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The Kosovo government has accused Serbia of blowing up a crucial pipeline that supplies water and electricity to the ethnically Serb population in the north of Kosovo. Even more troubling, some in Kosovo claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin may have even had a hand in it.

"Serbia acts as a key player in the Kremlin’s bid for chaos in the Balkans, so Putin can have leverage over Western powers who do not want the violence to escalate further," Ivana Stradner, research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

Russia has deep historical, cultural and religious connections to the Balkans, and narratives sympathetic to Russia often emanate from the Serbian Orthodox Church. Stradner says Putin exploits these religious and ethnic divisions in the Balkans, pushing the region to the brink of war. She also noted that the Serbian president also benefits from chaos in the Balkans, using it to strengthen his grip on power.

TENSIONS RISE AMID CLAIMS OF RUSSIA, SERBIA INTERFERENCE IN KOSOVO FOLLOWING RECENT BLOODSHED

"Vucic has employed a strategy of escalating and de-escalating crises in Kosovo to portray himself as a source of stability, leveraging his position as a bargaining chip with the West," Stradner added.

Some experts are cautious as accusations and information is often fluid following crises in the Balkans.

"This latest escalation, much like the previous ones, involves serious allegations - ranging from Kosovo’s claim that the Serbian government orchestrated these events to suspicions of Russian involvement," Helena Ivanov, associate fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital.

Ivanov warned that previous rounds of escalation and allegations lacked concrete evidence and that many of the claims remain conjecture until a full investigation is completed.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said at a news conference that the attack on critical infrastructure was similar to Russia's actions targeting energy infrastructure in Ukraine. So far, there is no evidence to suggest Russia had any involvement.

Kurti placed the blame squarely on Serbia and President Vucic for plotting what Kosovo is calling a terrorist attack on the water supply canal in the northern town of Zubin Potok.

ZELENSKYY WARNS RUSSIA WANTS TO CAUSE 'EXPLOSION' IN THE BALKANS

"All evidence reveals a continuation of Serbia's strategy of aggression, with the Vučić regime exploiting a plethora of resources, including ties with organized crime, in their effort to inflict harm and cause instability within Kosovo," Ilir Dugolli, Kosovo’s ambassador to the U.S., told Fox News Digital.

"This is only the latest in the long list of acts of aggression by Serbia," the ambassador added.

Approximately 20 kilos of explosives were used in the massive blast in what Ambassador Dugolli called a highly sophisticated manner, further indicating the professional preparation and execution of the operation.

President Vucic adamantly denied the accusations, calling them "baseless."

Vucic claimed in a post on Instagram that the accusations against Serbia are intended to tarnish Serbia’s international reputation and undermine stability in the Balkans region. The president is also calling for a "thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation" into what he called an act of sabotage.

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric told Fox News Digital that the sabotage that took place in the north of Kosovo is a serious threat to peace and stability, and he reiterated Vucic’s demand for a thorough investigation under international supervision.

LONGTIME FOES SERBIA AND KOSOVO NEARING NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS

Djuric also repeated Vucic’s claims that the aims of the operation were to discredit Serbia.

"We have grounds to believe that this was a hybrid attack aimed at discrediting Serbia, and that is why we continue to emphasize that it is in our immediate interest to identify the perpetrators and masterminds behind this attack," Djuric told Fox News Digital.

Djuric suggested that Kurti could be behind the attack, but did not back up the claim with evidence, but he also made sure to point out that Serbia was ready to offer any assistance to the investigation.

Kosovo’s Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla said that eight suspects linked to the attack were arrested and that the damage to the canal had been fixed. Svecla also said that Kosovo police raided 10 locations and confiscated uniforms, heavy weaponry and other military equipment.

Kurti and Vucic met with the European Union’s new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas in Brussels. Kallas said in a post on X that the only way to EU membership for both parties is through normalization of their relations.

Both Serbia and Kosovo are EU aspirants, and ending their feud is a core requirement for gaining membership. Failure to honor their obligations or ratcheting up tensions will have negative consequences for their EU accession processes and block any potential EU financial aid. The ongoing dispute and the recent turmoil remain major obstacles to EU membership for both.

Conflict between Serbia and Kosovo following the 1999 war is unresolved and is a roadblock to their normalization process. Kosovo was a former province of Serbia and was once integrated within the nation of Yugoslavia. NATO led a bombing campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999, which comprised Serbia and Montenegro, to defend Kosovo’s ethnic Albanians against violence from Belgrade. Nearly a decade later, in 2008, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, along with its historic patron, Russia, refuses to recognize its independence.

Tensions are especially fought in the north of Kosovo, where ethnic Serbs make up a majority of the territory and refuse to recognize Kosovo’s independence. Serbs in northern Kosovo still look to Belgrade as their capital.

Critics have slammed a new Amnesty International report that claims Israel "has committed, and is continuing to commit genocide" against Palestinians in Gaza as poorly researched and highly politicized.

Taking issue with the report, Orde Kittrie, a law professor at Arizona State University, said Israeli "policies and actions do not fit the legal definition of genocide." 

Kittrie, who is also a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that "accusers must prove Israel is killing Gaza civilians intentionally and simply because they are Palestinian rather than as an unfortunate consequence of Israeli self-defense against Hamas and its fighters."

UN ACCUSED OF DOWNPLAYING HAMAS TERRORISTS’ USE OF GAZA HOSPITALS AS NEW REPORT IGNORES IMPORTANT DETAILS

He noted that "Israel’s warnings and other steps to mitigate harm to Gazan civilians make clear Israel’s intent is not genocide but, far from it, to minimize civilian casualties while lawfully exercising Israel’s rights to free hostages, apprehend October 7 atrocity perpetrators, and protect Israel’s population from further attacks."

Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, criticized the report in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The only group to have ever shown bloodthirsty genocidal intent in this war is Hamas. With the support of Tehran, Hamas terrorists filmed themselves on October 7th executing, raping, pillaging and kidnapping their way through southern Israel.

"Israel never started this war, but Israel will never allow terrorists to get away with harming Israelis and Israel – and will do whatever it takes to bring back the 100 hostages still held in brutal captivity by Hamas," he said.

7 US HOSTAGES STILL HELD BY HAMAS TERRORISTS AS FAMILIES PLEAD FOR THEIR RELEASE: 'THIS IS URGENT'

The Amnesty report titled "‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza," claimed it found sufficient basis to conclude that Israel has committed and is continuing to commit genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the organization said in a report published Thursday.  
 

The use of the term "genocide" is "an extension of [Amnesty International’s] bias," David Adesnik, vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Fox News Digital. He charged that Amnesty International has never characterized the ongoing atrocities in Sudan and Ukraine or ethnic predation in Xinjiang as genocide, despite these being "cases where they’re sometimes far bloodier and where the racial or ethnic motive was often crystal clear." Adesnik says using that "term against Israel suggests a real double standard." 

Adesnik, who has reviewed much of Amnesty International’s writing on the post-Oct. 7 conflict, noted that there "are only fleeting references to Hamas abusing civilian structures," such as "schools, mosques, [and] UNRWA buildings. What’s interesting is that they even dedicated a report to telling Ukrainian forces defending their own country to be careful not to endanger civilians by using civilian residences for a military purpose. And they don’t even bother doing that with Hamas."

Amnesty International’s report alleges "denial and obstruction of the delivery of essential services, humanitarian assistance and other life-saving supplies into and within Gaza" by Israel. But as Adesnik stated, Amnesty International fails to "acknowledge the 58,000 aid trucks, and over 1,149,000 tons of aid that have come in." Amnesty International also neglects to address how the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has consistently measured declining numbers of Gazans facing catastrophic food insecurity. In regards to its treatment of aid, "it’s not even close to being a balanced assessment," Adesnik concluded.

Within its report, Amnesty International claims that they have identified "22 statements made by senior officials… that appeared to call for, or justify, genocidal acts." 

Salo Aizenberg, director of media watchdog group HonestReporting, told Fox News Digital that "claims against Israel misrepresent and cherry-pick statements by Israeli leaders – because the intent to genocide is simply nonexistent." As an example, Aizenberg noted that the International Court of Justice’s case against Israel "grossly misrepresented" the words of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

UN SECRETARY-GENERAL WON’T CONDEMN OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF ANTISEMITISM; US SAID TO GRANT VISA FOR VISIT

Herzog himself criticized the ICJ’s case, explaining that he was "disgusted by the way they twisted my words, using very, very partial and fragmented quotes," the Times of Israel reported.

Fox News Digital asked Amnesty International whether it had concerns about Hamas leaders’ comments calling for indiscriminate terror attacks, like those from Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas official who said the attack of Oct. 7 was "just the first time, and there will be a second, a third, a fourth."

Fox News Digital also inquired about whether Amnesty International would condemn Hamas’ use of medical facilities and civilian structures, and whether the organization considered conflict in Sudan and Ukraine or ethnic predation in Xinjiang and Afghanistan to constitute genocide. Amnesty International did not respond.

Further evidence of Amnesty International’s anti-Israel bias emerged recently when Amnesty Northern Ireland invited Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to speak about Israeli genocide at its annual lecture.

Albanese has come under repeated fire for spreading antisemitic hate under the banner of the U.N. The location of her Dec. 3 speech is a reminder of the impact that rabid anti-Israel sentiments have had for Jews around the world in the aftermath of Oct. 7. Though the Jewish population in Ireland is small, after 14 months of rapidly rising hate, Irish Jews are now removing identifying symbols that would make them visible targets.

South Korean opposition lawmakers said Thursday they will vote this weekend to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is under police investigation after his short-lived martial law declaration. 

Yoon accused his opposition of "anti-state" activities when he declared martial law on Tuesday in an attempt to ban political activity and assume state control of the media. The martial law, however, was only in effect for about six hours since the National Assembly voted to overrule the president's decision.

The shocking move led to protests and worried South Korea's international allies, including the United States. Yoon's defense minister, who recommended the drastic measure, has resigned, Reuters reported.

A spokesman for South Korea's opposition Democratic Party told reporters parliament will vote to impeach Yoon at around 7 p.m. Saturday local time. The Democratic Party holds a majority in the country's legislature.

SOUTH KOREAN LEADER FACING MOUNTING CALLS TO RESIGN OR BE IMPEACHED OVER MARTIAL LAW

"The Yoon Suk Yeol regime's declaration of emergency martial law caused great confusion and fear among our people," Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Seung-won told the National Assembly earlier, according to Reuters.

Impeaching the president would require the approval of two-thirds of the parliament's 300 members, or 200 votes. The Democratic Party and other small opposition parties together make up 192 seats. However, 18 lawmakers from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party cast ballots opposing the president's decision when the parliament rejected Yoon’s martial law declaration in a 190-0 vote.

The leader of the People Power Party, Han Dong-hun, criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration as "unconstitutional." However, the party has said it will oppose impeachment. 

If Yoon is impeached, he will not have his constitutional powers until the Constitutional Court can rule on his fate. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the second in command in the South Korean government, would take over his presidential responsibilities.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT LIFTS MARTIAL LAW AFTER LAWMAKERS REJECT MOVE

With his political future uncertain, Yoon accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on Thursday. Kim had suggested the president declare martial law since his domestic agenda had been thwarted in the opposition-controlled National Assembly. 

Kim is now under investigation by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office on potential charges of treason, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. The former defense official is banned from traveling.

Police are also investigating Yoon on charges of treason after activists and a minority opposition party filed a complaint against the president, according to Yonhap. 

WHY DID YOON'S PARTY LOSE IN SOUTH KOREA'S ELECTIONS AND WHAT TROUBLES DOES HE FACE NOW?

The complaints accused not only Yoon and Kim, but also Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su and Interior Minister Lee Sang-min of treason and other related charges for their roles in the martial law declaration on Tuesday.

Yoon is under pressure to resign ahead of Saturday's impeachment vote.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Reuters the United States had not been made aware in advance of Yoon's declaration, while his deputy, Kurt Campbell, said Yoon had badly misjudged it. 

The United States has 28,500 servicemembers stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Yoon’s martial law declaration was the first of its kind in more than 40 years. Scenes of military intervention have not been seen since South Korea achieved genuine democracy in the late 1980s.

The snowwoman may be melted but the record still stands. 

The residents of Bethel, Maine, have been proud holders of the same world record for about 25 years. 

Currently, according to Guinness World Records, the tallest snowperson ever built was completed on Feb. 26, 2008 in Bethel.

JOEY CHESTNUT BREAKS WORLD RECORD IN HOT DOG EATING VS. TAKERU KOBAYASHI 15 YEARS AFTER LAST MEETING

The snowwoman, Olympia, took about a month to complete. The residents of Bethel were no strangers to the tall order of creating a gigantic snowperson like the one they made in 2008, as they broke their own record. 

The first record-breaking snowperson created in Bethel was made in 1999. The first snowman, Angus King of the Mountain, was named after the governor of Maine at the time, Angus King.  

In 2008, the residents of Bethel got together to break their existing record. 

When Olympia was complete, the snow structure measured 122 feet and 1 inch tall, according to Guinness World Records. 

GRANDMOTHER OF 12 BREAKS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR LONGEST PLANK HELD AT OVER 4.5 HOURS: ‘LIKE A DREAM’

The snowwoman, named after a Maine U.S. senator at the time, Olympia Snowe, was made using a whopping 13 million pounds of snow. 

In a video on the Guinness World Record's page regarding the record, large construction trucks can be seen carrying piles of snow, with cranes lifting the snow to the top of the chilly creation. 

Accessories of the snowwoman included eyelashes made of skis, a nose made from chicken wire and painted cheesecloth and lips created with red car tires. 

The buttons of the snowwoman were made using three truck tires, and the arms were made of 30-foot-tall spruce trees. 

THE WORLD'S OLDEST DOUGLAS FIR TREES HAVE LIVED OVER 1,000 YEARS

Even though the snowwoman has since melted, the title still stands in Bethel, according to Guinness World Records. 

Though Guinness World Records still regards the Olympia snowwoman that stood in Bethel as the world's tallest snowperson, others have attempted to take the title. 

In February 2020, the record was seemingly broken by a snowman created called Riesi in Donnersbachwald, Austria. 

At the time, several outlets shared the news that the record had been broken, as the snowman built in Austria was a couple feet taller than Olympia. 

Today, the official Guinness World Record website states Olympia as the record holder. 

According to the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce's website, the snowman built in Austria had been disqualified for an unknown reason. 

The Bethel Chamber of Commerce was simply told, "if it’s in the book, you still have the record," the Chamber of Commerce's website states. 

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's surprising short-lived move to declare martial law, which drew condemnation from opposition lawmakers, to root out "anti-state" forces was a "blunder" and possibly an attempt to "reassert himself," an expert says. 

Opposition parties moved Wednesday to impeach the president, which would require the support of two-thirds of the 300-seat parliament and at least six justices of the nine-member constitutional court. A motion to impeach was submitted by the liberal opposition Democratic Party and five smaller opposition parties and could be put to a vote as early as Friday. 

"I think he was trying, even desperately, to reassert himself to tell his domestic foes that he's the man in charge and there will be consequences for the efforts by the opposition parties to stifle Yoon's many reform programs," Sung-Yoon Lee, a global fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington D.C., and author of "The Sister: North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, the Most Dangerous Woman in the World," told Fox News Digital. 

WHY DID YOON'S PARTY LOSE IN SOUTH KOREA'S ELECTIONS AND WHAT TROUBLES DOES HE FACE NOW?

"But I think it was a blunder, possibly a legal breach, and certainly, something akin to an own goal politically," he added, referring to the notion of something that one does thinking it will help him or her but actually causes one harm.

The martial declaration lasted only six hours but sent shockwaves through the country, as it hearkened back to South Korea’s past military-backed governments when authorities occasionally proclaimed martial law and other decrees that allowed them to station soldiers, tanks and armored vehicles on streets or at public places such as schools to prevent anti-government demonstrations.

The country achieved democracy in the late 1980s. No major violence was reported, and martial law was lifted after lawmakers rejected the move in a 190-0 vote. 

In a speech announcing the declaration, Yoon vowed to eliminate anti-state forces while accusing the opposition of sympathizing with North Korea. The North, a totalitarian-run state, will use what happened in the South to its benefit, Lee said. 

SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENT IS PICKING UP GOLF IN HOPES TO IMPRESS TRUMP

"I'm sure the North Korean leadership is sharpening its knives right now," he said. "It would be very atypical, unusual for North Korea just to sit around and allow this kind of sensational, breathtaking crisis in South Korea to go to waste."

Lee expects the North to issue provacative statements, resort to hostile acts and blame Yoon for its own "belligerence" and argue that the backlash against him is a reaction to his hostility toward his northern neighbor. 

If Yoon is impeached, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who holds the No. 2 position in the South Korean government, would take over presidential responsibilities. Presently, the constitutional court has only six justices following three retirements, meaning all six would have to vote in favor of impeachment to oust Yoon from office. 

Four of the six justices are Yoon appointees. 

"It remains to be seen whether the constitutional court, if we come to that point, will actually endorse, authorize impeachment and the ouster of President Yoon, but it's a possibility," Lee said. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

FIRST ON FOX: An overwhelming majority of Americans view foreign policy and national defense as being "somewhat" or "extremely" important to them, according to a new survey from the Ronald Reagan Institute that also weighed U.S. attitudes about rival nations and revealed which is viewed as posing the "greatest threat" to the country.

As Americans await another change in the White House while the Biden and Trump administrations prepare for the executive reshuffle, and uncertainty has set the tone for what the U.S.’s geopolitical future will look like amid increasingly volatile relations with nations like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, there is stark uniformity in the way Americans view the topic of national defense.

"Americans who cast their votes for different candidates share an unshakable core set of beliefs: the United States must lead on the world stage, backed by a strong military that can secure the peace through its strength," the Ronald Reagan Institute said in a report first obtained by Fox News Digital detailing its 2024 National Defense Survey results.

US 'SLEEPWALKING' INTO WWIII, EXPERTS WARN NATION IS UNDERPREPARED: 'WE DO NOT HAVE OUR CHURCHILL'

The survey’s results – which reflected the answers from some 2,500 questionnaires issued between Nov. 8-14 through telephone and online based platforms – not only highlight that U.S. security and foreign policy issues remain important topics, but they also indicated that the U.S. should take the lead in major international issues.

The opinion shows a divergence from the position frequently pushed by president-elect Donald Trump, who has long championed an "America first" policy, which some fear could isolate the U.S. during a geopolitically turbulent time as Russia’s aggression continues to ramp up in Europe, Iran remains a chief threat in the Middle East, and China continues to pose a threat politically, militarily and economically. 

"I think it's really interesting to compare some of the campaign rhetoric that we saw, frankly, from both candidates, and see where that is and is not resonating with the American people," Rachael Hoff Policy Director at the Ronald Reagan Institute, told Fox News Digital in reference to both Trump and his previous campaign challenger Vice President Kamala Harris.

The survey also found that since the annual poll began six years ago, "a record high" number of Americans support "U.S. leadership and international engagement" with a strong support for a global military posture.

"This represents a significant 15-point increase since just last year and a steady upward trend from a low-point in the early 2020s," the report said, noting that this shift was most prevalent among younger survey takers which saw a 32-point jump this year for those under the age of 30, along with a 19-point increase for those between the ages of 30 and 44.   

WHAT DOES PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S WIN MEAN FOR US AMID WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA, UKRAINE?

The drive for more U.S. involvement abroad particularly in East Asia, which includes areas like China and the Korean peninsula, the Middle East and Europe reflects the growing concern Americans have over not only the burgeoning alliance between Russia, Iran, North Korea and China, but on whether the U.S.  military can stand up to these nations.

While more than half of male survey takers, 59%, said they believe the U.S. could win a war against China, the female participants were more skeptical with only 45% expressing the same confidence, while 23% said they were unsure compared to 18% of male participants expressing the same. 

More confidence in the U.S. military was displayed when asked if the U.S. could win a war against Russia, though again women signaled less confidence than their male peers, with 73% of male participants saying the U.S. would come out on top compared to only 56% of female survey takers.

While it remains unclear why female participants were less confident in the U.S. military, the majority of survey takers collectively agreed that China is the U.S.’s greatest threat, though Russia as the U.S.’s chief enemy. 

TIRED OF UKRAINE? REMEMBER SOUTH VIETNAM

"One of the biggest trends that we've seen in the last three or four years in the poll is really the consensus growing that China is the is the greatest threat that we face –  that's really resonating with the American people, and it's something that clearly we've heard on a bipartisan basis from national security leaders in Washington," Hoff said.  That doesn't mean that Americans don't perceive Russia, Iran, North Korea, or even the cooperation between those malign actors as a threat. 

"In fact, one interesting takeaway from our poll this year is that 85% of Americans, a huge percentage…are concerned about the cooperation and collaboration between Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, and we're seeing that play out under the front lines in Ukraine," Hoff added. "We're seeing it play out in the Middle East and it's something that Americans want our government to understand and to get after."

Hoff explained that though the survey – which reflected information made clear in the lead up to and after the U.S. general election – showed Americans prioritize paying for domestic issues like healthcare, border security and social security above the military and foreign policy-based initiatives, national security and geopolitics remain a major issue for Americans.

"What we see from the poll across the board is that they don't see foreign policy and national security as something that they want to divest from," she said. "When asked to sort of put those in competition with each other, that's where it gets really, really tough. 

"But they clearly want their government to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time," Hoff said. "The perception that there's kind of a growing isolationist sentiment in this country really doesn't bear out in the data. 

"There's a lot of rhetoric – whether you listen to the debates on Capitol Hill or the debates in the media – that would lead you to believe that the American people want to want the U.S. to do less in the world, that they want us to take a step back from international leadership. And it turns out, when you ask the American people, that's simply not the case," Hoff said.

"They want America to lead from a position of strength. They want us to have a strong military," she continued. "They want us to stand up for the values of freedom and democracy around the world. And that's true on a bipartisan basis among both Republicans and Democrats, those who voted for President Trump and has voted for Vice President Harris."

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday night held a moment of silence for American-Israeli Omer Neutra who was determined this week to have been killed by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, after it was believed that he had been alive for more than a year.

Neutra, 21 years old, was a tank platoon commander in the 7th Armored Brigade’s 77th Battalion in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and was among the first to respond to the Hamas attack that ultimately killed some 1,200 people and initially saw the abduction of more than 250 men, women and children. 

His parents, Orna and Ronen, who spoke with Fox News Digital just days prior to the tragic development, believed their son was still alive after the IDF had long assessed that he, along with Nimrod Cohen, another soldier from his tank, were taken hostage into Gaza and remained alive.

7 US HOSTAGES STILL HELD BY HAMAS TERRORISTS AS FAMILIES PLEAD FOR THEIR RELEASE: 'THIS IS URGENT'

"For 420 days Omer’s parents and his brother Daniel have done everything they can with the love and support of hundreds of thousands of others to free their son from captivity," Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., who represents the Neutra family’s district, said from the House floor. "Every day they soldiered on through alternating deep sorrow and brief bursts of hopefulness. They went from crushing anxiety to steely determination. 

"Just a few days ago we learned that this courageous young man, this bright light, this courageous idealist, made the ultimate sacrifice," Suozzi continued. "Omer had not been alive for the last 422 days, he was murdered on Oct. 7."

Footage from the attack on Omer’s tank showed the commander, as well as three others, Shaked Dahan, Oz Daniel and Nimrod Cohen being pulled from the military vehicle by Hamas terrorists and being taken captive. 

Daniel and Dahan had previously been assessed to have been killed following the attack, and according to the IDF, intelligence now suggests Omer, a descendant of Holocaust survivors, was also killed on Oct. 7. 2023.

AMERICAN FATHER OF HAMAS HOSTAGE ITAY CHEN PUSHES US, ISRAEL ON ‘PLAN B’ AS NEGOTIATIONS FALTER

The Israeli military has not said how they came by this new information and the fate of Cohen remains unknown.

In a memorial service held for Omer on Tuesday in the Long Island synagogue where he reportedly celebrated his bar mitzvah years earlier, Omer's father Ronen, said the news had left them "breathless and empty."

"For over a year now, we’ve been breathing life into your being, my beautiful boy," Orna said through tears, according to reports. "With the hope and love of so many, we kept going and going and going, keeping you alive, speaking your name from every outlet, pushing any hint of despair, not stopping to breathe or to take in the deep pain of your absence." 

"Now things are clear," she said to the reported 1,500 attendees at the service. "But not as we’d hoped."

Onra and Ronen have described their son as loving, a good friend and an athlete, but they also highlighted his ability to lead and how his actions on Oct. 7, 2023 saved lives. 

Omer’s body is believed to still be held by Hamas along with the six other American hostages, only three of whom are still assessed by the IDF to be alive at this time, including Edan Alexander, Sagui Dekel-Chen and Keith Siegel.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin's body was recovered after he, along with five others, were discovered to have been murdered by Hamas in the tunnels in Gaza in August.

There are still 100 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza following the recovery of Itai Svirski’s body on Wednesday, an Israeli hostage taken during the attack on Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7, 2023.

The IDF confirmed he "was murdered in captivity by his captors, and his body was held hostage in the Gaza Strip."

The Mexican military captured more than a ton of fentanyl pills, one of the biggest seizures of the synthetic opioid in the country's history, during two raids on Tuesday, officials said.

The raids came after a sharp drop in fentanyl seizures in Mexico this year and days after President-elect Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods. Trump said the taxes were in response to the lackluster prevention of illegal immigration and drugs flowing into the United States from its neighbors.

Mexican authorities said soldiers and marines spotted two men Tuesday carrying guns in Sinaloa, the state that is home to the eponymous drug cartel.

TRUMP'S PROPOSED TARIFFS ON MEXICO, CANADA, CHINA WILL INCREASE INFLATION, GOLDMAN SACHS WARNS

During the chase, the men ran into two houses. Around 660 pounds of fentanyl was found in one of the homes and a truck in the other had 1,750 pounds of the drug. Several guns were also confiscated, and two men were arrested.

"In Sinaloa, we achieved the biggest seizure in history of fentanyl," Public Safety Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch wrote on social media. 

On Wednesday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said, "This is an investigation that had been going on for some time, and yesterday it bore fruit."

The pretext for the drug seizure – randomly noticing two men carrying weapons  – has been used before by Mexican authorities to enter homes without a warrant. 

Fentanyl seizures in Mexico had fallen significantly earlier this year, with as little as a few ounces being taken by authorities at points during the past summer. 

TRUMP TARIFFS WILL BRING MEXICO TO THE TABLE, TEXAS DEMOCRAT SAYS

Mexican drug cartels produce fentanyl using precursors sourced from China, and then smuggle it into the U.S., where it causes around 70,000 overdose deaths annually, experts have said. 

Trump has urged Mexico to get tougher on drug smuggling. He also threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on China over the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. 

News of the seizure came as the U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that it was increasing the reward for Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, from $10 million to $15 million. Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," is the co-founder and current leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a violent drug cartel responsible for trafficking fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the U.S. 

In response to sweeping tariff threats, Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau both spoke with Trump. Sheinbaum and Trump spoke over the phone during a "productive" conversation. Trudea said the tariff would kill his country's economy. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The French National Assembly passed a vote of no-confidence on Wednesday, effectively collapsing the current government.

331 members voted in favor of the motion, exceeding the 288 votes needed.

The vote means that Prime Minister Michel Barnier is expected to resign just a mere three months into holding his position.

NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL TO REOPEN, BRACES FOR INFLUX OF TOURISTS AFTER DEVASTATING FIRE 

This breaking news story is still developing. Check back with us for updates.

Former British nurse Lucy Letby, who is serving a whole life sentence in prison for murdering seven babies in her care, has been questioned about the deaths of more infants, police said on Wednesday.

Letby, 34, was found guilty last year of killing the newborns and attempting to murder seven more between June 2015 and June 2016 while working in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester, northern England, making her Britain's worst serial child killer of modern times.

NURSE LUCY LETBY 'CAUGHT VIRTUALLY RED-HANDED' DISLODGING PREMATURE BABY'S BREATHING TUBE: PROSECUTORS

She was convicted of an eighth count of attempted murder at a retrial earlier this year.

At the time of her conviction, police said they were carrying out further investigations into the whole time Letby had worked as a nurse at the hospital and at another one in Liverpool, where she had trained, to identify if there were any more victims.

"We can confirm that, following agreement, Lucy Letby has recently been interviewed in prison under caution in relation to the ongoing investigation into baby deaths and non-fatal collapses at the Countess of Chester Hospital and the Liverpool Women’s Hospital," Cheshire Police said in a statement.

The force said further updates would follow at the appropriate time.

Currently a public inquiry is underway into how the killings went undetected, and to review the hospital's response to concerns raised by doctors about Letby before her arrest.

Since her trials, Letby's case has faced criticism by some experts of the medical and statistical evidence presented by the prosecution, with some media questioning whether she might be the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

However, London's Court of Appeal has rejected her attempts to overturn her convictions.

Former Vice President Mike Pence came out in support of the "hawkish" tariffs President-elect Trump has vowed to hit China with, though warned in a Tuesday night address that the U.S. needs to balance its challenging relationship with Beijing. 

"The threats of additional tariffs on China and on other nations are not a bluff," he said, addressing the U.S.-based China General Chamber of Commerce Tuesday night. "I believe with wise choices that look to the future, America’s relationship with China can ultimately improve – not in spite of President Trump’s tough approach to China, but because of it. 

"China is our rival and our economic adversary – but China must not become our enemy," he added.

TRUMP'S PROPOSED TARIFFS ON MEXICO, CANADA, CHINA WILL INCREASE INFLATION, GOLDMAN SACHS WARNS

Pence’s comments came just one week after Trump said one of his first moves as president will be to slap a 25% tariff on all goods coming from Mexico and Canada until they crack down on border control – a move President Biden warned could upend the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that promotes duty-free trade between the three North American countries. 

In addition, he said China can expect "an additional 10% tariff, above any additional tariffs" until it too cracks down on illegal fentanyl smuggling.

Tariffs are taxes placed on goods crossing the U.S. border and are used as a tool to dissuade certain imports as U.S. companies pay the price for higher tariffs – a fee that gets passed along to the American consumer.

According to the Tax Foundation, the Trump administration imposed some "$80 billion worth of new taxes on Americans" in 2018 and 2019 when he slapped tariffs on $380 billion worth of products.

The Biden administration largely kept these tariffs in place and then enforced additional tax increases on $18 billion worth of Chinese goods.

TRUMP TARIFFS WILL BRING MEXICO TO THE TABLE, TEXAS DEMOCRAT SAYS

The combined trade war policies currently in place reportedly account for $79 billion in active tariffs, which "amounts to an average annual tax increase on U.S. households of $625," found the organization.

But in an attempt to ease concerns over additional tax hikes, Pence addressed American and Chinese company owners in attendance at the gala Tuesday night, saying it is a necessary step to bring China back to the negotiating table to reverse trade abuse practices, intellectual property theft, and the Chinese government’s increasingly adversarial posture.

"I’m sure that some of you are concerned that tariffs and other restrictions on China will hurt the economy, ours and China’s, or potentially even worse, lead to a trade war that damages both our nations. I understand those concerns," Pence said.

"I fervently hope his proposed tariffs will bring China back to the negotiating table as it did during our administration. I know this will be difficult and create challenges in the short-term, but it will be well worth it in the long-term," he added. "We want better for America and China – and I believe a firm, but fair approach is the best way to get there." 

Pence said that after four years of serving with Trump, he "know[s] his mind" and remains confident the president-elect can balance respectful diplomacy with hard economic policies. 

"The goal of tariffs is not to isolate or restrain China, but the president-elect’s goal in tariffs is to promote better relations through actions and reform to forge a better future," he said. 

Hamas said it had information that Israel intended to carry out a hostage rescue operation similar to one conducted in Gaza's Nuseirat camp in June and threatened to "neutralize" the captives if any such action took place, according to an internal statement seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

In the statement dated Nov. 22, Hamas told its operatives not to consider what the repercussions of following the instructions might be and said it held Israel responsible for the fate of the hostages.

The statement, which a senior Hamas source told Reuters was circulated to its factions by the intelligence unit of the group's military wing, Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, did not say when any Israeli operation was expected to take place.

ISRAEL'S NETANYAHU REACTS AFTER TRUMP WARNS OF 'HELL TO PAY' IF HAMAS DOESN'T FREE HOSTAGES

There was no immediate Israeli response to the statement. On Wednesday, Israeli media cited Defense Minister Israel Katz as saying pressure on Hamas was increasing and this time "we will really be able to advance a hostage deal."

Israel's Nuseirat rescue operation on June 9 saw Israeli forces free four hostages, who had been held by Hamas since October 2023, in a raid Palestinian officials said killed more than 200 people, making it one of the bloodiest Israeli assaults of the war.

In the Hamas statement, the group told its operatives to "tighten" the living conditions of the captives and said this should be done in accordance with instructions issued after the Nuseirat operation.

In a section titled "recommendations," Hamas also instructed its operatives to "activate neutralization orders... as an immediate and swift response to any adventure by the enemy."

Israel launched its campaign in Gaza after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israeli communities across the border on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's military campaign has since killed more than 44,500 Palestinians and injured many others, according to Palestinian figures. The offensive has reduced much of Gaza to rubble.

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was released from Evin prison after the suspension of her jail term to undergo medical treatment, her husband Taqi Rahmani told Reuters on Wednesday.

Mohammadi is serving multiple sentences in Tehran's notorious Evin prison on charges including spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

HERE'S HOW THE US AND ISRAEL COULD THWART IRAN’S NUCLEAR EFFORTS UNDER A NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

"Based on the opinion of the forensic doctor, the office of Tehran's Prosecutor suspended the jail sentence of Narges Mohammadi for three weeks and she was released from prison," her lawyer Mostafa Nili said on X on Wednesday.

"The reason for this is her physical condition after the removal of a tumor and a bone grafting operation that was performed 21 days ago. Her tumor was fortunately benign, but she must be examined every three months."

Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023, following her three-decade campaign for women's rights and the abolition of the death penalty in Iran.

The head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the prize, said he was "deeply worried about her enduring illness and pain".

"We call upon the Iranian authorities to permanently end her imprisonment and ensure that she will get adequate medical treatment for her illnesses," Joergen Watne Frydnes said in a statement.

Excavations near Hedensted, Denmark, during the expansion of a freeway revealed several "well-preserved" ancient artifacts from the Iron Age that seemed to have been buried intentionally thousands of years ago. 

During excavations at Løsning Søndermark conducted by archaeologists with Vejle Museums, numerous items were uncovered. 

Archaeologists suggest the discovered weaponry was buried by a chieftain as an offering to a higher power, according to a press release from the museum released Nov. 22. 

FLORIDA PROFESSOR FINDS EVIDENCE THAT ANCIENT EGYPTIANS DRANK HALLUCINOGENIC COCKTAILS

The weaponry dates back to the Iron Age, according to the press release. The large number of artifacts found would have been enough to equip a small army. 

"From the very first surveys, we knew this was going to be extraordinary, but the excavation has exceeded all our expectations. The sheer number of weapons is astonishing, but what fascinates me most is the glimpse they provide into the societal structure and daily life of the Iron Age. We suddenly feel very close to the people who lived here 1,500 years ago," Elias Witte Thomasen, archaeologist and excavation leader from Vejle Musuems said of the find. 

Among the artifacts found at the site were 119 lances and spears, eight swords, five knives, three arrowheads, one axe, a bridle, fragments of a bugle, fragments of at least two oath rings and several bronze and iron objects that have not been identified yet, according to the press release. 

9-YEAR-OLD BOY FINDS 60,000-YEAR-OLD AXE AT SHOREHAM BEACH IN ENGLAND

Another significant item discovered at the site was a "very rare" chain mail.

The type of armor was worn by knights and military men, created by sewing iron rings to fabric or leather, according to Britannica. 

This type of armor took great effort and access to special resources to create, making it a costly piece reserved for those of elite status. 

MOM, SON DIG UP ANCIENT OBJECT OFTEN FOUND NEAR BURIAL GROUNDS WHILE GARDENING

Additionally, there were fragments of two bronze neck rings at the site. 

The rare, valuable objects uncovered from the site point to the power and influence the chieftain had. 

Analysis of the items uncovered from the excavation continues, according to the press release. 

Some of the artifacts may be put on display in early 2025 at Vejle Cultural Museum. 

EXCLUSIVE – The Iran-backed terrorist movement Hezbollah laid the foundation to launch an Oct. 7-Hamas style invasion into Israel’s north, according to shocking new video footage and documents first viewed and obtained by Fox News Digital.

"Hezbollah has been planning their own 10/7," an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intelligence official told Fox News Digital, in a reference to the Hamas massacre of over 1,200 people on Oct. 7, 2023, including more than 40 Americans, in southern Israel.

"The plan has been effectively eliminated. We dismantled the high-level command of Radwan," the IDF official said about Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MIDDLE EAST'S HEZBOLLAH AND HAMAS GROUPS?

Fox News Digital secured a rare view into the inner workings of Hezbollah’s "Conquer the Galilee" plan – named after the region in northern Israel – via an IDF interrogation of a Hezbollah terrorist and a review of the Lebanese organization’s strategic warfare plans.

IDF infantry captured a Rawdan terrorist in the south Lebanese village of Aita al-Shaab in mid-October. The IDF videotaped the terrorist’s interrogation. In matter of fact military language, the operative outlines Hezbollah’s chilling plan to "Conquer the Galilee."

Hezbollah’s war aim, according to the terror operative, is "Occupying the Galilee."

"They said they want to enter (Israel), they want to breakthrough. The Rawdan forces is essentially on the frontline, to gather information and (build) invasion tunnels," said the man whose name could not be disclosed by the IDF for intelligence reasons.

When questioned about securing information, he said, "Gathering information about the settlements, positions, the quantity of weapons and tanks, using intelligence equipment. The entry into Israel was planned for the morning. They wanted to execute the operation, starting with a very strong attack – thousands of rockets, Burkan missiles, everything… War plans, essentially."

He continued about Rawdan’s approach to Israeli civilians. "Those they encounter, we’ll fight. Face to face, us and them, and those who want to surrender can do just that, just like I did, then I came here. Same thing. We take those who surrender as prisoners, take them and bring them (into Lebanon)."

For the Israeli civilians who refuse to surrender, the Rawdan terrorist uttered one word about their fate: "Kill."

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

The Rawdan force was named after the late Hezbollah leader, Imad Mughniyah, who was assassinated in a joint CIA-Mossad operation in 2008. Mughniyah carried out acts of terrorism under the nom de guerre of Rawdan, which means he with whom Allah is content. 

After high-intensity warfare between Hezbollah and Israel erupted in September, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari described Hezbollah’s plan to "Conquer the Galilee" in a video presentation on Oct. 1.

The Galilee – a central region for Old and New Testament history – was in the crosshairs of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's former general-secretary, for over a decade.

"It is a plan for which we train, and prepare… We have prepared this plan. It is complete. Yes, part of our plan for the next war is to enter the Galilee," said Nasrallah, according to a Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) translation of his statement from the Hezbollah-linked Al-Manar TV in 2019. 

Israel eliminated Nasrallah, who had the blood of American soldiers on his hands, in a surgical military strike in September. 

"Nasrallah’s 2011 plan to conquer the Galilee was massive," said the IDF intelligence official about the region famous among Christian pilgrims. The area is described in the New Testament, Matthew 4:23: "Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people."

HEZBOLLAH'S NEIGHBORS: ISRAELI BORDER COMMUNITY UNDER CONSTANT ATTACK FROM TERROR GROUP

The IDF uncovered in Kfar Blida, Lebanon (a mere 4 km from Kibbutz Yiftach in Israel), a document packed with the logistical thinking and planning behind Nasrallah’s scorched earth policy for towns and cities in the Galilee. 

The Hezbollah planning exercise outlines "raids on Kiryat Shmona, Nahariya and Tiberias," according to the document.

"Company 1143 will provide air defense to secure the operational area and prevent enemy aircraft from disrupting the maneuvering forces, with the goal of capturing Kiryat Shmona," wrote, Mihrab, the Hezbollah operative and author of the document.

A section of the war plan notes that "…the entire battalion will prepare to continue the offensive toward the city of Nahariya."

The content of the report is composed as an exercise for Hezbollah operatives, with test questions. The planned seizures of various locations are identified with "Hill" and a number. The targeted hills are apparently Israeli locations. It is unclear when the document was written. One exercise attack is listed as Jan. 1, 2018. 

For the IDF, the highly detailed war planning outlined in the document is part and parcel of Nasrallah’s long-standing plan to invade the Galilee.

Tasks required for the Hezbollah terrorists are: noted as "Detail the order of forces; Develop the maneuver plan; Develop the fire plan; Write the task of the maneuver units according to what was outlined in the decision."

In September, Fox News Digital reported Israel eliminated Ibrahim Aqil, the head of operations and the commander of its Radwan Forces who oversaw Hezbollah’s Conquer the Galilee plan.

The IDF intelligence official stressed to Fox News Digital that "It is a constant motif of Hezbollah to conquer the Galilee." He added about Hezbollah, "We destroyed their infrastructure and set them back a few decades. This plan [Conquer the Galilee] can never be allowed to become practical again."

The U.S. brokered a fragile cease-fire last week between Israel and Hezbollah. IDF soldiers alleged that the controversial U.N. peacekeeper force (UNIFIL) is enabling Hezbollah to breach the agreement.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday was facing pressure from legislators and the public to step down or be impeached after he ended a martial law, which led to troops encircling parliament, that he called for just hours earlier.

Yoon's senior advisers and secretaries offered to collectively resign. The president's Cabinet members, including Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, were also facing calls to resign. All members of the South Korean State Council reportedly expressed their intention to resign.

On Tuesday night, Yoon abruptly imposed martial law and pledged to eliminate "anti-state" forces after he struggled to move his agenda through the opposition-dominated parliament. The martial law, however, was only in effect for about six hours since the National Assembly voted to overrule the president's decision.

The martial law was formally lifted during a cabinet meeting at around 4:30 a.m.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT LIFTS MARTIAL LAW AFTER LAWMAKERS REJECT MOVE

Lawmakers submitted a motion to impeach the president over his martial law declaration.

The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the parliament, threatened earlier in the day that its lawmakers would move to impeach the president if he did not resign immediately.

"President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration was a clear violation of the constitution. It didn’t abide by any requirements to declare it," the Democratic Party said in a statement. "His martial law declaration was originally invalid and a grave violation of the constitution. It was a grave act of rebellion and provides perfect grounds for his impeachment."

WHY DID YOON'S PARTY LOSE IN SOUTH KOREA'S ELECTIONS AND WHAT TROUBLES DOES HE FACE NOW?

Impeaching the president would require the approval of two-thirds of the parliament's 300 members. The Democratic Party and other small opposition parties together make up 192 seats. But 18 lawmakers from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party cast ballots opposing the president's decision when the parliament rejected Yoon’s martial law declaration in a 190-0 vote.

The leader of the People Power Party, Han Dong-hun, criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration as "unconstitutional."

If Yoon is impeached, he will not have his constitutional powers until the Constitutional Court can rule on his fate. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the second in command in the South Korean government, would take over his presidential responsibilities.

Amid calls for Yoon’s Cabinet to resign, Han issued a public message asking for patience and calling for Cabinet members to "fulfill your duties even after this moment."

Yoon’s martial law declaration was the first of its kind in more than 40 years. Scenes of military intervention had not been seen since South Korea achieved genuine democracy in the late 1980s.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Authorities in the United Kingdom recently recovered a stolen van filled with 2,500 pies in an unusual food heist gone wrong.

The value of the pies was estimated to be 25,000 British pounds, or $32,000. The food items were owned by Tommy Banks, a restaurateur who owns two Michelin-starred establishments.

The vehicle, which was filled with steak and ale pies as well as a turkey and butternut variety, was supposed to head to a Christmas market in York.

The theft of the pies caused a stir on social media earlier this week, leading Banks to call on his followers to find the lost pies.

WOMAN 'STILL SUFFERING' AFTER BEING KNOCKED OUT BY A CAULIFLOWER WHILE GROCERY SHOPPING

"Thieves! Keep your eyes on the Pies!!" Banks wrote on X before the van was found. "Help find the pies. Let's try and recover them and feed some people."

Banks also asked the thieves to "do the right thing" and drop the pies off at a community center so the food wouldn't go to waste.

MAN STUMBLES ACROSS GEM WORTH THOUSANDS HIDDEN IN DIRT: 'IT'S LIKE NOTHING ELSE'

The pies were left in the stolen van, Banks said, but were too damaged to be eaten or sold. Banks confirmed that the van was insured but lamented the loss of the savory pies.

"It’s just so much waste. It’s just rubbish," Banks said in a video on Instagram. "Sorry, it’s not a happier ending to this story."

The pie incident is one of a few unusual food heists in the United Kingdom this year. In October, a group of thieves that posed as a wholesale distributor stole over 950 wheels of English cheddar.

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The estimated value of the stolen cheese was $390,000. Local residents were asked to be on the lookout for "clothbound Cheddars in a [22-pound] or [52-pound] format with the tags detached."

The Associated Press and Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol lifted his martial law declaration after lawmakers rejected the move following Yoon's vow to eliminate "anti-state" forces in a serious challenge to the country's Parliament, which he accused of sympathizing with North Korea. 

The Tuesday night declaration was vocally opposed by the speaker of Parliament and even the leader of Yoon's own party, Han Dong-hoon, who has clashed with the president over his handling of recent scandals, Reuters reported. 

Shortly after Yoon made his announcement, people began gathering outside the Parliament building, some of them shouting: "Withdraw emergency martial law!" while scuffling with troops. Under South Korean law, the president must lift martial law if the Parliament demands it with a majority vote. 

WHY DID YOON'S PARTY LOSE IN SOUTH KOREA'S ELECTIONS AND WHAT TROUBLES DOES HE FACE NOW?

All 190 lawmakers who participated in the vote supported the lifting of martial law. Television footage showed soldiers who had been stationed at Parliament leaving the site after the vote.

Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was monitoring the situation and that U.S. forces were in close contact with their South Korean counterparts. 

"The U.S. government writ large is in contact with the Republic of Korea," Ryder told reporters. 

Ryder was not aware of any changes to any force posture for the 28,500 U.S. service members stationed in the country. 

In an unannounced address broadcast live late at night on YTN, Yoon said he had no choice but to take drastic measures to protect South Korean freedoms and the constitutional order. He said opposition parties have taken the parliamentary process hostage and thrown the country into crisis.

"I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the free constitutional order," he said. 

He added that martial law would help "rebuild and protect" the country from "falling into the depths of national ruin." 

Yoon's’s surprising move hearkened back to an authoritarian era not seen since the 1980s.

The liberal Democratic Party has controlled South Korea's single-chamber National Assembly since Yoon, a former top prosecutor, took office in 2022. Those in the opposition have repeatedly thwarted Yoon's agenda and the president has had low approval ratings.

Fox News Digital's Chris Pandolfo and the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says President-elect Donald Trump is in the "right place" when it comes to his warning of there being "hell to pay" if Hamas doesn’t release their remaining hostages. 

"President Trump put the emphasis in the right place, on Hamas, and not on the Israeli government, as is customary [elsewhere]," Netanyahu said Tuesday at the beginning of a cabinet meeting, according to Reuters. 

Trump on Monday called on Hamas to release all hostages prior to when he takes office on Jan. 20. 

In a Truth Social post, Trump said nothing was being done to free those being held by the Iran-backed terror group since Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas attacked Israel and killed at least 1,200 people and kidnapped at least 250 others. Of the 101 hostages that remain in Gaza, seven are Americans. 

AMERICAN-ISRAELI IDF PLATOON COMMANDER KILLED IN BATTLE, BODY HELD IN GAZA, IDF SAYS 

"Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East – But it’s all talk, and no action!" Trump wrote.  

"Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity," Trump added. 

7 US HOSTAGES ARE STILL HELD BY HAMAS TERRORISTS 

The message also drew support from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. 

"This is the way to bring back the hostages: by increasing the pressure and the costs for Hamas and its supporters, and defeating them, rather than giving in to their absurd demands," Reuters quoted him as saying. 

Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report. 

Israel issued a direct warning to Lebanon on Tuesday and said it will no longer distinguish between Hezbollah and the country should the tenuous cease-fire with the terrorist group collapse.

"There will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, according to the Times of Israel, adding that Jerusalem will "show maximum response and zero tolerance."

"[Beirut must] authorize the Lebanese army to enforce their part, to keep Hezbollah away beyond the Litani [River] and to dismantle all the infrastructure," Katz continued in reference to one of the 13-point agreements in the Wednesday cease-fire that said only the Lebanese army will operate in the area south of the landmark river.

IDF SOLDIERS ACCUSE UN PEACEKEEPERS OF ENABLING HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS AMID INCREASING CEASE-FIRE VIOLATIONS

"If they don’t do it and this whole agreement collapses, then the reality will be very clear. First of all, if we return to war we will act strongly, we will go deeper and the most important thing they need to know, that there will be no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon," he added.

"Until now we have distinguished between the state of Lebanon and Hezbollah, and between Beirut as a whole and Dahiyeh – which we have struck very hard – this will no longer be," Katz warned in reference to the Beirut suburb and previous Hezbollah stronghold.

The defense minister’s comments come after Israel fired a wave of strikes Monday evening that, according to The Associated Press, killed 11 people after Hezbollah launched two mortars at the Mount Dov area in the northern Golan Heights – a contested area that is still internationally recognized as part of Syria, though which Israel has occupied since 1967. 

The Trump administration recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019. The Biden administration continued with that policy, reaffirming it again in the summer following a deadly Hezbollah rocket attack on the town of Majdal Shams that killed 12 children.

AMERICAN-ISRAELI IDF PLATOON COMMANDER KILLED IN BATTLE, BODY HELD IN GAZA, IDF SAYS

The terrorist group said it levied the first strike since the cease-fire was signed less than a week ago in response to Israel’s "repeated violations" involving Lebanese airspace, reported the Times of Israel. 

The U.S. and France – which helped broker the truce – on Sunday and Monday also reportedly warned Israel it was violating the new agreement, including by conducting surveillance drone flights over Beirut.

However, despite the tit-for-tat exchange that has drawn into question the strength of the new cease-fire agreement, White House National Security Council communications adviser John Kirby told reporters on Monday the "sporadic" air strikes were to be "expected."

"You're talking about a war that's been raging now for actually many years," he said.  "If you think about it, certainly since Oct. 7, we went from hundreds of rocket attacks to basically zero by Hezbollah and dozens of airstrikes by Israel to one or two per day." 

"There's been a dramatic reduction in the violence," Kirby added.

Kirby said that in anticipation of similar strikes like those exchanged on Monday, there are "mechanisms" in place that are working to stop the attacks.

"That mechanism is in full force, and is working," he added without going into additional detail.