnei Brak municipality, highlighting significant investments made in recent years.

“The Bnei Brak municipality has invested enormous resources in technology and training since the previous operation. We are prepared for any scenario, including the possibility of increased Hezbollah attacks. Residents need to exercise greater caution tonight than ever, and we will do everything to protect them,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

A large-scale emergency preparedness drill conducted by the Bnei Brak municipality on Tuesday abruptly became a real-time incident when a live siren was triggered in the city, forcing officials and rescue teams to shift instantly from simulation to actual emergency response, Matzav.com has learned.

The area surrounding Bnei Brak City Hall appeared early in the day like a full-scale disaster scene. Dozens of emergency vehicles, rescue personnel, and municipal security teams were deployed as part of a major exercise simulating a direct missile strike in one of the city’s densely populated areas. Within minutes, however, the planned scenario gave way to a real and tense situation.

In the middle of the drill, as crews were practicing evacuations and treating simulated casualties amid mock destruction, a real siren suddenly sounded across the city. The staged chaos immediately stopped, replaced by focused, operational alertness. Mayor Chanoch Zeibert, together with senior municipal officials and professional teams, quickly moved into a protected municipal shelter and fortified command center.

From the city’s advanced command center, teams managed what effectively became a dual situation—closely monitoring real-time developments following the siren while continuing to oversee the ongoing drill scenario. The rapid transition from routine exercise to live emergency highlighted the city’s high level of preparedness.

During the incident, Home Front Command chief Maj. Gen. Shay Kalper arrived unexpectedly at the command center and observed operations firsthand. He praised the city’s handling of the situation, telling those present: “In this war, the home front is the frontline. The role of the command center is to take care of the citizens here so that the fighters at the front can operate with peace of mind. Bnei Brak is demonstrating today an exceptionally high level of readiness.”

Mayor Zeibert briefed the general on the city’s unique challenges, emphasizing its dense population and large number of children, and outlined a series of practical solutions aimed at saving lives during real emergencies.

After the situation stabilized and operations returned to routine, Kalper and Zeibert—joined by Acting Mayor Menachem Shapira, Deputy Mayor Elharar, Municipal Director General Ehrenstein, and Emergency and Security Department head Chaim Nogelblat—conducted a field tour along Jerusalem Street, where a previous strike had occurred.

The delegation entered residential buildings, visited damaged apartments, and spoke with residents who had narrowly escaped harm during earlier incidents. The direct interaction between officials and residents underscored the critical importance of preparedness, awareness, and access to protected spaces.

Security officials and Home Front Command representatives expressed strong satisfaction at the conclusion of the drill. “Today we saw that in Bnei Brak, emergency preparedness is not just talk, but a well-oiled system that functions under fire,” professionals involved in the exercise said.

{Matzav.com}

In a ruling that could influence how traffic violations are handled during wartime, an Israeli traffic court judge accepted the defense’s argument that security conditions can serve as a mitigating factor, reducing the driver’s license suspension to just 20 days.

The incident took place on Route 1 during the afternoon hours amid “Operation Roaring Lion.” The driver was caught traveling at 157 km/h—approximately 75% above the legal limit of 90 km/h. During the trip, two sirens sounded, and the driver pulled over each time. However, in the intervals between the sirens, while traveling on an open road without access to a protected shelter, he accelerated in an effort to reduce his exposure time.

Attorney Ilon Oron, a former chairman of the National Traffic Committee of the Israel Bar Association and author of a leading traffic law encyclopedia, represented the driver. He argued that during a state of emergency, standard traffic law criteria should not be applied in the usual manner. According to the defense, the repeated sirens created a situation in which the driver, attempting to reach safety quickly, was not fully aware of his speed.

The defense further contended that a distinction must be made between reckless driving stemming from disregard for safety and increased speed driven by a genuine sense of danger, urging the court to take that difference into account.

Prosecutors opposed the argument, maintaining that speed limits must be enforced even during emergencies, particularly in cases involving a driver with a problematic traffic record. Nevertheless, the judge sided with the defense, ruling that the security circumstances warranted consideration and ultimately imposing a 20-day license suspension despite the driver’s prior record.

{Matzav.com}

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is reportedly considering stepping down from his position in the wake of dramatic assassinations of top regime figures, as internal tensions within the Islamic Republic intensify.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Pezeshkian believes that “the entire system is falling apart” following the killings of senior officials, including the commander of the Basij, Ali Ardeshir Amoli Larijani, and Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

The sources described unusually sharp anger from the president toward the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to those accounts, Pezeshkian views their conduct as reckless and has specifically accused them of failing to adequately protect Ali Larijani.

Some officials have gone further, suggesting that the incident may not have been a failure at all, but rather a deliberate move intended to facilitate Larijani’s elimination.

According to these reports, the slain national security council secretary was seen as the primary rival to Ahmad Vahidi, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, and his removal ultimately served their interests.

The developments come against the backdrop of deepening divisions within Iran’s leadership. Following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last week, the regime has reportedly split into two main factions—one aligned with Mojtaba Khamenei, and the other with the Larijani camp, whose leading figure has now been killed.

{Matzav.com}

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NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a plan to reduce speed limits to 15 mph around all school zones across New York City by 2029, with enforcement expected to apply at all hours of the day, according to sources familiar with the rollout.

The initiative will be carried out through an executive action invoking Sammy’s Law, a 2024 measure that allows the city to set speed limits below the state’s standard minimum. The move fulfills a long-standing demand from street safety advocates.

In addition to the school zone changes, Mamdani said he would like to see the citywide speed limit reduced to 20 mph. However, he stated that such a move would require approval from the City Council, a position that quickly drew criticism from Council Speaker Julie Menin.

Republican members of the City Council also raised objections, particularly over the plan to enforce the lower school zone limits around the clock.

“If this were really about protecting the children, why would it be 24 hours a day?” said Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens).

“This is just another attempt at picking the pockets of middle- and working-class residents of the outer boroughs, while making it even more difficult to own a car than it already is. Shame on the mayor for using the safety of our children as a front to cover for yet another money grab.”

Currently, the default speed limit across New York City is 25 mph unless otherwise posted.

Sammy’s Law—named after 12-year-old Sammy Cohen Eckstein, who was killed by a vehicle near Prospect Park in 2013—grants city officials the authority to impose lower speed limits in designated areas.

Mamdani noted that the law has already been used to reduce speeds in certain school zones.

Under the new plan, approximately 700 school zones will see limits reduced to 20 mph, while 100 additional zones will be set at 15 mph by the end of this year.

By the close of 2026, officials expect 800 more school zones to adopt the 15 mph limit, bringing the total to about 1,300 citywide.

The changes will take effect following a 60-day public comment period, according to city officials.

Looking ahead, the Department of Transportation will expand the reduced speed limits to all 2,300 public and private school locations in the city by the end of Mamdani’s current term, the mayor said.

“I would say that today is a significant step forward in us ensuring that we are extending this safety to far more school children across our city, and that we will extend it to every single eligible school zone by the end of 2029,” he said during an event in Flushing International High School.

Not discussed publicly at the event was that enforcement of the new speed limits is expected to continue 24 hours a day, even when schools are not in session, according to sources.

Mamdani was joined by safety advocates, elected officials, and parents who have long pushed for stricter traffic safety measures aimed at reducing fatalities.

Advocates and officials pointed to data showing that pedestrians hit by vehicles traveling at 25 mph are more than three times as likely to suffer serious injuries compared to those struck at 15 mph. The city recorded 205 traffic deaths last year, the lowest number since records began in 1905.

Families for Safe Streets, an advocacy group founded by the mother of Sammy Cohen Eckstein, also attended the event. During the gathering, Mamdani was pressed on whether he would support lowering the citywide speed limit to 20 mph.

He reiterated his support for that goal but maintained that additional legislative action would be required.

“That’s why we would support the council taking this action,” he said.

City Council representatives responded quickly, suggesting that the administration already has tools at its disposal to act.

“Street safety is a priority for Speaker Menin and the Council,” a City Council spokesperson said.

“While a bill to lower the citywide speed limit has yet not been introduced, under Sammy’s Law, the NYC Department of Transportation already has the authority to lower the speed limit in specific locations.”

Efforts to reduce speed limits are not new. Officials from both parties have backed similar measures for decades, including former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1999.

Still, opposition has grown in recent years as drivers face additional restrictions such as expanded bike lanes and new tolls, including congestion pricing fees for entering parts of Manhattan.

“Almost everywhere you drive is now in a school zone, so this is essentially lowering the speed limit citywide,” said Councilman David Carr (R-Staten Island).

“This is yet another proposal to punish Outer Borough residents who rely on cars to get around and would make living in New York City even more unbearable and more unaffordable.”

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who has acknowledged receiving multiple speeding tickets, argued that reducing speeds near schools should be a broadly accepted goal.

“I think inconvenience is better than death,” he said, before arguing the speed limits weren’t about punishing drivers with tickets.

“This is not about ‘gotcha,’ this is about the folks that we have lost.”

{Matzav.com}

Reb Meir Wolofsky z”l, a longtime resident of Flatbush who later relocated to Toms River to be near his children and grandchildren, has passed away.

R’ Meir was a man who conducted himself with quiet dignity and a steadfast commitment to Torah and Yiddishkeit. Those who knew him speak of his sincerity, his humility, and the consistency with which he lived a life guided by yiras Shamayim and strong middos tovos. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, whose presence brought warmth and strength to his family and all those around him.

He was the father-in-law of noted philanthropist R’ Chuny Herzka and the father of Chavy Herzka, among other distinguished children and descendants who continue in his path.

The levayah was held at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel in Lakewood, NJ, followed by additional hespeidim at the Bostoner Bais Medrash in Flatbush.

The aron will be flown to Eretz Yisroel for kevurah.

Yehi zichro baruch.