A 70-year-old Jewish man was viciously assaulted on Wednesday night in the quiet French town of Anduze, near Alès. According to a report by Entrevue, the victim—wearing a kippah and tzitzis—was feeding stray cats in the street when a drunken man approached him and demanded money. When the elderly man refused, he attacked. Eyewitnesses say the attacker, a 45-year-old man known to local police for previous theft-related offenses, launched into a brutal assault—punching and kicking the defenseless victim while shouting antisemitic slurs, including “dirty Jew.” Local authorities arrested the suspect on Thursday morning.

The IDF announced that approximately 400 chareidim have been drafted into the military this week. The new recruits include 196 combat soldiers and 167 soldiers assigned to combat support roles. Another 23 are still awaiting placement. Among the combat troops, 105 have joined the Netzach Yehuda Battalion of the Kfir Brigade—an IDF unit composed of religious soldiers. Others have been assigned to the Chashmonean Brigade (48), the Tomer Company in Givati’s Rotem Battalion (19), the Hetz Company in the Paratroopers’ 202nd Battalion (20), and four to the ground defense unit at Nevatim Airbase. In addition to the newly drafted soldiers, 26 older charedi men joined the reserves after completing the Shlav Bet (“Stage B”) track—an expedited training process for older recruits.

Organizers of the Gaza “freedom flotilla”, who intended to “break the Israeli siege” on the Gaza Strip, claimed that it was attacked by drones off the coast of Malta in international waters, CNN reported on Friday. “There is a hole in the vessel right now and the ship is sinking,” Yasemin Acar, the spokesperson for the terror flotilla, told CNN. Vidoes posted on the X by the “coalition” show a fire burning on a ship, which, according to marine websites, is the Palau-flagged “Conscience” ship that departed from Tunisia. The organizers of the flotilla, who accuse Israel of “genocide” on their social media pages, wrote about the incident on social media: “At 00:23 Maltese time, the Freedom Flotilla vessel was subjected to a drone attack.

An Israeli soldier was accidentally left behind in the Gaza Strip earlier this week, wandering alone through hostile territory for 40 harrowing minutes before finding safety. The incident occurred on Tuesday following an IDF operation by the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit in the volatile Morag Corridor, nestled between Rafah and Khan Younis — a region known for fierce fighting and terrorist infrastructure. As the unit concluded its mission and withdrew back into Israeli territory, one soldier was inexplicably left behind. According to a statement by the IDF, the soldier—realizing he had been abandoned—began making his way through the danger zone on foot, calling out “IDF! IDF!” repeatedly in an effort to avoid being mistaken for a terrorist and shot by his own forces.

Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog called the 2005 disengagement from Gaza a “mistake” during a speech on Monday, marking the 20th anniversary of the controversial withdrawal. Speaking at an event hosted by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI), Herzog reflected on the decision to evacuate all Israeli settlements and military forces from the Gaza Strip, a move that has shaped Israel’s security landscape for two decades. The disengagement saw Israel unilaterally withdraw from Gaza, dismantling 21 settlements and evacuating approximately 8,500 residents, many forcibly removed by Israeli security forces. The move aimed to reduce friction with Palestinians and advance peace prospects, but Herzog argued it failed to achieve those goals.

Washington, DC – Rabbi Levi Shemtov, a prominent Chabad representative known for his unique ability to engage with both Democratic and Republican administrations, delivered a heartfelt prayer at the White House National Day of Prayer on Thursday. Addressing the gathering, Rabbi Shemtov said, “We pray for the president, as he works so hard, & we ask that you please help him succeed for the benefit of all our nation and the world,” emphasizing unity and support for the nation’s leadership. WATCH THE PRAYER: (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Former Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a condemnation of President Donald Trump’s administration Wednesday night, criticizing what she called an agenda that threatens democratic institutions and economic stability — though her remarks drew mixed reactions from both allies and critics. Speaking at the Emerge America gala, Harris accused the Trump White House of orchestrating the “greatest man-made economic crisis in modern presidential history,” taking particular aim at the administration’s aggressive tariff policies. “This is not chaos by accident,” Harris said.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that 18 people suspected of arson in the massive fires that spread throughout Israel on Wednesday have been arrested. Speaking at the annual Tanach Quiz held on Yom Ha’atzmaut, Netanyahu said: “There are natural disasters, there are also man-made disasters. We’re currently holding 18 people suspected of arson, one of whom was caught in the act.” “Our neighbors who claim they love this land are inciting to burn it. We are the ones who truly love it,” he emphasized. “We love the land. We protect the country. I’m confident we’ll be able to cope with this challenge as well.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Two IDF reservists were injured, one seriously, by an explosive device placed on the side of the road in the Shomron on Wednesday. The incident occurred while IDF forces from the Ephraim Regional Brigade’s 9221st Reserve Battalion were carrying out an operational activity in the village of Beita. The soldiers were evacuated to the hospital for treatment. IDF forces imposed a siege on the village and launched a manhunt for the terrorists. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

A wave of arson attacks has struck Bat Yam, with multiple fires breaking out across the city, including a dangerous blaze at the Beit Belev nursing home. Several residents were trapped as emergency responders battle to contain the situation. According to reports, ten firefighting crews, led by Shift Commander Chief Fire Officer Oshri Basson, were on the scene at the nursing home on Abba Berdichev Street, where thick smoke has engulfed parts of the building. Firefighters are focused their efforts on rescuing trapped individuals from the smoke-filled structure. Medical teams provided immediate assistance, evacuating the injured to a safe area for treatment.