Two staff members from the Israeli Embassy were fatally shot outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, in a violent incident that has sparked a sweeping investigation by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. According to law enforcement officials, a man opened fire outside the museum just after 8 p.m., shouting “Free Palestine!” as he began shooting. The museum was hosting a private event for Israeli diplomats at the time. The gunman was quickly detained by responding officers. The names of the two victims—both employees of the Israeli Embassy—have not yet been publicly released, pending notification of their families. Initial reports also indicated others were injured in the attack, though the extent of their injuries remains unclear.

iPhone users who’ve recently experienced WhatsApp bugs—like mismatched images and captions on statuses or voice notes not showing when played—should update the app. WhatsApp released a new update tonight that fixes these issues. Simply head to the App Store and install the latest version to resolve the glitches. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Veteran journalist and Washington Post columnist Sally Quinn has accused former First Lady Jill Biden of “elder abuse” for supporting her husband, former President Joe Biden, in his 2024 re-election campaign despite concerns about his health and cognitive decline. Quinn, a well-connected D.C. insider, blasted Jill Biden for not discouraging her husband from seeking another term, particularly after his widely criticized performance in the June 2024 presidential debate against President Donald Trump. “I blame Jill Biden for this. Jill Biden is his wife. And if Jill Biden had stood up and gone to him and said, ‘Joe, you can’t do it’… He wouldn’t have run,” Quinn told journalist Tara Palmeri.

Israel is preparing for a rapid military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities if ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington fall apart, according to a report by Axios citing two Israeli sources familiar with the matter. According to one source, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is closely watching the diplomatic developments and awaiting the right political moment to act. “Bibi is waiting for the nuclear talks to collapse and for the moment Trump will be disappointed about the negotiations and open to giving him the go-ahead,” the source said, referring to President Donald Trump. The Israeli intelligence community, which once believed a deal was within reach, now reportedly sees the talks nearing collapse.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz made a surprise visit to the Ashdod Naval Base in southern Israel on Wednesday. “I came here from a visit to the Shin Bet headquarters,” Katz said, “and all is Hamas is doing now is sitting and updating targets in yishuvim near the border through sources that provide it with information, like the Iranians and others. It is still busy planning how to continue.” “Therefore, we must win here. There is no entity that cannot be subdued. We must make sure Hamas will not stay here.” During the visit, Katz sailed off the coast of the Gaza Strip and received a briefing on the sailors’ activities during the war. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

In an interview with Israel’s N12, recently released hostage Yarden Bibas – whose wife, Shiri, and two sons, Ariel and Kfir hy”d, were murdered in captivity – opened up about the harrowing months he spent in Hamas captivity — and the unbreakable bond he shared with his best friend, David Cunio, who remains a hostage in Gaza to this day. Bibas revealed that during his time in captivity, he came face to face with Yahya Sinwar, the now-dead Hamas leader who orchestrated the October 7 massacre. “Sinwar asked me what he could do for me,” Bibas recounted. “I told him I wanted to stay with David, my best friend. He promised it would be done.” But that promise was short-lived. Just two to three weeks later, the two were forcibly separated.

In a landmark decision that redefines the future of kosher finance in America, Newrez—one of the largest and most prominent mortgage companies in the United States—has officially adopted a Heter Iska, granting borrowers across the country access to Halachically compliant financing. This breakthrough not only places Newrez on the growing list of kosher-certified lenders but also signals a massive leap forward in aligning the U.S. financial system with Torah values—making it easier than ever for observant Jews to pursue business opportunities and homeownership without compromising on Halacha.

Israel Prison Service Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi on Wednesday ordered that the Palestinian who spat on an IDF officer on a Ramat Gan bus on Sunday be designated as a security prisoner. The move is unusual as the charges against him are criminal. The video below shows the suspect, a 24-year-old resident of the town of Huwara, a notorious hotbed of terrorism in the northern Shomron, being transferred to an unnamed security prison. The suspect was transferred to Israel Police overnight Sunday after he surrendered himself to the IDF’s Civil Administration on Sunday evening. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

In an unusual move, a private individual, a former IDF soldier, filed a libel suit on Wednesday against Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan over his outrageous statements he made on Tuesday, including that “a sane country does not kill babies as a hobby,” Yisrael Hayom reported on Wednesday. The man behind the lawsuit is Roni Golan, a resident of Tel Mond, a former paratrooper and a father of IDF soldiers. “As a father of soldiers, I didn’t sleep all night, especially since one of my soldiers was hit by three RPGs and survived by a neis,” he explained. “I decided to prepare a statement of claim and submit it myself, without involving, chalilah, any political or legal factor.” Golan is suing the former major general for 38,900 shekels in the Kfar Saba small claims court.

Hamas leader Mohamed Sinwar, whose elimination was confirmed by the IDF on Wednesday, was considered a top target by the Shin Bet and IDF due to his involvement in planning dozens of attacks against Israel and the IDF, his senior role in planning and executing the October 7 massacre, his hawkish stance in the war against Israel, and his staunch refusal to advance hostage release deals, Maariv reported on Wednesday. Sinwar, like other senior Hamas figures, resided in compounds where hostages were being held, using them as human shields. More and more released hostages have testified that they were held near senior Hamas officials, primarily the brothers, Mohamed and Yahya Sinwar.