In an unusual move, a private individual, a former IDF soldier, filed a libel suit on Wednesday against Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan over his outrageous statements he made on Tuesday, including that “a sane country does not kill babies as a hobby,” Yisrael Hayom reported on Wednesday. The man behind the lawsuit is Roni Golan, a resident of Tel Mond, a former paratrooper and a father of IDF soldiers. “As a father of soldiers, I didn’t sleep all night, especially since one of my soldiers was hit by three RPGs and survived by a neis,” he explained. “I decided to prepare a statement of claim and submit it myself, without involving, chalilah, any political or legal factor.” Golan is suing the former major general for 38,900 shekels in the Kfar Saba small claims court.

Hamas leader Mohamed Sinwar, whose elimination was confirmed by the IDF on Wednesday, was considered a top target by the Shin Bet and IDF due to his involvement in planning dozens of attacks against Israel and the IDF, his senior role in planning and executing the October 7 massacre, his hawkish stance in the war against Israel, and his staunch refusal to advance hostage release deals, Maariv reported on Wednesday. Sinwar, like other senior Hamas figures, resided in compounds where hostages were being held, using them as human shields. More and more released hostages have testified that they were held near senior Hamas officials, primarily the brothers, Mohamed and Yahya Sinwar.

R’ Emanuel Yechiya Meshulam, z”l, a beloved mohel and tzaddik known throughout Israel for his decades of mesirus nefesh in performing brissim purely l’shem Shamayim was tragically niftar as he prepared to perform another one. He was 88. The niftar collapsed suddenly in the middle of a bris milah on Wednesday afternoon at a simcha held in Bilu Junction, central Israel. Shocked onlookers watched as the joyous moment turned tragic in an instant. Emergency medical personnel were immediately called to the scene. The call was received by his very own grandson, Kfir Meshulam — a volunteer with Magen David Adom. Kfir rushed over, only to discover that the patient was his beloved grandfather.

Despite sending call-up orders to over 24,000 Charedi men since last summer, the IDF has seen only a small fraction – 5% – begin the enlistment process. In a tense session of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s Subcommittee for IDF Human Resources, Brig. Gen. Shay Tayeb revealed that just 1,212 Charedi men have begun the initial stages of enlistment, despite thousands receiving formal draft notices. Of the 2,399 who were sent immediate call-up orders, 545 failed to appear by their mandatory reporting date. Military protocol deems any individual who ignores three draft notices a “draft evader,” triggering an automatic arrest warrant.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has accepted a gifted Boeing 747 aircraft from Qatar for President Donald Trump to use as Air Force One, the Pentagon said Wednesday. The Defense Department will “work to ensure proper security measures” on the aircraft to make it safe for use by the president, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said. He added that the plane was accepted “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.” Trump has defended the gift, which came up during his recent Middle East trip, as a way to save tax dollars. “Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE,” Trump posted on his social media site during the trip.

Donald Trump Jr. is no longer ruling out a run for the White House. At a panel discussion during Bloomberg’s Qatar Economic Forum on Wednesday, the eldest son of President Donald Trump offered his most suggestive comments yet about a possible presidential bid. When asked whether he could see himself running to succeed his father, Trump Jr., 47, smiled and paused before responding: “You never know.” “It’s an honor to be asked and an honor to see that some people are OK with it,” he said to scattered applause from the audience. “I don’t know, maybe one day, you know, that calling is there.” The comments marked a subtle but significant shift for the executive vice president of the Trump Organization, who has long been one of his father’s most vocal and aggressive political surrogates.

A powerful twister that swept through the region this past week has left the St. Louis kehilla without a functioning eruv. The 14-mile perimeter eruv sustained extensive damage as utility poles and wire — essential components of the eruv — were toppled or torn from the ground and scattered across major roads. The sudden loss has effectively left residents “locked in” for Shabbos, unable to carry strollers, tallis bags, or other items outside their homes. In response, emergency efforts are already underway. Rabbi Paretzky of Skokie, a renowned eruv expert with decades of experience across North America, was brought in to lead the urgent repairs and planning.

Israel’s Supreme Court of Justice ruled in a verdict published on Wednesday evening that the government’s decision to terminate the tenure of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar was made in an “improper and unlawful” process. In addition, the decision stated that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had a conflict of interest given the investigations into his aides as part of the Qatargate affair, and that the dismissal decision was made without a factual basis and without a proper hearing. The decision was reached despite the fact that the distrust between Bar and Netanyahu since the October 7 massacre was public knowledge, well before the launch of the Qatargate investigation. The decision has no practical bearing since Bar already announced his intention to end his term on June 15.

IDF forces in the Jenin refugee camp on Wednesday fired warning shots in the air during a tour of a delegation of foreign diplomats in the city, causing them to flee the area. According to Palestinian reports, the delegation included 25 representatives from European and Arab countries. Yisrael Hayom reported that the delegation was provided with an approved route as the area is considered an active combat zone. Nevertheless, the delegation deviated from the route and approached an area banned to civilians, causing the IDF soldiers to suspect the delegation members were terror suspects. The commander of the Yehudah and Shomron Division immediately investigated the incident and ordered IDF representatives to hold diplomatic contacts with international diplomats to explain the incident.

U.S. Rep. Gerald “Gerry” Connolly, an outspoken Democrat who sought key reforms in the federal government while bringing transformational development to his populous Virginia district, died Wednesday. He was 75. Connolly, who most recently held a prominent position as the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, served in Congress for more than 16 years. He died at home in the company of family members, his family said in a statement. Connolly announced in 2024 that he had esophageal cancer and said a few months later that he planned to retire from Congress. A fixture of Virginia politics for three decades, Connolly was first elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 1995.