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President Donald Trump on Monday sharply rebuked Democratic lawmakers who have faulted his administration’s joint military operation with Israel against Iran’s ruling regime and key military infrastructure, charging that their objections are rooted not in policy differences but in opposition to him personally.

In a message posted to Truth Social, Trump described the coordinated U.S.-Israeli action as “very necessary and important” and argued that many of the same critics would have demanded decisive force if he had chosen not to act.

Trump wrote: “The Radical Left Democrats, a Party that has completely lost its way, are complaining bitterly about the very necessary and important attack, by the United States and Israel, on Iran.

“What most people understand is that they are only complaining BECAUSE I DID IT and, if I didn’t do it, they would be screaming — Why didn’t ‘TRUMP’ attack Iran, he should do it, IMMEDIATELY?

“There’s nothing surprising about this! It’s the same people that the other night at The State of the Union Address wouldn’t stand for ANYBODY, including a mother who lost her beautiful daughter to an illegal alien, a Great and Brave Helicopter Pilot, who got the Congressional Medal of Honor, or a 100-year-old Veteran Warrior whose Bravery is Legend!

“The fact is, whatever I do, they will be on the opposite side. These people are SICK, CRAZY, and DEMENTED, but America, despite them all, is now BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

The president’s remarks come as lawmakers in both chambers of Congress move ahead with proposed war powers resolutions aimed at curbing his ability to authorize additional military action against Iran. Separate measures in the House and Senate are expected to face significant political obstacles before they could become law.

Before the weekend’s U.S.-Israeli strikes began, both resolutions had already been placed on the legislative calendar for debate and votes. With military operations now in progress, questions remain about whether any approved resolution would have an immediate practical effect. Even if Congress were to pass such legislation, Trump would almost certainly veto it.

Some Republicans say they are witnessing limited Democratic backing for the strikes. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., said Monday in an interview with Newsmax that certain Democrats representing competitive districts are expressing support.

“You’re seeing Democrats, some more moderate Democrats in Republican districts, or districts Trump won, actually saying that they support the operation,” he said. “So, I think it’s bipartisan support, not overwhelming bipartisan support, but bipartisan support for what the administration is doing.”

On Sunday, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., publicly endorsed the military action, calling it “entirely appropriate.”

Other Democrats, however, have raised constitutional objections. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who co-sponsored the Senate war powers measure, argued that the administration acted without proper congressional authorization.

“The Constitution says we’re not supposed to be at war without a vote of Congress,” Kaine told NPR on Saturday. “The White House knew that I had a war powers resolution scheduled for vote by the Senate early next week.

“I assume they wanted to try to rush the initiation of an illegal war before Congress had a chance to vote on it.

“This is important. The lives of our troops are at risk. We ought to come back to Washington right away and vote on this.”

In the House, a similar resolution is being advanced by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., indicated Sunday that the chamber could take up the matter as soon as Thursday.

Massie, who has often disagreed with Trump, reiterated his opposition to the military campaign in a post on X.

“I am opposed to this War,” Massie, a frequent Trump critic, wrote Saturday on X. “This is not ‘America First.’ When Congress reconvenes, I will work with @RepRoKhanna to force a Congressional vote on war with Iran. The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war.”

Administration officials have continued to defend the operation, saying it was carried out to address threats from Iran’s leadership and to safeguard American interests and regional allies.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]FIRST $50,000 ON PURIM WILL BE MATCHED!!!

Click Here To Donate

Make sure not to miss the deadline. 
All donations until 3 PM on Purim will be 
delivered by hand to the aniyim in Zichron Moshe

Kupas Zichron Moshe Face a New Reality this Pesach Season

In past years, many of the needy in the Zichron Moshe neighborhood in Yerushalayim travel abroad and raise the necessary funds to be able to make Yom Tov in addition to many that visit Yershshalyim for Purim and Pesach.

However, in the past 24 hours, everything has changed. 

The fresh war has basically shut down all borders, leaving many families in complete desperation in how to proceed.

Kupas Zichron Moshe was established by Rav Aaron Nimersovsky to assist the needy families in Shchunas Zichron Moshe in Yerushalaym, including almanos, yesomim, and those that are in crisis. 

Unfortunately, the numbers have been growing over the last few years, with over 800 families on the list for this year.

Kupas Zichron Moshe will have Gabaim on standby all day on Purim distributing Matanos Levyonim to the poor and needy in Zichron Moshe/Geula. 

Make sure not to miss the deadline. 
All donations until 11:30 AM on Purim will be delivered by hand to the aniyim in Zichron Moshe

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Started twelve years ago, Kupas Zichron Moshe has become a respected
organization that has grown past natural bounds. Run under the asupices of
Rav Gamliel Rabinovich, Rav Moshe Elyashiv and Rav Yitzchok Soloveitchik,
Kupas Zichron Moshe has continued to provide for the Yom tov needs for over
700 choshuve families in Zichron Moshe/Geula Yerushalayim who cannot live on
their own means

These are not families that are looking to buy luxuries. These are families
that would literally not have fish and chicken on Shabbos and Yom Tov without y(our)
help.

This year we are having a much harder time than usual . 700 families are relying on us and we cannot do it without your help!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

POWERFUL BRACHA: HaRav Asher Weiss shlit”a, a world-renowned Rosh Kollel, Posek and Av Beis Din gives a powerful bracha from the depth of his heart for all those who donate to the Purim campaign for poor families in Israel: “Hashem should fulfill what your heart desires for the good” CLICK TO DONATE: https://thechesedfund.com/kupahsheltzedaka/fulfill-the-mitzvah-matanos-l-evyonim-in-eretz-yisroel-on-purim-day?aff=4007

Two Iranian drones hit the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, overnight, according to two American officials and preliminary assessments from the Saudi Ministry of Defense.

Because the attack occurred during late-night hours, the embassy had only minimal personnel on site, and no injuries have been reported. However, U.S. officials indicated that concerns remain about a continuing threat to the facility.

The Saudi Ministry of Defense said the impact caused “limited fire and minor damage to the building,” according to a spokesperson.

In response to the strike, the State Department released a security alert instructing American citizens in Saudi Arabia to shelter in place immediately.

The incident marks the second time in recent days that an Iranian drone strike has damaged a U.S. diplomatic mission, following a similar attack on the U.S. embassy in Kuwait on Monday.

{Matzav.com}

The Israeli Air Force carried out a new wave of airstrikes Monday night against sites linked to the Iranian regime, including a key communications facility in Tehran, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced.

According to the military, the operation was launched based on detailed intelligence provided by the Intelligence Directorate and focused on assets associated with what it described as the Iranian terrorist regime.

Just before midnight, Israeli aircraft targeted and destroyed a central communications hub used by the regime.

In its statement, the IDF said the facility had recently served Iranian forces in advancing military operations while presenting those activities as civilian in nature. The site was also described as a base for propaganda efforts broadcast by the regime.

The military added that operations conducted at the center were managed and overseen by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps.

“Over the years, the Iranian Broadcasting Authority called for the destruction of the State of Israel and for the use of nuclear weapons. In addition, it led directly to the repression of the Iranian population and the spreading of lies to the public,” the statement said.

“The IDF will continue to strike the Iranian regime’s infrastructure across Tehran,” it clarified.

{Matzav.com}

VICE PRESIDENT VANCE: “What the president determined is he didn’t want to just keep the country safe from an Iranian nuclear weapon for the first three, four years of his second term.”

The U.S. Department of State on Monday called on American citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries without delay, including Israel, as military action involving the United States and Israel against Iran intensifies.

The warning comes as joint U.S. and Israeli operations targeting Iranian assets remain ongoing, raising concerns about potential escalation across the region.

According to the State Department’s assistant secretary for consular affairs, U.S. nationals are being advised to exit Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen as soon as possible.

“Depart now via commercial means due to serious safety risks,” the State Department said in a newly released security alert.

Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that additional military action against Iran is expected, cautioning that further developments are imminent. He said “the hardest hits are yet to come,” suggesting that the campaign is entering a more aggressive stage.

Addressing reporters at the Capitol, Rubio said operations would persist until Iran’s missile systems and naval forces are completely dismantled.

While he declined to outline a specific timeframe for the effort, Rubio made clear that Washington intends to see the mission through. “I don’t know how long it will take,” he said, “but we will do this as long as it takes to achieve those objectives and we will achieve those objectives. The world will be a safer place when we’re done with this operation.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Readers,

If you’re reading this between one l’chaim and the next, we salute your dedication to staying informed — even while dressed as Mordechai, Achashveirosh, Rav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin, or that mysterious “guy in a black hat” costume that looks suspiciously like your weekday wardrobe.

Purim reminds us that even when the headlines look dark, confusing, or downright upside down, Hashem is running the story from behind the scenes. The Megillah has twists, turns, last-minute reversals — honestly, if it were submitted as a news article, we’d send it back for being too dramatic.

And yet, in the end: v’nahafoch hu. Everything flipped.

A few thoughts from our newsroom:

• If Haman had a PR team today, he’d issue a “clarification” that he was “misunderstood” and that the gallows were taken “out of context.”

• Somewhere in Shushan, there was definitely a guy with a big WhatsApp following saying, “I heard from a reliable source” — and he was wrong.

• Developing: Senior Persian official declines interview request, calls coverage “very unfair.”

• Exclusive: Palace sources say the king “could not sleep.” Analysts describe it as the most consequential insomnia event on record.

• Anonymous palace aide: “We did not anticipate the gallows being repurposed.”

• BREAKING: President Achashveirosh says the kingdom has “never been stronger,” one day after signing decree calling for total destruction.

• Palace statement: “This was the greatest banquet in Persian history. Nobody does banquets like we do banquets.”

• Senior royal adviser describes gallows as “tremendous infrastructure. Beautiful. Really tremendous.”

• LIVE: King says he doesn’t recall authorizing genocide. “If it happened, it was handled perfectly.”

• Palace insider: “The king likes Mordechai. Always liked him. Many people are saying he always liked him.”

• BREAKING: King announces he has “absolute authority” to reverse his own irreversible decrees.

• Opinion: Was the signet ring properly secured?

• Late-night briefing: “The enemies of the Jews are very bad people. Very bad. We’re hearing terrible things.”

• BREAKING: President Achashveirosh calls emergency press conference at 2:17 a.m. to clarify he “technically didn’t read the decree.”

• Palace statement: “This was the most successful near-annihilation in Persian history. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it.”

• DEVELOPING: Haman claims the decree is being “mischaracterized by hostile palace media.”

• FACT CHECK: Did the king really say, “Who is he, and where is he?” Experts confirm: yes. Tone described as “not great for Haman.”

• BREAKING: King says he has “absolute authority” to issue decrees, reverse decrees, and then honor the people targeted by decrees.

• LIVE FROM THE GATE: Mordechai refuses to bow. Markets react.

• DEVELOPING: Esther’s approval ratings surge after second banquet performance.

• Legal experts stunned as decree loophole allows targeted population to defend itself. “We did not see that clause coming.”

• FINAL UPDATE: Haman unavailable for follow-up interview. Sources describe current status as “permanently suspended.”

On Purim, we laugh a little louder, give a little more, forgive a little easier, and maybe — just maybe — refresh Matzav.com a little less often. (Just for today, of course.)

May your children’s costumes survive at least until Maariv and your ad d’lo yada stay within the boundaries of good taste and better judgment.

Most of all, may this Purim bring revealed yeshuos, hidden brachos uncovered, and true simcha that carries us far beyond this glorious day.

From our Matzav family to yours, a joyous, safe, and meaningful Purim!

Ah Freilichen Purim!

In light of the ongoing war and widespread flight cancellations, the prominent Yerushalayim posek, Rav Moshe Brandsdorfer, Gaavad of Heichal Hora’ah, has issued an urgent and far-reaching psak regarding residents of Yerushalayim stranded abroad, as well as visitors from chutz la’aretz who remain in Yerushalayim against their will.

Rav Brandsdorfer writes that he was asked about a pressing matter affecting many individuals: due to the wartime situation, numerous residents of Yerushalayim have found themselves stuck in chutz la’aretz and unable to return home for Purim because of canceled flights. Similarly, many visitors from chutz la’aretz who had traveled to Yerushalayim with plans to return home for Purim are now unable to leave and remain in the Ir HaKodesh involuntarily.

In his written ruling, Rav Brandsdorfer explains that according to the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 688:5) and the Mishnah Berurah (ibid. 12), when one is delayed due to circumstances beyond his control and is currently outside his place of residence against his will, he must observe Purim according to his home location — not according to where he presently finds himself.

Accordingly, a resident of Yerushalayim who left before Purim with the intention of returning home for the Yom Tov, but was delayed due to the war and remains in a city in chutz la’aretz, must, according to the strict letter of the law, observe Purim on the 15th of Adar as a ben Yerushalayim. Conversely, a resident of chutz la’aretz who traveled to Yerushalayim with the intent to return home for Purim, but is now stranded in Yerushalayim, must read the Megillah and observe the other mitzvos hayom on the 14th of Adar, despite physically being in Yerushalayim.

Rav Brandsdorfer explains that the fundamental principle in this matter hinges upon a person’s intent at the time he left his home. One’s original mindset and plan at departure determine his halachic status. Therefore, if at the time he left his city — even well before Purim — he intended to be back home for the time of the Megillah reading, and only due to oneis related to the war was he prevented from returning, his status follows his original intent.

He notes, however, that there is significant discussion among the Rishonim and Acharonim on this topic. The Chazon Ish disagrees with the ruling of the Mishnah Berurah, maintaining that the determining factor is one’s intent at the onset of the night of the 14th of Adar. Nonetheless, Rav Brandsdorfer writes that the prevailing ruling of the poskim follows the Mishnah Berurah, that the determining moment is one’s intent at the time of departure from home.

In conclusion, Rav Brandsdorfer rules: “Therefore, in my humble opinion, as far as halachah l’maaseh, all those who were delayed and remain against their will outside their place of residence must observe and conduct Purim according to the place from which they departed. That is, a resident of Yerushalayim must observe on the 15th even if he is presently in chutz la’aretz, and a resident of chutz la’aretz must observe on the 14th even if he is presently in Yerushalayim.”

At the same time, in order to take into account the views of other poskim, he advises that such individuals should observe both days — the 14th and the 15th — with respect to Krias HaMegillah and the other mitzvos hayom. Regarding which day the berachah should be recited, he notes that the matter depends on various detailed halachic considerations and one should consult a competent rav or hear the Megillah from someone else, as elaborated in the Biur Halachah there.

{Matzav.com}

In light of the ongoing security situation in Eretz Yisroel, the leadership of Karlin-Stolin has released a series of stringent directives altering the traditional Purim schedule in Givat Ze’ev and Yerushalayim. The new measures significantly limit gatherings and introduce major changes to the usual format of the Yom Tov in the chassidus.

The detailed instructions, distributed to chassidim on Tuesday, reflect what the leadership described as the heightened caution that has long characterized the kehilla’s emphasis on safeguarding life. The changes apply both to Purim d’Prazim, observed in Givat Ze’ev, and Purim d’Mukafim, observed in Yerushalayim.

Central to the new guidelines is a complete separation between residents of walled cities and those from unwalled areas. Yerushalayim residents were explicitly instructed not to travel to Givat Ze’ev for tefillos or celebrations on the 14th of Adar, in order to prevent overcrowding and large public gatherings.

The central lechaim gathering for residents celebrating on Purim d’Prazim will take place in the main beis medrash in Givat Ze’ev, but it will be sharply limited in duration. The event will run only between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

According to the announcement, the format will resemble the swift and tightly structured gathering traditionally held on Zos Chanukah” with no advance registration required and an emphasis on minimizing time spent on site.

Chassidim were instructed to leave immediately upon the conclusion of the maamad and return home, in order to avoid unnecessary loitering or public congregation.

Regarding Purim d’Mukafim in Yerushalayim, the hanhala stated that further guidance will be issued about the lechaim gathering, the customary Purim dancing on the 15th of Adar, and any events planned for Motzoei Yom Tov.

The chassidus added that should additional security developments arise, updated instructions will be conveyed to the tzibbur “through several channels,” in keeping with standard practice.

{Matzav.com}

El Al is preparing to launch a large-scale operation from 22 cities across Europe, the United States, and Asia to bring home tens of thousands of Israelis stranded overseas, as Israel moves toward a gradual reopening of its airspace beginning next week, Times of Israel reports.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev announced Monday that aviation officials are working on a phased reopening that could begin as early as Sunday, depending on security conditions.

“I have instructed Civil Aviation Authority head Shmuel Zakay to meet with Israeli airlines so that they are prepared for the opening of the skies in a phased manner starting next week — all of this, of course, in accordance with security developments,” said Regev.

Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel’s primary international hub, has remained closed to both incoming and outgoing flights since Saturday. The shutdown followed a major joint military strike by Israel and the US against Iran, which was met with retaliatory missile attacks by Tehran. As a result of the closure, more than 150,000 Israelis have been left abroad.

Once restrictions begin to ease, El Al intends to operate return flights for Israelis from New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, as well as from Bangkok and Phuket. In Europe, flights are expected to depart from Larnaca, Athens, Rome, Milan, Paris, Budapest, Tbilisi, Sofia, Warsaw, Bucharest, Madrid, London, Barcelona, Geneva, Amsterdam, Munich, and Zurich.

The airline said passengers holding tickets for El Al and its subsidiary Sun Dor whose flights were canceled will be placed on repatriation flights without any additional charge. Only after all affected customers have been brought back will seats be made available for purchase by the broader public, El Al stated.

At the same time, Arkia, a smaller Israeli carrier, began operating flights Sunday with an Airbus A320 leased from Electra Airways between Athens and Egypt’s Taba Airport in an effort to assist stranded Israelis in returning home.

Travelers landing in Taba and crossing through the nearby land border into Israel are being met by Egged buses positioned at the terminal. The buses transport passengers to central bus stations in Eilat and Beersheba, to the parking area at Ben Gurion Airport, and to Tel Aviv.

Due to strong demand, Arkia is also planning additional Taba flights in the coming days from Rome, Larnaca, Bucharest, and Sofia.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the military campaign against Iran is entering a more aggressive stage, declaring that greater strikes are still ahead as Washington moves to dismantle Tehran’s missile and naval capabilities. Speaking at the Capitol, Rubio made clear that operations would continue until those threats are eliminated.

“They’re suffering a tremendous amount of damage,” Rubio stated. “I’m not going to give away the details of our tactical efforts, but the hardest hits are yet to come from the US military. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now.”

Rubio declined to outline a specific timetable for the campaign but underscored that the United States has defined targets and intends to pursue them without pause. “I don’t know how long it will take,” he said, “but we will do this as long as it takes to achieve those objectives and we will achieve those objectives. The world will be a safer place when we’re done with this operation.”

He argued that the action was necessary to prevent Iran from reaching a point at which it could deter any effective response. “This operation needed to happen because Iran, in about a year or a year and a half, would cross the line of immunity,” he said. “They would have so many short-range missiles, so many drones that no one could do anything about it because they could hold the whole world hostage.”

Pointing to the current impact of the strikes, Rubio suggested that the damage already inflicted demonstrates what could have happened had Iran been given more time to build up its arsenal. “Look at the damage they’re doing now,” he remarked. “And this is a weakened Iran… imagine a year from now.”

Rubio said the United States moved forward with full awareness of Israel’s plans and the potential consequences for American forces. “Obviously, we were aware of Israeli intentions and understood what that would mean for us, and we had to be prepared to act as a result of it,” he explained.

Describing the broader strategy, Rubio stressed that eliminating Iran’s ballistic missile program is central to the mission. “Our mission is the destruction of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and their ability to manufacture them,” he said.

He also voiced hope that change could eventually come within Iran itself, while maintaining that the immediate objective remains military. “We would love for there to be an Iran that is not governed by radical clerics,” Rubio said. “If there’s something we can do to help the people of Iran down the road, we would be open to it, but our objective is the destruction of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities.”

Rubio closed by reiterating that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is the overriding goal of the operation. “President Trump would love for the people of Iran to use this opportunity to rise up and remove these leaders, but the objective of this mission is to make sure Iran doesn’t have nuclear weapons that can threaten us and our allies in the region.”

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds gathered Monday evening to accompany the three Biton siblings — Avigail, Yaakov, and Sarah, Hy”d — to kevuras Yisroel after they were killed in a direct Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh. The heartbreaking tragedy has shaken the tzibbur, as family, friends, and residents stood together in grief to bid farewell to the young souls taken so suddenly.

Their father, Reb Yitzchak Biton, delivered a tearful hesped, his voice breaking as he struggled to comprehend the magnitude of the loss. “Avrohom Avinu sacrificed one son, I sacrificed three. I sacrificed my son Yaakov, my daughter Avigail, and my daughter Sarah. Hakadosh Boruch Hu wanted to take these holy souls. We were at home when there was a tremendous blast. The ceiling collapsed, and I shielded the youngest daughter.”

The devastation unfolded in an instant, as the family home was struck and partially collapsed from the force of the explosion. The father’s words conveyed both anguish and submission to the gezeirah, as he described the terrifying moments when the blast tore through their home.

During the levayah, the children’s grandmother, Lillian, also addressed the crowd, her words saturated with pain. “These were pure children who only knew how to do good. They grew up in a home of goodness, joy, love for Israel, and only doing good for others.”

She spoke lovingly of her daughter, the children’s mother, emphasizing her strength and unwavering emunah. “They have a special mother. Their mother is stronger than anyone. She has great strength and deep faith. She taught them at home, not in institutions. A home education-she feared that the outside world would spoil them.”

Turning to the assembled mourners and to Klal Yisroel at large, the grandmother called for spiritual awakening in the face of tragedy. “The people of Israel must strengthen themselves-this is the time. We must be together and believe that the Torah will save us and cling to Hakadosh Boruch Hu. That is what will save us, not shelters. The mother told them, ‘Do not go to the shelter, stay with me,’ because she has faith.”

As the levayah drew on, she lifted her voice heavenward in a final anguished plea: “Creator of the world, these holy children have come to You; send redemption, enough, Creator of the world!”

{Matzav.com}

Additional footage shows air defense systems intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles over Israel.

Authorities have released all the names of the nine people killed when a ballistic missile launched from Iran struck a residential area in Beit Shemesh, marking the deadliest single strike in Israel since the current conflict with Iran began.

The missile leveled a shul and caused massive destruction to a public bomb shelter located beneath it, along with severe damage to nearby homes. In total, nine people were killed and more than 40 others were wounded when the estimated 500-kilogram warhead made a direct impact.

Those killed included three teenage siblings, a mother and her adult daughter, a mother and her adult son, a 16-year-old boy, and a man.

The Beit Shemesh attack was the deadliest missile strike inside Israel during the ongoing hostilities. A day earlier, Philippine national Mary Anne Velasquez de Vera, 32, was killed in a missile strike in Tel Aviv.

The IDF said the Israeli Air Force is investigating why the missile was not intercepted. Air defense systems were activated, but for reasons that remain unclear, the interceptors failed to bring down the projectile before it hit its target.

Even during some of the funerals, as victims were being laid to rest, additional missile fire from Iran forced mourners to seek shelter once again.

Ronit Elimelech, 45, and her mother, Sara, were among those killed in the strike. Elimelech volunteered with United Hatzalah, and emergency crews responding to the scene discovered her medical vest and equipment among the debris.

According to a statement from United Hatzalah, Elimelech and her three children had been visiting her parents’ home in Beit Shemesh. When sirens sounded, they entered the public shelter beneath the shul, which was later destroyed in the blast.

Rescue teams pulled two of Elimelech’s children from the rubble and transported them to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Yerushalayim with light to moderate injuries. A third child was not hurt, and Sara’s husband was also located unharmed.

“Ronit joined United Hatzalah after her young son asked her to volunteer as his birthday gift. I met them personally, and they hold a very special place in our hearts,” Eli Beer, president of United Hatzalah, wrote on X before Elimelech’s death was formally announced.

He later shared how her son Itamar, who is autistic, had requested on his 11th birthday that his mother become a volunteer. “Itamar was so proud of his mother,” Beer wrote.

Among the victims were siblings Yaakov Biton, 16, Avigail Biton, 15, and Sara Biton, 13. Hundreds attended their funeral Monday night. Their father described the moment the missile struck, calling it a “tremendous explosion,” according to Hebrew media. He said his first instinct was to protect his youngest daughter.

Drawing a parallel to the Torah account of the Akeidah, he said, “Avrohom Avinu bound one son, I bound three. I bound my son Yaakov, my daughter Avigail and my daughter Sara. God wanted to take these holy souls.”

Their grandmother, Lilian, remembered them as “pure children who only knew how to do good. They grew up in a home of only good and happiness and love of country.”

At the funeral, according to Arutz Sheva, she cried out, “Creator of worlds, these holy children have come to you. Bring redemption.”

Oren Katz was also identified by the Beit Shemesh municipality as one of the victims. He is survived by his wife, children, and a brother, according to a local news report.

He was buried Monday. During the funeral, his son Yosef delivered a eulogy, saying, “You were always a special person who cared for everyone, not only yourself.”

“Yesterday you came home in the middle of the workday so we’d have something to eat for lunch. I’m glad I had the privilege to eat your food for the last time,” he said. “You told us we were your reason for living.”

Sixteen-year-old Gavriel Baruch Ravach was another victim identified by municipal officials. According to a local outlet, his father had previously contributed to and been involved in building the very synagogue that was destroyed in the same missile strike that claimed his son’s life.

Bruria Cohen was killed together with her adult son Yosef. A Beit Shemesh news site reported that Yosef was widely known in the community for his devotion to caring for his mother.

{Matzav.com}

In light of the war with Iran, the Gerer Chassidus has issued firm instructions ahead of Purim, prohibiting public gatherings and large-scale celebrations. The directive was delivered via a recorded message sent to thousands of bochurim in the chassidus’ yeshivos.

In the recording, the bochurim were informed that the yeshivos will not be organizing any official Purim activities this year, and that each individual should celebrate at home. They were specifically instructed to conduct themselves “without garatchke in the streets,” making clear that there should be no public revelry or commotion outdoors.

Additionally, the bochurim were asked not to dance in the streets, not to travel from city to city to attend festive meals, and not to arrange independent minyanim. Rather, they were directed to daven only in established shtieblach.

It was further clarified that bochurim may visit members of the yeshivah staff, but not in large groups, and that any seudah gatherings should take place only in small groups.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF has issued an evacuation notice to the Evin neighborhood of Tehran, located near the IRIB broadcasting building.

CENTCOM Update: Six U.S. service members have been killed in action. U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran’s initial attacks in the region.