Israel and Iran narrowly avoided direct military confrontation on two occasions in recent weeks amid mutual misjudgments and Israeli concerns over a potential surprise attack, according to Tamir Hayman, a former head of Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate.
Speaking in an interview Monday with 103FM, Hayman said Iranian military preparations created what he described as a “coordination imperative” between Israel and the United States. He explained that the recent close calls stemmed from heightened risks of miscalculation, a dynamic that has pushed the IDF and U.S. forces into deeper operational coordination.
Hayman said American moves against Iran are already in progress and could expand in several directions, depending on how the situation evolves. These measures, he said, might include information and influence campaigns, cyber operations, covert actions, or, if tensions spiral, open warfare.
“There is no zero action at the moment,” Hayman said, indicating that U.S. pressure efforts are already underway.
He pointed to a surge of unexplained reports, rumors, and circulating videos inside Iran, suggesting they may reflect a coordinated cyber and influence campaign combined with internal disruption and subversion. While conceding that not every incident is necessarily connected, Hayman said the cumulative effect has been growing confusion within Iran’s domestic information environment.
Turning to Iran’s political future, Hayman said developments previously viewed as far-fetched can no longer be ruled out. He cited possibilities ranging from heightened nationalist messaging to more dramatic scenarios, such as an extended revolutionary phase led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, potentially including a temporary ruler under a military dictatorship.
As long as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remains in charge, Hayman said, Iran is unlikely to launch a full-scale attack on Israel, given Khamenei’s historically cautious approach. That assessment could change, he warned, if a more aggressive, IRGC-backed figure were to rise to power.
Hayman also reviewed Tehran’s handling of domestic unrest, arguing that attempts at economic relief have failed and that harsh security crackdowns have not succeeded in restoring stability. Under those conditions, he suggested, talks with Washington could become the regime’s only realistic path to easing economic pressure through sanctions relief.
Negotiations, he said, were “not an absurd scenario,” especially if Iran were to offer a dramatic concession on uranium enrichment that might draw the United States into serious talks.
“If the US conducts only a symbolic strike and we are attacked, we will not contain it,” Hayman said. “If Washington mounts a heavy response and our added value is marginal, we should act wisely.”
He stressed that any Israeli military response would be shaped by the scale and character of American action.
On the military front, Hayman said Iran has rebuilt its missile production lines following the Israel–Iran war but has not yet implemented the upgrades it had originally planned. He added that Tehran is now seeking Chinese assistance to significantly expand its manufacturing capacity.
Arguing against launching a new war with Iran at present, Hayman said such conflicts exact a heavy price and force large numbers of Israelis from their homes. Strategically, he said, Israel faces a choice between pursuing regime change or, if conflict becomes unavoidable, reaching a limited arrangement to constrain Iran’s capabilities—though he emphasized that “right now, an agreement is a mistake.”
He closed by outlining scenarios he described as unlikely but plausible, including a harsh IRGC-dominated military regime or a leadership change backed by outside actors. More probable, in his view, are internal reforms designed to reassert control over Iranian society.
The Iranian leadership, he added, continues to portray domestic unrest as the result of U.S. and Israeli interference, urging citizens to rally against external enemies. “There are two million people there whose identities are unclear and who are violent,” he warned, while noting that the regime still retains significant leverage.
{Matzav.com}
Rav Dovid Leibel, president of the Achvas Torah network and a figure involved in the establishment of the chareidi Chashmonaim Brigade, issued a blistering denunciation of extremist activists who broke into a brigade event Sunday night in Bnei Brak.
Addressing the incident, Rav Leibel said, “These are not kannaim and not chareidim. These are thugs who desecrate Hashem’s Name in public; they have no share in the Torah and no share among us.”
He continued with sharp criticism of the protesters’ methods and motives. “They wrap themselves in the cloak of zealotry, but in truth their lives contain nothing but destruction and ruin. The Torah world will not be protected with fists, but through adding goodness and building. I strengthen the hands of the soldiers,” Rav Leibel said.
As previously reported, police were dispatched Sunday night to remove roughly 100 demonstrators from extremist factions who attempted to force their way into a Chashmonaim Brigade conference held in Bnei Brak for parents of soldiers.
According to authorities, the protesters sought to breach the hall and disrupt the event of the newly formed chareidi brigade. Police intervened to disperse the gathering and restore order.
During the attempted break-in, physical confrontations erupted between the demonstrators and security personnel, as well as police officers. Several soldiers sustained minor injuries. The brigade commander, Col. Avinoam Emunah, was evacuated from the scene by police.
In a statement, the IDF spokesperson said: “During an appreciation event for parents of recruits to the Chashmonaim Brigade that took place tonight in the city of Bnei Brak, several protesters broke into the conference hall with the aim of disrupting it. Some of the protesters acted violently toward soldiers and commanders of the brigade.
“Israel Police forces were quickly called to the scene to restore order. The incident has ended. The IDF strongly condemns any manifestation of violence against its commanders and soldiers. Medical checks were conducted for several brigade personnel at the site. No injuries are known.”
{Matzav.com}A significant development took place Sunday night in efforts to forge a unified chareidi front regarding the emerging draft law. A pivotal meeting was held at the residence of the Sanzer Rebbe in Kiryat Sanz, Netanya, bringing together the Modzitzer Rebbe, Rav Tzvi Rabinowitz, rosh yeshiva of Bais Medrash Elyon of Boyan, and Rav Yaakov Valtzer, secretary of the Agudah’s Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.
The meeting focused on coordinating the final steps ahead of a mission assigned to the Sanzer and Modzitzer Rebbes: to travel to the homes of Rav Dov Landau and Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch in order to present Agudas Yisroel stance on the so-called Bismuth draft bill and, in particular, to the sanctions it would impose on bnei yeshiva.
The gathering in Netanya followed directly on the heels of the dramatic session of the MAgudah oetzes Gedolei HaTorah held last week at Bais Malka Hall in Yerushalayim. That meeting was attended by the Rebbes of Gur, Belz, Vizhnitz, Sanz, Boyan, Seret-Vizhnitz, and Modzitz. At the conclusion of that assembly, a principled decision was reached to reject any draft legislation that includes sanctions, though the publication of concrete operational steps was deferred “until the appropriate time.”
Against this backdrop, the Moetzes published a sharply worded statement expressing deep disappointment, which appeared in the party-affiliated newspapers Hamodia and Hamevaser. The statement emphasized that any attempt to turn yeshiva students into criminals necessitates a firm and resolute response.
That position was reinforced by a forceful letter from the Slonimer Rebbe, who did not attend the Moetzes gathering but sent pointed remarks that were read aloud to its members. “We will not abandon the halls of the yeshivos under any circumstances,” the Rebbe wrote, making clear his opposition to any law that imposes penalties on those engaged in Torah study.
Attention is now focused on the anticipated meetings between the Chassidic Rebbes and the leading gedolim. The emissaries are expected to urge the leadership of Degel HaTorah to join a coordinated and public stance that will send a clear message to the government that the chareidi public cannot accept legislation that strikes at what it views as the very soul of chareidi Judaism.
{Matzav.com}President Donald Trump said Sunday that he intends to speak with billionaire Elon Musk about reestablishing internet access in Iran, where authorities have shut down online services for four consecutive days amid widespread anti-government demonstrations.
Responding to questions from reporters about potential involvement by Musk’s company SpaceX, which operates the satellite-based internet system Starlink, Trump said, “He’s very good at that kind of thing, he’s got a very good company.”
Neither Musk nor SpaceX immediately commented when asked about the possibility of providing service.
Access to information from Iran has been severely limited since Thursday, as the government imposed an internet blackout during what has become the most extensive wave of protests against the ruling clerical establishment since 2022.
The relationship between Trump and Musk has fluctuated in recent years, particularly after Musk played a role in financing Trump’s successful presidential campaign and later oversaw sweeping reductions across the federal government.
Their alliance fractured publicly last year when Musk opposed Trump’s signature tax legislation, though recent events suggest the billionaire has reestablished ties with the Trump administration.
Earlier this month, Trump and Musk were spotted dining together at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is scheduled to tour a SpaceX facility in Texas on Monday.
Musk has previously backed efforts to make Starlink available to Iranians as a way to bypass government-imposed restrictions, including during the protests that erupted in 2022. That year, the Biden White House worked with Musk to facilitate Starlink access after Iran was rocked by demonstrations following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody.
Starlink has also been deployed in other conflict zones, including Ukraine, where Musk ordered the service shut down in 2022 during a critical Ukrainian military offensive, according to Reuters.
The current unrest in Iran began on December 28 as protests over soaring prices, before evolving into broader opposition to the clerical leadership that has ruled the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Human rights organizations estimate that hundreds of people have been killed since the demonstrations began.
The U.S.-based group HRANA said it has confirmed the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 members of the security forces, with more than 10,600 people arrested over two weeks of unrest. Iranian authorities have not released official casualty figures, and Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the numbers.
{Matzav.com}
Federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, a development he confirmed late Sunday in a public statement, marking a sharp intensification of a prolonged challenge to the central bank’s independence.
According to Powell, the inquiry stems from testimony he delivered earlier this year concerning the long-running renovation of Federal Reserve facilities. He addressed the matter in a video message released by the Federal Reserve.
Powell made clear, however, that he believes the investigation fits into a broader effort by the administration of President Donald Trump to exert pressure on the Fed to reduce interest rates.
“This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions — or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation,” Powell said.
Responding to questions from ABC News, a spokesperson for Attorney General Pam Bondi said, “The Attorney General has instructed her U.S. Attorneys to prioritize investigating any abuse of taxpayer dollars.”
Tim Lauer, speaking on behalf of D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, told ABC News, “We do not comment on ongoing investigations.”
President Trump rejected any role in the investigation during a short interview with NBC News on Sunday night.
“I don’t know anything about it, but he’s certainly not very good at the Fed, and he’s not very good at building buildings,” Trump said.
Trump also pointed to current interest rate levels, saying, “What should pressure him is the fact that rates are far too high. That’s the only pressure he’s got,” according to NBC News. “He’s hurt a lot of people,” he added. “I think the public is pressuring him.”
In July, Trump made a highly publicized visit to the Federal Reserve, renewing his demands for lower rates while appearing alongside Powell.
Wearing matching white hard hats, Trump and Powell toured the central bank’s $2.5 billion renovation project. At the time, Trump repeatedly criticized Powell over what he described as excessive construction costs.
The Federal Reserve has said the higher expenses were driven by unexpected increases, noting on its website that the renovation will ultimately “reduce costs over time by allowing the Board to consolidate most of its operations.”
Following the tour, Trump took questions from reporters with Powell standing nearby. During the exchange, Trump asserted that the renovation costs were higher than previously reported, prompting Powell to correct him by explaining that Trump had mistakenly included expenses from an earlier, unrelated project.
Later that month, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, sent an initial criminal referral to the Department of Justice, accusing Powell of misleading the Senate Banking Committee in his testimony about the renovation.
Luna alleged that Powell had made false statements regarding the scope and cost of the headquarters project.
On Sunday night, Sen. Thom Tillis, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, posted a statement on X saying, “If there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump Administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none.”
Tillis added that he would “oppose the confirmation of any nominee” to the Federal Reserve, including the next chair, until the legal issue is resolved.
Powell’s term as chair of the Federal Reserve concludes in May, though he is expected to remain on the Board of Governors until 2028.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump circulated an image online depicting him as the “Acting President of Venezuela,” drawing attention for its unusual presentation.
The image appeared to be a doctored Wikipedia entry listing Trump as the “incumbent Venezuelan president” as of January 2026, while also noting his real positions as the 45th and 47th President of the United States.
The post surfaced as Trump spoke optimistically about U.S. engagement with Caracas, saying relations with Venezuela’s leadership are progressing smoothly, citing energy cooperation and diplomatic contacts as evidence.
“Venezuela is really working out well. We’re working along really well with the leadership, and we’ll see how it all works out,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One when asked about ties with the new authorities in Caracas following the U.S. operation that removed Nicolas Maduro from power.
Trump said Venezuelan officials had requested that the United States receive a massive oil shipment. “She asked us, can we take 50 million barrels of oil? And I said, yes we can,” he said. “It’s $4 billion, $4.2 billion, and it’s on its way right now to the United States.”
When questioned about a potential meeting with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, Trump indicated openness to talks. “At some point I’ll meet. Yeah, she’s been very good.”
He also hinted that a sit-down with opposition figure Maria Corina Machado could take place soon. “I hear Tuesday or Wednesday. I look forward to that,” he said.
According to Trump, major energy companies are eager to do business in Venezuela, though he singled out ExxonMobil for criticism. “I didn’t like Exxon’s response,” he said. “They’re playing too cute.”
Addressing concerns from energy firms, Trump said the administration would provide firm assurances. “Guarantees that they’re gonna be safe, that there’s gonna be no problem, and there will be. There’s not gonna be a problem.”
He blamed earlier complications on past U.S. leadership. “They had problems in the past because they didn’t have Trump as a president,” he said.
Trump also alluded to wider regional negotiations, including discussions involving Cuba, though he declined to elaborate. “You’re gonna find out pretty soon,” he said.
In an earlier social media message, Trump declared that Venezuela would no longer be sending “oil or money” to Cuba and said the U.S. military would play a role in ensuring separation between the two nations.
“Venezuela doesn’t need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years,” he wrote. “Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful military in the World (by far!), to protect them, and protect them we will,” Trump said.
{Matzav.com}