The IDF significantly expanded its operation in Gaza on Sunday morning, specifically in the Rafah area in southern Gaza. IDF spokesperson in Arabic Avichay Adraee issued immediate evacuation orders to the residents of Tel Sultan in Rafah. Additionally, the IDF spokesperson said on Sunday morning that IDF forces have begun operating in the Beit Hanoun area in the northern Gaza Strip in order to expand the security zone located there and destroy Hamas terror infrastructure. Defense Minister Yisrael Katz made an unusual statement on Friday, saying that the IDF will begin to permanently seize territory in the Gaza Strip if Hamas doesn’t release the hostages.

As leftists protested on the streets on Motzei Shabbos against the government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister released a video message to the Israeli public. Netanyahu’s message addressed the leftist claims that the Prime Minister is ousting Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara due to the investigation opened against former aides in his office regarding their ties to Qatar, a case that has been dubbed “Qatargate.” It should be noted that the Supreme Court on Friday ordered the government to freeze Bar’s dismissal.

Sirens sounded in central Israel, Shomron, and the Jerusalem area on Friday night at about 10:30 p.m. after the Houthis in Yemen fired a missile at Israel for the third consecutive day. The IDF intercepted the missile before it entered Israel. Earlier on Friday, at 6 pm., the Houthis launched a missile at Israel but no sirens sounded. The US Navy intercepted the missile and it fell inside Saudi Arabia. (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

Yeshiva University (YU) has officially recognized “Hareni,” a toeiva student club, after years of legal wrangling. The decision, finalized following a contentious battle that reached the U.S. Supreme Court, perhaps puts the final stroke on the school’s surrender to secular ideology—and a blatant rejection of the Torah principles that YU once claimed to champion. For decades, YU positioned itself as a stalwart defender of Orthodox Judaism, proudly resisting pressures to conform to progressive societal trends. It steadfastly opposed recognizing the YU Pride Alliance, arguing that such a move would violate its deeply held religious convictions.

A group of 62 bipartisan lawmakers is urging President Donald Trump to appoint a special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, citing a troubling rise in global Jew-hatred. The position, which holds ambassadorial rank within the U.S. State Department, has been vacant since historian Deborah Lipstadt stepped down to return to teaching at Emory University. The initiative is being led by Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), who emphasized the urgency of reaffirming the United States’ commitment to fighting antisemitism. In a letter addressed to the president, Meng and her colleagues stressed that filling the role is critical to maintaining America’s leadership in confronting anti-Jewish hate.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, fulfilling a long-standing promise to his base and striking a blow against what many conservatives view as a entrenched liberal stronghold in the federal government. The order, signed during a ceremony at the White House, directs the immediate dissolution of the agency, with its functions to be phased out or transferred to state governments over the next two years. The Department of Education, established in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, has long been a target of Republican criticism.

Hamas has reportedly informed mediators that it is willing to accept any proposal for the release of Israeli hostages, provided it includes a resumption of the ceasefire, according to a report by UK-based Qatari news organization Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Thursday. The report suggests that Hamas did not outright reject U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff’s ceasefire-hostage framework, as some had speculated, but instead conditioned its acceptance on an agreement to halt Israeli military operations. However, Witkoff reportedly declined the condition, a move that caught Hamas by surprise, according to the report.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hinted on Wednesday at the possibility of an escalation of the security situation in Yehudah and Shomron. Speaking on a visit to the Border Police undercover unit in Yehudah and Shomron, Netanyahu said: “I am here visiting the undercover unit. They are at the forefront. They infiltrate the terrorist enemy, taking them by surprise and dealing with them. They are simply doing avodas kodesh for the State of Israel.” “This is important at all times but it is especially important now. Because while we are waging an intense war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, we are aware of the possibility that a larger and more intense front could open up here in Yehudah and Shomron.

President Donald Trump has sent a direct message to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issuing a stark warning: Tehran has two months to reach a new nuclear agreement—or suffer the consequences. According to a bombshell report by Axios, the letter—delivered discreetly through an Emirati diplomat to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi—offered Iran a final opportunity for renewed nuclear negotiations. However, it came with a menacing caveat: continued nuclear development would trigger severe repercussions. Sources familiar with the letter described it as “tough,” emphasizing that it did not leave room for endless negotiations. Instead, Trump imposed a firm deadline—giving Tehran a clear-cut choice: return to the negotiating table or risk direct confrontation.

Before building their new app, cRc Kosher asked many consumers what the most helpful tool would be to enrich their shopping experience. The number one request was a tool to allow users to scan unfamiliar Kashrus logos while shopping and instantly receive detailed information about the certification agency. The cRc went to work and has now launched this amazing tool as part of its completely redesigned mobile app (now available for download on the App Store and Google Play).