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Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim continues its vibrant growth as the zman Elul begins, with talmidim learning Maseches Kiddushin as a continuation of the summer zman.

Each zman, hundreds of new avreichim and bochurim from the finest yeshivas and kollelim across the globe join the yeshiva.

To accommodate this steady influx, the yeshiva is opening several highly exclusive groups where only the top talmidim, carefully selected from among thousands, are accepted. These elite groups are primarily located in the main building and in the ezras nashim area, which has been adapted to serve as an additional beis medrash.

Recently, Mir Yeshiva added a new building on Rechov Harav Chaim Ozer, just near the main campus, providing hundreds of new seating spaces for learning. In addition, the adjacent Zvhil Yeshiva building is now being used to house even more talmidim.

Due to the growing demand, construction is already underway on additional batei midrash designed to accommodate hundreds more seats, ensuring that Mir Yeshiva continues to meet the needs of its ever-expanding student body.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Breslov Union in Uman, which oversees the upkeep of the tziyon of Rebbe Nachman, habe revealed plans for a massive, unprecedented renovation project valued at over $2 million, set to completely transform the tziyon complex from end to end. According to the organization, the renovations are expected to begin during the coming winter of 5786, with the goal of enabling the throngs of mispallelim who travel to Uman year-round to daven without overcrowding or disturbance. The ambitious project spans an area of 1,800 square meters (20,000 square feet) and will address long-standing challenges faced by mispallelim for decades. Among the central upgrades: Permanent Ezras Nashim: For the first time in over two decades, a spacious, dignified ezras nashim will be established, replacing the temporary arrangement that has served until now. Taharah for Kohanim: Special solutions will be implemented to allow kohanim to be present near the tziyon without concerns of tumas meis. Dedicated Batei Tefillah: Three new batei tefillah will be constructed — an Ashkenazi beis tefillah, a Sephardi beis tefillah, and a flexible hall for additional needs — to minimize disruptions and accommodate the diverse crowd that comes to daven. Heichal for Rikudei Simchah: A designated space will be created for dancing and clapping, in accordance with Rebbe Nachman’s guidance, without disturbing those davening directly at the kever. Organized Tefillah Arrangements: A new system will separate minyanim from individual davening at the kever itself, ensuring every mispallel can approach the tziyon without overcrowding. Improved Facilities: The project will include a refreshment corner with coffee, tea, and light snacks, along with newly built women’s restrooms for the first time. With the costs of the renovation exceeding $2 million, in addition to the site’s annual upkeep of more than $800,000 and Rosh Hashanah preparations alone topping $350,000, the Union is preparing a large fundraising campaign. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Across the UK, millions of people are now having their faces scanned by real-time facial-recognition systems — making it the only country in Europe to roll out this technology on such a large scale.

At London’s Notting Hill Carnival, where an estimated two million people are expected to celebrate Afro-Caribbean culture over Sunday and Monday, police have set up facial-recognition cameras near key entrances and exits.

According to police officials, the purpose of deploying the technology is to identify and apprehend wanted suspects by scanning the faces of festival-goers and matching them against thousands of profiles stored in their database.

The technology is “an effective policing tool which has already been successfully used to locate offenders at crime hotspots resulting in well over 1,000 arrests since the start of 2024,” said Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley.

Facial-recognition technology was first tested in 2016, but its deployment has expanded rapidly in the UK over the past three years.

According to the NGO Liberty, approximately 4.7 million faces were scanned in 2024 alone. Since late January, UK police have used live facial-recognition technology nearly 100 times — a sharp increase compared to just 10 deployments between 2016 and 2019.

Some recent examples include screenings conducted before two Six Nations rugby matches and outside two Oasis concerts in Cardiff this past July.

When an individual on the police “watchlist” approaches the cameras, the AI-powered system — often stationed inside a nearby police van — immediately sends out an alert. Officers then verify the person’s identity and can make an arrest on the spot.

However, the widespread use of this technology has sparked major criticism from privacy advocates. The organization Big Brother Watch warned that the mass data collection seen in London, including during the coronation of King Charles III in 2023, “treats us like a nation of suspects.”

“There is no legislative basis, so we have no safeguards to protect our rights, and the police is left to write its own rules,” said Rebecca Vincent, interim director of Big Brother Watch, in an interview with AFP.

Vincent also raised concerns about its private use by supermarkets and clothing retailers, where “very little information” is provided about how customers’ data is collected and stored.

Many stores rely on Facewatch, a service provider that maintains a list of suspected offenders and sends alerts when any of them enter a monitored location.

“It transforms what it is to live in a city, because it removes the possibility of living anonymously,” said Daragh Murray, a lecturer in human rights law at Queen Mary University of London.

“That can have really big implications for protests but also participation in political and cultural life,” he added.

Shoppers are often unaware that they are being scanned and profiled when entering these stores.

“They should make people aware of it,” said Abigail Bevon, a 26-year-old forensic scientist, who spoke to AFP outside a London store using Facewatch. She admitted she was “very surprised” to learn how extensively the technology was being deployed.

While acknowledging its usefulness in certain policing situations, she criticized its use by retailers, calling it “invasive.”

Since February, new EU regulations on artificial intelligence have banned real-time facial-recognition technology, except in exceptional cases such as counterterrorism.

Aside from a few isolated cases in the United States, “we do not see anything even close in European countries or other democracies,” Vincent emphasized.

“The use of such invasive tech is more akin to what we see in authoritarian states such as China,” she added.

UK Interior Minister Yvette Cooper recently announced that a “legal framework” will be drafted to regulate its use, focusing on investigations involving “the most serious crimes.”

However, despite these assurances, her ministry authorized police this month to deploy facial-recognition systems in seven additional regions.

Currently, the cameras are typically mounted inside mobile police vans, but for the first time, permanent installations are set to be introduced in Croydon, south London, next month.

Police have insisted that “robust safeguards” are in place, including switching off cameras when officers are absent and deleting biometric data from individuals who are not suspects.

Despite these claims, the UK’s human rights watchdog ruled on Wednesday that the Metropolitan Police’s policy on facial recognition was “unlawful” and “incompatible” with existing rights protections.

In addition, eleven advocacy groups — including Human Rights Watch — sent a letter to the Metropolitan Police chief urging him not to use the technology during Notting Hill Carnival, accusing the department of “unfairly targeting” the Afro-Caribbean community and highlighting the racial biases built into AI-driven systems.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

Aliyahs are flying, pledges are pouring in, and Yom Tov is around the corner. For gabbaim, it’s the season of long days, late nights, and endless chasing. But it doesn’t have to be that way anymore.

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President Donald Trump may have built his reputation on “The Art of the Deal,” but on Monday, South Korea will receive recognition at the Oval Office for committing $150 billion to its “Make America Shipbuilding Great Again” (MASGA) initiative.

According to a Wall Street Journal report on Sunday, during last month’s high-level trade negotiations, South Korean representatives presented U.S. officials with symbolic red baseball caps embroidered with the MASGA slogan alongside both American and Korean flags.

The gesture resonated strongly with U.S. officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who praised the move as a “great idea” while tying it to President Trump’s ongoing push to strengthen America’s naval capabilities and shipping infrastructure under his broader MAGA goals.

The trade agreement struck between the two countries included reductions in tariffs, greater access to U.S. auto markets, and South Korea’s commitment to purchase $100 billion worth of American energy exports.

“The MASGA project contributed most significantly,” South Korea’s Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol told the Journal, crediting the initiative as a major factor in finalizing the deal.

The agreement comes just before Monday’s planned Oval Office meeting between President Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Their agenda will cover trade tariffs, the presence of U.S. military forces on the Korean Peninsula, and Seoul’s defense contributions.

President Trump has repeatedly voiced frustration over America’s declining shipbuilding sector and has pledged to restore its strength through new tax incentives and the establishment of a dedicated White House office focused on shipbuilding expansion. Currently, the U.S. accounts for less than 1% of global ship construction, far behind China’s 60% share and South Korea’s 22%.

With China rapidly increasing its naval power and positioning itself for a potential confrontation over Taiwan as early as 2027, Washington has made boosting cooperation with allies that have strong shipbuilding industries a strategic priority.

South Korea, home to the world’s largest shipyard in Ulsan operated by HD Hyundai, ranks second globally in ship production behind China. Leading South Korean shipbuilders — including HD Hyundai, Hanwha Ocean, and Samsung Heavy Industries — have already secured U.S. Navy repair contracts and are exploring acquisitions of American shipyards to expand their influence.

Hanwha Ocean’s acquisition of the Philadelphia Shipyard last year drew praise from U.S. officials for doubling the facility’s workforce and significantly increasing production capacity. Meanwhile, HD Hyundai has been advising American companies on scaling up operations and has signaled potential interest in purchasing a U.S.-based shipyard.

Industry analysts warn that the collaboration could prove crucial in the event of a military conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

“The U.S. could have access to allied shipyards and bases all the way up and down the region,” Peter Lee of Seoul’s Asan Institute told the Journal. “That will be an advantage China simply doesn’t have.”

In Washington, lawmakers are considering new legislation to make it easier for trusted allies like South Korea and Japan to construct and maintain U.S. naval vessels. At the same time, Seoul is betting that aligning itself closely with Trump’s MASGA initiative will not only deepen U.S.-South Korea ties but also give it a strategic edge over regional competitors like Japan.

{Matzav.com}

The United States has entered uncharted territory: for the first time since the 1960s, its foreign-born population is shrinking. A new analysis by the Pew Research Center reveals that the number of immigrants living in the country dropped by nearly 1.5 million in just the first half of 2025—a reversal that comes after decades of steady growth and coincides directly with President Donald Trump’s aggressive second-term immigration agenda. In January 2025, the U.S. counted a record 53.3 million immigrants. But instead of climbing higher, as it has nearly every year since the Johnson administration, the figure slid downward. Pew’s data shows that more people are now leaving the country than entering it, a reversal not seen in over half a century. At the same time, Pew confirmed that the undocumented population reached an all-time high of 14 million in 2023, a number Trump used relentlessly on the campaign trail to frame both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as weak on border control. The data lands as Trump doubles down on his central campaign promise: reshaping America’s immigration system by force. Since returning to the Oval Office in January, he has signed 181 executive orders on immigration, rolling out mass deportations, ratcheting up border security, tightening student visa rules, and promoting “self-deportation” measures to pressure immigrants to leave voluntarily. These efforts are leaving a measurable imprint. The immigrant share of the U.S. population has slipped from 15.8% in January to 15.4% in June, according to Pew. The workforce is taking the hit as well. Immigrants—both legal and undocumented—make up a critical slice of America’s labor pool. Pew found that immigrant participation in the workforce fell from 20% to 19% in just six months, representing a net loss of more than 750,000 workers. Economists warn the implications could be severe if the exodus continues. Industries that rely heavily on immigrant labor, from agriculture to construction to health care, could face tightening labor shortages. Whether that translates into slower growth or higher prices will depend on how far Trump pushes his enforcement regime in the coming months. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Pentagon is preparing plans to deploy U.S. military forces to Chicago as part of President Donald Trump’s initiative to crack down on violent crime, homelessness, and illegal immigration, according to a report from The Washington Post, citing officials familiar with the discussions.

The plans, which have been under development for several weeks, outline multiple scenarios, including sending several thousand National Guard troops as early as September, the report said.

According to the Daily Mail, Chicago is among 19 states expected to receive part of an estimated 1,700 National Guard members tasked with supporting immigration enforcement and crime reduction efforts in Democrat-led cities across the country.

The troops will be assigned to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), focusing on support roles such as case processing, transportation, logistics, and clerical duties, while also working to deter crime. The deployments are planned to begin in August and are expected to continue through at least mid-November, with Texas expected to host the largest share of forces.

The 19 states slated for deployment include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.

In response to the reports, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, issued a statement saying, “The State of Illinois at this time has received no requests or outreach from the federal government asking if we need assistance, and we have made no requests for federal intervention.”

He continued, “The safety of the people of Illinois is always my top priority. There is no emergency that warrants the President of the United States federalizing the Illinois National Guard, deploying the National Guard from other states, or sending active duty military within our own borders. Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he is causing working families. We will continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect the people of Illinois.”

While the possibility of using active-duty military personnel has also been discussed, officials told The Washington Post that such a move is considered less likely at this stage.

“Chicago’s a mess,” Trump said on Friday during a meeting in the Oval Office, sharply criticizing the city’s leadership. “You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent. And we’ll straighten that one out probably next. That’ll be our next one after this. And it won’t even be tough.”

Chicago’s Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson also condemned the potential plan, calling any federal troop deployment “uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound.”

“We have grave concerns about the impact of any unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to the City of Chicago,” Johnson told The Washington Post.

The Pentagon has refused to provide details about the strategy, issuing a brief statement instead: “The department is a planning organization and is continuously working with other agency partners on plans to protect federal assets and personnel.”

White House officials have linked the possible deployment to a broader strategy aimed at strengthening Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, accelerating deportations, and achieving a stated goal of 3,000 arrests per day.

If implemented, Chicago would become the third major U.S. city to see significant military involvement during Trump’s second term, demonstrating his readiness to override local resistance in pursuit of restoring what he calls “law and order.”

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance stated on Sunday that Russia has made “significant concessions” in its ongoing talks over a possible settlement to end the war in Ukraine, expressing optimism that negotiations are advancing even though there are no concrete indications that the fighting is close to being resolved.

In an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker,” Vance explained that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to several key compromises, including security assurances for Ukraine to protect it from future Russian attacks.

“I think the Russians have made significant concessions to President Trump for the first time in three and a half years of this conflict,” Vance said in remarks aired on Sunday.

“They’ve recognized that they’re not going to be able to install a puppet regime in Kyiv. That was, of course, a major demand at the beginning. And importantly, they’ve acknowledged that there is going to be some security guarantee to the territorial integrity of Ukraine.”

The war began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, sparking a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. According to sources cited by Reuters, Putin’s terms for halting Russia’s military campaign include Ukraine surrendering control of the entire eastern Donbas region, agreeing never to join NATO, adopting a position of neutrality, and banning Western troops from entering the country.

On Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a televised interview that Moscow wants a group of countries, including members of the United Nations Security Council, to act as guarantors of Ukraine’s security as part of any peace deal.

On Friday, President Donald Trump warned that he would impose sanctions on Russia if there was no progress toward securing a peace agreement within two weeks. The warning came just a week after Trump met with Putin in Alaska, reflecting his growing impatience with Moscow.

Vance explained that any sanctions would be weighed carefully, noting that while they remain an option, it is unlikely that additional measures would alone be enough to push Russia into agreeing to an immediate ceasefire.

He pointed to Trump’s recent decision to place an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports in response to New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, describing it as an example of how the administration intends to apply economic pressure to influence negotiations.

“He’s tried to make it clear that Russia can be re-invited into the world economy if they stop the killing, but they’re going to continue to be isolated if they don’t stop the killing,” Vance said.

{Matzav.com}

Democratic mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani is campaigning on a radical vision to overhaul law enforcement in New York City—one rooted in the Democratic Socialists of America’s platform that seeks to eliminate the enforcement of all misdemeanor crimes. The DSA, which has endorsed Mamdani’s bid, denounces policing and detention as “instruments of class war” designed to maintain control over working-class communities. Its national platform, adopted in 2021, calls for dismantling the “carceral forces of the state”—from prisons and police to electronic monitoring and parole enforcement. Mamdani, a Queens assemblyman, has echoed those views on the trail, saying police should stop focusing on what he calls “non-serious crimes.” In a campaign video posted Wednesday, he argued: “Right now we’re relying on [police] to deal with the failures of our social safety net, which is preventing them from doing their actual jobs.” The misdemeanors that would be decriminalized or deprioritized under DSA’s vision are not trivial offenses. In New York State, they include theft or shoplifting up to $1,000, drug possession, assault without a weapon, and driving while intoxicated. Critics warn that Mamdani’s approach would open the door to chaos. “They’re driving the city into a hole that’s never going to recover,” the New York Post quoted Greenwich Village resident Susan Ginsburg, who described her neighborhood as a “lawless drug den” since bail reform and lenient prosecution policies took hold. Maria Danzilo, an Upper West Side Democrat and founder of One City Rising, called Mamdani’s agenda “exactly the opposite of what New Yorkers need right now.” Though once an outspoken proponent of “defund the police,” Mamdani has shifted his rhetoric following the Park Avenue massacre. He now promises to maintain NYPD headcount while narrowing its focus to violent crimes. But skeptics say the pivot is superficial. Mamdani has also questioned the very definition of violent crime, telling protesters in 2021 that “violence is an artificial construction” and promising to shut down Rikers Island—a pledge he continues to repeat. Misdemeanor law is set at the state level, but as mayor, Mamdani would wield enormous influence over how laws are enforced. He could direct the NYPD to deprioritize arrests or pressure district attorneys to dismiss cases—just as Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg drew fire for instructing staff to downgrade robbery and drug charges on his first day in office. Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa warned such policies would create “an EZ-Pass for criminals.” He added: “This will cause the quality of life to decline dramatically, leading to a breakdown of law and order.” Governor Kathy Hochul, who has yet to endorse Mamdani, has publicly rejected calls to defund police, setting up a potential confrontation between City Hall and Albany should Mamdani win. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Kretchnif Siget community is calling for tefillos for the complete recovery of the Rebbe, Rav Baruch Zeida Eliezer Zev ben Shifra, who is hospitalized in extremely critical condition at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Yerushalayim after suffering a severe stroke.

The Rebbe was admitted shortly before Shabbos in grave condition and has since been sedated and placed on a respirator.

A special tefillah gathering and the recital of the entire Sefer Tehillim was held tonight at at the Kretchnif Siget Beis Medrash Nachalei Emunah on Rechov Rappaport in the Beis Yisroel neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

Doctors are saying that the situation is very serious and only tefillos can help.

On Motzoei Shabbos, hundreds of chassidim gathered at the kever of the Rebbe’s father, the previous Kretchnifer Rebbe, Rav Hershele zt”l, on Har HaZeisim, to daven.

In addition, following the instruction of Rav Yaakov Meir Schechter, the name Baruch was added as a zechus to the Rebbe’s name during a special minyan arranged by his son.

All are asked to daven for Rav Baruch Zeida Eliezer Zev ben Shifra.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Children in Iran’s rural and nomadic areas who suffer from malnourishment often take long routes to school without breakfast, causing some to collapse during the school days, the reformist Iranian Shargh newspaper reported last week. “These children in practice have no fuel for learning, and teachers and principals, because there is not even a single grocery store near the school, cannot provide them with food and often have no choice but to send students home after such incidents,” the report said. Ronak Rostami, a social activist, told Shargh that malnutrition has become a serious problem in schools. “Many children suffer from stomach aches, abdominal pain, and general weakness, which prevents them from making effective use of classroom time,” she said. According to Iran International, which quoted the report, this isn’t the first time that Iranian media has published alarming reports about children suffering from malnourishment. A recent study cited by Shargh earlier this month said that the Iranian people are suffering from increasing levels of malnutrition amid worsening economic conditions. The report said only 1.7% of households reported daily protein consumption, while 27% of all households said they do not consume any kind of protein. “Essentials like meat, chicken, milk, and cheese are gone. Some used to buy scraps or expired chicken, but now even those are unaffordable. Fruit and vegetables, too, are out of reach,” Shargh quoted Reyhaneh Shirazi, a social activist in Tehran’s Darvazeh Ghar district, as saying. “No one buys meat. If they can afford anything, it’s chicken. Maybe if someone donates meat. Fruit is a luxury except for watermelon, which grows locally,” said a teacher near Kerman. “Vegetables are rarely consumed. Food is mostly lentils and bread. Breakfast is nonexistent. Illnesses tied to nutrition are high, especially in children.” Parisa Ahmadi, a social worker in Shiraz, says iron and vitamin deficiencies are widespread. “Parents are street vendors, and kids also work. Doctors confirm they suffer from severe malnutrition and iron and vitamin deficiency, which affects physical and cognitive development,” she said. “Common meals are eggplant, beans, lentils, and pasta. Meat and eggs once a month. Rice is rare.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Israeli security forces arrested two Palestinians in Tel Aviv on Sunday after intelligence indicated they were planning a terror attack, police and Shin Bet officials announced. The suspects, who were in Israel illegally, were taken into custody near the Tel Aviv Port during a joint operation by police and the Shin Bet security agency. They have since been transferred for interrogation. According to Hebrew media reports, the Shin Bet issued an urgent warning earlier in the day about a potential terror plot in the city, prompting an hours-long manhunt. Security forces flooded central Tel Aviv and its waterfront area before cornering the suspects. Several additional Palestinians have also been arrested in the city on suspicion of ties to the planned attack, reports said. The arrests come amid heightened tensions and frequent security alerts in Israel’s urban centers. Authorities have warned repeatedly of attempts by Palestinian operatives to infiltrate Israeli cities and carry out attacks in crowded civilian areas. The investigation is ongoing. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In Yerushalayim, on Motzoei Shabbos, crowds gathered to accompany the aron of the gaon and tzaddik Rav Shmuel Schwartz zt”l of Rechov Sorotzkin, a distinguished talmid of Hagaon Rav Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik zt”l of Brisk, who was niftar after enduring prolonged and bitter yissurim, which he accepted with complete emunah. He was 72 years old.

Rav Shmuel was born on the 26th of Cheshvan, 5713 (1952), to his father Rav Aharon Chaim Schwartz, a descendant of the Megaleh Amukos.

From his earliest childhood, he turned away from the vanities of this world, dedicating his entire being to avodas Hashem with all his heart and soul. He immersed himself in Torah day and night, learning with purity and holiness, and it became the joy of his life. He was renowned for his profound yiras Shomayim, meticulous care in halacha, and constant awareness of aveiros.

His tefillos were filled with heartfelt pleas, pouring out his soul like a child before his father. He greeted every person warmly, carried himself with humility, and never sought honor for himself.

Rav Shmuel rejoiced in every mitzvah as though discovering a priceless treasure anew each day. The sanctity of Shabbos was ever-present in his heart, and he was exceptionally careful and meticulous in the halachos of STaM (sifrei Torah, tefillin, and mezuzos).

Even through years of intense suffering, he accepted the din Shamayim with serenity and unshakable emunah.

Rav Shmuel was a devoted maggid shiur, delivering shiurim in both nigleh and nistar. As a faithful talmid of Rav Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, he absorbed his rebbi’s teachings and passed them on, transmitting his pure yiras Shomayim and the rich traditions of his rabbeim to his own talmidim and descendants.

For many years, he served as a shaliach tzibbur during the Yamim Nora’im, his impassioned tefillos inspiring those present to awaken their hearts in teshuvah.

The levayah took place on Motzoei Shabbos beginning from his home on Rechov Sorotzkin in Yerushalayim. He was laid to rest on Har HaMenuchos.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Arab media outlets reported early Sunday afternoon that Israel carried out strikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen.

According to these reports, the strikes were focused on areas close to a major port in the region.

At this stage, neither Israeli officials nor international authorities have issued any formal statements regarding the incident.

A regional security source confirmed the strikes, noting that the targets included power facilities, the presidential office, and a warehouse used to store fuel.

Residents of Sana’a told Reuters that the bombings took place near the presidential compound in the city as well as at missile launch sites operated by the Houthis. The strikes were reportedly carried out in response to the Houthis’ recent firing of missiles and UAVs at Israeli territory.

The IDF released an official statement: “A short while ago, the IDF struck military infrastructure of the Houthi terrorist regime in the Sanaa area, including a military site in which the presidency palace is located, the Asar and Hizaz power plants, and a site for storing fuel; all were used for the military activity of the Houthi terrorist regime.”

According to the statement, “The strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel and its civilians, including the launching of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory in recent days. The presidential palace in the Sanaa area is located within a military site from which the military forces of the Houthi terrorist regime operate,” the IDF added. “In addition, the Hizaz and Asar power plants were struck, which served as a significant electricity supply facility for military activities.”

The IDF further explained: “The strike on the power plants damages the production and supply of electricity for military purposes. The use of these plants constitutes further proof of how the Houthi regime uses civilian infrastructure for military purposes.”

The statement continued: “The Houthi terrorist regime operates under the direction and funding of the Iranian regime, in order to harm the State of Israel and its allies. The terrorist regime exploits the maritime domain to project force and carry out terror activity against global shipping and trade routes. The IDF will operate against the ongoing and repeated attacks of the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel, and remains determined to continue removing any threat posed to the civilians of the State of Israel, wherever it is required.”

In related developments, a preliminary review of the Houthi missile launched toward Israel on Friday night suggests that it was likely equipped with a cluster warhead.

This marks the first known instance of the Houthis firing this type of missile at Israeli territory.

The IDF noted that the unsuccessful interception attempt on Friday is currently under investigation, emphasizing that it is unrelated to the missile type. Officials added that Israel’s air defense systems, “particularly the upper-tier layer, are capable of dealing with and intercepting missiles of this type.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar issued a sharp response Sunday night to a social media post in which Hamas expressed support for outgoing Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, who had pushed for sanctions against Israel.

In a message posted on X, Sa’ar wrote: “Hamas praises outgoing Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, the initiator of sanctions against Israel in the European Union. Just as it praised Macron and his partners for recognizing a ‘Palestinian state’ – a move Hamas classified as ‘the fruits of October 7.’ Europe must choose: Israel or Hamas. Every action against Israel directly serves the jihadist axis in the Middle East.”

Veldkamp announced his resignation last week, stepping down along with the rest of his party after failing to secure broader measures targeting Israel. Speaking to a Dutch news outlet, he explained, “I see that I am not sufficiently able to take further meaningful steps to increase pressure on Israel.”

On Friday, Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, who has taken over Veldkamp’s duties, stated that the Netherlands will not enforce a complete arms embargo on Israel due to national security concerns.

{Matzav.com}

Chaverim of Bergen County It’s What Friends Do. You don’t plan for a flat tire in the rain. You don’t schedule being locked out of your home at midnight. And you certainly don’t expect to carry your kids through floodwater to safety. But when it happens, Chaverim is there. Always. Because that’s what friends do. We’re not a company. We’re not a service you pay for. We’re a group of over 90 trained volunteers who answer the call – day or night, weekday or Yom Tov – with one goal: help first, ask nothing in return. No waitlist. No invoices. Just action. In the past three years alone, we’ve responded to over 10,000 calls. Car boosts. Basement floods. Missing persons. Fallen trees. We’ve shown up in the snow, and rain, heat and cold. But to keep going, we need you. This campaign fuels the gear, the vehicles, the tools, and the training. It powers the mission. And it gives every member of our community a chance to say: I’m part of this too. Because real support doesn’t always mean showing up to the scene. Sometimes, it just means making sure we can. Donate today. It’s what friends do.

The Israeli government announced on Sunday that it has allocated NIS 10 million to cover the costs of flights to Uman ahead of Rosh Hashanah.

This decision comes in response to Moldova’s demand for compensation for the use of its infrastructure by travelers passing through on their way to the gravesite in Ukraine. To handle this, a special committee of experts has been formed to negotiate with Moldovan officials on payment terms and logistical arrangements.

The allocation follows recent efforts led by Rav Shalom Arush, who has been actively involved in addressing the situation with the assistance of MK Eliyahu Revivo.

In the past few days, Rav Arush also met with Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and Transportation Minister Miri Regev. During the discussion, they explored the possibility of working with the IDF to allow draft-eligible chareidim to travel to Uman without being detained at Ben Gurion Airport.

At the meeting, Deri highlighted the urgent need to create a workable solution for the thousands of draft-eligible chareidim seeking to make the trip, emphasizing the importance of ensuring they can depart without facing legal complications or arrests at the airport.

{Matzav.com}

Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot sign a formal peace agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky because Moscow considers him “illegitimate,” Russia’s top diplomat stated on Sunday.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the remarks during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, indicating that Putin would not be able to finalize an accord with Zelensky under the current circumstances.

While the Kremlin has expressed similar views before, these comments carry added weight as President Trump is working to arrange a meeting between Putin and Zelensky — their first face-to-face encounter since the war began — aimed at securing a permanent peace agreement.

“Irrespective of when this meeting might take place, and that must be very well prepared, the issue of who is going to sign the deal on Ukrainian side is a very serious issue,” Lavrov said.

“We recognize him as the de-facto head of the regime, and in this capacity we are ready to meet with him. But when it comes to signing legal documents… we would need very clear understanding by everybody that the person who is signing is legitimate.”

Russia has insisted that Ukraine hold new elections, arguing that Zelensky’s term technically ended since he has not faced re-election since 2019. Moscow claims secure elections cannot be conducted while the conflict continues. Putin has remained in power since 2000, briefly stepping aside between 2008 and 2012 when his ally Dmitry Medvedev served as president.

Lavrov’s position clashes directly with comments from Vice President JD Vance, who also appeared on Meet the Press Sunday. Vance said the Russians had confirmed during their discussions with Trump in Alaska that Zelensky is recognized as Ukraine’s legitimate leader.

“They’ve recognized that they’re not going to be able to install a puppet regime in Kyiv, and importantly, they’ve acknowledged that there is going to be some security guarantee to the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Vance said, describing the concessions the Russians agreed to during the Anchorage talks.

{Matzav.com}

The Daily Mirror, one of the UK’s largest newspapers, deliberately smeared Israel by publishing a report with a photo of a Gazan child with a rare genetic illness to accuse Israel of “starving Gaza’s kids”—making no mention of his illness. Even the state-controlled Turkish Anadolu news agency, which published the photo of the child, Kareem Muaamr, wrote in the report that he suffers from Fanconi syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects the intestines, liver, and kidneys, disrupting the absorption of essential nutrients. The Camera UK media watchdog group wrote, “What makes this libel so egregious is that the community note, noting the baby’s pre-existing disease, cites a report by Anadolu Agency, the Turkish state-run news agency. The fact that even THEY were more honest than the Daily Mirror is astonishing!” Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote on X. “The Daily Mirror’s manipulation on Gaza is being backlashed by X users: a Community Note saying they concealed important context from their readers about a child from Gaza.” “Daily Mirror, stop spreading Hamas propaganda!”   (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)