In a dramatic move, Prime Minister Netanyahu called Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to an emergency meeting in his office, notifying him that the cabinet will hold a vote this week to remove him from his position, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office. Hebrew media outlets report that the vote is slated to occur during a special cabinet session on Wednesday. Netanyahu has been maneuvering for months to push Bar out, allegedly aiming to pin the blame for the October 7 security lapses entirely on the intelligence and security leadership, while deflecting responsibility from the political echelon. STATEMENT FROM PM NETANYAHU: “Citizens of Israel, We are in the midst of a war for our very survival – a war on seven fronts.

The IDF on Sunday identified six Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives it eliminated in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya a day earlier, including a Hamas terrorist who participated in the October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel. According to the IDF, two of the operatives were using a drone for attacks on Israeli forces when they were targeted in an initial strike. When a second group arrived to recover the drone equipment, the IDF carried out another precision strike, eliminating additional operatives. In a statement, the IDF revealed that some of the killed terrorists were operating under the guise of journalists, exploiting humanitarian protections to shield their terror activities.

President Donald Trump said he ordered a series of airstrikes on the Houthi-held areas in Yemen on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until Iranian-backed Houthi rebels cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor. The Houthis said 13 civilians were killed in the capital, Sanaa. “Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” Trump said in a social media post.

The weather in Israel has been unusually warm this week, with temperatures rising to above seasonal averages on Wednesday. The temperatures are expected to continue to rise on Thursday, with hot and dry conditions. There will be another slight rise on Friday, Purim day, and Shabbos. The temperature will continue to climb on Sunday, Shushan Purim, with heatwave conditions in the mountains and inland areas. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

It was supposed to be a brief and relaxing getaway, a short escape to the sun-drenched shores of the Caribbean. But for two young avreichem from New York, their tropical vacation turned into a terrifying ordeal, as they vanished without a trace, setting off a frantic international rescue effort that ended in nothing short of a neis. The two men had traveled to Aruba with a third avreich, eager to enjoy a few days of rest before returning to their daily routines. While one remained at the hotel, the others ventured out for an afternoon excursion, their spirits high as they embarked on their adventure. Hours passed and the third avreich reached out to see where they were, but his calls and messages went unanswered. Concern gave way to panic.

As is known, Purim in Yerushalayim this year is Purim Meshulash, which means that Shushan Purim falls out on Shabbos and since all the mitzvos of the day cannot be fulfilled on Shabbos, some are fulfilled earlier and some later so the mitzvos are fulfilled on three consecutive days, Friday, Shabbos, and Sunday. The mitvzos of Megilla and Matanos L’Evyonim are fulfilled on Thursday night and Friday, along with Jews in unwalled cities throughout the world. On Shabbos, the Kriyas Hatorah of Purim is read along with a special Haftorah for Purim, and Al Hanissim is recited in davening and bentching. On Sunday, the mitzvos of Mishloach Manos and the Purim seudah are fulfilled.

For 505 days, Omer Wenkert endured captivity in the tunnels of Gaza, held hostage by Hamas terrorists who cut him off from the world. He had no access to news or updates, yet he always knew when ceasefire negotiations had collapsed or when an Israeli strike had targeted Hamas leaders—because his captors made sure he felt it. “Every deal that fell through would bring up a lot of frustration, rage, and anger,” Wenkert said in his first interview since his February 22 release, speaking to Channel 12 News. “Not to mention when one of their fathers was killed, or their families, or when their senior officials were assassinated. You feel it. You know exactly what happened.” The consequences were immediate and brutal.

In a fiery and impromptu exchange with reporters from the Oval Office on Wednesday, former President Donald Trump blasted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, saying he “isn’t Jewish anymore” and has “become a Palestinian.” The stunning remarks came during a meeting with the Prime Minister of Ireland, when Trump, known for his unfiltered rhetoric, veered off-topic while answering questions about tax policy. Pressed by a reporter on whether he planned to lower corporate taxes, Trump initially confirmed his intent to do so—before launching into a scathing tirade against Democrats, whom he accused of indifference toward crime and suffering. “They have no clue,” Trump fumed, referencing a recent address in which he highlighted victims of violent crime and illness.

The IDF has released footage of a series of airstrikes conducted Monday night in southern Syria. The strikes targeted various assets of the former Syrian Assad regime, including radars, intelligence-gathering systems, military headquarters, and weapon storage facilities. The operation involved 22 IAF fighter jets, which deployed approximately 60 munitions to strike around 40 designated targets. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In a momentous meeting of gedolei Torah in Eretz Yisroel, Rav Uri Deutsch, one of Lakewood’s foremost rabbanim, sat down with the venerated Rosh Yeshiva, Harav Dov Landau, to discuss a matter that weighs heavily on Klal Yisroel’s collective heart—the ongoing shidduch crisis. With Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch’s proposal quickly gaining traction in America, Rav Uri sought daas Torah from the revered Rosh Yeshiva: Is it appropriate to ask girls to wait before entering shidduchim while encouraging boys to begin earlier? Without hesitation, Rav Dov’s response was unequivocal: Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary solutions.