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In an address to the 79th United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed to be the one playing peacemaker in the Middle East and, in a juxtaposition, accused Israel of supporting terrorism.

Pezeshkian called on the U.N. to "examine" modern history and said, "Iran has never initiated a war. It has only defended itself heroically against external aggression, causing the aggressors to regret their actions," Pezeshkian said, adding that Iran does not "occupy" territory or exploit resources for other countries. 

"It has repeatedly offered various proposals to its neighbors and international fora aimed at establishing lasting peace and stability," he said. "We have emphasized the importance of unity in the region and establishing a strong region."

UN SILENT AS GUTERRES CALLS FOR HOSTAGE RELEASE, RECEIVES 'THUNDEROUS' APPLAUSE ON GAZA

Iran’s claims of playing peacemaker in the Middle East are in stark contrast to its repeated involvement in proxy wars across the region, in which it has been heavily involved in Syria and Yemen, drawing deeper the lines of division between it and other powerful Sunni nations like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

But Iran’s deep involvement in the Middle East extends to one other area not generally endeavored by a nation state — terrorism. 

While Pezeshkian claimed from the podium Tuesday that Israel both "covertly and overtly" supports the Islamic State, Tehran is widely known to have not only backed terrorist organizations ardently opposed to Israel like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, but it has also helped build bridges between the Taliban and al Qaeda, providing the terrorist networks with arms, funding and even safe haven.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran seeks to safeguard its own security, not to create insecurity for others," Pezeshkian also claimed. "We want peace for all, and seek no war or quarrel with anyone."

Iran, which has also increasingly aligned itself with top adversarial nations of the West like Russia and North Korea, attempted to claim it has not chosen a side when it comes to Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, despite it having provided Moscow with drones and, most recently, short-range ballistic missiles for its war effort.

"We seek lasting peace and security for the people of Ukraine and Russia. The Islamic Republic of Iran opposes war and emphasizes the urgent need to end military hostilities in Ukraine. We support all peaceful solutions, and believe that dialog is the only way to resolve this crisis," the Iranian president said. 

KIRBY SLAMS HAMAS CHIEF SINWAR AS 'THE MAJOR OBSTACLE' TO CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL WITH ISRAEL

"We need a new paradigm to address global challenges. Such a paradigm must focus on opportunities, rather than being obsessed with perceived threats," he added. 

Pezeshkian called on "neighboring and brotherly countries" to unite with Iran to advance what is best for the Middle East.

But the Iranian president also spoke directly to the U.S. and said Tehran is looking to "transcend" the obstacles of the past and move forward with Washington, despite its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement under President Trump and the subsequent sanctions and trade restrictions that have, in large part, cut it off from the rest of the world. 

"My message to all states pursuing a counterproductive strategy towards Iran is to learn from history," Pezeshkian said before calling the U.S.’s sanctions a "crime against humanity."

"We have the opportunity to transcend these limitations and enter into a new era," he added.

But Pezeshkian’s comments rang hollow for some and, according to Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran expert and senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, they were riddled with "propaganda."

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"Short but certainly not sweet," he told Fox News Digital. "Pezeshkian dangled the prospect of a renewed diplomatic agreement, something which his regime will use as a literal shield against pressure on its expanding nuclear program and accountably against supporting a multi-front war against Israel."

"By blaming former President Trump in his speech and by bringing along technocratic staff involved in the JCPOA back in 201[8], Pezeshkian hopes to win support with certain crowds in Washington and Europe and run the clock against SnapBack, which expires in 2025," Ben Taleblu added. But despite Pezeshkian’s honeyed comments on renewing diplomatic conversations with the U.S., they are not expected to curry much favor with either side of the political aisle as it continues to ramp up its development of nuclear weapons.

A New South Wales, Australia man pleaded guilty to a serious charge after tossing a beloved and respected chicken named "Betty White" from a wildlife park, into an alligator pen, simply to feed the reptile, according to reports.

Nine News in New South Wales reported that 58-year-old Peter Smith of Hunterview pleaded guilty in Raymond Terrace Court to a single count of aggravated animal cruelty, which has a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine of nearly $25,000.

Smith’s attorney, Bryan Wrench, said in court the case was a "very unusual matter," adding that his client simply wanted to feed a chicken to a hungry alligator in the Oakvale Farm and Fauna World at Salt Ash, in New South Wales.

Wrench told Magistrate Kirralee Perry there was the old adage, "never smile at a crocodile," but in this case, the alligator was happy after eating Betty White.

IRISH ROOSTER WITH A VIOLENT PAST KILLS MAN WITH ATTACK TO THE BACK OF HIS LEG, COURT SAYS

Smith’s criminal record is non-existent, Wrench said, adding his client is a grandfather, grew up in the country and "just wanted to feed an alligator."

Perry reportedly told Wrench she was not sure making light of the situation was appropriate, saying, "These are serious allegations."

The magistrate then said aggravated animal cruelty in New South Wales has a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and a fine of $24,084.

SLEEPY TOWN THRUST INTO CHAOS AS OUT-OF-CONTROL CHICKENS RUIN FAMILIES' EVERYDAY LIVES

With such stiff penalties, Perry reiterated to the attorney that this was "nothing to make fun of, then."

Wrench told the magistrate 750 million chickens are killed each year, making clear he was not making light of the situation.

After pleading guilty, the judge adjourned the case until Nov. 20, when Smith will be sentenced.

According to court documents obtained by Nine News, police allege Smith committed the act of aggravated animal cruelty on "a silkie bantam chook," which is a breed of chicken.

CROCODILES BAITED WITH ‘NAUSEA-INDUCING CHEMICAL’ TO PREVENT THEM FROM EATING TOXIC, INVASIVE TOAD

The act occurred between 2:57 and 3:10 p.m. on Jan. 2 at Oakvale Farm and Fauna World.

Police responded to reports that the chicken known as "Betty White" was taken from an enclosure and tossed into the alligator pen, shocking families who witnessed the unplanned feeding.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Oakvale Farm for comment.

Oakvale Farm owner Kent Sansom released a statement after the hen was killed, saying staff and management were "deeply saddened" by the death of Betty White.

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"This is the first time in our 43 years that we have had a member of the public (allegedly) engage in such cruelty in what is an animal sanctuary," Sansom said in the statement obtained by the station. "Betty White was hand-raised at the park and had played a crucial role in our endangered species breeding program for the bush stone curlew and other species by providing surrogacy to the chicks.

"Her quiet nature means she would not hesitate to approach a customer for some animal pellets, making her an easy target for (an alleged) ruthless perpetrator," Sansom added.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer made an unfortunate gaffe during a speech at his party's conference Tuesday when he mistakenly called for the return of "sausages," instead of hostages, held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. 

Starmer was speaking at the Labour Party's annual conference in Liverpool when he called for a de-escalation between Lebanon and Israel, as well as a cease-fire in Gaza. 

He also called for the return of hostages being held by the terror group when he slipped up, before quickly recovering. 

"I call again for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, the return of the sausages — the hostages — and a recommitment to the two-state solution: a recognized Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel," he said.

ISRAEL SAYS IT CONDUCTED RETALIATORY STRIKES AGAINST HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON, STRUCK HAMAS IN GAZA

The mistake quickly went viral.

During his remarks, Starmer was also heckled by a spectator in the audience who shouted about Gaza. 

"This guy's obviously got a pass from the 2019 conference. We've changed the party," Starmer joked in response, Reuters reported. "While he's been protesting, we've been changing the party. That's why we've got a Labour government."

UK GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF CRACKING DOWN ON FREE SPEECH: ‘THINK BEFORE YOU POST’

Multiple hostages are still being held in Gaza nearly a year after the group attacked Israeli communities Oct. 7, sparking the latest conflict between Hamas and the Jewish state. 

Israel has proposed ending the war if Hamas releases the remaining hostages, along with the demilitarization of Gaza and the establishment of an alternative governing body. Hamas has rejected several offers to end the conflict. 

Israel has bombarded Gaza and pledged to hunt down those responsible for the deadly attack. Meanwhile, it has also had to defend itself on a second front against shelling in its north from Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

Israeli forces said they have continued to carry out dozens of airstrikes on Hezbollah targets within Lebanon and that artillery and tanks continue to hit targets close to the border.

The tone was set Tuesday in the hall of the United Nations in New York City after the General Assembly reacted to Secretary-General António Guterres' contempt for Israel’s attacks in Gaza, but sat silent during his condemnation of Hamas' near-year-long capture of Israeli hostages. 

"Let’s be clear, nothing can justify the abhorrent acts of terror committed by Hamas on Oct. 7 or the taking of hostages, both of which I have repeatedly condemned," he said as the General Assembly sat and watched. "And nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people."

The secretary-general’s comments were followed by applause by the international body before he continued and said, "The speed and scale of the killing and destruction in Gaza are unlike anything in my years as Secretary-General."

BIDEN ADDRESSES UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR LAST TIME AS DICTATORS, DESPOTS COME TO NEW YORK

Israel's ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, immediately called out the international body for "hypocrisy" following its resounding condemnation of Israel’s fight in Gaza.

"When the U.N. secretary-general speaks about the release of our hostages, the U.N. assembly is silent, but when he speaks about the suffering in Gaza, he receives thunderous applause," he said in a statement. "This is the opening signal for the annual charade of hypocrisy."

The tone of the overall assembly was particularly dark after Guterres warned the "state of our world is unstainable" and said, "We can’t go on like this."

But despite the range of issues he addressed, including the more than two-year war in Ukraine, the civil war in Sudan, female oppression worldwide, the wrath of climate change and global hunger, it was the war in Gaza that dominated the addresses that followed.

The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who opened the assembly’s debate following Guterres' opening remarks, called out Israel and argued that it is Jerusalem’s fault there are still 101 hostages in the hands of Hamas.

"There have been over 40,000 fatal victims, mostly women and children," the Brazilian president said regarding the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza, though the figure does not differentiate between civilians and Hamas terrorists killed. "The right to defense has become the right to vengeance, which prevents an agreement for the release of the hostages and postpones the ceasefire."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has long been critical of Israel, openly drew parallels between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Nazi leader Adolf Hilter and called Israeli prisons "concentration camps."

IRAN'S LEADER TO ADDRESS UN AMID THREATS OF ASSASSINATIONS AGAINST US POLITICIANS, ELECTION INTERFERENCE

"Just as Hitler was stopped by an alliance of humanity, Netanyahu and his murder network must be stopped by an alliance of humanity," Edrogan said. 

Erdogan, like the other nations who followed him, accused Israel of flouting international law and questioned when the nations of the U.N. were going to do something about it.

"I call out to the United Nations Security Council, what are you waiting for to prevent the genocide in Gaza?" He questioned before positioning his next question at nations like the U.S.: "How long are you going to be able to carry the shame of witnessing this massacre?"

When asked by Fox News Digital about the overall tone of the morning’s debate, the Israeli ambassador to the U.N. called it "shameful" and said it was the "most hostile" environment he has seen in his roughly 10 years of attending the general debate. 

The King of Jordan, Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, echoed the warnings issued by Guterres and said the U.N. is "under attack," arguing Israel’s continued assault with the backing of the U.S. was to blame. 

"I cannot recall a time of greater peril than this," he said. "Our United Nations is facing a crisis that strikes at its very legitimacy and threatens a collapse of global trust and moral authority." 

"For years, the global community has taken the path of least resistance, accepting the status quo of the ongoing military occupation of Palestinians all the while paying lip service to the two-state solution," Al-Hussein added in direct reference to comments made by President Biden just minutes prior. 

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The leader of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, echoed the criticisms of his predecessors, accusing Israel of committing "a crime of genocide" and hitting at the heart of the U.S.’s continued support for Jerusalem.

"We oppose violence and the targeting of innocent civilians by any party," he said. "But after a year of the war…it is no longer tenable to talk about Israel's right to defend itself in this context without being complicit in justifying the crime."

Like his predecessors, the Qatari leader argued that Israel’s allowance by the international community to continue to carry out strikes in Gaza questions the legitimacy of the United Nations as a whole and has "inflicted serious damage on the credibility of the post-World War II concepts on which the international community was founded."

Qatar has played a major role alongside the U.S. and Egypt in an attempt to engage Hamas and Israel in cease-fire negotiations. Though he argued this will not be achieved until Israel stops its occupation in not only Gaza, but elsewhere. 

"There is no point in talking about security, peace, and stability in the Middle East region…if not backed by concrete steps leading to an immediate ceasefire and an end to the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories," he said in reference to Palestinian lands identified under U.N. Resolution 181, like Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the Golan Heights which Israel seized from Syria following the Six Days War in 1967.  

A Russian military patrol aircraft violated Japanese airspace near Hokkaido's Rebun Island on three separate occasions on Monday, prompting Japan's Self-Defense Force to dispatch aircraft in an emergency response and to fire flares.

RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT DETECTED, MONITORED FLYING THROUGH AIR ZONE CLOSE TO U.S.: NORAD

It is the first time Japan's SDF aircraft has fired flares in "an anti-airspace violation action", government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters.

The SDF fighter jets – F15 and F35 – warned the Russian military over the radio before firing the flares during the third incursion, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters.

The Japanese government has protested to Russia via diplomatic channels and demanded that it prevent any recurrence of such violations.

An Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed a top Hezbollah commander, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Tuesday, one day after hammering hundreds of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

The strike killed Ibrahim Muhammad Qabisi, commander of Hezbollah’s missiles and rockets force, along with other Hezbollah commanders, the IDF said.

Israel has now conducted five targeted airstrikes in Lebanon’s capital of Beirut since the start of the Israel-Hamas War. Three of those targeted airstrikes have come in the last five days.

On Friday, IDF officials said another airstrike in Beirut killed Ibrahim Aqil, who headed Hezbollah’s operations and was commander of its Radwan Force.

ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH RESUME MISSILE LAUNCHES AFTER CONFLICT'S DEADLIEST DAY SINCE 2006

Israel and Hezbollah resumed trading missile strikes against each other on Tuesday, intensifying concern that the conflict could escalate into an all-out war.

Hezbollah said it launched missiles at eight different targets within Israel. The Israeli military said it tracked some 100 projectiles fired out of Lebanon toward Israel.

US SENDING MORE TROOPS TO MIDDLE EAST, NETANYAHU WARNS LEBANESE AS ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CONFLICT HEIGHTENS

On Monday, Lebanese officials said a massive Israeli barrage killed at least 558 people.

The strikes come as Lebanon reels from a wave of deadly explosions of hundreds of communication devices largely used by Hezbollah members last week. Lebanon blamed the attacks on Israel, but Israel did not confirm or deny its responsibility.

Fox News’ Matthew Borowski and Anders Hagstrom, along with The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to address the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday afternoon in New York City amid a wash of stories involving Tehran’s involvement in assassination attempts against U.S. politicians and election interference. 

Pezeshkian, who turned heads this week for his 40-member strong delegation which reportedly includes his adult children, has already made headlines upon his arrival for comments he made suggesting Israel is looking to start an all-out war in the Middle East by turning Lebanon into the next Gaza.

BIDEN TO ADDRESS UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR LAST TIME AS DICTATORS, DESPOTS COME TO NEW YORK

"We do not wish to be the cause of instability in the Middle East as its consequences would be irreversible," he told reporters Monday, according to Reuters. "We want to live in peace, we don't want war.

"It is Israel that seeks to create this all-out conflict," he added. 

His comments to the General Assembly are expected to largely focus on the ongoing fight in the Middle East as Israel finds itself pitted against Iran's terror proxies Hamas and Hezbollah.

Pezeshkian's comments are likely to draw focus on the high number of Palestinian civilians killed in Gaza, and recently the Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, where nearly 500 people were killed, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, reported the BBC early Tuesday. It's not known how many of the dead are Hezbollah terrorists.

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While the U.N. has condemned Israeli attacks on civilians, the Iranian president’s comments are likely to ring hollow among some at the international body as Tehran has substantially backed the terrorist organizations that have engaged in the fight against the Jewish state.

There is the other matter of Tehran’s exposed plot to assassinate Donald Trump, as well as potentially President Biden, Nikki Haley, along with other "politicians, military people or bureaucrats," according to FBI documents released by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, earlier this month. 

The FBI further confirmed last week that Iran hackers attempted to supply the Democratic presidential campaign with stolen communication files from the Trump campaign. 

While it appears the Iranian attempts to mimic the Russia-style hack-and-leak operations utilized during the 2016 campaign was a failed push to cause turmoil in the U.S. ahead of the elections, the assassination plot was likely due to the 2020 killing of Gen. Qasem Soleimani during Trump’s time as president. 

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Pezeshkian's trip to the U.S. for the top U.N. meeting drew condemnation from U.S. lawmakers last month. They encouraged Biden to block his visa over concerns his presence would "raise serious security issues" for the U.S. and its allies.

Hunger strikers were also reported at a notorious female prison in Iran in protest of the Iranian president’s address amid Tehran increasing the number of executions and in a call for the release of all political and ideological detainees, according to Iran International. 

Multiple people have been arrested in Switzerland in connection to the seemingly willing use of a "suicide capsule." 

Police officials of Schaffhausen canton in northern Switzerland announced on Tuesday that multiple people have been detained following a tip indicating individuals were helped to kill themselves in a cabin in Merishausen. 

An investigation into possible incitement and accessory to suicide is underway, and the premeditated death could be attributed to the first-ever use of a Sarco-brand suicide capsule.

TERMINALLY ILL MISSOURI WOMAN, 79, TAKING TRIP TO SWITZERLAND FOR ASSISTED SUICIDE

The Sarco pod is a suicide machine developed by Netherlands-based pro-euthanasia group Exit International.

The group seemed to take responsibility for the alleged crime in a statement, announcing the willful euthanization of an elderly woman who is a U.S. citizen and suffering from an intense immune disease.

"In Switzerland on Monday, a 64-year-old woman died in a specially designed ‘suicide capsule’ containing nitrogen gas. It is the first time ever that this suicide capsule, called the Sarco, was used," Exit International boasted in an online press release. "The capsule, an airtight cabin the size of a coffin, offers, according to its creators, a ‘quick, peaceful and reliable death’ without the assistance of a doctor or medication."

PHYSICALLY HEALTHY DUTCH WOMAN DIES BY ASSISTED SUICIDE AT AGE 29

"It is still unclear how Swiss justice will react to this," the pro-suicide group's statement continued. "The conditions set by the country are that the person with the death wish is mentally competent, that they carry out the final deadly act themselves and that the people who help have altruistic motives."

Exit International founder Dr. Philip Nitschke announced Tuesday that he was "pleased that the Sarco had performed exactly as it had been designed […] to provide an elective, non-drug, peaceful death at the time of the person’s choosing."

Exit International said Nitschke personally "confirmed" the U.S. woman's death.

Switzerland was the first country in the world to legalize assisted dying, legislating the accomodation in 1941. 

Swiss law allows patients to be accommodated while killing themselves only if they do so without "external assistance" and are not aided by individuals with a "self-serving motive."

The Sarco capsule is designed to fill itself with Nitrogen gas, putting victims to sleep before suffocating them within 10 minutes of activation.

It is 3-D printed and was first unveiled at the Venice Design Festival in 2019.

Israel and Hezbollah resumed missile strikes against one another Tuesday morning following the deadliest day in Lebanon since 2006.

Lebanese officials say a massive Israeli barrage killed at least 560 people on Monday, leading thousands to flee southern Lebanon. Israel and Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy terrorist organization, remain on the brink of all-out war.

Hezbollah says it launched missiles at eight different targets within Israel early Tuesday. The Israeli military said it tracked 55 rockets fired out of Lebanon and landing in Israel.

Israeli forces say they have continued to carry out dozens of airstrikes on Hezbollah targets within Lebanon, and that artillery and tanks continue to hit targets close to the border.

KIRBY SLAMS HAMAS CHIEF SINWAR AS 'THE MAJOR OBSTACLE' TO CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL WITH ISRAEL 

Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah cells as well as weapon stashes across the country.

Data from American fire-tracking satellites analyzed Tuesday by The Associated Press showed the wide range of Israeli airstrikes aimed at southern Lebanon, covering an area of over 650 square miles. 

These satellites, a part of NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System, are typically used to track wildfires across rural areas of the U.S., but can also be used to track the flashes and burning that follow airstrikes. That’s particularly true when an airstrike ignites flammable material on the ground, such as munitions or fuel.

ISRAEL SAYS IT CONDUCTED RETALIATORY STRIKES AGAINST HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON, STRUCK HAMAS IN GAZA

Top Israeli officials maintain that they do not want the conflict with Hezbollah to escalate into all-out war. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Sunday that the consolidation of weapons and equipment at the Israel-Lebanon border is not preparation for an invasion.

Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier USS Truman, two destroyers and a cruiser set sail from Norfolk, Virginia, headed to the Mediterranean on a regularly scheduled deployment, opening the possibility that the U.S. could keep both the Truman and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which is in the Gulf of Oman, nearby in case further violence breaks out.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held back-to-back calls with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the weekend as he pressed for a cease-fire and a reduction of tensions in the region.

"Given the tensions, given the escalation, as I highlighted, there is the potential for a wider regional conflict. I don’t think we’re there yet, but it’s a dangerous situation," Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Monday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

In an interview over the weekend with the New Yorker, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced some of his harshest criticisms against any U.S. official since Russia’s war began when pressed about Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance. 

Zelenskyy has pointedly toed the line when it comes to the contentious 2024 U.S. presidential election and has spoken to each of President Biden, Democrat presidential nominee Vice President Harris and GOP nominee former President Trump.

But the gloves came off Sunday in an interview with the New York-based publication when Zelenskyy called Vance "radical" and warned that his proposal to bring an end to the war in Ukraine would instead prompt a "global showdown."

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Vance said this month that if elected to the White House, Trump would work with Russia, Ukraine and European leaders to establish a "peaceful settlement" that would grant Moscow the territory it has illegally seized since its 2022 invasion. 

Upon Kyiv’s agreement to gift the land to Russia, there would then be the creation of a demilitarized zone along the current front lines, Ukraine would be fortified to deter a third Russian invasion, and Kyiv would agree to give up its plans to join NATO – a proposal that Western security experts have said would be a substantial win for Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

"If this were a plan, then America is headed for global conflict," Zelenskyy said. "It would imply that whoever asserts control over territory – not the rightful owner but whoever came in a month or a week ago with a machine gun in hand – is the one who’s in charge."

The Ukrainian president warned that this attitude would not only be costly for Kyiv and the Ukrainian people, it would jeopardize world order everywhere, including in the Middle East and wherever China threatens Western interests. 

"We’ll end up in a world where might is right," Zelenskyy said. "It will be a completely different world, a global showdown."

Despite his criticism of Vance, Zelenskyy looked to highlight that he has had a different experience in his dealings with the chief Republican candidate for president.

REPUBLICANS DIVIDED ON RUSSIA'S SECURITY THREAT AS VANCE JOINS TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL TICKET

"I should say that it hasn’t been like this with Trump. He and I talked on the phone, and his message was as positive as it could be from my point of view," Zelenskyy told the New Yorker, detailing the platitudes issued by Trump like "I understand" and "I will lend support." 

Trump has drawn criticism for failing to detail what his administration would do in the way of aiding Ukraine, though he has been loudly critical of the amount of aid Washington has supplied Kyiv. 

The former president has said that if elected, he will end the war between Ukraine and Russia before even taking up the top job come January 2025, though he has not explained how he will do this. 

"Trump makes political statements in his election campaign," Zelenskyy said. "My feeling is that Trump doesn’t really know how to stop the war, even if he might think he knows how."

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"With this war, oftentimes the deeper you look at it the less you understand," Zelenskyy added. 

Zelenskyy, who is in the U.S. to attend the United Nations General Assembly, said he will meet with Biden to present a "victory plan" that looks to unite the Western allies further against Russia and secure Ukraine to a greater extent.

The Ukrainian president did not detail what is in the plan, though it is expected to include calls for additional military aid and the lifting of long-range strike bans, though it could also include plans to expedite Kyiv’s accession into the EU and other such alliances. 

"A strong Ukraine will force Putin to the negotiating table. I’m convinced of that," Zelenskyy said. 

There are concerns that Biden could turn down the calls for more U.S. aid to Ukraine with the presidential election just over a month and a half out. 

"That’s a horrible thought. It would mean that Biden doesn’t want to end the war in any way that denies Russia a victory. And we would end up with a very long war, an impossible, exhausting situation that would kill a tremendous number of people," he added.

But Zelenskyy also said Ukraine is used to "living in Plan B" and he doesn’t "blame" Biden for how the war turned out.

"At the end of the day, he took a powerful, historic step when he chose to support us at the start of the war, an action that pushed our other partners to do the same," he added. 

Though Zelenskyy also warned that a diplomatic end to the war could only be accomplished if Kyiv is given what it needs to be in a position to adequately negotiate with Moscow.

"If you don’t want this war to drag on, if you do not want Putin to bury us under the corpses of his people, taking more Ukrainian lives in the process, we offer you a plan to strengthen Ukraine," he said. "It is not a fantasy and not science fiction, and importantly, it does not require the Russians to cooperate to succeed.

"The plan spells out what our partners can do without Russia’s participation. If diplomacy is the desire of both sides, then before diplomacy can be effective, our plan’s implementation depends only on us and on our partners," Zelenskyy added.

Vance's campaign did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

President Biden is set to deliver remarks at the United Nation’s General Assembly on Tuesday morning as leaders and representatives from 134 countries pour into New York City for the convention. Though notably, the heads of some top authoritarian nations embroiled in international conflicts across the globe will not be in attendance. 

While Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un will not be in attendance, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to give a speech Tuesday despite international pushback amid Tehran's support for terrorism, interference in November's U.S. election and assassination threats against American politicians, including former President Trump.

According to reports on Monday, Pezeshkian told reporters from New York, "We don’t want war … we want to live in peace."

But his comments are not expected to be taken at face value, and Biden, who will speak ahead of the Iranian president, will "rally global action to tackle the world's most pressing challenges," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday.

Biden is expected to outline his administration’s priorities and vision for the international body in what will be his last address to the U.N. as president.

According to U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Washington has three major areas of focus it will emphasize during the week’s events, including continued efforts to "end the scourge of war" as roughly a quarter of the world’s population lives in "conflict-affected areas" amid mounting wars. 

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The U.S. also plans to push other member nations to ramp up their support for humanitarian aid workers while also working to create a more "inclusive and effective international system" by adding two new permanent seats to the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) for African nations as well as another rotating seat reserved for Small Island Developing States.

But as the Biden administration moves to shake things up in the international body while some authoritarian leaders are noticeably absent, one U.N. expert pointed to his concern that the U.N. is skirting the threats of today by holding a meeting focused on ambiguous concerns of tomorrow.

"I wish [there was] a ‘Summit of the Present’ and not a ‘Summit of the Future,’ because the future gives us a chance to be gauzy," Hugh Dugan, who served as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations and as senior adviser to 11 U.S. ambassadors to the U.N. between 1989 and 2015, told Fox News Digital in reference to the "Summit of the Future" event that was held over the weekend.

"A lot of hyperbole is going to be heard this week," he added. "If it were the ‘Summit of the Present,’ that would imply accountability now, whether we're effective now and whether the U.N. is efficient."

Despite Thomas-Greenfield’s calls for "hope" during her Friday remarks, there was a notable sense of gloom ahead of the summit as massive international conflicts persist with no obvious end in sight, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, Israel’s fight against Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah, the gang takeover of Haiti, and civil wars in Sudan and Myanmar.

UN'S 'PACT FOR THE FUTURE' FULL OF EMPTY PROMISES, WILL BE 'CUDGEL' TO ATTACK THE UNITED STATES, EXPERT WARNS

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters last week that the Summit of the Future was a challenge issued to nations last year to come prepared and "was born out of a cold hard fact: International challenges are moving faster than our ability to solve them." 

Guterres highlighted "out-of-control geopolitical divisions" and "runaway" conflicts, climate change and an unclear path forward in how to cope with artificial intelligence, which is an enormous issue that has prompted a race largely between the U.S. and China over how to develop and utilize it across multiple sectors, including military integration.

"Global institutions and frameworks are today totally inadequate to deal with these complex and even existential challenges," he said. "And it’s no great surprise. Those institutions were born in a bygone era for a bygone world.

"We can’t create a future fit for our grandchildren with systems built for our grandparents," he warned in a tone that is expected to carry throughout the summit.

But Dugan again pointed to the issue of accountability, and he questioned whether it is easier for the top U.N. official to push for major changes in the U.N. rather than evaluate any ongoing mismanagement of spending, bureaucracy and internal politics within the U.N.

Though 134 nations will attend this year’s event, the heads of two of the five permanent UNSC seats will be absent as China's Xi and Russia's Putin have sent delegations in their place, a move that has become increasingly common in recent years.

Dugan, who served on the National Security Council during the Trump administration where he dealt with international organizations, said this practice lets the authoritarian leaders avoid the need to answer tough questions largely derived from Western nations and their regional allies, but it also suggests they are "not concerned about showing disrespect."

When asked about what this means about the state of the U.N. and its legitimacy, in particular the U.N. Security Council, which has become sharply divided between the U.S., Britain and France versus Russia and China after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Dugan said he believes the U.N. Security Council continues to hold significant standing in the global community.

"I'm always of the view that it does have legitimacy," he said. "It's easy for us to say, well, it can't get a consensus, or it doesn't come to a conclusion that we seek and, therefore, say it's not legitimate. I don't believe that is the case.

"It's true test of its ability is its ability to continue to convene people around the table," Dugan continued. "Even if the head of state isn't at that table, the delegations know it's too dangerous not to be at that table."

Despite being in office less than three months, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has already raised eyebrows for accepting donations in the form of clothes and other gifts from a wealthy businessman. 

The Labour Party leader, who won power in a landslide victory on a promise to restore trust in politics, has denied any wrongdoing over thousands of pounds worth of clothes and eyeglasses paid for by Waheed Alli, a media entrepreneur and longtime donor to the party. 

The headache for Starmer was compounded after a BBC report disclosed his chief of staff, Sue Gray, is paid 170,000 pounds, or $225,000, a year, which is about 3,000 pounds more than the prime minister's salary.

A former senior civil servant, Gray is best known for leading an investigation into lockdown-breaching parties in government buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UK GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF CRACKING DOWN ON FREE SPEECH: ‘THINK BEFORE YOU POST’

Gray's findings helped take down Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and her subsequent move to work for Starmer led the Conservatives to claim the "partygate" probe was politically biased – something Gray has denied.

The Labour Party, meanwhile, has accused the Conservatives of whipping up a controversy to tarnish the government.  

Lawmakers can accept gifts but must declare donations and extra-parliamentary income within 28 days — a deadline Starmer missed. He blamed the delay on his staff seeking advice on exactly what needed to be declared.

"I'm very consistent with following the rules," Starmer said this week, rejecting suggestions that prime ministers should get a wardrobe budget.

Starmer dismissed claims of dissent among his staff about Gray and her salary, insisting he's "completely in control."

"I'm focused and every day the message from me to the team is exactly the same, which is we have to deliver," he told the BBC on Thursday. "We were elected on a big mandate to deliver change, I am determined that we are going to do that."

The scale of the freebies accepted by Starmer and his wife, Victoria, has perplexed even his supporters. Sky News reported that Starmer has declared "gifts, benefits and hospitality" worth more than 100,000 pounds since December 2019, more than any other lawmaker.

PARLIAMENT FOR NEW UK LABOUR GOVERNMENT OPENS WITH KING'S SPEECH, PLANS FOR ‘NATIONAL RENEWAL’

The donations include thousands of pounds' worth of tickets for Premier League games involving the prime minister’s beloved soccer team, Arsenal.

After controversy erupted, the Labour Party said Starmer won’t accept any more free outfits. 

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who also accepted donations to pay for clothing, told the BBC: "I get that people are angry [but] donations for gifts and hospitality and monetary donations have been a feature of our politics for a very long time."

"People can look it up and see what people have had donations for, and the transparency is really important," Rayner said. 

Labour leaders are hoping that an annual four-day conference, which started on Sunday, will inject some badly needed morale for the party. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to 10 Downing St. and Alli for further comment.  

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The United States is sending more troops to the Middle East, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to the Lebanese people regarding the heightening conflict with Hezbollah. 

"In light of increased tension in the Middle East and out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional U.S. military personnel forward to augment our forces that are already in the region. But for operational security reasons, I’m not going to comment on or provide specifics," Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters during an off-camera gaggle Monday. 

The U.S. already has 40,000 troops in the region. The new deployments come after significant strikes by Israeli forces against targets inside Lebanon that have killed hundreds and as Israel is preparing to conduct further operations. Netanyahu released a video statement Monday addressed to "the people of Lebanon." 

"Israel's war is not with you. It's with Hezbollah. For too long, Hezbollah has been using you as human shields. It placed rockets in your living rooms and missiles in your garages," Netanyahu said. "Those rockets and missiles are aimed directly at our cities, directly at our citizens. To defend our people against Hezbollah strikes, we must take out those weapons."

KIRBY SLAMS HAMAS CHIEF SINWAR AS 'THE MAJOR OBSTACLE' TO CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL WITH ISRAEL 

"Now starting this morning, the IDF has warned you to get out of harm's way," Netanyahu added. "I urge you – take this warning seriously. Don't let Hezbollah endanger your lives and the lives of your loved ones. Don't let Hezbollah endanger Lebanon. Please, get out of harm's way now. Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes." 

He spoke as Israeli warplanes continued to strike Hezbollah targets in southern and eastern Lebanon.

Fox News confirmed that Netanyahu's cabinet approved a "special situation" – similar to a state of emergency – on Israel's home front on Monday. According to the Israeli government, the declaration significantly expands Israel Defense Forces (IDF) powers to give public directives, permitting the military to ban gatherings, limit studies and issue "additional instructions required to save lives."

ISRAEL SAYS IT CONDUCTED RETALIATORY STRIKES AGAINST HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON, STRUCK HAMAS IN GAZA

The U.S. State Department is warning Americans to leave Lebanon as the risk of a regional war increases.

"Due to the unpredictable nature of ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel and recent explosions throughout Lebanon, including Beirut, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon while commercial options still remain available," the State Department cautioned Saturday. Ryder would not say if the additional forces might support the evacuation of those citizens if needed.

Additionally on Monday, the aircraft carrier USS Truman, two destroyers and a cruiser set sail from Norfolk, Virginia, headed to the Mediterranean on a regularly scheduled deployment, opening the possibility that the U.S. could keep both the Truman and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which is in the Gulf of Oman, nearby in case further violence breaks out, according to The Associated Press. 

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held back-to-back calls with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the weekend as he pressed for a cease-fire and a reduction of tensions in the region, Ryder said.

"Given the tensions, given the escalation, as I highlighted, there is the potential for a wider regional conflict. I don’t think we’re there yet, but it’s a dangerous situation," Ryder said.

The U.S. presence in the Middle East is designed both to help defend Israel and protect U.S. and allied personnel and assets. Navy warships are scattered across the region, from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Oman, and both Air Force and Navy fighter jets are strategically based at several locations to be better prepared to respond to any attacks.

Fox News' Yonat Friling and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Marxist politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake officially entered office as the president of Sri Lanka on Monday.

Dissanayake, 55, defeated President Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose party was accused of leading the country into an economic crisis. The new leader's party is the People's Liberation Front, a Marxist group that launched two armed insurrections during the 1970s and 1980s.

"We have deeply understood that we are going to get a challenging country," Dissanayake said during his swearing-in ceremony. "We don’t believe that a government, a single party or an individual would be able to resolve this deep crisis.

Chinese president Xi Jinping congratulated Dissanayake on his victory, saying on Monday that China looks forward to working together "to jointly carry forward our traditional friendship." The U.S. and India previously congratulated Dissanayake.

SRI LANKAN LAWMAKERS FIGHT OVER PM DISPUTE

Located to the south of India, many voters in the Buddhist majority country of 22 million people — approximately the same size as West Virginia — say they felt disgruntled with the country's political culture as the nation climbs slowly out of its economic crisis.

CHINA'S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE PLAGUED BY CORRUPTION AND POLITICAL BACKLASH

Reuters reports that inflation rose as high as 70% after the 2022 collapse due to a severe shortage of dollars. Inflation has since cooled, however, and the nation's GDP is expected to grow "for the first time in three years."

Dissanayake's inauguration is the first standard transfer of power in Sri Lanka since 2022, when rioters forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign and flee the country. Wickremesinghe then replaced him in the fallout.

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Dissanayake's first major challenge will be to act on his campaign promise to ease austerity measures imposed by his predecessor Wickremesinghe under a relief agreement with the International Monetary Fund, which is the nation's largest creditor.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report

JERUSALEM — Israel secured long-overdue justice for the family members of American military and diplomatic personnel murdered by Hezbollah, including the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut.

The initial lack of alleged enthusiasm from the Biden administration and Democratic lawmakers for the targeted killings of senior Hezbollah mass murderers sparked criticism among top counter-terrorism experts. 

Take the example of Israel’s elimination on Friday of Ibrahim Aqil, who was wanted by the United States for both the bombing of the U.S. embassy, which killed 63 people, and the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut in 1983, when 241 U.S. military personnel were killed by the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah.

IRAN OFFICIAL ADMITS COUNTRY’S ROLE IN TERROR BOMBING THAT KILLED 241 US MILITARY MEMBERS: REPORT

The U.S. had a $7 million bounty on Aqil’s head, who was the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force. In July, Israel assassinated Hezbollah military Chief of Staff Fuad Shukr, who, like Aqil, was involved in the 1983 Beirut bombings. 

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote on X" The families of the Marines killed in Beirut have waited decades for justice. I’m thankful Israel helped deliver it by taking out one of the world’s most vicious terrorists—Ibrahim Aqil. Let this be a message to Iran and Iran’s proxies everywhere."

A Washington Post report cited Ryan Crocker, whose office was on the fourth floor of the embassy when the blast went off, as commenting on Aqil's death, "It is still a source of some satisfaction that he finally got it." Crocker went on to serve as U.S. ambassador to Syria, Iraq and several other nations. 

Max Abrahms, a leading expert on counter-terrorism and a tenured professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Fox News Digital that, "Targeted killings have been a cornerstone of U.S. counterterrorism since the 9/11 attacks. And yet, Israel killing Hezbollah terrorists with American blood on their hands has been rebuked by Democrat leaders."

He added "The fact that even targeted killings of terrorists with American blood stained hands get rebuked unmasks the Democratic leadership, which spent the last year pretending that it objected to the Gaza campaign after 10/7 because of its negative impact on the Palestinian population. As we have seen, the Democratic leadership opposes all Israeli measures to counterterrorism, even ones perfectly executed that eliminate any civilian harm."

Criticism of the Biden administration’s initial lackluster response to the killing of Aqil on Friday appeared to prompt a response from U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who called Aqil’s death "a good outcome" on Saturday.

HEZBOLLAH BIGGER CHALLENGE THAN HAMAS TO ISRAEL: ‘CROWN JEWEL IN THE IRANIAN EMPIRE OF TERROR’

"That individual has American blood on his hands and has a Reward for Justice price on his head," Sullivan said. He added "He is somebody who the United States promised long ago we would do everything we could to see brought to justice."

White House National Security Council communications adviser John Kirby told "Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream" that "Nobody, including Secretary Austin, is shedding a tear over the death of Mr. Aqil, who does have American blood on his hands. I think the world's better for not having him walking around on the planet anymore. But that doesn't mean we want to see a full out war. We don't believe again, that that's in the best interest of the Israeli people."

David Wurmser, a former senior adviser for nonproliferation and Middle East strategy for former Vice President Dick Cheney, told Fox News Digital that, "The success of Israel’s aims is a multi-faceted American interest. First, the demise of so many prominent Hezbollah leaders involves the death of many who are on the American wanted lists, on many of whom the United States has placed hefty bounties. Despite the bounties, however, it was clear the United States had long ago abandoned any effort to bring any of these killers of American servicemen, diplomats and intelligence officers to justice. Their wholesale demise in a matter of two or three days by Israel only further highlights the gap between the lofty rhetoric of a half century of the American foreign policy establishment and the more dishonorable reality."

He added "That the U.S. is now taking a de-escalatory position – which creates equivalence between our democratic ally and the terrorists that have the blood of thousands of Americans on their hands, is simply disgraceful. At least now, albeit at Israel’s hands rather than ours, our sacred servicemen have been avenged."

Wurmser noted that "In the Middle East, we are fortunate to have a powerful and loyal ally that shares our values, Israel, that is attracting a collection of other friendly states to begin to forge a local regional alliance to challenge the region’s forces of instability, foremost among them being Iran’s regime."

Matthew Levitt, the director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at The Washington Institute, told Fox News Digital that, "Over a short period of time, Israel recently eliminated Hezbollah terrorists who were there from the beginning and played hands on rolls and attacks against Americans in the 1980s. U.S. intelligence has been tracking these people for decades."

ISRAEL DEGRADES IRAN-BACKED HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS IN SPECTACULAR PAGER EXPLOSION OPERATION: EXPERTS

He added "But these strikes also have very current implications, given that Fuad Shukr and Ibrahim Aqil, together with Ali Karaki, have been jointly running as well as Islamic Jihad organization as a triumvirate since the death of Mustafa Badreddine in Syria several years ago. They were foot soldiers in the 1980s and rose to the highest ranks of the organization."

Lisa Daftari, an Iranian-American expert on the Islamic Republic and editor-in-chief of the Foreign Desk, told Fox News Digital that, "In eliminating Ibrahim Aqil, Israel has once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to combating global terrorism—a fight that serves the interests of all nations dedicated to opposing radical extremism."

She added, "The Biden administration should openly commend Israel's efforts and provide robust support, rather than calling for restraint. It’s crucial to recognize that if groups like Hezbollah and Hamas cease their hostilities, we may achieve peace. But if Israel halts its operations now, it will continue to endure relentless terrorism, similar to the attacks witnessed on October 7. Our collective security hinges on Israel's resolve to dismantle these threats."

Retired Marine Corps Sergeant Major Steve Aitken, who was stationed on a boat offshore as the injured were transferred to ships for medical treatment following the terrorist attack, told the Washington Post that Aqil's death was "God’s judgment," adding, "You might get away, but you’re not going to get by … Our memory is long. Israel’s is even longer."

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., also stressed the significance of Israel’s assassination of Aqil writing on X, "Ibrahim Aqil was a vicious terrorist mastermind who helped murder hundreds of Americans. On behalf of the families of the Marines killed in the Beirut bombings—and on behalf of all Americans—I’m grateful justice has finally been served to this killer."

Aqil also oversaw Hezbollah’s operations in Syria, where he enabled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad to wipe out hundreds of thousands of his own Arab citizens. 

Israel’s military says an "extensive" wave of airstrikes has hit more than 300 Hezbollah targets Monday as residents of southern Lebanon reportedly are receiving text messages warning them to stay away from buildings where the terrorist group is storing weapons. 

The strikes are in response to Hezbollah launching around 150 rockets, missiles and drones into northern Israel on Sunday following Israeli military operations that resulted in the deaths of multiple top Hezbollah commanders. 

"If you are in a building housing weapons for Hezbollah, move away from the village until further notice," reads a text message in Arabic that residents of Lebanon have been receiving, according to local media reports cited by the Associated Press. 

The Lebanese Health Ministry is asking hospitals in southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa valley to postpone surgeries that could be done later. The ministry said in a statement that its request aimed to keep hospitals ready to deal with people wounded by "Israel’s expanding aggression on Lebanon." 

HEZBOLLAH LAUNCHES ROCKETS AT ISRAEL: ‘OPEN-ENDED BATTLE’ 

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said Monday’s strikes from Israel hit a forested area in the central province of Byblos, about 81 miles north of the Israeli-Lebanese border, for the first time since the exchanges between the two sides began in October, according to the AP. No injuries were reported there. 

Israel also bombed targets in the northeastern Baalbek and Hermel regions, where a shepherd was killed and two family members were wounded, the National News Agency said. It added that a total of 30 people were wounded in the strikes. 

The Israel Defense Forces said Monday that "[s]o far over 300 Hezbollah targets have been struck today," and that it is "currently conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon." 

"I repeat and reiterate: Israel does not seek war. But we have the right and the duty to defend our people," Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote on X, sharing a video he claims "shows how Hezbollah stores and launches missiles in civilian areas and homes." 

UN CHIEF DEFENDS UNRWA, SAYS ONLY ‘A FEW ELEMENTS’ PARTICIPATED IN OCT. 7 ATTACK 

"Thousands and thousands of long-range rockets are kept in houses, living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens, and then launched with the sole intention of killing our people. Would you accept this in your or your neighbor’s home?" Herzog asked. "What nation would accept its citizens living under such a threat from its neighbors?" 

The latest escalation between Israeli forces and Hezbollah comes as Lebanon is still reeling from a series of explosions that hit pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah members on Tuesday and Wednesday last week. The explosions killed at least 37 people and wounded about 3,000, according to local officials. The attacks were widely blamed on Israel, which has not confirmed or denied responsibility. 

Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Kassem, said Sunday's rocket attack against Israel was just the beginning of what is now an "open-ended battle." 

Hezbollah first began firing into Israel a day after the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, in what it said was an attempt to pin down Israeli forces to help Hamas in Gaza. 

Fox News’ Yael Rotem-Kuriel, Bradford Betz and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Hezbollah fired more than 100 rockets into northern Israel on Sunday in response to a series of Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, pushing both sides closer to the brink of full-scale war.  

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon killed dozens, including one of the group’s top commanders, Ibrahim Akil.

Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Kassem, said Sunday's rocket attack was just the beginning of what's now an "open-ended battle" with Israel.

At Akil’s funeral, Kassem vowed Hezbollah would continue military operations against Israel but also warned of unexpected attacks "from outside the box," pointing to rockets fired deeper into Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would take whatever action was necessary to restore security in the north and allow people to return to their homes.

"No country can accept the wanton rocketing of its cities. We can't accept it either," he said.

Israel's military chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, told reporters the army is prepared to increase pressure on Hezbollah in the coming days, adding, "We have many capabilities that we have not yet activated."

ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES CONTINUE ON TERRORIST TARGETS, ROCKET LAUNCHERS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON

The Israeli military said it struck about 400 militant sites, including rocket launchers, across southern Lebanon in the past 24 hours, thwarting an even larger attack.

"Last night, hundreds of thousands of Israelis woke up to rocket sirens as Hezbollah launched over 20 rockets towards northern Israel that left communities in ruins," IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said. "This attack could have caused much more damage, but we were able to minimize their attack with a preemptive strike on rocket launchers across southern Lebanon."

The latest tit-for-tat between Israeli forces and Hezbollah comes as Lebanon is still reeling from a wave of explosions that hit pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah members on Tuesday and Wednesday. The explosions killed at least 37 people and wounded about 3,000. The attacks were widely blamed on Israel, which hasn't confirmed or denied responsibility.

Israeli forces have been trading fire with Hezbollah fighters almost daily since Oct. 8, the day after Hamas militants stormed into Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking another 250 as hostages. Hezbollah leadership has said its attacks on Israel are in solidarity with its ally Hamas in Gaza.

IDF SAYS KEY HAMAS OPERATIVE KILLED IN GAZA, FOLLOWING CRIPPLING STRIKE ON HEZBOLLAH

The low-level fighting has killed dozens in Israel, hundreds in Lebanon and displaced tens of thousands on both sides of the frontier. But the fighting has intensified in recent weeks, with Israel shifting its focus from Gaza to Lebanon. Some have expressed concerns that the fight against Hezbollah will strain resources and complicate prospects for an already elusive cease-fire deal.

Retired Army Brig. Anthony Tata told "Fox & Friends" that the conflict would only grow and chided the Biden administration for what he deemed a lack of "moral clarity." 

"It’s critical that Netanyahu keeps his eye on the main fight, which is Hamas, and he eliminates Hamas," Tata said. "The main effort is still Hamas. And I think what they have to do is hold what they’ve got and hold off Hezbollah until they finish up Hamas, and then they can move to the north and … destroy Hezbollah. You can’t do two things at once equally well."

Asked Sunday if he was worried about rising tensions in the Middle East, President Biden said, "Yes, I am."

"But we’re going to do everything we can to keep a wider war from breaking out. And we’re still pushing hard," Biden added. 

Hamas is still holding around 100 captives from its attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, a third of whom are believed to be dead. More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. 

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said Sunday it intercepted multiple aerial devices fired from the direction of Iraq after Iran-backed militant groups there claimed to have launched a drone attack on Israel.

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres defended the UNRWA's operations in Gaza on Sunday, saying only "a few elements" of the organization were affiliated with Hamas.

Israeli ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon claimed last week that the UNRWA, or United Nations Relief and Works Agency, is completely taken over by Hamas. Guterres has admitted that Hamas "infiltrated" the organization, but said during a Sunday appearance on CNN that there is no evidence behind Israel's claims.

"The fact is there was an infiltration with a few elements that indeed participated in the 7th of October," Guterres said, condemning the action.

"A lot of things have been invented that do not correspond at all to the truth," he continued. "Of course there are tunnels below the premises of UNRWA, as there are tunnels everywhere in Gaza. But there has never been any commitment of UNRWA in general to provide any kind of support to Hamas."

ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: 'DOZENS' OF UNRWA STAFF TOOK PART IN HAMAS’ OCT 7 MASSACRE

Meanwhile, Israel has doubled down on its accusations regarding UNRWA. Danon accused Guterres and the U.N. of "burying its head in the sand" on the issue. Danon himself was defending an Israeli airstrike that hit the UNRWA al-Jaouni school in a Gaza refugee camp last week.

DOSSIER REVEALS INFORMATION USED TO EXPLAIN UN AGENCY'S DEEP TIES TO HAMAS IN GAZA

"Those who were killed in the IDF strike were nine terrorists with blood on their hands, and some of them participated in the barbaric massacre on October 7. In case there are still any doubts, there are the names of the Hamas terrorists who were at the school compound disguised as ‘local UNRWA employees,'" he Danon said.

The school, which was not operational, was being used as a Hamas command and control center, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

Just last month, Fox News Digital reported that UNRWA was forced to fire nine employees because of their likely involvement in Hamas’s slaughter of nearly 1,200 people on Oct. 7 in southern Israel.

The U.S. suspended funding to UNRWA because of the role some of its employees played in the Oct. 7 massacre. President Biden had initially restarted aid to the controversy-hit agency upon assuming office after former President Trump's decision to defund the organization in 2018.

Fox News' Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report

The former top security head of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) warned on Thursday that U.S. bases in the Middle East could become overwhelmed by Iranian missile fire. 

Retired Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, now a Hertog senior fellow with the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), is sounding the alarm in a report this week that argued U.S. bases in the Arabian Gulf have become vulnerable to Iranian assault with Tehran's developments in its weapons capabilities. 

"Our basing strategy is outdated and poorly positioned to meet the central threat in the region: Iran," McKenzie said. "By developing a flexible western basing network for America’s air assets, we will complicate Iran’s ability to target our forces and raise the cost of aggression."

TOP RUSSIAN OFFICIAL LANDS IN IRAN AMID US, UK CONCERNS OVER ALLEGED NUCLEAR DEAL

In a call with reporters this week, McKenzie explained that some of the U.S.’s top bases in countries like Qatar, UAE and Bahrain – located near Iran and which once served as a deterrent against malign actors – now sit as weak points in the U.S.'s force posture in the region.  

As technology and missile development have modernized, base placement needs to be rethought, he argued, noting that Iran is loaded with short-range missile capabilities, while its medium- to long-range abilities are lacking.

"They have spent vast amounts of money and resources in building very capable ballistic missile capabilities – theater range ballistic missiles, land attack cruise missiles and drones," McKenzie said. "Those three capabilities are relatively new capabilities at scale in the region, and they pose new threats. 

"They can throw more weapons into the fight than we can defend, even with highly capable systems like patriot and other systems that exist," he added. 

The retired general, who sat as CENTCOM commander for three years between March 2019 and April 2022 before retiring from the Marine Corps after 42 years of service, argued the U.S. needs to start seriously working with regional allies like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman and Egypt to relocate bases farther away from Iran. 

ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER TELLS US ONLY ‘MILITARY ACTION’ CAN RETURN PEOPLE TO HOMES AMID HEZBOLLAH THREAT

He said bases should also be identified "as far to the west as possible where [the U.S.] can deploy aircraft, maintenance capabilities, refueling capabilities, and weapons," but which are out of reach of Iran.

When pressed by Fox News Digital over the willingness of these Middle Eastern nations to allow for the relocation of bases, McKenzie said his proposal has already been addressed with partnering countries in the region.

"This is something that we talked about while I was the CENTCOM commander at the middle to middle level, there's interest in it," he said. "Here's the thing to remember, let's just pick one country as an example, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – improvements to these bases in the west of the country benefit the Saudis more than anyone else. 

"These are going to be dual-use bases," McKenzie explained. "We're basing there under certain conditions to actually assist in the defense of Saudi Arabia, and it actually increases their own self-defense capabilities."

The former CENTCOM commander also pointed out that the direct security threat that Iran poses not only comes from Tehran, it also comes from its use of terrorist groups to fight its proxy wars in the Middle East. 

"Deterrence is only obtained by a credible demonstration of will and the capability to fight and win if needed," McKenzie argued in his report. "Deterrence must be continuous; in the Middle East, it can have a very short half-life unless it is refreshed systematically."

WARNING: This article contains graphic details

British officials recently determined the shocking and tragic way that a Welsh man died last year.

The Western Telegraph reported that Barry Griffiths, 57, died after accidentally knifing himself while separating frozen burgers in June 2023. Officials announced the results of the investigation at a coroner's court hearing on Monday. 

Griffiths, a resident of Llandrindod Wells, had been trying to separate the frozen burgers with a knife when he stabbed himself in the stomach. During Monday's hearing, coroner Patricia Morgan said Griffiths had reduced mobility in one of his arms after a stroke, which likely led to the freak accident.

Tragically, Griffiths' body remained in his apartment for several days after his death. Morgan noted that Griffiths "[had a] relatively private life with limited contact with others," which was why it took over a week for police to conduct a wellness check.

WOMAN LEFT WITH KIDNEY DAMAGE AFTER VISITING HAIR SALON

Griffiths' body was found in his bed on July 4, 2023. According to the Western Telegraph, his phone was last active on June 23, and his laptop was used on June 24.

Griffiths also suffered from atherosclerosis, which meant that his arteries were clogged with plaque. That condition, which restricted blood flow to his heart, also contributed to his death, according to Morgan.

Officials initially thought that his death might be a suicide or murder. According to Deputy Chief Inspector Jonathan Rees, officials eventually came to the conclusion that the cause of death was "an accident solely involving Mr. Griffiths."

3-YEAR-OLD BOY FOUND DEAD AFTER FALLING INTO SEPTIC TANK WHILE PLAYING OUTSIDE: POLICE

"The bottom drawer of the freezer had been left open and pulled forward in a position to access food items," Rees explained, per the Western Telegraph. "On the work surface in the kitchen adjacent to the fridge freezer were two uncooked burgers, a knife and a tea towel."

"The wound to the abdomen would have been approximately the height of the work surface," he added. "My hypothesis at that stage was that Mr Griffiths was attempting to separate frozen burgers using a knife."

During the hearing, Morgan told Griffiths' family members that she understood that the "evidence is difficult to hear and traumatic."

"Thank you for your patience while the investigation was ongoing," Morgan was quoted as saying. "I express my condolences at this difficult time."

Fox News Digital reached out to the South Wales Central Coroner's Office for additional information.