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Reports of Israeli strikes in Lavizan area in Tehran, the location where Khamenei is reportedly hiding in a bunker.

As clashes intensify between Israel and Iran, several major airlines are halting flights to the region. American Airlines and United Airlines announced interruptions in their routes, citing safety concerns caused by the escalating conflict. United has temporarily suspended its daily Newark to Dubai service, stating it will only resume once it’s deemed safe to do so. Meanwhile, American Airlines has paused its Philadelphia to Doha flight until June 22, citing concerns over safety and security. Both United and Delta had recently resumed flights to Tel Aviv but have now stopped operations due to the recent hostilities that erupted last Friday. The rising violence has disrupted regional air travel, leaving many travelers uncertain about flight plans. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Application Only Available to Israeli Citizens – No Clear Timeline for Flights Yet

In a long-awaited development, Israel’s Ministry of Transportation has released initial guidance for Israeli citizens who are currently stranded abroad and wish to return home. The announcement, issued late Wednesday, outlines steps for those with return tickets, as well as a special process for those without.

Israeli citizens who already hold return tickets to Israel are advised to contact the airline on which they are booked. At present, only Israeli carriers are operating flights into the country.

For those without return tickets, or those whose flights have been canceled, the Ministry has established a special Exceptions Committee. Israeli citizens may apply for approval to return if they meet specific criteria, including:

• Parents of children under age 12 who are currently in Israel
• Women in an advanced stage of pregnancy (Week 34 or later)
• Individuals with disabilities
• Parents of children with disabilities
• Other exceptional personal circumstances

Applications are submitted via this website and are currently open exclusively to Israeli citizens. Once an application is submitted, approved individuals will be added to a waiting list and may eventually be assigned a seat on an upcoming flight to Israel. However, no timeline has been provided for when these flights will take place.

It is important to note that this process is not available to Israeli residents who do not hold Israeli citizenship. At this time, there is no exceptional return option for non-citizen residents currently abroad.

Chaim V’Chessed is actively advocating on behalf of non-citןzens and is in contact with relevant government officials to raise awareness of their plight. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

{Matzav.com}

HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shternbuch spoke about the situation in Eretz Yisrael at the end of his shiur klali in his yeshivah on Wednesday. “We’re at an eis tzarah,” he said. “The Arabs are firing many missiles at Eretz Yisrael and there were people who were killed or injured, Hashem should protect us. Everyone understands that this is not just happenstance, but the kol of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. ‘קול דודי דופק פתחי לי אחותי רעייתי.’ Our obligation is to examine our deeds and to cry out to Hashem.” “On one hand, we shouldn’t be fearful or panic. A Jew needs emunah and bitachon. Like Mori V’Rebbi HaGaon HaRav Moshe Schneider, z’tl, said during World War II, at the time of the Blitz—when the Nazis bombed London every evening—’Every bomb has an address.’ We believe with emunah sheleimah that the missile doesn’t fall in some random place. Only Hakadosh Baruch Hu sends it and directs it, and there’s nothing to fear from the missile itself.” “This is our obligation—not to fear them but to remember that we’re dependent on Hakadosh Baruch Hu alone and not on happenstance. Like it says, ‘הנה א-ל ישועתי אבטח ולא אפחד.'” “And this is the most fundamental principle of the life of a Jew—to know that there’s no happenstance in the world, but everything is from Hashem Yisbarach, that a person doesn’t bang his finger below except via the koach of Hakadosh Baruch Hu Himself, that there’s no koach except Hakadosh Baruch Hu—everything is from Hashem Yisbarach.” HaRav Shternbuch ended with a special request for his talmidim—to be mechazeik during these days by utilizing their time for limmud Torah. “Beware of bittul Torah for Hakadosh Baruch God watches over us at every moment and sees our deeds, and every word that comes out of our mouths is recorded above—there’s not even one word that is not recorded. And if needed, they bring him his tongue and show him himself what he said. One should be careful not to say extraneous words.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

MORE: Hundreds of people lined the streets of Tenafly, NJ to welcome home Edan Alexander – nearly 600 days after he was captured and held hostage by Hamas.

BREAKING: Edan Alexander, the U.S. hostage released by Hamas after more than 580 days in captivity, returns home in New Jersey.

American Airlines has suspended any further flights to Doha, Qatar, and United Airlines has suspended its daily flight to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, as the war between Israel and Iran continues to escalate in the Middle East.

Iranian reports of Israeli strikes currently hitting Tehran, including the IRGC-linked Imam Hussein University, with ongoing air defense activity over the capital.

More than 95% of Iranian drones that “posed a threat and approached Israel” were intercepted by the Israeli Air Force and Navy since the beginning of the conflict in Iran, the military says.

International Spokesperson for Israel Police provides a close-up look at Soroka Hospital after police bomb disposal experts cleared missile debris from the scene.

CIA Director Ratcliffe, in a closed-door hearing, said Iran is dangerously close to having nuclear weapons, calling it “at the one-yard line.”

SpaceX’s Starship vehicle was destroyed in a fiery blast late Wednesday evening during a testing procedure at the company’s launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas.

At approximately 11 p.m. local time, SpaceX confirmed that “the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase,” according to a statement posted on X.

The company emphasized that safety protocols were in place during the event. “A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” the statement continued. “Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials. There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while safing operations continue.”

Multiple livestreams covering activity at Starbase captured the moment the vehicle exploded, with footage circulating online shortly after the blast.

“Whoa! Whoa! No,” a startled voice is heard reacting in real time. “Oh, my God.” Text at the bottom of the broadcast indicated: “SpaceX is expected to perform a static fire test of ship 36. The second in this series of testing for flight 10.”

Elon Musk, the company’s CEO, responded with apparent nonchalance early Thursday morning. “Just a scratch,” he wrote on X.

{Matzav.com}

The IRGC head appoints General Majid Khademi as the new head of IRGC Intelligence, replacing Mohammad Kazemi who was eliminated by Israel earlier this week.

Iranian air defenses are currently firing aimlessly into the sky, as they have been for nearly a week without any luck. There are large IAF airstrikes currently ongoing in many areas in Iran.

Powerful Hurricane Erick made landfall in Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca early Thursday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The hurricane’s center was located about 20 miles (30 kilometers) east of Punta Maldonado. Its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 125 mph (205 kph). It was moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph), the hurricane center said. The storm was downgraded slightly before making landfall, from a powerful Category 4 to a Category 3. While slightly reduced in power, Erick is still considered a major hurricane as a Category 3, which can carry winds of up to 129 mph (210 kph). The storm threaded the needle between the resorts of Acapulco and Puerto Escondido, tearing into a sparsely populated stretch of coastline near the border of Oaxaca and Guerrero states. Agricultural fields blanket the low-lying coastal area between small fishing villages. Erick is expected to rapidly weaken as it crashes into the coastal mountains of southern Mexico, and the system is likely to dissipate late Thursday or early Friday, the hurricane center said. The storm threatened to unleash destructive winds near where the eye crashes ashore, flash floods and a dangerous storm surge, forecasters said. Storm moves south on approach At first light Thursday, Acapulco awoke under ominous dark clouds, but without a drop of rain and small waves lapping at its central beach. However, the storm was forecast to move northwest just inland up the coast through midday, bringing heavy rain to the resort and the mountains that tower dramatically above it. Still, it appeared Acapulco had dodged the worst at least in terms of Erick’s strong winds. Late Wednesday, Erick’s projected path had crept south, closer to the resort city of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca state with Acapulco up the coast to the northwest. President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a video message Wednesday night that all activities in the region were suspended and she urged people to stay in their homes or to move to shelters if they lived in low-lying areas. Waves were crashing onto the esplanade in Puerto Escondido by nightfall, swamping wooden fishing boats that had been pulled up there for safety. The beach disappeared under pounding waves and the rising tide had already reached the interiors of some waterfront restaurants. Last-minute purchases ended at nightfall as stores closed and the streets emptied. Earlier in the day, fishermen in Puerto Escondido pulled their boats out of the water ahead of the storm’s arrival. Some surfers continued to ride waves at the Zicatela beach, even with red flags up to warn people to stay out of the water. Acapulco still scarred by Otis Acapulco residents had braced for Erick’s arrival with more preparation and trepidation because of the memory of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Otis two years earlier. The city of nearly 1 million was devastated in October 2023 by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 hurricane that rapidly intensified and caught many unprepared. At least 52 people died in Otis and the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort’s hotels. Guerrero state Gov. Evelyn Salgado said via X that all movement in Acapulco and other beach communities was to be suspended at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Schools across the state were to remain closed for a second day Thursday. Carlos Ozuna Romero, 51, lost his […]

Brannan Embraces Radicals While Begging for Jewish Votes As the race for NYC Comptroller enters its final stretch, voters across the city especially in Jewish communities are beginning to see through Justin Brannan’s cynical game. While Brannan makes photo-op rounds in Orthodox neighborhoods, desperate for support he knows he can’t win without, his actual political allies paint a far more troubling picture. He’s embraced by some of the most extreme figures and groups on the far left many of whom have shown open hostility to Israel and the Jewish community. One of Brannan’s top endorsers is NYPAN (New York Progressive Action Network) a radical group known for its anti-Israel positions. NYPAN has repeatedly aligned itself with anti-Zionist causes and activists, and makes no secret of who it wants in power. In this election, the two candidates NYPAN is aggressively pushing are Zohran Mamdani and Justin Brannan. Mamdani is a known anti-Israel voice in Albany who has refused to condemn Hamas and openly attacked the Jewish State. And now, they want Brannan to hold citywide power. These are the groups Brannan relies on to build his base. Take, for example, Linda Sarsour, a longtime anti-Israel activist who recently urged her followers to vote for Brannan, praising his work for “Palestinian American/Muslim/Arab” communities. In her endorsement, she attacks Brannan’s opponent, Mark Levine, solely for standing with Israel. She criticizes Levine for refusing to call for a ceasefire immediately after the October 7th Hamas massacre and for committing to buy Israeli bonds as Comptroller. “His opponent Mark Levine never once uttered ceasefire. Ever,” she wrote. “Mark has committed to buying Israeli bonds when he becomes comptroller something NYC does not do right now.” Let that sink in: Justin Brannan is the candidate of choice for Linda Sarsour, Zohran Mamdani, and NYPAN he same far-left coalition that cheers on anti-Israel resolutions and demonizes Jewish identity. Brannan, on the other hand, is trying to have it both ways appeasing anti-Israel radicals while begging Jewish neighborhoods to forget who he really stands with. But we won’t forget. New York doesn’t need a Comptroller who empowers those who cheer against Israel and vilify our communities. We need someone who’s honest, principled, and loyal when it counts. On Election Day, the choice is clear: Reject Justin Brannan.  The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.  (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In an interview with Kan News on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu disclosed that Israel’s military offensive against Iran nearly didn’t go forward, with the mission being on the verge of cancellation at the last minute.

When asked whether Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, is a potential target, Netanyahu made it clear that no one in Iran is exempt. “I instructed that no one in Iran has immunity. It is inappropriate and unnecessary to add more than that. We need to let the actions speak more than the words.”

Commenting on whether Israel is actively seeking to topple the Iranian regime, Netanyahu emphasized that neutralizing the nuclear threat remains the highest priority. “Our top goal is the removal of the nuclear threat. Second, is the removal of the threat of ballistic missiles. As that happens, it’s clear that the regime will be undermined.” While he noted that regime change is not the objective, he acknowledged it could be a consequence. “That’s the matter of the Iranian people,” he added.

Netanyahu also offered insight into the timing of the military campaign, saying Iran’s network of regional power had already crumbled. “We broke the Iranian axis. Hezbollah collapsed, Assad collapsed. All that Tehran had left was the nuclear and ballistic missile threat. We didn’t leave it for the next generations, because maybe there won’t be any.”

Reflecting on past challenges in securing backing for major operations, Netanyahu noted a shift. “In the past, I couldn’t enlist the security forces and the Mossad, to put it lightly. This time, everyone came.” He also stated that Israel did not wait for a go-ahead from Washington before acting, though he acknowledged the support of the Trump administration: “They help us wonderfully with defense. American pilots are intercepting UAVs.”

Netanyahu sharply criticized the Biden administration’s stance, contrasting it with Trump’s backing. He accused the current U.S. government of attempting to stop Israel from responding to Iran’s allied groups. According to Netanyahu, the Biden team tried to block Israeli actions against “Iranian proxies.”

Pressed about Israel’s broader war strategy and specific targets, Netanyahu declined to reveal operational details. “We’re at war, we won’t give schedules. We will achieve all the goals, we will hit all the nuclear facilities, we have the ability to do so,” he stated.

He also highlighted that Israel had taken early steps to prepare for domestic defense and commended Israeli citizens for their resilience. Netanyahu praised the public, saying they were “standing strong.”

Responding to concerns about the missile threat and reported shortages of interceptors, Netanyahu downplayed the issue. “It doesn’t matter how many missiles Iran has. We are striking launchers, I think we destroyed half of them.”

{Matzav.com}

The White House has issued a stark warning about Iran’s nuclear capabilities, stating that the country could be mere weeks away from developing a nuclear bomb. This revelation comes as President Donald Trump continues to weigh the possibility of launching a military response against the Iranian regime.

“Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon. All they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that, and it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the press, underscoring the immediacy of the threat.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump announced on Thursday that he would decide within two weeks whether to authorize military action against Iran, as he remains optimistic about a potential diplomatic breakthrough.

“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,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, quoting Trump during her press briefing.

Speaking the day before, Trump mentioned that Iranian officials were expressing interest in meeting with him directly at the White House.

“If there’s a chance for diplomacy, he’s not afraid to grab it,” Leavitt said.

The proposed agreement under discussion would require Iran to completely halt its uranium enrichment activities.

{Matzav.com}