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A former U.S. Army soldier has been taken into custody after authorities say he set off fireworks and ignited a fire Monday morning outside a Lower Manhattan federal building that houses an immigration court and several government agencies. Federal investigators say the suspect arrived heavily armed and are treating the case as an act of anti-government extremism.

The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Andrew Arrabaca, previously served as a mechanic responsible for maintaining Patriot missile systems in the U.S. Army. He is currently in custody and has already been questioned by investigators, according to James Barnacle, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office.

Speaking at a news conference, Barnacle said Arrabaca “came armed with bad intentions” and was carrying multiple weapons, including a pellet gun, knives, a hammer, and a machete. Investigators also said he fired between five and seven pellets from an airsoft rifle in the direction of the building.

“He is an anti-American, anti-government extremist,” Barnacle said.

Security footage showed the suspect being tackled by a security officer moments after flames erupted outside one of the entrances to the federal complex at 26 Federal Plaza. He was immediately taken into custody at the scene.

The federal building at 26 Federal Plaza has become a frequent site of demonstrations targeting the immigration policies of President Donald Trump’s administration.

According to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation, the suspect was carrying anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) materials at the time of his arrest. The individual spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation remains ongoing.

The Department of Homeland Security said the suspect was an “anti-ICE rioter” and alleged that the incident unfolded at approximately 8:20 a.m., when he launched fireworks outside the building before pouring what investigators believe was gasoline on the entrance steps and setting them ablaze.

DHS also reported that officers recovered what appeared to be two pellet guns from the suspect’s bag.

Authorities said one bystander was struck by debris from the fireworks, suffering a minor graze, while the security officer who subdued the suspect sustained minor injuries during the arrest. The New York City Fire Department reported that one person was transported to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

“What occurred outside 26 Federal Plaza this morning was deeply disturbing,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a social media post. “I’m relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody.”

Mamdani added that his administration is coordinating with law enforcement and will assist the federal investigation. The FBI said the case is being handled by its New York Joint Terrorism Task Force.

The federal complex houses several government offices, including the FBI’s New York field office, as well as the immigration court where federal agents have conducted numerous high-profile arrests of migrants immediately after their court appearances.

Images and video from the scene showed flames and heavy smoke rising from the sidewalk outside the building, while law enforcement officers restrained the suspect before leading him away in handcuffs.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump forcefully dismissed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s suggestion that Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu could be arrested if he visits New York, declaring that such a scenario will never happen while he is president.

“Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” the President stated in a post on Truth Social.

Trump defended Netanyahu’s actions on the world stage, arguing that the Israeli leader is confronting one of America’s greatest adversaries.

According to Trump, Netanyahu is “fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which recently killed 52,000 innocent protestors, and has spent the last 47 years killing American Soldiers, and others.”

The president also shifted the focus toward Iran’s leadership, saying they—not Netanyahu—should be facing criminal consequences.

He further insisted that “the only ones that should be arrested are the people that led Iran into this unprecedented SPIRAL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, something that should have been dealt with years ago, by previous Presidents!”

The controversy erupted after Mamdani, in an interview with The New York Times published Saturday, argued that Netanyahu should stand trial before the International Criminal Court.

“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court.”

Mamdani added that his administration has already begun examining what legal authority the city might have if Netanyahu were to arrive in New York.

Mamdani also said that he is in “active conversation” with NYC’s legal officials on whether he may arrest a foreign leader, adding, “Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do, but we won’t be writing our own laws to that end.”

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office swiftly condemned Mamdani’s remarks, rejecting both the legitimacy of the ICC and the warrant issued against Netanyahu.

“The ICC is a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis. Its bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu was issued by a disgraced former ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public. It was a clear attempt by Khan to divert public attention and seek protection from scrutiny.”

The Prime Minister’s Office also defended Israel’s military conduct during the war against Hamas, saying the government has gone to extraordinary lengths to protect civilians despite the terrorist group’s tactics.

“Under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel has taken unprecedented wartime measures to minimize harm to civilians while confronting Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that uses Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians,” the office clarified.

The statement concluded by accusing Mamdani of using attacks on Israel’s prime minister to distract from problems closer to home.

“Instead of backing Khan’s criminal behaviour, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York. Like Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East,” the tweet concluded.

{Matzav.com}

A devastating structural collapse in Yerushalayim claimed the life of an elderly man Monday morning after a second-floor balcony gave way and crashed onto a restaurant below in the Shaarei Chesed-Rehavia neighborhood. Emergency crews continue searching the wreckage amid fears that additional victims may still be trapped.

The collapse occurred on Keren Kayemet L’Yisroel Street, at the corner of Even Shaprut Street, near the historic Shaarei Chesed neighborhood, close to the Gra shul and the former site of Yeshivas Maalos HaTorah, headed by Rav Shmuel Auerbach zt”l.

According to ZAKA, emergency dispatchers received reports that a balcony had collapsed onto a restaurant. Firefighters working through the debris located an approximately 80-year-old man trapped beneath the rubble. Magen David Adom (MDA) personnel were forced to pronounce him dead at the scene. ZAKA volunteers from the Yerushalayim District are assisting emergency responders while ensuring the deceased is treated with dignity and collecting remains from the disaster site.

United Hatzalah medical teams treated several conscious victims at the scene, while early reports indicated that additional people may still be trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

Dr. Aryeh Yaffe of United Hatzalah, together with EMTs Nachman Tubul, Yosef Gabai, and Ariel Deri, who were among the first responders, said they were told that the glass roof of the restaurant suddenly collapsed after being struck by the falling balcony, trapping patrons underneath.

“We provided medical treatment to three people who sustained light injuries and were evacuated from the scene,” the responders said. “Firefighters are continuing rescue operations to locate those still trapped. United Hatzalah’s trauma and crisis response unit is also providing emotional support due to the traumatic nature of the incident.”

Israel Fire and Rescue Services said the collapse involved a three-story residential building, where a second-floor balcony crashed onto the restaurant located on the first floor, causing extensive destruction to both the building and the business.

Officials said that at the beginning of the incident, two people were pulled from the debris by civilians before emergency crews arrived. Firefighters then focused their efforts on locating additional victims, including two people believed to be trapped inside the restaurant and another victim reportedly buried beneath the rubble and believed to be unconscious.

In a later update, firefighters confirmed that they had extricated the elderly man from beneath the debris and immediately transferred him to waiting medical teams. Although his condition was initially described as critical, he was later pronounced dead. Fire officials stressed that rescue operations remain ongoing as crews continue conducting extensive searches to ensure no additional victims remain trapped.

Jerusalem police said officers are assisting rescue, medical, and firefighting personnel while securing the area and closing surrounding roads. Authorities urged the public to stay away from the scene to allow emergency crews to continue life-saving operations safely.

Magen David Adom reported that in addition to the elderly man found unconscious beneath the rubble, paramedics treated three lightly injured victims.

Senior MDA medic Shlomo Margaliot, who happened to be nearby when the collapse occurred, described the dramatic moments.

“I was on a nearby street when I suddenly heard a loud crash,” he said. “I ran toward the source of the noise and saw from a distance that a balcony had collapsed onto a business. There was widespread destruction and frightened people calling for help. I immediately notified the MDA dispatch center and rushed to the scene in my emergency response vehicle.”

“With the assistance of bystanders, we rescued three injured people—an approximately 80-year-old woman and two 16-year-olds, a boy and a girl—who suffered minor injuries and abrasions. After receiving treatment, they were transported to hospitals in stable condition. Inside the rubble I found an approximately 80-year-old man unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, suffering from severe multi-system trauma. Sadly, after the complex rescue operation, we were forced to pronounce him dead at the scene.”

Shaare Zedek Medical Center said one woman with minor injuries was transported to its trauma unit, where she underwent an initial evaluation and remains under medical care.

The Jerusalem Municipality announced that its dangerous structures unit, along with the city engineer, responded to the site to assess the building’s stability, identify structural hazards, and determine what additional safety measures may be required.

Municipal officials said that once the engineering assessment is complete, the city will act in accordance with the professional recommendations. Residents were again urged to avoid the area until rescue operations and safety inspections are finished.

Rescue efforts continued Monday as emergency crews painstakingly searched through the collapsed debris to ensure no additional victims remained trapped. Authorities said further updates would be released as more information becomes available.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump issued a forceful warning to Iran on Monday, vowing overwhelming retaliation for every American service member killed as the conflict between the United States and Iran continues to intensify.

The war, which began on Feb. 28, has now claimed the lives of at least 17 U.S. soldiers. Four American casualties have occurred since Friday, including three confirmed deaths and one service member who remains missing and is presumed dead.

“Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president said he has already instructed the nation’s top military leadership to carry out that policy.

“This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military,” he added.

Fighting continued unabated on Monday, with both sides launching fresh military operations. U.S. forces conducted a ninth straight day of strikes against Iranian targets, while Iran responded by firing missiles at Kuwait and Bahrain, both of which host American military personnel.

{Matzav.com}

Federal health officials have dramatically reversed an earlier conclusion about the source of a nationwide parasite outbreak that has sickened at least 1,600 people, acknowledging that a key piece of evidence linking the illnesses to a major lettuce supplier was incorrect.

On Shabbos, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it had traced the cyclospora outbreak to contaminated iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, a company that provides produce to Taco Bell. Just one day later, however, the agency withdrew that finding after determining its original analysis had produced a false positive.

The FDA said it reexamined the testing results and concluded that Taylor Farms’ iceberg lettuce should not have been identified as the source of the contamination.

Taylor Farms confirmed that the FDA had apologized for the mistake. In a statement, the company said its “thoughts remain with everyone who has fallen ill” in the outbreak.

Although no fatalities have been reported, the outbreak has led to nearly 100 hospitalizations and has infected at least 1,600 people nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified the incident as a major outbreak.

Cyclospora infections often do not become apparent immediately, with symptoms sometimes taking up to two weeks to develop. Those infected can experience severe bouts of sudden, watery diarrhea that may continue for several days, along with a sharp loss of appetite and significant weight loss.