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JERUSALEM – President Biden’s top Middle East advisers are scrambling to mediate a temporary cease-fire deal between Israel and the Lebanon-based terrorist movement Hezbollah that would dislodge the reportedly ineffective U.N. mission.

The controversial United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was tasked by a U.S.-backed U.N. Security Council resolution with aiding the Lebanese army following the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, with a goal toward disarming the Iran-backed terrorist organization. 

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that a person briefed on the talks and a senior diplomat working on Lebanon said the two-month period would be used to finalize full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 to keep southern Lebanon free of arms outside state control.

HOW A US-BACKED UN RESOLUTION FAILED TO STOP HEZBOLLAH TERROR TAKEOVER: 'BIPARTISAN FAILURE'

U.S. presidential advisers Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk are slated to arrive in Israel on Thursday in an attempt to seal the temporary cease-fire deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security consultation meeting on Tuesday with key defense members of his administration and discussed the elements of a long-term deal to stop Hezbollah, according to Israel’s Channel 12. 

Amit Segal, chief political analyst of Channel 12, told Fox News Digital, "The end of the war in Lebanon, with an agreement that allows Israel to respond with fire to any violation, is a clear victory after a year of fighting and fundamentally changes the situation. This is why Hezbollah is still hesitant, and the increasing military pressure is intended to convince them."

Segal said the potential deal involves Israeli enforcement of Resolution 1701 with the Lebanese army instead of the controversial UNIFIL mission.

Israeli media reported Naim Qassem, the new Hezbollah leader, pledged on Wednesday in a public address that the "work program" of Hassan Nasrallah will continue, including its war against the Jewish state. Nasrallah was killed last month in an Israeli strike. Qassem went on to claim Hezbollah is facing "American, European and global war to put an end to our resistance." 

He also said Hezbollah was not pushing for a cease-fire. "If the enemy wants to stop, we will accept terms that are suitable to us. Any solution will be through negotiations," the Hezbollah terror leader added. 

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

Qassem helped co-found Hezbollah, which launched suicide bombings against U.S. diplomatic and military personnel in 1983. The bombing of the U.S. embassy in Beirut killed 63 people, and Hezbollah also murdered 241 people at the U.S. Marine barracks in the Lebanese capital.

After Hezbollah announced Qassem’s as its new leader, IDF Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated on X that it would be a "temporary appointment" and "not for long."

The Iran regime-backed Hezbollah movement – the de facto ruler over Lebanon, according to the Mideast expert Walid Phares – has suffered severe operational defeats, including Israel’s targeted assassination of its long-term leader Nasrallah in Beirut.

The IDF announced on Wednesday that a military strike eliminated Mustafa Ahmad Shahadi, deputy commander of Hezbollah's Radwan Forces in the area of Nabatieh. According to the IDF, "Shahadi advanced numerous terror attacks against the State of Israel. His targeting is part of the effort to degrade Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces' capabilities to direct and execute terror activities against IDF troops and communities in the northern border, in particular the ‘Conquer the Galilee’ plan."

With hundreds of rockets still being launched against Israel by Hezbollah, Gallant said on Tuesday, "I estimate the remaining capacity of the missiles and rockets to be in the order of 20%, and also it is not organized in the way that it used to be organized, in a way that [Hezbollah] could fire [large] volleys."

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

The IDF has urged UNIFIL troops to withdraw from south Lebanon. However, UNIFIL declined to relocate its personnel from the war zone.

Hezbollah terrorists endangered UNIFIL personnel on Tuesday, with a UNIFIL spokesperson seemingly avoiding condemnation of the attack by saying, "A rocket hit UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, setting a vehicle workshop on fire. While some peacekeepers suffered minor injuries, fortunately no one was seriously injured. The rocket was fired from north of UNIFIL's headquarters, likely by Hezbollah or an affiliated group. We have opened an investigation into the incident."

Fox News approached UNIFIL spokeswoman Kandice Ardiel about an Israel Hayom media report that Hezbollah bribed UNIFIL personnel to exploit their positions against Israel. Ardiel, said, "I would take anonymous stories with a grain of salt. Peacekeeping is challenging work, particularly in the area in which UNIFIL operates. Peacekeepers are impartial, though that has not stopped both sides from accusing us of supporting or spying for the other. Nonetheless, we will investigate any allegation based on credible evidence."

Lt. Col.(Res.) Sarit Zehavi, president and founder of the Israel-based Alma Research and Education Center, told Fox News Digital that "UNIFIL actually enabled Hezbollah to build its military infrastructures not only in private territories but also in the open areas between the towns and villages." She said Hezbollah excavated tunnels in these areas. Alma tracks Hezbollah activity in southern Lebanon.

The IDF announced on Wednesday that it destroyed a Hezbollah "underground command center and a second site containing half a ton of explosives." 

The Taliban has once again taken steps to further impose extreme restrictions on women under its interpretation of sharia law in Afghanistan, this time banning women from "hearing other women’s voices" while they pray, reports said this week.

Khalid Hanafi, acting minister of the Vice and Virtue Ministry, made the announcement over a voice message posted to the ministry’s social media pages, though it has since been taken down, confirmed The Associated Press. 

"Even when an adult female prays and another female passes by, she must not pray loudly enough for them to hear," he said in a message reported to have been "rambling" by The Telegraph.

TALIBAN BEGINS ENFORCING RULE BANNING 'IMAGES OF LIVING BEINGS' IN AFGHAN MEDIA

Specific details of the ban remain unclear, as women are already forbidden from engaging in call-to-prayer or from speaking in public. They must also be fully covered, including their faces, under a new law decreed by the ministry in August. 

"It is prohibited for a grown woman to recite Quranic verses or perform recitations in front of another grown woman. Even chants of takbir (Allahu Akbar) are not permitted," Hanafi said in the message reportedly posted on Monday. "So, there is certainly no permission for singing."

The ban on public speaking enforced in August also means that women speaking inside their homes should not be able to be heard from outside.

TALIBAN DISMISS DISCRIMINATION ACCUSATIONS AS 'ABSURD' DESPITE BANNING WOMEN FROM PUBLIC IN AFGHANISTAN

This latest ban appears to be an attempt to bar women from praying or from using expressions like "subhanallah" – which is a common phrase essentially meaning "Glory be to Allah" – even while in their own homes if they are in front of other women. 

The Taliban have claimed these extremely oppressive measures on women are a move to stop them from "temptation and tempting others," and women in Afghanistan are required to have a male guardian whenever they leave their homes. 

Women who are found to have defied the rules are arrested and imprisoned. 

A report by Richard Bennett, the special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, was released Monday to the U.N. He found instances of sexual violence, including rape, used against women arrested by the Taliban. 

In his report, Bennett found the Taliban’s "system of gender oppression may amount to crimes against humanity, including gender persecution."

Bennett is set to present the findings of his report to the United Nations General Assembly on Nov. 1. 

The Pentagon is warning there will be no new limits on Ukraine's use of American weapons if North Korean soldiers amassing in Russia join the military conflict. 

The declaration comes after the Department of Defense announced in mid-October that it would provide Ukraine with another $425 million worth of supplies and weapons to defend itself from Russian troops, including missiles and artillery ammunition. 

Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh was asked by a reporter this week that if "U.S. weapons are used to kill North Korean soldiers ... that could have far-reaching implications ... will you have limits on what U.S. weapons can be used if it's a bunch of North Korean soldiers?" 

"No," she responded. "If North Korea – if we see DPRK troops moving in and towards the front lines, I mean, they are co-belligerents in the war. And so, they are fighting on these front lines and the Ukrainians are defending their sovereign territory and pushing the Russians back." 

PENTAGON SAYS ‘SMALL NUMBER’ OF NORTH KOREAN TROOPS IN RUSSIA’S KURSK REGION; BIDEN CONCERNED 

"That is a calculation that, you know, DPRK leadership is making to send their soldiers into combat," Singh continued. "But they would – if they are in combat, you know, they're fighting the Ukrainians, who are fighting for their sovereign territory. And we've made a commitment to Ukraine that we're going to continue to support them with whatever it takes." 

The Pentagon currently estimates that around 10,000 North Korean soldiers have entered Russia. 

NATO CONFIRMS NORTH KOREAN TROOPS DEPLOYED TO HELP RUSSIA IN WAR AGAINST UKRAINE 

"A portion of those soldiers have already moved closer to Ukraine towards Russia's Kursk Oblast, near the border with Ukraine. Approximately a couple thousand, with a smaller number already present in the Kursk region," Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday. "We remain concerned that Russia intends to use these soldiers in combat or to support combat operations against Ukrainian forces in Kursk. We continue to monitor closely and are consulting with our Ukrainian partners, as well as other allies and partners." 

Ryder said the North Korean troop movements are "an indication of the dire situation that Russia finds itself in, in terms of manpower on the front lines." 

"They have experienced significant casualties in this war and the fact that they now need to outsource for foreign troops, to help support their forces inside Russia indicates that that there's some serious questions in terms of their ability to continue to sustain their personnel requirements," he also said. 

At least 63 people have died in eastern Spain after flash floods swept away cars, turned village streets into rivers and disrupted rail lines and highways in the worst natural disaster to hit the European nation in recent memory.

Emergency services in the eastern region of Valencia confirmed a death toll of 62 people on Wednesday. The central government office for Castilla La Mancha region added that an 88-year-old woman was found dead in the city of Cuenca.

Rainstorms on Tuesday caused flooding in a wide swath of southern and eastern Spain, stretching from Malaga to Valencia. Floods of mud-colored water tumbled vehicles down streets at high speeds, while pieces of wood swirled in the water with household items. Police and rescue services used helicopters to lift people from their homes and rubber boats to reach drivers trapped on the roofs of cars.

AT LEAST 126 DEAD AND MISSING IN MASSIVE FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES IN PHILIPPINES

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said dozens of towns had been flooded.

"For those who are looking for their loved ones, all of Spain feels your pain," Sánchez said in a televised address. "Our priority is to help you. We are putting all the resources necessary so that we can recover from this tragedy."

Authorities reported several missing people late Tuesday, but the following morning brought the shocking announcement of dozens found dead.

"Yesterday was the worst day of my life," Ricardo Gabaldón, the mayor of Utiel, a town in Valencia, told national broadcaster RTVE. He said several people were still missing in his town.

"We were trapped like rats. Cars and trash containers were flowing down the streets. The water was rising to three meters," he said.

Over 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units were deployed to the devastated areas. Rescue services were also rushing eastwards from other parts of Spain. Spain’s central government set up a crisis committee to help coordinate rescue efforts.

One elderly couple was rescued from the upper story of their house by a military unit using a bulldozer, with three soldiers accompanying them in the huge shovel.

Television reports showed videos shot by panicked residents documenting how waters flooded the ground floors of apartments, streams bursting their banks and bridges giving way.

Spain has experienced similar autumn storms in recent years. Nothing, however, compared to the devastation over the last two days, which recalls floods in Germany and Belgium in 2021 that saw 230 people killed.

The death toll will likely rise with other regions yet to report victims and search efforts continuing in areas with difficult access.

In the village of Letur in the neighboring Castilla La Mancha region, Mayor Sergio Marín Sánchez said six people were missing.

Spain is still recovering from a severe drought and continues to register record high temperatures in recent years. Scientists say increased episodes of extreme weather are likely linked to climate change.

The storms unleashed a freak hailstorm which punched holes in car windows and greenhouses as well as a rarely seen tornado.

Transport was also impacted. A high-speed train with nearly 300 people on board derailed near Malaga, although rail authorities said no one was hurt. High-speed train service between Valencia city and Madrid was interrupted, as were several commuter lines.

Valencian regional President Carlos Mazón urged people to stay at home, with travel by road already difficult due to fallen trees and wrecked vehicles. Authorities warned that the danger was not over with more rain coming.

As the waters fell, thick layers of mud-covered streets.

"The neighborhood is destroyed, all the cars are on top of each other, it’s literally smashed up," Christian Viena, a bar owner in the Valencian village of Barrio de la Torre, said by phone. "Everything is a total wreck, everything is ready to be thrown away. The mud is almost 30 centimeters deep."

Outside Viena's bar, people were venturing out to see what they could salvage. Cars were piled up and the streets were filled with clumps of water-logged branches.

Located south of Barcelona down the Mediterranean coast, Valencia is a tourist destination known for its beaches, citrus orchards, and as the home of Spain’s paella rice dish.

Like some other areas of Spain, Valencia has gorges and small riverbeds that spend much of the year completely dry but quickly fill with water when it rains. Many of them pass through populated areas.

The rain had subsided in Valencia by late Wednesday morning. But more storms were forecast through Thursday, according to Spain’s national weather service.

Israel took out three of Iran's Russian-made S-300 missile defense systems during last week's retaliatory strike against the Islamic Republic, Fox News has learned. 

Israel carried out the strategic airstrike on Oct. 26, marking a significant escalation in the conflict between the two countries during the operation’s chosen name, "Days of Repentance." The strikes targeted critical military infrastructure, delivering both a symbolic and tactical blow to Iran’s strategic capabilities following Tehran's attack on Israel weeks earlier.

ISRAEL BEGINS RETALIATORY STRIKES AGAINST IRAN FOLLOWING MISSILE BARRAGE TARGETING ISRAELIS

The Biden administration was informed about Israel's strike in advance. The targets were chosen in an effort to send a pinpoint message to Iran and to degrade its ability to fire ballistic missiles at Israel anytime soon.

At the start of the year, Iran only had four S300 surface-to-air missile systems. In April, Israel took out one of the missile systems in response to Iran's first ballistic missile attack. A senior U.S. official confirmed the airstrikes took out the three S-300 missile systems. 

"The majority of Iran’s air defense was taken out." a senior Israeli official told Fox News. 

On an internal call, President Biden's adviser for the Middle East, Amos Hochstein, said "Iran is essentially naked" with no more missile defense. 

IT WAS 'WISE' FOR ISRAEL TO NOT STRIKE IRANIAN OIL, NUCLEAR FACILITIES, SAYS FORMER USS COLE COMMANDER

Israeli warplanes also took out multiple radar systems that are needed to guide the same ballistic missiles that were fired at Israel in April and on Oct. 1 when Iran fired 181 ballistic missiles at the Jewish state. Many of the missiles were destroyed before reaching their target, and others caused minimal damage, the Department of Defense said. 

Removing the radar systems prevents Iran from firing those missiles in the future, a senior official said. 

"Our message is very, very clear… ‘Any threat, anywhere, at any time, we will know how to reach it, we will know how to strike,’" said Israel Defense Forces Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi. 

Halevi emphasized that Israel had only deployed a portion of its capabilities, suggesting that further actions could be taken should Iran escalate.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has urged Iran not to respond to Israel's strikes. 

"We believe that this should be the end of this tit-for-tat," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said during a meeting today with reporters. "We don't think that Iran should or needs to respond. On Oct. 1, Iran launched the 200 ballistic missiles that were targeting civilian population centers. Israel's response was targeted at military targets."

"We see this as a way to off-ramp," she added. 

Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter contributed to this report. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that the thousands of North Korean soldiers expected to reinforce Russian troops on the front line in Ukraine are pushing the almost three-year war beyond the borders of the warring parties.

Western leaders say North Korea has sent some 10,000 soldiers to help Russia’s military campaign and warn that its involvement in a European war could also unsettle relations in the Indo-Pacific region, including Japan and Australia.

NORTH KOREA AND RUSSIA SEND POLITICAL SHOCKWAVES WITH UKRAINE WAR MOVES

Zelenskyy said he spoke to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and told him that 3,000 North Korean soldiers are already at military bases close to the Ukrainian front line and that he expects that deployment to increase to 12,000.

At the Pentagon on Tuesday, spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said a "relatively small number" of North Korean troops are now in Russia's Kursk region, where Russian troops have been struggling to push back a Ukrainian incursion, and a couple thousand more are heading in that direction.

South Korea, which has been in close contact with NATO, the U.S. and the European Union about the latest developments, warned last week that it could send arms to Ukraine in retaliation for the North's involvement.

"There is only one conclusion — this war is internationalized and goes beyond the borders" of Ukraine and Russia, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.

The Ukrainian president also said he and Yoon agreed to step up their countries' cooperation and exchange more intelligence, as well as develop concrete responses to Pyongyang's involvement.

In Washington, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan met Tuesday with Zelenskyy's top adviser to discuss the North Korean troops as well as a coming surge of weaponry that the U.S. is delivering to Kyiv to help the Ukrainians harden protection of their energy infrastructure, according to White House officials familiar with their private talks.

Sullivan and Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, shared concerns that North Korean troops could be deployed to Russia's Kursk region and what such a development could mean for the conflict.

The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly, said during the two-hour meeting at the White House, Sullivan also briefed Yermak on President Joe Biden’s plans to push additional artillery systems, ammunition, hundreds of armored vehicles and more to Ukraine before he leaves office in January.

Sullivan told Yermak that by year’s end, the U.S. administration plans to provide Ukraine with 500 additional Patriot and ARAAM missiles to help bolster air defenses, according to the officials.

Meanwhile, North Korea said its top diplomat is visiting Russia in another sign of their deepening relationship.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest point in years, with North Korea continuing a run of provocative weapons tests and South Korea and the U.S. expanding their military drills.

Russian drones, missiles and bombs smashed into Kyiv and Kharkiv, Ukraine’s biggest cities, in nighttime attacks, killing four people and wounding 15 in a continuing aerial onslaught, authorities said Tuesday.

Russia has bombarded civilian areas of Ukraine almost daily since its full-scale invasion of its neighbor, causing thousands of casualties.

The Russian army is also pushing hard against front-line defenses in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Tuesday that Russian troops captured the Donetsk town of Hirnyk and the villages of Katerynivka, and Bohoiavlenka.

Zelenskyy also spoke about the war at a meeting Tuesday in Reykjavik with the leaders of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden. He said a conference will begin in Canada on Wednesday to address the abduction of what he said were tens of thousands of children by Russia from Ukraine’s occupied territories.

A Russian aerial attack struck Kharkiv, in Ukraine’s northeast, at around 3 a.m., hitting a house and killing four people, regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said. Nearly 20 houses were damaged in the attack, he said.

Several hours earlier, Russia dropped a glide bomb on the landmark Derzhprom building in the Kharkiv city center, injuring seven people, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Derzhprom, also known as the Palace of Industry, is being considered for inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Terekhov said Russia has concentrated attacks on Kharkiv in recent days. He urged people not to ignore air raid warnings.

Authorities in Kyiv said debris from intercepted Russian drones fell on two city districts, injuring six people.

Ukraine has also used long-range drones to disrupt Russia’s war machine and embarrass the Kremlin by striking targets on Russian soil.

A special forces academy in the Russian province of Chechnya was hit by drones, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished, according to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who is close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It was the first drone attack of the war on Chechnya, which lies about 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of Ukraine.

Terrifying video has been released showing the moment two gondola cars detached from a high-flying amusement park ride and crashed, leaving ten people injured, including six critically.

It happened Saturday at a traveling fairground in Ecuador during festivities in La Aurora in the western province of Daule Canton. The cars broke off the swing-like pendulum ride, according to Jam Press Vid.

Video shows the thrill ride appearing to become unstable with a loud horn going off. As the gondola arm swings back and forth, it then clips a rail on the ride’s platform, and a thundering bang can be heard. 

The videographer runs for cover with other screaming onlookers before another crashing sound is heard.  

KINGS DOMINION HALLOWEEN HAUNT EVENT BREAKS DOWN INTO ‘MASS CHAOS’ AS TEENS BRAWL, POLICE SAY

One car collapsed on the platform of the ride with the passengers still strapped into their seats, the video shows. The other crashed to the ground on the other side, per Jam Press Vid.

Video shows people then surrounding and helping the victims. Two men strapped into the gondola appear dazed, while a female lies on the floor of the platform.  

Witnesses said blood was visible on the crashed gondolas. 

Pendulum rides consist of a gondola, an arm and an axle. The ride is based on the motion of a fixed pendulum, with one end of the arm is fitted with a passenger-carrying gondola, while the other is attached to the axle. The passengers on the gondolas are swung back and forth.

OREGON AMUSEMENT PARK FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST RIDE MANUFACTURER AFTER IT LEAVES GUESTS HANGING UPSIDE DOWN 

Lt. Col Ricardo Armas, a police spokesperson, said one of the mechanical arms unexpectedly came loose, causing the cars to detach. 

He added that officers closed down the traveling fair and cordoned off the faulty ride. An investigation is underway to determine the cause. 

Fire Department Chief Moisés Cano said six of the 10 victims had fractures and head trauma. They were hospitalized in intensive care. 

The organizers have vowed to cover the cost of the victims' medical bills. 

Risk Management official Stalin Quiñónez said the attraction had all the required permits and was in full working order prior to the detachment. 

"Unfortunately, this mishap occurred, a very unfortunate event, but we do not know what caused it yet," Quiñónez said. "The investigations will be able to determine what happened."

The Pentagon confirmed Tuesday that a "small number" of North Korean troops are in Russia’s Kursk region near the Ukrainian border, adding that a couple of thousand more soldiers are expected to arrive at any time.

Last week, White House National Security communications director John Kirby confirmed that between early to mid-October, North Korea moved at least 3,000 troops into eastern Russia.

Now, the Pentagon says about 10,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, and they are preparing to be sent to the battle lines alongside Russian troops in their fight against Ukraine.

"We believe that the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] has sent approximately 10,000 soldiers in total to train in eastern Russia, and that these troops will probably augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks," Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters during a news briefing Tuesday. "A portion of those soldiers have already moved closer to Ukraine towards Russia's Kursk Oblast, near the border with Ukraine."

NORTH KOREA SENDS WARNING TO SOUTH KOREA, SAYING TROOPS READY TO STRIKE IF MORE DRONES APPEAR

Ryder said the troops are in addition to a couple of thousand others already in the Kursk region, adding the Department of Defense (DoD) is concerned that Russia intends to use the soldiers in combat or to support combat operations against Ukraine.

"Indications that there's already a small number [of North Korean troops] that are actually in the Kursk Oblast, with a couple of thousand more that are either almost there, or due to arrive imminently," he said.

The Pentagon could not confirm whether the North Korean soldiers were in fact inside Ukraine, yet.

"Initial indications are that these troops will be employed in some type of infantry role," Ryder reiterated. "But again, what that could be remains to be seen. So, we're going to continue to monitor closely."

NORTH KOREA HAS SENT TROOPS TO RUSSIA, PENTAGON CONFIRMS

Like the DoD, President Biden expressed concerns about North Korean soldiers preparing for battle against Ukraine in Russia.

After speaking about infrastructure in Baltimore on Tuesday, a reporter asked Biden if he was worried about North Korean troops in Russia.

"I am concerned about it, yes," he said.

Biden was then asked if Ukrainians should strike back.

NORTH KOREA BLOWS UP PARTS OF INTER-KOREAN ROAD AND RAIL LINKS IN SYMBOLIC DISPLAY OF ANGER

"If they cross into Ukraine, yes," Biden said.

Intelligence officials in both South Korea and Ukraine had previously stated that North Korean troops were being transferred to Russia.

"What exactly are they doing? Left to be seen. These are things that we need to sort out," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said.

SOUTH KOREAN INTELLIGENCE SAYS NORTH HAS SENT TROOPS TO AID RUSSIA'S WAR IN UKRAINE

Russia and North Korea have denied the troop movements.

South Korean National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong told lawmakers that North Korea plans to deploy 10,000 troops to Russia by December, a number that lines up with claims from Ukrainian intelligence.

South Korea said last week that it may start sending weapons to Ukraine in reaction to the deployment. Officials said their response would come in phases linked to the depth of cooperation between Russia and North Korea.

North Korea and Russia, locked in separate confrontations with the West, have sharply boosted their cooperation in the past two years. The U.S., South Korea and their partners have accused North Korea of supplying artillery shells, missiles and other conventional arms to Russia to help fuel its war against Ukraine in return for economic and military assistance. 

In June, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a pact stipulating mutual military assistance if either country is attacked.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Greg Norman, as well as The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A teenager accused of killing three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class for young children in the United Kingdom has been charged with possessing an al Qaeda training manual and ricin poison.

Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 18, already faces three murder charges, 10 counts of attempted murder and one count of knife possession, authorities said Tuesday. The new charges were filed under the country's Terrorism Act, police said. 

The poison and PDF study, "Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The al Qaeda Training Manual," were found during a search of Rudakubana's home, police said. 

UK STABBING SPREE LEAVES 2 KIDS DEAD, 9 OTHERS INJURED AT TAYLOR SWIFT-THEMED EVENT: 'DEEPLY SHOCKING'

Tests later confirmed the substance found was ricin. The risk of exposure to the public was low, said Dr. Renu Bindra, a senior medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency.

"This information confirmed that there was no evidence that any victims, responders or members of the public were exposed to ricin either as part of the incident or afterwards," Bindra said. 

Rudakubana allegedly committed the July 29 stabbing spree that killed three girls — Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6 – and injured several others, in Southport, a town north of Liverpool.

Merseyside Police did not declare the events a terror incident because no motive has been determined, authorities said during a news conference in Liverpool. 

CLASHES BREAK OUT IN ENGLISH TOWN AFTER MURDER OF 3 GIRLS IN MASS STABBING, 17-YEAR-OLD MALE FACING CHARGES

"I recognize that these new charges may lead to speculation. The matter for which Axel Rudakubana has been charged under the Terrorism Act doesn’t require motive to be established," said Chief Constable Serena Kennedy. "For a matter to be declared a terrorist incident, motivation would need to be established."

For an act to be treated as terrorism by U.K. authorities, it must meet a series of legal tests drawn up more than two decades ago and laid out in the Terrorism Act of 2000, The Telegraph reported.

The incident must involve the use or threat of serious violence or serious damage to property, be designed to influence the government, to intimidate the public or a section of the public and be for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause, according to the newspaper. 

The attacks sparked widespread protests and riots across the country amid inaccurate reports the suspect was an asylum seeker. 

Rudakubana was born in England to Rwandan parents. Despite being a minor at the time of the stabbings, a judge lifted restrictions that prevented the reporting of his name. 

North Korea's foreign minister arrived in Russia on Tuesday for talks as the Russia-Ukraine war appeared to take a dangerous new turn, with NATO and South Korea expressing alarm that North Korean troops could soon be joining in on Moscow's side.

NATO said on Monday thousands of North Korean troops were moving toward the front line, a development which has prompted Kyiv to call for more weapons and an international plan to keep those troops at bay. 

NATO CONFIRMS NORTH KOREAN TROOPS DEPLOYED TO HELP RUSSIA IN WAR AGAINST UKRAINE

Two U.S. officials confirmed on Tuesday that some North Korean soldiers are in the Kursk region, a Russian border area where Ukrainian forces staged a major incursion in August and hold hundreds of square kilometres of territory.

The United States has said any North Korean troops fighting in the war would be "fair game" for Ukrainian attacks and that Washington would not impose any fresh limits on Ukraine's use of U.S. weapons if North Korea entered the fight.

South Korea, which remains technically at war with the nuclear-armed North decades after the 1950-1953 Korean War, also condemned the deployments, with officials in Seoul worried about what Russia may be providing to Pyongyang in return.

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui arrived in Russia's far east on Tuesday on her way to Moscow, Russian state media said. Russian state news agencies said it was not clear who Choe, making her second visit in six weeks, would meet. 

The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin had no plans to meet her.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said after talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday that the North Korean moves were sending the war into a new phase.

"This war is becoming internationalized, extending beyond two countries," Zelenskiy said on X.

"We agreed to strengthen intelligence and expertise exchange, intensify contacts at all levels, especially the highest, in order to develop an action strategy and countermeasures to address this escalation," Zelenskiy said.

Yoon told Zelenskiy that if North Korea receives aid from Russia and is able to glean military experience and knowledge from its involvement in the war it would pose a "great threat" to South Korea's security, his office said.

South Korea has said it may start supplying weapons to Ukraine if North Korean troops joined Russia's war. Putin has not denied the presence of North Korean troops in the country.

SYMBOLIC? 

What role the North Korean troops may play is unclear.

"The numbers make this more than a symbolic effort, but the troops will likely be in support roles and constitute less than 1% of Russia's forces," the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank said in a note. 

"Russia is desperate for additional manpower, and this is one element of Russia's effort to fill the ranks without a second mobilization," it added, noting the presence could grow.

The troops are also likely to play a political role for Russia and North Korea, strengthening their hands in relations with China, which has an uneasy partnership with both countries, and sending a message to Washington and its allies, Western diplomats and analysts said.

"The closer Moscow's ties to Pyongyang, the more leverage it expects over U.S. allies as well as China," Gilbert Rozman, of The Asan Forum, wrote for the U.S.-based 38 North programme. 

Moscow needed a partner hostile to the status quo, wary of China but unwilling to antagonize it, and helpful in meeting arms or perhaps labor needs, he said.

A few thousand North Korean troops will not change the course of the war so it may be a Russian attempt to underscore to the United States just how disruptive Moscow can be if it wants, said one diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"Integrating North Korean troops into a very complex war machine is not easy. But using their presence to scare the United States and its allies in Asia is quite simple," the diplomat said.

TROOPS TRAINING

The Ukraine conflict broke out when Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022 and has since developed into a war of attrition largely fought along front lines in eastern Ukraine, with huge numbers of casualties on both sides.

The Pentagon estimated 10,000 North Korean troops had been deployed to eastern Russia for training, up from an estimate of 3,000 troops last Wednesday.

The military in Russia was trying to teach military terminology to the North Korean soldiers, South Korean lawmakers briefed by the country's spy agency said on Tuesday.

Moscow was also continuing to provide technical support for North Korea's attempts to field a fleet of spy satellites, the lawmakers said. 

For months, North Korea has been providing Russia with short-range ballistic missiles, artillery shells, and other weapons, according to intelligence officials in the United States, South Korea, and Ukraine.

Justin Trudeau is up against perhaps his toughest challenge yet as the Canadian prime minister is facing mounting calls for his resignation.

Pierre Poilievre, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, would be the obvious candidate to replace Trudeau if his party can win the next general election, not slated until October 2025. A year out from the election, a CBC News poll finds that the Conservative Party holds a 20-point lead over Trudeau’s Liberals, dropping to a new low.

Poilievre, appealing to both traditional conservatives and the more populist elements of society, is looking to capitalize on Canada’s post-pandemic social and economic issues.

CANADA'S TRUDEAU TO REMAIN IN OFFICE DESPITE LOSS OF KEY SEAT IN SPECIAL ELECTION

Trudeau, who’s been in power since 2015 and is looking for a fourth term as prime minister, is facing a minor revolt from within his own party. The Liberal Party holds 153 seats in Canada’s House of Commons. Several lawmakers within the party sent a letter to Trudeau asking him to step down from party leader as his popularity has diminished and could affect the outcome of the next election. 

The prime minister faced a no confidence vote in parliament in September introduced by opposition leader Poilievre, but his conservatives failed to garner enough support from other political parties to oust Trudeau.

With Trudeau’s approval rating dipping below 30%, Poilievre and the Conservative Party could still call for more votes of no confidence. The Conservative Party holds 119 seats in the House of Commons but, along with several other opposition parties, could oust Trudeau.

Some Members of Parliament in Trudeau’s party dismissed the calls for his resignation as a distraction and only a small but vocal minority of the party.

"Realistically, there is little chance of Trudeau stepping down," Jamie Tronnes Executive Director at the Center for North American Prosperity and Security, told Fox News Digital.

"Historically, when leaders have been pushed out by Canadian political parties, it has been due to a systematic and organized effort, usually led by an heir apparent or their supporters.  There is no such person in this case, at least, not one who is organized and supported by the Liberal caucus," Tronnes added.

Against the backdrop of Trudeau’s mounting unpopularity and calls for his resignation, there have been growing concerns since the pandemic over the rising cost of living and a shortage of affordable housing that many people feel is exacerbated by the rise of the foreign-born population.

Tronnes said the rapid onset of newcomers has severely strained what the Canadian economy, housing, healthcare and other institutions can support. If the election were held now, Tronnes said, Poilievre would become Canada's next prime minister.

CANADA MOVES TO LIMIT IMMIGRATION AMID STRAINED RELATIONS WITH US

In an effort to stave off criticism from the right, Trudeau announced that Canada will reduce the number of permanent residents in the country from an initial target of 500,000 to 395,000 permanent residents in 2025. The figures will drop significantly in 2026 and 2027. 

"While it’s clear our economy needs newcomers, we see the pressures facing our country, and we must adapt our policies accordingly," Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said in a statement.

"These changes will make immigration work for our country so that everyone has access to the quality jobs, homes and support they need to thrive. We have listened to Canadians, and we will continue to protect the integrity of our system and grow our population responsibly," Miller added.

Reducing the number of immigrants will help alleviate pressure in the housing market, with the housing supply gap expected to decrease by approximately 670,000 units by the end of 2027, according to the Government of Canada.

Trudeau’s flip on immigration would be a major shift for the prime minister and historic Canadian immigration policy. Canada’s immigration policies have typically welcomed newcomers to foster economic growth and have also been supportive of asylum seekers. 

Canada’s population has grown in recent years, reaching 41 million in April 2024. Immigration accounted for almost 98% of this growth in 2023, according to official data from the Canadian government.

Trudeau has said Canada’s population rise needs to stabilize and that adjustments need to be made to social programs before they can welcome new immigrants in the future.

Tronnes told Fox News Digital that, "There is an old saying in Canadian politics — governments defeat themselves. In this case, Trudeau's reluctance to leave may prove it true."

The Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah announced on Wednesday that it had selected a new leader to succeed Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in September.

The new leader, Naim Qassem, had served for decades as Nasrallah's second in command. He has also served as a major spokesman for the group this year as Hezbollah's conflict with Israel has grown more severe.

Nasrallah was killed on Sept. 27, and the man considered his most likely successor, Hashem Safieddine, was killed in another strike just weeks later.

Israel wasted no time in threatening Qassem and calling on him to cease hostilities in a statement.

HEZBOLLAH HIDING MORE THAN $500M IN GOLD, CASH UNDER HOSPITAL IN LEBANON, IDF SAYS

"His tenure in this position may be the shortest in the history of this terrorist organization if he follows in the footsteps of his predecessors Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine," the Israeli government's Arabic account wrote on X.

"There is no solution in Lebanon except to dismantle this organization as a military force," it added.

HEZBOLLAH GENERATES FUNDS FOR ACTIVITIES UNDER THE GUISE OF A NON-PROFIT: ISRAELI OFFICIALS

Qassem's appointment comes amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, who have exchanged several direct attacks in recent weeks. Hezbollah has long served as an Iranian proxy group and has suffered months of airstrikes by Israeli forces.

Meanwhile, Iran vowed on Monday to "use all available tools" in response to Israel’s strategic airstrikes against the country despite a warning from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to stand down or pay a "heavy price."

ISRAEL’S ‘DAYS OF REPENTANCE’ STRIKES AGAINST IRAN WILL CONTINUE IF TERROR REGIME RESPONDS, IDF WARNS

"[Iran] will use all available tools to deliver a definite and effective response to the Zionist regime," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei declared during a televised news conference, according to Reuters.

Israeli air force jets struck 20 targets across Iran early Saturday during the operation, named "Days of Repentance." The operation unfolded with an initial assault on Iran’s air defense systems, followed by targeted strikes by more than 100 airplanes on missile and drone bases and weapons production sites.

President Biden told reporters Saturday that he met with intelligence community officials following the Israeli strikes, saying in a statement, "my hope is this is the end." 

Reuters contributed to this report.

The Israeli Knesset has passed legislation aimed at halting the operations of the terror-linked United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) within Israel.

"Finally, the iron curtain has fallen on this terrorist organization that we have been fighting against for almost a year," said Knesset member Yulia Malinovsky from the Yisrael Beiteinu Party, one of the bill's sponsors.  

She expressed her satisfaction with the bill’s passage, telling Fox News Digital she credited the courage of Knesset leadership for facilitating the bill's success and dedicated the law to the victims of the violence linked to UNRWA to include "Aner Shapira, Jonathan Samrano, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, the hostages Or Levy, Elia Cohen, Alon Ehal, and all the hostages and victims harmed by UNRWA terrorists."

IDF KILLS HAMAS TERRORIST IT SAYS WORKED FOR UNRWA, LED CHARGE ON REIM BOMB SHELTER MASSACRE

The legislation includes two complementary bills that were passed one after the other: one from the coalition, which received overwhelming support with 92 votes in favor and only 10 against, and another from the opposition, which also received a significant majority of 87 votes. Both bills seek to terminate an agreement established in 1967 that allowed UNRWA to operate in Israel and to sever all relations between UNRWA and the Jewish state, including diplomatic visas granted to UNRWA workers and other services provided by the state of Israel.

The legislation passed after evidence was presented to Knesset members indicating that UNRWA had been infiltrated by Hamas, with some employees suspected of involvement in terrorist activities, particularly during the Oct. 7 attacks.

VICTIMS OF OCTOBER 7 MASSACRE FILE LAWSUIT AGAINST UNRWA FOR AIDING HAMAS TERRORISTS

This decision comes despite significant objections from the Biden-Harris administration, which has expressed deep concern that the legislation could force UNRWA to cease all operations in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. 

As reported by Fox News Digital, U.S. pressure on Israeli politicians to stop the bill was unprecedented, involving direct calls from the U.S. ambassador to Israel to leaders of the major parties in the Knesset.

ISRAEL SHARES DOSSIER SPELLING OUT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST 12 UN EMPLOYEES ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN HAMAS ATTACK

A State Department spokesperson said on Monday after the bill's passage, "Implementing the legislation risks catastrophe for the more than 3 million Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for essential services, including healthcare and education," further emphasizing that UNRWA is indispensable for humanitarian efforts in Gaza, especially amid the ongoing crisis, as quoted by The Times of Israel.

When asked about a solution to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where nearly 2 million people have been displaced since the war began, Malinovsky replied, "We gave three months to prepare before the law takes effect."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable. While avoiding a humanitarian crisis is essential, sustained humanitarian aid must remain available in Gaza now and in the future." He added that Israel is committed to working with international partners to facilitate humanitarian assistance while ensuring its security.

UN FORCED TO FIRE 9 EMPLOYEES OVER LIKELY INVOLVEMENT IN HAMAS MASSACRE: 'TIP OF THE ICEBERG'

Israel's United Nations Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters late Monday that, "UNRWA was infiltrated by Hamas many years ago. We have warned the Security Council. That is why today we are taking action that will limit UNRWA capabilities to function in Israel, and we will continue to work with U.N. organs that want to support humanitarian efforts," adding that "We are doing it with the WHO, with UNICEF, on the polio vaccination campaign and on other campaigns."

A statement released by the U.N. Secretary General António Guterres condemned the legislation, noting that, "The implementation of the laws could have devastating consequences for Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which is unacceptable. I call on Israel to act consistently with its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and its other obligations under international law, including under international humanitarian law and those concerning privileges and immunities of the United Nations. National legislation cannot alter those obligations."

International reactions have been swift, especially from governments that have been hostile to the Jewish state, including Spain, Slovenia, Ireland and Norway, all condemning the Knesset's decision. The Spanish Foreign Ministry issued a statement highlighting concerns that the legislation would significantly impact humanitarian efforts in the region.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini described the Knesset vote as "unprecedented" and warned it sets a dangerous precedent, violating Israel's obligations under international law.

Before the legislation passed, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller urged Israel not to suspend UNRWA's operations in Gaza, noting that doing so could have legal implications affecting U.S. security assistance to Israel. He emphasized that UNRWA provides vital humanitarian support and warned of the consequences for the already dire situation in Gaza.

The threat posed by Iran to the global community has been on the rise in recent years and security concerns remain heightened just days after Israel hit Tehran. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested last month that a regime change in Tehran was on the horizon.

But it is not just Iran’s involvement in state-sponsored terrorism, its apparent push to develop nuclear weapons, its increased ties with major Western adversaries or its direct attacks on Israel that could prompt the fall of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Tehran’s oppressive practices within its own borders could be the key to the regime’s demise, says one analysis for the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

IRAN VOWS RESPONSE TO ISRAEL ATTACK WITH 'ALL AVAILABLE TOOLS'

Himdad Mustafa, researcher and expert on Iranian and Kurdish affairs for MEMRI, has argued that minority groups within Iran make up roughly 50% of the nation’s population, and though they are often the target of extreme oppression with some living in conditions he described as "open-air prisons," they are uniquely positioned to unite against Tehran.

Mustafa said ethnic minority groups like the Kurds, who make up 10%-15% of Iran’s population and who live primarily in the border regions near nations like Iraq and Turkey, as well as the Baloch people, who make up roughly 5% of the population and live on Iran’s shared border with Pakistan, could play a significant role in overturning the oppressive regime. 

"If the whole country rises up, the regime will withdraw its forces from border regions like Kurdistan to central Iran and Tehran," he wrote in a report this month. "That is the time when the West should support the Kurds, Balochs, and other ethnic groups to topple the regime."

The expert told Fox News Digital that these groups sit in resource-rich areas that are not only important to Iran but to the U.S.’s other chief adversaries: Russia and China.

"If there is prolonged war and instability inside Iran, countries like Turkey, Russia, and China would intervene, either directly or through proxies, to seize territories in Iran they consider important for their national interests," Mustafa said. 

ISRAEL’S TARGETED RESPONSE AGAINST IRAN SENDS NEW WARNINGS TO REGIME ABOUT IDF'S CAPABILITIES, EXPERTS SAY

The expert explained that Beijing has long viewed Balochistan, which extends into Pakistan and Afghanistan, as an important strategic region for its Belt and Road Initiative. 

"In the case of a regime change in Iran it’s highly likely that Pakistan and China would intervene in Iranian Balochistan to prevent the establishment of a Baloch state and to secure the region for their interests," Mustafa said. "Therefore, the U.S. should support these minorities both militarily and politically to secure their regions, which would, in turn, protect the interest of the West.

"If Balochistan remains under the control of U.S.-backed Baloch forces, they could safeguard the interests of the U.S. and its mega project the India-Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor," he said.

Mustafa said there is a rising concern among political elites in the Islamic Republic that the groundwork for a "hybrid war" may be being laid, a scenario in which internal dissidence could collide with external military threats.

Though the 2022 mass protests were brutally brought to a stop by the regime, they revealed the level of discontent across Iran.

The death of Jina Amini, a Kurdish woman, who in September 2022 was arrested by Iran's morality police and later died in a hospital due to her injuries, sparked not only outrage over the institutional discrimination against women across Iran, it also reportedly drove a unified response from oppressed minority groups.

Just days after the initial demonstrations broke out, one of the bloodiest events of the months-long protest occurred in Iranian-Balochestan in which the Baloch people took to the streets in the city of Zahedan to further protest the alleged rape of a 15-year-old girl by police commander Col. Ebrahim Khouchakzai.

But the event, which has been dubbed "Bloody Friday" or the "Zahedan Massacre," turned violent after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps showed up to stop the demonstrations and more than 100 people, including 17 children, were killed. 

Despite the immense danger that standing against the regime poses, Mustafa said there remains a desire to unite to overturn the regime. 

"They have a common enemy that persecutes, imprisons, and executes them, and even denies minority students the right to education in their mother tongues," he said. "This has led them to view their fight for self-determination as a common struggle for national liberation against this common enemy, and this shared struggle is what unites these minority groups."

The Islamic Republic of Iran on Monday reportedly executed the journalist Jamshid Sharmahd, who was a resident of California and a sharp critic of the regime in Tehran, according to The Associated Press.

The Iranian regime’s judiciary Mizan website announced that the 69-year-old Sharmahd was killed on Monday morning.

Sharmahd’s daughter, Gazelle, who lives in California, previously told Fox News Digital the Iranian regime is "scapegoating an innocent man" over bombing allegations, and spoke of his affinity for the United States.

She told Fox News Digital in August, 2023, "My dad chose the United States as his home, worked hard, followed all the rules, belongs to a family of four generations around him of U.S. citizenship, lived here for 20 years as a tax-paying, law-abiding resident and would already have his citizenship if it wasn’t for the terrorists and qualifies as a U.S. national under the Levinson law."

CALIFORNIA MAN IMPRISONED IN IRAN IS BLOCKED FROM LEGAL COUNSEL AS HEALTH WORSENS, DAUGHTER SAYS

The Levinson Act defines a "United States national" as a "lawful permanent resident with significant ties to the United States." According to the State Department, the definition applies to non-U.S. citizens. 

The act was named after Robert Levinson, a retired FBI agent and private investigator who disappeared from an Iranian island in 2007. Levinson was held hostage and was declared dead in 2020 when he was said to have died in Iranian custody. His family blamed the Iranian regime for his capture and imprisonment.

Fox News Digital reported that the Biden administration faced intense criticism for reportedly abandoning Sharmahd and punting his case over to Germany. Sharmahd is a German citizen. According to critics of Germany's Iran policy, the German Green party foreign minister Annalena Baerbock failed to use her country’s economic and political leverage to secure Sharmahd’s release.

Fox News Digital sent press queries to the German foreign ministry.

Sharmahd survived an assassination attempt in California in which an Iranian agent was convicted of the planned murder. He was then kidnapped by the Iranian regime in Dubai in 2020 as part of a business trip.

The Iranian regime-controlled website Mizan claimed, without evidence, that Sharmahd committed "multiple terrorist acts at the direction of his masters in the intelligence services of U.S. and Israel."

FBI SAYS CHINA, IRAN USING NEW TACTICS TO TARGET CRITICS IN US

Lawdan Bazargan, an Iranian-American human rights activist and expert on the clerical regime, told Fox News Digital, "In 1988, after the Islamic Republic of Iran was forced to accept a cease-fire with Iraq, it exacted brutal revenge by executing over 5,000 political prisoners, including my brother, Bijan, who had already served years behind bars. The world stood by in silence, failing to hold the regime accountable. Jamshid Sharmahd’s execution is now another diversion, covering the regime’s failures against Israel and the losses suffered by Hezbollah and Hamas."

She added, "If the world remains silent again, more innocent Iranian prisoners will be killed. The global community must unite against this terrorist regime – Germany and other European nations should expel Iranian diplomats, close the Islamic Republic of Iran's embassies that act as terror safe houses, and declare the IRGC a terrorist organization. The U.S. must also use every tool at its disposal to pressure Iran into halting these executions."

Amnesty International noted that Sharmahd "was convicted of the charge of ‘corruption on earth’ which is not clearly defined in law, and as such contravenes the principle of legality" and termed his trial "grossly unfair."

The British human rights group added, "Since July 2020, the Iranian authorities have been subjecting him to enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, including through prolonged solitary confinement and denial of adequate health care."

Tehran’s opaque justice system claims Sharmahd played a role in a 2008 terrorist attack at a mosque in Shiraz, Iran, that left 14 dead and more than 200 injured.  

However, the regime-controlled media outlet Fars News quoted the Iranian National Security Council in 2008 as saying, "The explosion of a bomb or any explosion carried out by opposition elements, be they internal or foreign, is ruled out. The blast was caused by some munitions used in an exhibition for the [Iran-Iraq War] martyrs in the mosque." 

Jason Poblete, the attorney for Jamshid Sharmahd, wrote on X, "We are receiving reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran has carried out the death sentence against U.S. Legal Permanent Resident and Californian Jamshid Sharmahd." He added that the family requests privacy until the facts are confirmed.

Iranian journalist and human rights activist Vahid Beheshti blasted the Iranian regime on X, stating in part that Jamshid Sharmahd "was murdered today by the regime of the Islamic Republic."

Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. State Department for a comment.

Georgia’s pro-Western president is calling on his nation's citizens to take to the streets and protest the disputed outcome of recent parliamentary elections which she considered a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Georgia borders with Russia.

"As the last independent institution, I cannot recognize these elections – it would legitimize Russia’s takeover of Georgia. Our ancestors endured too much for us to surrender our European future," Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said in a statement released on X.

The results are a massive blow for a country striving to join the European Union and identify closer with the West. The opposition’s loss could derail Georgia’s hopes of becoming a member of the European Union and place it further under Russia’s grip.

RUSSIAN INFLUENCE PEDDLING ADDS TO FEARS AFTER ELECTION OF UNTESTED PRESIDENT IN EUROPEAN NATION

"The election result is a win for Putin, whose goal since he became president of Russia in 1999, has always been to reintegrate former Soviet states back under Russia’s control," Rebekah Koffler, former Defense Intelligence Agency officer, told Fox News Digital. 

Koffler added, "Did the Russian intelligence services – the GRU and the FSB – have a hand in swaying the election? While there’s no evidence at this time that votes have been manipulated and changed after being cast, influence operations targeting presidential elections is standard for Putin’s playbook. But the way it’s done is through financing, intimidation and agitation. And it’s extremely hard to identify, track and make conclusive analysis about such activities."

The U.S. is taking the side of Georgia’s pro-European president and those looking to get out from under Russia’s influence. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted the reports of irregularities and sporadic violence and that international observers have not declared the result to be free and fair. 

"We condemn all contraventions of international norms and join calls from international and local observers for a full investigation of all reports of election-related violations," Blinken said in a statement.

"This is a precarious moment for Georgia. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, must recognize that its actions could have immediate consequences on its economic and security agenda. Russia has also undoubtedly benefitted from sowing division and disinformation, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a senior member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho., ranking member of the committee, said in a joint statement.

"We recognize the right of the Georgian people to, if they so choose, protest peacefully and call on the relevant Georgian authorities to respect this deeply important democratic right," the senators said.

US WARNS RUSSIAN-LINKED ACTORS SEEKING TO 'FOMENT MANUFACTURED INSURRECTION' IN EUROPEAN COUNTRY

Georgian Dream, the Russian-backed party, claimed victory shortly after polls closed on Saturday, with around 54% of the vote. The united opposition garnered only 38%. The ruling party even had an assist from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who sent congratulations to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and the Georgian Dream party before the election results were even released. Orban visited Tbilisi and provided further legitimacy to the government’s disputed victory.

TRUMP TOUTS EUROPEAN 'STRONGMAN' AS CLOSE ALLY DURING PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: WHO IS VIKTOR ORBAN?

Many opposition figures reject the victory claimed by Georgian Dream and call the election stolen and rigged.

The Georgian president and many Western observers confirmed that the election results were marred by irregularities, including fraud and ballot stuffing.

The election was "marked by a tense environment and several incidents of physical altercations and widespread intimidation of voters," the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), noted in a statement. European Council President Charles Michel is calling for an investigation into the alleged irregularities.

Some Georgians, outraged by the results, have already taken to the streets to voice opposition and planned protests are taking place outside the parliament. If mass protests break out as the president and others have called for, and are met with violence from security forces, tensions could spiral even more.

Many Georgians have strong aspirations to join the EU, with polls showing up to 83% of them supporting such a move. The Georgian Dream Party has stalled Georgia’s efforts of joining the EU since it became a candidate member in 2023. The EU subsequently put Georgia’s process on hold after a controversial "foreign agent" law that required citizens, non-governmental organizations, media outlets and other civil society organizations that receive over 20% in funding from abroad to register as a foreign agent with the Justice Ministry.

Following the passage of the pro-Kremlin foreign agent law, the U.S. imposed sanctions and travel bans on Georgian officials who voted for the law and security agencies responsible for cracking down on dissent. The State Department also paused $95 million in assistance to the government.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is pushing Israel and Hamas to agree to a two-day cease-fire in a move to get hostages released amid top international talks on the conflict in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday.

Neither side appears to have agreed to any temporary cease-fire deal or hostage release despite the limited proposal that was pushed for the freeing of four Israelis – abducted by Hamas over a year ago – and some Palestinian prisoners, though the exact number remains unclear, reported Reuters.

Al-Sisi, who spoke during a press conference in Cairo alongside Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, further suggested that if Israel and Hamas agree to the temporary truce, talks on a permanent cease-fire should then continue 10 days after.

US MADE AWARE OF ISRAEL'S STRIKE ON IRAN DAYS IN ADVANCE; IDF SAYS MISSION COMPLETE

His proposal coincided with a major meeting Sunday in Doha where CIA Director William Burns and Mossad Chief David Barnea met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Thani. 

It is unclear why the Egyptian leader was not included in the Doha talks, as Egypt, alongside Qatar, has been working in coordination with the U.S. to end the fighting that is estimated by the Hamas-run Ministry of Health and backed up by the United Nations to have killed up to 43,000 Palestinians in the last year and bring home the 101 Israeli and American hostages still in captivity. 

An official with knowledge of the cease-fire talks told Fox News Digital the focus of the Doha meeting involving the heads of the U.S. and Israeli spy agencies, was to discuss plans involving "a short-term cease-fire in Gaza that would last less than a month."

"U.S. officials believe that if a short-term deal can be reached, it could lead to a more permanent agreement," the official said. 

Details regarding any short-term truce remain nil, though the official said they will likely include a hostage release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel, as well as an increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza. 

"It is too early to say what the ratio of hostages to prisoners would be or what category of Israeli hostages would be for release," the official told Fox News. "Last week, during his trip, [Secretary of State Antony] Blinken got agreement from the Israelis to attend this round of talks and pitched it in Doha."

"The Americans hope is that after [former Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar’s death, Hamas will be more willing to reach an agreement," the official added. 

IDF KILLS HAMAS TERRORIST IT SAYS WORKED FOR UNRWA, LED CHARGE ON REIM BOMB SHELTER MASSACRE

Finding a deal that both Israel and Hamas will agree to has become nearly insurmountable given that neither side appears willing to give up security interests in Gaza. 

However, according to a statement released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Monday, the officials in Doha "discussed a new unified outline that combines previous proposals and also takes into account the main issues and recent developments in the region."

"In the coming days, the discussions between the mediators and Hamas will continue to examine the feasibility of talks and a continued attempt to promote a deal," the prime minister's office said.

Qatari and Egyptian mediators will continue to work with Hamas to address the "feasibility of a deal and work to close the gap between the two sides," an official with knowledge of the Sunday talks told Fox News Digital.

Humanitarian aid to Palestinians has become increasingly precarious as Israel has once again escalated its offensive operations in Northern Gaza with the aim of rooting out Hamas attempts to regroup.

The Israeli Defense Force reportedly said soldiers captured around 100 suspected Hamas terrorists following a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Jabalia refugee camp, reported Reuters. 

However, as the operations once again escalate, civilians continue to find themselves caught in the middle. According to the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service, roughly 100,000 people have become trapped in Jabalia, and the nearby cities of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun are without medical or food supplies, though Fox News Digital could not independently verify these figures.

The U.N. – which has come under fire recently after more Hamas fighters were found to have embedded themselves in the humanitarian agency – once again condemned Israel’s violence against civilian populations.

U.N. Secretary General António Guterres’ office called Israel’s recent attacks in northern Gaza "unbearable" and said the conflict is being "waged with little regard for the requirements of international humanitarian law."

"The Secretary-General is shocked by the harrowing levels of death, injury and destruction in the north, with civilians trapped under rubble, the sick and wounded going without life-saving health care, and families lacking food and shelter, amid reports of families being separated, and many people detained," U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement reported by Reuters. 

Israel, for its part, has denied outwardly blocking humanitarian shipments and argued that Hamas chooses to embed itself in civilian life, using Palestinians as human shields. 

Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed on Monday that North Korean troops have been sent to help Russia in its war against Ukraine, representing the "growing desperation" of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Rutte told reporters that increasing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea "is a threat" to Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security.

"Today, I can confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, and that North Korean military units have been deployed to the Kursk region," NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told reporters.

Russia is currently fighting back against a Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region.

US MUST WEIGH ‘MILITARY ACTION AGAINST’ NORTH KOREAN FORCES IF INVADING UKRAINE: HOUSE INTEL CHAIR TURNER

Rutte said the addition of North Korean troops in the conflict represents "a significant escalation" in and marks "a dangerous expansion" of "Russia’s illegal war."

"Over 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Putin’s war and he is unable to sustain his assault on Ukraine without foreign support," Rutte said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the troop movement Wednesday in a statement, saying it would be a "a very, very serious issue" if North Korean troops deploy to Ukraine. 

The Kremlin has dismissed reports of North Korea deploying troops as "fake news," while a North Korean United Nations representative called the reports "groundless rumors," Reuters reported. 

SOUTH KOREA DEMANDS WITHDRAWAL OF NORTH KOREAN TROOPS ALLEGEDLY HELPING RUSSIA FIGHT UKRAINE

Rutte spoke in Brussels after a high-level South Korean delegation, including top intelligence and military officials as well as senior diplomats, briefed the alliance’s 32 national ambassadors at NATO headquarters.

Rutte said NATO is "actively consulting within the alliance, with Ukraine, and with our Indo-Pacific partners," on developments.

"We continue to monitor the situation closely," he said. He did not take questions after the statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Iran is vowing on Monday to "use all available tools" in response to Israel’s strategic airstrikes against the country despite a warning from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to stand down or pay a "heavy price." 

"[Iran] will use all available tools to deliver a definite and effective response to the Zionist regime," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei declared during a televised news conference, according to Reuters. 

Israeli air force jets struck 20 targets across Iran early Saturday during the operation, named "Days of Repentance." The operation unfolded with an initial assault on Iran’s air defense systems, followed by targeted strikes by more than 100 airplanes on missile and drone bases and weapons production sites.  

The IDF then announced later in the day that it is prepared to target Iran again if it responds to the strikes. 

ISRAEL’S ‘DAYS OF REPENTANCE’ STRIKES AGAINST IRAN WILL CONTINUE IF TERROR REGIME RESPONDS, IDF WARNS 

"If the regime in Iran were to make the mistake of beginning a new round of escalation -- we will be obligated to respond. Our message is clear: All those who threaten the State of Israel and seek to drag the region into a wider escalation -- will pay a heavy price," IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said. 

"We demonstrated today that we have both the capability and the resolve to act decisively -- and we are prepared -- on offense and defense -- to defend the State of Israel and the people of Israel," Hagari added. 

ISRAEL’S TARGETED RESPONSE AGAINST IRAN SENDS NEW WARNINGS TO REGIME ABOUT IDF’S CAPABILITIES, EXPERTS SAY 

President Biden told reporters Saturday that he met with intelligence community officials following the Israeli strikes and that "my hope is this is the end." 

"We maintain the importance of supporting Israel’s right to defend itself," Vice President Kamala Harris also said following the strikes. "We are also very adamant that we must see de-escalation in the region going forward, and that will be our focus." 

Fox News’ Benjamin Weinthal and Efrat Lachter contributed to this report. 

In its largest operation ever conducted in Iran, Israel carried out a strategic airstrike on Oct. 26, marking a significant escalation in the conflict between the two countries. The airstrikes targeted critical military infrastructure, delivering both a symbolic and tactical blow to Iran’s strategic capabilities.

"We showed them we could reach any point in Iran. We neutralized air defenses and flew over them, hitting exactly what we wanted without detection," Ram Ben-Barak, former deputy director of the Mossad, told Fox News Digital. 

In the early hours of Saturday morning (Israel time), Israeli air force jets struck 20 targets across Iran during the operation’s chosen name, "Days of Repentance." After about four hours, all aircraft returned safely to Israel, marking the operation's successful completion. The air force embarked on a complex mission involving dozens of aircraft, including fighter jets, intelligence, refueling and rescue units. The strikes were conducted at a distance of just under 1,000 miles.

ISRAEL BEGINS RETALIATORY STRIKES AGAINST IRAN FOLLOWING MISSILE BARRAGE TARGETING ISRAELIS

The operation unfolded in three waves: an initial assault on Iran’s air defense systems, followed by targeted strikes by more than 100 airplanes on missile and drone bases and weapons production sites. 

Ben-Barak, now an opposition member of Yesh Atid in Israel's Parliament, also noted Israel’s technological and operational superiority, contrasting this strike with Iran’s prior attacks on Israeli territory, many of which were intercepted or missed their targets.

Iranian officials, however, downplayed the impact, claiming that only "limited damage" was inflicted on military sites. Yet, according to Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amos Gilad, head of the Institute for Policy and Strategy at Reichman University, "There was an added element of wisdom in this strike; we didn’t humiliate the Iranians. The market in Tehran was open on Saturday as usual, just hours after the attack, because no civilian areas were hit."

A former Israeli senior security official, who asked for their name to be withheld due to security concerns, told Fox News Digital, "There was strategic thought behind the targeted sites: a drone manufacturing facility was hit, along with a missile factory, SA-300 air defense systems, and planetary mixers that Iran likely acquires from China to produce solid fuel for missiles. While not all of Iran’s air defenses were taken down, three or four SA-300 batteries were struck. So their air defense was hit severely, although Iran likely has one S-400 system from Russia and additional simpler air defense systems they built themselves."

IT WAS 'WISE' FOR ISRAEL TO NOT STRIKE IRANIAN OIL, NUCLEAR FACILITIES, SAYS FORMER USS COLE COMMANDER

While Israel focused exclusively on military and intelligence sites, satellite imagery and independent analysis reveal extensive damage to Iranian installations, particularly missile and drone production centers. 

According to Israeli intelligence analyst Ronen Solomon, additional strikes targeted storage and assembly points in Khojir, near Tehran, a site long associated with Iran’s missile development. Solomon told Fox News Digital Israel "neutralized components of Iran’s missile production pipeline," cutting off access to vital parts for future production.

Additional strikes hit near Parchin, where Israeli intelligence has long suspected nuclear-related tests. "Israel didn’t strike Iran’s nuclear facilities directly but targeted the infrastructure supporting it," Solomon noted, explaining that this approach allowed Israel to sidestep political barriers while delivering a strong blow to Iran’s military operations.

Solomon added that Israel’s attack impacted Iran’s satellite-launch capabilities, a significant component in Iran’s military satellite program, saying, "Beyond impacting their missile program, their ability to launch satellites for military purposes was damaged."

US MADE AWARE OF ISRAEL'S STRIKE ON IRAN DAYS IN ADVANCE; IDF SAYS MISSION COMPLETE

While Israel acted independently, coordination with Washington played a significant role in shaping the mission’s scope. Gilad underscored the extensive diplomatic communication between Israel and the U.S. before the strike. "There was impressive coordination, even though the U.S. didn’t participate in the attack itself," Gilad noted. 

According to a former senior intelligence official, this cooperation included the establishment of air corridors over Iraqi airspace.

Gilad noted that, "The American F-35 jets involved represent fifth-generation capabilities, which add an essential layer of defense against Iran. The U.S. has shown exceptional support, including sending THAAD defense batteries. The U.S.-Israel alliance is crucial, and I say it isn’t ironclad; it’s steelclad, because steel doesn’t rust."

Both nations shared the objective of limiting Iran’s retaliatory options, particularly given the upcoming U.S. elections. The former senior intelligence official observed, "The Americans had concerns about hitting nuclear or energy sites directly, and we respected that." 

Gilad added that the attack’s selective targeting reflected well-calculated restraint: "Some in Israel criticized the lack of direct hits on oil or nuclear facilities," Gilad stated, "but targeting such sites could destabilize global markets, strengthen Russia, or lead to attacks on Arab states."

ISRAEL’S 'DAYS OF REPENTANCE' STRIKES AGAINST IRAN WILL CONTINUE IF TERROR REGIME RESPONDS, IDF WARNS

The former senior intelligence official added that Iran, aware of the political stakes in Washington, might hold back from an immediate response to avoid escalating tensions that could influence the elections in favor of former President Donald Trump, whom Iran perceives as a threat.

In a public statement, Chief of the General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi affirmed, "Our message is very, very clear… ‘any threat, anywhere, at any time, we will know how to reach it, we will know how to strike.’" Halevi emphasized that Israel had only deployed a portion of its capabilities, suggesting that further actions could be taken should Iran escalate.

Despite the tactical success, Israeli officials remain cautious about the operation’s long-term impact. Ben-Barak commented, "Ultimately, Iran has learned that Israel can strike at will within its borders, but the challenge remains stopping them from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran wants to eliminate Israel; we can’t let them have nuclear weapons. That is also U.S. policy. I always tell my American counterparts, ‘You have nothing to fear from the Iranians.’ We need to work together to remove the threat."

Gilad concluded, "With the U.S. committed to preventing a nuclear Iran, these strikes should give Iran pause. Still, political coordination with the U.S. post-election will be key to sustaining the pressure."