Matzav

A dramatic development unfolded Tuesday in Bnei Brak when an inspector from Israel’s Ministry of Education arrived at Ponovezh Yeshiva L’Tzeirim on Rechov Harav Meltzer and delivered an immediate closure order, claiming that operating the yeshiva during wartime places the talmidim at risk. The yeshiva administration is expected to appeal the decision.

According to reports, the inspector came to the yeshiva building earlier in the day carrying an official order directing that the institution cease operating. The action was taken after authorities determined that the yeshiva continued functioning despite wartime restrictions issued by the government.

The order states that the closure was issued under the authority granted by Section 35(a) of the law governing unique cultural educational institutions. It instructs that Ponovezh Yeshiva, located at 5 Rechov Harav Meltzer in Bnei Brak and operated by the Ponovezh Yeshiva organization, must be shut down.

Officials explained that the order follows emergency measures declared at the start of the war. On February 28, 2026, the Defense Minister declared a special emergency situation on the home front, and that declaration went into effect the same day. As a result, Home Front Command issued national defensive guidelines that included a ban on gatherings throughout Israel as well as an explicit prohibition on educational activities.

Authorities wrote that failure to comply with those directives creates a real danger to the safety of students and staff. Operating an educational institution during wartime in violation of the Civil Defense Law of 1951 and against official instructions, the notice states, puts those present in danger.

The order also notes that on March 5, 2026, representatives from the enforcement division of the Ministry of Education conducted an inspection and found that the yeshiva was operating despite the wartime directives. Officials wrote that the continued activity was taking place contrary to the guidelines and posed a risk to the safety and security of both talmidim and employees.

According to the document, the closure order took effect immediately upon being delivered. The decision was issued in Yerushalayim, and those affected have the right to file an administrative appeal with the Yerushalayim District Court sitting as a court for administrative matters.

The notice further states that the closure will remain in force unless it is revoked either by the ministry’s director-general or by the court.

Leaders at the yeshiva reacted angrily to the move, claiming that religious institutions are being singled out for enforcement. They pointed out that shopping malls and other public venues continue operating as usual while yeshivos are being shut down, arguing that the decision reflects selective enforcement directed against Torah institutions.

{Matzav.com}

As Israeli and American forces continue targeting key sites across Iran under Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury, Israeli government officials believe the aerial assault phase of the campaign may conclude in the near future. However, they say the broader effort to topple the Iranian regime could take much longer and will ultimately depend on action from within Iran itself.

Senior ministers told Kan News that although the joint Israeli-American strikes are expected to wind down soon, the next phase will largely depend on internal developments inside Iran. “It may take about a year for the Iranian regime to fall,” ministers told Kan News. According to the officials, the joint Israeli-US strikes are expected to conclude soon, and then the center of gravity will move to the civilian sphere. “The work afterwards will be that of the Iranian people. Iran is a big country, and changing a regime that murders its protesters is a very complex task.”

Officials also pointed to several obstacles that could hinder internal opposition efforts, chief among them the Iranian regime’s sweeping restrictions on internet access.

The near-complete shutdown of online connectivity imposed since the start of the war has severely limited the ability of observers to assess conditions on the ground and has also made it far more difficult for protesters to organize and communicate.

Security officials said that at present, the circumstances necessary for a large-scale uprising have not yet fully developed. As a result, they indicated that military operations will continue in the coming days in an effort to further weaken the regime’s key institutions and centers of authority.

{Matzav.com}

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine outlined the progress of U.S. military operations against Iran during a briefing, saying American forces have struck thousands of targets and are continuing to dismantle the country’s military infrastructure as the conflict enters its tenth day.

Opening the briefing, Hegseth described the broader context of the confrontation with Iran and accused the regime of decades of violence through regional proxies while pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities.

“Our generation understands this fight. For 47 years, these barbarians have been murdering your guys, our guys, via their proxies. Now they are racing toward a nuclear bomb. They have murdered thousands of my brothers. President Trump will not allow this now. Not ever. As they are cowards, they fire missiles from schools and hospitals, because they know their military is being targeted.”

Hegseth continued by asserting that Iran is increasingly isolated and losing ground in the conflict.

“Iran stands alone and they are badly losing. On day 10, we are winning. Our standards are the same as my previous report here. We will destroy their missile stockpiles and their ability to make them. Destroy their navy and their ability to make nuclear missiles forever.”

He added that the campaign is being carried out to fulfill the objectives set by President Trump.

“As President Trump declared, we will not let that happen again. Those days are dead. We are winning and accomplishing the president’s objectives. This is our job.”

Gen. Dan Caine then addressed the sacrifices made by American service members during the war and emphasized that those who lost their lives will not be forgotten as operations continue.

Speaking about the ongoing campaign, Caine said that U.S. forces are expanding their attacks deeper into Iran’s defense and industrial infrastructure.

“We are continuing our mission – going deeper into Iran’s military and industrial base, to ensure peace in years to come.”

He reported that thousands of targets have already been struck during the campaign.

“Today we struck more than 5,000 targets, GPS penetrating weapons. We also struck drone factories, and of course, our regional partners continue to intercept. Our strikes mean we made significant progress in missiles out of Iran.”

Caine also detailed efforts aimed at crippling Iran’s naval capabilities.

“We are making significant progress in destroying the navy. We struck and sank an Iranian ship and continue to target other ships. We focus on centers of gravity to prevent them from continuing one-way attacks. This is gritty and tireless work and I am proud of our forces. They are a world-class team.”

He praised the troops carrying out the mission, emphasizing their dedication and professionalism.

“These are dedicated young people who are doing the work that we need them to do.”

Caine concluded his remarks by acknowledging the difficulty of the ongoing mission and paying tribute to those serving in uniform.

“Our work continues. It continues to be difficult. Please keep our forces in your thoughts. I remain deeply humbled by the 2.8 million members of the forces, as well as the memories of the fallen.”

Hegseth also issued a warning directed at Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, cautioning him against advancing Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

He said that Khamenei “would be wise to heed the words of our President not to pursue nuclear weapons.”

When asked how long the operation might last, Hegseth responded that the United States currently holds a strong strategic position and that the final timeline will be determined by President Trump.

He noted that the U.S. was “in a very strong place, giving the President a lot of options,” and clarified that “we haven’t stated how long it would take. Our will is endless. Ultimatly the President gets to determine the end state of those objectives. But what he said continuously is that this is not endless, it’s not protracted; the President has set a very specific mission to accomplish.”

Addressing questions about differences between American and Israeli targets, particularly Israeli strikes on Iranian fuel depots, Hegseth stressed the close cooperation between the two allies while noting that each country maintains its own objectives.

“Israel has been a very strong partner in this effort. Where they’ve had different objectives, they’ve pursued them, and we’ve stayed focused on ours. But what Iran has felt is the power of the world’s two most powerful air forces.”

He added that American operations were not aimed at those fuel facilities.

“That wasn’t our objective.”

Hegseth also responded to critics within the United States who oppose the military operation, saying the administration is acting decisively and independently.

“The President has made it clear that we’re not getting pulled in any direction, we’re leading. The President is leading, he’s determining where we want to go, what the outcome will be.”

He acknowledged that many Americans remain wary after years of U.S. involvement in conflicts across the Middle East, which he said had often drawn the country into prolonged wars.

Discussing Iran’s attacks against other countries in the region, Hegseth called the moves a strategic miscalculation that exposed the regime’s desperation.

He described the attacks as a “big mistake on Iran’s part” and said they “expose who they really are.”

He added that while the U.S. had considered such retaliation possible, Iran’s actions ultimately strengthened cooperation between Washington and its regional partners.

“I can’t say that we anticipated that that’s exactly how they would react, but we knew it was a possibility. I think it was a demonstration of the desperation of the regime then and now, that they still think their pathway out is to try to alienate their Arab partners even more, who instead came to us, and were willing to go on the offense and have given us access to fly over them.”

According to Hegseth, the situation has fostered a new level of regional collaboration.

He said this has created “a new partnership that will continue making the region the way that President Trump did with the Abraham accords.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Tuesday evening that Israel’s state budget will be rushed through approval with major changes to reflect the financial burden of the war, including the cancellation of certain benefits previously slated for the public.

In a joint statement, the two leaders explained that the revised budget will prioritize a substantial increase in defense spending, redirecting resources toward the war effort while eliminating several programs that had been intended to benefit citizens.

Minister Smotrich explained: “Against the backdrop of the existential war we are waging to destroy the Iranian axis of evil, we are now convening for the immediate passage of the state budget, at the center of which will be the required addition to the defense budget to finance the war.”

He added, “In order to succeed in this mission, we are now setting aside issues that are in dispute and are not appropriate during wartime. We are putting aside the Draft Law, which will not be advanced at this time, as well as several reforms around which we have not yet reached broad agreement. War is a time for unity and national responsibility, and I thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, and all members of the government and the coalition.”

Smotrich said that quickly approving the budget is essential both for the military campaign and for the country’s long-term economic direction.

He further stated: “Passing the budget immediately will allow us, with God’s help, to win the war, provide better services to Israel’s citizens in many areas, establish a new regional order in the Middle East with the State of Israel as a regional and global power at its center, and place Israel on a path of accelerated growth, development, and prosperity in the coming years. Together, Mr. Prime Minister, we will, with God’s help, win the war and win in the economy.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu echoed the need for extraordinary wartime spending, emphasizing that the ongoing conflict requires significant financial resources.

Netanyahu added: “We are in a campaign against a cruel enemy that seeks to destroy us. We had to launch this campaign. But it costs a lot of money. Therefore we are required to allocate a special budget during the war-tens of billions of shekels-to support the defense budget and the war effort.”

{Matzav.com}

The White House said Tuesday evening that the United States will not tolerate any disruption to maritime traffic in the Middle East, warning that attempts to block the movement of oil or goods through key waterways will draw a severe military response.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued the statement amid rising tensions in the region, stressing that Washington is determined to safeguard the free passage of shipping lanes that are critical to global energy supplies.

Leavitt said the United States is taking action to ensure that energy resources continue to reach the country and its allies without interference.

“The United States and all our allies can receive their energy needs. President Trump will not allow rogue Iranian terrorists to strop the freedom of navigation and the free flow of energy,” Leavitt said.

She also warned Tehran against attempting to obstruct shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important maritime routes for global oil shipments.

“If they (Iran) do anything to stop the flow of oil or goods within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the world’s most powerful military 20 times harder than they have been hit thus far,” she threatened.

Leavitt also addressed concerns about rising fuel costs, acknowledging that the conflict has led to higher prices but saying the situation is expected to stabilize once military objectives are met.

She added that “the increase in gas prices is temporary and in the long term prices will fall. Once the military goals are achieved, we will live in a world where Iran can no longer threaten.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Transportation Ministry has launched an investigation after approximately 90 yeshiva bochurim departed on a flight to Poland, reportedly in violation of Home Front Command restrictions. The probe follows media reports that the group traveled to attend the yahrtzeit of Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk.

Ben Gurion Airport turned into a scene of turmoil on Monday after hundreds of passengers found themselves stranded at check-in counters following sudden changes to passenger limits. While El Al had received special approval the previous day to board up to 200 passengers on some flights, the permitted number was reduced again Tuesday morning to just 50 passengers. The abrupt reversal sparked widespread frustration among travelers who arrived at the airport only to discover they could not board their flights. Ground staff reported scenes of passengers losing their composure, and in some cases confrontations occurred between police and frustrated travelers.

Amid the chaos, reports circulated online that about 90 talmidim from Yeshivas Oryasa in Yerushalayim had managed to depart for Poland ahead of the yahrtzeit of Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk, which is the night of the 21st of Adar.

Following the report, Transportation Ministry Director General Moshe Ben Zaken instructed the head of the Airports Authority to conduct an urgent investigation and submit findings within 24 hours.

The development raised questions in several media outlets, particularly on the political left, about how such a large group was allowed to board a flight under the strict wartime limitations.

In response to the growing controversy, the Transportation Ministry issued a sharply worded statement emphasizing that airlines are not permitted to board more than 100 passengers on departing flights, in accordance with directives from the Home Front Command and the security establishment.

“We demand that airlines comply with the regulations and ensure passenger safety,” the ministry said.

While government authorities and airline officials debate the rules, hundreds of travelers remained stranded at closed check-in counters at Ben Gurion Airport in what many described as a day that turned from a rescue operation into a transportation fiasco.

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s cyber campaign has reportedly reached an unusual target — an Israeli wafer factory. In a radio interview, the manager of the Menamim wafer factory said Iranian hackers attempted to create panic by circulating old security footage online as part of psychological warfare.

During a conversation on the radio program Zman Avir, host Menachem Toker spoke with Tom Marcus, manager of the Menamim factory and a fourth-generation member of the family business, after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed they had taken control of the company’s systems.

“A friend sent me screenshots from a reserve-duty WhatsApp group,” Marcus said. “An Iranian cyber group posted that they had taken control of a Zionist factory that produces for the Zionist army and had halted production.”

Initial concerns quickly subsided when it became clear that the claims were based on recycled material. Marcus explained that the images circulating on social media accounts with millions of followers were taken from a breach of the factory’s security cameras that had occurred roughly two and a half years ago.

“We realized this was psychological warfare,” Marcus said. “We’re continuing production at full speed. They didn’t find anything in our computers. We don’t have state secrets — maybe only the family recipe.”

Toker, known for his humorous style, suggested half-jokingly that the Iranians might be attempting to weaken Israel through its snack supply. “If the guys don’t snack on wafers, Israel will lose,” he said.

The factory, located in the Haifa Bay area, sits in a region considered strategically sensitive. Marcus, however, said with a smile that it was hard to believe the facility would be considered a real military target.

Despite the tense moment, Marcus said he remains confident in Israel’s resilience — and in the factory’s closely guarded recipe.

By the end of the interview, Marcus even turned the incident into a marketing opportunity. “My wife said we should turn the lemon wafer into lemonade,” he joked, referring to the unexpected publicity the long-standing brand received after appearing on the Revolutionary Guards’ social media accounts.

While Iranian operatives were busy promoting old security footage, workers at the Menamim factory were already focused on preparing for Pesach and continuing large-scale production of what Marcus jokingly called Israel’s “national weapon” — the Israeli wafer.

Amid the current security situation, Rabbi Ofir Malka clarified that carrying a phone on Shabbos is generally not permitted, even for the purpose of receiving Home Front Command alerts. The question arose in connection with people walking to a Shabbos meal in another location or heading to shul and wanting advance warning of incoming rocket sirens.

During the Halacha Lemaaseh radio program, a caller asked Rabbi Malka whether it would be permissible to carry a phone on the upcoming Shabbos while walking to a Shabbos meal elsewhere or going to daven, in order to receive alerts from the Home Front Command.

Rabbi Malka explained that in most situations there is no need for such a measure. When a person is in shul or outside on the street, the siren itself can usually be heard. The main concern arises only if someone is inside a closed building where the siren cannot be heard clearly. In most cases, however, sirens are audible in homes and shuls, and even if an individual does not hear it personally, others nearby will. As a result, there is typically sufficient time to reach a protected area.

He noted that the phone alert usually serves only as an early warning that comes a few minutes before the siren. Someone walking to shul generally does not need the alert because protected spaces are typically available nearby.

Rabbi Malka added that in more extreme cases, where a person genuinely needs the early alert because otherwise he would not be able to reach a protected area in time, there may be limited room for leniency. In such a situation, the phone may be placed in a jacket or pants pocket before Shabbos begins so that the person can receive the alert.

The caller suggested that having the phone would allow him more time to prepare. Rabbi Malka responded that one should simply act quickly rather than rely on the device. He emphasized that not everything becomes permissible due to the situation, and only actions that are truly necessary may be allowed.

“If because of this you will be able to reach the protected area, and without it you would not, then it is necessary,” the rabbi explained. “But if it is only so that you will hurry, then you should hurry from the outset.”

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that American forces were preparing to launch what he called the most powerful round of strikes so far in the ongoing military campaign targeting Iran.

Hegseth delivered the remarks during a Pentagon briefing alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.

According to Hegseth, the upcoming phase of the operation will significantly increase both the scope and the tempo of the air assault that has been underway since the United States began leading attacks against Iranian military infrastructure.

He explained that Tuesday’s strikes are intended to further damage Iran’s missile capabilities, naval assets, and weapons manufacturing facilities.

“Today will be the most intense day of bombing so far,” Hegseth said, emphasizing that U.S. forces were prepared to carry out a large number of coordinated strikes across multiple targets inside Iran.

Hegseth told reporters that the campaign — which the Pentagon has described as a focused military effort — aims to dismantle Iran’s ability to launch missile and drone attacks and prevent the country from advancing toward nuclear weapons capabilities.

He insisted the United States is making significant progress in achieving those objectives.

Caine then outlined the military results of the operation to date, stating that Iran’s offensive capacity has been dramatically weakened since the campaign began.

According to Caine, Iranian ballistic missile launches have dropped by roughly 90% and drone attacks have declined by more than 80% as coalition forces have targeted key military infrastructure.

Caine said Iran’s military response so far has not exceeded what U.S. officials expected when the campaign began.

“They’re fighting, and I respect that,” he said. “I don’t think they’re more formidable than we thought.”

Caine said U.S. forces have also struck naval assets and weapons manufacturing sites, including missile and drone production facilities, as part of a broader effort to limit Iran’s ability to sustain attacks across the region.

He added that the campaign has already destroyed dozens of Iranian ships and significantly weakened Tehran’s naval operations.

Even as the air campaign intensifies, Hegseth stressed that the United States is not attempting to topple Iran’s leadership, describing the mission as a limited military operation rather than a war aimed at regime change.

The Pentagon briefing came amid a widening regional confrontation. Iran has fired missiles and launched drones toward Israel and several Gulf countries, heightening concerns that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East while also shaking global energy markets.

Hegseth said the United States intends to continue the offensive until Iran’s ability to threaten the region is substantially diminished, noting that the duration of the campaign will depend on when U.S. strategic goals are met.

{Matzav.com}

Several police officers were injured Tuesday after a gunman opened fire near a shul in Baltimore, Maryland.

Authorities rushed to the scene on a block along Park Heights Avenue in the city’s northwest section after receiving reports of a suspect shooting from a window in a building located near the Agudah of Baltimore.

Two officers were struck during the incident. One was transported to Shock Trauma in serious condition, while the second officer sustained injuries that authorities said were not life-threatening.

Police said the suspect was also shot during the confrontation, though officials did not release further details regarding the individual’s condition.

{Matzav.com}

Emes Travel says that it has assisted hundreds of passengers in leaving Israel through Egypt during the current crisis, and stated that all travelers using its arrangements have completed the trip safely.

In a letter dated today, the company wrote, “Since the beginning of this time of need, Emes Travel has helped hundreds of passengers arrange and complete travel packages via Egypt for those departing Israel — including coordinated ground transportation, guided border crossings, and onward international flights through Sharm el-Sheikh Airport.”

The company said the departures were handled with extensive support from staff and local teams. “Each departure was carefully managed in partnership with experienced local teams, with our staff available around the clock to answer questions and guide travelers through every step of the process,” the letter stated.

Emes Travel also addressed concerns that have reportedly been circulating about the route, saying that those claims have not been borne out by its own experience. “Baruch Hashem, all travelers have completed their trips safely, with no injuries and no substantiated security incidents reported,” the company wrote.

The letter continued, “We are aware that unsubstantiated claims regarding security concerns along this route have been circulating. To date, none of these claims have been verified, and they are not reflective of the experience of any of our travelers.”

According to the company, those who have used the service have responded positively. “The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive, with travelers expressing appreciation for the attentiveness of our staff and the peace of mind that came from having a dedicated team in their corner,” the statement said.

Emes Travel said additional options remain available for those still seeking to leave Israel. “For anyone still in need of assistance, we encourage you to visit emestravel.com/marketplace to view our current offerings — including departures on Wednesday, March 11 and Sunday, March 15,” the company wrote.

The agency added that travelers whose needs are not met by the currently scheduled departures can join a waiting list. “If these don’t meet your needs, you can sign up for our waitlist to be notified as soon as new options become available,” the letter said.

Emes Travel closed by reaffirming its focus on passenger safety. “Emes Travel remains committed to providing responsible, well-supervised travel solutions, with the safety and well-being of every passenger as our highest priority,” the letter concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Fox News host Sean Hannity revealed in a new interview that he no longer has contact with Tucker Carlson and strongly disagrees with much of Carlson’s recent public commentary, marking a clear break between the two longtime conservative media figures.

Speaking on “The Katie Miller Podcast,” Hannity addressed the current state of his relationship with Carlson and indicated that the two have not communicated since Carlson’s departure from Fox News in 2023.

Carlson’s exit from the network two years ago marked a turning point in his media career, after which he began publishing content on alternative platforms such as X and YouTube.

Since leaving Fox News, Carlson has used those platforms to conduct a series of high-profile and often controversial interviews. Among them were discussions with Russian president Vladimir Putin and Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and Holocaust denier who has expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler.

Those appearances drew significant criticism, particularly because Carlson was accused of giving a platform to figures widely described as Holocaust revisionists and white nationalists, including Fuentes.

The controversy intensified in 2024 when Carlson hosted podcaster Darryl Cooper, whom he called the “best and most honest popular historian” in the U.S.

During that interview, Cooper sparked outrage by portraying the Holocaust as an “unintended consequence” of logistical failures rather than a planned genocide. He also described Winston Churchill, Allied Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945, as the “chief villain” of WWII.

Following Carlson’s comments and the broadcast of that interview, both the White House and several Jewish organizations publicly criticized him, accusing him of amplifying Nazi propaganda. The backlash added to the scrutiny Carlson has faced since leaving Fox News.

Against this backdrop, Hannity said the views Carlson has recently expressed are far removed from the colleague he once worked alongside during their years together at Fox.

“I don’t ever talk to him, ever,” Hannity said. “I wish him well. I’ve read a lot of what he says. I just completely disagree with it. And it’s not the person that I knew when he was at Fox.”

Carlson’s positions have also contributed to growing tensions within the broader MAGA movement, particularly over his strong criticism of President Donald Trump’s military strikes against Iran.

During the podcast interview, host Katie Miller asked Hannity whether he believed conservative media figures had been spending too much time attacking one another. Hannity said he shares that concern and explained that he deliberately avoids participating in such conflicts.

“I do . . . And I’ve stayed out of it, if you’ve noticed . . . That’s by design. To me, the big fight in this country is against the radical left. And [if] they all want to kill each other, have at it,” he continued.

Hannity, who has been with Fox News since 1996, also discussed personal changes in his life. He recently relocated his home and his broadcasting base from Long Island, New York, to Florida, where he now lives.

Reflecting on the controversies and disputes that have emerged in conservative media circles, Hannity said he no longer feels compelled to engage in public feuds.

“I’m way past the point in my career, Katie, that I care at all about what other people are doing or saying,” Hannity added. “I watch it ’cause I have to be aware — and I read so much news, I can’t miss it. However, my interest in involving myself in it is zero. I don’t believe my success is predicated on tearing somebody else down, or their failure.”

{Matzav.com}

Tehran staged a highly unusual show of loyalty, as supporters of the Iranian regime gathered for a public ceremony pledging allegiance to Mojtaba Khamenei, the country’s newly appointed supreme leader. Instead of appearing in person, however, Mojtaba was represented by a life-size cardboard cutout placed prominently at the event.

State television aired footage from Revolution Square showing large crowds waving Iranian flags and chanting in support of the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The younger Khamenei was recently elevated to the position of supreme leader after his father was killed in Israeli airstrikes on February 28.

Despite the public display of loyalty, Mojtaba himself did not attend the ceremony. Reports circulating in recent days suggest that he was wounded in a separate Israeli strike last week and has remained out of public view since then. Some reports claim he may still be unconscious, leaving the regime to rely on a cardboard likeness during the ceremony rather than risk exposing his condition.

The unusual spectacle came as Iran’s leadership works to project stability during an intensifying conflict with Israel and the United States. Shortly after Ali Khamenei’s death, hardline clerics in Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts moved quickly to name Mojtaba as the next supreme leader, seeking to demonstrate continuity within the regime.

At the ceremony, commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and representatives of allied militias were seen publicly declaring their loyalty to Mojtaba, reinforcing the regime’s effort to rally supporters and maintain internal cohesion.

{Matzav.com}

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared Tuesday that Iran intends to keep fighting for as long as necessary, pushing back against President Donald Trump’s prediction a day earlier that the conflict would end quickly.

At the same time, Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani dismissed what he called Trump’s threats, saying the Iranian public was not intimidated by them.

“Even those greater than you could not eliminate the Iranian nation,” Larijani warned Trump on X. “Watch out for yourself — lest you be eliminated.”

Araghchi’s comments, which also included a rejection of renewed negotiations with Washington, came as Iran launched another wave of strikes targeting Gulf states aligned with the United States. The attacks occurred just hours after Trump expressed confidence that the escalating war would soon come to a close.

Trump’s remarks had helped calm financial markets that had been shaken the previous day by the growing conflict. Stocks in Tokyo and Seoul rebounded sharply, while oil prices dropped by as much as five percent after surging above $100 per barrel the day before.

“It’s going to be ended soon, and if it starts up again they’ll be hit even harder,” Trump told a news conference in Florida on Monday, after telling lawmakers that the campaign would be a “short-term excursion.”

“We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough,” Trump said.

Trump also warned that Iran would face a massive military response if it attempts to interfere with global oil shipments.

“We will hit them so hard that it will not be possible for them or anybody else helping them to ever recover that section of the world, if they do anything.”

In an interview with PBS News, Araghchi responded by saying Iran remains ready to continue its missile attacks.

“The firing continues, and we are prepared. We are well prepared to continue attacking them with our missiles as long as needed and as long as it takes.”

Araghchi also dismissed the possibility of further diplomatic talks with the United States, saying previous negotiations had left Tehran distrustful.

Iran’s last direct confrontation with Israel in June 2025 — when the United States briefly joined strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities — also followed a round of negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

“I don’t think talking with Americans anymore would be on our agenda,” Araghchi said, noting that the US had spoken of progress after three rounds of talks, before it launched the opening strikes of the campaign on February 28 along with Israel.

He further argued that the United States and Israel had failed in their early attempts to destabilize Iran’s leadership and were now operating without a clear objective.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued its own response to Trump, declaring that Iran itself would decide when the war ends and repeating warnings that oil shipments from the region could be halted if attacks continue.

Iran has already effectively prevented tankers from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally travels through that route. According to the International Maritime Organization, recent attacks on commercial ships near the strait have killed at least seven sailors.

Trump later repeated his warning in a message posted on Truth Social.

“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

New York City is experiencing a sharp rise in pothole complaints after two major snowstorms battered the region this winter, with thousands of reports flooding the city’s 311 system and Queens accounting for the largest share of the problems, the NY Post reports.

“There’s potholes everywhere. My tires are literally crying hanging on by a thread,” an X user lamented of the city’s massive asphalt holes last week.

City records show that more than 11,300 pothole complaints have already been filed by residents in 2026. Nearly half of those reports have come from Queens alone, representing a dramatic 33 percent increase compared with the same point last year, according to a New York Post review of 311 data.

More than 5,000 warnings about potholes — described by drivers as both hazardous and aggravating — have been submitted from Queens so far this year.

Brooklyn ranks second with 2,107 reports, followed by Staten Island with 1,500 complaints. Manhattan has recorded 1,414 reports, while The Bronx has seen 1,259.

Some of the most commonly reported trouble spots include several busy Queens roadways. Northern Boulevard has generated more than 100 complaints since the start of the year, while Rockaway Boulevard has received 76 complaints and Union Turnpike has drawn 66.

Frustration from drivers has been widespread. One person said the potholes in Queens were “the size of craters,” while another called on city officials to address deteriorating sections of Queens Boulevard that are “not getting attention.”

Potholes typically develop when water seeps into cracks in pavement and repeatedly freezes and thaws, causing the asphalt to break apart. For drivers, hitting one can lead to expensive vehicle damage and repairs that can cost thousands of dollars. In addition, repairs can create traffic disruptions and longer commute times while crews work to fix the roads.

Auto repair shops are already feeling the impact. Mechanics in The Bronx told News12 last month that pothole damage is increasing, with roughly 20 repair jobs each week linked to vehicles hitting the road hazards.

“It’s going to be a peak year for potholes, not just a bad year,” said Tom Pratt, a part owner of a Long Island company that manufactures the asphalt used to repair potholes, to The New York Times.

He noted that the past few winters had been relatively mild, adding they had “almost seemed like a vacation from pothole season.”

The city’s Department of Transportation says its crews usually repair potholes within about two days of receiving a complaint.

However, a New York Post analysis of 311 records indicates that more than a quarter of the complaints filed so far this year remained unresolved as of Sunday afternoon, with cases listed as “open,” “pending” or “in progress.”

Among those still awaiting action are more than a dozen complaints involving major roads, including Union Turnpike as well as Roosevelt Avenue and Bruckner, Rockaway, Queens, Springfield and Northern boulevards.

Queens once again leads the city in unresolved cases, with 1,729 outstanding complaints — roughly one out of every three reports filed. Brooklyn follows with 453 unresolved cases, Manhattan with 414, The Bronx with 314 and Staten Island with 137.

The Department of Transportation says it fills about 170,000 potholes annually. Officials attribute much of the road damage to the harsh effects of winter weather and the equipment used to keep roads clear.

“high volumes of snowfall, salt, and use of tire chains all contribute to wear and tear on our roads.

“New York is one of the few cities in the country that runs its own asphalt plants, enabling us to pave more than 1,150 lane miles each year and fill potholes within two days of a complaint,” a DOT rep said.

“After this historic winter, we’re ramping up repairs citywide to make sure every borough’s streets are safe and smooth.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Monday night that he is dissatisfied with the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, and suggested the new leader may struggle to maintain stability. Trump also indicated that Iran’s government may be seeking negotiations as the U.S.-Israel war with Tehran moves into its second week.

Speaking with Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst during a flight on Air Force One from Miami back to Washington, Trump said Iranian officials appear eager to open discussions aimed at ending the conflict.

“It’s possible, depends on what terms, possible, only possible,” Trump told Yingst while aboard Air Force One en route to Washington from Miami. “You know, we sort of don’t have to speak anymore, you know, if you really think about it, but it’s possible.”

Trump added that he was displeased with the decision to elevate Mojtaba Khamenei to Iran’s highest position of power following the death of his father, the longtime supreme leader.

Earlier Monday, Trump had spoken with reporters at his Trump National Doral Miami golf club, where he delivered an upbeat assessment of the military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury.

“They have no navy, they have no air force, they have no anti-aircraft equipment, it’s all been blown up,” the president said of Iran’s military strength. “They have no radar. They have no telecommunications, and they have no leadership. It’s all gone.

“So, you know, you could look at that statement. We could, we could call it a tremendous success right now as we leave here. I could call it, or we could go further and we’re going to go further.”

Trump also defended the decision to launch the operation on Feb. 28, explaining that acting sooner prevented what he believed would have been an Iranian attack on U.S. or allied forces.

“if we had waited three days, I believe we would have been attacked” by Iran.

“When we attacked them first, we knocked out 50% of their missiles, and if we didn’t, it would have been a much harder fight,” said Trump, adding: “No other president had the guts to do it … I didn’t want some president who hasn’t got the courage in five years or ten years to go in.”

The president also said he had been informed last month by special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner that Iranian officials claimed to possess enough enriched uranium to build multiple nuclear weapons.

“I said, ‘You know, they’re not playing this smart. Because they’re basically saying that I have to attack them,’” Trump told Fox News. “They should have just said, ‘We’re not going to build a nuclear missile.’”

According to U.S. Central Command, American forces have struck more than 5,000 targets during the first ten days of Operation Epic Fury. Those strikes have included attacks on over 50 Iranian naval vessels that officials say were damaged or destroyed.

Trump also told reporters Monday evening that several major Iranian targets have intentionally been left untouched for the time being, suggesting they could be hit later if the conflict escalates.

“we’ve left some of the most important targets for later in case we need to do it. If we hit them, it’s going to take many years for them to be rebuilt.”

He explained that many of those potential targets involve infrastructure tied to Iran’s power supply and other critical systems.

“electricity production and many other things, so we’re not looking to do that if we don’t have to. But they’re the kind of things that are very easy to hit but very devastating if they are hit.

“We are waiting to see what happens before we hit them. We could take them all out in one day.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted controversial anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil and his family for a Ramadan meal at Gracie Mansion, drawing renewed attention to the mayor’s public support for the Syrian-born activist, who has been accused by the Trump administration of sympathizing with Hamas.

The gathering took place as Khalil marked a year since his arrest by federal immigration authorities. Mamdani described the dinner in a message posted Monday on social media.

“Last night, as we marked the one year anniversary of his detention, Rama and I were honored to welcome Mahmoud, Noor, and their son Deen to Gracie Mansion to break our fast together,” Mamdani wrote in a Monday Instagram post.

The mayor shared a photo from the evening showing his wife, Rama Duwaji, holding a plate of food beside Khalil, who was seated at the table and smiling as he ate.

Khalil, who was born in Syria and later studied as a graduate student at Columbia University, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement early last year. The Trump administration has sought to deport him, alleging that he committed fraud on his green card application.

Federal officials have also argued that Khalil supports Hamas and have invoked a little-used provision of immigration law that allows noncitizens to be removed from the country if their views are considered a threat to U.S. foreign policy interests.

Khalil has previously drawn criticism for comments he made about the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre carried out by Hamas against Israeli civilians, describing the attack as an inevitable development connected to the group’s “struggle.”

Despite that controversy, Mamdani praised Khalil in his social media post, portraying the past year of the activist’s life as a period marked by resilience.

For Mamdani, however, Khalil’s year “has been marked by profound hardship—and by profound courage,” he wrote glowingly in his Monday social media post.

“And yet, even in the face of that cruelty, there has also been beauty. New Yorkers raising their voices in solidarity. A city refusing to look away. Mahmoud won his freedom, and a father was finally reunited with his child,” the mayor continued.

Khalil’s son, the couple’s first child, was born while his father remained in ICE detention in another state. The child is expected to celebrate his first birthday on April 21.

“Mahmoud is a New Yorker, and he belongs in New York City,” Hizzoner declared.

Mamdani has repeatedly defended Khalil publicly. The activist spent three months in a federal detention facility in Louisiana before a three-judge appellate panel in New Jersey ruled in June that he should have been allowed to pursue his immigration case while continuing to work.

“I see this attack on him as part of a larger attack on the freedom of speech that is especially pronounced when it comes to the use of that speech to stand up for policy to human rights,” the mayor said at an unrelated press conference in January.

Khalil himself faced backlash late last year after comments he made appeared to justify the Hamas assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. In remarks to The New York Times, he described the attack as a moment of desperation that Palestinians felt compelled to reach in order to be heard.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t avoid such a moment,” he said in an interview with the New York Times when asked about the attack by the terror group.

“To me, it felt frightening that we had to reach this moment in the Palestinian struggle,” Khalil added.

Officials in Washington were among those who sharply criticized those remarks, arguing that they reflected a pattern in which Khalil minimized the brutality of Hamas’ actions.

After being released from custody, Khalil again drew headlines when he attended an anti-Israel demonstration in New York City. At the rally, he cited the words of Anas al-Sharif, described as a Hamas operative and an Al Jazeera correspondent who was killed in an Israeli missile strike last August.

“The time is now, the bridges towards liberation start with us,” Khalil bellowed to the crowd as he recalled al-Sharif’s final words.

President Donald Trump has indicated that he would support the killing of Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, if the Iranian leader refuses to comply with U.S. demands, including halting Iran’s nuclear program, according to American officials who spoke to The Wall Street Journal.

The White House declined to comment on the report. However, Trump told the New York Post that he is “not happy” that Khamenei was selected to lead Iran after previously calling his potential leadership “unacceptable.” Trump wrote last week on social media that he wants to be involved in choosing a “great and acceptable” leader for Iran following what he described as the country’s “unconditional surrender.”

“I’m not going through this to end up with another Khamenei,” Trump told Time magazine last week.

A current and a former U.S. official said Israel is expected to carry out an operation aimed at eliminating Khamenei, who was appointed supreme leader on Sunday. The officials noted that Israel has taken the lead in targeting Iranian leadership figures. When recently asked on CNN whether Khamenei was a target for Israel, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded: “You’ll have to wait and see.”

Younger Khamenei is viewed in Washington as a hardline successor to his father, carefully chosen by Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to current and former U.S. officials. American officials said they do not expect Khamenei to abandon Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons or to enter negotiations to end the conflict under terms favorable to the United States.

French President Emmanuel Macron also addressed the war with Iran, saying that airstrikes alone will not be enough to bring down Iran’s political regime and warning that the conflict is likely to continue for some time.

“I don’t think we can achieve profound change in a regime or political system through bombing alone,” Macron said in a television interview aboard France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which arrived in Cyprus on Monday.

The war “will certainly continue in an intense phase for several days, perhaps several weeks,” he added.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel estimates roughly 7,000 members of Iran’s security forces have been killed since the start of the war, according to a senior Israeli security official.

Iran maintains more than one million security personnel across various organizations, including the regular army (Artesh), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Basij resistance militia.

A special simchah was celebrated today in the city of Modiin Illit, where a local family welcomed their 21st child, bli ayin hara. Even more unusual is the fact that all of the children were born as single births, with no twins among them.

According to sources, the oldest child in the family, who lives in Kiryat Sefer, is just 22 years old. This means that nearly every year the family merited to welcome a new baby boy or girl.

At present, all 21 children are still single and living in their parents’ home.

The extraordinary story even surpasses a previously known “record” of a family in Bnei Brak that also had 21 children, though in that case one of the births was a set of twins.

The baby was born today at Maayanei HaYeshua Hospital in Bnei Brak.

News of the home blessed with 21 children quickly spread throughout the neighborhood, and neighbors have already begun enthusiastically organizing assistance for the mother and her husband.

Oif simchos!

Israeli and American forces have succeeded in destroying a large portion of Iran’s ballistic missile launch platforms, a development that significantly limits Tehran’s ability to carry out missile attacks, according to former Israel Defense Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus.

Speaking Monday on Newsmax, Conricus said the campaign against Iran has focused heavily on eliminating the launchers used to fire missiles, which he described as the critical weak point in Iran’s missile capabilities.

“So I’m happy to say that Israel and the U.S. have been successful in taking out approximately 70% of Iran’s missile launchers, the ballistic missile launchers,” Conricus said on “Bianca Across the Nation.”

Conricus explained that destroying the launch infrastructure is strategically more important than the number of missiles Iran still has in its arsenal.

“And that’s a very important figure because that is the bottleneck, and that is the most important number,” he said. “If we take out all the launchers, then they can have stockpiles of weapons — of missiles — but they won’t be able to fire them.”

According to Conricus, Israeli and American forces have concentrated on tracking and striking mobile launch systems across western Iran. The effort involves a combination of intelligence gathering, aerial operations, and precision long-range strikes.

“And that’s what we are hunting now over western Iran in Iranian skies and with continuous steady success,” Conricus said.

The current campaign began on Feb. 28, when President Donald Trump authorized Operation Epic Fury, a sweeping military effort targeting Iran’s missile and drone infrastructure, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command systems, military installations, and air defense networks after tensions escalated in the region.

Defense officials say the results of those strikes have already been visible on the battlefield. Iranian missile and drone launches have dropped significantly as launch platforms and support systems have been destroyed.

Military briefings and open-source analysis indicate that Iranian missile barrages have declined by more than 80 percent since the operation began, largely due to the systematic targeting of the transporter-erector-launchers used to deploy ballistic missiles.

Even with those gains, Conricus noted that Israeli civilians still face the threat of incoming attacks.

“Granted, Israelis still rush to shelters,” he said. “I had to go to shelters … three or four times today.”

Missiles launched from Iran and rockets fired from Lebanon continue to target Israeli population centers despite the damage inflicted on Iran’s launch capabilities.

“We have incoming missiles from Iran and rockets from Lebanon,” Conricus said.

The continued attacks have also resulted in civilian casualties inside Israel.

“Sadly, today, two Israeli civilians were killed,” he said, adding that the total number of civilians killed in Israel from Iranian ballistic missile strikes had reached 14.

“That’s, of course, a tragedy for us,” he said.

Still, Conricus said Israeli society remains determined to withstand the current conflict.

“But Israeli society is strong,” he said. “I think we’re resolute here, and we understand that this is a period that we will have to tough through.”

He added that the broader goal of the military campaign is to weaken Iran’s capabilities to such an extent that the regime will no longer be able to threaten Israel or other countries in the region.

“And eventually, I think when you boil it down to the military mechanics of it, Israel and the U.S. will be able to really degrade military capabilities of Iran and bring that regime to a situation where they don’t have the teeth or the muscle to actually do anything,” Conricus said.

{Matzav.com}