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U.S. Secretary of State Rubio’s visit to Israel has been rescheduled for next Monday, after initially being planned for this weekend.

U.S. Embassy in Lebanon Evacuates Dozens of Staff Amid Rising Regional Tensions

A fresh round of negotiations between the United States and Iran is scheduled for Thursday in Geneva, Oman’s foreign minister announced Sunday, shortly after Iran’s chief diplomat indicated he anticipated meeting U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff at that time.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi confirmed the development in a social media post, saying he was pleased to announce it was moving ahead “with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalizing the deal.” Oman has played a mediating role in the indirect discussions over Iran’s nuclear program and helped facilitate the most recent session held in Geneva last week.

The White House did not immediately respond to the announcement.

In an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there was still a “good chance” of reaching a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear dispute and emphasized that the talks are focused solely on that issue.

The Trump administration has sought significant concessions from Tehran and has expanded the American military footprint in the Middle East to levels not seen in decades.

President Donald Trump cautioned Friday that limited military action against Iran remains an option, even as Araghchi said at the time that Tehran expected to present a draft agreement within days.

Speaking to CBS, Araghchi stated that Iran was continuing to prepare its proposal and reiterated that the country maintains a right to enrich uranium. He also noted that during the latest talks on Friday, U.S. representatives had not demanded zero enrichment, a position that differs from statements American officials have made publicly.

Both sides have indicated they are ready for military confrontation should diplomacy collapse over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Shortly after Oman confirmed the upcoming talks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on social media that “recent negotiations involved the exchange of practical proposals and yielded encouraging signals. However, we continue to closely monitor U.S. actions and have made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario.”

Washington has maintained that Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons or even retain the capacity to produce them, and has insisted that uranium enrichment cannot continue. Iranian officials have consistently argued that negotiations should address only the nuclear file and have claimed that enrichment activities ceased following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June.

Although Tehran asserts that its nuclear efforts are for civilian purposes, the United States and other governments believe the program could ultimately be directed toward weapons development.

Diplomatic efforts have remained stalled for years after Trump withdrew the United States in 2018 from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. Since that withdrawal, Tehran has declined to engage on broader American and Israeli demands that it curb its missile program and end support for armed proxy groups.

News of the renewed talks comes amid fresh unrest inside Iran. Witnesses reported new anti-government demonstrations as university students in Tehran and another city gathered near memorials honoring thousands killed during a crackdown on nationwide protests roughly six weeks ago.

{Matzav.com}

Iran has quietly finalized a €500 million weapons agreement with Russia to obtain thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles, part of a broader push to restore its air-defense network after it was badly damaged during last June’s war with Israel, The Financial Times reported Sunday.

According to the report, the deal was concluded in Moscow in December and calls for Russia to supply 500 Verba launchers along with 2,500 9M336 missiles over a three-year period. The Verba platform is considered one of Russia’s more sophisticated short-range air-defense systems and is designed to intercept cruise missiles, low-altitude aircraft, and drones.

The Verba is a portable, infrared-guided missile system that can be operated by small, mobile units, enabling forces to deploy scattered defensive positions without depending on fixed radar sites that could be targeted. Leaked documents cited in the report indicate that deliveries are expected to begin in 2027, though some units may arrive earlier.

Tehran reportedly sought the systems in July, shortly after the 12-day confrontation with Israel, during which Iran’s integrated air-defense array was significantly weakened. The damage allowed Israel’s air force to achieve air superiority across wide areas of Iranian territory. Efforts to restore that infrastructure have faced difficulties, leading Iran to turn to Moscow for support.

Analysts view the agreement as an attempt by Russia to reinforce its relationship with Iran following criticism that Moscow did little to assist Tehran during the conflict. A former senior US official suggested that Russia could be looking to repair ties in order to preserve Iran as an important regional partner, despite its inaction during the fighting.

Military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran has deepened in recent years as both governments contend with mounting Western pressure tied to their regional policies and broader geopolitical positions.

In April, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the visit, Araghchi delivered a message from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei emphasizing the importance of closer ties between the two countries.

Shortly afterward, Putin signed legislation passed by Russia’s parliament aimed at expanding cooperation between Moscow and Tehran in multiple areas, including security and defense.

Iran has also been pursuing the purchase of advanced Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia, though Iranian officials have expressed dissatisfaction with delays in completing that transaction.

{Matzav.com}

Lee Goldberg with the latest on the blizzard still raging across the Tri-State Area.

The forecasts called for major snow — and they were right on target. More than a foot of snow has already fallen in parts of New York City, with even higher totals on Long Island and along the Jersey Shore. Snowfall rates peaked at up to 3–4 inches per hour, with wind gusts topping 50 […]

In an escalation in the struggle against Israel’s corrupt judicial system, Prof. Moshe Cohen-Eliya, one of Israel’s leading critics of what he calls the “judicial system’s tyranny,” has launched an initiative to ask U.S. President Donald Trump to impose personal sanctions on Supreme Court Justice Yitzchak Amit and the dismissed Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara. Cohen-Eliya […]

North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party has reaffirmed Kim Jong Un as its general secretary during a party congress session on Sunday, according to state media, reinforcing his unchallenged authority and signaling what observers describe as heightened confidence in the country’s internal stability.

The Korean Central News Agency reported Monday that Kim was credited with elevating the nation’s standing and strengthening its global position in pursuit of what it described as a revolutionary mission. The state outlet also praised his efforts to transform the armed forces “into an elite and powerful army.”

State media further emphasized advances in Pyongyang’s military capabilities, declaring that under Kim’s leadership, “the war deterrence of the country with the nuclear forces as its pivot has been radically improved,” KCNA said in the laudatory report of the fourth day of the congress’ proceedings.

Outside analysts interpreted the move as a signal that Kim views his grip on power as secure. “The reaffirmation of his authority amounts to a declaration that Kim Jong Un has ended the regime’s ‘crisis management mode’ and entered a phase of confident, stable long term rule,” Lim Eul-chul, an expert on North Korea at Kyungnam University, said.

In addition to confirming Kim’s position, delegates selected members of the party’s Central Committee and approved amendments to party regulations, KCNA reported. While the agency did not outline the substance of the rule changes, it noted shifts in committee membership that appeared to sideline several veteran figures.

Among those reportedly removed from key roles were former Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong, Supreme People’s Assembly Standing Committee Chairman Choe Ryong Hae, and senior military official Ri Pyong Chol, a development analysts described as a possible reshuffling of longstanding leadership figures.

Kim’s teenage daughter, Ju Ae, who has appeared alongside him at public events in recent years and has been the subject of succession speculation, has not been seen at the congress thus far.

The ninth party congress, which typically convenes every five years and runs for several days, began Thursday with approximately 5,000 delegates in attendance. South Korean officials are closely monitoring the gathering for signs of shifts in domestic or foreign policy.

So far, however, the sessions have centered largely on claims of economic recovery and achievements attributed to party leadership, with no major new policy initiatives publicly unveiled.

{Matzav.com}

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Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps military commanders have been holding meetings in hospitals in recent days, a medical staff member in a hospital in Tehran told Iran International. “The presence of these individuals, along with their protection units, has alarmed staff because the meetings had nothing to do with medical matters,” a hospital employee said. Similar […]

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Deputy Knesset Speaker MK Nissim Vaturi made unusually sharp remarks Sunday evening regarding Iran, suggesting that Israel could use weapons it has never previously deployed if it faces an existential threat.

Vaturi, who serves on the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, spoke in an interview with the chareidi news hotline “Zirat HaNews,” where he hinted at additional Israeli capabilities that have not yet been utilized.

“We also have tools that we haven’t used. No one wants to test us — not the Iranians and not anyone else. I don’t want to elaborate too much,” Vaturi said.

He then issued a pointed metaphor that was widely interpreted as a reference to unconventional weapons.

“They have Persian carpets, we have the textile factory. I don’t think one stands against the other, and if Israel uses that weapon on Judgment Day, then no one should bring us to a situation of Judgment Day.”

Vaturi’s remarks appear to stray from Israel’s long-standing policy of strategic ambiguity and carefully calibrated language regarding its defense capabilities. His statements included direct hints at the possible use of extraordinary measures, though he stopped short of specifying exactly what he meant.

{Matzav.com}

Amid ongoing debate within the United States over how to confront Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has voiced concern about President Donald Trump’s position following their most recent White House meeting.

According to a report Sunday evening by Barak Ravid on Channel 12 News, an American official who met with Netanyahu last week said the prime minister left his meeting with Trump without a clear understanding of what the president intends to do regarding Iran. Netanyahu reportedly told the official: “Is he (Trump) still with us? I’m worried.”

The remarks come against the backdrop of internal disagreements within Trump’s circle over how to respond to Iran’s continued defiance. Two opposing approaches are said to be pulling the president in different directions.

Trump’s envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, believe more time should be given to diplomacy. Although Trump has reportedly leaned toward ordering a military strike, he has so far agreed to their request to exhaust diplomatic talks first.

On the other side, Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham and other officials in the administration are urging the president not to delay and to move forward with a strike against Iran. Netanyahu is said to be particularly troubled by what he sees as indecision in Washington.

Meanwhile, Thursday’s summit in Geneva between the United States and Iran may represent the final opportunity to achieve a breakthrough in negotiations over a nuclear agreement. Officials in Jerusalem are expected to closely monitor the talks in Switzerland.

Just two days after the Geneva meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to arrive in Israel for talks with Netanyahu.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also addressed the upcoming round of negotiations in Geneva, writing on X: “Iran is committed to peace and stability in the region. The recent negotiations included the exchange of practical proposals and yielded encouraging signals. However, we continue to closely monitor U.S. actions and have made all necessary preparations for any possible scenario.”

{Matzav.com}

A major fire broke out in Lizhensk, Poland, as large-scale preparations were underway for the annual yahrtzeit of Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk on 21 Adar. The blaze completely destroyed the well-known hachnosas orchim tent that serves thousands of visitors each year, though, remarkably, one pot of kugel was left untouched.

The fire erupted in one of the massive tents erected at the site, which operates year-round to accommodate the steady stream of visitors to the tziyun and houses valuable heating equipment, air conditioning units, and lighting systems. The structure was a central hub for the hachnasas orchim efforts that intensify ahead of the annual hilula, when tens of thousands are expected to arrive.

Local police have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire and are examining all possible factors. At this stage, authorities believe the blaze was likely the result of a technical malfunction.

Despite the heavy financial losses and the urgent need to replace the destroyed equipment in time for the influx of visitors, the leadership of Hachnosas Orchim Lizhensk, headed by the devoted askan and baal chesed Rabbi Simcha Krakowski, said they remain undeterred.

“We are emissaries of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech, and Klal Yisroel will arrive again this year and merit to accomplish salvations with expanded hearts and minds,” organizers said.

One witness described the dramatic scene: “The flames took hold of the tent. The fire climbed, spread, and consumed everything. People stood there stunned — everything burned, the tent, the tables, the utensils. Everything turned to smoke.”

“But when the smoke cleared, one thing remained,” he recounted. “The kugel was left whole, standing there, steaming. As if the fire had never touched it.”

He added, recalling a remark once made by the Lelover Rebbe during a visit to the Lizhensk kitchen: “In the kitchen, the greatest salvations are achieved.” And, he noted, “that holy kugel was not touched by the flames.”

{Matzav.com}

The Shas party announced Sunday night that it will support the so-called “Ben Gvir Law,” a renewed version of legislation previously known as “Deri Law 2,” aimed at preventing the High Court of Justice from intervening in the appointment or dismissal of government ministers. At the same time, the party made clear that its chairman, Aryeh Deri, does not intend to return to the cabinet, though a caveat remains.

In a statement issued by the office of Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, the party confirmed its backing for the bill. The statement emphasized that the sole authority to appoint and remove ministers rests with the prime minister, “and that is how it should be in a democratic state.” It added that Aryeh Deri does not require such legislation and has no interest in serving as a minister in the current government.

The announcement came amid reports in several media outlets Sunday evening that the coalition has decided to resume advancing the legislation, which would allow ministers who are under indictment or have been convicted to serve at the government table. According to a report by Dafna Liel, the special committee handling the bill is expected to convene this week for a technical discussion, with a final vote in its second and third readings — already prepared — anticipated in the week following Purim.

Under the plan, the coalition will reestablish the committee that previously debated the proposal, which is designed to bar the High Court from reviewing ministerial appointments and dismissals. If enacted, the law would permit ministers to continue serving even while facing a pending indictment. The legislative process had previously been halted after committee deliberations ahead of its second and third readings. A renewed discussion is now required following guidance from legal advisers before the bill can be brought back for a vote.

The legislation passed its first reading in the Knesset in March 2023 by a vote of 63 in favor and 55 opposed. According to the bill’s language, the court would be barred from exercising judicial review over ministerial appointments and their identities, on the grounds that such decisions constitute the “core of democratic activity” and that disqualifying an appointment undermines the will of the voter.

The renewed push comes as a petition is currently pending seeking the dismissal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The bill, initially promoted at the beginning of the government’s term and later stalled at Deri’s request, was originally intended to facilitate his return to the cabinet table. It is now being reconsidered in connection with Minister Ben Gvir. Should the coalition decide to proceed, the measure could receive final approval within days.

Meanwhile, Shas is expected to regain the chairmanship of the Knesset Health Committee as part of a coordinated role swap with the Otzma Yehudit party, set to take effect as early as Monday. Party officials have indicated that Shas intends to lead deliberations on the Arrangements Law directly.

{Matzav.com}

Yediot Achronot journalist Ben-Dror Yemini wrote an article excoriating Keir Starmer, the leftist prime minister of the UK, for citing “international law” as an excuse to “embolden the axis of evil.” “You can never know where help for a repressive regime of terror will come from,” he wrote. “But it always comes. Even when the […]

Retired Gen. David Petraeus said that even if the Trump administration proceeds with military strikes against Iran amid growing tensions between President Donald Trump and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, such action would not succeed in removing the Iranian regime.

Speaking in an interview broadcast Sunday on the “Cats Roundtable” radio program with host John Catsimatidis on WABC 770 AM, the former CIA director described Khamenei as deeply entrenched in his views and unlikely to compromise on key issues. He said the Iranian leader is “such an ideologue, he’s so hard-lined, that it appears that he may not budge on the issues that really matter,” a posture that could lead Trump to authorize force.

“Look, candidly, I’m all for taking the missile program down further or [bringing] damage to the security forces, but we should be very clear-eyed,” Petraeus said. “This will not bring about a regime change, sadly.”

Petraeus argued that Iran’s supreme leader has shown little capacity to engage meaningfully in nuclear negotiations. American and Iranian officials met Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss Tehran’s nuclear activities, but as of early Sunday no agreement had been reached.

He described Iran’s nuclear program as a serious threat to U.S. allies in the region. According to Petraeus, Iran’s capabilities are “so threatening to our partners and allies in the region, including Israel, and the support that [Iran] provide to these murderous proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and Shia militia in Iraq.”

“So, unless he demonstrates some flexibility, I think they’re going to be at the receiving end of a very, very substantial demonstration of American military power,” he added.

Petraeus also referenced Trump’s 10-day deadline for Tehran to reach an agreement and offer “some serious concessions, which they have not been willing to do before.”

On Thursday, Trump cautioned that Iran would face “steep consequences” if talks collapse. He had said the previous week that failure to reach a deal would be “a bad day for Iran, very bad.”

The current diplomatic window mirrors the timeline seen last June, when U.S. stealth bombers struck three Iranian uranium enrichment facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer. U.S. officials said the operation severely impaired Iran’s nuclear program, though Iranian authorities disputed that assessment.

On Friday, Trump indicated he was weighing the possibility of a limited military strike.

The United States has since reinforced its military posture in the region, sending two aircraft carrier groups while flight tracking data showed numerous American fighter jets and refueling aircraft moving toward Europe and the Middle East.

The prospect of escalation has drawn resistance on Capitol Hill. Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced plans to force a House vote this week on a war powers resolution that would require Trump to obtain congressional approval before launching an attack.

“Trump officials say there’s a 90% chance of strikes on Iran. He can’t without Congress,” Khanna said Wednesday in a post on the social platform X. “@RepThomasMassie & I have a War Powers Resolution to debate & vote on war before putting U.S. troops in harm’s way.”

Not all lawmakers support that effort. Reps. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) said Friday they oppose advancing a war powers resolution.

“We respect and defend Congress’s constitutional role in matters of war,” they said in a joint statement. “Oversight and debate are absolutely vital. However, this resolution would restrict the flexibility needed to respond to real and evolving threats and risks signaling weakness at a dangerous moment.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said he is dispatching a U.S. hospital ship to Greenland, the Danish territory he has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring, stating that the vessel will provide medical care to residents in need.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “Working with the fantastic Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, we are going to send a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there. It’s on the way!!! President DJT.” Landry is serving as the president’s special envoy to Greenland.

Earlier in the day, Danish military officials disclosed in a Facebook statement that they had assisted with a medical emergency involving U.S. personnel. In a post translated into English, Danish forces said they had “evacuated a crew member from an American submarine.”

“The crew member needed urgent medical treatment and has been transferred to the Greenlandic health authorities and the hospital in Nuuk,” the statement added.

The Hill sought comment from both the White House and the office of Denmark’s prime minister regarding the developments.

In recent months, Trump has intensified his calls for the United States to acquire Greenland, a stance that has created friction with allied nations such as Denmark, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Trump has argued that control of Greenland would be strategically important, citing its relevance to his proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system and contending that American ownership would counter Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen appeared to allude to the medical evacuation in her own Facebook message on Sunday, while also drawing a contrast with the American healthcare model.

“Am happy to live in a country where there is free and equal access to health for all. Where it’s not insurances and wealth that determine whether you get proper treatment. You have the same approach in Greenland,” she said in a translated post, according to Facebook.

{Matzav.com}