As tensions with Iran continue to escalate and questions swirl about whether the United States could take military action, the White House released a brief and enigmatic social media post on Sunday that drew widespread attention.
“We have three things to say…GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS. GOD BLESS AMERICA. AND WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED,” the message read, paired with an image of President Donald Trump standing alongside U.S. troops.
Earlier that day, Axios reported, citing two American officials, that Trump is reviewing a variety of measures aimed at bolstering the ongoing protests in Iran while increasing pressure on the country’s ruling authorities.
According to the report, internal discussions are underway within the Trump administration as demonstrations continue to expand across Iran and accounts emerge of a growing number of deaths. Trump has publicly cautioned that the United States could resort to military action if Iranian authorities proceed with mass killings of demonstrators.
That reporting followed a story published late Saturday by the New York Times, which said Trump has recently received briefings on updated military strike options against Iran, as he considers whether to act on his warning over the regime’s violent response to protests.
Officials told the Times that while the President has not yet reached a final decision, he is seriously weighing the possibility of authorizing a strike in response to the crackdown on demonstrations driven by widespread economic discontent. The briefings reportedly included a range of scenarios, among them potential strikes on nonmilitary targets in Tehran, according to officials who spoke anonymously.
Meanwhile, the The Telegraph reported that Trump has been advised by senior military commanders that more preparation time would be required before any strikes against Iran could be carried out.
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Senator Lindsey Graham said Sunday that he believes the turmoil gripping Iran is approaching a turning point, predicting that the Iranian people’s suffering under the current regime “will soon be coming to an end” as demonstrations persist and authorities respond with force.
In a message shared on social media, Graham drew a sharp contrast between the current administration and past leadership, writing, “President Trump is not Obama. Freedom now, freedom forever for the long suffering Iranian people.”
He continued by addressing Iranians directly, stating, “I believe your nation’s nightmare will soon be coming to an end. Make Iran Great Again.”
The South Carolina Republican echoed those sentiments a day earlier in another online post, declaring, “TO THE IRANIAN PEOPLE: your long nightmare is soon coming to a close. Your bravery and determination to end your oppression has been noticed by @POTUS and all who love freedom.”
Expanding on that message, Graham added, “When President Trump says Make Iran Great Again, it means the protestors in Iran must prevail over the ayatollah. That is the clearest signal yet that he, President Trump understands Iran will never be great with the ayatollah and his henchmen in charge. To all who are sacrificing in Iran, God bless. Help is on the way.”
Graham’s remarks on Sunday came shortly after a brief but pointed post appeared on the White House’s social media account.
“We have three things to say…GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS. GOD BLESS AMERICA. AND WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED,” the post read, accompanied by an image of President Donald Trump standing with U.S. service members.
Earlier Sunday, Axios reported, citing two U.S. officials, that President Trump is reviewing multiple options aimed at backing the protests in Iran and increasing pressure on the country’s leadership.
According to the report, internal deliberations are underway as unrest continues to widen across Iran and accounts surface of a growing death toll. Trump has also issued public warnings that the United States could resort to military action if the regime moves forward with mass killings of demonstrators.
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A tense disturbance erupted Sunday evening in Bnei Brak when approximately 100 protesters attempted to force their way into a gathering of the IDF’s Chashmonaim Brigade.
The event, held on Rechov Yosef Chaim, was attended by around 60 fathers of soldiers serving in the newly established chareidi brigade. According to reports, demonstrators tried to break into the hall and disrupt the conference, prompting the deployment of police forces to the scene.
Police worked to disperse the crowd and restore order as physical confrontations developed between protesters, security personnel, and officers. During the clashes, two soldiers were lightly injured by demonstrators. One of the injured soldiers was evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment.
Amid the chaos, the brigade commander, Col. Avinoam Emunah, was extracted from the venue by police for his safety.
In the minutes leading up to the unrest, “emergency calls” circulated on hotlines associated with extremist groups, urging supporters to rush to the area of Yosef Chaim Boulevard in Bnei Brak to protest the event. Following police intervention, the gathering was ultimately dispersed.
Responding to the incident, Avigdor Liberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, issued a sharp statement: “Anyone who attacks an IDF soldier for ideological reasons deserves a lengthy prison sentence, and in certain cases even the demolition of his home. That is what the law stipulates. I call on the authorities to enforce the law. Israel is a state governed by law, for heaven’s sake.”
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An unusual incident in Haifa on Friday sparked public outrage after a tefillin stand erected in memory of a fallen IDF soldier was confiscated and the soldier’s brother was detained by authorities.
The person detained was Menachem Cohen, a Chabad chossid and a bereaved brother, who had set up the stand together with friends as part of an initiative to honor the memory of his brother, Shneur Zalman Cohen Hy”d, who was killed during the Iron Swords War. The stand included a sign bearing the fallen soldier’s name and photograph and was intended as a merit for his neshamah.
According to those present, municipal inspectors arrived at the scene, followed shortly thereafter by a significant police presence that included five additional patrol cars from both the police and municipal enforcement. Cohen was detained, the tefillin stand and sign were confiscated, and Cohen later claimed that he was physically assaulted during the course of the detention. He was released only after public pressure was brought to bear.
Reacting to the incident, Rabbi Yehuda Ginzburg, a Chabad shliach in Haifa, said that for more than 50 years, members of Chabad-Lubavitch have gone out across the city to offer Jews the opportunity to put on tefillin. “This has always been done in a positive and pleasant atmosphere,” he said.
Rabbi Ginzburg added, “Unfortunately, there are those who try to inflame tensions. We are pained by what happened here. We expect the Haifa municipality to apologize and to work in coordination with this important activity. We are confident that this was a one-time mistake by the city and not an ongoing policy.”
In a statement, the Israel Police rejected claims that the detention was connected to the tefillin stand itself. “Contrary to claims made in publications that may mislead the public, this was a temporary detention following a confrontation with municipal inspectors at the site,” the police said. “To be clear, the police have no interest in harming tefillin stands, and the matter had no connection to the tefillin position that was set up. The incident involved a noise violation and heated behavior toward inspectors, who summoned municipal policing to the scene. The individual was released after several minutes following clarification, and the matter will be reviewed with the municipality.”
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Aryeh Deri, chairman of the Shas party, delivered a stark message on the dangers of modern technology during a talk of chizuk delivered this evening to hundreds of mechanchim.
Speaking at an education conference organized by Levaker BeHeichalo, initiated by Yerushalayim Deputy Mayor Tzvika Cohen, Deri addressed what he described as the growing spiritual and social challenges facing the current generation, with particular emphasis on smartphone addiction.
Recalling his own years as a bochur, Deri reflected on his time learning at Chevron Yeshiva. “In our days at Chevron Yeshiva, we were more outspoken and freer,” he said. “We would travel to Wadi Qelt, and afterward we were filled with guilt over missing even one seder in yeshiva.”
Contrasting that era with the present, Deri expressed deep admiration for today’s bnei yeshiva. “I say this as a limud zechus for today’s bochurim,” he said. “How are they able to sit and learn with yishuv hadaas—long winter Friday night sedarim of seven hours—after the nonstop ‘brainwashing’ from the news and the hotlines they hear?”
Deri then turned to what he described as an even greater threat. “I’m not even talking about the ‘treife iPhone,’ may Hashem have mercy,” he said. “It is a terrible addiction, worse than any other addiction afflicting today’s youth, something that is almost impossible to withstand.”
He stressed that the problem is widely recognized, even beyond the chareidi community. “Even those who are not chareidi understand that this is an addiction of the younger generation that is impossible to fight,” Deri said. “Families have been destroyed because of it. People can no longer sit together at the table and talk. There is no longer dialogue between parents and children. A child of six or seven is sitting on an iPhone, and it is literally like drug addiction. Hashem should have mercy.”
Deri concluded on a note of awe and gratitude. “When I attend weddings and see a ben Torah and a bas Yisrael standing under the chuppah, building a home of Torah with holiness, and you see that they are preserving the character of bnei Torah,” he said, “I say to myself: What a miracle this is! It is a tremendous miracle.”
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[Video below.] President Donald Trump drew attention at a recent White House event after appearing with an unfamiliar accessory attached to his jacket.
The moment took place Friday, Jan. 9, as Trump, 79, hosted a meeting with oil and gas executives in the East Room. During the discussion, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy interrupted the proceedings after noticing a new lapel pin beneath the president’s customary American flag pin and asked what it represented.
In response to the question about the unusual pin, which had not been seen publicly before, Trump explained that it was not something he had selected himself.
“Someone gave me this,” he said while lifting the pin so those in attendance could see it clearly. “That’s called a ‘happy Trump.’ ”
The president then added a characteristically pointed remark about the meaning behind it. “I’m never happy, I’m never satisfied,” he said, continuing, “I will never be satisfied until we make America great again, but we are getting pretty close. This is called a ‘happy Trump.’ Someone gave it to me, and I put it on.”
The pin itself depicts a cartoon-style likeness of Trump, showing him with an open mouth, knitted eyebrows, and clenched fists at his sides.
At the Jan. 9 gathering, Trump was seated alongside Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Another exchange from the same meeting later generated headlines when Trump appeared to catch Rubio off guard by publicly reading from a private note.
After calling on ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance to address the room, Rubio passed a handwritten message to Trump, while Vance, 41, appeared unsure of what was happening.
“Marco just gave me a note,” Trump said aloud, as Rubio closed his pen and looked down.
Trump then proceeded to read the contents of the note, turning toward Rubio as he did so. “Go back to Chevron,” Trump read from Rubio’s note. “They want to discuss something. Go back to Chevron.”
As the comment landed, Vance could be seen laughing, while Rubio smiled, seemingly embarrassed by the unexpected disclosure.
“Go ahead, I’m going back to Chevron,” Trump said as he set the note down and gave Rubio a friendly pat on the back, adding, “Thank you, Marco.”
The meeting occurred just days after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Speaking to reporters following the early-morning operation on Jan. 3, Trump said the United States would now take control of Venezuela’s direction.
“No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved, successfully capturing Maduro in the dead of night,” Trump said. “We’re going to get the oil flowing the way it should be…we’re gonna run it properly. We’re gonna make sure the people of Venezuela are taken care of.”
WATCH:
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Rav Shapira, who had been hospitalized in critical condition in recent weeks, returned to the yeshiva in the Bayit Vagan neighborhood following a wave of heartfelt tefillos on his behalf. He had been in need of rachamei Shamayim merubim, and talmidim had davened intensely for the recovery of Rav Aviezer Zelig ben Rochel.
Upon his return, Rav Shapira addressed the talmidim, delivering a shmuess that was met with visible emotion. Afterward, the mashgiach thanked the bochurim for their tefillos, telling them, “There were open miracles and wonders. The tefillos went up Above, baruch Hashem.”
Following his words, the talmidim recited Nishmas in thanksgiving to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for the great kindnesses shown, before breaking into heartfelt song, chanting “Al ta’azveini Hashem Elokai al tirchak mimeni.”
{Matzav.com}
Rav Ezriel Auerbach visited the Eisenthal family on Sunday morning to be menachem avel following the tragic passing of their son, habochur Chaim Yosef (Yossi) Eisenthal z”l.
The family is sitting shivah in the Ramot neighborhood of Yerushalayim after Yossi was fatally struck during protests in the city against the draft law.
Rav Auerbach spent an extended period consoling the family, offering words of chizuk and comfort.
Among those present was the boy’s father, Rav Shmuel Eisenthal, R”M at Yeshivas Ohel Torah. Also there was the grandfather, Rav Uriel Eisenthal, mara d’asra of Ramot Gimmel.
During the visit, a discussion arose regarding the appropriate wording to be engraved on the matzeivah in light of the tragic circumstances of his death. Rav Auerbach expressed the view that the inscription should read “HaKadosh Chaim Yosef Eisenthal Hy”d,” indicating that he should be regarded as having died sanctified.
Rav Uriel responded that he was familiar with the halachic reasoning behind that position, adding that the matter would be decided definitively in the near future.
Notably, condolence notices posted on neighborhood bulletin boards in Ramot already included the designation Hy”d in reference to Yossi, similar to the wording commonly used for victims of terror attacks.
Whether the family will ultimately adopt this wording on the matzeivah remains to be seen.
{Matzav.com}
