Fox World News
From 700 murdered relatives to 3 survivors: Holocaust descendant leads Israeli forces after Oct 7 attacks
When Col. (Res.) Eli Konigsberg puts on his uniform at the age of 57, he carries more than the weight of command. He carries the story of two families nearly erased from the map of Europe.
As the world marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in 1945, the deputy commander of Israel’s Jerusalem and Central District in the Home Front Command says the past is not distant history. For him, it lives in memory, in service, and in the urgency of defending a Jewish state he believes remains the only place where Jews are truly protected.
"Both of my parents are Holocaust survivors," Konigsberg, whose picture is blurred for security reasons, told Fox News Digital. "My father came from a large Orthodox Jewish family in western Poland. Before the war, the extended family numbered around 700 people. After the Holocaust, only my father and two cousins remained; three people out of 700."
After surviving Auschwitz, his father joined the Betar movement and attempted to reach the Land of Israel in 1946 aboard the ship Theodor Herzl. He was detained by British authorities, imprisoned at the Atlit camp and exiled to Cyprus for nearly two years.
Only with the declaration of Israel’s independence did he finally arrive.
"He enlisted, fought in the War of Independence and four additional wars and served in the reserves for 55 years," Konigsberg said.
On his mother’s side, the losses were no less devastating. Her parents and sisters were taken from their home in eastern Poland after neighbors informed on them.
"They were forced to dig their own grave beneath a pear tree and were executed by gunfire," he said.
The Holocaust was rarely discussed openly in his childhood home, Konigsberg said, but its presence was constant. Now, he worries about a different silence.
"We are 80 years after the Holocaust, and the people who can say ‘I was there. I saw’ are disappearing," he said. "Therefore, the duty of remembrance is our duty."
That sense of responsibility shaped his life. Konigsberg, a father of four daughters and a grandfather, has served more than 36 years in Israel’s reserve forces, completing more than 3,600 days of duty.
"Ten years of reserve duty in total," he said. In Israel, reservists are legally exempt from duty at age 45. Konigsberg chose to continue, "When they call me, I will immediately arrive."
Following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, he was mobilized once again.
"What we saw on Oct. 7 was killing for the sake of killing," he said. "Not to conquer territory or change reality. It was hatred for the sake of hatred."
WHY CHRISTIANS MUST STAND WITH ISRAEL AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE AMID SURGING ANTISEMITISM
Since then, he has commanded rescue and heavy engineering units operating in the Gaza Envelope, inside Gaza, and in the north. His forces have carried out body identification, rescue operations and clearing missions aimed at eliminating terrorist hiding places.
"In the next few days we are going back into Gaza again for clearing and demolition," he said.
Despite the trauma, he says the reserve system reflects something powerful about Israeli society. "What is beautiful about the reserves is that people can hold very different political opinions, and everyone still comes and works as one body," he said.
Konigsberg reflected on what he believes history is teaching again. "We see now that antisemitism existed and will continue to exist in the future," he said.
He pointed to the global reaction to Israel since Oct. 7. "There are terrible things happening in other places. For example, the Iranian regime crackdown on its own people, and you do not see demonstrations like this, but when it involves Israel and Jews, there is an outcry," he said.
For Konigsberg, remembrance is not only about mourning the dead. It is about protecting the living. "The place of every Jew is here in Israel," he added. "And we must always remain united and strong. We must be here in our land, be strong and united and ensure that ‘never again’ truly means never again," he said.
Witkoff celebrates 'new day in the Middle East' after final Israeli hostage is returned from Gaza
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is hailing the start of a new era in the Middle East after the return of the remains of the final Israeli hostage in Gaza.
Israeli police officer Ran Gvili's remains were returned to Israel on Monday, marking the return of all hostages, both living and deceased.
"Yesterday was a historic day," Witkoff wrote in a post on X. "Now, ALL 20 living hostages and all 28 deceased hostages in Gaza have now been returned to their families – a monumental, historic feat that few thought was possible. It’s thanks to the hard work of so many, but especially [the president], who works tirelessly for peace."
"This closes a painful chapter for many, and paves the way for a new future that can be defined by peace, not war, and prosperity, not destruction," Witkoff added. "It’s a new day in the Middle East, and President Trump, myself, and the entire team are committed to sustained peace and prosperity for all in the region."
ISRAEL CONFIRMS RECOVERY OF LAST HOSTAGE'S REMAINS FROM GAZA
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an organization created in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks to represent the families of those who were kidnapped, thanked Witkoff and echoed his message, saying, "Without [the president] and his administration, the hostages would never have come home."
President Donald Trump celebrated the return of Gvili's remains from Gaza with a post on Truth Social.
"Just recovered the last hostage body in GAZA. Thus, got back ALL 20 of the living hostages, and ALL of the dead! AMAZING JOB! Most thought of it as an impossible thing to do. Congratulations to my great team of champions!!!" Trump wrote.
TRUMP WRITES MESSAGE TO ISRAELIS AFTER ALL LIVING HOSTAGES RELEASED BY HAMAS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised Trump while addressing Israel's parliament, known as the Knesset. He thanked Trump, Witkoff, Jared Kushner and their teams "for their significant and important support."
Trump has previously made high-profile diplomatic moves in the Middle East. During his first administration, he brokered a series of normalization agreements known as the Abraham Accords between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
Witkoff and Trump visited Israel in October on the day the final remaining living hostages returned home from Gaza after more than two years in captivity. The Knesset received them and other members of the administration with cheers of gratitude.
"No American president has ever done more for Israel," Netanyahu said at the time. "It ain’t even close."
When the living hostages were released, Witkoff celebrated their return and recognized the pain of those whose loved ones would not come home alive.
"Even in this moment of relief and happiness, my heart aches for those whose loved ones will not return alive. Bringing their bodies home is a must and an act of dignity and honors their memory forever," Witkoff wrote on X.
On the morning of Oct. 7, Gvili was supposed to be at home resting while waiting for surgery on his broken shoulder, which he sustained during a motorbike accident. However, when rocket sirens sounded, Gvili, who was 24 at the time, grabbed his uniform and went to fight. He fought alongside fellow officers and was eventually killed near Kibbutz Alumim. His body was taken into Gaza, where it was held for over 840 days.
In December, Ran’s mother, Talik Gvili, wrote an op-ed for Fox News Digital reflecting on her son’s final moments and pleading for his return.
"My Ran never hesitated when evil came knocking... That's who my son was," she said of her son's actions on Oct. 7.
"I promise you, my Ran, that your story will be heard around the world. Everyone will know what you did, how you fought, how you never gave up."
Netanyahu sounds alarm on antisemitism at Holocaust Remembrance Day gathering
Leaders from around the world gathered in Jerusalem on Tuesday to highlight the global surge in antisemitism on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, marked annually on the anniversary of the 1945 liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi extermination camp.
An opening gala was held on Monday, during which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the West’s democratic civilization is under threat from a destructive ideology that has infiltrated every country in Western Europe and the United States.
"They want to destroy the West as we know it. And they agree on one thing. What is the thing that they agree on? World War Jew. To conduct a world war, first against the Jews and against the Jewish state," he said.
ISRAEL WILL HONOR THE LATE CHARLIE KIRK WITH AWARD FOR OPPOSING ANTISEMITISM
"And for the radical Muslims, they are right, because there would be no West in the Middle East if the Jewish state is eradicated. There would be no obstacle for the further invasion of Europe if the Jewish state doesn't exist. And it also appeals to their internal hatred of the Jews, which has common roots with antisemitism over the centuries," Netanyahu added.
Among the prominent international figures attending the conference were Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs János Bóka and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
"Antisemitism is rooted in a spiritual disease of raw evil," Huckabee told Fox News Digital. "It’s the bigotry of believing oneself to be superior to another, which is the essence of all forms of irrational hate and racism. We all should be speaking up and standing up against it," he said.
"Hating the Jews today is hating Christians tomorrow and some other group the next. It’s a cancer that is never satisfied until every healthy human relationship is destroyed. It originates in hell. Any and all efforts to identify such darkness is helpful. Being quiet about it is to accept it and agree with it," the ambassador added.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog was the first speaker to address the conference on Tuesday, warning of a deteriorating reality for Jewish communities worldwide.
"The same old plague has been let loose on our society once again. The rationale may be different, but it is the same ancient poison, it has taken many forms, but it has always carried the same name, antisemitism," he said.
Herzog noted that Jews now feel compelled to hide their identities on the streets of London and Paris, and that Jewish worshipers must be protected on Saturday mornings from Toronto to Boston to Buenos Aires.
He cited the killing of Jewish worshipers in Manchester, England, on Yom Kippur, the murder of innocents at a Chanukah celebration in Sydney, Australia, and the isolation and harassment of Jewish students on university campuses across the U.S. and Europe.
"When this happens," Herzog said, "we are failing to meet our vow. We are failing to meet our duties to humanity."
Herzog also addressed concerns in the United States, citing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. "To deny the Jewish people and only the Jewish people the right to self-determination in their national homeland is antisemitism - even if you are the mayor of the city with the most Jews outside Israel," he said.
ISIS, IRAN ESCALATING GLOBAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST JEWS, ISRAEL SPY CHIEF SAYS
The conference, titled Generation Truth, and hosted by Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli, focused on three primary manifestations of modern antisemitism: violent Islamist antisemitism, progressive antisemitism that seeks to delegitimize Israel and exclude Jews from public life, and far-right antisemitism, which has gained renewed visibility in recent years.
On Tuesday, Chikli drew a connection between Nazi ideology and what he described as "Islamo-Nazism," which he said underpins the worldview of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
"Eighty-one years have passed, and the Jewish people have still not fully recovered from the horrific campaign of annihilation carried out by Nazi Germany. Eighty-one years have passed and yet an axe is still raised against us seeking to destroy the small Jewish state and to harm Jews at every point on the globe, from the kibbutzim and communities in southern Israel still scared by the barbaric Hamas atrocities of Oct. 7 to Manchester and Sydney," Chikli said.
"This conference seeks to banish political correctness… and to mobilize all essential forces in the ideological and physical fight against the modern heirs of the Nazi," he continued.
Also speaking at the conference was Sylvan Adams, president of the World Jewish Congress for the Israel region, who told Fox News Digital that on Oct. 8, 2023 — before the war in Gaza began and while Israel was still counting its dead — demonstrations took place across the globe celebrating the Hamas-led massacre.
He blamed the events on several countries that he said are part of an organized campaign led by Qatar, which he said serves as a frontline for the Muslim Brotherhood, with backing from Iran and, more recently, China — actors he argued exploit Israel and the Jewish people to intimidate and overturn Western society.
"After Israel appeared wounded and vulnerable on Oct. 7, they activated a massive, long-prepared campaign — investing vast resources, infiltrating institutions, and planting paid operatives in Western cities in an effort to deliver a final blow. But we see how deeply mistaken they were," Adams said.
"We need to push back and remind leaders in the West, institutional leaders as well as political leaders, that we are under attack. Our way of life, our freedoms are under attack. It’s not Israel’s fight, this is a clash of civilizations, we are fighting for all of the West," he added.
North Korea launches short-range ballistic missiles into sea, show of force ahead of political meetings
North Korea is flexing its muscles and firing short-range ballistic missiles toward its waters ahead of a major political meeting.
South Korea's military detected the launches of several ballistic missiles from an area northeast of Pyongyang, North Korea, adding that each missile flew approximately 217 miles, The Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Defense Ministry said that two ballistic missiles launched from North Korea and landed off the coast of the Korean Peninsula, according to the AP.
These launches represent the first time North Korea fired weapons since testing hypersonic missiles in early January, the AP noted. In December, the country tested long-range strategic cruise missiles and new anti-air missiles and released photos of the apparent construction of a nuclear-powered submarine, which would be the first of its kind for Pyongyang, the AP reported.
NORTH KOREA TEST-LAUNCHES HYPERSONIC MISSILE SYSTEM IN FRONT OF KIM, NATION SAYS
The missile launches come as the ruling party prepares to hold its first full congress in five years, according to the AP, which cited state media. So far, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has met with other top officials to prepare for the meeting. The top-level meeting will reportedly be used to set new political and economic priorities as the U.S. and South Korea seek renewed talks with North Korea.
NORTH KOREA RELEASES IMAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINE
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which is controlled by the North Korean government, reported in December that Kim presided over a plenary meeting of the Workers Party’s Central Committee in which participants discussed issues related to the party congress and this year's state policies, the AP reported. The outlet noted that Kim revived the congress in 2016 after a 36-year hiatus.
Additionally, North Korea recently accused South Korea of carrying out surveillance drone flights across the border. Seoul has denied operating drones during the times Pyongyang specified and said it began investigating the possibility that civilians sent them.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
How Israel’s West Bank security realities are reshaping the two-state debate
The Israel Defense Forces conducted approximately 80 brigade-level counterterrorism operations over the past year in the West Bank — known to Israelis as Judea and Samaria — neutralizing hundreds of terrorists and seizing more than 1,300 weapons, according to data released by the military.
The IDF said overall Palestinian terrorist activity in the area declined sharply in 2025, with incidents down 78% compared to the previous year. Attacks involving firearms dropped by 86%, the data showed.
Security remains essential in Israel’s ancient heartland, home to more than 500,000 Jews and up to 3 million Palestinians, and is at the center of intense political and diplomatic debate. Many Israeli officials argue that Jerusalem must assert sovereignty over the territory.
TRUMP LAUNCHES PHASE 2 OF GAZA PEACE PLAN — BUT HAMAS DISARMAMENT REMAINS THE REAL TEST
Under the 1993 Oslo Accords, brokered during the Clinton administration, the West Bank was divided into three areas: Area A, under full Palestinian control; Area B, under Palestinian civil authority and Israeli security control; and Area C, under full Israeli authority.
A 2020 plan by the Trump administration, known as "Peace to Prosperity," envisioned Israeli annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria but was shelved in favor of the Abraham Accords, which normalized Israel’s relations with four Arab countries. In July 2024, the Knesset plenum overwhelmingly rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state, and in July 2025, approved a declaration calling on the government to apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria as well as the Jordan Valley, something Vice President JD Vance described as a "very stupid political stunt," when asked his thoughts on the vote.
On a visit to Israel, he said, "The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel… The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel. That will continue to be our policy. And if people want to take symbolic votes, they can do that, but we certainly weren't happy about it."
VANCE REBUKES ISRAEL ON 'VERY STUPID' VOTE TO ANNEX WEST BANK
Focusing on the national security significance of the area, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus, a former IDF international spokesperson and now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that fundamental principles of warfare apply to the area.
"High ground, or elevated terrain, remains critical and extremely important in defending a country, its people and its sovereignty," Conricus said. "I cannot identify any credible professional military assessment that would suggest it is wise for Israel to allow a hostile entity to dominate high terrain that controls, by line of sight and fire, most of modern Israel west of the 1949 armistice line, where 80% of Israel’s GDP and 70% of its population reside."
WALTZ HAILS ‘NIGHT-AND-DAY’ MIDDLE EAST SHIFT AS TRUMP’S GAZA PLAN RESHAPES REGION
Conricus said that no Israeli government could relinquish military control over the area without endangering the most basic security of the State of Israel.
He emphasized that the area defines Israel’s eastern border and noted that, while Israel currently maintains strategic peace with Jordan, the kingdom remains unstable and vulnerable to both internal and external pressures.
"It could be jihadist elements, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas or the Iranian regime," he said. "Israel has to have an eastern border that is a natural barrier. The Jordan River is a natural barrier that limits the movement of troops, tanks and vehicles, and provides a border that is defensible," he said.
ISRAEL FM ACCUSES PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY OF AIDING TERROR WITH ‘PAY-FOR-SLAY’ AFTER DEADLY ATTACK
Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, pointed to the concept of defensible borders that emerged after the 1967 Six-Day War.
"As a result, Israel gained a major defensive position and strategic depth it had never previously possessed," Diker said, noting that Israel had been only nine miles wide at its narrowest point in the north.
After the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, Diker said its strategic importance has increased amid concerns that a similar large-scale attack could occur there, given the widespread flow of weapons.
"Although we control between 60% and 75% of the region, Iran has been penetrating the Jordanian border," he said, adding that Hamas incitement has energized jihadist networks.
Yishai Fleisher, international spokesman for Hebron — the cradle of Jewish civilization located in Judea — told Fox News Digital that the vast majority of events described in the Bible took place in Judea and Samaria.
Hebron, he said, is home to the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, while Jerusalem is where the two Jewish Temples stood and where King David reigned. In Bet El, the Biblical account of Jacob’s dream of the ladder took place.
"The reason we have national aspirations in the Land of Israel is because of our history," Fleisher said. He also cited an initiative to rename Route 60 — which runs through many Biblical cities — the "Biblical Highway."
Earlier this month, IDF troops were dispatched to the Shavei Shomron Junction following reports that dozens of masked Israeli suspects had vandalized property in the area. Several Palestinian vehicles were torched, and two Palestinians were injured. A day later, IDF troops were dispatched to the area of Jalud following reports that Israeli civilians had vandalized a local school. In a separate incident in the Bizzariya area, several Palestinian vehicles were set on fire and property was damaged.
In 2025, the IDF recorded an increase of approximately 27% in anti-Palestinian crimes.
Governor of Binyamin and Chairman of the Yesha Council Yisrael Ganz told Fox News Digital that Judea and Samaria has been in a state of war since Oct. 7. Over the past year, he said, citing Shin Bet data, there were more than 4,000 attempted attacks against Israelis.
UN AMBASSADOR WALTZ REVEALS TRUMP'S MIDDLE EAST PEACE PLAN IS ‘THE ONLY WAY FORWARD’
Ganz cited former Shin Bet head Yoram Cohen, who said only 1.5% of Shin Bet cases involve Jews, while roughly 80% focus on Arab terrorism.
"Yes, there are incidents of violence, but the number of Jews who attack Arabs is negligible," Ganz said, condemning extremist youth as a small and unrepresentative minority.
Ganz argued that the absence of Israeli sovereignty creates a legal gray zone that enables extremism.
"When there is governance, security and economic opportunity, there is no room for anarchy or violence," he said, envisioning Judea and Samaria as "the Israeli Tuscany."
Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren told Fox News Digital that the two-state solution was never viable but rather a diplomatic reflex.
"The Palestinians hold the world record for a people who have been offered a two-state solution and have rejected it," Oren said. "They rejected it in 1937, the British offer in 1947, the American-Israeli offer in 2001, and the subsequent offer in 2008."
According to polls, Oren said, most Palestinians oppose a two-state solution and support the Oct. 7 attacks.
"Rather, the two-state solution is viewed as an interim stage toward a one-state solution," he said, a phrase often used as a euphemism for the eventual destruction of Israel through demographic change.
While acknowledging Palestinian self-rule in Areas A and B, Oren said a fully sovereign Palestinian state is impossible.
"It could not have control over its borders, nor control over strategic affairs, such as entering a defense pact with Iran. It will never be a classic sovereign state, but it could be more than what they have today," he said.
While a two-state solution once seemed inevitable, Dan Shapiro — who served as U.S. ambassador to Israel under President Barack Obama and as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for the Middle East under President Joe Biden — told Fox News Digital that it has not been viable for many years and may now be harder to envision than ever, particularly in the aftermath of Oct. 7.
Still, Shapiro said, the framework remains a fixture of Middle East diplomacy due to the lack of viable alternatives for resolving the conflict between two peoples living in one land, each with legitimate claims to a homeland.
"President Trump includes a credible pathway to a Palestinian state in his 20-point plan to stabilize Gaza and remove Hamas from power. Presidents Biden and Trump have both viewed progress toward a Palestinian state as part of the formula to achieve Saudi normalization with Israel," Shapiro said.
"None of this means it can happen soon, or perhaps at all. If it ever does, it will take longer and look different from earlier efforts. It is not a copy-and-paste of ideas from the Oslo era. But that credible pathway to a Palestinian state — one that would live peacefully alongside a secure Israel — difficult as it is, remains relevant," he added.
Shapiro noted that even Israel’s current government — the most right-wing in the country’s history and one that includes multiple proponents of annexation — has stopped short of applying sovereignty across the West Bank, a sign, he said, that the political and diplomatic costs remain too high.
"President Trump has announced that it will not happen because he promised Arab states — the same ones he does business with and relies on to help stabilize Gaza — that it will not happen, and Netanyahu will not oppose him on it," Shapiro said.
Shapiro said that preserving the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state on some portion of the territory — even if it appears distant and would require major changes in Palestinian leadership and society — has remained relevant, even under Israeli governments that profess to oppose any two-state outcome.
Iranian security forces gun down amateur boxer as father searches morgues for missing son: source
An Iranian amateur boxer was shot and killed by Iranian security forces during ongoing anti-regime protests near Tehran, and his father spent a week searching before identifying his body in a black body bag.
Harrowing footage circulating online shows his distraught father desperately searching among piles of bodies covered with black body bags, crying out for his missing son.
Sepehr Ebrahimi, 19, was killed on Jan. 11 in the Andisheh area, approximately 19 miles west of Tehran’s city center, according to Iranian opposition sources.
"Sepehr was shot and killed in Tehran," Ali Safavi, a senior official with the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told Fox News Digital.
IRAN LOCKS NATION INTO ‘DARKER’ DIGITAL BLACKOUT, VIEWING INTERNET AS AN ‘EXISTENTIAL THREAT’
Video shared on social media, which was viewed by Fox News Digital, shows Ebrahimi’s father calling out his son’s name as he searches a warehouse filled with unidentified bodies following a violent crackdown on demonstrators.
"My dear Sepehr, where are you?" the father can be heard crying. At one point, he shouts, "Damn Khamenei. They have killed the children of so many people. You killed so many young people!"
According to Safavi, Ebrahimi was shot with live ammunition by Iran’s security forces during protests against the clerical regime.
His family spent an agonizing week searching through morgues, hospitals and detention facilities before finally identifying his body among piles of corpses, also shown in the viral footage.
KHAMENEI CALLS TRUMP A ‘CRIMINAL,’ BLAMES HIM FOR DEADLY PROTESTS SWEEPING IRAN
The killing comes amid ongoing demonstrations across Iran, as anger continues to simmer over political repression, economic hardship and human rights abuses.
Ebrahimi’s death has also renewed attention on the case of another Iranian boxer, Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, who is on death row.
Vafaei Sani, now 30, is a champion boxer who was arrested in 2020 for participating in nationwide pro-democracy protests.
Iranian authorities accused him of supporting the opposition group the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK).
He has spent five years in prison, during which he has reportedly been tortured and held in prolonged solitary confinement, according to rights organizations.
IRANIAN SOLDIER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR REFUSING TO FIRE ON PROTESTERS DURING NATIONWIDE UNREST
In 2023, more than 100 human rights experts and international organizations sent a letter to U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, urging urgent intervention to stop Vafaei Sani’s execution.
His death sentence echoes the case of Iranian wrestling champion Navid Afkari, who was executed in September 2020.
Meanwhile, the death of Ebrahimi and others come as Iran’s protest-related death toll continues to rise.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), at least 6,126 people have been killed since the start of the latest wave of protests.
HRANA also reported that 214 government-affiliated forces and 49 civilians have also been killed, while more than 17,000 deaths remain under investigation.
Trump says Iran called 'numerous' times to make deal as carrier enters Middle East waters
President Donald Trump said Iran appears to be looking to negotiate with the U.S. amid a growing military buildup in the Middle East.
In a Monday interview with Axios, Trump suggested that Tehran had reached out on "numerous occasions" and "want[s] to make a deal."
"They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk," the president told the outlet.
According to U.S. officials, also cited by Axios, any potential agreement would need Tehran to remove all enriched uranium, cap its long-range missile stockpile, a change in support for regional proxy forces, and cease independent uranium enrichment, terms Iranian leaders have not agreed to.
ISRAELI UN AMBASSADOR SENDS STARK WARNING TO IRAN AMID GROWING UNREST
Trump also described the situation with Iran as "in flux," and pointed to the arrival of what he called "a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela," referencing the recent deployment of U.S. naval assets.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier entered CENTCOM waters in the Indian Ocean on Monday amid increasing threats from Iran, a senior U.S. official said.
Trump had told reporters Jan. 21, "We have a big flotilla going in that direction, and we’ll see what happens. We have a big force going towards Iran. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely."
The U.S. military buildup comes amid widespread unrest inside Iran following protests that began Dec. 28.
According to a recent report from Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the confirmed death toll from the protests has reached 5,848, with an additional 17,091 deaths under investigation.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been sheltering in a fortified underground facility, according to Iran International.
Trump is expected to hold further consultations this week, Axios said, before adding that White House officials said an attack is still on the table.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
Skier suffers brutal mauling after stepping within 10 feet of snow leopard for photo, video shows
A female skier was viciously mauled by a snow leopard on Friday after approaching the predator too closely for a photo, according to chilling footage of the incident.
The encounter, which left the woman’s face severely bloodied, occurred around 7 p.m. in Fuyun County, along China’s northern border with Mongolia, according to Jam Press.
Footage shows a woman, who reportedly edged as close as 10 feet to the leopard, lying motionless in the snow as the predator hovered nearby after the mauling. Witnesses then appeared to help guide her away as blood poured from her face.
Local reports noted that the woman miraculously survived partly because her helmet helped prevent more serious harm.
Authorities previously issued warnings after multiple people reported animal sightings near the hotel the day before, according to Jam Press. The leopard was believed to be lingering around the area due to a lack of food.
Reports indicated that a skier spotted the leopard while making her way back to the hotel. When she was unable to get a good angle for a photo, she reportedly kept approaching until the leopard pounced and mauled her face. The predator was eventually driven off by a ski instructor waving his poles.
The injured skier was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition.
BEAR REMAINS UNDER CALIFORNIA HOME AFTER WEEKS OF FAILED REMOVAL ATTEMPTS
In the days leading up to the attack, authorities had warned visitors of multiple snow leopard sightings in the area. While snow leopards on humans are historically rare due to the animals’ shy and elusive nature, officials noted that the big cats still possess "aggressive tendencies" and urged tourists to avoid lingering or approaching them for photos.
"Recently, snow leopard activity has been detected in Gem Valley, Keketuohai," the warning said, according to Jam Press. "Snow leopards are large predators with strong aggressive tendencies. When passing through this area, please move quickly and do not linger. Do not get out of your vehicle or approach to take photos, and never walk alone in the surrounding area."
Tourists staying at a nearby guesthouse confirmed that they saw a leopard in the area prior to the attack, according to the outlet.
"We saw it last night, a few kilometers from where the attack took place, but we can't confirm if it's the same snow leopard," one witness said.
China is home to the largest population of wild snow leopards in the world, according to the Snow Leopard Trust, with the country harboring the majority of the global population.
An investigation into the attack is ongoing.
Chinese hackers reportedly breached phones at 'heart of Downing Street' in global spy campaign
Chinese state-linked hackers breached mobile phones at "the heart of Downing Street" amid a global cyber-espionage campaign over several years targeting telecommunication networks, according to reports.
U.S. officials first alerted its allies in 2024 after finding out that hacking groups had gained access to telecom companies around the world, according to The Associated Press.
The campaign reportedly targeted multiple countries, including the U.S. and the other members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance: Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
The breaches allegedly gave China access to the phone data of millions and the possible ability to eavesdrop on calls, read text messages and track users’ locations.
EX-TRUMP DHS OFFICIAL SOUNDS ALARM OVER NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT WITHIN CRITICAL US INDUSTRY
The hackers also had the ability to record calls "at will" according to Anne Neuberger, who was a deputy U.S. national security adviser between January 2021 and January 2025, The Telegraph reported.
Neuberger said that the "Chinese gained access to networks and essentially had broad and full access," giving them the capability to "geolocate millions of individuals, to record phone calls at will."
U.S. intelligence agencies believe the breaches date back to at least 2021, but they were only identified and disclosed by U.S. authorities in 2024.
SECRET ROOM TO BE BUILT AT CHINESE EMBASSY NEAR CABLE LINES, SPARKING WIDESPREAD ESPIONAGE FEARS
In 2024, The Associated Press reported that U.S. federal authorities urged telecommunication companies to boost network security. The guidance, issued by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, was to help root out the hackers and prevent similar attacks in the future.
A joint cybersecurity advisory was issued in August 2025, with the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and allied partners warning that Chinese state-sponsored actors were targeting networks globally.
"The malicious activity outlined in the advisory partially overlaps with cybersecurity industry reporting on Chinese state-sponsored threat actors referred to by names such as Salt Typhoon," an NSA release said.
In the U.K., officials raised concerns that senior government figures may also have been exposed. One source told The Telegraph that the breach went "right into the heart of Downing Street."
Similarly, The Telegraph was told that there were "many" different hacking attacks on the phones of Downing Street staff and across wider government, especially when Rishi Sunak was prime minister between 2022 and 2024.
Yuval Wollman, a former Israeli intelligence chief, also told The Telegraph that Salt Typhoon was "one of the most prominent names" in the cyber-espionage world.
"While much of the public reporting has focused on U.S. targets, Salt Typhoon’s operations have extended into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where it has targeted telecoms firms, government entities and technology companies," Wollman of cybersecurity platform CyberProof added.
In the past, China’s foreign ministry dismissed the claims as "baseless" and "lacking evidence," according to The Telegraph.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Downing Street for comment.
Russia reportedly slams Trump’s Golden Dome as 'provocative' as trillion-dollar shield takes shape
Russia criticized the U.S.’ proposed Golden Dome missile defense system Monday, warning it could destabilize global nuclear deterrence, according to reports.
According to TASS, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev told Kommersant newspaper that the ambitious project is extremely "provocative."
"Problems in the strategic sphere resulting from destabilizing U.S. actions only continue to grow. It is enough to recall the highly provocative anti-missile project ‘Golden Dome for America,’" he said, TASS reported.
"It fundamentally contradicts the assertion of the inseparable interrelationship between offensive and defensive strategic arms, which, by the way, was enshrined in the preamble of New START," Medvedev added, citing the treaty that protects U.S. national security by placing limits on Russia’s deployed intercontinental nuclear weapons.
A defense expert says Russia’s reaction underscores the Golden Dome’s power as a geopolitical signal to the world.
"Even before it has been built, the dome is military focused and politically focused and an incredible bargaining chip with U.S. adversaries," defense expert Cameron Chell told Fox News Digital.
"In this case, it is Russia and China in particular, in terms of how the U.S. postures for negotiating peace terms, treaty terms and whether the U.S. will be negating their already existing arsenal," the Draganfly CEO claimed.
The Golden Dome is a long-term missile defense concept aimed at protecting North America from ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missile threats.
Chell spoke after the Pentagon released its National Defense Strategy on Jan. 23, outlining a renewed focus on homeland defense, expanded missile defense, counter-drone systems, cyber capabilities and long-range strike forces.
The planned Golden Dome missile defense shield is designed to defeat "large missile barrages and other advanced aerial attacks," the strategy said, while also hardening military and key civilian infrastructure against cyber strikes as Russia and China continue expanding their hypersonic weapons programs.
'GOLDEN DOME' MISSILE SHIELD TO BE TESTED BY TRUMP IN KEY AMERICAN TERRITORY
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, China has also pushed back against the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, accusing Washington of undermining global strategic stability and risking the weaponization of outer space.
"There’s big value in the talk and the build-out of Golden Dome, even long before it gets built, not to mention the research and technology development that comes out of it," Chell said.
"The posturing and the economic benefits of building something like this are also factored into why the dome is so important."
The project’s sheer scale is expected to drive its strategic impact but could also come with an enormous price tag.
"The dome is going to take trillions to build and is the largest military project, probably the largest engineering and technology project ever attempted, so there are going to be challenges getting it done," Chell explained.
"The U.S. has ten years of planning, including where they are going to have communication links, radar systems, and early warning systems." That planning, Chell noted, is shifting focus north.
GERMANY WARNS RUSSIA COULD ATTACK NATO BY 2029 AS INTELLIGENCE THREAT ASSESSMENTS MOUNT
"In order to protect the U.S., you want to take things down before they get over the top of the country," Chell said.
"Places like Canada, or even further north, become the dropping ground. You want to get these threats as soon as possible."
Canada and Greenland are viewed by U.S. defense planners as critical for radar coverage, space tracking and early-warning infrastructure.
"The idea is something being shot down from space, but to do that you need very detailed landscape data of the entire North and you need access to the North," Chell said.
President Trump has long argued the U.S. must control Greenland for national security reasons, citing its strategic Arctic location and natural resources.
"There needs to be infrastructure and oversight in the far north, in Canada, in Greenland, and places like that," Chell said. "All that planning has to be done well ahead of time, before we have anything operational."
Chell also pointed to the potential role of drones in supporting the Golden Dome’s broader mission.
"Drones could be part of informing the Golden Dome as reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence tools," he said, adding that the "entire military complex is integrated."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of War for comment.
China experts raise alarms over Xi’s sweeping military purge
China’s sudden removal of senior military leaders, including allegations that a top general leaked sensitive information to the United States, is raising new questions about internal turmoil inside the Chinese Communist Party and the readiness of the People’s Liberation Army.
Experts told Fox News Digital that while many details remain unclear, the scope of the apparent purge points to mounting instability under Chinese President Xi Jinping, with potential implications for regional security and rising tensions around Taiwan.
Beijing has not publicly confirmed espionage allegations, but reports published in Western media describe an extraordinary shakeup within China’s military leadership. Analysts caution that the lack of transparency makes definitive conclusions difficult, yet say the pattern of removals itself signals a system under strain.
Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the non-partisan Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the developments appear driven by political control rather than an imminent move toward conflict.
"These unprecedented purges reflect Xi’s clear focus on control and cohesion — ensuring the People’s Liberation Army is politically reliable, centralized and obedient before it can be tasked with high-risk operations," Singleton told Fox News Digital.
"This does not mean conflict is imminent, but it does show how seriously Xi treats the prospect of having to use the military in the coming years."
Singleton said some observers have compared the developments to past authoritarian crackdowns, but argued a different historical parallel is more instructive.
"Some analysts are comparing these developments to Stalin-era purges in the late 1930s. There certainly are echoes, but I think the closer analogy is Moscow in 1979 — when Soviet political leaders pushed for the invasion of Afghanistan despite strong military warnings that it would be unsustainable and devolve into a costly guerrilla war."
He warned that China may now be facing a similar disconnect between political leadership and military reality.
"Xi’s purges may reflect a similar dynamic: political urgency to speed up invasion planning over Taiwan colliding with a military that senior Chinese officers know isn’t ready yet."
TAIWAN UNVEILS $40B DEFENSE SPENDING PLAN TO COUNTER CHINA MILITARY THREAT OVER NEXT DECADE
China expert Gordon Chang, told Fox News Digital the uncertainty surrounding the purge highlights the depth of instability inside China’s system.
"There’s no way to make sense of this right now," Chang said. "All we can say is that the situation is fluid, that the regime is in turmoil, and probably the People’s Liberation Army is not ready to engage in major operations because dozens of senior officers have been either arrested or removed."
"This is an extraordinary situation," he added. "And this means that China, the country itself, not just the regime, but the country itself is unstable."
Chang also addressed reports alleging that a senior Chinese general was accused of providing sensitive nuclear-related material to the United States, claims that have not been officially substantiated by Beijing.
"The Wall Street Journal reported that the Ministry of National Defense has accused General Zhang Xiaoxiao of providing core technical material on China’s nuclear weapons to the United States," Chang said.
"That is really extraordinary. It also doesn’t sound right, because General Zhang just would not have that many opportunities to pass that type of material to the U.S."
Chang emphasized that his assessment was speculative. "This is just a guess, this is speculation," he said, adding that such accusations may serve as justification for harsh internal punishment rather than reflect confirmed espionage.
He also pointed to past intelligence failures to underscore his skepticism. "We know that the CIA has not had a good track record in China," Chang said, noting that about 30 CIA assets were executed after being uncovered several years ago.
"It would be stunning that the CIA has been able to reconstitute itself and get that type of material from one of the most senior figures in the Chinese regime," he said. "At this point I have to say that trust but verify."
SKIES AT STAKE: INSIDE THE U.S.–CHINA RACE FOR AIR DOMINANCE
The continued removal of high-ranking officers, Chang argued, points to deeper fractures within the Communist Party itself.
"We are seeing a whole class of leadership being junked," he said, noting that the detained general was the most senior uniformed officer in China and second only to Xi Jinping within the Communist Party’s Central Military Commission. "To arrest and detain him is extraordinary by itself."
Singleton said that while purges may weaken China’s military in the short term, they could create greater risk over time.
"Purges can degrade near-term readiness, but over the long-term they increase political control over the military and reduce dissent, easing the path for riskier decisions down the line," he said.
Turning to Taiwan, Chang said a deliberate invasion remains unlikely given the current turmoil and the complexity of such an operation.
"I have never thought it was likely China would start hostilities by invading the main island of Taiwan," he said, citing the challenges of a combined air, land and sea assault and the instability inside the military.
CHINA’S ENERGY SIEGE OF TAIWAN COULD CRIPPLE US SUPPLY CHAINS, REPORT WARNS
Still, he warned that instability does not mean reduced danger. "Although it’s unlikely that China would start hostilities deliberately, it’s highly probable that China will end up in a war," Chang said.
"Not like it’s China deliberately starting one, but China stumbling into one."
"I don’t think Xi Jinping is in a position to de-escalate a situation because of the turmoil in the Chinese political system," he added.
Taken together, analysts say the military shakeup underscores a growing paradox inside Beijing: as Xi tightens political control, instability may deepen rather than fade, increasing the risk of miscalculation at a time of heightened regional tension.
China’s embassy spokesperson in Washington D.C., Liu Pengyu, told Fox News Digital, "The Party Central Committee has decided to open disciplinary and supervisory investigations into Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli on suspicion of serious violations of discipline and law. This decision once again underscores that the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission maintain a full-coverage, zero-tolerance approach to combating corruption. Corruption is a major obstacle to the progress of the Party’s and the nation’s cause. The more resolutely the people’s armed forces fight corruption, the stronger, more united and capable they become."
Venezuelan opposition leader says democratic transition would be 'fall of the Berlin Wall' for Americas
Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado argued that a successful democratic transition for her country would rapidly transform the nation's economy and reverse years of instability, reshaping the region’s political landscape.
Machado told the New York Post in an interview that such an outcome would define Trump’s foreign policy legacy, comparing it to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
"The legacy to the world is going to be huge," she explained. "You’re going to have a prosperous Venezuela and the region.… If you make a comparison in history, this would mean for the Americas as much as the fall of the Berlin Wall had for Europe. It’s equivalent.
"For the first time in history, you will have the Americas free of communism, dictatorship and narco-terrorism for the first time," she added.
Machado said she intends to return to Venezuela soon to help drive a democratic transition despite the risks she faces under the country’s current government.
"I need to be there. I want to go back as soon as possible," Machado said.
Her planned return would come at a pivotal moment for Venezuela, as interim President Delcy Rodríguez leads a U.S.-backed transition following the removal of Nicolás Maduro.
Rodríguez, a close ally of Maduro, was sworn into office on Jan. 5 after U.S. forces ousted the ex-leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their compound in Caracas during a military operation.
The duo were flown to New York and arraigned in federal court on multiple charges to which they pleaded not guilty.
Rodríguez has since been working with the White House and has spoken with President Donald Trump by phone.
Machado, however, voiced deep reservations about Rodríguez’s leadership, warning that the transition risks falling short without a broader break from the Maduro-era government.
"If Delcy Rodríguez stays, nothing truly changes," she told the Post. "There will be no rule of law, no trust, no stability. Venezuelans will not come home under a criminal."
Iran regime reportedly issued nationwide shoot-to-kill orders as protest death toll surges
More and more brutal evidence of the Iranian regime’s crackdown on its own people is circulating online, as the true number of those killed in Iran’s protests remains hotly contested amid internet blackouts and state intimidation. Estimates range from the thousands confirmed dead to the tens of thousands feared killed, according to activists, media reports and medical data.
Fatemeh Jamalpour, an Iranian journalist who has covered every major protest movement over the past two decades, said the latest crackdown represents a turning point in the regime’s use of force. "The regime’s level of violence has increased dramatically, and with the internet crackdown, it is difficult to know the true scale of the killing."
"The new thing I have seen in these protests, something we have not seen before, is that starting on the night of January 8, the regime issued shoot-to-kill orders to the IRGC, the Basij and the riot police, authorizing direct fire," Jamalpour told Fox News Digital.
INSIDE TRUMP’S IRAN WARNING — AND THE UNEXPECTED PAUSE THAT FOLLOWED
"In previous protests, military-grade weapons were used mainly in minority provinces such as Kurdistan and Baluchestan," she added. "This time they were used across the entire country… Health Ministry officials told us they ran out-of-body bags for the dead."
The most widely cited baseline comes from the Human Rights Activists News Agency, or HRANA, a U.S.-based group that tracks deaths by name and location.
As of January 25, HRANA reported 5,848 people confirmed killed. Of these, 5,520 were protesters, 77 were children under 18, 209 were government-affiliated forces and 42 were non-protesters or civilians. The number of deaths still under investigation stands at 17,091.
The group has emphasized that its confirmed tally reflects only cases that could be independently documented, and that its overall figures are expected to rise as information continues to emerge.
According to The Associated Press, Iranian authorities have offered only one official count, 3,117, and have not updated it publicly in the last five days. Authorities have not released names, locations, or documentation to support that figure.
Beyond human rights tallies, a separate medical working paper reviewed by Fox News Digital suggests the death toll may be far higher.
The report by Munich Med Group, authored by professor Dr. Amir-Mobarez Parasta, compiles hospital-registered fatalities from multiple Iranian cities and applies what the author describes as a conservative extrapolation model to account for underreporting during the communications blackout.
Using that methodology, the paper estimates a nationwide death toll of approximately 33,130 people as of January 23. The author stresses the figure is not a verified count, but a lower-bound estimate based on partial medical data and stated assumptions.
Iran International published its own investigation, claiming it reviewed documents indicating that more than 36,500 people were killed during two days of protests on January 8 and 9 alone. The outlet said the documents were provided by sources inside Iran, but the claims have not been independently verified.
KHAMENEI CALLS TRUMP A ‘CRIMINAL,’ BLAMES HIM FOR DEADLY PROTESTS SWEEPING IRAN
The wide gap between confirmed counts and higher estimates reflects not only the scale of violence, but also the conditions under which it occurred.
According to Jamalpour, despite the internet shutdown, doctors and medical workers attempted to document what they were seeing using limited satellite connections.
"Many doctors and medical staff tried to send us their accounts and documentation through small Starlink connections," she said. "Medical workers say protesters were often shot in the head and neck, with intent to kill. Many were killed by multiple bullets. Some were shot from behind while trying to flee."
Jamalpour said the victims she documented reflected a generation the regime appeared determined to crush. "Among the dead are children and a 67-year-old man, but most are young people under 30," she said.
TRUMP THREATENS IRAN WITH CRUSHING RESPONSE AS TEHRAN DENIES HALTING PROTEST EXECUTIONS
Jamalpour described the killing of Mehdi Khanmohammadi, a 67-year-old retired army colonel and pilot. "He was killed on Friday, January 9, in Saadat Abad by two bullets," she said. "In a video, his daughter stands over his lifeless body and says, ‘Can you open your eyes and wake up?’"
She said scenes like that have left the country in collective mourning. "These days, Iranians are in shock," Jamalpour said. "There is grief everywhere."
At the same time, she warned that the crackdown is far from over. "Lawyers and human rights organizations are deeply concerned about more than 20,000 protesters who have been detained and are at risk of execution," she said.
Yet even amid the fear, Jamalpour said she hears something new inside Iran. "In my conversations from inside the country, I hear people’s hope for Trump’s help in freeing Iran," she said. "And a determination to change the regime, now intertwined with anger and grief."
Israel confirms recovery of last hostage's remains from Gaza
Israel on Monday confirmed that the remains of Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage held in Gaza, have been recovered and returned home.
Gvili, a 24-year-old Israel Police officer from Meitar at the time of his death, was killed on Oct. 7, 2023, after confronting Hamas terrorists near Kibbutz Alumim and his body was later abducted to Gaza, according to a statement from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.
Zelenskyy says US security guarantees document is '100% ready' for signing
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a long-anticipated document on U.S. security guarantees is "100% ready" for signing, with Kyiv now waiting for its American partners to confirm the date and place before the agreement moves to ratification in both the U.S. Congress and the Ukrainian parliament.
"For us, security guarantees are first and foremost guarantees of security from the United States. The document is 100% ready," Zelenskyy said Sunday at a joint press conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, with the presidents of Lithuania and Poland, according to a translation of his remarks from Reuters.
Zelenskyy reiterated at the press conference that Ukraine views membership in the European Union as another core security guarantee and is aiming to join the bloc by 2027, the Ukrainian president's office said in a statement on its website.
His remarks come after Ukraine, Russia and the United States held trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi for two days over the weekend.
PUTIN CALLS TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN A ‘STARTING POINT’ AS HE WARNS UKRAINE TO PULL BACK OR FACE 'FORCE'
Zelenskyy said on X that the discussions, which involved political and military representatives from all three sides, were "constructive" and focused on potential parameters for ending his country's war with Russia.
RUSSIA LAUNCHES LARGEST ATTACK ON UKRAINE THIS MONTH FOLLOWING TRUMP'S MEETING WITH PUTIN, ZELENSKYY
The talks in the United Arab Emirates followed a meeting in Moscow on Thursday between Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and head of the Federal Acquisition Service Josh Gruenbaum.
Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said the "extremely frank" discussions lasted roughly four hours and included U.S. officials updating Moscow on their recent conversations with Ukrainian and European leaders, according to a summary of the meeting from the Kremlin.
Territorial issues remain a key obstacle in the negotiations, with Moscow pressing Kyiv to relinquish parts of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region that Russian forces do not fully control.
U.S. officials told Axios that negotiations examined the full range of unresolved issues, from Russia’s territorial demands in the Donbas to control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and potential steps to prevent a return to fighting.
Another U.S. official told the outlet a second round of talks is scheduled to take place on Feb. 1.
USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier Strike Group makes move amid threat from Iran
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier has entered CENTCOM waters in the Indian Ocean amid increasing threats from Iran, a senior U.S. official told Fox News on Monday.
Reports say Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has gone underground, suggesting the country may be preparing for military action. A leading U.S. drone expert told Fox on Sunday that Iran's drone swarms would pose a credible and serious threat to the Lincoln and its strike group.
The top U.S. official said the Lincoln was not yet ready for any possible future strikes against Iran.
Cameron Chell, CEO and co-founder of Draganfly, told Fox that Iran has created "an effective asymmetric threat against highly sophisticated military systems" with its fleet of unmanned drones, pairing "low-cost warheads with inexpensive delivery platforms."
IRAN'S LEADER THREATENS 'EVEN BIGGER BLOW' AGAINST US, TRUMP SAYS HE'S IN ‘NO RUSH’ TO TALK
Chell said Iran can launch large numbers of relatively unsophisticated drones directly at naval vessels, creating saturation attacks that could overwhelm traditional defenses.
"If hundreds are launched in a short period of time, some are almost certain to get through," Chell said.
"Modern defense systems were not originally designed to counter that kind of saturation attack. For U.S. surface vessels operating near Iran, warships are prime targets," he added.
U.S. officials say Washington is reinforcing its military posture in response to growing instability inside Iran, boosting its presence by air, land and sea, while closely monitoring developments in Syria.
A squadron of F-15 fighter jets has deployed to the region, and C-17 aircraft carrying heavy equipment have arrived.
Chell noted that U.S. and allied militaries are rapidly developing defenses but uncertainty over new capabilities on the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier groups for managing multiple Iranian drones flying in formation remains. He emphasized that Iran’s drone fleet is a concern.
"These drones give Iran a very credible way to threaten surface vessels," he said. "U.S. assets in the region are large, slow-moving and easily identifiable on radar, which makes them targetable."
"Iran’s strength lies instead in these low-cost, high-volume drone systems — particularly one-way strike drones designed to fly into a target and detonate," he said.
Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and Emma Bussey contributed to this report.
Iranian drone swarms pose 'credible threat' to USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, defense expert says
U.S. military assets headed to the Middle East could face a serious threat from Iranian drone swarms as reports emerge that Iran’s supreme leader has gone underground, according to a leading military drone expert.
Cameron Chell, CEO and co-founder of Draganfly, warned that Iran’s growing reliance on low-cost unmanned systems poses a credible danger to high-value U.S. naval assets, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group.
"Iran’s drone capabilities are worth well into the tens of millions of dollars," Chell told Fox News Digital.
"By pairing low-cost warheads with inexpensive delivery platforms, essentially remotely piloted aircraft, Iran has developed an effective asymmetric threat against highly sophisticated military systems."
TRUMP HAS THREE STRIKE OPTIONS THAT WOULD AID THE PROTESTERS AND DEVASTATE IRAN
Chell said Iran can launch large numbers of relatively unsophisticated drones directly at naval vessels, creating saturation attacks that could overwhelm traditional defenses.
"If hundreds are launched in a short period of time, some are almost certain to get through," Chell said.
"Modern defense systems were not originally designed to counter that kind of saturation attack. For U.S. surface vessels operating near Iran, warships are prime targets."
The warning comes as a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News Digital that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group had not yet crossed into U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility in the Indian Ocean.
"It is close, but technically not in CENTCOM yet," the source said. This would indicate the carrier strike group is not yet in a position to strike Iran.
U.S. officials say Washington is reinforcing its military posture in response to growing instability inside Iran, boosting its presence by air, land and sea, while closely monitoring developments in Syria.
IRAN SHUTS DOWN AIRSPACE, FOREIGN OFFICIALS WARN AGAINST TRAVEL TO ISRAEL
A squadron of F-15 fighter jets has deployed to the region, and C-17 aircraft carrying heavy equipment have arrived.
Once the aircraft carrier strike group enters the CENTCOM area of operations, which should be soon, it will still take several days before the strike is fully on station.
Chell noted that U.S. and allied militaries are rapidly developing defenses but uncertainty over new capabilities on the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier groups for managing multiple Iranian drones flying in formation remains. He emphasized that Iran’s drone fleet is a concern.
"These drones give Iran a very credible way to threaten surface vessels," he said. "U.S. assets in the region are large, slow-moving and easily identifiable on radar, which makes them targetable."
"Iran’s strength lies instead in these low-cost, high-volume drone systems—particularly one-way strike drones designed to fly into a target and detonate."
Chell explained that Iran gained an early advantage in what are known as Category One and Category Two drone systems—low-cost platforms that can be produced in large numbers and used effectively in asymmetric warfare.
"Category Three systems are a completely different matter," he said. "In that area, Iran is decades behind the United States."
The U.S. military buildup coincides with widespread unrest inside Iran. Protests erupted Dec. 28 amid mounting public discontent.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said the casualty figures had reached 5,459 as of Sunday, with 17,031 cases under investigation.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been reported to have moved into a fortified underground shelter in Tehran after senior officials assessed an increased risk of a potential U.S. strike, according to reports.
President Donald Trump also addressed the deployment on Jan. 21, telling reporters, "We have a big flotilla going in that direction, and we’ll see what happens. We have a big force going towards Iran. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely."
Emory fires Iranian official's daughter after campus protests over controversial hiring decision
The daughter of a senior Iranian official who publicly criticized U.S. involvement against President Donald Trump regarding intervening in Iran’s protests has reportedly been fired from her teaching post at a top U.S. college.
The Emory Wheel, Emory University's news outlet, reported the School of Medicine Dean announced in an email Jan. 24 that Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani was no longer a university employee.
Ardeshir-Larijani was an assistant professor in the department of hematology and medical oncology at Emory's medical school.
"The announcement follows a Jan. 19 protest where Iranian-American demonstrators gathered outside Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute to oppose the employment of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani by the University," the outlet said.
Ardeshir-Larijani's Emory faculty page and her Emory Healthcare pages were also no longer visible online.
The nonprofit Alliance Against Islamic Regime of Iran Apologists (AAIRIA) claimed that Ardeshir-Larijani had lived and worked in the U.S. for several years.
The group also cited the professional profile on Emory Healthcare’s official website as showing a listing for a woman called Ardeshir-Larijani who is a U.S.-trained hematologist-oncologist and practicing in Atlanta.
IRAN IN SHUTDOWN AS PROTESTERS STORM GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, CROWDS CHANT 'DEATH TO KHAMENEI'
The claims had first drawn attention amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran following the outbreak of protests and reports of deaths during an intense crackdown from Dec. 28.
Trump warned of potential U.S. action in response.
In a Jan. 2 Truth Social post, the president warned that if Iran "violently kills peaceful protesters" the U.S. "will come to their rescue," saying "we are locked and loaded and ready to go."
Trump’s remarks prompted warnings from senior Iranian officials, who said any American interference would cross a "red line."
Ali Larijani had posted on X that U.S. interference in Iran’s internal affairs would "[destabilize] the entire region" and "[destroy] American interests."
IRAN CRACKDOWN RATTLES MIDDLE EAST AS ANALYSTS WEIGH US OPTIONS SHORT OF MILITARY INTERVENTION
"The American people must know that Trump is the one who started this adventure," he wrote, "and they should pay attention to the safety of their soldiers."
AAIRIA responded by urging U.S. authorities to review the immigration and visa status of Ardeshir-Larijani and her husband.
The group urged officials to determine whether continued residence in the U.S. aligns with U.S. law, national security considerations and principles of accountability and human rights, in a statement shared online.
Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., also called on Emory to dismiss Ardeshir-Larijani and the state’s medical board to revoke her medical license.
Ardeshir-Larijani’s dismissal also arrived two weeks after sanctions had been placed on her father by the Treasury Department, who said that he "is responsible for coordinating the response to the protests on behalf of the Supreme Leader of Iran and has publicly called for Iranian security forces to use force to repress peaceful protesters," and has publicly defended the regime’s actions.
Ali Larijani has portrayed the U.S. as a hostile power in the past.
A 2018 report by The Washington Times highlighted what critics described as a double standard among Iranian officials whose relatives live or work in Western countries.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and the Department of Homeland Security for comment and Emory University for comment.
Israel announces limited reopening of Rafah Crossing under Trump’s 20-point plan
The Office of the Prime Minister of Israel said Sunday it has agreed to a limited reopening of the Rafah Crossing under President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan.
In a series of posts on X, the Prime Minister’s Office said the crossing would reopen only for pedestrian traffic and would remain subject to a full Israeli inspection process.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the reopening was contingent on the return of all living hostages and what it described as a "100 percent effort" by Hamas to locate and return the remains of all deceased hostages.
"The IDF is currently conducting a focused operation to exhaust all of the intelligence that has been gathered in the effort to locate and return the fallen hostage, Master-Sgt. Ran Gvili, of blessed memory," the Prime Minister’s Office wrote. "Upon completion of this operation, and in accordance with what has been agreed upon with the US, Israel will open the Rafah Crossing."
"The State of Israel is committed to the return of Israeli hero Master-Sgt. Ran Gvili and will spare no effort to bring him home for a proper Jewish burial."
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Syrian militiaman shows off what he claims to be severed Kurdish fighter's braid as Damascus asserts control
A video showing a Syrian militiaman holding what he claims to be a severed braid belonging to a Kurdish fighter killed in Raqqa has sparked outrage as Damascus moves to assert control in northeastern Syria amid a fragile ceasefire.
In the video, the man holds up what appears to be a cut braid. He is said to tell the person filming that he took it from a woman he claims was affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
When asked why, he responds, "She’s already gone, what will she do?" according to London-based news outlet New Arab.
The video prompted an online campaign and protests where Kurdish women braided their hair in solidarity. Outrage continued to grow as control in northeastern Syria began to shift, AFP reported.
TURKEY SAYS SYRIA USING FORCE IS AN OPTION AGAINST US-BACKED FIGHTERS WHO HELPED DEFEAT ISIS
"The video highlighted the fears many Kurds have about what Syrian government control could mean for their communities," Syria analyst Nanar Hawach told Fox News Digital.
"The Damascus-affiliated fighter held up a severed braid, claiming he cut it from a YPJ fighter killed in Raqqa, but he later claimed it was ‘artificial’ and ‘a joke.’ The woman’s identity and fate remain unverified," Hawach, of International Crisis Group, said
"The response matters more than the video though," he added, noting that the braid carries "cultural significance in Kurdish tradition and has become a symbol of women’s resistance."
US STRIKE ELIMINATES AL QAEDA OPERATIVE CONNECTED TO ISIS AMBUSH THAT KILLED 3 AMERICANS IN SYRIA
The incident comes as Damascus, under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, pushes to expand its reach and authority into areas long governed by the SDF, the U.S.' main partner in the fight against ISIS in Syria.
Raqqa, once the Islamic State group’s de facto capital, has also seen fighting emerge across the region between Syrian government forces and Kurdish units, prompting a U.S.-brokered cease-fire on Jan. 18.
The truce followed diplomatic efforts by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who met SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani in Erbil on Jan. 17 before traveling to Damascus to meet al-Sharaa, Reuters reported.
"This new 15-day ceasefire extension has created a real diplomatic window, but postpones rather than resolves the fundamental dispute," Hawach said.
ISIS FIGHTERS BREAK FREE FROM SYRIAN JAIL AMID CHAOTIC GOVERNMENT HANDOVER
"For Syria’s Kurds, the extension offers temporary relief but perhaps little certainty about what comes next," he said. "The fundamental disagreement remains: Damascus insists on individual integration, while the SDF views organizational dissolution as political erasure."
The ceasefire extension was also tied to security concerns surrounding ISIS prisoners held in northeastern Syria.
Damascus has taken control of several detention sites. As previously reported by Fox News Digital, prisoners escaped amid the transfer of control before U.S. Central Command began moving detainees to Iraq on Jan. 21, with the operation ongoing.
ISIS FIGHTERS STILL AT LARGE AFTER SYRIAN PRISON BREAK, CONTRIBUTING TO VOLATILE SECURITY SITUATION
"Washington is racing to transfer detainees before the security situation deteriorates further," Hawach said.
"Washington’s goal is to prevent this standoff from producing two outcomes: violence against Kurds, or an Islamic State resurgence from detention facilities," he said.
"The U.S. is trying to ensure this transition doesn’t end in violence along ethnic lines or an Islamic State resurgence," Hawach added.
"The fundamental dispute over integration between the SDF and Damascus remains unresolved. If they cannot bridge that gap, renewed fighting is possible when this new 15-day ceasefire expires," he said.
