π️Lonny's War Update- October 625, 2023 - June 22, 2025 π️
π️Day 626 that 50 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivityπ️
- Hostage’s father Ruby Chen says Iran conflict could be ‘opportunity’ to end Gaza war
Ruby Chen, left, and one of his two surviving sons, Roy Chen, at the Berlin Wall on June 17, 2025. (Courtesy)Ruby Chen calls the IDF return today of the bodies of three hostages — Yonatan Samerano, Shay Levinson and Ofra Keidar — “a gut check.”
“It just means it can happen to us,” says Chen, whose soldier son Itay Chen was killed and taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. “At any moment, we can get that knock on the door,” letting them know that IDF forces recovered his son’s body.
At the same time, Chen sees the current escalation with Iran as an opportunity to show Hamas that it’s in a worse position than it was just 10 days ago.
“The question is, can Israel also identify that this change is an opportunity and end the smaller conflict in Gaza and focus on the bigger one in Iran,” says Chen. “Everyone knows that Hamas isn’t as strategic a threat to Israel as Iran is. A victory could be the release of the hostages, to say to Hamas, ‘Look, you can’t count on Iran or Hezbollah, and if you want to survive somehow, this is a deal for you.'”
Chen was in Washington when Israel preemptively attacked Iran on June 13. When his flight home was diverted to Europe, he spent several days in Germany meeting with a number of officials from the country’s new conservative government.
“Germany has been in a back seat when it comes to this,” says Chen, noting that Germany had more than two dozen dual citizens killed on October 7 and eight taken hostage.
Chen says the international playing field is changing with the US attack on Iran following Israel’s attacks.
“When there’s change, there’s opportunity for Germany to be more involved and take better care of its citizens which it has not done until now,” says Chen. “It can be a big, beautiful deal, ending the hostilities in Iran and Gaza and the release of the remaining hostages.” link It is highly likely that the hostilities with Iran will end before the war in Gaza. With the US now involved, they, the Europeans and the Gulf States will bring a diplomatic end to the war there and it could be a matter of days if Iran is prepared to sit and negotiate while under fire.
Ady Israeli:
"An Iranian missile fell on my street.
Never in my life did I think I would write that.The enormous explosion that was heard in the shelter left no doubt – it is no longer just ‘close to home’… it is inside the home.
The damage caused – we could not have even imagined.My street, my beloved neighborhood, the place that has always been my home (and always will be) – destroyed and shattered.
People I have known all my life, who long ago became family, outside the ruins of their homes, with garbage bags full of clothes and the few valuables they managed to rescue from the rubble… ‘collateral damage.’After all, we are merely the rear of the leadership. Perishable, marginal, transparent, burdensome people. It would be best if we shut up and said thank you, when necessary, for the most basic of things.
The moment the missile struck strengthened within me the understanding of the enormity of the abandonment failure – of our hostage brothers and sister, of the residents of the Gaza Envelope and the north, of the Israeli home front, of the fundamental values on which I was raised and educated.
Human life has never been cheaper.
It is time to once again sanctify the value of life.It is time to bring back our kidnapped brothers and sister.
Do not allow this issue to fall off the agenda!
Continue to fight for their lives and for their return for proper burial.It is time to end the war.
It is time to change leadership and rebuild the country that has been destroyed – in its streets and in its values.I gathered the shards of glass, brushed the dust off myself, and went out to fight for Gali and Ziv Berman.
And I will continue to fight for them and for their family until they return.
This is the human, social, civic, and moral duty of us all."**Thank you, Ady – you are wonderful and give us inspiration.
Please take care of yourselves, without abandoning our values:
Human life above all!
No one gets left behind!
**Mall Protest Movement: link- Sources in Israel: 'If Khamenei stops firing and says he wants to end it - we will accept that'
The American strike on Iran has left heavy damage, and according to assessments, the facility in Natanz was destroyed, while those in Fordow and Isfahan were severely damaged. Sources in Israel estimate that hundreds of kilograms of enriched materials were destroyed in the strikes, and clarify: "If tomorrow Khamenei stops the firing and says he wants to end the incident – we will accept that." link I don't know if this Israeli source speaks for Netanyahu or anyone in the government, but I tend not to believe it. Netanyahu doesn't know how to end wars, he has no strategy, militarily or diplomatic. It will take the Americans to make this happen. And if it is true, it brings back the biggest question that has been asked so many times before.
**There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!**
“I’ve never met them,But I miss them. I’ve never met them,but I think of them every second. I’ve never met them,but they are my family. BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
We’re waiting for you, all of you.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!ΧΧΧ Χ Χ¦ΧΧΧ Χ’Χ Χ©ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧΧ€ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧͺ
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*3:05am - country wide alert- 1 ballistic missile from Iran- successfully intercepted
*10:20am- country wide alerts -4 separate barrages of ballistic missiles from Iran- areas of missiles and impacts from the northern border in Safad to the Gaza Envelope in the Western Negev- no injuries reported - some or all of the missiles in these barrages were cluster missiles with tens of mini missiles in each war head
*10:45am - Gaza envelope - Ballistic missiles from Iran -first time that the Gaza envelope is in the alert area from Iranian missiles
Some of the areas of the alert. This does not include north and Gaza envelope
*11:20am - Gaza envelope - rockets from Gaza - Shaar Hanegev, Nachal Oz
*11:35am - North - ballistic missiles from Iran
Shrapnel in the Galilee region
- Results of the double missile barrage yesterday morning
Of the 30 missiles launched in the 2 consecutive barrages, there were 10 separate impact sites, which is a very high statistic of impacts that we haven't encountered until now. The army is investigating and it appears that the major reason is due to the use of the 'cluster' missiles.
A cluster bomb is a containered warhead that, upon reaching its target area, opens in mid-air and scatters dozens or hundreds of smaller explosives, known as "bomblets," over a wide zone.
Those bomblets are unguided and designed to increase the chance of hitting troops, vehicles, or soft targets across an area roughly the size of several football fields.
The smaller bombs carry around two kilograms of explosives.
According to an initial investigation, somewhere around seven kilometers above the ground, the missile splits into several smaller bombs, each of which has an impact of an eight-kilometer radius.
I haven't heard why we haven't had better success rate at intercepting these mini missiles but I am sure that it is being thoroughly investigated and plans are already in the works of how to defend better against them.
A rescue worker evacuates two children from the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa, Israel, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)
- Over 70,000 Israelis have returned home via sea, land, air since start of Iran campaign
Since Israel launched a campaign of airstrikes in Iran to decimate its nuclear and ballistic missile programs on June 13, more than 71,608 Israelis returned home via land border crossings, the sea and the air, according to data by the Population and immigration Authority.
Israel’s airspace has been largely closed since the Israel Defense Forces began carrying out airstrikes on Iran, with exceptions only for a very limited number of approved repatriation flights during daylight hours only.
The closure has left many thousands of traveling Israelis scrambling for a way to get back home. Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia, Israir, and Air Haifa started operating repatriation flights on Wednesday to gradually bring back the more than 100,000 Israelis estimated to be stranded abroad.
Between June 13 and June 21, 39,776 people entered the country via land border crossings with Egypt and Jordan, which have remained open since the conflict with Iran started, according to data by the Population and Immigration Authority. From the sea, 6,499 Israelis traveled back, mostly from Cyprus, and 25,333 Israelis flew home on repatriation flights.
From June 13 to June 21, 33,685 Israelis left the country. About 27,920 exited via land border crossings, 2,645 via the sea, and 3,120 on flights. Link I have said it before but have to repeat. There is no reason in the world that Israel locked Israelis out of the country at this time. Of course, the skies need to be closed temporarily when there is a missile attack but that's all it should be, at least for Israelis returning. I was locked out and couldn't return home twice: first during Covid when I traveled to Florida for a week and Israel closed the skies hermetically. My one week turned into 6 when I could get an emergency flight home. And my second time was on October 7 and again, I was locked out. Fortunately, I was able to get a flight about a week later. Both of those events were unplanned and horrible. This attack on Iran was fully planned and many things on the home front should have been taken into consideration but weren't including the fact that 200,000 Israelis couldn't get home including medical staff and reserve soldiers and officers. This was fully avoidable if we didn't have a government that has excelled in continuous and consistent failure since October 7
- Health Ministry updates guideline for hospitals discharging mother hours after birth amid war
The Health Ministry states that its recommendation of early discharge from hospitals for new mothers 12 hours after giving birth, begun soon after the start of Israel’s war with Iran to reduce the number of patients, is contingent upon approval from a neonatologist and a gynecologist following examinations of both the mother and newborn.
Medical information about newborns who have been discharged will be transferred to health management organizations.
“The early discharge of mothers and low-risk newborns is being carried out with concern for continuity of care, ensuring they receive full support,” says Dr. Sharon Alroy Preiss, head of the ministry’s public health division.
- 'The enemy doesn’t rest': Cyber chief sounds alarm on Iran’s online offensive
As missiles fall, Israel’s cyber defenses quietly fend off waves of Iranian attacks; Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Karadi says digital warfare is intensifying, blending psychological tactics with cyber strikes—and says kinetic warfare may become a thing of the past
While Iranian missiles and drones dominate headlines, an invisible war has been raging beneath the surface — and so far, Israel’s digital defenses are holding. The country’s power grid is functioning, water flows uninterrupted, hospitals remain open, and the financial system hums with remarkable normalcy. Behind this continuity stands Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Karadi, Israel’s newly appointed chief of the National Cyber Directorate. Just six weeks into the job, Karadi is already leading a nonstop wartime effort. “The enemy doesn’t rest,” he warns. “And failure is frustrating. So I assume they’ll keep knocking on our doors and trying new methods until they manage to break through.”Though Iran’s coordinated cyber units have yet to cause substantial damage, a parallel front has intensified: psychological warfare. Sophisticated fake news campaigns, threatening calls, deepfakes, and mass messaging are being used to undermine public trust and sow chaos. Karadi calls it “cyber-based consciousness warfare” — the manipulation of perception through digital means.“These campaigns are already underway,” he says. “We’re seeing a fusion of kinetic and cyber operations — and that combination will occupy us even more in the near future.”Karadi, a 30-year IDF veteran with expertise in electronic warfare and cyber, is calm but clearly focused. He explains that Iran’s digital attacks range from hijacking call centers and phone networks to pushing disinformation via text messages, voice calls, and social media impersonations. “They exploit every available communication platform,” he notes. “From emotional manipulation to misdirection — it's classic social engineering, just scaled up for war.”Tracking down attackers is a meticulous process. The directorate works backward — starting with the malicious message, tracing it to a call server, and then to an IP address. Once verified, the incident is handed to a specialized “hunter” team. “It’s like Iron Dome for cyberspace,” Karadi says. “And we work fast. If we catch it before it escalates — perfect. If not, the clock is ticking.” Once located, the options range from mass IP blocking to domain takedowns. Karadi is careful to point out that every operation follows Israeli law: “We operate fully within our legal framework. It’s good that not everything is permitted — but we do have robust legal tools.” The flood of disinformation, however, is harder to contain. Social media’s viral nature complicates efforts to remove fake content. “We treat some of these videos as open-source intelligence,” he says. “We analyze the origin and share our assessments with the security ecosystem. But 100% prevention? Not realistic. That’s why public awareness is so critical.” Karadi is familiar with the adversary. Iran’s cyber apparatus consists of multiple state-affiliated groups, each with dozens — sometimes hundreds — of professionals. Added to that are volunteer hackers who offer their services to the regime. “We know them well,” he says with deliberate brevity. He downplays any sense of Israeli overreaction, warning instead that the digital front will only grow in importance. “If Iran loses its kinetic capabilities or is restrained by international pressure, it will lean even more heavily on cyber,” he predicts. “What we’re seeing now might just be the beginning.” And Israel is preparing accordingly. Hospitals, banks, and utilities have all fortified their defenses, guided by national readiness exercises following real-world cyberattacks, like the one that previously hit Hillel Yaffe Medical Center. “Resilience has to be built over time,” Karadi says. “We’ve made progress — but prevention remains the hardest task.” One major hurdle is legal. A proposed Cyber Law has been stalled for nearly a decade. Karadi is actively pushing to pass it, saying it would provide the directorate with genuine regulatory authority. “Right now, we offer guidance and recommendations — not enforcement. That needs to change.”A medical emergency button hacked by Iran (Photo: Social media) Amid war, Karadi’s teams are operating around the clock. Their tools include newly deployed AI systems capable of detecting patterns, flagging anomalies, and filtering threats autonomously. With thousands of potential incidents to analyze daily, such automation has become essential. But technology alone isn’t enough. The directorate collaborates extensively with private Israeli cyber firms — a relationship Karadi calls “pure Zionism.” He describes back-to-back meetings with tech leaders, many volunteering time and expertise. “If I call and say we need help, they come,” he says. “No hesitation.” Looking ahead, Karadi envisions a dangerous evolution. With global dependence on digital systems and AI growing rapidly, he warns of the eventual emergence of a “pure cyber war” — one fought entirely online, with no physical bombs, only digital sieges. “Imagine the Roman siege of Jerusalem,” he says, “but in cyberspace. One nation cripples another’s energy, water, transport — and waits. It’s not science fiction. Not anymore.” link - Police arrest Tel Aviv resident, tourist on suspicion of documenting missile impact sites
Police arrest a Tel Aviv resident and a tourist who have in their possession “suspicious documentation” of impact sites, amid daily ballistic missile and drone attacks by Iran during the ongoing war.
“Officers from Rishon Lezion and Border Police began searches this evening, upon receiving a report of a suspicious couple on a motorcycle documenting impact sites in the Shfela region,” the police say in a statement.
“Police managed to locate the two near Kfar Chabad and to arrest them, after the two tried to flee and, it is suspected, hide their recording equipment.”
“The two have been transferred to the Rishon Lezion police station” for questioning, and may ultimately be transferred to a security body, the statement adds.
- IDF says Haifa impact yesterday was not failed interceptor but undetected missile
A rescue worker carries two children as residents evacuate from the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Haifa, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)After further investigation, the IDF has determined that the impact in Haifa yesterday was not a failed interceptor as initially suspected, but an Iranian ballistic missile that was not detected correctly.
The missile hit a public square in a residential area of the city. Three people were lightly hurt, including one person who was relatively close to the impact site.
There was a “technical failure” with the detection of the missile, according to a Home Front Command and Israeli Air Force investigation.
Therefore, no sirens sounded and no interceptors were launched to shoot the missile down.
The Home Front Command had issued an early warning via the cell broadcast system in Haifa, which it says helped prevent further harm, as most people were seeking shelter even without sirens sounding.
According to the investigation, the Iranian missile split from its warhead mid-air, and interceptors were launched only at the back section. The warhead itself went undetected and hit Haifa.
The missile itself was not unusual, according to the probe, and was similar to others fired by Iran at Israel amid the war. The incident appears to have been an anomaly.
- Case uncovered: How Iranian intelligence duped a yeshiva student into spying on IsraelElimelech Stern, a Hasidic man from Beit Shemesh, bought a phone to trade crypto; a message from 'Anna' drew him into espionage for a hostile power; living a double life, he feared being used for assassinations and begged for help—outside the law
She introduced herself as "Anna Elena," who lived in Canada, claiming to be an activist campaigning against traffic accidents in England. She asked for his help in "saving lives in Israel." But according to the Shin Bet, this persona was an Iranian operative. The tasks assigned to him, which began with hanging posters, soon evolved into a series of subversive missions, ranging from activating a buried phone to offering payment for setting a forest fire and carrying out an assassination. Until he received the message on Telegram from Anna Elena, 22-year-old Elimelech Stern, a member of the Vizhnitz Hasidic sect, appeared to live a routine life. He was a yeshiva student training to become a Sofer Stam (scribe of religious texts) but was also burdened by approximately 70,000 shekels (roughly $19,000) in debt, which he attributed to "poor financial management."Elimelech Stern and the messags(Photo: Shlomi Heller/Walla)His Shin Bet interrogations paint a portrait of someone who may not have fully understood the true identity of his handler, yet he clearly recognized he had long since crossed the line. He admitted that feelings of doubt, anxiety and guilt arose throughout his involvement.In a late-night interrogation on June 27, 2024, Stern confessed to a Shin Bet officer, known by the alias "Uzi," that he had been in contact with a profile on Telegram named "Anna Elena." He detailed the tasks he had been assigned and his actions in response.Initially, he communicated using his regular phone but was later instructed to acquire a separate device for their correspondence. Stern enlisted the help of an individual, identified as Jonathan, to retrieve the new phone from the Haifa area. Despite this, he continued to use his original device as he struggled to operate the new one.In fact, on the very night he was apprehended by Shin Bet officers on June 27, 2024, Stern opened up almost immediately, as if he had been waiting a long time just to unburden himself. He was questioned at his home in Beit Shemesh between 2:50 a.m. and 4:05 a.m.During that interrogation, the Shin Bet officer told Stern he believed he knew why the security forces had arrived. Stern nodded and replied, "I think I know what this is about, it’s connected to the phone I handed over to the police a few minutes ago (at the time of the arrest) and to things I’ve done recently. It all started with a Telegram profile about a month ago (in reality, even earlier)."In that brief interrogation, Stern confessed to "Uzi" the key contents of his conversations with Anna Elena and the tasks she had assigned him. The investigator recounted that when he asked Stern about his connection to the Telegram profile, the Hasid began describing the missions he had been assigned, some of which he had carried out, others he refused. Stern explained that at first, he had communicated with Anna Elena using Telegram on his regular phone. But after receiving the initial assignments, the Iranian operative instructed him to collect a separate device to continue their communications. Stern contacted Jonathan, who lived in the Jerusalem area, asking him to retrieve the operational phone from the Haifa area and deliver it to him. Even after receiving the new device, Stern continued using his old one due to difficulties operating the new phone. This was not the only time Stern would enlist and pay other Israelis to carry out tasks on behalf of Iran, mainly Jonathan, but also an individual named Nathaniel. At Anna Elena’s request, Stern sent Jonathan to stash $450 in two locations in the Tel Aviv area, while he instructed Nathaniel to hide money in 25 different spots across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The Shin Bet investigator reported what Stern had told him on that late-night investigation: "He received a photo of bloodied hands, which he printed multiple times and directed Jonathan to hang them across Tel Aviv. He was compensated with several hundred shekels for this task. "Further assignments included setting a forest fire, placing a severed sheep's head outside the residence of Israel's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency and arranging for a doll with a knife inside a box, all in exchange for money. The Anna Elena profile also requested tasks that Stern refused to carry out, such as setting a forest on fire or shooting at a person." "Uzi" also wrote that Stern expressed uncertainty about the true identity of the Telegram profile, but "he speculated that she might reside in the Haifa area or abroad. When asked what he thought were the motives behind the tasks that the woman behind the profile asked, Stern said it was never stated explicitly. However, on one occasion, when he asked whether he was expected to target cars belonging to right-wing or left-wing Israelis, the profile responded, “It doesn’t matter, the main goal is to sow chaos in the country.” When he refused to set a forest fire, Stern was questioned by the profile about his willingness to shoot someone. "Given these examples, Stern deduced that the missions were intended to harm the State of Israel and possibly had antisemitic grounds," wrote the officer. At this point, the officer asked Stern to bring his tefillin and follow him to the Petah Tikva police station, but the Hasid replied that his tefillin were at the synagogue. "Stern thanked me that despite all the commotion, his daughter remained asleep," said the officer. "Stern blessed his wife and left his home." On the way to the police station, the officer told Stern they would stop first at the synagogue to get the tefillin. "Stern shook my hand, thanking me for my understanding." And so, just before dawn, the Shin Bet investigators drove with Stern to the Vizhnitz synagogue in Beit Shemesh to retrieve the tefillin and then proceeded to the police station in Petah Tikva. Interrogations at the Shin Bet facility At dawn, Stern underwent another interrogation, beginning shortly after 7 a.m. His interrogation was deliberately conducted at the Petah Tikva police station, where he had been taken after his arrest in Beit Shemesh. The station is no ordinary facility; it houses a special Shin Bet interrogation center known for holding Jewish settlers suspected of attacking Palestinians. Protesters have frequently gathered outside the facility to demonstrate against the interrogations conducted within its walls. In 2010, the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem published a report claiming that detainees in the facility were subjected to “inhumane confinement conditions, including sealed solitary cells, isolation, poor hygiene, prolonged restraints during interrogations restricting body movement, sleep deprivation and other measures." According to the Shin Bet, Stern’s interrogation unfolded differently. Although he was initially denied access to legal counsel due to potential harm to national security, the investigation was marked by relative cooperation. While his interrogators at times accused him of lying or deliberately withholding information, Stern generally cooperated with investigators and answered questions, albeit with occasional delays in recalling information.One of the first correspondences with Anna Elena He claimed he was unaware he was working for Iran. The Shin Bet, however, maintains that he was fully aware that he was acting on behalf of a hostile entity. During his first interrogation on the morning of June 27, a Shin Bet investigator known as "Fuad" made Stern a cup of coffee and asked him about his life. Stern recounted that about nine months before his arrest, he had uncharacteristically purchased a smartphone, which is an unusual step in his ultra-Orthodox community, learned how to operate it and downloaded apps in order to trade cryptocurrency. He joined various Telegram groups to learn about investing and once fell victim to a scam that cost him 5,000 shekels (about $1,350). Then, in March, he received a brief three-line message from someone identifying herself as "Anna." It was followed by a proposal to carry out tasks in Israel for $100 and up to $100,000. "I didn’t know English, so I had to translate it to understand," Stern told the investigator. "I asked her what she wanted, and Anna Elena replied by asking if I wanted to make money. She said if I did what she told me, I’d be rich, I’d have a new car and more,” Stern said. Stern, still shaken by his previous experience with a scam, asked Anna Elena why she had contacted him specifically. She claimed to be leading a safe driving campaign that had begun in England, where many children were allegedly killed in traffic accidents. "She said she wanted to start a similar campaign in Israel and would like me to hang posters," explained Stern. "She offered $20 for each poster I would hang." He searched Google to check if it was illegal to hang posters in public places and told the investigator he found no such prohibition. Anna Elena soon sent him a photo of a bloodied hand with English text: "It will be written in history that children were killed. Let’s stand on the right side of history." Though Stern was disturbed by the photo, he said he couldn’t translate the message that was written on it. Anna Elena reassured him that it was "for the sake of protecting children."One of the correspondences with Anna Elena Stern emailed the image to himself and went to a shop in Beit Shemesh that provides computer services to the Haredi public. He printed 150 copies for 150 shekels. "I arrived home with the posters, hiding them under some floor tiles near my apartment." He sent a photo of the stack to Anna Elena and received $50 in cryptocurrency in return. As in other known cases, the Iranians followed a familiar method with Stern: starting with small, seemingly innocuous tasks that gradually escalated. This method builds trust with recruits, blurs their moral boundaries and creates both dependency and a sense of obligation. So, when Anna Elena contacted Stern again, her request had evolved; this time, she offered $2,600 to hang posters in Tel Aviv. "I didn’t want to do it myself," Stern told the investigator. "I don’t know Tel Aviv, I don’t have a car, I didn’t want my wife to find out, and as a Haredi man, I’d attract attention hanging posters." Still eager to receive the payment, Stern posted in a Telegram job group that he was looking for someone to complete a "task." Within minutes, a man named Jonathan from Beitar Illit responded. "I told him I was looking for someone to hang posters in Tel Aviv and that I was willing to pay for it," Stern explained. Jonathan agreed. That evening, Stern withdrew 1,800 shekels from an ATM for the sake of executing the task. He left the posters, glue, and payment for Jonathan in an attic above his building, and also explained how to access it: You should use the elevator to reach the sixth floor, and climb another floor on foot. Jonathan later messaged Stern: "Rabbi, I got the items and the money. I’m on my way." Though Stern’s actions seemed suspicious, Jonathan did not question the secrecy in performing the job or collecting the posters. "Stern suspected that the message came from a hostile entity, possibly in Israel or abroad, but did not contact the police, even when he feared the phone Anna Elena had sent him might be booby-trapped. When wildfires were reported in areas Anna Elena had mentioned, Stern worried there might be a connection. Stern was, in practice, deeply involved and knowingly chose to continue the relationship in a way he believed was safe." Stern informed Anna Elena that he was to perform the task within an hour, but concealed the fact that he wasn’t doing it himself. Anna Elena sent him a map with several locations around Tel Aviv marked on it, instructing him to hang a poster every 100 meters. She demanded a photo of each poster that was hung. Stern relayed these instructions to Jonathan, who worked from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., mainly along the bustling Ibn Gabirol Street. But the operation didn’t go smoothly. Someone tore Jonathan’s bag of posters, and municipal inspectors questioned him. As he was left with 20 posters, he estimated that he had hung 130 posters and updated Stern. Anna Elena, however, was furious, accused Stern of hanging only 60 posters, and “fined” him for failing to complete the task. Stern insisted he had hung up 130. He told the investigator that, to the best of his knowledge, Anna Elena eventually paid him $1,500 in crypto and that he promised her to keep the remaining 20 posters. Two days later, Anna Elena resurfaced with a new request for Stern, asking to replace his cellphone to "protect his family." He found this suspicious but thought perhaps it was for his safety, or possibly to allow her to track his location. Anna Elena sent him GPS coordinates for a location in Haifa where the new phone was buried. Stern didn’t want to retrieve it himself, saying, "It didn’t make sense for a Haredi man to dig up a phone." Once again, he enlisted Jonathan, who traveled to Haifa and retrieved the buried device according to the coordinates provided. Soon after Jonathan retrieved the phone, Anna Elena confronted Stern: "Is it true you didn’t pick up the phone yourself?" Stern evaded the question, saying he was afraid, so he had come with a friend and waited in the car. Anna Elena asked for Jonathan’s profile, but Stern refused, fearing she would contact Jonathan directly and thus he would lose money. By that point, it seemed that Stern no longer believed the project had anything to do with traffic safety. After Jonathan gave Stern the phone, Stern suspected it was booby-trapped and might be detonated in a crowded area. He chose not to turn it on until he clarified the matter. Stern reached out to another Telegram user and asked whether it was possible to kill people using a booby-trapped phone. The reply was affirmative, referring to the Israeli assassination of Hamas terrorist Yahya Ayyash. The Shin Bet investigator noted on the interrogation documents that Stern became increasingly uneasy about the phone. Therefore, he joined a popular Telegram channel that includes more than 100,000 followers and focuses on security topics, operated by a user called "Abu Salah," who invites questions from followers. Stern texted Abu Salah that he felt “paranoid,” but he had received a suspicious "cellphone from someone," and then heard about the assassination of Yahya Ayyash.Stren's correspondence with Abu SalahHe asked whether he should be worried about the phone being booby-trapped, "Is it possible? And if it is, what could be the cause? The phone itself, or the SIM card, or could they attack me from any other phone, and not just from the phone they gave me? I hope you won’t kick me out of the channel, but I’m concerned for Israel’s security." Abu Salah responded directly: "Bro, what are you smoking?" Stern replied, "Believe me, I don’t smoke. I’m just a regular Haredi guy. I just want to know if I have reason to worry; if they want to detonate it, do they need this phone or can they target any other phone, maybe they need to know my location." Abu Salah responded while wondering "why would they want to assassinate you?" and Stern replied, "it's not personally me. The phone might be detonated once I am identified in a crowded place." Stern asked Abu Salah for contact information of a police officer to consult, but received no reply. Despite his fears, Stern did not contact the police. He was reluctant to get himself into trouble and still wanted to maintain his connection with Anna Elena, who was supplying him with money. Ultimately, he took the risk and turned the phone on. Anna Elena instructed him to turn it on at a distance of three kilometers (two miles) from his home, asking him to install multiple SIM numbers. When he struggled with that, she told him to download Instagram. Stern created an account under the name “Haim” and hid the phone above the wooden beams used for his sukkah in the stairwell. Some days passed, and then came Anna Elena’s most unusual request—to set a forest on fire. She sent Stern a map of a forest near Jerusalem and asked him to light it on fire, offering $3,000 in return. Stern refused, saying he was afraid, and asked why he should burn a forest for no reason. Anna Elena responded by more than doubling the offer to $7,000, but he still declined. She then pressed, asking him to set a car on fire or smash a shop window near an area where protests take place. Again, Stern refused. Stern told the investigator he tried to "buy time" with Anna Elena to avoid severing the relationship completely, and insisted he was willing to perform tasks related only to hanging posters. Still, he admitted that by then, it was clear the missions weren’t as innocent as they seemed, but "I thought maybe they were anarchists with money trying to overthrow the government," he told his interrogators. The Shin Bet investigator, however, concluded Stern understood he was working for a hostile entity with malicious intent toward the State of Israel. In June 2024, as the investigation progressed, the Shin Bet and the police's Lahav 433 National Crime Unit arrested three Israeli citizens suspected of operating under Iranian intelligence directives. When pressed by Shin Bet investigators, Stern admitted that after that conversation, he turned to Jonathan and told him that Anna Elena had asked him to light wildfires and set cars on fire. Jonathan, whose livelihood was also tied to the operation, reportedly told Stern to keep going. According to Stern, had Jonathan not encouraged him, he believed he would have stopped. In one message retrieved by the Shin Bet, Stern texted Jonathan that everything he had done was "legal, or close enough to being legal, maybe mysterious, but legal." Jonathan replied, "You have to understand, once you start something like this, there’s no turning back."In another session, Stern simply said: "A servant of God is always free."In a later interrogation, Stern recalled Anna Elena asking him directly: "What will you do if I ask you to shoot someone?" saying that she would offer $75,000 for it along with a promise to fly him out of the country. Stern declined, saying, "It didn't suit him."Shin Bet investigator: "Would you dishonor your Hasidic community for money?" Stern: "No" Investigator: "Do you care if your actions harm the State of Israel?" Stern: “In this case, I feel neutral and less committed."The real motiveAt a certain stage, Stern had begun to doubt Anna Elena’s cover story about living in Canada. He once asked her what time it was in her location; she did not fall for it and replied with an answer that matched Toronto time.Shortly before his arrest, in June 2024, Anna Elena messaged Stern on Telegram, saying that he and Jonathan should find a secluded forest location, and she would provide training "similar to what the British Secret Intelligence Service MI6 gives to its soldiers." The first training, she said, would focus on guerrilla warfare without weapons, which she had already given to four other individuals in the past.When Stern asked whether it involved physical combat, Anna Elena said that it would come in later phases. He said he would speak with Jonathan, but no such conversation ever took place.Despite his limited understanding of smartphones and the internet, Stern, the Vizhnitz Hasid, managed to navigate the technology, as testified by the investigator: "When I asked him if the phone he had received from Anna Elena was preloaded with apps, or he had to download them, Stern said most were already installed. He had personally added Telegram, Instagram, a VPN and another messaging app with a green icon that failed to download. Later, for his personal use, he downloaded other Telegram apps, such as Telegram Plus, Telegram Premium and another app with a black X icon."Summarizing the case, the Shin Bet investigator wrote: "Stern suspected that the message came from a hostile entity, possibly in Israel or abroad, but did not contact the police, even when he feared the phone Anna Elena had sent him might be booby-trapped.""After receiving reassurance from an anonymous Telegram user that the device posed no threat, he chose to continue the relationship. When wildfires were reported in areas Anna Elena had mentioned, Stern worried there might be a connection. Stern was, in practice, deeply involved and knowingly chose to continue the relationship in a way he believed was safe."When asked why he went through with all of it, Stern told his interrogator: "For the money."Investigator: "Would you dishonor your Hasidic community for money?"Stern: "No."Investigator: "Do you care if your actions harm the State of Israel?"Stern: "In this case, I feel neutral and less committed." link. The answers that Stern gives relating to whether he would hurt the Haredi community or Israel, are very emblemic of the situation we are dealing with in Israel today with the Haredim and the draft and all of their benefits that they get without any contribution to the State. Many of them are indoctrinated that The State of Israel is a political issue that they are not a part of. They claim that they will not fight for Israel because it has nothing to do with them. Yet, they have no compunction about taking from the State whatever they can. The former minister Goldknopf horribly and disgustingly emphasized this total separation when he said early in the war and knowing exactly what atrocities were committed against Israeli civilians, "Our lives are good. What does the war have to do with me?" These were the words of a Minister of the government of the State of Israel! - Haifa resident to be indicted on suspicion of spying for Iran
Police and Shin Bet agents arrested a resident of Haifa last month on suspicion of spying for Iran, and expect an indictment to be filed against him later this week.
According to police and Shin Bet spokespeople, 28-year-old Dmitri Cohen gathered intelligence on Israeli citizens, taking photos of their homes and surrounding areas, which he then passed on to his Iranian handler. He was reportedly promised $500 for each task he carried out, and received thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency since first coming into contact with the Iranian agent. He used a separate phone for his espionage activities.
One of Cohen’s targets was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s daughter-in-law to be, Amit Yardeni, Hebrew media outlets report. She was set to marry his son Avner last week, but their wedding was postponed due to the outbreak of war with Iran.
Cohen was arrested a month ago, before the outbreak of war with Iran, by police officers in the Coastal District’s investigations and intelligence unit, in cooperation with the Shin Bet.
A prosecutor’s declaration was filed against Cohen this morning, the police and Shin Bet say. State prosecutors in the Haifa District Attorney’s Office are expected to file charges against him in the coming days.
The man is one of dozens of suspects thought to have passed sensitive information to Iranian agents in recent years.
Police also recently detained a 19-year-old from the Sharon region on suspicion of spying for Tehran, Ynet reports today. The young man is thought to have contacted an Iranian agent and passed along confidential information to him over the course of the war. The case is reportedly being handled by the Shin Bet. Police have not yet commented on the arrest of the unnamed 19-year-old.
6 reportedly killed by IDF fire while waiting for humanitarian aid in Rafah
Media outlets in Gaza report that six people were killed and dozens more injured this morning by IDF gunfire while waiting for humanitarian aid distribution in western Rafah. A food distribution center operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is active in the area.
Additional reports indicate that in central Gaza, where another aid center is located, around 22 people were injured while waiting for assistance. No footage from the incidents has been released so far.
The IDF told the Times of Israel that it is not aware of such an incident in recent hours.
Yesterday, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reported that 450 people have been killed while waiting for humanitarian aid since the new distribution mechanism of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operating.
The Red Cross told The Times of Israel that between May 27 and June 19, approximately 1,874 casualties arrived at the field hospital it operates in Rafah, 100 of whom were declared dead. According to the organization, about 90% of the patients arrived during mass casualty events, and most reported to medical staff that they had been injured while trying to access humanitarian aid at or near distribution centers.
The US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says that it opens only two of its four aid distribution sites today, distributing 1.1 million meals in 19,200 boxes, according to its own figures.
“Our delivery numbers are lower than normal as we adjust our supplies and deliveries in response to the ongoing conflict with Iran and for delivery site maintenance for safety reasons,” says GHF interim director John Acree in a statement. “We will continue to provide daily food deliveries to the populations and hope to return to our higher delivery numbers very soon.”
Gaza and the South
- Hezbollah says no plans to attack Israel or US after American strikes on Iran
S
upporters of Hezbollah wave Palestinian and Iranian flags as they protest against Israel's attacks on the Islamic Republic, following Friday noon prayers in the terror group's stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, June 20, 2025. (Anwar AMRO / AFP)Hezbollah will not attack either Israel or the US, a spokesman for the Iran-backed terror group tells Newsweek after US President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“Iran is a strong country capable of defending itself, logic dictates that it can confront America and Israel,” says the official. “Hezbollah remains committed to all matters agreed upon since the ceasefire.”
“Despite the attacks carried out by the Israeli enemy,” continues the spokesman, “the party has remained committed to the agreement.”
Hezbollah signed a ceasefire with Israel in November after Israeli strikes took out the organization’s leadership and IDF ground forces conquered Lebanese border towns. It indicated at the outset of Israel’s air campaign against Iran that it was not going to get involved. link
- Suicide bombing attack reported in Damascus church
Syrian media report a suicide bombing attack at the “Mar Elias” Church in Damascus.
According to the Syrian news agency, a suicide bomber detonated himself inside the building using an explosive belt.
Syrian outlets also report that security forces imposed a cordon around the area to evacuate the dead and wounded. So far, no exact number of casualties has been released. video
At least 15 reported dead in ISIS suicide bombing in Damascus church
A priest reacts as people and rescuers inspect the damage at the site of a reported suicide attack at the Saint Elias church in Damascus' Dweila area on June 22, 2025. (LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)At least 15 people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Syria’s capital Damascus, security sources say.
The incident marks the first suicide bombing inside Damascus since Bashar al-Assad was toppled by an Islamist-led rebel insurgency in December.
Syria’s interior ministry says the suicide bomber was a member of the Islamic State. He entered the church, opened fire, and then detonated his explosive vest, the ministry adds in a statement.
A security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, says two men were involved in the attack, including the one who blew himself up.
A livestream from the site by Syria’s civil defense, the White Helmets, shows scenes of destruction from within the church, including a bloodied floor and shattered church pews and masonry.
- Police arrest two women at small hostage protest in Jerusalem, strip search them
In Tel Aviv, vigilante rapper The Shadow leads group of civilian volunteers detaining foreign journalists for allegedly filming missile impact sites — police let foreigners go
Police in Jerusalem on Sunday arrested two women — one a protester, the other a bystander who argued with an officer over the protester’s arrest — and subjected them each to a strip-search, before releasing them after some four hours, Haaretz reported.The two women, Dr. Renana Keydar and Shoshan Dolgopolsky Geva, were arrested outside the home of Economy Minister Nir Barkat, whose Jerusalem residence has been the site of nightly group-singing protests calling for the release of the hostages held by terror groups in Gaza.
Geva was participating in the protest. Keydar, who lives near the protest site, came to check on her daughter, who was participating.
Police in Jerusalem on Sunday arrested two women — one a protester, the other a bystander who argued with an officer over the protester’s arrest — and subjected them each to a strip-search, before releasing them after some four hours, Haaretz reported. video
The two women, Dr. Renana Keydar and Shoshan Dolgopolsky Geva, were arrested outside the home of Economy Minister Nir Barkat, whose Jerusalem residence has been the site of nightly group-singing protests calling for the release of the hostages held by terror groups in Gaza.
Geva was participating in the protest. Keydar, who lives near the protest site, came to check on her daughter, who was participating.
The two women were released, without conditions, some four hours after their initial arrest.
The Hebrew University, in a statement, condemned the arrest of its lecturer, calling it “violent and illegal.”
“We must not accept a situation whereby, under the cover of war, the Israel Police violates basic civil rights, such as the freedom to demonstrate, and silences those who seek to raise their voices for the sake of returning the hostages. This harms the democratic foundations of the State of Israel, and we must not be silent about it,” the university said.
A similar incident occurred last week, when a woman who was demonstrating in front of the prime minister’s residence was arrested and made to undergo a strip search in custody.
In a statement Sunday, the police said: “Earlier today, in a demonstration in front of the home of an elected official, a number of people came to the location, made noise, lay on the ground and didn’t heed the instructions of the police to move to the place where they were permitted to demonstrate.
“Because they did not heed the officers’ instructions, two women were arrested for questioning, after which they were released. As part of the questioning and under the authority granted by law, a search was carried out on the detainees.”
Vigilante rapper detains foreign journalists in Tel Aviv
Also Sunday, a civilian security squad led by far-right rapper Yoav Eliasi — known by his stage name “The Shadow” — detained a group of foreign journalists at a missile impact site in Tel Aviv.
Footage showed the volunteers, operating under the auspices of the Israel Police, separating Israeli journalists from foreign ones in a stairwell and allowing the former group to proceed to the scene of an Iranian ballistic missile impact. Several foreign reporters were then detained, Haaretz reported. link
Photojournalist Oren Ziv told the outlet that reporters had been on the roof of the building when a police officer told them to come down.
“On the way [down], the civilian security squad stopped us and asked where Al Jazeera was… They told Israeli photographers to pass through, and foreigners to wait. They mainly took the IDs of Arab photographers,” he said.
Upon arriving at the impact site, Tel Aviv District spokesman Shahar Gamzo immediately released the journalists.
After an appeal by the journalists’ union to the Tel Aviv District Police regarding the incident, police decided its civilian security squads would not interact with reporters at “various sites,” the union said.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has pledged to crack down on foreign media broadcasting the locations of missile impacts, calling it a “danger to state security.”
Responding to the incident, Ben Gvir hailed Eliasi, a staunch supporter of the far-right minister, as a hero.
“The Shadow, whom you all are disparaging, is a hero,” he wrote in an X post, lauding the civilian security team. “Instead of shaming, send them flowers — they are our shield.”
He continued, “The Al Jazeera channel and spies disguised as journalists — will not broadcast here. Period. That’s the policy. Get used to it.”
Last week, police halted the broadcast of several foreign outlets, saying their footage — which revealed “precise locations” — was being used by Al Jazeera, a Qatar-funded network banned in Israel since last summer. link There are 2 disturbing events in this article. The first is the police arresting the women. It is unfortunately very typical that the Israel police make up laws as they go along at protests in order to break them up, cause fear and make trouble for the protesters. In almost all cases when they make up these laws and arrest people with no basis, the court releases them. In some very blatant cases, of which there are many, the judge berates the police for doing what they do. Unfortunately, the courts do not penalize the police for these illegal actions and therefore, the police have no reason not to repeat their actions time and time again.
The second disturbing event is the detention of foreign journalists by the known extremist 'vigilante' The Shadow. He is a known and experienced provocateur of rightists against anyone they determine to be left or against their extremist ideas. He personally has been involved in many violent altercations and encourages through his social networking violence against the left and anyone they see as being against this extreme corrupt government. Based on this article, it appears that he is a volunteer in a civilian emergency squad that has absolutely no authority to do what he did. The problem, however is that the Minister of Internal 'Insecurity', Ben Gvir is a provocateur himself who spent his entire legal life defending Jewish terrorist and as the minister in charge of the army, he encourages extreme right violence against the left and anti government protestors, as well as protestors on behalf of the hostages. Any police officer or civilian who gets publicly caught, arrested or brought for investigation gets his full support to the extent that he has escorted these criminals to court or to their investigations and gives a press conference supporting them. The Shadow is a vile creature and gets support from the equally or even more vile Ben Gvir, and our criminally indicted and dangerous prime minister is the one who has normalized all of this behaviour and never speaks out against it, all in the name of staying in power, no matter what the cost.
- The Region and the World
- American Jews brace for fallout from Israel-Iran conflict
As the conflict between Israel and Iran continues, Jewish communities in North America are on high alert, facing growing security threats including potential retaliation against Jewish institutions and individuals full article
- Personal Stories
Amid piles of donated clothing and supplies in the large hall at Kfar Maccabiah, Yelena Troufanov folds shirts and pants for families from Ramat Gan who were evacuated after their homes were struck by Iranian missiles. The same hands that once labored in a factory in Nir Oz—and have known both terror and captivity—now sort clothes and offer warm smiles. It’s a daily encounter between a woman who endured unimaginable horror and chose not to break, and people searching for hope in the heart of crisis.
Acronyms and Glossary
ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague
IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague
MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp
PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen
PMO- Prime Minister's Office
UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission
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