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President Donald Trump ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday to immediately suspend all U.S. trade with Spain, sharply criticizing the country for what he described as its failure to meet NATO obligations and accusing Madrid of being an unreliable ally.

Trump announced the move during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the alliance’s summit in Ankara, Turkey. For years, Trump has made strengthening NATO’s military readiness a central objective, repeatedly pressing member nations to increase defense spending and restore the alliance’s ability to deter aggression.

In addition to declaring that the ceasefire arrangement with Iran had effectively collapsed because of Tehran’s conduct under the Memorandum of Understanding and criticizing Denmark over Iceland, Trump turned his attention to Spain, portraying it as one of NATO’s weakest contributors. He argued that the country’s socialist-led government had failed to adapt to the alliance’s new security priorities and remained unwilling to make meaningful defense investments.

Trump pointed to Spain’s continued refusal to embrace NATO’s new defense spending target of 5 percent of gross domestic product, instead insisting on adhering to the alliance’s former 2 percent benchmark. He also faulted Spain for declining to assist the United States during its confrontation with Iran. Turning from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who was seated beside him, Trump instructed, “we don’t have to trade with them, I don’t want to do any more trade with them… take it immediately, don’t even talk to them. They’re hopeless, bad people.”

Bessent responded simply, “yes sir,” prompting Trump to predict that Spain would eventually reverse course, saying he believed the country would “come running back.”

Explaining his decision, Trump argued that Spain has consistently failed to fulfill its responsibilities within the alliance. “Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don’t participate, they don’t pay… they’re open about it, they’re hostile”. He also claimed that Spanish officials had treated NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte “terribly.”

It remains unclear exactly how an American suspension of trade with Spain would be implemented. Trump has previously threatened economic measures against Madrid over defense spending, while European officials quickly dismissed the proposal, arguing that Washington lacks the authority to impose such restrictions and warning that any attempt to do so would also harm the United States.

A spokesman for the European Union urged Washington to “honour its commitments,” while Spanish officials maintained that, as a member of the European Union’s Single Market, Spain could not be singled out for an embargo. They also emphasized that they have “no intention” of changing anything about their relationship with the United States.

Spanish officials further argued that trade between the two countries benefits both sides, stating: “…the US has a trade surplus with Spain (meaning it benefits more from this relationship than we do)… the bilateral relationship between the US and Spain is beneficial for both countries”.

Although the United States exports more goods to Spain than it imports, that trade balance is influenced heavily by Spain’s growing purchases of American liquefied natural gas. Over the past year alone, Spain significantly increased its imports of U.S. LNG, with the United States now supplying roughly one-third of the country’s natural gas.

The article noted that Spain’s dependence on imported American energy has become more significant in light of recent concerns over the country’s energy infrastructure, including a widespread power outage that began in Spain and disrupted electricity service across a large section of Europe.

{Matzav.com}

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a nationwide initiative Tuesday urging hospitals to eliminate ultra-processed foods from their menus, expanding President Donald Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda by promoting better nutrition as a key component of patient care.

The new Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge asks hospitals to voluntarily replace heavily processed meals with more nutritious options that follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Administration officials say the effort is intended to improve patient recovery and reduce the risk of chronic illnesses through healthier eating.

“Patients recovering from serious medical conditions deserve better than ultra-processed and deep-fried junk foods,” Kennedy said in a statement. “President Trump has directed HHS to put real food at the center of American health.

“Today, we’re challenging hospitals across the country to lead by example by serving nutritious, minimally processed meals that help patients heal, reduce chronic disease, and help Make America Healthy Again.”

Under the voluntary pledge, hospitals are encouraged to reduce offerings of ultra-processed foods, sugary beverages, and processed meats while increasing the availability of whole grains, minimally processed proteins, and meals prepared using healthier methods such as baking, broiling, roasting, grilling, and stir-frying instead of deep frying.

The announcement represents the latest phase of Kennedy’s broader effort to reshape federal nutrition policy since assuming leadership of HHS. The department said improving the quality of hospital food can aid recovery while reinforcing the importance of nutrition in preventing disease.

As part of the campaign, HHS introduced a new nutrition-focused webpage that will serve as the central resource for Kennedy’s food and nutrition initiatives. The site includes the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, educational materials aimed at expanding nutrition training in medical schools, information about the Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge, and details on the department’s upcoming program, “The Real Food Show.”

The initiative is being carried out in partnership with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said hospitals should recognize nutrition as a fundamental element of quality medical care.

“When it comes to managing chronic disease, reducing co-morbidities like obesity, and shortening recovery times, a healthy diet can make all the difference,” Oz said in a statement. “I’m grateful to President Trump for his leadership in putting nutrition and prevention at the center of America’s health agenda.”

Oz added that hospitals should “nourish patients with the same commitment they bring to every other aspect of care.”

“That’s why we’re challenging hospitals to limit ultra-processed foods, feature nutritious meals that promote healing, and lead the way in delivering prevention-first, whole-person care,” he said.

The new campaign also builds on guidance issued by Oz in March reminding hospitals that Medicare regulations require facilities to meet the individual nutritional needs of every patient. CMS said hospital meals should be consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

{Matzav.com}

Yair Netanyahu, the son of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, has officially changed his name and is now registered with Israeli authorities as “Yonatan Han,” according to a report published Wednesday by Haaretz.

The newspaper reported that the change came to light through records maintained by the Israel Tax Authority, where the new name appears alongside Netanyahu’s identification number.

According to the report, tax withholding documents issued in December 2024 still identified him as Yair Netanyahu. However, documents issued this year list the same identification details under his new legal name instead.

Yair is not the first member of the Netanyahu family to adopt a different name. His younger brother, Avner Netanyahu, previously used a pseudonym when purchasing an apartment near London in 2022, registering the property with the British Land Registry under the name “Avi Avner Segal.”

The report noted that Yair’s new name carries significant family meaning. “Han” was the original surname of his maternal grandfather, Shmuel Ben Artzi, while “Yonatan” honors his paternal uncle, Yonatan Netanyahu, who was killed while leading the 1976 Entebbe hostage rescue mission.

{Matzav.com}

TEL AVIV – Senior Democratic Party figure Rahm Emanuel delivered a sharp rebuke of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during a speech at Tel Aviv University on Wednesday, warning that Israel’s relationship with the United States has reached what he described as a critical turning point. Emanuel argued that Israel’s current leadership has led the country into a diplomatic dead end and called for sweeping changes in both Israeli and American policy.

Emanuel, who served as White House chief of staff under President Barack Obama, represented Illinois in Congress, was mayor of Chicago, and later served as U.S. ambassador to Japan, is widely viewed as a potential Democratic presidential contender in 2028. Speaking as a guest of Tel Aviv University’s Center for the Study of the United States, he emphasized his longstanding personal connection to Israel while urging a major shift in Washington’s approach. Among his proposals were sanctions against individuals who harm Palestinians or support settlement expansion, changes to the structure of U.S. military aid, and opposition to any Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

Opening his remarks, Emanuel spoke about his family’s ties to Israel, noting that his father was born in Yerushalayim and fought in Israel’s War of Independence. He said he understands why many Israelis are skeptical of outside criticism, particularly after failed peace efforts and subsequent waves of terrorism.

Still, Emanuel insisted that Israel cannot shape its future solely through the lens of its past.

“I came from Chicago to say that things have to change if we are to continue this relationship. We are at a crossroads, and things cannot continue on the same path,” Emanuel said.

He added: “Netanyahu and his government have led Israel into a dead end.”

Emanuel argued that Israel’s global image has changed dramatically over the past five years.

“We cannot remain attached only to the past,” he said, contending that Israel has gone from being viewed as the “Start-Up Nation” to what he called “a modern Sparta.”

He further claimed that Israel has transformed “from a country offering technological solutions into a pariah state,” and urged Israelis to consider what that means for the nation’s future.

Emanuel also criticized Israel’s international standing, saying the world increasingly sees not only Palestinian casualties but also what he described as Israeli indifference to those images.

“The world sees that not only are Palestinians dying, but that Israelis are at peace with these images,” he said.

According to Emanuel, continued settlement construction, the prolonged war, and Israeli policy toward the Palestinians have weakened international support for Israel.

“You’ve lost Europe, your largest trade and research partner. Support for you in the United States is declining.”

While acknowledging Israel’s military accomplishments in recent conflicts, Emanuel argued that those victories have not translated into lasting diplomatic achievements.

“You are less secure today than you were before. Israel has failed to convert its military achievements into strategic achievements,” he said.

He added: “You have no plan for the day after in Gaza and Lebanon. Nasrallah, Sinwar, and Khamenei are dead, but Israel is more isolated than ever.”

Emanuel urged the United States to impose sanctions on Israelis who attack Palestinians, as well as on senior Israeli officials who support such violence. He also said companies involved in settlement construction should face sanctions.

“Netanyahu won’t like it, but it’s not the first time,” he remarked.

Emanuel also outlined what he called a “23-state solution,” envisioning a regional framework that would include Israel, the Palestinians, and 21 Arab nations.

He argued that a lasting peace cannot emerge solely from direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

“The Arabs must hold the Palestinians accountable and put them in their place. The two-state solution must become a 23-state solution, in which they roll up their sleeves, swallow their egos, recognize the historic connection of the Jewish people to this land, and stop encouraging violence and hatred against Israel,” he said.

Emanuel also criticized past Israeli policy toward Hamas.

“Israel must stop the cynical game of funding Hamas instead of funding partners for peace,” he said.

He argued that broader peace with the Arab world would dramatically strengthen Israel’s strategic position.

“If Israel makes peace with 21 Arab countries, it will be your sweetest dream and the Iranians’ worst nightmare,” he said.

Concluding his address, Emanuel said his criticism stemmed from concern for Israel’s future rather than hostility toward the country.

“I have spent 30 years defending Israel and have watched the window for peace grow smaller,” he said.

According to Emanuel, the obstacle is not the absence of a possible agreement but the fact that leaders on both sides “found that war is a more convenient solution than peace.”

He also took direct aim at Netanyahu, saying: “Hamas did what it did to prevent peace. Netanyahu, unfortunately, helped Hamas achieve that—not because of weakness, but because of his unwillingness to pursue an agreement for the day after.”

Looking ahead to Israel’s centennial in 2048, Emanuel urged Israelis to decide what kind of country they want to become.

“The Israel I believed in is an Israel that can make the desert bloom, but it is chaining itself,” he said.

He concluded: “In 22 years this country will be 100 years old. Will it be an Israel with more Nobel Prize winners, seen as the Start-Up Nation and contributing more to humanity than other countries? That is your choice.”

President Donald Trump declared that NATO has emerged stronger and more unified than ever following this week’s alliance summit in Turkey, crediting his leadership with driving a massive increase in allied defense spending, strengthening America’s global standing, and delivering a devastating blow to Iran through recent U.S. military operations.

Speaking after the summit, Trump thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for hosting what he described as an outstanding gathering of world leaders. Calling Erdoğan both “a great leader” and “a friend of mine for a long time,” Trump praised his leadership of Turkey.

“I want to thank President Erdoğan, who’s really a great man. He’s a great leader. He’s a friend of mine for a long time,” Trump said. “He’s done a fantastic job in Turkey.”

Trump also commended NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, describing him as “an extraordinary person” who has helped forge greater unity throughout the alliance.

Reflecting on the private meeting among NATO leaders, Trump said the atmosphere inside the room was remarkably positive.

“There was tremendous love in that room,” Trump said of the closed-door meeting with NATO leaders. “The press couldn’t see the speaking… every one of them spoke… They have a lot of good in their heart, not evil. They’re doing a great job for their country.”

Trump argued that NATO has been fundamentally transformed under his leadership by persuading member nations to dramatically increase their military budgets.

He noted that alliance members agreed last year to raise defense spending targets from 2 percent to 5 percent of gross domestic product, adding that nearly every country is now moving toward meeting that benchmark.

“Everybody said it was impossible, and now they’re all thanking me,” Trump said.

According to Trump, NATO nations boosted defense expenditures by nearly $150 billion during 2025, with much of that money being spent purchasing military equipment manufactured in the United States.

“We make the best equipment in the world,” he said. “The Patriots and the Tomahawks and everything we have is considered to be the best.”

Trump emphasized that the United States remains “by far the largest contributor to NATO” while investing a record $1 trillion in its own military this year. He added that he plans to seek $1.5 trillion in future defense funding.

The president also pointed to newly announced defense agreements reached during the summit, involving billions of dollars in investments tied to Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Anduril Industries.

“We’re pushing very hard to have the defense companies build more plants,” Trump said, predicting waiting times for key weapons systems could eventually shrink from years to just weeks.

Trump said his meetings with NATO leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and President Erdoğan reflected what he believes is renewed respect for the United States around the world.

“It was clear that America is back, and we’re stronger and bigger and better than ever before,” he said.

“We’re respected again like maybe never before.”

Returning repeatedly to the atmosphere inside the summit, Trump said unity was the defining theme of the gathering.

“If there’s one word that comes out of today, it’s unification,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

A significant portion of Trump’s remarks focused on Iran, where he defended recent American military strikes and insisted they had permanently eliminated Tehran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons.

“I was there for one reason-that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “We denuclearized Iran.”

“They will never have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump went on to claim that Iran’s armed forces had been virtually destroyed.

“They have no military left. Their air force is gone. Their ships are gone. One hundred fifty-nine ships are at the bottom of the sea. Their radar is gone. Everything’s gone.”

He also asserted that Iran’s deeply buried nuclear facilities had been rendered unusable.

“That stuff is so far down under a granite mountain that collapsed on top of it. It’ll take months to get it out.”

Trump warned that any effort by Iran to restore those facilities would prompt another military response.

“We’re watching that. If anybody goes there, they get blown up.”

Asked whether additional fighting could erupt, Trump said he believes any future conflict would be brief.

“I don’t think it’s going to start again,” he said. “Anything that happens is going to happen very fast.”

He added that the United States had responded decisively after Iran targeted commercial shipping.

“They hit a couple of ships and so we hit them much harder. When they hit, we hit ten times harder.”

Trump also argued that Iran’s economy has reached a dire state.

“They have 350% inflation,” he claimed. “They want to make a deal, but they don’t know how to make a deal.”

At another point, Trump described Iran’s leaders as “scum” and claimed they continue to target him personally.

“I’m number one on the kill list for Iran,” he said. “But I’m doing what’s right for the country.”

Turning to energy markets, Trump predicted oil prices would continue to decline despite instability in the Middle East.

“We have an oil glut right now,” he said. “Oil is coming down.”

He added that maintaining security in the Strait of Hormuz would further stabilize global energy supplies.

“Anything that happens is going to happen very fast and will only make it safer, including for oil.”

Trump also highlighted what he described as major domestic economic successes, arguing that tariffs have fueled an unprecedented surge in American manufacturing.

He said companies have committed more than $19 trillion in new investments in the United States and claimed the nation has reached its highest employment levels ever.

“There has never been anything like what’s happened with this country,” Trump said.

Citing investments by companies including Toyota, Eli Lilly, Merck, and several semiconductor manufacturers, Trump said tariffs have encouraged businesses to build factories inside the United States.

“If you build your product here, you pay no tariff.”

Discussing his meeting with Erdoğan, Trump described the conversation as “excellent” and indicated he is receptive to allowing Turkey to rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program.

“My inclination is to say, look, he’s done everything. He’s helped us in so many different ways.”

Trump praised Turkey as “the second most powerful country in NATO” and said relations between Washington and Ankara have improved significantly since he returned to office.

“It’s one of our best relationships.”

He also credited Erdoğan with honoring his request to stay out of the recent regional conflict.

“He stayed out of that war at my request,” Trump said. “He’s been a very good ally.”

Trump also spoke favorably about Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying the country has undergone a dramatic transformation under his leadership.

“He’s doing an unbelievable job in unifying Syria,” Trump said.

“Syria was a mess… and now it’s just come together. He’s done a fantastic job.”

Although Ukraine was not the central focus of his remarks, Trump confirmed that he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky during the summit.

Closing his remarks, Trump reiterated that NATO is now more unified than at any point he can remember and said alliance leaders expressed overwhelming appreciation for continued cooperation with the United States.

“There was tremendous unity in that room,” he concluded. “The love for our country-it was incredible.”

{Matzav.com}

A Wisconsin judge who was convicted of helping an illegal immigrant avoid federal immigration agents was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine but will not serve any prison time.

Judge Hannah Dugan had faced a potential sentence of up to five years in prison after being convicted in December on a felony obstruction of justice charge. Prosecutors said she helped Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national living in the United States illegally, leave through a rear exit of the courthouse in an effort to avoid waiting agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The events giving rise to the case occurred during the early months of President Trump’s nationwide campaign to intensify immigration enforcement and crack down on illegal immigration.

{Matzav.com}

Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hinted Wednesday evening that significant developments may be unfolding behind the scenes after revealing that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had been called back to the White House, forcing the cancellation of his planned visit to Israel. While Netanyahu declined to explain the reason, he suggested the sudden change could signal something far more consequential.

During an interview on Sharon Gal’s podcast, Basalon Shel Sharon, Netanyahu was asked about his anticipated meeting with Hegseth. “Apparently, apparently it’s not going to happen,” he replied calmly. Asked whether the defense secretary was no longer coming to Israel, Netanyahu confirmed, “He was called back home, to the White House.”

Gal noted that the canceled visit seemed disappointing, especially since the agenda was expected to include discussions on a possible sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, Iran, and other key security issues. Netanyahu smiled and responded, “Why do you think it’s disappointing? Maybe it means something else?”

After a brief pause, Gal pressed the prime minister to elaborate. Netanyahu refused, saying only, “No, I can’t tell you. There are several possibilities.”

Netanyahu said he learned of Hegseth’s sudden return to Washington only shortly before the interview while he was in the makeup room. When Gal sought confirmation that the defense secretary was indeed heading back to the U.S. capital, Netanyahu replied, “Yes, yes. That’s correct.”

Later in the interview, Netanyahu was asked whether Israelis should “refresh” their home bomb shelters in light of the latest developments. The prime minister answered bluntly, “Why do you need to refresh it? It should always be ready.”

According to Reuters, Hegseth had been scheduled to meet with both Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisroel Katz during what would have been his first official visit to Israel since taking office. Among the issues expected to be discussed were the possible sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and the rapidly evolving situation with Iran.

Although Netanyahu stopped short of issuing any specific warning or suggesting that Israeli military action was imminent, his decision to publicly disclose Hegseth’s abrupt recall, coupled with his smile and remark that the cancellation “maybe it means something else,” fueled speculation that the development carries greater significance than a routine scheduling change.

The comments came amid rapidly escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Following overnight exchanges of military strikes, President Donald Trump declared that the memorandum of understanding with Tehran was effectively dead and warned that American forces could launch another powerful round of attacks against Iran as soon as tonight.

At this point, it remains unclear whether Hegseth’s return to the White House is directly connected to possible military action against Iran, high-level security consultations in Washington, or another major development. Netanyahu chose not to reveal what he knows, but he also made no effort to dispel the impression that something significant is taking place behind closed doors.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration is moving forward with a major new border security initiative in West Texas, preparing to install 30-foot-tall border barriers, access roads, vehicle obstacles, and sophisticated surveillance systems near Big Bend National Park as part of its continuing effort to strengthen security along the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to the Washington Examiner, construction is scheduled to begin this month in sections of the Big Bend Sector. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said the project will feature what it describes as a “Smart Wall,” integrating steel fencing with cameras, sensors, and upgraded road infrastructure in strategically selected locations.

CBP said new border barriers are expected to be built in the Marfa and Van Horn areas, while other parts of the sector will rely largely on surveillance technology and the region’s rugged natural landscape to discourage illegal crossings.

The initiative builds upon approximately 450 miles of border wall constructed during President Trump’s first administration, a central component of his immigration policy designed to combat illegal immigration and the smuggling of narcotics across the southern border.

Agency officials said the project has been designed to improve border security while limiting its impact on the region’s environmentally sensitive terrain.

“CBP is not planning to construct a 30-foot-high barrier in Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, or the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area,” the agency said, adding that it will coordinate with park officials and use existing roads whenever possible.

The latest plans follow months of discussion over the most effective way to secure one of the most isolated and difficult-to-patrol sections of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Washington Examiner reported that large quantities of steel wall panels have already been delivered to staging areas near the park in anticipation of the upcoming construction.

Not everyone supports the project. Some area landowners, environmental organizations, and even Republican leaders have questioned whether additional fencing is necessary, arguing that the area’s harsh terrain already serves as a natural barrier and that surveillance technology alone should be enough.

Charlie Angell, a Redford, Texas, property owner and river guide, told the Examiner that the planned route could divide his land and interfere with access to the Rio Grande.

“My home, it’s my retirement, it’s my backyard,” Angell said, expressing concern about losing river access and the impact on his business.

CBP officials, however, insist that technology by itself cannot fully secure the border.

The agency said its strategy combines cameras, sensors, vehicle barriers, and targeted infrastructure upgrades to improve enforcement capabilities while reducing environmental impacts wherever feasible.

Federal officials are continuing to accept public comments on portions of the proposal through July 13.

Backers of the project say blending physical barriers with advanced monitoring technology will better deter illegal immigration and give Border Patrol agents greater visibility across one of the nation’s most remote border regions, despite continued objections from some local residents over the placement of the new infrastructure.

{Matzav.com}

The Midtown Manhattan high-rise that suddenly buckled during construction on Tuesday will likely require a partial demolition before it can be rebuilt, according to structural engineering experts, who say the first priority is preventing a potentially catastrophic collapse, the NY Post reports.

Before any demolition work can begin, crews must stabilize the 37-story former Pfizer headquarters at 235 East 42nd Street near Second Avenue. Engineers say immediate efforts are needed to reinforce the compromised structure and reduce the risk of a localized collapse.

Without prompt action, the damaged building presents a “significant danger” and “could collapse,” said Ronald Hamburger, a veteran structural engineer with more than 50 years of experience who also served on the federal investigative team following the World Trade Center disaster.

Hamburger explained that several columns that buckled during construction are now supporting only about one-third of the weight they were originally designed to carry, placing enormous strain on the surrounding beams and columns that remain intact.

To stabilize the tower, engineers will need to install temporary brackets beneath the damaged sections to redistribute the building’s weight and restore balance to the structure, Hamburger said.

He added that the failed columns themselves will ultimately have to be replaced, but that work cannot begin until engineers complete a thorough evaluation of the damage and finalize plans for replacement supports.

“It should be done rapidly, it can’t be done immediately,” he said. “Engineers are going to need to go in and assess just how far the damage has progressed.

“It should be possible to do the repair within a week, stabilizing it, then going about the structural repair,’’ he said.

Emily Guglielmo, a structural engineer and principal at Martin/Martin, cautioned that even entering the building to install temporary supports could be extremely dangerous.

“If it’s possible, in order to limit further evacuation life safety concerns, the quickest fix is to try to get that temporary bracing and shoring in there,” she said, adding it will be a “balancing act” of whether personnel can safely get inside to put supports in “or it’s just too risky of a situation.”

Before anyone enters the structure, engineers will compare the building’s current condition with its original design plans to determine whether it is safe to access and to identify what may have caused the structural failure.

Both experts agreed that portions of the building have suffered irreversible damage and will have to be torn down before reconstruction can begin.

“The images we have seen show … a buckled column, you can see cracking, you can see floors that are sagging, those generally are damage that is not reversible,” Guglielmo explained.

“It’s not like we can just push a cracked floor up and it can maintain its capacity, so there will absolutely be removal and replacement of some of these elements.”

The building, which is being converted from office space into what is expected to become New York City’s largest office-to-residential redevelopment with approximately 1,600 apartments, was evacuated Tuesday after construction workers noticed support columns on the 21st and 22nd floors bending and beginning to fail, according to the NYPD and FDNY.

Authorities quickly established a massive safety perimeter, shutting down nine city blocks as officials monitored the unstable structure.

Only construction workers were inside the building when the emergency unfolded. Everyone evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported.

The incident also renewed scrutiny of the project’s safety history. A review of Department of Buildings records, 311 complaints, and lawsuits filed by former workers shows the site had previously faced multiple safety-related concerns.

City records indicate the construction project was cited for seven violations between July and December 2025, resulting in fines totaling more than $32,000.

“This raises some flags,” Hamburger said when asked about the violations.

Sources told The Post that investigators believe Tuesday’s structural failure may be connected to the ongoing project to add 11 additional stories to the existing tower.

Hamburger said investigators are considering several possible causes, including the possibility that columns were subjected to loads far beyond what they had been designed to support because of unexpected weight added above the 21st floor.

Another possibility, he said, is that construction crews may have inadvertently damaged or removed structural components that had been helping support the columns that ultimately buckled.

“It’s hard to diagnose at this point in time, but it’s very likely that there were heavier loads placed on this column than it was anticipated to support,” Guglielmo said. “It’s likely that potentially the incorrect member size is there, whether by design or construction.

“Oftentimes when something as catastrophic as this happens, it’s a combination of a variety of factors,” she continued.

“Sometimes it doesn’t show itself immediately. It’s only when enough of the building has gone up, or enough loads have been added.”

{Matzav.com}

The funeral procession for Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, entered a new phase overnight when his coffin was flown from Iran to the Iraqi city of Najaf, where it was received during an official ceremony attended by senior Iraqi government officials and Shiite religious leaders.

Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike after serving as leader of the Islamic Republic for nearly four decades, arrived at Najaf International Airport, where Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and other senior officials formally welcomed the coffin.

Najaf was deliberately chosen as a stop on the funeral route because it is considered one of the holiest cities in Shiite Islam. Iranian officials included the city in the itinerary because of its deep religious significance.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also traveled to Iraq to lead Iran’s official delegation of mourners and participate in the ceremonies alongside political leaders and senior clerics. However, after the United States launched overnight strikes inside Iran, he abruptly cut short his visit and returned to Tehran to oversee the country’s response to the developing security situation.

Meanwhile, Iraqi authorities deployed large numbers of security personnel throughout Najaf as tens of thousands of mourners were expected to arrive. Thousands of pilgrims from Iraq and neighboring countries gathered to participate in funeral processions and memorial ceremonies taking place across the city.

According to the official schedule, Khamenei’s coffin will next be transported to the city of Karbala, another of Shiite Islam’s holiest sites. Once the ceremonies in Najaf and Karbala are completed, the coffin will be flown back to Iran, where Khamenei is expected to be buried in the city of Mashhad within the next several days.

{Matzav.com}

A heartbreaking tragedy struck the Monsey, New York, community this morning when 7-year-old Baila Weber was killed after being struck by a school bus on Blauvelt Road.

The accident occurred at approximately 9:00 a.m. Hatzalah of Rockland County paramedics and EMTs, officers from the Ramapo Police Department, Rockland Chaverim volunteers, and additional emergency personnel rushed to the scene.

First responders performed extensive life-saving measures and fought to save the young girl’s life. Despite their efforts, she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Baila was a daughter of Reb Yisroel Efraim and Esti Weber.

Following the tragedy, volunteers from Chesed Shel Emes, Misaskim, and Rockland Chaverim also responded to the scene to ensure proper kavod hameis and to assist the grieving family during their time of immense loss.

Levayah details have not yet been announced.

President Trump declared Wednesday that he considers the memorandum of understanding with Iran effectively finished after authorizing overnight U.S. airstrikes against 80 targets in Iran in retaliation for Tehran’s attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking publicly for the first time since ordering the military operation, Trump dismissed any interest in continuing negotiations with the Iranian regime. “I don’t like them at all. And frankly, I think we wasted a lot of time with them, I think we should just do our business,” Trump said.

Asked whether the preliminary peace agreement he signed with Iran at the Palace of Versailles in France on June 17 was now defunct, the president left little doubt about his position. “To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re scum.”

Trump continued his criticism of the Iranian leadership, saying, “They’re vicious, violent people… so far as I’m concerned, it’s over.”

He went on to argue that further diplomacy would accomplish nothing. “So far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them. They’re liars… They’re liars, they’re cheats, they’re sick people.”

The president added that while negotiations could technically continue, he had little confidence they would produce results. “Frankly, I don’t want to waste my time with them,” the president went on. “Now I’ll let our wonderful negotiators keep talking if they want, but I don’t see it.”

Financial markets reacted swiftly to Trump’s remarks. Brent crude oil surged by nearly $2 a barrel during early Wednesday trading before leveling off at roughly $76.50. U.S. stock futures also fell sharply ahead of the opening bell, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping nearly 600 points and the S&P 500 declining by almost 1%.

Iran responded defiantly, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf insisting that Tehran would not be intimidated. In a statement released Wednesday morning, he declared, “the era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don’t fold.”

The 14-point memorandum of understanding had established a 60-day period to restore normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while both sides worked toward a permanent agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear program—whose dismantling was President Trump’s principal objective—as well as possible sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets.

That framework unraveled after Iran launched attacks on three commercial ships in the strategic waterway on Monday and Tuesday, following its demand that international vessels travel only along a sea lane approved by Tehran instead of the route favored by the United States and its allies near Oman.

While tensions over the Strait of Hormuz had flared repeatedly since the agreement was signed, Wednesday’s U.S. response marked a significant escalation. Trump also made the dispute personal by pointing to alleged Iranian plots targeting his life.

“They want to take out the US leader, me. I’m on every list,” he said.

Trump continued, “I saw a thing this morning, I’m on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I’ve been a little bit lucky. But that maybe doesn’t last very long.”

Concluding his remarks, the president said, “These are evil, sick people and we have to rid their cancer.”

Iran has increasingly sought to tighten its control over the Strait of Hormuz, including by attempting to impose transit fees on commercial shipping through the vital waterway, which carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil exports each year.

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Wednesday that it had carried out a sweeping missile and drone assault against 85 U.S. military bases and installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, saying the operation was in direct retaliation for American airstrikes conducted overnight inside Iran.

According to a statement published by Iranian state media, the IRGC said its naval and aerospace units launched the coordinated attack after accusing the United States of breaching a ceasefire. The announcement came after U.S. forces reportedly struck 80 targets across Iranian territory overnight, an action Tehran characterized as a “decisive response.”

The IRGC also asserted that its air defense systems successfully downed an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over southern Iran, calling the incident part of its response to what it described as ongoing U.S. military activity over the Gulf. In a separate report, Iranian state media said one member of the IRGC Navy was killed in an attack allegedly carried out by “enemy drones.”

Mohsen Rezaei, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, claimed that President Trump is preparing for additional military action against Iran. “We believe the United States intends to resume its military operations, but we are prepared for all scenarios,” Rezaei said in remarks carried by Iranian media.

The latest escalation has fueled growing anxiety throughout the Gulf region. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, said Iran’s attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, along with repeated strikes directed at Bahrain and Kuwait, showed that Tehran was not genuinely seeking to reduce tensions.

Writing on X, Gargash said countries across the region “cannot remain targets of Iran’s wavering between the logic of escalation and the path of reason, stability and peace,” adding that Iran’s recent actions had severely damaged prospects for ending the conflict.

At the same time, Iran’s Foreign Ministry argued that alleged violations of agreements regulating maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, combined with ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon, had effectively rendered the interim agreement meaningless.

{Matzav.com}

A wave of outrage has erupted in Austria after authorities approved plans to build a massive logistics center and a Lidl supermarket on the site of the former Hirtenberg women’s concentration camp, one of the country’s largest Nazi camps for female prisoners during World War II.

The controversial project received approval from Austria’s Federal Monuments Office, which ruled that the remaining walls of the former camp do not qualify for designation as a protected historic site. The decision has sparked widespread public criticism and has been described by Austrian media as a “major scandal.”

At the center of the controversy is Andreas Ramharter, the mayor of Leobersdorf, a town located about 40 minutes south of Vienna, who is reportedly set to profit substantially from the project.

According to reports, a company owned by Ramharter sold the property to an investor for more than €15 million.

After the municipal council, which he leads, approved rezoning the land for commercial use, Ramharter reportedly received an additional €1.34 million.

He also secured exclusive rights to install solar panels on the roof of the future complex, a move expected to generate ongoing income for years to come.

The planned development includes a sprawling industrial facility designed to serve as a refrigerated warehouse and logistics center, complete with loading docks, freezer facilities, and shipping infrastructure for food distribution companies. A branch of the German discount supermarket chain Lidl is also slated to be built on the site.

Beyond concerns over preserving Holocaust history, the project has also drawn opposition from local political leaders. Current plans call for traffic changes that would route approximately 1,200 trucks each day through the former concentration camp grounds, raising fears of severe congestion and transportation problems throughout the surrounding area.

Jewish leaders and Holocaust memorial officials have sharply condemned the decision.

Oskar Deutsch, president of the Jewish Community of Vienna, said, “To profit from the memory of tortured women who were murdered is a disgrace. This dark chapter of our history cannot simply be covered over with a shopping center.”

Barbara Glück, director of the Mauthausen Memorial, also denounced the plan, saying, “It is a shame and a disgrace to destroy the remains of a concentration camp in this way.”

For months, local activists campaigned to preserve the site and establish even a modest memorial honoring the victims who suffered there. Their appeals, however, were ultimately rejected.

The Hirtenberg concentration camp operated during the final years of World War II as a satellite camp of the Mauthausen concentration camp. Approximately 400 women, many of them deported from Auschwitz, were imprisoned there.

The prisoners were forced to work 12-hour shifts in a nearby weapons factory under brutal and inhumane conditions. The youngest inmate held at the camp was just 16 years old.

Lidl declined to confirm its involvement in the project but stopped short of denying the reports.

“We are always looking for new and attractive locations to further improve our local offering, and that includes the Leobersdorf area. However, at this stage we cannot provide details about a potential project,” the company said.

[Video below.] Prosecutors unveiled new surveillance footage Tuesday that they say meticulously tracks the movements of Tyler Robinson across the Utah Valley University campus in the hours before and after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as the accused gunman faces a hearing to determine whether he will stand trial.

The evidence was presented during a preliminary hearing in Provo, Utah, where prosecutors laid out what they described as a detailed timeline of Robinson’s actions on the day of the killing.

Investigators testified that Robinson approached members of Turning Point USA—the organization founded by Kirk—hours before the shooting. They also revealed that, shortly after the attack, Robinson had a brief encounter with a police officer who had been assigned to provide extra security on campus.

Robinson, 23, has been charged with aggravated murder, a charge that carries the possibility of the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea.

Among the most significant evidence presented Tuesday was surveillance footage showing a gray Dodge Challenger approaching an intersection less than a half-mile from the crime scene while police were searching for the gunman on the evening of Sept. 10.

According to Sgt. David Hull of the Utah Department of Public Safety, who led the investigation while serving with the State Bureau of Investigation, the driver of the vehicle was Robinson. The footage showed the car attempting to turn onto campus before pulling away after the driver briefly spoke with a police officer directing traffic.

Hull testified that the officer recorded the vehicle’s license plate after the encounter, apparently relying on what he described as his “cop intuition.”

Although investigators do not know exactly what was said during the conversation, the officer later identified the driver as Robinson, and records confirmed the vehicle was registered in his name.

Roughly 22 hours later, Robinson surrendered to police after being persuaded to do so by his parents and a family friend.

Prosecutors also reconstructed Robinson’s movements throughout the day, arguing that surveillance footage demonstrates careful planning leading up to the shooting.

Video shown in court depicted a man wearing gray shorts, a red T-shirt, and a backpack arriving at a campus parking garage at approximately 8:30 a.m. He was later seen walking throughout the campus and stopping for lunch at a Chick-fil-A.

Prosecutors identified the man as Robinson, arguing that his seemingly ordinary appearance concealed a plan to assassinate Kirk.

Hull testified that Robinson visited the amphitheater where Kirk had been scheduled to speak and also interacted with representatives of Turning Point USA before leaving the campus.

According to investigators, Robinson later returned on foot wearing jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt. Hull testified that Robinson walked with a noticeable limp, suggesting he may have been concealing a firearm beneath his clothing.

Additional surveillance footage introduced in court showed a person investigators identified as Robinson moving across the gravel-covered roof of a campus building before lying down in what prosecutors described as a sniper position moments before the fatal shooting.

The footage then showed the individual moving to the opposite side of the roof while apparently carrying a long object before jumping to the ground and fleeing into a wooded area bordering a nearby neighborhood.

Prosecutors also presented forensic evidence they say further ties Robinson to the crime.

An FBI laboratory report concluded that Robinson’s DNA was found on a towel wrapped around a rifle recovered in the wooded area near the university.

The report also stated that Robinson’s DNA was discovered on a screwdriver left on the rooftop from which prosecutors allege the shots were fired. Investigators have not yet explained how the screwdriver was used.

Defense attorneys vigorously challenged the DNA evidence, calling FBI forensic analyst Amanda Bakker to testify and questioning her extensively about the laboratory’s testing methods and conclusions.

Bakker was the fourth witness to testify during the hearing, which is scheduled to continue this afternoon.

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It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Rav Tuvia Blau zt”l, one of Chabad’s senior rabbinic figures in Eretz Yisroel and longtime rav of the Chabad community in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood of Yerushalayim. Rav Blau was 90 years old.

His petirah comes just a few weeks after the passing of his wife, Rebbetzin Chana Frumit Blau a”h, who was niftar on 2 Tammuz after both had been hospitalized in serious condition.

Rav Blau was born in Yerushalayim in 1936 to Reb Boruch Yehudah Blau z”l, a prominent leader of the Yerushalayim branch of Poalei Agudas Yisroel (PAGI). His grandfather was the legendary Agudas Yisroel leader Rav Moshe Blau zt”l, with whom the young Tuvia shared a particularly close relationship. As a youth, he learned with his grandfather regularly and often accompanied him on his public activities.

He received his Torah education in the renowned Eitz Chaim Talmud Torah and Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, where he was considered one of the yeshiva’s outstanding talmidim. During those years he developed a deep attachment to the teachings of Chassidus and became devoted to Chabad and to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, remaining a deeply connected chossid throughout his life.

In 1966, Rav Yisrael Leibov z”l, then chairman of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad in Eretz Yisroel, appointed Rav Blau as director-general of the organization’s activities division. He served in that role for more than two decades, until 1987, overseeing numerous nationwide educational and outreach initiatives and playing a major role in spreading Chassidus throughout Israel.

Rav Blau enjoyed an especially close relationship with the Lubavitcher Rebbe. In 1972, during celebrations marking the Rebbe’s 70th birthday, he was personally selected by the Rebbe to serve on the prestigious “Committee of Seventy Institutions,” which was established to help create dozens of new Torah and educational institutions around the world.

Perhaps his greatest contribution came in the field of education. In 1975, Rav Blau was appointed director of the renowned Beis Chana Seminary for Girls in Yerushalayim, a position he held for more than 40 years. Under his leadership, thousands of students passed through the institution, many of whom went on to become mothers, educators, and community leaders. Former talmidos regarded him as both a spiritual mentor and a steadfast guide in Torah, emunah, and Chassidus.

Alongside his educational work, Rav Blau earned a reputation as one of Chabad’s foremost writers and thinkers. Known for his sharp intellect and powerful pen, he became a leading defender of Chabad philosophy and Torah values. When the official Chabad weekly Kfar Chabad was founded in 1980, he joined its original editorial board and spent the following decade writing hundreds of essays and opinion pieces that helped shape the movement’s public voice.

For many decades, Rav Blau also served as the spiritual leader of the Chabad community in Neve Yaakov, where he established Torah classes, provided halachic guidance, strengthened community life, and became a trusted address for countless people seeking advice and encouragement.

In recent months, his health deteriorated and he was hospitalized as Chassidim around the world davened fervently for his recovery. This morning, he was niftar, leaving behind a tremendous void in both the broader Torah world and the Chabad community.

Rav Blau is survived by a distinguished family dedicated to Torah, chinuch, and Chabad shlichus. Among them are his son, Rav Peretz Uriel Blau, a member of the administration of Beis Chana Seminary in Yerushalayim; his son-in-law Rav Mordechai Menashe Laufer, an author and one of the shluchim in Ashdod; and another son-in-law, veteran educator Rav Aharon Halperin of Kfar Chabad.

The levayah will take place at 2:00 p.m., departing from the Shamgar Funeral Home in Yerushalayim and proceeding to the Chabad section of Har HaZeisim, where Rav Blau will be laid to rest beside his wife.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu strongly criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday after the mayor said he could not support Israel because he believes the country gives preferential treatment to Jews over followers of other religions.

Appearing on CNN’s Inside Politics with Dana Bash, Netanyahu rejected Mamdani’s characterization of Israel and defended the country’s democratic system.

“He conveniently forgets that the only democracy in the Middle East is Israel. Twenty percent of our citizens are in fact Muslims. … but they sit on the Supreme Court. They’re in the Knesset, our parliament. They share every walk of life,” Netanyahu said.

The exchange follows remarks Mamdani made last month, when he said he supports Israel’s existence only if it guarantees equal rights to all citizens regardless of religion.

“I think any state that privileges one religion over the other is one that I can’t tell you I support, whether it be Israel or Saudi Arabia or anywhere else,” Mamdani, who is Muslim, said during an interview on ABC News’ This Week.

According to the Pew Research Center, Jews comprised approximately 77% of Israel’s population as of 2020, while Muslims accounted for 14.7% and Christians represented 1.9%.

Although Israeli law provides equal legal rights to all citizens, several international human rights organizations have argued that disparities continue to exist between Jewish and non-Jewish Israelis.

A 2025 report by Freedom House stated that, “long-term discrimination against Arab and other ethnic and religious minorities has resulted in systemic disparities in areas including criminal justice, local government budgets, education, and economic opportunity.”

The report also said, “Although the law protects the religious sites of non-Jewish groups, they face discrimination in the allocation of state resources as well as persistent cases of vandalism or harassment by Jewish extremists.”

Mamdani has repeatedly criticized Israel’s military operations in Judea and Samaria and Gaza. During last year’s mayoral campaign, he also said that if Netanyahu were to visit New York City, he would instruct the NYPD to arrest the Israeli prime minister under an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court alleging war crimes.

According to an October report by Brown University’s Cost of War project, more than 10% of Gaza’s population was either killed or seriously wounded during Israel’s military campaign against Hamas between October 7, 2023, and October 3, 2025.

Netanyahu dismissed Mamdani’s criticism, insisting that Israel remains the only nation in the Middle East that provides the equal rights the mayor claims to support.

“His supporters have supported Hamas, these people who murder people, who beheaded our men, who raped our women, and then murdered them, burned babies alive and so on,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister also acknowledged that no democratic system is flawless but argued that Israel should not be singled out.

“This is not mere cynicism,” the prime minister later added. “I mean, it’s ridiculous. It’s absurd. There are always imperfect democracies. Israel is an imperfect democracy. The United States is an imperfect democracy.”

Earlier this year, Mamdani publicly condemned pro-Hamas demonstrators who gathered outside a synagogue in Queens, New York.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel’s military campaign against Iran was launched because the Islamic Republic was dangerously close to obtaining nuclear weapons, while also warning that providing advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey would threaten regional stability.

Speaking during an appearance on Newsmax’s The Record With Greta Van Susteren, Netanyahu said Iran’s nuclear program had reached a critical stage that left Israel with little choice but to act.

“We pushed that immediate threat away. We destroyed a lot of their infrastructure, a lot of their centrifuges, a lot of the associated factories and facilities that they use for manufacturing nuclear weapons,” the prime minister said.

Netanyahu also highlighted Israel’s efforts to cripple Iran’s nuclear program by targeting the scientists leading it.

“We knocked out 20 of their top nuclear scientists – 20 of their top nuclear scientists. So we pushed it back considerably.”

Even so, he cautioned that while Iran’s immediate capabilities have been significantly degraded, the regime’s determination to acquire nuclear weapons has not disappeared.

“It’s like when you excise a lump of cancer from your body, you know it may come back. But you know one thing: If you wouldn’t do it, you could die,” he remarked. “And Israel was obviously placed with an existential threat. And America was threatened with a very great danger.”

Netanyahu warned that a regime whose supporters openly chant “death to America” cannot be allowed to possess intercontinental ballistic missiles, especially if those missiles could eventually carry nuclear warheads, saying such a development would endanger “every single American.”

The prime minister also expressed strong opposition to reports that the United States is considering supplying Turkey with F-35 stealth fighter jets.

“I think it’s a mistake,” Netanyahu stated to Newsmax.

He pointed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s policies toward Greece, Turkey’s continued control of northern Cyprus, and repeated hostile rhetoric directed at Israel.

“His number two a few days ago said the Jewish state has no place among the nations,” Netanyahu added. “If this regime that often condemns America and often attacks America verbally should have the weapons like the F-35, I think it will greatly destabilize the region.”

Despite disagreeing with President Donald Trump on that issue, Netanyahu emphasized that the relationship between the two leaders remains exceptionally close.

He noted that Trump has “said it couldn’t be better.”

“But as you say, friends can have agreements and disagreements,” he acknowledged. “We agree on just about everything, but there are areas of disagreement. I just mentioned one of them, which is providing F-35s to Turkey.”

Netanyahu said the strength of the U.S.-Israel alliance allows both leaders to speak candidly with one another.

“I feel confident enough in our friendship, in our alliance, that I can tell him what I think is important for the interests of protecting Israel,” he explained. “And he tells me what he thinks is important for the interests of the United States. This is a real friendship, a real alliance.”

Turning to the war in Gaza, Netanyahu said Israel and the United States remain united in rejecting any arrangement that would leave Hamas in power.

“They don’t want to disarm, and they certainly don’t want Gaza to be demilitarized. They just want to continue tyrannizing the Gaza population there and launching terrorist raids into Israel,” he observed. “They can’t do that right now because we’re enveloping them with our brave soldiers.”

Netanyahu concluded the interview by praising the United States for what he described as its historic role in defending freedom around the world.

“The United States of America has been the sentinel of security and peace and freedom,” he declared. “And if it weren’t for the United States, Nazism could have won. Stalinism could have won,” he said, adding, “And we would have entered into a dark age for God knows how many hundreds of years.”

He closed by expressing Israel’s appreciation for America’s longstanding support.

“The United States has been the guardian of freedom, and we in Israel, a free democratic country, we salute the United States.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is expected to make his first official visit to Israel on Wednesday, according to multiple sources familiar with his travel plans. The trip comes at a sensitive moment, although it remains unclear whether overnight U.S. military strikes inside Iran will affect the schedule.

During his visit, Hegseth is expected to meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisroel Katz for high-level discussions, one source told CNN.

One of the central issues expected to dominate the meetings is Israel’s concern over reports that the United States may move forward with a deal to provide Turkey with advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets. President Donald Trump raised the possibility during the NATO summit currently taking place in Ankara, prompting unease in Yerushalayim.

Hegseth had previously planned to travel to Israel in May 2025 but canceled that visit. He last visited the country in 2018, before entering government service, while working as a journalist.

News of the planned trip comes just hours after Netanyahu sharply criticized Turkey’s leadership during an interview with CNN on Tuesday.

The prime minister said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is “not exactly a model ally of the United States.”

Netanyahu also warned that Erdoğan “threatens to destroy my country, the one and only Jewish state.”

Israel is currently the only country in the Middle East operating the F-35, widely regarded as America’s most advanced fighter aircraft.

According to a U.S. official familiar with the travel plans, Hegseth—who accompanied President Trump to the NATO summit in Turkey—is expected to break away from the president’s delegation on Wednesday to continue on to Israel.

Neither the White House nor the Pentagon publicly confirmed the visit. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while the Pentagon declined to discuss the reported itinerary.

{Matzav.com}