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Unprecedented wildfires ripping through South Korea’s southern regions have destroyed large parts of an ancient Buddhist temple complex, burning down two buildings that had been designated national treasures.

Five days of wildfires, considered among South Korea’s worst, have left 24 people dead, destroyed more than 300 structures and forced more than 28,000 residents to evacuate, officials said Wednesday.

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The Gounsa temple was reportedly originally built in 681 A.D. during the Shilla dynasty that ruled more than half of the Korean Peninsula. It is nestled at the foot of Deungun Mountain in the southeastern town of Uiseong. While it doesn’t house buildings constructed during that ancient period, it is home to several famous cultural heritages built later.

The temple was engulfed in flames on Tuesday as strong winds fanned the wildfires. About 20 of its 30 buildings and structures were completely burned down, including the revered Gaunru, a pavilion-shaped structure built in 1668 overlooking a stream, and Yeonsujeon, built in 1904 to mark the longevity of a king, according to the state-run Korea Heritage Service.

Both were constructed during the Joseon dynasty, the last one on the Korean Peninsula, and were given the government designation of "treasure," a status given to old buildings, paintings and other cultural assets with historic and artistic significance and which receive state-level protection and maintenance.

"I went there this morning and found they’ve been reduced to heaps of ashes," said Doryun, a senior monk who had lived at the temple for more than three years when he was younger. "I feel really empty. Life is transient."

Doryun now works for a Buddhist organization in charge of the temple. He said that monks and Buddhist faithful managed to move the temple's third "treasure," a stone Buddha statue reportedly built in the 8th century, to a safe place.

"Many buildings were burned down, but we moved and protected other sacred assets so that we can maintain the temple. We feel it’s very fortunate," Doryun told The Associated Press over the phone.

Doryun also said about 20 monks and other workers live at the temple, but none have been injured.

The Korea Heritage Service said the temple’s two other lower-level cultural assets, including a stone pagoda, have also been found intact.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, for the first time, on Wednesday addressed the Signal-chat controversy and conceded that "someone made a big mistake" when a journalist from the Atlantic was added to Signal text chain that included Washington’s top national security heads. 

"This thing was set up for purposes of coordinating," Rubio told reporters from Jamaica, noting the point of the text exchange carried out on the encrypted messaging application was purely so officials knew how to communicate with their various counterparts. 

But the revelation that potentially classified information was exchanged on a site that has been the target of Russian hackers, and that the chain included an editor from the Atlantic, sent shockwaves globally – though the Pentagon maintains that no classified intelligence was exchanged in the messages.

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"Obviously, someone made a mistake. Someone made a big mistake and added a journalist," Rubio said. "Nothing against journalists. But you ain't supposed to be on that thing."

"I contributed to it twice. I identified my point of contact, which is my chief of staff, and then later on, I think three hours after the White House's official announcements had been made, I congratulated the members of the team," he continued. 

Rubio said that though the information was not technically classified nor did it at "any point threaten the operation of the lives of our servicemen," the information was "not intended to be divulged" and the White House was investigating the matter. 

President Donald Trump has downplayed the severity of the lapse, noting it was "the only glitch in two months" his administration has faced and told NBC News the debacle "turned out not to be a serious one."

National security advisor Mike Waltz, who reportedly set up the text chain and accidentally added the Atlantic editor, told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that he took "full responsibility" for the "embarrassing" mishap.

Similarly, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday told the House Intelligence Committee it was a "mistake" to include a reporter in a text group that included "candid and sensitive" information.

She also maintained that the texts did not include any classified information while testifying in front of senators on Tuesday. 

TRUMP ADMIN DECLARES THE ATLANTIC'S SIGNAL ARTICLE A 'HOAX' AFTER IT DROPS 'WAR PLANS' RHETORIC

Debate between the Atlantic's reporting and the White House erupted after the Trump administration and Pentagon said that no "war planning" information was shared.

Waltz in a Wednesday tweet said, "No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS. Foreign partners had already been notified that strikes were imminent."

The Atlantic maintains the texts did include "attack plans."

"TEAM UPDATE: TIME NOW (1144et): Weather is FAVORABLE. Just CONFIRMED w/CENTCOM we are a GO for mission launch. 1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package). 1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)," Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly wrote in the text exchange released Wednesday by The Atlantic.

"1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package). 1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets). 1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched," he later added. 

But Rubio, in alignment with other administration officials, pointed to the Pentagon’s assessment on whether its leader released classified information and said, "They made very clear that [the texts] didn't put in danger anyone's life or the mission at the time. 

"There was no intelligence information," Rubio added. 

A panel of justices on Brazil’s Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted charges against former President Jair Bolsonaro over an alleged attempt to stay in office after his 2022 election defeat, and they ordered the former leader to stand trial.

All five justices ruled in favor of accepting the charges leveled by Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who accused Bolsonaro and 33 others of attempting a coup that included a plan to poison his successor, current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and kill a Supreme Court judge.

The justices said seven close allies should also stand trial on five counts: attempting to stage a coup, involvement in an armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, damage characterized by violence and a serious threat to the state’s assets, and deterioration of listed heritage.

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The former president has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and says he’s being politically persecuted. A lawyer for Bolsonaro did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Under Brazilian law, a coup conviction carries a sentence of up to 12 years. When combined with the other charges, it could result in a sentence of decades behind bars.

"Coups kill," Justice Flávio Dino said when casting his vote. "It doesn’t matter if it happens today, the following month or a few years later."

Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet on Tuesday said those facing the charges sought to keep Bolsonaro in power "at all costs," in a multistep scheme that accelerated after the far-right politician lost to the current president.

As in his February indictment, Gonet said part of the plot included a plan to kill Lula and Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who were put under surveillance by the alleged conspirators.

The plan did not go ahead because at the last minute the accused failed to get the army's commander on board, Gonet said.

"Frustration overwhelmed the members of the criminal organization who, however, did not give up on the violent seizure of power, not even after the elected president of the republic was sworn in," Gonet said.

That was a reference to the Jan. 8, 2023, riot when Bolsonaro’s die-hard supporters stormed and trashed the Supreme Court, presidential palace and Congress in Brasilia a week after Lula took office.

De Moraes on Wednesday showed the panel a video clip with scenes from that day. "We had a very violent coup attempt," he said. "A savage violence, in total incivility, with the request for military intervention in the coup d’état."

Bolsonaro's running mate during the 2022 election and former Defense Minister Walter Braga Netto, ex-Justice Minister Anderson Torres and his aide-de-camp Mauro Cid, among others, will also stand trial. The court will decide on the fate of the others later.

Bolsonaro, a former military officer who was known to express nostalgia for the country’s 1964-1985 dictatorship, openly defied Brazil’s judicial system during his 2019-2022 term in office.

The Sudanese army is encircling Khartoum airport, two military sources told Reuters on Wednesday, as it battles to oust its rival Rapid Support Forces from a last foothold in the capital, though the war looks far from over.

The army seized the presidential palace in downtown Khartoum after fighting on Friday, an important symbolic advance after two years of a conflict that is splitting the massive country into rival zones of control.

On Wednesday, the army said it had gained control of Tiba al-Hassanab camp south of the capital, which it described as the RSF's last base in central Sudan and last stronghold in Khartoum State.

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The military sources said the army was encircling the airport, which is located in the city center, and surrounding areas. Witnesses said the RSF had focused its troops in southern Khartoum, apparently to secure their withdrawal from the city via bridges to the neighboring city of Omdurman.

Recent army gains in central Sudan, retaking districts of the capital and other territory, come as the RSF has consolidated its control in the west, hardening battle lines and threatening to move the country towards a de facto partition.

The war, which erupted two years ago as the country was attempting a democratic transition, has caused what the U.N. calls the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with famine in several areas as well as outbreaks of disease.

It has driven 12.5 million people from their homes, many of them seeking refuge in neighboring countries.

The army and RSF had at one point been in a fragile partnership together, jointly staging a coup in 2021 that derailed the transition from the Islamist rule of Omar al-Bashir, a longtime autocrat who was ousted in 2019.

They had also fought on the same side for years in the western state of Darfur under Bashir's government.

The RSF, under Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, developed from Darfur's janjaweed militias and Bashir developed the group as a counterweight to the army, led by career officer Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

After they seized power together in 2021, the two sides clashed over an internationally backed plan aimed at launching a new transition with civilian parties that would require them both to cede powers.

Major points of dispute included a timetable for the RSF to integrate into the regular armed forces, the chain of command between army and RSF leaders, and the question of civilian oversight.

When fighting broke out, Sudan's army had better resources, including air power. However, the RSF was more deeply embedded in neighborhoods across Khartoum and was able to hold much of the capital in an initial, devastating burst of warfare.

The RSF also made rapid advances to gain control of its main stronghold of Darfur and over El Gezira state, south of Khartoum, a big farming area.

With the army now re-establishing its position in the capital, it is making a new push to cement its control in the center of Sudan.

Four U.S. Army soldiers went missing from a training area in Lithuania near the border with Belarus, and a search is underway, the U.S. military said Wednesday.

The soldiers were conducting scheduled tactical training near Pabradė, a town north of the capital Vilnius, when they went missing, U.S. Army Europe and Africa public affairs in Wiesbaden, Germany, said in a statement. 

It was unclear when the soldiers, all from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, went missing.

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Further updates about the search for the missing soldiers would be provided as information becomes available, the U.S. military said.

Four U.S. soldiers and one tracked vehicle were missing, according to Lithuania's armed forces, which said in a statement obtained by Reuters that they were informed about the missing soldiers on Tuesday.

"A possible location of the incident has been identified and a search and rescue operation is underway," the statement said.

The training ground in Pabradė is located less than 6 miles from the border with Belarus.

"I would like to personally thank the Lithuanian Armed Forces and first responders who quickly came to our aid in our search operations," Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, the V Corps commanding general, said in a written statement. "It’s this kind of teamwork and support that exemplifies the importance of our partnership and our humanity regardless of what flags we wear on our shoulders."

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Lithuania, a member of NATO, has often had tense relations with Russia, a key ally of Belarus, since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. Latvia and Estonia, the other Baltic countries that broke away from the Soviet Union, have had similarly chilly ties with Russia.

Relations soured further over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has been one of the most outspoken supporters of Ukraine in its fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned Russia on Wednesday that the alliance would always stand by Poland or any other member and that its reaction to an attack would be "devastating."

Rutte spoke during a visit to Warsaw, the Polish capital, in brief comments made alongside Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Tusk said it was important to be prepared for any outcome of talks between Russia and the United States aimed at ending t he 3-year-old war in Ukraine.

NATO members along the eastern flank of the 32-member alliance, particularly Poland and the Baltic states, are extremely worried that the talks could end with a settlement that is favorable to Russia. They fear such an outcome would allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to rebuild his country’s forces and threaten other countries in the region in the coming years.

Rutte said that neither Putin nor anyone else should assume they could get away with something like that.

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"If anyone were to miscalculate and think they can get away with an attack on Poland or on any other ally, they will be met with the full force of this fierce alliance. Our reaction will be devastating. This has to be very clear to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and anyone else who wants to attack us," Rutte said.

Rutte’s warning comes as President Donald Trump’s return to power has shaken the security assumptions of the past decades, and has pushed Europe to try to wean itself off its security dependence on the U.S., with European countries planning ambitious new investments in weapons.

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Trump said during a recent meeting with Rutte at the White House that he does not believe that a peace settlement for Ukraine would lead to Russia attacking other countries.

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Rutte has in the past warned that Russia could be capable of launching an attack again on European soil by the end of the decade.

"Let’s not forget that Russia is and is remaining the most significant and dark threat to our alliance. Let’s not forget that Russia is moving into a wartime economy, and that will have a huge impact on their capacity and capability to build their armed forces," Rutte said Wednesday.

Evyatar David, a music lover who dreams of working in the industry, is languishing in a Hamas tunnel, according to his brother, Ilay David. In a recent conversation with Fox News Digital, Ilay warned that his brother and all the hostages are running out of time.

"Every week we used to play music together. That's what I miss the most," Ilay told Fox News Digital. He has been fighting for Evyatar’s release since Oct. 7, 2023. Ilay described his brother as "the kindest soul I know."

On Oct. 7, 2023, Evyatar was at the Nova music festival with three other friends when Hamas’ attacks began. Two of Evyatar’s friends did not survive the attacks, while he and his best friend, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, were taken hostage.

TRUMP'S DOJ CRACKS DOWN ON HAMAS WITH NEW TASK FORCE

Like many other hostage families, Evyatar’s family set up a website to tell the world who he is and why securing his freedom is so crucial. On the website, his family laments that his "vibrant life" was forever changed. There are also videos showcasing Evyatar’s guitar skills.

In February, the David family received a sign of life that Ilay described as being "shocking and amazing and frightening." Evyatar and Guy were forced to participate in a Hamas propaganda film, a practice the terror group has employed throughout the war. In the video, the two men in their 20s appear frail and tired as they beg for their lives while being forced to watch a hostage release ceremony in Gaza. 

"When it was finished, I could breathe," Ilay told Fox News Digital as he recalled watching the film for the first time. "I saw them alive. I saw that they are together." 

Ilay’s relief washed away when he watched the video a second time.

"I saw how starved they are. They are half the men they used to be. And you could see in their eyes that they are exhausted, and they are begging for their lives," Ilay told Fox News Digital. "They are broken, both of them, broken men."

"They saw freedom, and they shut the door in their faces. And they threw them back into the tunnels. And that's cruelty."

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Ilay’s concerns about his brother have only grown since former hostages who were held with Evyatar detailed the conditions in which they were held. He told Fox News Digital that the former hostages said the two men have been underground in the tunnels for most of their captivity and were only able to see sunlight when they were taken to the ceremony. As is the case with most hostages, Evyatar and Guy are given very little to eat and have limited access to water. 

"But it's only a matter of time until — I don't know — one of the terrorists would just... be angry or upset. So, he will decide that he wants to execute, execute Evyatar or Guy. And I don't want to think about it, but it happened already," Ilay told Fox News Digital, likely referring to the six hostages who were shot dead in late August 2024, just before Israeli troops were able to reach them.

Ilay told Fox News Digital he has done everything possible to tell his brother’s story and to make him "visible," including going to Washington, D.C., to meet with American lawmakers. He believes President Donald Trump has a "very big role" to play in securing the release of Evyatar and the remaining hostages. 

"[Trump], no kidding, may be sent by God to save these people," Ilay said. He cited the release of 33 hostages over the course of the ceasefire deal that only recently fell apart, and said that if it weren’t for Trump, those people would still be in Gaza.

Ilay told Fox News Digital that, in his eyes, the atrocities of Oct. 7 haven’t ended — they’re still happening for the people held by Hamas in Gaza. 

European leaders were notably silent on Tuesday following the text exchange between Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, who noted their "loathing" of their long-standing allies.

"I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It's PATHETIC," Hegseth said in response to Vance, who questioned U.S. leadership in advancing security policies in the Red Sea to counter Houthi aggression and reopen shipping lanes. 

Vance broke from President Donald Trump, who directed the U.S. to ramp up strikes against the Houthi terrorist group in Yemen which, backed by Iran, began escalating attacks on merchant ships along the major trade route following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. 

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Following the offensive push earlier this month, Vance, in a Signal group chat, texted the U.S.’s top security officials, including Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and CIA Director John Ratcliff, among others, that only "3 percent of U.S. trade runs through the [Suez Canal]. 40 percent of European trade does." 

"There is a real risk that the public doesn't understand this," he added in reference to the route that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, and which is vital in connecting shipping from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. "I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now."

"If you think we should do it let's go. I just hate bailing Europe out again," he added.

However, despite the degrading comments regarding the U.S. top allies, European leaders were noticeably tight-lipped in their response when Fox News Digital reached out for comment, and public statements were nearly non-existent.

The lack of public retort could suggest Europe is biting its tongue while it evaluates how to maintain a relationship with an administration that routinely argues against the value of its long-standing European allies.  

"Reality is that there is certainly an element of European freeloading on relying on America as the one country that has the capability to really take on the Houthis in a major way and drive them out," Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, an international affairs think tank based in London told Fox News Digital. "The Houthis are a desert dwelling ragtag bunch of terrorists, and most European countries do not have the capabilities to deal with that sort of situation. 

"That tells you how bare Europe's military cupboard is," he continued. "The idea that 50 years ago that would have been the case would have been laughable, but it’s here today."

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Ultimately, Mendoza argued, there would be an "element of hypocrisy" if Europe were to try and push back on the comment. 

"So I think a lot of Europeans, while not liking the way this conversation has unfolded…can't actually dispute the substance, even if we don't like the methodology for this conversation," he added. "And therefore, it is probably better to say little about it than to risk this sort of bigger argument about burden sharing, once again, coming to the fore." 

In the Signal text exchange, the administration officials said that "further economic gain" would need to be "extracted in return" for the U.S. taking the operational lead – which some British lawmakers took issue with, noting the Trump administration’s renewed attempt to "extort" money from its allies.

Additionally, the leader of the U.K.'s Liberal-Democrats, typically a more centrist party to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, took to X to say the text exchange showed, "JD Vance and his mates clearly aren’t fit to run a group chat, let alone the world’s strongest military force. It has to make our security services nervous about the intelligence we’re sharing with them."

Though the official responses from nations looking to make inroads with Trump, like the U.K. and France, maintained they will continue to pursue "cooperation" with Washington. 

The U.K. – whose navy and air force have been heavily involved in countering Houthi aggression in the Red Sea alongside the U.S. – told Fox News Digital, "The U.S. is our primary ally, and we cooperate more closely than any other two nations on defense, intelligence, and security."

"The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to secure shipping in the Red Sea and has conducted a series of U.K. and joint U.K.-U.S. strikes over the past two years - helping to diminish Houthi rebel assets in the region," a British Embassy spokesperson said. "Prime Minister [Keir] Starmer has been clear about the need for European nations to step up their security contribution and the U.K. has led with announcing a major increase in defense spending and committing U.K. troops to a future Ukraine peace keeping force."

Similarly, a spokesman for the French Embassy said, "France is not in the habit of commenting on reported remarks, no matter how surprising they may be. The United States is our ally and France intends to continue cooperating with Washington."

Israel’s war in Gaza resumed in full force last week after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire and a deadlock in negotiations over the release of the remaining hostages. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a new wave of airstrikes, quickly followed by coordinated ground operations in three key areas: the Netzarim Corridor, Gaza’s northern coastline and the Rafah district in the south.

With expanded U.S. support and favorable shifts in the regional landscape, this next phase signals a significant evolution in Israel’s military objectives, from degrading Hamas’s battlefield capabilities to dismantling its ability to govern.

"We’ve been fighting them for 10 days," said Maj. Gen. Yaakov Amidror (res.), former Israeli national security advisor. "All they’ve managed to do is fire seven rockets. That tells you how much damage we’ve inflicted already."

ISRAEL LAUNCHES NEW GROUND OPERATION IN GAZA

A senior Israeli security official told Fox News Digital: "We seized weapons caches, labs, and command centers. Hamas today is not functioning like an army. It’s a dangerous terror group, but it’s not what it was on October 7."

According to Israeli data, most of Hamas’s senior command has been eliminated and only fragmented units remain.

"They’ve lost their experienced leadership," the official said. "They’re operating in survival mode."

This time, Israel is operating under dramatically improved conditions, both militarily and diplomatically.

"The strategic environment has changed," Amidror told Fox News Digital. "Hezbollah is weaker, Iran is constrained, and the American administration is offering us true support. They’re not telling us where to bomb or how to fight."

With fewer threats on other fronts and strong backing from the Trump administration, the IDF has broadened its scope to include Hamas’s political leadership.

"We’re not just degrading military capabilities anymore," Amidror said. "We’re dismantling the structure that allowed Hamas to govern."

During the pause in fighting, Hamas consolidated control over humanitarian aid, confiscating supplies, reselling goods and using them to recruit fighters and maintain loyalty. Israeli officials now say that won’t be allowed to continue.

TRUMP SAYS US WILL 'TAKE OVER' GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST

"We are working to find a solution so that humanitarian aid reaches civilians and is not weaponized by Hamas," the senior Israeli security official explained. He noted that Gaza currently has sufficient food reserves and that Israel is developing new delivery mechanisms that bypass Hamas entirely.

Fifty-nine Israeli hostages remain in Hamas captivity. Their continued detention has sparked nationwide protests, with families urging the government to prioritize a negotiated release. But the renewed fighting puts those hostages in greater danger.

"The only real limitation is the hostages," Amidror acknowledged. "We want them alive, and fighting a war while trying to protect them is a huge challenge."

"My position is that first we have to get the hostages back, even if we need to commit to end the war and pull back to a security perimeter," said Ram Ben Barak, former deputy head of Mossad and current Knesset member. "We can commit to that, but only if Hamas gives all the hostages back. If they don’t, that alone is a reason to go back to war. And even if Hamas does return them, we’ll be watching. If Hamas starts smuggling weapons again or training fighters, that, too, will be a reason to go in and hit them hard."

The security official said military pressure is part of a coordinated effort to bring the hostages home.

"They released a group of hostages earlier than planned because of the pressure we applied in Netzarim when they refused to release Arbel Yehud," he said.

Despite tactical gains, Israeli leaders know the war cannot eliminate Hamas’s ideology. The mission, they say, is to prevent it from ever ruling Gaza again.

MORE AID IS SUPPOSED TO BE ENTERING THE GAZA STRIP. WHY ISN’T IT HELPING?

"We won’t go back to the days when we let them quietly build an army," Ben Barak told Fox News Digital. "We’ll strike every time we see military training or arms smuggling. They’ll never have tanks or armored vehicles again."

Ben Barak said Israel can't remain in Gaza long-term: "If we stay like we did in Lebanon for 19 years, we’ll leave in shame. The only way to win is to have someone else replace Hamas and govern Gaza."

He also pointed to the West Bank as a partial model: "In the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority governs, and we operate from the perimeter when needed. We need the same in Gaza: an internationally backed civil authority that rebuilds the [Gaza] Strip and keeps Hamas out."

Still, he cautioned against illusions of peace.

"There won’t be peace in the next 20 years. But like Egypt did with the Muslim Brotherhood, we can suppress Hamas’s ideology and stop it from taking root again."

Ben Barak also said Gazans who wish to leave should be allowed to: "Let them out. If they have visas and want to go, Israel should let them. It will make military operations easier in a less densely populated area."

Israeli forces are now deeply embedded in Gaza, with simultaneous operations in the north, south and central regions.

"These aren’t symbolic moves," Amidror said. "We’re positioning ourselves for the next stage. We will eventually need to reach every tunnel, blow up the infrastructure, and kill every Hamas terrorist. It is achievable, but it will take at least a year."

Houthi militants in Yemen are claiming responsibility for recent attacks against U.S. warships in the Red Sea. 

The terror group claimed in a statement published by the Jerusalem Post Tuesday that they had attacked the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and several U.S. warships in the Red Sea.

Early on Wednesday, the Houthis said they had targeted a U.S. vessel and Israeli military locations using drones.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Defense for comment.

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The Houthis had claimed earlier this month that they had attacked the Truman and its warship in response to U.S. attacks on Yemen, but offered no evidence to support their claim of retaliation.

The U.S. military had shot down several Houthi drones a short time before the group's claim.

This comes after several Trump administration officials discussed plans for a forthcoming military strike against the Houthis in a group chat on the encrypted messaging service Signal in which they mistakenly added Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, who said he received a request to join the group on March 11 from what appeared to be the president's National Security Advisor Michael Waltz.

The group, called "Houthi PC Small Group," featured top Trump officials discussing what turned out to be an upcoming attack on the Houthis, as many are criticizing the group chat as a massive breach of national security and note that senior officials are not supposed to discuss detailed military plans outside special secure facilities or protected government communications networks.

TRUMP OFFICIALS ACCIDENTALLY TEXT ATLANTIC JOURNALIST ABOUT MILITARY STRIKES IN APPARENT SECURITY BREACH

Goldberg reported that 18 people were listed in the group, including Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

The article noted that officials were discussing "war plans," and Goldberg said he elected not to publish some of the highly sensitive information he saw in the Signal chat, including precise information about weapons packages, targets and timing, because of potential threats to national security and military operations.

The editor also said that Ratcliffe put the name of a CIA undercover agent into the Signal chat.

The White House has confirmed that the group chat "appears to be authentic," although administration officials, including Hegseth, have sought to downplay concerns and discredit Goldberg as a reporter.

"I've heard how it was characterized. Nobody was texting war plans, and that's all I have to say about that," Hegseth said Monday.

Hegseth criticized Goldberg as "a deceitful and highly discredited, so-called journalist who's made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again, to include the, I don't know, the hoaxes of Russia, Russia, Russia, or the fine people on both sides hoax or suckers and losers hoax. So this guy is garbage."

Two military jets collided midair during a stunt rehearsal in France on Tuesday before crashing to the ground and exploding in a massive fireball, dramatic video shows.

The collision caused three pilots and one passenger to eject and parachute to safety, the French Air and Space Force wrote on X.

The jets were part of a seven-aircraft team flying in coordination with the Patrouille de France (PAF), a precision aerobatics demonstration unit of the agency, near an air base in Saint-Dizier in northeastern France at around 3:40 p.m. local time.

VIDEO SHOWS 'HIGHLY SKILLED' PILOT'S FINAL MOMENTS BEFORE FATAL AIR SHOW CRASH

Video shows the seven aircraft turning in unison while emitting colored smoke, but at least two of the jets collide with one another.

The two jets then spiral towards the ground while the crew can be seen immediately ejecting and activating their parachutes. The jets crash to the ground and ignite in a fiery plume.

"At BA 113 in Saint-Dizier, two Alphajets from the Patrouille de France collided during a 7-plane training flight," the post on X reads. "The three pilots, including one passenger, were able to eject in time and are safe. There are no casualties to report at this stage in the crash zone."

Sébastien Lecornu, France's minister of the Armed Forces, also confirmed the incident and wrote on X that emergency services responded to the scene. 

"Slightly injured, they were taken into care," he wrote. "Thanks to the emergency services mobilized, thoughts for our pilots of the Patrouille de France."

Quentin Brière, the mayor of Saint-Dizier, said that one of the jets crashed into a silo and the other in a marshy wooded area just behind it, according to Le Parisien, citing AFP.

WATCH: Two military jets collide in midair stunt, dramatically crash to ground in fiery explosion

DELTA PLANE’S LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING TORONTO CRASH-LANDING, INVESTIGATORS SAY 

It is unclear what caused the aircraft to come together.

The Alpha Jet is a light attack and advanced trainer aircraft developed jointly by Dassault Aviation of France and Dornier of Germany in the 1970s. The jets come with two seats and are typically used for pilot training and aerobatic stunts.  

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The PAF was founded in 1953 and is considered a prestigious aerobatic unit famous for its displays during the Bastille Day parades, according to the French news outlet Le Parisien. The PAF is made up of hand-picked fighter pilots and accidents are rare among the unit.

Anti-Hamas protests broke out in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday as hundreds of Palestinian men took to the streets to call for an end to the war with Israel.

Videos of the protest began circulating on social media on Tuesday and come as Israeli air strikes and offensive operations against Hamas have continued since the first phase of an internationally-brokered ceasefire ended earlier this month, before a second phase could be secured. 

One such video shared with Fox News Digital by the Center for Peace Communications showed protesters chanting, "Hamas get out!"

ISRAEL ORDERS IDF TO SEIZE MORE GAZA TERRITORY IF HAMAS DOESN'T RELEASE HOSTAGES

The man filming the protest provided his own commentary, which reportedly said, "Gaza's people don't want wars. They demand the end of Hamas' rule. They demand peace."

"Gazans turned out in anti-Hamas street demonstrations, braving gunfire and prison, in 2019 and again on July 30, 2023. This is the most substantial mass protest since then," Joseph Braude, president of the Center for Peace Communications, told Fox News Digital. "It highlights Gazan aspirations to end the war by ending Hamas’ reign of terror, alongside the release of all hostages. 

"Gazans are expressing anger at Al-Jazeera and global media generally for covering only Hamas, ignoring the voices of Gazan civilians," he added. "The more attention these brave souls get, the more they can help bring change for the better to Gaza and the broader region."

MOTHER OF INJURED HAMAS HOSTAGE DIRECTS PLEA TO 'EVERY MOTHER IN THIS WORLD' TO HELP SECURE SON'S RELEASE

Palestinian civilians have taken the brunt of Hamas’ brutal and deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which resulted in the death of some 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 251 others. Fifty-eight of those hostages remain in Hamas captivity, but only 25 are believed to still be alive 535 days later, including American hostage Edan Alexander. 

The Hamas-run Gaza’s Health Ministry reported on Sunday that some 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, including 600 over the last four days after Israel officially ended the tenuous ceasefire by launching air strikes after negotiations on hostage releases stalled.

The ministry also reported that over 15,600 Palestinian children have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023. 

According to Israeli news agency TPS-IL, Gaza activist Hamza al-Masry also took to Telegram to share footage of the protest and said, "It is time for our people in all the governorates of the Gaza Strip to come out like them and to be united and united in one message. 

"The people of Gaza want to stop the torrent of bloodshed of our people, and enough is enough," he added. 

A motorcyclist was found dead after vanishing into a massive sinkhole in South Korea’s largest city. 

The sinkhole, estimated to be around 65 feet wide and 65 feet deep, opened up at an intersection in the Myeongil-dong neighborhood in eastern Seoul on Monday afternoon, swallowing the victim and injuring a woman whose van was passing over the area, officials told the Associated Press. 

The motorcyclist, identified as a man in his 30s, was found before noon on Tuesday, emergency officer Kim Chang Seob announced during a televised briefing.  

Kim said the man was found wearing a helmet and motorcycle boots, and that rescue workers discovered his Japanese-made motorcycle and cell phone before reaching his body.  

SOUTH KOREAN TOURISTS DISAPPEAR DURING ROAD TRIP BETWEEN GRAND CANYON, LAS VEGAS 

He was quoted by Reuters as saying that it took first responders almost 18 hours to find the victim as they had to pump out water and dig through dirt and other debris. 

Kim added that rescuers used excavators, shovels and other equipment to find him. 

SOUTH KOREAN PRIME MINISTER REINSTATED AS ACTING PRESIDENT AFTER IMPEACHMENT OVERTURNED 

The cause of the sinkhole remains under investigation. 

The woman who was injured only sustained minor injuries, according to Kim. 

Dashboard camera footage taken at the scene showed a vehicle bouncing as it narrowly cleared the sinkhole, before the motorcycle driver plunged into the area, Reuters reported. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Delegations from Russian and Ukraine on Tuesday agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea following talks with Trump administration officials this week in Saudi Arabia.

"The United States and Russia have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea," the White House said in a statement following talks in Jeddah.

Similarly, just moments later, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who is leading the delegation confirmed that "All parties have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea."

Though he also emphasized that "all movement by Russia of its military vessels outside of [the] eastern part of the Black Sea will constitute violation of the spirit of this agreement, will be regarded as violation of the commitment to ensure safe navigation of the Black Sea and threat to the national security of Ukraine."

"In this case, Ukraine will have full right to exercise [the] right to self-defense," he added in a readout following talks in Riyadh.

Though the Kremlin also reportedly suggested on Tuesday it may not be willing to fully enforce the ceasefire until it is admitted back into the SWIFT international banking system – calling into question the actual success of the talks. 

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. 

Doctors taking care of Pope Francis considered ending their treatment at one point as there "was a risk that he would not make it," a report said. 

Gemelli Hospital medical director Dr. Sergio Alfieri recounted the scenes on Feb. 28 when the 88-year-old suffered a coughing fit and inhaled vomit, prompting staff to give him a ventilation mask to help him breathe. 

"For the first time I saw tears in the eyes of some of the people around him. People who, I understood during this period of hospitalization, sincerely love him, like a father. We were all aware that the situation had worsened further and there was a risk that he would not make it," Alfieri told the Corriere della Sera newspaper in an interview published Tuesday. 

"We had to choose whether to stop and let him go or force it and try with all the drugs and therapies possible, running the very high risk of damaging other organs. And in the end we took this path," he reportedly added. 

POPE FRANCIS MAKES FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE IN FIVE WEEKS 

The Vatican did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment by Fox News Digital. 

Alfieri said to the newspaper that Francis "delegated every type of healthcare decision to Massimiliano Strappetti, his personal healthcare assistant who knows the Pope's wishes perfectly." 

"Try everything, we won't give up," Alfieri recalled Strappetti telling staff at the hospital. "That's what we all thought too. And no one gave up". 

MEDICAL STAFF PROVIDES UPDATE ON POPE FRANCIS’ CONDITION 

"Even when [Francis’] condition worsened he was fully conscious. That evening was terrible, he knew, like us, that he might not survive the night," Alfieri also told Corriere della Sera. "We saw the man who was suffering. But from day one he asked us to tell him the truth and he wanted us to tell the truth about his condition." 

Francis eventually was discharged from the hospital in Rome on Sunday. 

A papal spokesman said Tuesday that Francis is very happy to be back home and his breathing and movement therapy is ongoing. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said White South Africans facing threats of violence would be welcomed in the United States. 

Rubio's position comes amid tension between the South African government and the Trump administration over that country's land expropriation law and its anti-Israel stance. 

In a post on X, Rubio referred to the "Kill the Boer," an old anti-apartheid chant that critics say is a call to anti-White violence and has been used to refer to White farmers. 

TRUMP FREEZES AID TO SOUTH AFRICA, PROMOTES RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES FACING RACE DISCRIMINATION

"South Africa’s leaders and politicians must take action to protect Afrikaner and other disfavored minorities," Rubio wrote on Monday. "The United States is proud to offer those individuals who qualify for admission to our nation amid this continued horrible threat of violence."

The Trump administration has pushed back against South Africa's expropriation law, as well as its stance against Israel. 

The land expropriation law allows the government to make land seizures without compensation. In February, Trump issued an executive order penalizing South Africa.

SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT SIGNS CONTROVERSIAL LAND SEIZURE BILL, ERODING PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS 

"In shocking disregard of its citizens' rights, the Republic of South Africa recently enacted Expropriation Act 13 of 2024, to enable the government of South Africa to seize ethnic minority Afrikaners' agricultural property without compensation," the order states. 

In addition, South Africa has accused Israel in the International Court of Justice of committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The country is also growing closer with Iran, with plans to develop commercial, military, and nuclear arrangements.

Earlier this month, Rubio announced that South Africa's ambassador to the U.S. was no longer welcome in the country. In a post on X, Rubio called Embrahim Rasool a "race-baiting" politician who hates America and Trump.

Rasool addressed the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) in Johannesburg when he said Trump's Make America Great Again movement a White supremacist response to demographic changes in the U.S. In response, Rubio declared the ambassador "PERSONA NON GRATA," meaning not welcome. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the South African Embassy in Washington D.C. 

The United Nations is once again under the microscope for blaming Israel for an attack on a compound as it opts to curb its footprint in Gaza, according to the world body.

The spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement noting the U.N. had "taken the difficult decision to reduce the Organization’s footprint in Gaza" even as "humanitarian needs soar." 

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric claimed that "information currently available" indicated that a strike on the U.N.’s Deir al Balah compound on March 19 was "caused by an Israeli tank." One U.N. employee was killed in the incident, and six others were wounded, Dujarric said. 

DOGE USAID BUDGET HIT UN IN ‘WORST LIQUIDITY CRISIS SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT’

On the date of the incident, the Israel Defense Forces Tweeted that "contrary to reports, the IDF did not strike a U.N. compound in Deir el Balah." The IDF asked media outlets "to act with caution regarding unverified reports."

The IDF told Fox News Digital Monday that the U.N.'s claim was "absolutely not accurate." 

While his statement named Israel, it stopped short in naming the terrorist group Hamas or other extremist groups operating in Gaza. "The location of this U.N. compound was well known to the parties to the conflict," Dujarric continued. "I reiterate that all parties to the conflict are bound by international law to protect the absolute inviolability of U.N. premises. Without this, our colleagues face intolerable risks as they work to save the lives of civilians." Dujarric added that the "Secretary-General strongly condemns these strikes and demands a full, thorough and independent investigation on this incident."

PAUSE IN US FOREIGN AID HAS UN IN PANIC OVER FUNDING CUTS, TRUMP SAYS WORLD BODY ‘NOT BEING WELL RUN’

Foundation for Defense of Democracies research analyst Joe Truzman told Fox News Digital that Dujarric’s statement gave the "impression… that the United Nations has deliberately avoided criticizing Hamas and the other Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza for fear of creating friction with the armed groups. This failed strategy has only emboldened Hamas and its allies, allowing them to exploit UNRWA facilities in Gaza with impunity. Time and again, authorities have uncovered terrorist infrastructure connected to UNRWA facilities, including agency employees who were members of terrorist groups and committed atrocities on October 7."

On March 23, the IDF killed Hamas political bureau member Ismail Barhoum while he was purportedly operating out of Nassar Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza. After media outlets, including Al Jazeera, claimed that Barhoum was being treated at the hospital, IDF international spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani Tweeted that Barhoum had "held meetings with other terrorists and senior figures in the terrorist organization" while remaining "in the hospital for many weeks."

AT LEAST 19 KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKES IN GAZA, INCLUDING SENIOR HAMAS LEADER

Truzman said the IDF’s explanation was "highly plausible." 

"Hamas has become highly skilled at persuading the public that it does not operate from civilian infrastructure – a demonstrably false assertion," Truzman said. In a tactic he has "witnessed for years," he said that "Hamas and its allies deliberately embed themselves within civilian areas to evade detection." 

"The public must understand that Hamas’ top priority is not safeguarding Palestinian civilians but ensuring the Islamist group’s survival," Truzman said.

Following a ceasefire and partial hostage exchange that saw 25 living and eight deceased hostages returned to Israel and almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners released, conflict has returned to Gaza. With support from the Trump White House, Israel cut humanitarian aid to Gaza earlier this month in order to pressure Hamas into an extension of the ceasefire, and to free the hostages.

The recent arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and main rival of President Erdoğan has sparked the largest protests in Turkey in a decade, with over 1,100 people detained in demonstrations across the country.

The Istanbul mayor and 106 other municipal officials and politicians were detained on March 19 for what Human Rights Watch called a politically motivated move to stifle lawful political activities.

"By forcing Imamoglu out of politics, the government has crossed the line that separates Turkey’s competitive authoritarian regime from a full, Russian-style autocracy in which the president handpicks his opponents and elections are purely for show," Gonul Tol, Director of Turkish Program at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital.

TURKISH AUTHORITIES ARREST KEY RIVAL OF ERDOGAN; CRITICS SAY IT'S 'NO COINCIDENCE'

A spokesperson from Turkey's embassy in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital that Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 1,133 people have been detained since the arrest of the mayor, and around 123 police officers have been injured since the start of protests. Yerlikaya also alleged that weapons were seized during the protests and the individuals detained were found to have ties to different terrorist organizations and prior criminal records.

Some experts believe the move was orchestrated by Erdoğan to sideline the opposition, silence political dissent and increase his own power.

"This is a dark time for democracy in Turkey, with such a blatantly lawless move to weaponize the justice system to cancel the democratic process," Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, told Fox News Digital in a statement.

TRUMP UNIQUELY PLACED TO ‘WHISPER’ IN ERDOGAN’S EAR OVER TURKISH REGIONAL AMBITIONS: GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER

BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION SEEKS TO REIN IN ERDOĞAN'S TURKEY OVER TIES TO US FOES

In an address to celebrate the festival of Nowruz on Friday, Erdoğan said Turkey was not a country that was found on the street and will not submit to street terrorism.

"We will not allow public order to be damaged. We will not give in to vandalism or street terrorism," Erdoğan said, according to Reuters.

The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) held a symbolic primary vote over the weekend and nominated İmamoğlu to be the party’s candidate for president to face Erdoğan in the 2028 elections.

Despite the increased repression and threats to their own safety and security, the Turkish opposition does not yet seem to be backing down.

"We, as the main opposition party that emerged as the first party in the last local elections in March 2024, will stand firm and resist any kind of oppression by the government," İlhan Uzgel, CHP Deputy Chairman for Foreign Policy, told Fox News Digital.

Uzgel said Erdoğan seems frightened of losing power, and is urging opposition supporters to take to the streets to defend democracy, challenge lawlessness, and challenge the Erdoğan government's abuse of power.  

"We are happy to see that our people take to the streets despite the occasional use of force by the riot police, and demonstrate peacefully, which is a constitutional right," he added.

Imamoglu, who is presently jailed and is awaiting trial on corruption charges, was viewed as the most serious challenger to the decades-long rule of Erdoğan. His detention will likely keep him out of the political opposition for the foreseeable future, dealing a huge blow to Turkey’s pro-democracy movement. 

Tol of the Middle East Institute said Erdoğan is banking on people’s anger dissipating over time and that the mass protests will eventually die down. The election is not scheduled until 2028, and people, Erdoğan hopes, will most likely forget and move on.

The danger, according to Tol, is that street protests in the Middle East and elsewhere tend to go in many different directions, and there is no telling how long the public anger over the arrests will last and how much more popular support the movement will gain.

İmamoğlu, member of the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP), was elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019 and re-elected in 2023. In both elections, he defeated Erdoğan-backed opponents. 

Turkey’s problems come at a time when President Trump is reportedly considering lifting sanctions on the NATO member and resuming the sale of F-35 fighter jets following a recent phone call with Erdoğan.

Reuters contributed to this article.

A "highly skilled" pilot’s final moments were captured on video before he died in a crash at an air show in South Africa over the weekend. 

The fatal incident involving James O’Connell unfolded Saturday at the Saldanha Bay Airfield outside of Cape Town. Footage showed a plane performing an aerial maneuver before crashing into the ground, generating a fireball and drawing screams from those in attendance. 

"It is with profound sadness that the organizers of the West Coast Airshow confirm a fatal accident involving James O’Connell, a highly skilled and respected test pilot from South Africa, when he piloted the Impala Mark 1 aircraft during today’s display in Saldanha," the event’s organizers said in a statement. 

"Mr. O’Connell was performing a routine display intended to demonstrate the capabilities of the Impala Mark 1 – a beloved warbird with deep historical significance for many South Africans – it was especially a huge moment because the Impala has not been seen performing at airshows for many years," they added. "The maneuvers were being executed as part of the official airshow program, witnessed by thousands of spectators." 

DELTA PLANE’S LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING TORONTO CRASH-LANDING, INVESTIGATORS SAY 

Video of the incident showed a cloud of black smoke rising up into the sky following the crash. 

"He rolled the aircraft... he turned the aircraft, the undercarriage was up. On coming out of it, one could clearly see that he was losing height," airshow commentator Brian Emmenis was quoted by the organizers as saying. "He went out toward the hangars – he was at that stage in a serious deep dive – and he went straight into the ground. There was no sign of an attempt to eject." 

ALASKA PLANE THAT CRASHED AND LEFT 10 DEAD WAS MORE THAN 1,000 POUNDS OVER THE WEIGHT LIMIT, NTSB FINDS 

"Emergency services responded immediately, the crowd remained behind the barriers, totally stunned, and medical attention was handed to the crowd," he added. 

No spectators were injured in the crash, and the South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Show South Africa are now investigating. 

"The organizers extend their deepest condolences to Mr. O’Connell’s family, friends and aviation colleagues," they added. 

South Korea’s Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, reinstating the nation's No. 2 official as acting leader Monday while not yet ruling on the separate impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his shocking imposition of martial law in December.

Many observers said the 7-1 ruling in Han's case did not signal much about the upcoming verdict on Yoon, as Han wasn’t a key figure in imposing martial law. But the ruling could still embolden Yoon’s staunch supporters and ramp up their political offensive on the opposition.

Speaking with reporters following his reinstatement, Han thanked the court for what he called "a wise decision" and promised to focus on tackling "urgent matters," including a fast-changing global trade environment, in an apparent reference to the Trump administration’s aggressive tariffs policy. He also called for national unity, saying: "There’s no left or right — what matters is the advancement of our nation."

NORTH KOREA FIRES MISSILES AS US, SOUTH KOREA BEGIN THEIR 1ST JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE OF TRUMP'S 2ND TERM

South Korea has been thrown into political turmoil since Yoon, a conservative, declared martial law on Dec. 3 and sent hundreds of troops to the liberal opposition-controlled National Assembly and other places in Seoul. Yoon's decree lasted only six hours as enough lawmakers managed to enter an assembly hall where they quickly voted down the decree.

The assembly impeached Yoon on Dec. 14, alleging he violated the Constitution and other laws by suppressing assembly activities and trying to detain politicians. Yoon's impeachment made Han acting president until he was impeached in late December.

The unprecedented, successive impeachments that suspended the country’s top two officials intensified domestic division and deepened worries about South Korea's diplomatic and economic activities.

A major trigger for the opposition’s push to impeach Han was his refusal to fill three vacant seats at the Constitutional Court's nine-member bench. That was a highly explosive issue because the court needed support from at least six justices to approve Yoon's impeachment and filling its empty posts could make such a decision more likely.

After Han was suspended, his successor as acting president, Choi Sang-mok, appointed two new justices but left the ninth seat vacant.

Han was also accused in the impeachment motion of abetting Yoon’s martial law declaration and obstructing efforts to open independent investigations into Yoon’s alleged rebellion in connection with his martial law decree.

On Monday, seven of the Constitutional Court's eight justices ruled to overturn or dismiss Han's impeachment. They ruled that his alleged actions weren’t against the law or weren’t serious enough to remove him from office or his impeachment motion didn't even meet a required quorum when it passed through the assembly. One justice upheld Han’s impeachment.

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party expressed regret over the court’s decision to reinstate Han and urged it to dismiss Yoon quickly. Yoon’s office welcomed Monday’s ruling, saying it shows again the opposition’s repeated uses of impeachment motions were "reckless, malicious political offensive."

Observers earlier had predicted the Constitutional Court would rule on Yoon’s case in mid-March, but it hasn’t done so, sparking varied speculation on possible reasons.

"Today’s verdict will give hope to Yoon’s supporters for a similar fate and hope for Yoon’s opponents for his ouster," said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. "But it’s too soon to predict the court’s verdict on Yoon because the specific details of both cases and allegations are different."

Kim said the reinstatement of Han, a career bureaucrat, will bring more stability to South Korea compared to when his powers as acting president were suspended.

Massive rival rallies backing or denouncing Yoon have divided the streets of Seoul and other major cities in South Korea. Earlier surveys showed that a majority of South Koreans were critical of Yoon’s martial law enactment, but those supporting or sympathizing with Yoon have later gained strength.

Yoon argues that his martial law introduction was a desperate attempt to bring attention to the "wickedness" of the Democratic Party which obstructed his agenda and filed many impeachment motions against senior officials. Yoon critics counter he likely tried to use military rule to frustrate possible special investigations into scandals involving him and his wife.

Senior military and police officers sent to the assembly have said that Yoon ordered them to drag out lawmakers to prevent a floor vote to overturn his decree. Yoon says the troops' deployment was designed to maintain order.

If the court upholds Yoon’s impeachment, South Korea must hold a presidential election to choose his successor. If it rules for him, Yoon will regain his presidential powers.

Yoon has separately been charged with directing rebellion, a charge that carries the death penalty or a life sentence if he is convicted.