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TRAGIC UPDATE: Three people were killed in Iranian ballistic missile impacts, Magen David Adom says.

Vance Luther Boelter, the man suspected of executing a politically motivated double murder and attempted assassination of a sitting Minnesota state senator, was taken into custody Sunday night following a high-intensity manhunt across the state.

Boelter, 57, had previously been appointed to a government position by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Authorities had been searching for him since he allegedly shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, and fatally gunned down former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband.

According to sources who spoke with Fox 9, Boelter was apprehended in an open field in Sibley County late Sunday.

Investigators say Boelter was dressed as a law enforcement officer, complete with a full uniform, bulletproof vest, and a disturbing Halloween mask, when he began his violent rampage in a suburb in northern Minnesota.

The incident began early Shabbos morning around 2 a.m., when Boelter arrived at Senator Hoffman’s residence in Champlin.

Boelter allegedly opened fire inside the home, hitting both Hoffman, 60, and his wife multiple times and leaving them with critical injuries.

In a dramatic act of protection, Yvette reportedly threw herself over their daughter, Hope, to shield her from the bullets, according to a statement made by the couple’s nephew.

Both John and Yvette Hoffman were rushed to surgery and are now reported to be in stable condition.

After fleeing the first crime scene, Boelter — still dressed in his fake police outfit — drove to the home of Melissa Hortman, the former Speaker of the Minnesota House, in Brooklyn Park.

Once there, he is accused of shooting both Hortman and her husband Mark several times, killing them.

Hortman, 55, was declared dead at the scene. Her husband succumbed to his wounds shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Police officers, who had gone to check on Hortman’s well-being after receiving word about the earlier shooting at the Hoffmans’ home, encountered the suspect as he exited her property in disguise.

During the confrontation, officers fired at Boelter and temporarily had him trapped inside the home. However, the suspect managed to flee the scene before being captured later that evening.

After carrying out the attacks, Boelter allegedly sent a chilling text message to two close friends, confessing to the crimes and indicating he may not survive.

“David and Ron, I love you guys. I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way,” Boelter told David Carlson, according to KARE.

On Shabbos morning, law enforcement stopped Boelter’s wife, Jenny Boelter, who was traveling by car with family members. She was detained and questioned in connection to the attacks. Authorities discovered a firearm and several passports inside the vehicle.

{Matzav.com}

A terrifying barrage of roughly 100 missiles launched from Iran rained down on Israel in the early hours of Monday morning, sending half-asleep residents running to shelters, killing at least eight victims, and injuring hundreds. The large-scale attack, which began just before 4:00 a.m., resulted in direct strikes in multiple cities, including Tel Aviv, Petach Tikvah, Bnei Brak, and Haifa—the latter of which impacted an oil refinery, sparking a huge blaze. MDA EMTs and paramedics pronounced the deaths of 4 people—2 women and 2 men, all approximately 70 years old—at impact sites in Petach Tikvah and Bnei Brak. Three of the fatalities in Petach Tikvah were found amid the rubble of a high-rise, and a fourth fatality was pulled from the rubble hours later, at about 9 a.m. A man approximately 80 years old was found lifeless at the site of a missile strike in Bnei Brak. ZAKA was dispatched to the scene following reports of individuals trapped with serious concerns for their safety. After an extensive search, the man was located, but tragically, he was pronounced dead. Additionally, 21 people in Bnei Brak were injured, two moderately, and were evacuated to Maayanei HaYeshua Hospital. Three additional fatalities were found at an impact site in a residential area in Haifa after hours of searching. The three were first reported as trapped, and contact with them was gradually lost. At about 9:30 a.m., the three were found and pronounced dead. In Tel Aviv, residential areas also sustained direct missile hits, injuring over 100 people, including a 10-year-old boy who was seriously injured and a newborn baby. A total of 287 injured victims from the various impact sites were hospitalized by Monday morning at 10 a.m., one in serious condition, 13 in moderate condition, 240 in light condition, and 11 who were suffering from shock. Another 25 had not yet been evaluated. Israel Fire and Rescue Services confirmed that two high-rise residential buildings suffered direct hits in the assault. The force of the explosions shattered windows, ignited fires, and sent debris crashing through apartments. Eight rescue teams were dispatched to the scenes, working through the chaos and rubble to reach those trapped beneath the wreckage. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A heavy missile assault launched by Iran early Monday morning left 25 individuals wounded. Two people suffered moderate injuries, while the remainder were lightly hurt in the attack that began just before 4:00 a.m. and involved dozens of projectiles fired at Israel.

The missiles hit at least four separate locations across northern and central parts of the country. One of the rockets directly struck a structure in central Israel, according to reports.

Medical teams from Magen David Adom responded to the scene in the central region, treating approximately 20 victims who sustained moderate or minor wounds. Several others were attended to for symptoms of emotional trauma.

Emergency personnel are actively conducting searches at the affected sites to determine whether additional people may be trapped or injured. Separately, reports confirmed that a drone was intercepted near Eilat.

The Home Front Command has updated its instructions, allowing residents in specific areas to exit their shelters. First responders and military units remain deployed at numerous scenes across the country where impacts were recorded.

“You are urged to continue following the instructions of the Home Front Command and all official updates issued to you.”

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces urged the public not to disseminate images or videos of impact locations. “The enemy monitors this footage to improve its impact capabilities. Be responsible – Do not share locations online!”

Earlier on Monday, the IDF confirmed it had initiated airstrikes against missile launch platforms in central Iran that had been used to target Israel.

The previous evening, a missile landed between two residential buildings in Haifa, leaving a woman moderately injured and lightly wounding six others. In a separate incident in the Lachish area, two more people sustained light injuries.

During this latest offensive, Iran fired a total of 30 missiles at Israeli territory.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Additional footage showing extensive damage from a ballistic missile impact to a high-rise residential building in Petach Tikva, east of Tel-Aviv.

MDA teams on scene at a number of sites of rocket strikes in central Israel. Areas being searched for casualties.

Early Monday morning, ZAKA reported that two more bodies had been located and recovered from the debris left by an Iranian missile strike in Bat Yam.

With this discovery, the total number of fatalities in Bat Yam resulting from the recent missile attacks has increased to nine, according to ZAKA’s latest update.

KAN reported that one individual is still unaccounted for in the city in connection with the strikes.

Nationwide, the death toll since the start of Operation Rising Lion has climbed to 16.

A senior official from the IDF’s Home Front Command stated the previous day that Bat Yam experienced the most devastating civilian attack thus far in the conflict with Iran. The official added, “they know who they are looking for and which apartments they were in when the Iranian strike hit.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

On Sunday, remnants from Iran’s latest wave of ballistic missile attacks landed in two different areas of the West Bank, with one piece of debris igniting a fire near the home of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and another injuring three young children near Sa’ir, according to The Jerusalem Post, citing local sources and eyewitnesses.

The first incident occurred in al-Bireh, adjacent to Ramallah, around 11:20 a.m. Residents described hearing “a huge boom.” Video circulated by media outlets in Ramallah showed metal shrapnel lodged in a rooftop water tank, which security officials later identified as part of an Iranian Shahab-class missile. Firefighters from the Civil Defence unit responded quickly and extinguished the flames.

There were no injuries reported in that location, though the site of the impact was dangerously close to Abbas’s residence. One user on X, writing in Arabic, claimed the missile fragments had fallen “right behind Abu Mazen’s house,” adding, “intensify your prayers so that next time it lands exactly [on target].”

Roughly an hour and a half later, another set of missile fragments believed to be from an Iranian projectile intercepted over central Israel fell near the Palestinian village of Sa’ir, located northeast of Hebron. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that three children—ages six, seven, and twelve—sustained injuries from broken glass when the missile impact shattered nearby windows. All three were taken to Hebron’s al-Ahli Hospital, where they were listed in light-to-moderate condition.

Both sites were cordoned off by police, and bomb squads were deployed to recover and examine the wreckage. Initial assessments suggest the debris came from a Shahab-3 missile that was destroyed mid-air by Israel’s Arrow-3 missile defense system as part of Operation Rising Lion (Am Kelavi). That campaign began after Iran launched a massive retaliation against Israel’s earlier strikes on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure.

The IDF has yet to release an official statement about Sunday’s events. However, defense experts have acknowledged that missile fragments falling to the ground are a natural consequence of the ongoing interception efforts, which have now extended into a third day. Iran’s retaliatory attacks have so far resulted in 13 Israeli fatalities and nearly 400 wounded. Missile debris has also been reported in Jordan, the Negev, and now the West Bank—highlighting the growing reach of this conflict.

Civil Defense agencies in the West Bank issued public warnings, urging residents to avoid contact with any unknown or suspicious metal fragments and to report them to emergency services. Meanwhile, rocket sirens continued to wail across multiple regions of Israel late into the night.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Emergency and rescue teams are responding to a direct impact incident in Petah Tikvah.

A large fire is currently burning at the Haifa Oil Refinery in Northern Israel, following what appears to have been a direct impact by a ballistic missile fired by Iran.

UPDATE: The IDF Home Front Command says civilians nationwide no longer need to remain in bomb shelters, following Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack.

After years of watching Iran’s terror proxies export violence to democracies worldwide, Israel has now turned those tactics back on Tehran. According to The Wall Street Journal, Mossad agents covertly smuggled drone components into Iran, which were later used to strike at the regime’s covert nuclear weapons program and the scientists behind it.

Before Israeli fighter jets launched their aerial assault this week, the groundwork had already been laid by Israel’s intelligence community. Drones were used to disable critical Iranian air defense systems and missile platforms in advance of the main strikes, the Journal reported.

The long-planned operation, involving preparations stretching back months—and in some cases years—enabled Israeli forces to go deeper into Iranian territory than ever before. According to IDF spokesman Effie Defrin, these missions specifically targeted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and defense systems. “This is the deepest distance that we have operated so far in Iran,” Defrin stated. “We created aerial freedom of action.”

The Israeli campaign bore similarities to Ukraine’s bold drone attacks on Russian air bases deep inside Russia, showing how distant targets can still be vulnerable when modern warfare tactics are deployed.

Sources told the Journal that Mossad operatives were active inside Iran throughout the operation, orchestrating the groundwork for Israel’s military to carry out its objectives.

Amid growing alarm, Iran’s intelligence services have reportedly issued warnings to civilians and media outlets, urging vigilance over pickup trucks and cargo vehicles believed to be used in drone launches aimed at military sites, according to the Journal.

This week’s attack wasn’t the first signal of Mossad’s reach inside Iranian territory. Last summer, Israel eliminated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh at a facility belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Over several years, Israeli intelligence has built a detailed understanding of both Hamas and Iranian leadership, insiders told the Journal.

“No one in Iran in the high echelons can be sure he isn’t known to Israeli intelligence and won’t be the target,” said Sima Shine, a former senior Mossad official and now researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. “It’s not just the damage caused but the nervousness it brings.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Mayor Eric Adams is under fire after welcoming controversial internet personality Sneako — who has publicly made antisemitic remarks — to Gracie Mansion for a relaxed interview, the NY Post reports.

Sneako, whose legal name is Nicolas “Nico” Kenn De Balinthazy, 26, was previously removed from Twitch for what the platform labeled “extreme hateful conduct.”

During the meeting at the mayor’s Upper East Side residence, Sneako and Adams shared cigars alongside fellow social media figure Amber Rose.

The backlash was swift, with Bronx Congressman Richie Torres taking to social media to voice his outrage.

“The Mayor is smoking cigars at Gracie Mansion with Sneako—yet another antisemite, who once declared: ‘Down with the Jews,’” Torres wrote on X.

“Who’s next on the guest list — David Duke?”

Sneako later posted a video boasting about his cigar session with Adams before heading off to a high-profile dinner with celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Tobey Maguire.

Criticism of Sneako has mounted due to his public praise of Andrew and Tristan Tate — influencers facing serious criminal allegations in Europe — as well as his frequent antisemitic rhetoric.

Among the most egregious of his past comments are: “Down with the Jews! Free Palestine,” and “Every ‘conspiracy theory’ from the last century is just Israel,” both of which he said during a livestream last year, according to watchdog group Stop Antisemitism.

Just before meeting Adams, Sneako wrote on X, “Israel is not compatible with Western civilization.”

Beyond his antisemitism, Sneako has been accused of spreading misogynistic content and associating with figures such as white nationalist Nick Fuentes and Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, both of whom have expressed admiration for Hitler. Sneako has even spoken at one of Fuentes’ rallies.

In the past, he has also made disturbing comments about Nazi symbolism, stating “the Nazis had drip,” and referring to the swastika as “aesthetically pleasing.”

Despite the outrage, Adams’ office stood by his decision to appear with Sneako. “Mayor Adams has always stood strongly with the Jewish community and will continue to do so without compromise. He has a long and proud record of fighting antisemitism, supporting Jewish causes, and building lasting relationships with Jewish leaders across the city and state,” a spokesperson told The Post.

“The Mayor is frequently interviewed by a wide range of streamers, podcasters, and media figures from many backgrounds. While he does not share the views of all who interview him, his values remain unwavering.

“Antisemitism has no place in New York City, and no one can question Mayor Adams’ deep and ongoing commitment to combating hate in all its forms.”

This controversy comes on the heels of Adams signing an executive order formalizing the city’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism.

That decision has itself sparked criticism from anti-Israel organizations, who argue the IHRA’s language is meant to shield Israel from legitimate scrutiny by equating criticism of the state with antisemitic hate.

{Matzav.com}

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cautioned over the weekend that Andrew Cuomo’s potential return to political office could serve as a springboard to a national campaign.

“This is not just about New York City, but this is about the United States,” she told a cheering crowd during a rally in support of Zohran Mamdani, her fellow progressive and candidate for mayor, at Manhattan’s Terminal 5.

“I mean that literally, because Andrew Cuomo has made clear that if he wins this race, he wants to run for president of the United States of America,” AOC said.

Ocasio-Cortez, 35, a longtime ally of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, 83, also took a swipe at Cuomo’s age. Despite having backed 82-year-old Joe Biden for reelection last year, she criticized Cuomo, now 67, for representing an older political era she believes should step aside for younger leadership.

“In a world and a nation that is crying to end the gerontocracy of our leadership that wants a new day, that wants to see a new generation ascend, it is unconscionable to send Andrew Cuomo to Gracie Mansion once again,” the congresswoman said.

It’s worth noting that Cuomo has never actually lived in Gracie Mansion, having never served as mayor of New York City. His political experience stems from his time as New York’s governor between 2011 and 2021.

Responding to her remarks, Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi dismissed the accusation. “I have no idea where the far left got this silly new talking point, but the governor has said that — death aside — he’ll be finishing his own term,” Azzopardi told The NY Post.

Ocasio-Cortez insisted the upcoming June 24 Democratic primary is a pivotal moment for progressives, not just in the city, but nationwide.

“If we can change the page in the biggest and best city in the United States, then we can change the page in the country,” she proclaimed.

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman, has gained traction recently with a campaign anchored in unapologetically progressive policies.

Among his proposals: city-operated grocery stores, a 2% millionaire tax increase, raising the corporate tax rate by 4.5%, universal childcare, free public bus service, and shifting law enforcement duties toward social services and mental health care.

Despite Mamdani’s rise in popularity among some circles, Cuomo remains the dominant figure in the race, as many in the Democratic establishment fear a Mamdani victory could alienate moderate voters.

Ocasio-Cortez blasted the support Cuomo has received, calling it a betrayal by party elites. She highlighted the inconsistency of those who once called for his resignation after allegations of misconduct — which he has denied — but are now endorsing his candidacy.

“I cannot tell you how shocked I have been,” she said of those backing Cuomo again. “As a survivor of … assault, I will never unsee that.

“The [message the] political establishment sends to so many people is that it does not matter your positions, your content, your ideas, how experienced you are,” she complained. “It doesn’t matter how much you work with them. They will still choose their old friends and an old generation every single time.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran has claimed that it managed to bring down an Israeli warplane amid ongoing hostilities that began three days ago. Since early June 13, Israeli forces have been carrying out airstrikes across Tehran, targeting military installations, nuclear infrastructure, and petroleum assets.

Shortly after the conflict escalated, Iranian officials claimed they had downed an Israeli aircraft and taken a pilot into custody. Israel promptly dismissed the report, categorizing it as fabricated. Later, Iranian sources doubled down, releasing a follow-up statement alleging that a jet had indeed been shot down—and that video evidence existed. A clip began circulating online, purporting to show a fighter jet being struck by anti-aircraft fire.

However, serious inconsistencies quickly emerged. Experts pointed out that the footage was not authentic. In fact, the video clip originated from the video game Arma 3, which is known for its highly realistic graphics and has been misused before to present fictional military incidents as real. Analysts further noted that the aircraft depicted wasn’t even an Israeli model—it appeared to resemble a Russian fighter.

Cybersecurity researchers traced the origin of the claim to Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The false report was then spread widely via a network of Telegram channels known for echoing pro-Iran narratives.

Within just 40 minutes, the story—stripped of all source attribution—had been picked up by platforms like X, Facebook, and even two satellite TV stations based in Lebanon. The rapid spread of misinformation prompted a rare official rebuttal from the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. “No Israeli aircraft have been downed. The footage is fake,” the statement clarified, assuring that every pilot who participated in the airstrikes on Friday “landed safely at base.”

Investigative teams from open-source intelligence groups Bellingcat and GeoConfirmed quickly confirmed the footage’s true origin. Their analysis proved the clip was taken, frame by frame, from a December 2022 custom mission in Arma 3, a military simulation game. The game’s developer, Bohemia Interactive, has long warned that its lifelike visuals are “routinely weaponized” in global conflicts, from Ukraine to Gaza. The company has even published guidelines to help viewers identify fake videos, pointing to characteristics such as pixelation, shaky off-screen recording, and aircraft models inconsistent with the nation allegedly involved.

{Matzav.com Israel}

In a Sunday op-ed published by the Jerusalem Post, MK Yair Lapid, leader of the opposition, offered a firm endorsement of Israel’s recent military response against Iran, arguing that it was both warranted and essential.

Lapid issued a stark warning about Iran’s intentions, stating that the regime “could advance its nuclear program and work to build an arsenal of nuclear weapons,” while continuing to “fund and support terror organizations that do everything they can to murder Jews in Israel and abroad.” He further cautioned that Iran “could target Israelis abroad, including mass casualty terror attacks,” and attempt to “normalize … the idea that it is legitimate to attempt to destroy Israel and wipe out the Jewish people.”

He stressed that the Iranian threat is far from theoretical, noting that “Iran stands behind Hamas and Hezbollah, behind the massacre on October 7, and behind the attack on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires and further attacks from Bulgaria to Mumbai, from Kenya to Thailand.” Lapid pointed out that the regime has made its intentions abundantly clear: it has “repeatedly said, without hesitation and without shame, that its ultimate goal is the destruction of the State of Israel.”

Drawing a sharp distinction between the two nations, Lapid said: “And to avoid any doubt, Israel isn’t interested in destroying Iran. We have no historical or territorial conflict with the Iranian people. We have no demands of one another except for one: The Iranian regime wants us to die, and we refuse.”

While often critical of Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, Lapid stood behind the decision to strike Iran and the urgency behind it. “The whole country is united in this moment, when faced with an enemy sworn to our destruction, nothing will divide us,” he wrote. He ended with a firm message on the stakes: “We went to war for the only reason that justifies war – we had no choice. A nuclear Iran would have been an existential threat to the State of Israel. Iran cannot be a nuclear state. Not now. Not ever.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s unprecedented military operation against Iran was set in motion after intelligence uncovered alarming progress in Tehran’s nuclear weapons development, according to a bombshell report aired by Army Radio on Sunday. In the days leading up to Friday’s strikes, Israeli intelligence services reportedly presented top political leaders with what officials described as “golden information” — evidence that Iranian scientists had conducted successful tests on critical components of a nuclear explosive device. The findings indicated that Iran was mere weeks away from assembling a nuclear bomb, if it chose to proceed. But the intelligence also came with a chilling caveat: Israel couldn’t be sure this was the full picture. Officials warned that Iran may have already advanced further in weaponization than the available data suggested. According to the report, Iran began quietly accelerating its nuclear weapons program around late 2023 or early 2024, shortly after Hamas’s October 7 massacre in southern Israel. The regime gathered teams of scientists and divided them into discreet working groups, each assigned a piece of the complex puzzle required to transform enriched uranium into a functioning nuclear warhead. These covert efforts ran alongside Iran’s ongoing enrichment of uranium to near-weapons-grade levels — far beyond any peaceful civilian need. As of late May, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, if further refined, was sufficient to produce as many as nine nuclear weapons. The intelligence revelations — and what officials called “irrefutable evidence” that Iran had chosen the path of nuclear armament — left Jerusalem with a fateful decision. The government gave the green light for a sweeping preemptive operation that began in the early hours of Friday. Among the opening targets: Iran’s top nuclear scientists. The IDF confirmed that nine senior nuclear experts were killed in pinpoint strikes on Tehran. All had played key roles in the development of nuclear detonation devices and were described by the IDF as “direct heirs” to Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the architect of Iran’s nuclear ambitions who was assassinated in 2020. The scientists eliminated were: Fereydoon Abbasi – nuclear engineering Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi – physics Akbar Motalebi Zadeh – chemical engineering Saeed Barji – materials engineering Amir Hassan Fakhahi – physics Abd al-Hamid Minoushehr – reactor physics Mansour Asgari – physics Ahmad Reza Zolfaghari Daryani – nuclear engineering Ali Bakhouei Katirimi – mechanical engineering “These individuals were not only scientists — they were repositories of decades of expertise,” said a senior IDF official. “Their elimination represents a significant setback to Iran’s nuclear project.” The assassinations were the product of a multi-year intelligence effort, the IDF said, involving dozens of analysts working on a classified operation to monitor, track, and ultimately neutralize key figures in Iran’s nuclear apparatus. Friday’s pre-dawn offensive, which also took out six senior military officials and multiple missile bases, marked a turning point in the long-simmering shadow war between Israel and Iran. Military officials said the Israeli operation is expected to continue for at least several more days and could include further strikes deep inside Iran. “We are prepared for heavy fire,” one official said. “But by the end of this operation, there will be no nuclear threat from the Islamic Republic.” The international community has predictably urged restraint. But in Jerusalem, Israeli leaders insisted they had no alternative. “This was not a war […]