International
Israel claims to be prepared for the possibility of an imminent attack by Iran and Hizbulah
“Israel is prepared for a multi-fronted threat,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Monday when intelligence information collected by both the country and the United States points to an imminent attack by Iran and Hezbollah, probably in the next 24 hours.
Israel has been on “maximum alert” since last week after both Iran and Hezbollah swore revenge for the murders of the leader of Hamas, Isamil Haniyeh, in Tehran; and the top military leader of the Lebanese Shiites, Fuad Shukr, in Beirut.
Since then, several intelligence sources pointed out that this coordinated attack – which could be joined by other Iranian satellites such as the Houthis of Yemen, the Islamic Resistance of Iraq or the pro-Iranian militias of Syria – could occur on the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’av, which began today at sunset and commemorates the destruction of the first and second temples in Jerusalem.
“About the tense days we are living, after Iran and all our enemies of the axis of evil have declared their intention to attack us soon with great force; I emphasize: the State of Israel is prepared to face this multi-frontal threat,” the president said today in a message to the citizenry on the occasion of Tisha B’av.
“We have first-class military capabilities; an air force and advanced multidimensional defense systems that are on high alert and ready; in addition to exhaustive intelligence,” he stressed.
Herzog called on the Israelis to “act responsibly, follow instructions, remain calm,” in the face of the imminence of such an attack, on which the command of the domestic front of the Army, has not yet changed the precautionary instructions to the population.”
The president also referred to the “diplomatic and security alliances and associations” that seek to thwart any “enemy action,” alluding to the United States, which in the last week has deployed defensive systems, including aircraft carriers, warships and ballistic missiles, to the Middle East to help Israel repel such an attack.
“The most important thing is that the strongest power in the world, the United States, is committed to our security,” Herzog stressed.
Precisely the White House spokesman, John Kirby, said today that Washington shares Israel’s assessment that Iran and its allies could launch the large-scale attacks this week and suggested that one of the purposes may be to hinder the negotiations for a ceasefire that was scheduled to resume this Thursday, August 15, although Hamas announced last night that it would not send a delegation.
In his message, Herzog also showed his “firm support” for an agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which will allow the return of the 111 kidnapped on October 7 who are still being held.
“The duty of a State to its citizens is, above all, to bring them back home, away from the enemy. With creativity, determination, courage, initiative and with all the commitment,” he said in his message, which was broadcast by video at a demonstration organized by the families of the hostages in Tel Aviv, on the occasion of Tisha B’av.
International
Meta Says Russia Seeks to Ban WhatsApp for Defending Secure Communication
U.S. tech giant Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, said that Russia is seeking to ban the messaging app because it “challenges government attempts to violate people’s right to secure communication.”
Russian authorities have encouraged citizens to switch to state-backed applications, and in August they already blocked WhatsApp’s calling feature.
On Friday, the communications regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that the platform was being used to “organize and carry out terrorist acts in the country, recruit perpetrators, and facilitate fraud and other crimes.”
“If the messaging service does not comply with Russian law, it will be completely blocked,” the regulator warned.
WhatsApp remains one of Russia’s most widely used messaging services, alongside Telegram.
Moscow is pressuring both platforms to grant authorities access to user data upon request for investigations into fraud and activities the government labels as “terrorist.”
Human rights advocates fear the demand could be used to target critics of the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin, or the war in Ukraine.
International
Archbishop Wenski criticizes Trump’s deportation policies, calls for stronger push for reform
The Archbishop of Miami, Thomas Wenski, has called for increased pressure on the U.S. Congress to advance comprehensive immigration reform and criticized President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies, arguing that they “do nothing to help.”
“We need to apply more pressure on Congress so lawmakers can make the necessary changes. It is also important for the Administration to listen to our voice. We do not want to be anyone’s enemy—we are Americans,” Wenski said in an interview with EFE.
The religious leader, who heads one of the dioceses with the largest Latino and Haitian populations in the United States, issued a call to defend the rights of migrants. He also emphasized that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has maintained a strong and public stance in favor of migrants for decades.
International
Trump relaunches diplomatic push to finalize U.S.-Backed peace plan for Ukraine War
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that his diplomatic team will resume meetings with delegations from Russia and Ukraine in an effort to pressure both sides to accept the peace plan proposed by Washington to end the war in Ukraine.
As part of this new round of talks, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will hold discussions with Ukrainian representatives to narrow differences on the remaining points of the agreement.
Trump also confirmed his intention to meet personally with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and with Putin, though he emphasized that such meetings will only take place “when the agreement is fully finalized or in its final stage.”
The president claimed that his administration has made “tremendous progress” toward resolving the conflict and reiterated that the war “never would have started” if he had been in the White House at the onset of the crisis.
The U.S.-backed peace plan consists of 28 points and has been revised following feedback from both sides. According to Trump, only “a few points of disagreement” remain under active discussion.
One of the most controversial aspects of the proposal is the suggestion that Ukraine cede parts of the Donbas region to Russia and limit the size of its armed forces. Kyiv is working closely with Washington to soften these clauses in search of an arrangement that does not compromise its sovereignty or security.
With this diplomatic push, Trump aims to solidify his role as the main mediator in the conflict and steer the war toward a political resolution after years of devastation, humanitarian crisis, and rising global geopolitical tensions.
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