Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly ridiculed President Donald Trump and warned that American military forces could be struck down, escalating rhetoric as U.S. and Iranian representatives met in Geneva to discuss Tehran’s nuclear program and mounting tensions between the two nations.
The 86-year-old cleric’s comments came against the backdrop of an increased U.S. naval presence in the region and renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at addressing Iran’s nuclear activities and broader hostilities.
“The U.S. President says their army is the world’s strongest, but the strongest army in the world can sometimes be slapped so hard it cannot get up,” Khamenei said, according to remarks carried by Iranian media.
Khamenei, whose regime faced widespread condemnation following a sweeping crackdown on nationwide protests last month that human rights organizations say left at least 7,000 people dead, also issued a warning about American naval forces through his English-language X account.
“The Americans constantly say that they’ve sent a warship toward Iran,” Khamenei’s team posted on his English X account. “Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware. However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.”
At the same time, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard launched military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, underscoring the growing friction with Washington in a region critical to global energy supplies.
Trump has declined to rule out military action against Iran’s ruling establishment, and the recent buildup of American forces in the area mirrors the deployment he assembled near Venezuela prior to the Jan. 3 raid that resulted in the capture of strongman Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
“It seems like that would be the best thing that could happen,” Trump told reporters Friday when asked about the prospect of regime change in Iran.
When questioned about whether the United States might once again strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, Trump responded, “If we do it, that would be the least of the mission.”
The exchange of threats and sharp rhetoric highlights the fragile moment between diplomacy and confrontation, as negotiations move forward even while both sides signal their readiness for escalation.
For decades, regulations required citizens of Israel – including those who also held another nationality – to use an Israeli passport when entering or leaving the country.
When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted government services worldwide, passport offices and Israeli missions abroad operated at limited capacity or were closed altogether. This created significant challenges for many citizens who were unable to obtain or renew Israeli travel documents. In response, the Interior Ministry introduced a temporary policy allowing dual citizens to travel using their non-Israeli passports. Since then, the arrangement has been renewed repeatedly due to ongoing demand and practical need, most recently in December 2025.
Chaim V’Chessed has actively lobbied on behalf of the community to help ensure the continuation of this important exception.
The Interior Ministry has now announced that this accommodation will remain in place through September 30, 2026. Dual citizens will therefore continue to be permitted to enter and depart Israel using a valid foreign passport during this period.
Chaim V’Chessed will continue to share updates with the community on travel rules, requirements, and any changes as they occur.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump declared Monday that Washington will not pay a single cent beyond the approved budget for the massive Gateway rail tunnel linking New York and New Jersey, warning that taxpayers will not absorb any unexpected cost increases tied to the multibillion-dollar project.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticized the $16 billion effort to build new rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River, describing it as a potential financial debacle and cautioning that it could mirror the ballooning expenses associated with California’s high-speed rail project.
“I am opposed to the future boondoggle known as ‘Gateway,’ in New York/New Jersey, because it will cost many BILLIONS OF DOLLARS more than projected or anticipated,” Trump wrote. “Under no circumstances, will the Federal Government be responsible for ANY COST OVERRUNS — NOT ONE DOLLAR!”
Trump indicated that federal officials are open to discussions with leaders from New York and New Jersey to ensure the project proceeds with tighter oversight and better preparation. However, he emphasized that federal taxpayers will not shoulder expenses that exceed the authorized amount, stressing that “hard work and proper planning is done, NOW.”
The Gateway initiative is widely viewed as one of the most consequential infrastructure undertakings in the country. It calls for constructing two additional rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River, a vital transit corridor used by roughly 200,000 commuters each day traveling between the two states.
Lawmakers have approved $16 billion for the undertaking, with the federal government committing more than $11 billion of that total.
Funding for the project was placed on hold for over four months while the administration reviewed contracts to ensure they complied with updated regulatory requirements.
Reports from The New York Times and Politico indicated that approximately $205 million in reimbursements were withheld during that period, prompting a halt in certain construction activities and leading to the temporary layoff of about 1,000 union laborers.
After a federal court intervened last week, the administration resumed disbursing funds, transferring $30 million to the Gateway Development Commission. Additional payments are expected in the coming weeks. Transportation Department officials have said they are acting in accordance with the court’s order.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, both Democrats, sharply criticized the funding interruption and called for the immediate and complete restoration of federal support.
Attorneys general from New York and New Jersey filed suit against the administration, contending that the funding suspension negatively affected workers and delayed essential progress on the project.
Trump cast his position as a matter of prudent budgeting, citing what he described as California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “Railroad to nowhere” as an example of runaway costs and poor management that he said must not be repeated.
He also rejected claims that he had sought to tie federal funding to renaming Penn Station in his honor, calling those reports “FAKE NEWS” and asserting that the suggestion came from others, not from him.
The dispute highlights ongoing friction between the federal government and Democrat-led states over infrastructure spending, regulatory oversight, and fiscal controls.
Although construction work remains limited while full reimbursement is pending, Trump’s message was clear: the federal government is prepared to back major infrastructure improvements, but it will not provide unlimited financial guarantees.
With billions of taxpayer dollars involved, the Gateway project has emerged as a focal point in the administration’s effort to curb what it considers excessive spending while still moving forward with critical national infrastructure investments.
Three Israeli tourists were violently attacked overnight between Monday and Tuesday on the Thai island of Ko Samui in what their family says was an antisemitic assault. The victims were reportedly beaten without provocation by a group of men described as having Arabic accents.
The sister of one of the injured men, speaking to N12, described the severity of the attack. “He broke ribs, teeth, and a vertebra. Efforts are being made with the embassy and insurance company to fly him back to Israel as fast as possible.”
The victim, an Israeli in his twenties who had traveled to Thailand with friends for a vacation, managed to reach his mother during the ordeal. According to his sister, he initiated a video call while trying to escape through a rear exit. “He ran toward the exit. There were security guards who joined the attack and beat them without reason. My mother saw everything.”
She said that two Israeli women who witnessed the assault stepped in to help, alerted authorities, and have remained by the victims’ side at the hospital. “They are angels, we are in contact with them, and they are helping my brother and his friend in the hospital. In addition, they helped them go to the police station to submit a report as they were asked.”
The sister emphasized that the attackers targeted the group after hearing them speak Hebrew. “We do not doubt that it was antisemitic. The assailants also yelled that they would murder them, ‘Itbah al-Yehud’ (kill the Jew), ‘You’re IDF,’ and expletives.”
{Matzav.com}