Missile alert sirens blared at midday on Thursday in Jerusalem, Gush Etzion, the Yam Hamelech area, Yehuda and Shomron, and central Israel. Shortly later, the IDF spokesperson reported that one missile launched from Yemen was successfully intercepted. Hours earlier on Thursday morning, at about 3:00 a.m., sirens were heard across central Israel, the Sharon and the Shfela lowlands, forcing over a million  Israelis to leave their beds and rush to protected spaces. The IDF spokesperson said that a missile launched by the Houthis in Yemen was intercepted by the Air Force’s Arrow system. MDA reported that one man was lightly injured as he ran for shelter. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Israeli politicians blamed Thursday night’s fatal terror attack in Washington D.C. on antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric around the world and many also placed blame on Israeli leftists such as Democrats chairman Yair Golan, who made irresponsible, outrageous, and false statements about Israel on Tuesday, insinuating that IDF soldiers “kill babies as a hobby.” Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu from Otzma Yehudit responded to the attack by saying: “Yair Golan’s blood libels are echoed by Nazis and Israel haters around the world. We’re now paying the price for them with the murderous attack in Washington, and history teaches us that we will continue to pay in the future.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu released a statement on Thursday morning about the fatal terror attack outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Thursday evening which took the lives of a young couple, Yaron Lischinsky Hy”d, and Sarah Milgrim, H’yd. In the statement, Netanyahu said that he was updated on the details of the “horrifying antisemitic murder” by Israeli Ambassador to the US  Yechiel Leiter and US Attorney General Pam Bondi. The latter said that US President Donald Trump is involved in managing the event, and America will bring the murderer to justice. “Attorney General Bondi asked to convey her condolences to the families of the young couple who were due to become engaged soon,” the statement said.

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.