HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef, the Nasi of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, published a halachic letter on Thursday regarding holding chasunos during the three weeks this summer. The letter comes amid Israel’s war with Iran and the resulting missile attacks on Israel. Due to the Home Front Command’s orders banning gatherings, many chasunos have been delayed or canceled. There is a shortage of chasunah halls in Eretz Yisrael, and finding a hall for a later date on short notice is very difficult. In response to many shailos he received, HaRav Yosef paskened that this year, it is permissible and even desirable to hold chasunos during the three weeks.

As war erupted between Israel and Iran late last Thursday night, panic and uncertainty gripped thousands of foreign nationals and dual citizens in Israel — prompting a flood of desperate calls and emails to the Tzedek Association, known for its lifesaving efforts during previous times of crisis. Just hours after the conflict began, Tzedek’s inboxes were inundated with urgent pleas from people seeking a way out of the country, echoing the group’s dramatic post-Oct. 7 evacuation efforts. While commercial flights via Egypt and Jordan are technically available, both the U.S. State Department and Israeli security services strongly advise against travel to those countries, especially during wartime, citing security risks.

The head of Iran’s atomic energy organization is threatening legal actions against the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief. In a letter shared by Iranian semi-official Fars News Agency, Mohammad Eslami slammed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi for “inaction” during Israel’s attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. The letter comes after Israel attacked Iran’s Arak nuclear facility in overnight strikes.

Israeli security officials have been surprised by the low number of rocket attacks from the Houthis in Yemen since the start of the war with Iran. According to Ynet, one possible explanation is that Houthi Army chief of staff Mohammed Al-Ghamari was critically wounded over the weekend when the IDF carried out an airstrike in Yemen in an attempt to eliminate him. According to new information the security establishment received on Wednesday, he survived the attempt but was seriously wounded, Kan News reported. A senior Israeli official told Ynet that Al-Ghamari was targeted during a khat-chewing session, a popular social pastime for men in Yemen. “We struck him there,” the official said.

As President Donald Trump weighs whether to authorize U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, American law enforcement agencies have intensified surveillance of Iran-backed operatives within the United States, according to multiple sources who spoke to CBS News. The monitoring comes amid growing concerns over possible retaliatory actions by Iran or its proxies in the wake of Israel’s ongoing Operation Rising Lion. U.S. officials say FBI Director Kash Patel has increased efforts to identify and monitor potential Hezbollah-linked sleeper cells operating domestically. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization, has long been viewed by counterterrorism officials as a direct extension of Iranian military influence.

Is China helping Iran secretly in its conflict against Israel? There are reports that, as the battle between Israel and Iran raged over the past few days, China sent three mystery cargo planes to Tehran. Some are concerned that these planes contain weapons that Iran could deploy against Israel . But what happened? What do we know? And why would China help Iran? Three planes from China, all Boeing 747s , departed for Iran in three consecutive days. The first one left on Saturday, a day after Israel launched its first attacks on Iran. The second departed for Iran on Sunday and the third left for Iran on Monday. These types of Boeing 747s are often used to transport heavy-duty military equipment.

As clashes intensify between Israel and Iran, several major airlines are halting flights to the region. American Airlines and United Airlines announced interruptions in their routes, citing safety concerns caused by the escalating conflict. United has temporarily suspended its daily Newark to Dubai service, stating it will only resume once it’s deemed safe to do so. Meanwhile, American Airlines has paused its Philadelphia to Doha flight until June 22, citing concerns over safety and security. Both United and Delta had recently resumed flights to Tel Aviv but have now stopped operations due to the recent hostilities that erupted last Friday. The rising violence has disrupted regional air travel, leaving many travelers uncertain about flight plans. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The UN’s nuclear agency reports that Israel’s recent military strikes targeted Iran’s Khondab (Arak) Heavy Water Research Reactor, a project still under construction that had not yet begun operations. The attack also damaged an adjacent plant responsible for producing heavy water. Israel has carried out several strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in the past week. The Khondab reactor, designed to produce plutonium, could have been used for nuclear weapons, though Iran maintains it has no such ambitions. Following a 2015 international agreement, Iran redesigned the plant to decrease proliferation risks, removing the core and filling it with concrete. Iran had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that the reactor was scheduled to begin operations in 2026.

HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shternbuch spoke about the situation in Eretz Yisrael at the end of his shiur klali in his yeshivah on Wednesday. “We’re at an eis tzarah,” he said. “The Arabs are firing many missiles at Eretz Yisrael and there were people who were killed or injured, Hashem should protect us. Everyone understands that this is not just happenstance, but the kol of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. ‘קול דודי דופק פתחי לי אחותי רעייתי.’ Our obligation is to examine our deeds and to cry out to Hashem.” “On one hand, we shouldn’t be fearful or panic. A Jew needs emunah and bitachon.