Matzav

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.”

{Matzav.com}

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.

{Matzav.com}

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.

{Matzav.com}

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!

{Matzav.com}

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}

Thirteen residents, including five children, were injured early Tuesday morning after a fire broke out in a residential building on Harav Asi Street in Bnei Brak. Emergency call centers received multiple reports of heavy smoke filling the four-story building.

Four firefighting teams, along with a ladder truck and the shift commander, were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered flames coming from an electrical cabinet on the first floor, which caused thick black smoke to quickly spread throughout the building’s stairwell. Authorities believe the fire may have been sparked by a heating device that ignited within the electrical cabinet.

Firefighters immediately began extinguishing the flames and conducted thorough searches of all floors to locate and rescue trapped residents. At the same time, crews worked to ventilate the building and remove the heavy smoke. Medical teams who were called to the scene treated 13 individuals suffering from smoke inhalation and transported them to Sheba Medical Center for further treatment.

Due to concerns that smoke could enter apartments, fire dispatchers instructed residents by phone to remain inside their homes until emergency crews arrived.

United Hatzalah issued a statement saying: “United Hatzalah medical teams were dispatched to Harav Asi Street in Bnei Brak following reports of a fire in a residential building. Medics provided treatment at the scene to thirteen victims in light condition (ages 13–70) who were suffering from breathing difficulties caused by smoke inhalation.”

Hatzalah night-duty coordinator Yoel Shechter said: “When I arrived at the scene, I saw an active fire on the first floor of a residential building and a large number of people trapped inside. After firefighters conducted searches and rescues, we, together with medics and paramedics from MDA, provided initial medical treatment to 13 victims, including five children, who showed signs of smoke inhalation. They were evacuated with the assistance of MDA ambulances staffed by Hatzalah volunteers to receive further medical care at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.”

{Matzav.com}

issued a warning Monday night in response to remarks by President Donald Trump indicating that the war with Iran could be approaching its end.

In a statement quoted by Reuters, the IRGC said they would “determine the end of the war,” adding that Iran would not allow “one liter of oil” to be exported from the region if US and Israeli attacks continue.

Trump responded to the threat in a message posted on his Truth Social platform. “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 followed with an additional warning about what could happen if Iran attempts to block the strategic waterway. “Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again – Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them – But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen! This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated.”

Earlier in the day, Trump told reporters at a press conference that the fighting could be nearing its final phase. “we are close to finishing”. He added that the conflict might end “soon” but suggested that it would not happen this week.

When asked what would constitute a victory, the President said the goal is to ensure Iran loses the ability to develop weapons capable of threatening the United States or its allies. “When, basically, I can see that they will no longer have any capacity whatsoever, for a very long period of time, of developing weaponry that could be used against the United States… or any of our allies.”

Earlier Monday, the IRGC issued another statement saying that any Arab or European nation that expels the ambassadors of Israel and the United States from its territory would be granted complete freedom to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

The fighting has already disrupted shipping and energy exports moving through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global chokepoint that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply.

{Matzav.com}

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said Monday that a significant portion of Iran’s uranium enriched to nearly weapons-grade levels is believed to remain stored at a tunnel complex in Isfahan, a site that appears to have escaped the severe damage inflicted on other Iranian nuclear facilities during joint Israeli and American strikes last June.

Speaking to reporters, Grossi indicated that close to half of Iran’s uranium enriched to roughly 60% purity—just below the threshold considered weapons-grade—had been stored at the underground facility prior to the attacks and is likely still located there.

The tunnel complex at Isfahan is believed to be the only major location tied to Iran’s nuclear program that did not suffer extensive destruction during the strikes carried out last summer by Israel and the United States.

For years, diplomats have maintained that the Isfahan installation served as a storage location for uranium enriched to the 60% level. The IAEA confirmed in a report distributed to member states last month that such material had indeed been stored at the facility, although the agency did not publicly disclose the total amount kept there.

According to IAEA estimates, when Israel initiated its first wave of strikes in June, Iran had accumulated approximately 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%. Based on the agency’s calculations, if that material were enriched further, it could yield enough fissile material to produce as many as ten nuclear weapons.

Grossi told reporters that a large share of that stockpile had been kept at the Isfahan site. “What we believe is that Isfahan had until our last inspection a bit more than 200 kg, maybe a little bit more than that, of 60% uranium,” Grossi told reporters in Paris.

He explained that most of the material had been stored there, while some uranium located at other facilities may have been destroyed during the strikes. “The widespread assumption is that the material is still there. So we haven’t seen – and not only us, I think in general all those observing the facility through satellite imagery and other means to see what’s going on there – movement indicating that the material could have been transferred,” Grossi said.

Since the June attacks, Iran has not updated the IAEA about the condition or whereabouts of its highly enriched uranium, and it has not permitted agency inspectors to return to the nuclear sites that were targeted.

Before the strikes, Iran had three active enrichment facilities: two located at Natanz and another at Fordow. All three installations were either destroyed or sustained major damage during the June attacks.

Grossi also noted that some enriched uranium could still be present at Natanz. “There is an amount (of 60% uranium) in Natanz also, which we believe is still there,” he said.

In recent days, the IAEA chief reiterated his concern about Iran’s growing reserves of uranium enriched to levels approaching weapons grade and the government’s refusal to allow inspectors full access to its nuclear facilities.

“I have been very clear and consistent in my reports on Iran’s nuclear program: While there has been no evidence of Iran building a nuclear bomb, its large stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium and refusal to grant my inspectors full access are cause for serious concern,” Grossi wrote in a post on social media.

He added that the lack of cooperation from Tehran prevents the agency from offering assurances about the nature of the country’s nuclear program. “For these reasons,” he added my previous reports indicate that unless and until Iran assists the IAEA in resolving the outstanding safeguards issues, the Agency will not be in a position to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

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By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld In Shemos, Perek Yud Bais the Torah tells us that we have a mitzvah to bring a Korban Pesach on Erev Pesach. Was the bracha of shehecheyanu recited when they brought the Korban Pesach since it is a mitzvah that occurs infrequently? The Nesiv Chaim in siman taf lamed bais says that they did not say the bracha of shehecheyanu while shechting the Korban Pesach. They relied on the shehecheyanu that would be said on the night of Pesach during Kiddush. This is similar to the fact that we don’t make a bracha of shehechyanu while building the sukka, but rather we say the bracha of shehecheyanu during Kiddush when we also have the building of the sukka in mind. The Shailos Utshuvos Shevet Halevi in chelek gimmel, siman samech heh questions the above comparison. We don’t make a bracha of shehecheyanu on the building of the sukkah because that act is actually a hechshermitzvah, a preparation for the mitzvah of eating in the sukka. We therefore rely on the shehecheyanu on the mitzvah of eating in the sukka itself, which includes the preparation for the building of the sukka as well. A similar scenario would be concerning saying shehechayanu while searching for chametz. We do not say shehecheyanu while we check for chametz since it is only a hechsher mitzvah; the actual mitzvah is not having chametz in your domain on Pesach, so we are yotze with the shehecheyanu we say as we usher in the Yom Tov during Kiddush. In contrast, when it comes to shechitas Pesach where the Rishonim count the shechita and the achilas Pesach as two separate mitzvos, we should be required to say shehecheyanu on the shechita and then at night when we eat the Pesach we could either rely on the original shehecheyanu on the shechita or rely on the shehecheyanu we say for the Yom Tovitself. The bottom line is that since the shechitas Pesach is a mitzvah on its own and comes infrequently; we need to say a shehecheyanu. The Shevet Halevi was asked a question in Chelek Tes, siman kuf yud yud gimmel based on what we pasken in Yoreh Deah, siman chof ches, seif koton gimel concerning a shochet who shechts for the first time. The shochetmakes a bracha of shehecheyanu on the kisui hadam, (the covering of the blood) but not on the shechita because when one shechts, the animal is hurting so we don’t say shehecheyanu during the shechita. The question then is, how could we say a shehecheyanu when we shecht the Korban Pesach when we are causing pain to the animal? The Shevet Halevi answers that there is a difference between these two scenarios. When one shechts an animal because he wants to eat meat, then there is no place for him to say shehecheyanu since he is causing the animal pain in order to have his own pleasures fulfilled. On the other hand, when one brings the Korban Pesach, he is shechting the korban because Hashem told him to and not for his own personal pleasure. In such a case one could say shehecheyanu despite the fact that the animal is in pain since that is what Hashem commanded us to do. May we be zocheh soon to bring korbanos and be required to say shehecheyanu for shechita in our lifetime. Do you have a topic or discussion you want to read about? Please send comments or questions to hymanbsdhevens@gmail.com or berachsteinfeldscorner@gmail.com

The Knesset on Monday approved in its first reading a government bill designed to regulate the annual Lag BaOmer gathering at the kever of Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai on Har Meron for the year 2026, marking the fourth consecutive year that special legislation has been advanced to organize the event.

The proposal, prepared by the Ministry of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition, aims to ensure that the gathering will take place in safety, while incorporating lessons learned from previous years and the recommendations of the state commission of inquiry established after the Meron disaster.

Communications Minister Dr. Shlomo Karhi presented the legislation to the Knesset plenum after the government assigned him responsibility for overseeing this year’s event.

In his address, Karhi said he views the task as far more than a logistical responsibility. “This is about safeguarding one of the greatest spiritual moments of the Jewish people. We approach this sacred work with the memory of the 45 victims of the terrible disaster engraved in our hearts. That wound obligates us to maintain the highest level of vigilance so that every person who ascends the mountain will return home safely.”

The legislation largely mirrors similar laws passed in previous years and formally anchors the framework that has been implemented at the gathering in recent years under the leadership of the Ministry of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition.

Karhi also praised former minister MK Meir Porush for the foundations he established while overseeing the event in earlier years, noting that the goal is to continue creating an atmosphere in which all segments of the Jewish people feel welcome at the site of Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai.

The bill also advances continued development of permanent infrastructure at the Meron complex, including improvements to the grounds and the construction of large hospitality tents, as well as expanded areas for food service and davening to better accommodate the thousands of pilgrims who travel to the site.

Under the proposed framework, dozens of traditional bonfire lightings are expected to take place throughout the Meron complex during the celebration. This will include the central lighting conducted by the Boyaner Rebbe, following longstanding tradition, along with additional lighting areas prepared within the expanded Meron complex and at the Bnei Akiva compound, allowing communities from across the Jewish world to participate.

Despite the complicated security situation and ongoing tensions in northern Israel, officials at the Ministry of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition said preparations for the gathering are continuing at full speed. Planning efforts are moving forward with flexibility to adjust to different possible security developments.

Officials stressed that the extensive investment in improving infrastructure and safety measures is accompanied by hope and prayer that the security situation will calm before Lag BaOmer arrives.

The intention, they said, is to enable tens of thousands of Jews to travel safely to Meron and observe the long-standing tradition in an atmosphere of calm and spiritual elevation.

The bill has now been transferred to the Knesset’s National Security Committee, chaired by MK Tzvika Fogel, where it will be prepared for its second and third readings. Lawmakers hope to complete the legislative process before the Knesset recess begins. Karhi concluded his remarks with a message to the public: “Meron is waiting for you. Come with joy, pray with devotion, and return home safely.”

{Matzav.com}