In a development Tuesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi issued a directive to IDF Human Resources Head Maj. Gen. Dudu Bar Kalifa, instructing him to immediately present a detailed plan for significantly expanding the distribution of draft notices to the chareidi community.
The directive comes amid the intensification of military operations in Gaza, with Israel’s political leadership pushing for heightened manpower and mobilization. Against this backdrop, the Chief of Staff’s demand for an immediate and structured plan marks a notable shift in policy toward the enlistment of chareidim.

Dr. Vinay Prasad, a prominent critic of the pharmaceutical industry and the Food and Drug Administration, has been named to oversee the agency’s program for vaccines and biotech drugs. FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary announced the appointment Tuesday in a message to agency staff, praising Prasad’s “long and distinguished history in medicine.” Prasad is the latest in a series of medical contrarians and critics of COVID-19 measures to join the federal government under President Donald Trump. Unlike political roles such as FDA commissioner, the job Prasad is stepping into has traditionally been held by an FDA career scientist. His appointment raises new questions about whether vaccines and other new therapies will face unnecessary scrutiny from regulators. Prasad replaces Dr.

Released hostage Omer Shem Tov, who returned to Israel almost three months ago, spoke to Channel 12 in a recent interview about his horrific ordeal in captivity. One thing he said in the extensive interview, which will be published at the end of the week, is that the terrorists ordered him to carry out an attack against IDF soldiers. “They put booby traps in the house that was above the tunnel, and then they said to me: ‘Omer, when soldiers arrive at this house – you blow it up. Like this.'” “I told them: ‘No.’ And then they told me: ‘You won’t do it – we’ll shoot you in the head.’ I told them: ‘Then shoot me in the head.'” Omer’s mother, Shelly, told the Knesset’s Education Committee about two months ago about the difficult conditions in which Omer was held.

The U.S. Justice Department is doubling down on its attempt to break up Google by asking it to give up the underlying technology powering the company’s digital ad network. The proposed remedy joins a separate federal effort to separate the Chrome browser from its dominant search engine. The government’s latest proposal was filed late Monday in a Virginia federal court two-and-half weeks after a federal judge ruled that parts of its lucrative digital ad network have been improperly abusing its market power to stifle competition to the detriment of online publishers. In a 17-page filing, Justice Department lawyers argued that U.S.

Following the landing of a Houthi-fired missile near the runways at Ben Gurion International Airport, the stock prices of Israeli carriers El Al and Israir saw a notable surge.
Business outlet The Marker reports that Kenny Rosenberg—a U.S.-based businessman and majority owner of El Al—gained roughly NIS 250 million as El Al’s stock climbed by 10% over a two-day period.
During the same time frame, Rami Levy, who holds the controlling interest in Israir, saw his wealth grow by around NIS 15 million, thanks to a 7% uptick in Israir’s share value.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday hinted at a major announcement expected in the coming days, describing it as “as big as it gets” but stopping short of revealing any details. Speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during a White House meeting, Trump described the forthcoming development as “really positive” and suggested it could be unveiled as soon as Thursday, though he also floated Friday or Monday as possible dates. “It’s a very, very, very big announcement to make… like as big as it gets,” Trump told reporters, offering no further clues. The president is scheduled to depart soon for a high-stakes trip to the Middle East, adding further intrigue to the timing of the mystery announcement.

Pakistan’s information minister tells Sky News that two Indian jets have been shot down.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is moving to dismantle the Office of Palestinian Affairs (OPA) within the State Department, according to a report by the Washington Free Beacon.
The OPA, which was launched under the Biden Administration to enhance diplomatic ties with the Palestinian Authority, will now be folded back into the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. As part of the transition, Rubio has directed U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to absorb OPA’s responsibilities into the embassy’s existing framework.

The community is reeling after learning of the tragic and untimely passing of Yitzchak Alishayiv Z”L (Yitzchak ben Mazal Z”L), a beloved former custodian and dear friend to many, who was murdered during a trip to Turkey. He was just 45 years old. Yitzchak, formerly the gabbai at Heichal Moshe (Vorhand Shteibel) on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, was well known for his warm heart and quiet passion for wildlife photography. He had traveled to Turkey after Pesach to pursue his love of capturing animals in their natural habitat. According to reports from Turkish media, the trip ended in tragedy when Yitzchak was fatally stabbed by the host he was staying with. He was rushed to a local hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries.