In an attempt to reassure Israeli concerns amid rising diplomatic unease, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee pushed back against claims that President Donald Trump’s upcoming Middle East trip — which notably skips Israel — signals a snub. The former Arkansas governor, speaking to Israel’s Channel 12, acknowledged that Trump’s first regional tour as president-elect includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, but not Jerusalem — a move that’s raised eyebrows across the Israeli political spectrum. “His first trip is about economic opportunity. That’s where his focus is,” Huckabee explained. “It’s not about leaving Israel out. He’s spent more time with the Israeli prime minister than with any other leader.

The Houthis in Yemen fired another missile at Israel on Friday, which was Baruch Hashem successfully intercepted by the Arrow 3 missile defense system. Following the attack, an Israeli security official told Ynet that Israel is not a party to the Houthi-US ceasefire and will continue attacking the Houthis. “We’ll continue striking the Houthis without any restrictions,” he said. “That deal doesn’t bind us. They’ll pay the price.” According to the report, Israel plans on carrying out broader and more powerful strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in the coming days. Israeli security officials also warned that “Iran won’t get off easy,” adding that Israel is weighing possible strikes on Iranian targets. (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

The air traffic controllers directing planes into the Newark, New Jersey, airport lost their radar Friday morning for the second time in two weeks. The Federal Aviation Administration said the radar at the facility in Philadelphia that directs planes in and out of Newark airport went black for 90 seconds at 3:55 a.m. Friday. That’s similar to what happened on April 28. That first radar outage led to hundreds of flights being canceled or delayed at the Newark airport in the past two weeks after the FAA slowed down traffic at the airport to ensure safety. Five controllers also went on trauma leave after that outage, worsening the existing shortage. It’s not clear if any additional controllers will go on leave now.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has confirmed that American military action against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels will hinge not on attacks against Israel, but on whether American citizens are harmed. Speaking to Israel’s Channel 12 News, Huckabee defended the recent surprise ceasefire agreement between the United States and the Houthis—brokered without Israeli input—just days after a Houthi ballistic missile struck the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport, injuring six and prompting international flight suspensions. “The United States isn’t required to get permission from Israel to make arrangements to stop Houthi fire on our ships,” he said, brushing aside concerns of coordination with America’s key Middle East ally. Ambassador Huckabee emphasized that U.S.

YWN regrets to inform you of the petirah of R’ Tzaddik haLevi “Charlie Buttons” Nassofer Z”L, a beloved personality and cherished fixture in the Crown Heights community. He was 81 years old. Known to generations simply as “Charlie Buttons,” R’ Tzaddik Halevi brought joy and warmth to countless simchos throughout Crown Heights over the decades. With his signature smile, colorful attire adorned with pins and buttons – many of them promoting the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s mivtzoim and other Yiddishe messages – Charlie stood out in both appearance and in heart. He was often seen at the Rebbe’s farbrengens and in 770, always wearing his signature overalls and button-covered headgear.

In a sharp departure from the very policy he once championed, President Donald Trump has quietly removed a key requirement in U.S.-Saudi nuclear negotiations: normalization with Israel. According to a bombshell Reuters report citing sources close to the talks, the Trump administration is no longer insisting that Saudi Arabia recognize the Jewish state as a precondition for advancing civil nuclear cooperation — a move that could signal a troubling shift in the region’s diplomatic balance. The reversal comes just days before Trump is set to visit Riyadh, where he’s expected to finalize a series of high-stakes agreements with the kingdom. The change not only marks a major U.S.

The Indian government announced Thursday that its military forces conducted a targeted operation resulting in the death of Abdul Rauf Azhar, a senior commander of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Indian authorities claim Azhar was a key conspirator in the 2002 kidnapping, torture, and beheading of American-Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl. Daniel Pearl, a 38-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter and South Asia bureau chief, was kidnapped in Karachi, Pakistan, on January 23, 2002, while investigating links between Pakistani terrorists and Richard Reid, the so-called “shoe bomber.” Pearl, who was Jewish, was lured to a meeting under the pretense of an interview with a religious cleric.

A new survey reveals that nearly half of Gaza residents would be willing to seek Israeli assistance to emigrate from the enclave, underscoring a deepening sense of despair and dissatisfaction amid ongoing war and political repression. According to the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, 49% of Gazans surveyed said they would consider applying to Israel for help leaving Gaza through Israeli-controlled ports or airports. The poll comes just weeks after Israeli military operations resumed in the Strip following a collapsed ceasefire. While Israeli officials have said they’re open to facilitating emigration for Gazans who wish to leave, efforts to secure third-country destinations for them have so far stalled.

Religious Zionist MK Simcha Rothman, the chairman of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, sent a letter on Wednesday to Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara slamming her for withholding funding from Chareidi hesder yeshivos, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.

Two boats off the coast of Eilat crashed into each other on Wednesday evening, causing one to capsize. At least eight people were injured, one critically, two moderately, and five lightly. Police forces, including marine police officers, are at the scene, evacuating the victims from the water and carrying out searches. This is a developing story. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)