A third victim of the Iranian missile attack that struck a high-rise building in Petach Tikvah in the pre-dawn hours of Monday morning was identified as Daisy Yitzchaki, H’yd, 85. Yitzchaki’s aide was injured in the strike. Two more victims of the missile strike on the Bazan oil refinery in Haifa were also identified: Uri Levy, H’yd, 58, and Igor Fradkin, H’yd, 50. The two men, along with the previously identified victim, Dani Avraham, H’yd, worked at the refinery. Levy, z’l, a resident of Haifa, left behind his wife, three children, and a granddaughter. Fradkin, z’l, a resident of Kiryat Ata, left behind three children. The three men took shelter in the most protected room in the refinery before the strike but a fire broke out at the site, trapping them inside. Hashem Yikom Damam.

In a new development, Israeli authorities have begun preliminary preparations to assist foreign nationals who remain stranded in Israel due to the ongoing security situation. While no official exit plan has yet been announced, Chaim V’Chessed has learned from sources that the developing arrangement may include evacuation by air or sea to a third country. At this stage, the government is focused on collecting data from those affected. Tourists and other foreigners currently in Israel who wish to return to their home countries are encouraged to submit their personal details using this online form. This move comes as part of broader efforts to support the large number of foreign nationals who have found themselves unable to leave the country following the closure of commercial air routes.

Israeli military officials say they are nearing completion of their objectives in their sweeping operation targeting Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure and ballistic missile systems, with a full conclusion expected within the next one to two weeks. The IDF launched the offensive with the stated goal of eliminating what it called the “existential threat” posed by Iran’s nuclear program and long-range missile capabilities. According to briefings by senior military officials, Israel has so far delivered devastating blows to key nuclear and military targets across Iran, significantly weakening the Islamic Republic’s ability to wage war or develop nuclear weapons.

New York City Comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested by federal agents on Tuesday at an immigration court in Lower Manhattan while escorting an individual out of a courtroom at 26 Federal Plaza. According to reports, Lander was observing immigration hearings and had stated his intention to “accompany” individuals exiting the courthouse to prevent their detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). While walking arm-in-arm with a man whose immigration case had reportedly been dismissed pending appeal, Lander was approached by federal agents, some wearing masks and tactical vests. Videos show Lander repeatedly asking to see a judicial warrant as agents attempted to separate him from the individual.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran no longer has control of its airspace. “Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn’t compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured ‘stuff,’” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Nobody does it better than the good ol’ USA.” He then posted a second message with a direct threat to Ayatollah Khamenei, saying that Washington knows where Khamenei is “hiding” and could kill him, but is refraining from doing so for now. “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there — We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” Trump writes on Truth Social. “But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers.

Vice President JD Vance defended President Trump’s Iran position as focused only on “using the American military to accomplish American people’s goals.” “I have yet to see a single good argument for why Iran needed to enrich uranium well above the threshold for civilian use. I’ve yet to see a single good argument for why Iran was justified in violating its non-proliferation obligations. I’ve yet to see a single good pushback against the IAEA’s findings,” Vance wrote on X. “Meanwhile, the president has shown remarkable restraint in keeping our military’s focus on protecting our troops and protecting our citizens. He may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment. That decision ultimately belongs to the president.

If the U.S. decides to support Israel more directly in its attack on Iran, one option for Washington would be to provide the “bunker-buster” bombs believed necessary to significantly damage the Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, built deeply into a mountain. Such a bomb would have to be dropped from an American aircraft, which could have wide-ranging ramifications, including jeopardizing any chance of Iran engaging in Trump’s desired talks on its nuclear program. Israeli officials have also suggested that there are other options for it to attack Fordo as it seeks to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities. But aside from a commando attack on the ground or a nuclear strike, the bunker buster bomb seems the most likely option. What is the bunker-buster bomb?

Regional sources revealed to Ynet on Tuesday that “significant progress” has been made toward a possible hostage release agreement, a ceasefire in Gaza, and a broader framework to end Israel’s war against Hamas. While both sides are said to be showing “unusual flexibility,” lingering anxieties—especially over fallout from the parallel conflict with Iran—continue to complicate final negotiations. “The Israeli delegation hasn’t left for Doha yet, out of concern that it could slow negotiations rather than speed them up,” one official told reporters, highlighting the precarious nature of the talks. Still, U.S. officials have privately told hostage families in recent days that “very positive signs of a breakthrough” are emerging.

President Trump shared a message Tuesday from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who told the president “I will not abandon this post” and “our flag will NOT come down!” “The decisions on your shoulders I would not want to be made by anyone else,” Huckabee said in a text message to Trump as the president is weighing how the U.S. should respond to the Israel-Iran conflict. “I am your appointed servant in this land and am available for you but I do not try to get in your presence often because I trust your instincts,” Huckabee said. “You sent me to Israel to be your eyes, ears and voice and to make sure our flag flies above our embassy. My job will be the last one to leave. “It is my honor to serve you!” Huckabee also said.

Hagaon Rav Shaul Alter, the Rosh Yeshiva of Pnei Menachem, gave Torahdik insight into Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Israel – including one that struck a special children’s institution in Bnei Brak. Watch the video below (English subtitles included).