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Damage inside an apartment in Beersheva following an impact by an Iranian ballistic missile.

Footage from the missile impact in Beersheva. MDA is on the scene and says as of now there are no reported injures.

UPDATE: Following the rocket sirens heard in southern Israel moments ago, there is a fire burning multiple vehicles following a missile impact in Beersheva. There have been no reports of injuries at this time. MDA is on the scene.

The Israeli Defense Forces announced on Thursday that both the Air Force and the Navy have successfully brought down a large number of drones that had been directed at Israel.

According to the military, more than 95% of the aerial threats that came close to breaching Israeli airspace were eliminated before they could cause harm.

Personnel from the Air Force and Navy have been working in close coordination with Israel’s aerial defense systems, fighter jets, missile-equipped ships, and other defense teams to ensure the protection of the country’s skies at all times.

While simultaneously carrying out strikes meant to weaken the Iranian regime’s offensive capabilities, Israeli forces have been actively intercepting the recent waves of surface-to-surface missiles and drones, many of which were launched with the clear intent of striking residential areas and endangering civilian lives.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Donald Trump is holding off on authorizing U.S. airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear sites, amid growing concerns that toppling Iran’s leadership could plunge the region into chaos and repeat the mistakes of Libya, the NY Post reports. According to multiple sources close to the administration, Trump has repeatedly invoked the NATO-led intervention in Libya during internal deliberations, citing it as a cautionary tale of regime change gone wrong. In 2011, the U.S. joined a coalition to remove Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, only to watch the country descend into civil war and lawlessness — a scenario Trump is determined to avoid with Iran. “He doesn’t want it to turn into Libya,” said one insider familiar with the president’s thinking. “The concern is: if Khamenei falls, what comes next?” That apprehension has played a major role in Trump’s decision to delay a final call on whether to assist Israel in striking Iran’s heavily fortified nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that the president would likely make his decision within the next two weeks, citing the potential for renewed diplomatic talks. “There is a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future,” Leavitt said during a briefing. “The president is weighing that very seriously.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet with European diplomats in Geneva on Friday. While Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff will not attend, he continues to engage in backchannel talks, Leavitt said. While the Israeli government has made clear its desire for regime change — with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz calling Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “the modern Hitler” — Trump’s calculus is different. “He’s not interested in who runs Iran,” said one source close to the White House. “That’s a message his base appreciates — it’s about preventing a nuclear weapon, not remaking Iran.” According to one source briefed on the internal discussions, Trump has expressed a preference for a narrowly tailored operation using U.S. bunker-buster bombs — 30,000-pound munitions capable of penetrating the underground Fordow site, something Israeli warplanes can’t currently achieve on their own. “This would not be Libya. This would not be Iraq,” the source said. “The goal is simple: knock out Iran’s nuclear capability and leave.” Still, even a limited strike carries risks. Officials have warned that any U.S. military action could provoke Iranian retaliation, including terror attacks, regional proxy warfare, or attempts to block shipping in the Persian Gulf. There are also fears of radioactive contamination from destroyed enrichment sites. “He’d rather have a deal,” said one adviser, echoing Trump’s longstanding reluctance to launch new military interventions. “But he also doesn’t want to let the window close.” CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly compared Iran’s current nuclear position to a football team sitting on the one-yard line — “You don’t get that close unless you’re planning to score,” he told officials, according to a source familiar with the meeting. Ratcliffe and others have noted Iran’s uranium stockpile is enriched to 60% — a short technical leap from the 90% threshold needed for weapons-grade fuel. The International Atomic Energy Agency and U.S. Central Command have each warned that Iran could produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a bomb in as little as one week. General Michael Kurilla testified this […]

NYC Mayor Eric Adams, a longtime friend of New York’s Orthodox Jewish community, visited Williamsburg today as he presses to reform bike lanes in the city, which has caused countless crashes and injuries – reform which Councilman Lincoln Restler is attempting to block.

On Thursday, Bat Yam Mayor Tzvika Brot shared a deeply emotional update: the tefillin belonging to Michael (Miki) Nachum had been discovered by Home Front Command teams amid the ruins of the residential building struck by an Iranian missile earlier this week.

Brot personally contacted Nachum’s daughters to let them know the tefillin had been recovered. “The bag is partially torn,” he wrote, “but the tefillin itself is intact, and it will serve to strengthen the daughters during this incredibly difficult time.”

He offered heartfelt thanks to the Home Front Command personnel working tirelessly at the site. “Thank you to the men and women of the Home Front Command’s National Rescue Unit, who are doing everything possible to recover what they can from the rubble and to honor the memory of those killed.”

Miki, 61 years old, was a father of four and a beloved longtime resident of Bat Yam. He was among the nine city residents who tragically lost their lives in the deadly missile strike.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Israel assassinated nine of Iran’s ten most senior nuclear scientists in their sleep during its initial assault on Iran last week, dealing an unprecedented blow to the heart of Tehran’s nuclear program. The operation — code-named Operation Narnia — unfolded in the dead of night between Thursday and Friday and was followed hours later by the killing of the tenth scientist, according to Israel’s Channel 12, which broke the story on Thursday. The assassinations were part of a broader, multi-pronged Israeli strike that also targeted Iran’s ballistic missile infrastructure, key nuclear enrichment facilities at Natanz, and senior figures in the Islamic Republic’s military command. Channel 12 reported that the assassinations were carried out using a classified weapon, the nature of which remains under censorship and has not been disclosed publicly. The nuclear scientists were all killed while sleeping in their homes, with Israeli intelligence deliberately orchestrating simultaneous hits to avoid any chance of a warning or escape, according to the report. In previous incidents, Iranian nuclear scientists had often been targeted while commuting. “These scientists believed their homes were safe zones,” a senior Israeli official told Channel 12. “They never imagined they would be reached in their bedrooms.” According to the report, Israeli intelligence had been surveilling these ten individuals for years and marked them for assassination in November of last year, after determining they were irreplaceable assets in Iran’s nuclear development chain. While Iran has long relied on its military-industrial complex and sprawling ballistic missile program to project power, Israeli officials viewed the scientific elite behind the uranium enrichment efforts as far more irreplaceable than missile hardware or battlefield generals. “It’s easier to replace a general than a nuclear physicist with 20 years of expertise,” one Israeli official was quoted as saying. “We struck the brain trust.” Operation Narnia marked a dramatic shift in Israel’s approach to Iran. While targeted killings of Iranian scientists have occurred sporadically over the past two decades — including the 2020 assassination of top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh — this latest action represents the first time Israel has reportedly wiped out nearly an entire echelon of nuclear leadership in one night. Channel 12 said the decision to strike all ten at once was aimed at eliminating any possibility that surviving members could alert others or go into hiding. Iran has not publicly confirmed the deaths of the scientists, but local media in Tehran have reported “unexplained fatalities” among scientific personnel and have blamed “foreign agents” for sabotage and attacks on military sites. The regime has so far not commented directly on the reported deaths. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met earlier today with U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy, to discuss the ongoing war between Israel and Iran. Rubio and Lammy agreed that “Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon.”

Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, made clear on Thursday that the group will not be dictated to, vowing that Hezbollah will “act as we see fit,” in a strong show of alignment with Iran, the AFP reports.

His comments were a direct retort to remarks made by Tom Barrack, the U.S. Special Envoy for Syria, who had issued a warning urging Hezbollah not to get involved in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

In a defiant message, Qassem declared, “Tyrannical America and criminal Israel will not be able to subjugate the Iranian people and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.” He went on to reaffirm Hezbollah’s loyalty to Tehran, saying the group remains bound by “the responsibility to stand by Iran and provide it with all forms of support that contribute to putting an end to this tyranny and oppression.”

Barrack, who also serves as U.S. ambassador to Turkey, visited Beirut for the first time in his current role on Thursday. During the trip, he met with leading Lebanese officials, including Nabih Berri, the Parliament Speaker and a political ally of Hezbollah.

After his discussion with Berri, Barrack relayed a pointed warning from the Trump administration. Responding to questions about Hezbollah possibly entering the fray, he remarked, “I can say on behalf of President (Donald) Trump… that would be a very, very, very bad decision.”

Last year, Hezbollah suffered notable casualties during its confrontation with Israel, which ended in a ceasefire in November. After Israel carried out an airstrike in Iran last week, Lebanon’s foreign ministry said it was “continuing its contacts” to ensure Lebanon does not become entangled in the broader regional war.

Earlier in the week, leaders from Hezbollah and the Shiite movement Amal met to assess the unfolding regional crisis, focusing on the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict and its potential impact on Lebanon.

According to Al Akhbar, both groups issued a joint denunciation of Israeli actions in Lebanon, characterizing them as “desperate attempts to attack the Axis of Resistance and harm the will of free states.”

In a statement released after their meeting, the two organizations asserted that Iran remains the central pillar in confronting what they described as a strategy of domination and colonialism.

On the domestic front, the groups highlighted the urgency of reconstructing Lebanese regions damaged by “Israeli aggression,” and labeled this effort as a matter of national significance.

{Matzav.com Israel}

As war erupted between Israel and Iran late last Thursday night, panic and uncertainty gripped thousands of foreign nationals and dual citizens in Israel — prompting a flood of desperate calls and emails to the Tzedek Association, known for its lifesaving efforts during previous times of crisis. Just hours after the conflict began, Tzedek’s inboxes were inundated with urgent pleas from people seeking a way out of the country, echoing the group’s dramatic post-Oct. 7 evacuation efforts. While commercial flights via Egypt and Jordan are technically available, both the U.S. State Department and Israeli security services strongly advise against travel to those countries, especially during wartime, citing security risks. Initially, Tzedek explored the possibility of chartering a boat to evacuate those seeking to leave. However, that option quickly proved unworkable due to logistical and safety concerns. Undeterred, Tzedek pivoted to aviation. After intense coordination, the organization was able to secure a charter flight through an Italian airline and contracted Plan It Right — the same logistical partner they worked with following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks — to handle the complex task of coordinating the evacuation. The charter flight departed from Sharm el-Sheikh, a resort town in the Egyptian Sinai that served as a relatively stable launch point despite regional tensions. A short time ago, the flight touched down safely at JFK International Airport, delivering hundreds of relieved passengers back home. Rabbi Moshe Margaretten of Tzedek told YWN that the organization is closely monitoring demand and, if needed, will begin coordinating another flight. “We’re here to help when no one else will,” he said. “As long as there’s a need, we’ll keep doing everything we can to ensure people get home safely.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef, the Nasi of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, published a halachic letter on Thursday regarding holding chasunos during the three weeks this summer. The letter comes amid Israel’s war with Iran and the resulting missile attacks on Israel. Due to the Home Front Command’s orders banning gatherings, many chasunos have been delayed or canceled. There is a shortage of chasunah halls in Eretz Yisrael, and finding a hall for a later date on short notice is very difficult. In response to many shailos he received, HaRav Yosef paskened that this year, it is permissible and even desirable to hold chasunos during the three weeks. HaRav Yosef wrote that for Sephardim, who follow the pesikos of the Shulchan Aruch, it is muttar and even “a mitzvah to get married during these days.” He noted that this is also the Minhag Yerusalayim for generations, and there is no difference if the chasan already fulfilled pirya u’rivya or not. HaRav Yosef emphasized that this p’sak is valid for every year, but this year is even more valid. Addressing those who are noheig to be machmir on the issue, he stated that due to the delay of chasunos and the logistical difficulty of finding available halls after Tisha B’Av, an additional delay is liable to cause obstacles and stumbling blocks, chalilah. In a sharply worded statement, he said: “המחמיר בזה יוצא שכרו בהפסדו.” HaRav Yosef also addressed Ashkenazim, who pasken according to the Rema—that chasunos are forbidden from the 17th of Tammuz. HaRav Yosef wrote that one can be mattir this year, especially those who did not yet fulfill the mitzvah of piryah v’rivyah. In his p’sak, HaRav Yosef relied on Acharonim like the Aruch HaShulchan, who wrote that when it’s necessary, one can get married during the three weeks except for the week in which Tisha B’Av falls. He also quoted HaRav Aryeh Leib Grossnas in Lev Aryeh, who paskened “בשעת הדחק יש להתיר.” HaRav Yosef added that there’s no more שעת הדחק than this time. HaRav Yosef ended his historic letter with a call to Am Yisrael to be mechazeik in Torah and tefillah. “עת צרה היא ליעקב וממנה יוושע.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

In a dramatic halachic decision prompted by the ongoing war, former Rishon Letzion and nosi of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, has ruled that weddings may be held during the Bein HaMetzarim period this year due to the extenuating circumstances facing many couples across the country.

The ruling comes in light of widespread cancellations of weddings following Home Front Command guidelines. In response to questions from rabbanim across both Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities, Rav Yosef issued a detailed halachic letter permitting — and in some cases encouraging — couples not to postpone their wedding plans during the traditionally mournful period between the 17th of Tammuz and Rosh Chodesh Av.

The letter, titled “Holding Weddings During Bein HaMetzarim, 5785,” offers critical guidance to numerous young couples whose weddings were either canceled or delayed and who now face severe difficulty finding alternative dates or venues.

Rav Yosef makes clear that for Sephardic Jews who follow the rulings of the Mechaberin Shulchan Aruch, it is fully permitted — and even a mitzvah — to marry during this time. He emphasizes that this has been the long-standing custom in Yerushalayim for generations and applies regardless of whether the chosson has already fulfilled the mitzvah of pru u’rvu.

Although the ruling is rooted in Sephardic custom, Rav Yosef addresses Ashkenazic practice as well, noting that those who typically follow the more stringent opinion of the Rama, which prohibits weddings from the 17th of Tammuz onward, should still consider being lenient this year. He writes that the logistical challenges and emotional toll of postponements could lead to serious michsholim (spiritual pitfalls) and hardship. “HaMachmir bazeh, yotzei sechoro behefsedo,” he writes — “one who is stringent in this matter will ultimately lose more than he gains.”

He supports his lenient ruling by citing several Acharonim, including the Aruch HaShulchan, who permitted weddings during this period when necessary (excluding the week of Tishah B’Av), and Rav Aryeh Leib Grossnas in Shu”t Lev Aryeh, who ruled that “in a time of need, one should permit it.” Rav Yosef adds, “There is no greater time of need than the current moment.”

The letter concludes with a heartfelt call for Klal Yisrael to strengthen their commitment to Torah and tefillah. “Eis tzarah hi l’Yaakov, u’mimenah yevashea.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

In a moving recollection, Ponovezh Rosh Yeshiva Rav Beel Povarsky shared memories of the tumultuous days of Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, describing how the safest place he could think of during air raid sirens was the home of the Chazon Ish zt”l.

Rav Povarsky recounted: “The war had just begun, in 1948, when Ben Gurion declared the establishment of the state. Immediately the Arabs, including Egypt, planned to attack. Egypt sent a plane. There were sirens, and a bomb landed here on the K’vish HaShachor.”

He described how people reacted to the sirens at the time: “When the alarm sounded, there was a shelter at the yeshiva. Everyone went there. Some stood close to the pillars of the building.”

But Rav Povarsky’s instinct was different.

“The first thing I did when the siren went off,” he said, “was run to the Chazon Ish. That was the best shelter there was. I came in, and he was sitting and learning. He was so happy I had come. The windows were open—nothing was closed. We spoke in learning. That’s how it was.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Israeli security officials have been surprised by the low number of rocket attacks from the Houthis in Yemen since the start of the war with Iran. According to Ynet, one possible explanation is that Houthi Army chief of staff Mohammed Al-Ghamari was critically wounded over the weekend when the IDF carried out an airstrike in Yemen in an attempt to eliminate him. According to new information the security establishment received on Wednesday, he survived the attempt but was seriously wounded, Kan News reported. A senior Israeli official told Ynet that Al-Ghamari was targeted during a khat-chewing session, a popular social pastime for men in Yemen. “We struck him there,” the official said. “It’s not a joke.” A Yemeni security source told Ynet that Al-Ghamari also served as the head of the Houthis’ missile program. Al-Ghamari, who underwent training in Iran, served as the liaison between the Islamic Republic and the Houthis. The Yemeni source described him as one of the “most dangerous” figures in the group. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The Department of Homeland Security has refuted the Los Angeles Dodgers’ assertion that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attempted to carry out a raid at Dodger Stadium on Thursday.

The Dodgers, the current World Series titleholders, posted on their official X (formerly Twitter) account that ICE agents had tried to gain entry to the stadium’s parking area early Thursday. The team claimed it blocked the agents from entering — framing the incident as part of Los Angeles’ broader defiance of Trump administration immigration crackdowns.

But according to DHS representatives, the incident was being exaggerated and mischaracterized. Officials stated that there was never an active enforcement plan targeting the stadium.

“This had nothing to do with the Dodgers,” the agency wrote on X. “CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement.”

An ICE spokesperson confirmed to The Post that there was no immigration action planned at the venue. According to the agency, the parking lot was simply used temporarily for logistical purposes.

Though several DHS vehicles were seen near Dodger Stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood, including agents wearing masks, no arrests were reported in the area throughout the day.

Sources within the Los Angeles Police Department noted that the team did not request LAPD assistance to remove the federal agents. However, according to the LA Times, the Dodgers did contact authorities when a group of demonstrators opposing ICE showed up at the site.

The organization has faced increasing calls from activists and community members urging it to speak out more forcefully against immigration enforcement actions in the city.

Tensions could rise even further following remarks by President Trump’s immigration policy leader, Tom Homan, who announced on Thursday that ICE would resume worksite enforcement targeting locations like farms, hotels, and other businesses employing undocumented workers.

“We will concentrate on worksites on a prioritized basis just like we do at large operations,” he told reporters at the White House Thursday.

This announcement comes shortly after the Trump administration had indicated that it would hold off on conducting raids at places such as restaurants, farms, and hospitality venues.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump is reportedly holding off on greenlighting a military strike on Iran due to fears that such an action could spiral into a destabilizing repeat of the Libyan crisis, sources close to his administration told The NY Post. Trump is said to be pausing his decision for as long as two weeks.

According to three individuals familiar with internal White House discussions, Trump has specifically cited the 2011 downfall of Muammar Gaddafi — and the chaos that followed — as a cautionary tale. Gaddafi’s removal after a NATO-led campaign resulted in prolonged civil unrest and power vacuums across Libya.

One source involved in the administration’s talks said, “Trump doesn’t want it to turn into Libya,” in reference to the deliberations over whether the U.S. should join Israel’s current bombing campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear program.

During a Thursday press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump was taking time to weigh his options carefully, explaining that his hesitation was due in part to “the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future.”

Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet with his European counterparts — representing the UK, France, Germany, and the EU — in Geneva on Friday to discuss the ongoing crisis. Leavitt clarified that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff would not be attending the summit but emphasized that he remains in active contact with the Iranians.

One individual with direct access to Trump said they personally heard the president mention concerns about Iran descending into a Libya-style collapse even before Israel launched its opening salvo against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Other administration-linked sources said they were briefed by people who had heard Trump draw parallels not only to Libya but also to Afghanistan and Iraq — two other U.S.-involved conflicts that resulted in prolonged instability.

A fifth person, who did not hear Trump’s comments firsthand, but was debriefed on his internal considerations, said the president was leaning toward authorizing precise bombing raids focused on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure — particularly at the deeply buried sites of Fordow and Natanz — using 30,000-pound “bunker buster” ordnance that Israeli aircraft are not equipped to carry.

“Libya was a much more extended kind of bombing commitment, and it ended up being regime change,” that source said.

“If the regime falls [in Iran], then it’s not on Trump, because that’s not the goal of his very limited strike.”

That person added that one of the main worries is whether a post-Khamenei Iran could end up in even worse hands, stating, “we get somebody worse than Khamenei.”

“As far as President Trump goes, he’s not going to get in the business of who runs Iran, that’s very salable to his base,” the source said.

A separate insider close to the White House noted that even if a successful U.S. strike were to take out Iran’s nuclear facilities, it would still raise the challenge of dealing with Tehran’s retaliation — which could include terrorism or environmental fallout.

“He’d rather have a deal,” the source told The NY Post.

“There are two reasons Trump talks about Libya: the first is the chaos after what we did to Gaddafi. The second is the Libya intervention made it more difficult to negotiate deals with countries like North Korea and Iran,” said the source who heard the president directly mention the comparison.

In sharp contrast to Trump’s hesitations, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz was explicit in his call for Khamenei’s removal, branding the Iranian leader “the modern Hitler” on Thursday.

“The IDF has been instructed and knows that to achieve all the objectives, without question this man should no longer continue to exist,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said.

That same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear that Trump’s involvement in the conflict was entirely optional, while also asserting that Israel’s military was capable of finishing the job without relying on American “bunker buster” munitions.

“We will achieve all our objectives and hit all of their nuclear facilities. We have the capability to do that,” Netanyahu said when asked by a reporter about the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant hidden half a mile under a mountain.

After Israel’s preemptive assault on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure last week, several military analysts expressed skepticism that Israel could successfully destroy the Fordow site, given its fortified underground location.

Even with American-supplied 2,000-pound bombs, Israeli airpower had been considered insufficient to breach that level of protection.

The Middle East has seen numerous civil wars in recent decades — in places like Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan — many of which involved U.S. military intervention. But Trump has consistently pointed to Libya when discussing the dangers of regime change.

Muammar Gaddafi ruled Libya for over four decades before he was deposed by insurgents supported by the Obama administration. He had previously agreed to abandon a nuclear weapons program in 2003.

Khamenei, similarly, has been at the helm of Iran for decades — serving 35 years as supreme leader, following nearly a decade as president during the reign of his predecessor, Ayatollah Khomeini.

Libya’s collapse shattered hopes of democracy and instead ushered in a brutal era of chaos. Warlords battled for power, extremist groups like ISIS spread terror, and public executions were filmed on beaches. The absence of central authority decimated oil production and turned Libya into a gateway for desperate migrants risking their lives to reach Europe.

At Thursday’s White House briefing, Leavitt emphasized that the president was hearing from a broad array of voices — both at home and abroad — before making any military decisions.

“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” she said, relaying Trump’s official message.

When asked about regime change, Leavitt responded, “the president’s top priority right now is to ensure that Iran can not attain a nuclear weapon and providing peace and stability to the Middle East.”

{Matzav.com}

As President Donald Trump weighs whether to authorize U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, American law enforcement agencies have intensified surveillance of Iran-backed operatives within the United States, according to multiple sources who spoke to CBS News. The monitoring comes amid growing concerns over possible retaliatory actions by Iran or its proxies in the wake of Israel’s ongoing Operation Rising Lion. U.S. officials say FBI Director Kash Patel has increased efforts to identify and monitor potential Hezbollah-linked sleeper cells operating domestically. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization, has long been viewed by counterterrorism officials as a direct extension of Iranian military influence. The heightened threat posture reflects years of U.S. intelligence concerns regarding Iran’s ability to orchestrate or inspire attacks on American soil. Those concerns were reignited after the U.S. killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in January 2020, an operation ordered by President Trump. Since then, law enforcement agencies including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have devoted significant resources to tracking Iran-linked activity within the U.S. Federal prosecutors have already brought several high-profile cases to court. Late last year, an operative tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — along with two U.S.-based associates — was charged with plotting to surveil and potentially assassinate critics of the Iranian regime, including American citizens. The IRGC agent allegedly admitted that senior Iranian officials had directed him to develop an attack plan targeting President Trump himself. The list of potential targets has expanded in recent years. U.S. prosecutors have brought charges in separate plots to assassinate former National Security Advisor John Bolton and prominent Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad, both vocal opponents of the Islamic Republic. Bolton was placed under Secret Service protection in 2021, though that protection was revoked earlier this year by the Trump administration. Now, as the possibility of a direct strike on Iranian nuclear infrastructure looms, fears of Iranian retaliation — whether through coordinated plots or lone-wolf operatives — are once again front and center for law enforcement. President Trump is seriously considering targeting Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, potentially aligning with Israel’s ongoing campaign against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president would decide within two weeks, noting there remains “a substantial chance of negotiation that may or may not take place” with Iran. Iranian officials, meanwhile, have issued warnings that any U.S. strike will be met with forceful retaliation — raising the stakes of what many observers fear could spiral into a broader conflict with global implications. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)