Donald Trump on Tuesday pledged to stop U.S. businesses from shipping jobs overseas and to take other countries’ jobs and factories by relying heavily on sweeping tariffs to boost auto manufacturing — despite warnings that domestic consumers would pay more and a lack of specifics about how his plans would work. “I want German car companies to become American car companies. I want them to build their plants here,” Trump declared during a speech in Savannah, Georgia. Trump added that, if elected, he’d put a 100% tariff on every car imported from Mexico and that the only way to avoid those charges would be for an automaker to build the cars in the U.S. His ideas, if enacted, could cause a huge upheaval in the American auto industry.

Today, the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi, visited the 7th Brigade’s military exercise at Israel’s northern border. He was accompanied by senior military officials, including the Commanding Officer of the Northern Command, the Commanding Officer of the 98th Division, the Commanding Officer of the Ground Forces Training Center, and other brigade commanders. During the visit, LTG Halevi addressed the troops, emphasizing the ongoing Israeli Air Force strikes and preparations for a potential ground operation. In his remarks, he stated: “You hear the jets overhead; we have been striking all day. This is both to prepare the ground for your possible entry and to continue degrading Hezbollah.

Congress is expected Wednesday to give swift approval to a temporary spending bill that would keep federal agencies funded when the new fiscal year begins next Tuesday, avoiding a potential shutdown showdown just weeks before the Nov. 5 election. The stopgap measure generally funds agencies at current levels through Dec. 20, but an additional $231 million was included to bolster the Secret Service after the two assassination attempts against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Money was also added to aid with the presidential transition, among other things. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., billed the measure as doing “only what’s absolutely necessary,” a statement directed at members of his own conference concerned about spending levels.

One year since Kevin McCarthy was booted from the House speaker’s office after Congress voted in a bipartisan way to prevent a federal government shutdown, the new House Speaker Mike Johnson finds himself courting, but so far avoiding, a similar political fate. Johnson is leading the House this week to vote on legislation to fund the government and ensure no interruption in federal services, but he’s similarly abandoning demands from his own hard-right Republican colleagues and relying on Democratic votes and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to push the package to bipartisan approval.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday said it sanctioned two Mexican businesses — an ice cream chain and a local pharmacy — for allegedly using proceeds of fentanyl trafficking to finance their operations tied to the Sinaloa cartel. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control — the U.S. agency that combats illicit funds and money laundering — said people previously cited for money laundering had set up a chain of ice cream and popsicle shops in the state of Sinaloa. The Sinaloa cartel often uses their earnings from international drug trafficking to establish businesses, pouring cash into everything from fraudulent timeshare operations to restaurants to launder money.

One of the drones fired by the “Islamic Resistance” – an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia – overnight Tuesday hit the Ramon Airbase in the Negev. The strike caused extensive damage (as can be seen in the videos below) but b’chasdei Hashem no one was injured. Further details are unknown at this time as the incident is still under a gag order in Israel. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Today, the IDF announced the completion of a series of airstrikes targeting 60 Hezbollah positions linked to the group’s intelligence directorate. According to an official statement, IDF fighter jets carried out the operation, which successfully destroyed a range of critical infrastructure used by Hezbollah for intelligence gathering and operational planning. The strikes focused on command centers, surveillance tools, and other key assets utilized by Hezbollah to assess intelligence and strategize operations. The IDF described the operation as a direct effort to disrupt and weaken Hezbollah’s ability to monitor and respond to Israeli activities in the region. The destruction of these intelligence resources is seen as a significant blow to Hezbollah’s operational capabilities.

The head of the IDF’s Northern Command Ori Gordin spoke to commanders and soldiers near the northern border on Wednesday. “We’ve entered another phase of the operation,” he said. ” It began with a very significant blow to Hezbollah’s capabilities, focusing on their  rocket firepower, and delivering a very substantial blow to the commanders and members of the organization.” “We need to change the security situation,” he emphasized. “We have to be very strongly prepared to enter [Lebanon] in a ground operation.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

As Operation Northern Arrows, Wednesday began with an early morning launch of a Hezbollah rocket at Tel Aviv for the first time. Later in the morning, sirens were heard for the first time in Zichron Yaakov and Chof HaCarmel as Hezbollah fired a barrage at the area. About midday, Hezbollah fired a heavy rocket barrage of about 40 rockets at Tzfas. Most of the rockets were intercepted but one scored a direct hit on an assisted living facility, heavily damaging it. B’Chasdei Hashem no one was injured but the rocket fall caused a fire to break out. Meanwhile, the IDF continues to strike terror targets in Lebanon, carrying out over 100 strikes of Hezbollah sites with dozens of fighter jets since the morning. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

An Iranian-backed militia in Iraq carried out three attacks on Israel overnight Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Shortly after midnight, drone infiltration sirens sounded in the Arava. The drone fell in an open area and Baruch Hashem caused no damage or injuries. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the strike, stating that it was launched at “a target near the Jordan Valley.” At about 3 a.m., drone infiltration sirens sounded in Ramat HaGaolan. Two drones fell in open areas, causing fires, but did not cause injuries or damage. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq again took responsiblity for the attack. On Wednesday morning at about 8:50 a.m., IDF fighter jets downed a drone that entered Israel through Syria.