A dramatic miracle unfolded in Bnei Brak on Shabbos afternoon when a massive piece of shrapnel struck a residential building, penetrating two apartments, yet all 12 members of one extended family escaped unharmed.
The incident occurred around 4:35 p.m. when a large fragment fell onto a home at 4 Donolo Street in Bnei Brak. The shrapnel tore through the roof and damaged two apartments belonging to the Gumbo and Luria families.
According to reports, the family members were saved in what relatives are calling an open miracle. The grandfather, Rav Tzvi (Hershel) Gumbo, Rosh Kollel at the Makova Beis Medrash in Bnei Brak and one of the respected rabbanim of the community, lives on the third floor. Above him, on the fourth floor, resides the family of his daughter, the Luria family. Together with the grandfather, there were 12 family members in the building at the time.
When the air raid siren sounded, the family immediately left their apartments and descended to the building’s stairwell, where they recited chapters of Tehillim. Notably, the apartments do not have a reinforced security room, prompting them to seek shelter in the stairwell.
Rabbi Luria, the son-in-law, had been learning at that very moment together with his father-in-law, Rabbi Gumbo. Upon hearing the siren, they too quickly went down to the stairwell.
While they were there, they heard a powerful explosion. When they returned to their apartments, they found devastation. The massive shrapnel had pierced the fourth-floor apartment and continued downward into the third-floor residence, causing extensive destruction to both homes.
Family members described the event as “a Purim miracle,” emphasizing the extraordinary timing that placed them in the stairwell rather than inside their apartments at the moment of impact.
At Mincha, Rabbi Gumbo arrived at the Makova Beis Medrash on Rechov Rabbeinu Tam in Bnei Brak dressed in white — his shtreimel and bekeshe — and, visibly emotional, recited Birkas HaGomel in thanksgiving for the miraculous salvation.
{Matzav.com}
The Israel Defense Forces announced that senior figures in Iran’s security leadership were killed in a coordinated surprise operation launched after Israeli intelligence identified high-level meetings in Tehran.
According to the IDF Spokesperson, the unprecedented operation began with a sudden strike after Military Intelligence detected two locations in the Iranian capital where senior members of the regime’s security leadership had gathered.
Since the launch of Operation “Roaring Lion,” hundreds of Israeli Air Force fighter jets, guided by precise intelligence from Military Intelligence, have struck hundreds of targets belonging to what Israel described as the Iranian terror regime across the country.
During the wave of attacks, the top echelon of Iran’s security leadership was eliminated, the IDF said.
Among those killed was Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme Defense Council. Shamkhani was described as a central figure in Iran’s national security decision-making process and a close security adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps since Operation “Like a Lion” and a leading architect of what Israel called the “plan to destroy Israel,” was also killed. In his role, Pakpour commanded Iran’s primary military force and was responsible for directing strategic missile fire against Israel, as well as overseeing and supporting Iranian-backed terror organizations across multiple fronts. He was also said to have overseen the violent suppression of Iranian protesters during recent internal demonstrations.
Salah Asadi, head of intelligence for Iran’s emergency command and a senior intelligence officer within the Iranian high command, was likewise eliminated. Asadi was involved in shaping Iran’s strategy toward Israel and the United States and played a significant role in advancing what Israel described as the “plan to destroy Israel.”
Mohammad Shirazi, who headed the military bureau of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei since 1989, was also among those killed. In that capacity, Shirazi served as a key liaison between senior armed forces commanders and the Supreme Leader, making him a central figure in the upper ranks of the Iranian regime.
Aziz Nasirzadeh, who served as Iran’s defense minister and previously held several senior posts including commander of the Iranian Air Force and deputy chief of staff of the armed forces, was also reported killed. He was described as responsible for long-range missile production industries and for weapons systems transferred to Iranian proxies. Nasirzadeh was also linked to the SPND organization, which advanced projects related to nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons development.
Hussein Jabal Amelian, chairman of the SPND organization, was also eliminated, according to the IDF. He was said to have overseen the development of advanced weapons technologies for the regime and to have led projects in the nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons fields.
Reza Motafari-Nia, a former chairman of SPND who advanced nuclear weapons development efforts, was also killed in the strikes.
The IDF said that even now, the Israeli Air Force continues to conduct strikes throughout Iran based on precise intelligence, in coordination and cooperation with the United States military.
The military emphasized that it will continue operating against any entity that attempts to threaten the security of the State of Israel.
{Matzav.com}Israel has once again entered an emergency situation amid the escalating Iran crisis. As of this morning, the country is officially in a state of emergency.
Chaim V’Chessed offices remain open to serve the community at this challenging time. However, across the country, significant restrictions are now in place:
This airspace closure has left many people stranded. Chaim V’Chessed has been contacted by countless individuals seeking assistance in leaving the country – including tourists, students, and others with urgent travel needs.
Current Travel RealityAt this moment, the only potential ways to exit Israel are:
1. Via Taba (Egypt)Taba Border Crossing
Travel south to the Taba crossing near Eilat, enter Egypt by land, and then attempt to fly out from Egyptian airports. This route involves significant logistical challenges and uncertainty.
2. By Sea to CyprusTraveling by private boat to Cyprus – an arduous and highly complicated option that is not simple to arrange.
It is important to note that Jordan has closed its airspace, making travel through Jordan currently not viable.
Our Ongoing EffortsChaim V’Chessed is in close contact with the U.S. Embassy in Yerushalayim, which is actively exploring possible options to assist U.S. citizens. At this time, however, there are no concrete evacuation arrangements in place.
In parallel, together with our various partners, we are collecting information from foreign nationals who are seeking to leave the country. This information will remain confidential but may be used to contact you if relevant and viable travel options become available.
If you are a foreign national currently in Israel and wish to be contacted should options emerge, please click this link to submit your information.
{Matzav.com}
Two Israeli television outlets reported that an image purportedly showing the body of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was presented to President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Channel 12, “A photo of the body was shown to Netanyahu and Trump.”
Public broadcaster Kan also reported that Israeli officials had been notified of Khamenei’s death. “Senior Israeli officials were informed of Khamenei’s elimination. His body was recovered from the rubble of his compound,” Kan stated.
Iranian authorities in Tehran have not confirmed Khamenei’s death, and no official announcement has been made by the Iranian government.
{Matzav.com}United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sharply criticized the joint U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran today, warning that the operation poses a serious danger to global stability and could trigger wider instability across the region.
Speaking at an emergency session of the UN Security Council, Guterres described Operation Epic Fury as a “grave threat to international peace and security.” He cautioned that the unfolding conflict risks spiraling beyond anyone’s control in what he called one of the most unstable areas of the world.
“We are witnessing a grave threat to international peace and security,” Guterres said during his remarks to the Council.
He stressed that military action is not a sustainable path forward and urged diplomatic engagement instead. “Let me be clear, there is no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes,” he said, adding that lasting peace can only come through dialogue and negotiations.
Guterres also asserted that the United States and Israel had breached international law by escalating the conflict through military force and called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
{Matzav.com}
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a statement tonight after the United States initiated Operation Epic Fury targeting Iran’s regime, describing the campaign as unprecedented in scope and intensity.
“Overnight, on President Trump’s orders, the Department of War commenced OPERATION EPIC FURY – the most lethal, most complex, and most-precision aerial operation in history,” Hegseth said.
He stated that Tehran had been given an opportunity to avoid confrontation but chose not to pursue an agreement. “The Iranian regime had their chance, yet refused to make a deal – and now they are suffering the consequences. For almost fifty years, Iran has targeted and killed Americans, always seeking the world’s most powerful weapons to further their radical cause. Last night, unlike any previous president, President Trump began dealing with this cancer.”
Hegseth emphasized that the United States would not allow threats against its citizens to go unanswered. “We will not tolerate powerful missiles targeting the American people. Those missiles will be destroyed, along with Iran’s missile production. The Iranian navy will be destroyed. And, as President Trump has said his entire life, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
He also made clear that Washington views the operation as a response rather than an initiation of hostilities. “The United States did not start this conflict, but we will finish it. If you kill or threaten Americans anywhere in the world – as Iran has – then we will hunt you down, and we will kill you,” Hegseth warned.
Concluding his remarks, Hegseth praised American forces and invoked divine protection. “Our warriors are the best in the world, and they are fully unleashed to achieve our objectives. May God’s providence protect them in this vital mission,” he said.
{Matzav.com}
American and Israeli officials signaled that the ongoing military operation against Iran is expected to extend for weeks, describing it as a broad and sustained campaign rather than a brief strike.
“This is an extensive, coordinated, probably multiweek campaign,” Jeremy Bash, the former chief of staff for the CIA and the Department of Defense during the Obama administration, said in an interview today. Bash contrasted the current effort with previous operations in recent years, including the January capture of Venezuelan president Nicholas Maduro, noting that “those were largely ‘one and done.”
Bash added that today’s strike “is much larger than we’ve seen before from the Trump administration,” underscoring what he characterized as the expanded scale and ambition of the mission.
Retired Gen. Jack Keane offered a similar assessment, saying it could take several weeks for the United States and Israel to significantly weaken Iran’s leadership structure and military capacity.
“The details in this campaign are extraordinarily impressive. This is not about days, this is about weeks. This is a major campaign designed to set the conditions for regime collapse,” Keane said, describing the American and Israeli militaries as the “two most proven militaries in the world.”
According to Keane, the opening stage of the operation — known as Operation Epic Fury — is focused on targeting Iran’s senior leadership and dismantling its air defense systems. He said those efforts were ongoing as of today.
He explained that a subsequent phase would aim to degrade the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as civilian militias and Iranian police forces.
“That will be achieved, there is no doubt about that,” Keane said.
In remarks delivered today, President Trump described the purpose of the mission, stating that its “objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
{Matzav.com}Military action by the United States and Israel against Iran today has thrown air travel across the Middle East into turmoil, forcing widespread airspace closures and stranding or diverting hundreds of thousands of passengers as major aviation hubs were affected by the escalating conflict.
Governments across the region shut down their skies in response to the unfolding situation. Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain all closed their airspace, leading to massive disruptions. According to FlightRadar24, there was also no flight activity over the United Arab Emirates after authorities announced what they described as a “temporary and partial closure” of the country’s airspace.
The shutdowns effectively halted operations at major transit hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, prompting more than 1,800 flight cancellations by leading Middle Eastern carriers. Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad — which together handle roughly 90,000 passengers per day through those airports — were heavily impacted, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. The disruption extended to countless additional travelers heading to destinations throughout the region.
Airports in the United Arab Emirates reported direct effects from the conflict. UAE officials condemned what they called a “blatant attack involving Iranian ballistic missiles” today. Dubai International Airport confirmed that four people were injured, while Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi said one person was killed and seven others were hurt in a drone strike. Kuwait International Airport also reported being hit.
Although Iran has not formally claimed responsibility for the attacks, Gulf states attributed a broad series of retaliatory strikes to Tehran. The scope of those strikes appeared to extend beyond previously announced targets such as American military bases.
Industry experts warned travelers to expect prolonged complications. “For travelers, there’s no way to sugarcoat this,” said Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group. “You should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end.”
Airlines operating routes that typically cross Middle Eastern airspace have begun rerouting flights, with many aircraft now flying south over Saudi Arabia to avoid closed zones. These detours add significant travel time and increase fuel consumption, raising operating costs that could eventually be passed on to passengers if the crisis continues.
The additional traffic through alternative corridors is also expected to strain air traffic control operations, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where controllers may need to slow traffic to maintain safety. Meanwhile, nations that have closed their airspace stand to lose revenue from overflight fees normally paid by airlines.
Mike McCormick, a former Federal Aviation Administration official who oversaw air traffic control and now teaches at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, suggested that partial reopenings could occur in the coming days if military authorities clarify operational zones for civilian carriers.
“Those countries then will be able to go through and say, okay, we can reopen this portion of our space but we’ll keep this portion of our airspace closed,” McCormick said. “So I think what we’ll see in the next 24 to 36 hours how the use of airspace evolves as the kinetic activity gets more well defined and as the capability of Iran to actually shoot missiles and create additional risk is diminished due to the attacks.”
It remains uncertain how long the aviation disruptions will persist. By comparison, a previous U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran in June 2025 continued for 12 days.
With the situation shifting rapidly, airlines advised passengers to verify their flight status before heading to airports. Some carriers offered waivers, allowing affected travelers to rebook without incurring additional charges or fare increases.
Travelers have already experienced confusion and frustration. Jonathan Escott and his fiancée arrived at Newcastle Airport in England today only to discover that their direct Emirates flight to Dubai had been canceled. Escott returned to stay with family an hour away but remains unsure when he will be able to depart.
“No one knows,” Escott said. “No one really knows what’s going on with the conflict, really. Not Emirates, Emirates don’t have a clue. No one has a clue.”
Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed that at least 145 aircraft headed to destinations such as Tel Aviv and Dubai were diverted to cities including Athens, Istanbul, and Rome. Other planes turned back mid-flight. One aircraft departed Philadelphia and flew nearly 15 hours, reaching Spain before reversing course and returning to its origin.
Airlines across the globe responded with widespread cancellations. India’s civil aviation authority designated much of the Middle East — including airspace above Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon — as a high-security risk zone at all altitudes. Air India canceled all flights to the region.
Turkish Airlines suspended service to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Jordan until Monday, and halted flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. The carrier warned that additional cancellations may follow. Numerous other airlines have also paused operations to Middle Eastern destinations through the weekend.
In the United States, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines suspended flights to Tel Aviv through at least the weekend. KLM had already halted service to and from Tel Aviv earlier in the week.
European carriers including Lufthansa, Air France, Transavia, and Pegasus canceled all flights to Lebanon, while American Airlines suspended its Philadelphia-to-Doha route.
Virgin Atlantic announced it would avoid Iraqi airspace, potentially extending travel times to India, the Maldives, and Riyadh. The airline was already steering clear of Iranian airspace and said flights would carry extra fuel reserves in case rerouting becomes necessary on short notice.
British Airways suspended service to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until next week and canceled flights to Amman, Jordan, today.
Harteveldt cautioned that travelers should prepare for extended disruptions. “Travelers should anticipate that there will be a lot of disruptions,” he said. “To be honest, if you haven’t left home, chances are you won’t be leaving home if you’re supposed to travel to or through these destinations for at least several days, if not longer. And if you are returning home, you will have to be very creative about how you get home.”
{Matzav.com}