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A growing number of U.S. allies are declining to take part in military efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, despite mounting pressure from Washington.

From Europe to the Indo-Pacific, governments are signaling reluctance to be drawn into direct military action, instead emphasizing diplomacy, legal constraints or limited defensive contributions.

France has ruled out any military role in securing the Strait of Hormuz, stressing a diplomatic approach. In an interview with FRANCE 24 last week, Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said Paris is "not participating in this war." 

"At this point, there is no question of sending any vessels to the Strait of Hormuz," she explained. Vautrin also questioned whether Washington and Jerusalem share the same end goals in the conflict with Iran.

President Donald Trump, however, suggested Monday he expects support from French President Emmanuel Macron.

UK DEPLOYING WARSHIP, HELICOPTERS TO CYPRUS AFTER DRONE STRIKE

"I think he's going to help. I mean, I'll let you know. I spoke to him yesterday. I don't do a hard sell on them because my attitude is we don't need anybody. We're the strongest nation in the world. We have the strongest military by far in the world. We don't need them," Trump said at the White House. "But, it's interesting. I'm almost doing it in some cases, not because we need them, but because I want to find out how they react."

IRAN HOLDS WORLD ENERGY HOSTAGE WITH 'NIGHTMARE' STRAIT OF HORMUZ SEA MINES, FORMER CENTCOM OFFICIAL WARNS

Germany has rejected military involvement, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz stating the conflict falls outside NATO’s scope. "We will not participate in ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz by military means. The war in the Middle East is not a matter for NATO," he said in a post on X. "Therefore, Germany will also not become involved militarily."

Australia has declined to send ships to the strait despite U.S. calls for support. In an interview on ABC Radio National on Monday, Catherine King, minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government, said, "We won't be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz. We know how incredibly important that is, but that's not something that we've been asked or that we're contributing to."

She noted Australia’s current contribution is limited to support in the United Arab Emirates, including providing aircraft to assist with defense given the number of Australians in the country.

IRAN DEPLOYS EXPLOSIVE ‘SUICIDE SKIFFS’ DISGUISED AS FISHING BOATS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Ireland has ruled out participation in any EU naval mission to reopen the strategic waterway. Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Micheál Martin told reporters ahead of his meeting with Trump, "We don’t have that offensive military capacity in any shape or form, so obviously it’s not something that’s on our agenda," according to the Irish Examiner. "The world is in a very challenging situation and no one likes war. We certainly don’t as a country, and we want a specific resolution."

WHY GULF STATES AREN’T JOINING THE WAR AGAINST IRAN — DESPITE ATTACKS ON THEIR SOIL

Spain has rejected any involvement in a Hormuz mission and called for an end to the war. 

Defense Minister Margarita Robles said, "We are on a defense and security mission in Cyprus and at this moment Spain is not considering any mission in Hormuz. What we are considering is the demand that the war end," according to Spanish newspaper La Razón.

She described the conflict as an "illegal war that is causing many deaths." 

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares similarly argued to end the "spiral of violence" and "this escalation that does not have clear objectives." 

The U.K. has stopped short of committing to direct military action while emphasizing coordination with international partners. In a press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, "We will not be drawn into the wider war." 

He called on allies and other European countries to "bring together a viable collective plan that can restore freedom of navigation in the region as quickly as possible."

Japan is holding off on any deployment of naval escorts to the Middle East, citing legal constraints. Speaking in parliament during an Upper House Budget Committee meeting, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said, "No decision has been made whatsoever regarding the dispatch of escort vessels," according to The Japan Times. "We are currently examining what Japan can do independently and what is possible within the legal framework."

TRUMP PRESSES NATO PARTNERS ON SUPPORT AS HEGSETH BLASTS HESITATION

"Legally speaking, this is very difficult," Takaichi added. "We are carefully examining what can be done within the scope of current laws and what is the best course of action at this time. At the same time, we are continuing to engage with Iran to help de-escalate the situation while also exchanging information with various countries."

Iranian Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Larijani and Basij Commander Gholamreza Soleimani have both been killed, according to the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.

"I have just been updated by the Chief of Staff that Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and the head of the Basij — Iran’s central repression apparatus — Salimani, were eliminated last night and have joined Khamenei, the head of the annihilation program, along with all those eliminated from the axis of evil in the depths of hell," Katz said, according to a translation provided to Fox News by his office.

The news comes more than two weeks since Israel launched a war against the Islamic Republic of Iran in conjunction with U.S. President Donald Trump.

"Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and the regime’s effective leader, has been eliminated," the Israel Defense Forces noted in a post on X.

WHY GULF STATES AREN'T JOINING THE WAR AGAINST IRAN — DESPITE ATTACKS ON THEIR SOIL

"Throughout the years, Larijani was considered one of the most veteran and senior figures within the Iranian regime leadership, and was a close associate of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. During the most recent wave of protests against the Iranian terror regime, Larijani personally oversaw the massacre that was carried out against Iranian protestors," the post added.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN'S MILITARY ‘DECIMATED,’ BUT STILL NOT DECLARING WAR OVER

Another IDF post noted, "Yesterday, the IDF targeted & eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who operated as commander of the Basij unit for the past 6 years. Under Soleimani, the Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence, widespread arrests, and the use of force against civilian demonstrators."

The U.S. government had previously indicated that it would offer a reward for information on Larijani.

"Rewards for Justice is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on the key leaders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its component branches," rewardsforjustice.net notes. "Under this reward offer, RFJ is seeking information on the following individuals," the webpage notes, listing Larijani and others.

HAMAS REASSERTS CONTROL IN GAZA AS IRAN WAR DOMINATES REGIONAL ATTENTION AND GLOBAL FOCUS

"Over a dozen Basij officials were targeted in Iran last night in different strikes, including the head of the Basij forces Gholamreza Soleimani. This was a joint U.S. and Israeli effort," a senior Israeli official noted. "A strike in Tehran targeted the Basij commander and around a dozen others, including the most senior figures in the Basij forces—people with a lot of blood on their hands."

Fox News' Trey Yingst and Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

Even as Iran expands attacks across the Persian Gulf, several of the countries directly targeted are still refusing to join the fight against Iran, opting instead for restraint and diplomacy. Gulf governments say their priority is defending their territory while preventing a wider conflict that could destabilize the region and global energy markets.

When asked by Fox News White House senior correspondent Peter Doocy about Iran’s strikes on Gulf states Monday, Donald Trump said experts had not anticipated Tehran would target neighboring countries.

"Nobody. Nobody. The greatest experts — nobody thought they were going to hit," Trump said when Doocy asked about Iranian attacks targeting Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.

TRUMP SEEKS WARSHIPS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO HELP SECURE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Tehran widened the conflict after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities earlier this month, expanding retaliation to Gulf energy infrastructure and shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.

Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) recorded at least 25 Iranian attacks against shipping in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz since Feb. 28, as well as strikes targeting energy infrastructure across several Gulf states.

"Tehran targeted Gulf energy infrastructure and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz seeking to raise the costs of the war for the U.S. and its regional partners," said Luca Nevola, ACLED’s senior analyst for Yemen and the Gulf.

Jacob Olidort, chief research officer at the America First Policy Institute, told Fox News Digital that, "Since Operation Epic Fury began, our Gulf partners have responded with an unprecedented unified front against threats posed by the Iranian regime," he said, adding that their actions have focused on stopping attacks rather than expanding the war. "This reflects not just a desire to stabilize the region but also a recognition that the U.S. military’s success is what makes that possible."

Salman Al-Ansari, a Saudi geopolitical researcher, told Fox News Digital that Riyadh is focusing on maintaining global market stability. "Riyadh is exercising maximum restraint at the moment, but the real question is how long that restraint can last," Al-Ansari said.

Al-Ansari pointed to a long-standing Saudi strategic philosophy. "Over a hundred years ago, the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz Al Saud, said: ‘The living do not fight the dead.’ Perhaps Riyadh is following this doctrine, at least until further developments unfold," he said.

Qatar has taken a similar approach. "The State of Qatar’s policies always seek to de-escalate conflicts," a Qatari official told Fox News Digital. "Qatar is not a party to this war, and we strongly believe that the violence must end through negotiations. At the same time. Qatar continues to defend its country and sovereignty following the Iranian attacks."

IRAN WAR, 11 DAYS IN: US CONTROLS SKIES, OIL SURGES AND THE REGION BRACES FOR WHAT’S NEXT

Another factor shaping Gulf restraint is a regional policy of refusing to allow their territory to be used for attacks on Iran. Some U.S. military experts say the Gulf’s hesitation is also tied to long-standing concerns about Washington’s reliability in the region.

Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward, a former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, told Fox News Digital that inconsistent U.S. policies have eroded trust among Gulf partners. "Our policies in the Middle East have been more cyclical than a revolving door," Harward said. "We have failed to earn the trust and confidence of our Gulf partners over the last decade and a half. And that lack of trust and confidence has only exacerbated the threat from Iran to the region."

The now retired vice admiral said Gulf governments are weighing the risks of escalation carefully. "As these countries consider whether to go on the offensive, they are worried about what happens when we leave," he said. "Admittedly, these countries are challenged to defend themselves against a country of 90 million without us."

Regional analysts say Gulf leaders are concerned that if even one country joins the fighting, the conflict could quickly engulf the region.

Abdullah Aljunaid, a Bahraini analyst, told Fox News Digital that if one member of the Gulf Cooperation Council enters the war, it could drag the entire bloc with it. "If any member of the GCC decided to join this offensive, it would obligate the rest of the GCC countries to join at the same time," Aljunaid said.

The consequences could extend far beyond the battlefield. "You could imagine what the oil prices would be. We are definitely talking about north of $150 per barrel," he claimed.

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Aljunaid said Gulf leaders are also wary of open-ended military campaigns in the region. "Past experiences show that every time military action is initiated in the region, it never ends according to what was promised," he said.

Instead, he said Gulf countries are focusing on defensive measures while quietly supporting diplomatic channels, including mediation efforts through Oman.

Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III said Iran made a major strategic mistake by striking Gulf countries. "Iran made a strategic blunder by striking Gulf nations – our allies and friends – with ballistic missiles and drone attacks," Newton told Fox News Digital.

The retired Air Force commander warned that attacks on key infrastructure such as oil fields or desalination plants could push Gulf states toward a more aggressive response.

"I'm inclined to believe there may potentially be one or two nations in the region inclined to join with the U.S. by going offensive against Iran," Newton said. "That is certainly within the realm of possibility in the coming weeks."

Newton added that the long-term objective for the U.S. and its partners should be preventing Iran from threatening regional stability and global shipping routes. "That includes achieving maritime dominance in the Persian Gulf and setting the conditions for safe passage for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.

For now, however, Gulf leaders appear determined to contain the conflict rather than escalate it, even as Iranian strikes have already reached their territory.

The UAE did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Cuba plunged into an unprecedented blackout after its entire electrical grid suddenly suffered a total collapse on Monday, briefly leaving roughly 10 million residents in total darkness. 

"At 1:54 p.m. local time, there was a disconnection of the national electrical grid resulting in a complete power outage across Cuba which includes the Havana metropolitan area," the U.S. Embassy in Cuba said. 

The nationwide outage comes just two days after a large crowd of protesters, fed up with the island's energy crisis, were caught on camera attacking a local Communist Party headquarters in Cuba, ransacking the building and attempting to set it on fire.

Efforts to restore electricity are currently underway across the island, with reports indicating that power is slowly returning to some areas.

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"The causes are being investigated and protocols for restoration are beginning to be activated," the Ministry of Energy and Mines of Cuba said Monday afternoon, referring to the island’s disrupted National Electrical System of Cuba. 

Cuba’s electrical grid has grown increasingly unstable over the years due to aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and economic restrictions that have limited the country’s access to energy resources – including Washington’s long‑standing oil embargo and recent U.S. actions that disrupted Venezuelan fuel shipments, a key source of the nation's energy.

Power outages have become a frequent occurrence across the country, disrupting water supply, refrigeration and communications.

"Officials in the US gov must be feeling very happy by the harm caused to every Cuban family," Cuban Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Carlos F. de Cossio said in response to Monday’s blackout. 

MILLIONS LOSE POWER ACROSS CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO FUEL ONGOING ENERGY CRISIS

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Friday that no fuel has entered the country for the past three months. Since then, electricity generation has relied heavily on a "considerable contribution from renewable energy sources."

The total collapse of the power grid came just as officials announced updates to their solar panel project in Villa Clara, describing it as a "national security necessity" amid ongoing restrictions on fossil fuel imports under the Trump administration.

"Amid a context of severe energy constraints and a recurring economic lockdown, #Cuba takes another firm step towards electric sovereignty," the Villa Clara Electric Company said Monday morning. 

"This connection comes at a critical time: Washington maintains severe restrictions on our country's access to fossil fuels, funding and technology. Betting on renewables isn’t just environmental — it’s a national security necessity."

As the island continues to face rolling power outages, residents have been urged to brace for significant disruption and unplug all nonessential equipment, "leaving only essential devices powered on until service stability is restored," the Villa Clara Electric Company said.

Last Saturday, in a rare display of public dissent driven by frustration over widespread blackouts, anti-government protesters in Cuba reportedly targeted a Communist Party office by hurling rocks, shouting "liberty" and igniting large fires at the scene.  

The rally, caught on video, began peacefully in the city of Morón late Friday but escalated into violence within hours, Reuters reported, citing local sources.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.

As the war with Iran dominates the region's attention, Hamas is quietly reasserting control inside Gaza, according to videos and photos circulating on social media. An Israeli analyst and a Gazan political commentator say the developments raise fresh doubts about whether postwar plans for the enclave can move forward anytime soon.

Michael Milshtein, a senior analyst at the Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, said Hamas has used the past two and a half weeks not only to rehabilitate militarily but to project visible control in public life.

"They are really making good use of them to establish their power in the public sphere, not just for military rehabilitation," Milshtein said, describing what he said were new recruits, police deployments and even parades in central Gaza. "Hamas is here to stay."

TRUMP LAUNCHES PHASE 2 OF GAZA PEACE PLAN — BUT HAMAS DISARMAMENT REMAINS THE REAL TEST

He said Gazans have reported that Hamas is also rebuilding the machinery of governance. "Their police are everywhere," he said. "They are also improving their taxation system." During Ramadan, he added, Hamas personnel were checking markets and mosques and "starting to build education systems."

Mukhaimer Abu Saada, a Gazan political analyst, agrees momentum around postwar Gaza planning has largely stalled since the Iran war escalated.

"Everything with regard to Gaza has been put on hold," Abu Saada told Fox News Digital. Before the regional war erupted, he said, developments had been "moving in the right direction," including work around the Board of Peace, the Gaza Technical Committee and discussions tied to a possible international stabilization force.

"Yes, Hamas has taken advantage of the current situation," Abu Saada said. "They are not under the pressure that they were before."

Both analysts pointed to the same broad dynamic: as attention shifted to Iran, pressure on Hamas eased.

Abu Saada said that before the war, there had been what he described as serious discussions about disarmament, the deployment of an international force and Gaza’s political future. But "the enthusiasm that preceded the war has come down," he said, adding that Gaza has been pushed to the "back burner."

"When I talk to Palestinians, they tell me, ‘Listen, we are actually already waiting for the day after the war,’" Milshtein said. He said some expect Netanyahu to become "very indebted to Trump because of the war in Iran, and he will have to accept whatever dictates he has regarding Gaza."

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At the center of that conversation is the prospect of an international stabilization force entering Gaza. But both men suggested Hamas may not see such a force as a threat.

Abu Saada said Hamas had "welcomed the deployment" of such a force and appears to view it as "restraining the Israeli army" rather than coming in "to disarm" the group. He said the possibility of troops from countries such as Indonesia may make such a deployment appear less threatening to Hamas, which could see it as a buffer against continued Israeli military operations.

Milshtein took that argument further, saying Hamas sees the model less as a peacekeeping mission than as a version of the Hezbollah-UNIFIL arrangement in Lebanon.

"Hamas says, ‘I have no problem, it will be like UNIFIL in Lebanon,’" Milshtein said. "Don’t even dream about starting to chase us, taking our weapons, and entering the tunnels. You need to protect us from Israel as well."

Abu Saada said the next phase depends heavily on how the Iran war ends. If the Iranian regime survives and avoids collapse, he said, Hamas will draw encouragement from that outcome.

"If Iran is not defeated, if the Iranian regime is not collapsing, that’s going to be some kind of moral support for Hamas," he said.

A new terrorist group with suspected links to the Iranian regime emerged in Europe last week. Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya (The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right) has claimed responsibility for four attacks on Jewish targets across the continent.

A synagogue in Liège, Belgium, was the first target of an explosive attack on Monday. An arson attack on a Rotterdam synagogue followed overnight on Friday and an explosive device was set off at a Jewish school in Amsterdam the next evening.

Several sources have linked an additional attack at a Jewish site in Greece on Wednesday with the group, though no specifics were given about the target or method of attack.

BROTHER OF MICHIGAN SYNAGOGUE ATTACKER WAS HEZBOLLAH TERRORIST, ISRAEL ALLEGES

Joe Truzman, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the FDD’s Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital that when he saw the statement from the organization following their Monday attack, he "thought it was a little bit amateurish." Truzman said that after videos from the group became to emerge, he "realized that there's probably something more here to this organization."

He said that the war in Iran has likely "compelled the group, for whoever is behind this, to start launching these attacks." Truzman said he "suspect[s] this organization is being directed" and that there is "an entity behind it." 

Truzman says he suspects the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) itself, which he says "has been active in Europe" and has "attempted to eliminate or assassinate dissidents." Though he does not discount them being entity of an Iraqi militia group.

In addition to anticipating further attacks from Ashab al-Yamin, Truzman said that he is concerned that "the dissemination of [terror] videos online may compel other people to commit antisemitic attacks" in Europe. According to Truzman, Ashab al-Yamin’s videos are "starting to gain traction. They're starting to get the views, and people are seeing it. And maybe the ones that are radicalized already or are going to be radicalized, may be influenced by these videos, and may commit an antisemitic attack or an attack on a Jewish site."

He said that the attacks "have been mostly unsophisticated, but things may change, and they may start targeting people, too, during the day, when it's busy." So far all attacks have come at night.

TRUMP WARNS OF IRANIAN 'SLEEPER CELLS' AS CANADA IS ACCUSED OF HARBORING REGIME OPERATIVES

Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X that the group was tied to the regime in Tehran. "A jihadi group tied to an Iranian proxy" was responsible for the string of attacks. They noted that "the IRGC continues to sponsor and export terror across the globe."

Onlookers are increasingly tying the attacks back to the war in Iran. The World Jewish Congress raised alarm bells about Ashab al-Yamin on X, stating that "security analysts believe the group may be part of Iran’s expanding network of proxy actors operating far beyond the Middle East." The Congress called on governments to "treat this threat with the seriousness it deserves, dismantle the networks behind these attacks, and ensure Jewish communities can live and worship in safety."

Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister, called the attacks "part of a troubling pattern." He explained that "terror networks linked to the Iranian axis are trying to expand their arena of activity into European cities and Jewish communities."

The State Department did not respond to questions about whether it had previously been tracking Ashab al-Yamin, or if it planned to issue a warning to Americans traveling abroad to avoid Jewish institutions.

Israel’s National Security Council recently warned its citizens traveling abroad to conceal items that might identify them as Israeli or Jewish and to "avoid visiting sites identified as Jewish or Israeli" following the first of three shootings at Toronto synagogues in early March.

Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is facing mounting criticism for his government’s inability to stop pro-Iranian militias and the Islamic Republic of Iran from attacking American, French, Italian and Kurdish military personnel and facilities in Iraq.

On Saturday, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said that all U.S. citizens in Iraq should leave "immediately," as "Iran-aligned terrorist militias have attacked the International Zone in central Baghdad on multiple occasions."

The announcement came after a missile reportedly struck a helipad inside the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad early Saturday.

Speaking on background, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "The United States strongly condemns attacks by Iran and Iran-backed terrorist militias against U.S. diplomatic personnel and facilities, civilian targets and energy infrastructure in Iraq, particularly in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region."

US EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD TARGETED AS IRAN LAUNCHES ATTACKS DURING OPERATION EPIC FURY

The statement added, "As Secretary Rubio has said, the Iraqi government must take all possible measures to safeguard U.S. diplomatic personnel and facilities and ensure militia groups cannot use Iraqi territory to threaten the United States or the region. Doing so is in Iraq’s interest," the spokesperson noted, "We retain a range of options to protect our interests. We do not preview sanctions or sanction actions."

A Kurdish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Fox News Digital that the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq "are paid and armed by the Iraqi government.  They are on the Iraqi payroll. This is not the first time they have fired on the U.S., the Kurdistan Regional Government [KRG] and the energy sector. These PMF have brazenly attacked U.S. military bases."

According to the official, "Many of these leaders [from the PMF] are part of al-Sudani’s government and his very coalition."

In a statement to Fox News Digital on Sunday, an official for Iraq’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., flatly denied the allegations against al-Sudani. "We would like to unequivocally confirm that the allegations claiming the Prime Minister granted a ‘green light’ to any armed group to target U.S. or Western interests are completely false. The Iraqi government has repeatedly emphasized its firm rejection of any attacks on diplomatic missions or foreign interests."

The representative added, "The Prime Minister has also issued several statements condemning such acts, describing them as terrorist activities, and has directed the relevant authorities to pursue those responsible and bring them to justice."

Al-Sudani raised eyebrows last week when he congratulated the Islamic Republic of Iran’s selection of its new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the assassinated second Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei. "We express our confidence in the ability of the new leadership in the Islamic Republic of Iran to manage this sensitive stage, and continue to strengthen the unity of the Iranian people in facing the current challenges," al-Sudani reportedly said.

When asked about the congratulatory statement to Khamenei, the Iraqi Embassy official said, "This action falls within the scope of standard diplomatic practices carried out by many countries, including several Gulf states. Iraq maintains diplomatic relations with neighboring countries, including Iran, while simultaneously ensuring balanced relations with all its regional and international partners."

IRAN PROXIES WAGE WAR ON ISRAEL, THREATEN US INTERESTS AS IRAQ SLAMMED FOR NOT DISARMING THEM

The intensified attacks on the international anti-jihadi coalition in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region on Friday resulted in the death of a French soldier and injuries to six other people. According to France 24, the commanding officer, Colonel Francois-Xavier de la Chesnais, said the French soldier, Arnaud Frion, was murdered by an Iranian-designed Shahed lethal drone.

The Iraqi Kurdish news outlet Rudaw reported on Saturday that the "Kurdistan Region was targeted with seven explosive-laden drones early Saturday as Iran and its proxy forces in Iraq continue to target the U.S. consulate in Erbil and other military and civilian sites in the Region." Rudaw said since the start of U.S. Operation Epic Fury the Kurdistan area has been targeted with over 300 drone and missile attacks, resulting in the killing of seven people and 35 injured.  

The Kurdish official complained that al-Sudani’s "government is not serious about taking on militias because the militias are part of the government." However, the official praised the U.S. "The Americans are going after them aggressively over the last week with attacks on their [PMF] positions."

According to a Long War Journal report, "Airstrikes, likely conducted by the U.S. as part of the U.S.-Israeli operation against the Islamic Republic, have continued targeting Iran-backed Iraqi militias." Neither the U.S. nor Israel have commented on reports that they are striking the PMF.

Fox News Digital secured information in early March from the Israeli Defense Forces that drones have been fired at Israel from Iraqi territory since the start of the war. 

The PMF told the Iraqi News Agency that American military forces have conducted 32 airstrikes against PMF headquarters since February 28.

The Kurdish official urged the Trump administration to "demand that Iraq’s government stop paying and arming the PMF and target their banking system that finances the PMF." The official continued, "We have shared information with the Iraqis and the Americans, who have in turn shared information with the Iraqi government." On the terrorist activities of the PMF the official said, "The al-Sudani government has been unwilling to confront them."

TRUMP THREATENS TO END IRAQ SUPPORT OVER AL-MALIKI COMEBACK BID TIED TO IRAN INFLUENCE

The official bemoaned that the al-Sudani government initiated a "handful of arrests last year, and they were released on bail and were able to flee to Iran." The Kurdish official said the KRG "provided the information to the Iraqi government about the perpetrators" who fled to the Islamic Republic.

An Iraqi official dismissed the reports on PMF terrorists, stating," I have not heard of such a thing. I guess that's not true."

The Kurdish official cited two PMF groups as the most bellicose toward the U.S.: Asaib Ahl al Haq (League of the Righteous) and Kataib Hezbollah. The Trump administration sanctioned Asaib Ahl al Haq in March 2024. The State Department said Asaib Ahl al Haq "and its leaders are violent proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran" and the group "is extensively funded and trained by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qods Force."

The U.S. government sanctioned Kataib Hezbollah in 2023. The Kurdish official also charged the al-Sudani’s government with imposing an embargo on imported goods to Iraqi Kurdistan as a way "to strip away our autonomy and everything we can built over 30 years." The autonomous Kurdish government is widely considered a robust pro-American ally.

The Iraqi official denied the embargo, stating, "The federal government does not pursue a policy of ‘embargo’ against the Kurdistan Region. The current measures aim to unify the legal, customs, and trade framework across all Iraqi borders in line with the federal constitution. 

"No country can afford contradictory internal trade and customs regimes, as this risks harming the national economy as a whole. Our objective is a unified, fair economic framework that protects state revenues while respecting the region’s specificities, and we believe this is best achieved through dialogue and cooperation."

Entifadh Qanbar, a former spokesman for the deputy prime minister of Iraq, told Fox News Digital that "One could even describe the PMF as the Iraqi branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, effectively functioning as an Iraqi Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The PMF operates through a network of militias that frequently attack U.S. forces, foreign interests, and targets in Kurdistan."

He argued for "The dismantling of the mother organization — the PMF itself. As long as the PMF exists, militias operating under its umbrella will continue to attack U.S. forces and regional targets."

Fox News Digital reporter Greg Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump sent his clearest warning yet to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Sunday: Stand with the U.S. for defense of the Strait of Hormuz or face a "very bad" future.

"It's only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there," Trump told The Financial Times in an interview Sunday. "If there’s no response, or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO."

Trump echoed those remarks in a press gaggle aboard Air Force One on Sunday night, returning to Washington, D.C., from a weekend at Mar-a-Lago, saying it would "be nice to have other countries police that with us, and we'll help – we'll work militarily."

"Remember, like as an example of many cases that NATO countries, we're always there for NATO," Trump told reporters, pointing to "helping them with Ukraine" even though "between us, it doesn't affect us."

US SIGNALS READINESS TO ESCORT TANKERS THROUGH HORMUZ AS TRAFFIC THINS BUT NO MISSION LAUNCHED

"But we've helped them," he added, repeating his comments to the United Nations General Assembly last fall, questioning whether NATO will "always be there for us."

Trump is looking for NATO allies' assistance in securing the oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz for the rest of the world. Trump administration officials have been repeating throughout the choking of the strait that the U.S. under Trump is a net exporter of oil and gets only a fraction of its oil from the Middle East – unlike the rest of the world, including NATO allies.

"It'd be interesting to see what country wouldn't help us with a very small endeavor, which is just keeping the Strait open, and that, by comparison is a small [ask]," Trump added to reporters on Air Force One. "It's small because Iran has very little firepower."

TRUMP SAYS HE MIGHT HAVE 'FORCED ISRAEL'S HAND' IN IRAN STRIKE DECISION AS CRITICS QUESTION WAR POWERS

Trump remained optimistic that NATO allies will ultimately get on board. 

"We are talking to other countries about working with us about the policing of the strait, and I think we're getting a good response," Trump told reporters on AF1. "If we do, that's great – and if we don't, that's great."

NATO has long been a point of contention for Trump, who had to repeatedly call on member organizations to reach even the 2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) spending threshold during his first administration. Current Trump U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker has hailed this second administration in getting NATO to commit 5% of GDP in defense spending.

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire in the war involving Iran, delivering his strongest remarks yet on the conflict and urging leaders responsible for the fighting to halt violence after deadly strikes that hit schools and civilian areas.

The Associated Press reported the pope made the remarks at the end of his Sunday noon blessing at the Vatican, where he appealed to leaders involved in the conflict to halt the fighting and pursue dialogue instead of continued military escalation.

"On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict," Leo said. "Cease fire so that avenues for dialogue may be reopened. Violence can never lead to the justice, stability, and peace that the people are waiting for."

Leo did not cite the U.S. or Israel by name, though he appeared to reference an attack in the opening days of the war that struck a school in Iran and killed more than 165 people, many of them children.

IRAN WAR, 11 DAYS IN: US CONTROLS SKIES, OIL SURGES AND THE REGION BRACES FOR WHAT’S NEXT

U.S. officials said the strike may have been based on outdated intelligence, and an investigation into the incident is underway.

The pope said he was particularly close to the families of victims killed in attacks that have struck schools, hospitals and residential areas during the conflict.

He also expressed concern about the impact of the fighting in Lebanon, where aid groups have warned the escalating conflict could trigger a humanitarian crisis.

IRAN VOWS 'DECISIVE' SELF DEFENSE AT UN AFTER TRUMP KILLS SUPREME LEADER IN OPERATION EPIC FURY

Christian communities in southern Lebanon are of particular concern to the Vatican, as they have long been seen as an important presence for Christians across a largely Muslim region.

For much of the two weeks since the conflict began, Leo has limited his public comments to broader appeals for peace and dialogue while avoiding direct references to the U.S. or Israel – a stance consistent with the Vatican’s longstanding tradition of diplomatic neutrality.

Some Catholic leaders, however, have taken a more direct stance on the conflict.

RED CROSS SHARES AUDIO OF IRANIAN CIVILIAN EXPLAINING SITUATION ON THE GROUND IN TEHRAN: 'NO RESPITE'

Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, described the war as morally unjustifiable, while Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich criticized the White House for sharing social media posts about the war that included video game-style imagery.

Meanwhile, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin rejected Washington’s characterization of the fighting as a "preventive war," but said the Holy See continues to keep lines of communication open with all sides.

"The Holy See speaks with everyone," Parolin said. "When necessary we speak also with the Americans, with the Israelis and show them what to us are the solutions."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Iranian authorities say they have arrested dozens of people accused of spying for Israel across several provinces, according to state media reports over the weekend.

Fars, a news agency affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported Sunday the West Azerbaijan prosecutor’s office had arrested 20 individuals in the northwestern city of Urmia for allegedly providing Israel with information about military, police and security sites.

On Saturday, Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence said it had arrested several "enemy operatives" across the country, including a 10-member group in Mazandaran province and another 10-member network in Khorasan Razavi province, according to Tasnim, a semi-official news agency.

Authorities said the suspects transferred the locations of military installations and economic infrastructure and shared coordinates of public places, academic institutions and research centers with Israel.

IRANIAN REGIME SPREADING ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA ACROSS DOZENS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS: REPORT

In southern Khuzestan province, intelligence officials also reported arresting a three-person "terrorist team" accused of carrying out armed attacks against security forces and government facilities. 

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Israel has relied on tips from ordinary Iranians to identify targets for strikes inside Iran, citing a senior Israeli security official.

The newspaper said information about potential targets is sent through Israeli Persian-language social media accounts and is verified by Israeli authorities before strikes are carried out.

CIA URGES IRANIANS TO USE BURNER PHONES, TOR TO CONTACT US IN PERSIAN-LANGUAGE VIDEO

In a separate development, Bahraini authorities said Sunday they arrested five people accused of passing sensitive information to the IRGC and helping recruit operatives for potential attacks inside the country.

According to a statement from Bahrain’s Police Media Center, the suspects allegedly collected and transmitted coordinates and images of sensitive locations, including hotels, to the IRGC.

IRANIAN REGIME SPREADING ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA ACROSS DOZENS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS: REPORT

Officials said one suspect previously received training at IRGC camps in "trafficking persons and recruiting operatives to participate in implementing terrorist plots."

The five detainees were referred to Bahrain’s Public Prosecution, while a sixth suspect identified in the case is believed to be a fugitive abroad.

Iran's decades-long use of the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint for global oil shipping from the Middle East will come to an end, according to President Donald Trump, and he is rallying the world to free it.

"Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe," Trump wrote Saturday morning on Truth Social.

Iran closing the strait has roiled global oil supply, causing gas price increases even in the states, despite the fact the U.S. is a net-exporter of oil and gets only a fraction of its oil from the Middle East. Trump is calling on those countries relying on the oil tankers from the strait to share in the responsibility to free it up.

"We have already destroyed 100% of Iran's Military capability, but it's easy for them to send a drone or two, drop a mine, or deliver a close range missile somewhere along, or in, this Waterway, no matter how badly defeated they are," Trump's post continued. "Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated."

US 'WINNING DECISIVELY' AGAINST IRAN, WILL ACHIEVE 'COMPLETE CONTROL' OF AIRSPACE WITHIN DAYS, HEGSETH SAYS

Trump vowed a massive campaign to knock out Iran's ability to terrorize the oil tankers transversing the region.

"In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian Boats and Ships out of the water," he concluded. "One way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!"

Trump added in another Truth Social post five hours later that the countries relying on that Middle East oil must take responsibility for it now, too.

WATCH SHIPPING THROUGH THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ GRIND TO A HALT AMID IRAN CONFLICT

"The United States of America has beaten and completely decimated Iran, both Militarily, Economically, and in every other way, but the Countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help — A LOT!" Trump wrote. "The U.S. will also coordinate with those Countries so that everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well. This should have always been a team effort, and now it will be — It will bring the World together toward Harmony, Security, and Everlasting Peace!"

None of those countries gave any immediate indication ​they would do so. In fact, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed both China and Russia are "strategic partners" supporting defense against U.S. and Israel-led aggression.

"That includes military cooperation," he told MS Now in an interview Saturday. "I'm not going into the into any details of that, a good cooperation with these countries, politically, economically, even militarily."

IRAN WAR, 11 DAYS IN: US CONTROLS SKIES, OIL SURGES AND THE REGION BRACES FOR WHAT’S NEXT

Araghchi is perpetuating a "confused policy," according to the United Arab Emirates, as the Islamic Revolution Guard contends the strait will remain closed, while the foreign minister suggests all countries other than the U.S. or Israel will be permitted to pass.

"As a matter of fact, the Strait of Hormuz is open," Araghchi said. "It is only closed to the tankers and ships belong[ing] to our enemies, to those who are attacking us and their allies. Others are free to pass."

Takayuki ⁠Kobayashi, Japan's ruling party policy chief, told public broadcaster NHK that "the (legal) threshold is very high."

TRUMP SAYS US ‘OBLITERATED’ TARGETS IN STRIKE ON KEY IRANIAN OIL HUB

Japan interprets its pacifist postwar constitution to mean it can deploy its military if the nation's survival is threatened, but the government would have to invoke a 2015 security law that has not been used.

South Korea's presidential office said it would decide on Trump's request after a "careful ⁠review."

France is seeking ​to assemble a coalition to secure the strait once the security situation stabilizes, while Britain is discussing a ​range of options with allies to ensure the security of shipping, officials have said.

IRAN WAR JEOPARDIZES TRUMP ECONOMIC BOOM BEFORE KEY MIDTERM ELECTIONS

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who replaced his slain father and who the U.S. and Israel understand to be injured, has said the Strait of Hormuz should remain closed.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth says the new supreme leader was "disfigured" in the initial strikes that killed his father late last month.

"There is no problem with the new supreme leader," Araghchi told MS Now. "The system is working."

"Everything is under control."

Reuters contributed to this report.

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan: Last Christmas Eve, satellite tracking and ship-transponder data revealed an unusual maritime event in the East China Sea: thousands of Chinese fishing vessels gathered into tight, linear formations and holding position for extended periods. It happened again two weeks later.

Analysts from a geospatial analytical firm were the first to identify two large stationary formations involving roughly 1,400 and 2,000 fishing vessels. Cargo ships in the area were forced to reroute or carefully thread between thousands of stationary vessels that had ceased normal fishing activity. This flotilla behavior by Chinese fishing boats, analysts believe, was a "gray zone" exercise.

"There have been proposals by defense experts in the United States that the U.S. Navy should treat China’s maritime militia as a real naval force," Holmes Liao, a defense expert who is currently a senior advisor for the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), told Fox News Digital.

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"I think Taiwan may need to adhere to that mentality and mindset," said Liao. "If these Chinese vessels are operating under clear military direction, then their status under the law of armed conflict could be subject to reassessment, potentially affecting claims of civilian immunity."

Liao said that Taiwan should consider deploying surveillance drones or air patrols over maritime militia formations to demonstrate presence and reinforce deterrence. "Taiwan has so far been very timid in response to PRC aggression," said Liao. "They may be fishing boats, but they are actually under the PLA’s command… part of the maritime militia." 

Indeed, several editions of the U.S. Department of Defense’s annual "Military and Security Developments involving the People's Republic of China," describe the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM) as a "state-organized, trained, and equipped" force that actively supports China’s navy and coast guard.

Analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative have previously documented swarms of dozens or even hundreds of Chinese vessels in the South China Sea near contested reefs, often remaining stationary for long periods. But the incidents late last year and early this year highlight how the scale of this fishing militia appears to be expanding.

Fishing vessels are inexpensive, numerous and legally ambiguous. When deployed in mass, they complicate navigation, create radar clutter and raise operational risks for commercial shipping. The civilian status of these boats also conveniently allows Beijing to frame any incidents as "rogue actions not sanctioned by authorities," or as accidents.

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The United States frequently cites freedom of navigation as the reason for navy patrols in the Indo-Pacific, with a U.S. State Department fact sheet noting that the region "accounts for 60% of global GDP." The area around Taiwan is already treated by maritime insurers and shipping firms as a "higher-risk environment," meaning even temporary flotilla formations could influence shipping decisions and significantly affect both regional and global economies.

Taipei-based security analyst Sasha Chhabra, however, warned of the risks China would face should it deploy civilian fishing vessels in an active conflict. "A U.S. Navy convoy could easily break through these lines, and the large commercial vessels that carry Taiwan’s much-needed imports would easily splinter most fishing vessels in a ramming incident."

He noted that there is precedent for Beijing using Chinese fisherman as "live bait" during a conflict. "In 1973, China used civilian fishing vessels to bait the South Vietnamese Navy into conflict and seize full control over the Paracels (islands)," said Chhabra. "But what worked against teetering South Vietnam in 1973 won’t work against the U.S. Navy." 

However, for independently ruled Taiwan, the concern could be cumulative pressure rather than a single dramatic incident. Encounters between Taiwanese patrol vessels and Chinese fishing boats have grown more frequent around outlying islands and in parts of the Taiwan Strait, with vessels sometimes operating in coordinated groups that shadow or crowd Taiwanese ships. The maritime militia could also be used as a tool to discourage the global shipping industry from doing business with Taiwan.

Taiwan’s major ports are the energy and industrial lifelines for this de facto independent state. The port of Kaohsiung in the south, for example, handles large volumes of LNG imports and petrochemical shipments. Even partial disruption or perceived instability in surrounding sea lanes could ripple through supply chains and sharply raise costs for the global economy.

Jason Wang, CEO of ingeniSPACE, the company that revealed the fishing fleets on their satellite systems, told Fox News Digital that despite Taiwan’s semiconductor advantage, China is winning in space. Wang said data fusion and satellite-based maritime awareness are now strategic necessities. "Intelligence is deterrence without provocation. Intelligence ensures efficient targeted spending and is a force multiplier by shaping a more effective military force," he said. "Taiwan, like all First Island Chain nations, must be prepared for a new kind of warfare."

Wang and other experts note that countries like Japan and South Korea have, for roughly a decade, aggressively augmented their satellite spy constellations with commercial satellites to "ensure sufficient coverage and revisit rates so that their leadership has the capability to distinguish both overt military and gray zone activity."

Analysts say the broader lesson is that sea control no longer depends solely on destroyers and submarines. In the immediate future, the most consequential maritime pressure may come not from warships, but from vessels that look, at first glance, entirely harmless.

Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said Saturday he is ready to lead Iran’s transition "as soon as the Islamic Republic falls."

As the war in Iran entered its third week, Pahlavi — the son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi — said he has been working in recent months to develop a transition plan should the Iranian regime collapse to ensure the country does not experience a disruption in governance.

Pahlavi said in a social media post that "capable individuals" have been identified both inside and outside Iran to lead what he called a "transitional system."

"The transitional system, under my leadership, will be ready to assume governance of the country as soon as the Islamic Republic falls and, in the shortest possible time, establish order, security, freedom and the conditions for Iran’s prosperity and flourishing," he said.

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Pahlavi has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled Iran’s monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.

He has in recent years sought to position himself as a unifying opposition figure and has said he would help guide a transition of power from theocracy to democracy in Iran.

In a message addressed to his "compatriots," Pahlavi said his plan for governing the country would fall within the framework of the "Iran Prosperity Project."

IRAN’S NEW SUPREME LEADER IS ‘HIS FATHER ON STEROIDS,’ EXPERTS WARN OF HARDLINE RULE

He said that many compatriots with valuable experience and expertise have declared "their readiness to participate in the rebuilding of the country and to serve the homeland."

Since joint operations between the U.S. and Israel began, nearly 50 regime figures have been killed, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was elected this week by Iran’s Assembly of Experts as the country’s new supreme leader.

TRUMP EXPLORING BACKING MILITIAS IN IRAN TO TOPPLE WEAKENED REGIME FOLLOWING STRIKES: REPORTS

In an appearance last week on Fox News’ "My View" with Lara Trump, Pahlavi said the Iranian people would not accept any outcome moving forward tied to the current regime.

"Only a clean break will ensure that not only we achieve a democratic solution and alternative to this regime, but there will be people who are not in any form or shape directly associated with this regime," he said.

Pahlavi said the Iranian people must decide their country’s leadership and that "only the ballot box should determine the outcome and who will be responsible for our country in the future."

"I think what we will expect any government, including, of course, the current Trump administration to recognize that indeed the best way to help the Iranian people is to allow them to make that choice freely and to support that choice as a Western democracy, as the leading democracy in the world," he said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watched a live-fire test of multiple rocket launch systems alongside his teenage daughter Saturday, as the regime escalates weapons demonstrations amid joint U.S.–South Korea military exercises, state media reported.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim oversaw a strike drill involving twelve 600mm ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers along North Korea’s east coast, according to The Associated Press.

South Korea’s military said it detected about 10 ballistic missiles launched from an area near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.

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South Korea’s National Security Council condemned the launches as a provocation and said they violated United Nations Security Council resolutions that prohibit North Korea from conducting ballistic missile tests, The Associated Press reported.

Kim said the drill was meant to demonstrate the destructive capability of the country’s tactical nuclear forces, according to state media.

"If this weapon is used, the opponent’s military infrastructure within its striking range can never survive," Kim said.

KIM JONG UN CALLS SOUTH KOREA ‘MOST HOSTILE ENEMY,’ SAYS NORTH COULD ‘COMPLETELY DESTROY’ IT

Photos released by state media showed Kim Jong Un and his daughter — believed to be named Kim Ju Ae, about 13 or 14 years old — walking near launch trucks, The Associated Press reported.

Kim Ju Ae has appeared alongside her father at numerous military events, missile tests and parades since late 2022, fueling speculation that Kim Jong Un may be positioning her as a future successor.

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The live-fire test followed after the U.S. and South Korea began their annual military drills earlier this week, which North Korea routinely condemns as rehearsals for an invasion. 

Last month, Kim Jong Un reportedly gave his teenage daughter a leadership role in the regime’s powerful "Missile Administration," the body that oversees Pyongyang’s nuclear forces.

The Associated Press and Fox News Digital's Emma Bussey contributed to this report.

The American flag flew again over the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela on Saturday, marking the first time it has been raised in the South American country in seven years.

The embassy compound in Caracas is still undergoing renovations, and officials have not announced when the building will fully reopen, The Associated Press reported.

The flag’s return comes months after former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces in January. 

FROM PALACE TO PRISON: VENEZUELAN STRONGMAN MADURO LOCKED IN TROUBLED BROOKLYN JAIL

The U.S. Embassy highlighted the moment in a social media post, calling it the start of a new chapter in relations between Washington and Caracas.

"A new era for U.S.-Venezuela relations has begun," the U.S. Embassy wrote on X.

Some residents expressed hope that the flag signals improved ties with the international community.

Caracas resident Alessandro Di Benedetto said the atmosphere among onlookers was optimistic, according to The Associated Press.

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"I found several people here surprised and happy because today they raised the U.S. flag at the embassy," he said. "This is positive; this is another step."

The embassy had been closed since March 12, 2019, when the U.S. and Venezuela cut diplomatic relations, according to the website for the U.S. Department of State.

Maduro was captured during a U.S. military operation in Caracas on Jan. 3 and flown to New York, where he is currently being held in a federal jail.

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He faces multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess those weapons.

Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, is also facing federal charges related to drug trafficking and weapons offenses.

Both pleaded not guilty during a federal court appearance in New York on Jan. 5.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The son of a British couple who have remained jailed in Iran for more than a year is appealing to President Donald Trump as the war in Iran complicates the situation.

"Conditions have intensified over the last couple of weeks, to say the least, as you might imagine with the complexity of war," Joe Bennett told Fox News on Saturday.

He said the notorious Evin prison where his parents are being held in Tehran was already at capacity and a recent surge of protesters has created severely crowded conditions.

"Food is scarce," he added. "We’re worried about the replenishment of their stocks of food. I mean, it’s unsanitary conditions. It has been described as ‘hell on Earth’ by them."

FREED IRANIAN PRISONER SAYS ‘IN TRUMP, THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC HAS MET ITS MATCH’

He added, "With the bombs that are dropping and the activity that’s happening there at the moment, the anxiety is heightened for us and for them as well."

Craig and Lindsay Foreman were arrested in January 2025 by Iranian authorities in January 2025, while on a global motorcycling trip, and were later sentenced to 10 years in prison on suspicion of spying.

Bennett spoke in Washington, D.C., Thursday at the McCain Institute’s US-UK Transatlantic Conference on Hostage-Taking and Arbitrary Detention, criticizing British leaders' — namely Prime Minister Keir Starmer — "non-existent" advocacy for his parents, BBC News reported.

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"The clear message to the U.K. government and Starmer is to stop hiding behind this as a consular case," Bennett told Fox News. "I think that was put out the window when they were sentenced to 10 years for espionage, accused of being spies for the Israeli Mossad and the U.K. government."

Bennett continued, "What we haven’t seen is leadership qualities from Keir Starmer. We haven’t seen him advocate since their sentencing to, as you say, condemn this sham process and the treatment of U.K. nationals." 

Starmer's silence has left Bennett's family feeling "let down," he said. "We feel there’s an opportunity to do so and there still is."

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Bennett stressed that his parents’ detention and sentencing "is hostage-taking."

"It affects not just the U.K., the U.S. as well, and Western civilization," Bennett added. "Innocent people are being targeted for leverage as political pawns."

He also urged Trump to be "concise" with Iranian strikes and not to forget that Brits and Americans are in that prison.

"Two things I’d like to say to Mr. Trump is, firstly, that safety is important," Bennett told Fox News. "Missiles have hit Evin in June of last year but also were very close, so I think the target — I just want him to be concise that, you know, so that Evin isn’t a part of that, and, secondly, is to not forget that they are there."

He noted that, along with his parents, U.S. nationals are also imprisoned at Evin.

"And as a humanitarian plea, from a son for his mother’s release is what I’m asking for," he said.

Protesters attacked a Communist Party headquarters in Cuba overnight, ransacking the building and attempting to set it on fire, while video from the scene appeared to capture gunfire and a man on the ground outside, according to footage obtained by Fox News Digital.

Cuban state media later denied that anyone had been struck by police gunfire and announced five arrests.

Dramatic footage shows a large crowd gathered outside the building in the city of Morón as a fire burns in the street and protesters throw burning objects at the structure.

Protesters can be heard chanting "Libertad, libertad!" — Spanish for "Freedom, freedom!" — moments before gunfire rings out in the video.

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A young man appears to collapse as others nearby scream in Spanish: "They shot him! They’re shooting! They said they wouldn’t shoot, but they shot him."

The video then shows people carrying the injured man away from the scene.

In another video obtained by Fox News Digital, large crowds can be seen marching through Morón’s unlit streets before unrest spread to the Communist Party headquarters.

Morón is located on Cuba's northern coast about 250 miles east of the capital Havana near the tourist resort of Cayo Coco.

"The image circulating shows the scene of the protest, but it's important for the public to know the truth: no one was injured by gunfire," state media outlet Vanguardia de Cuba said on X.

"Media manipulation seeks to sow fear and confusion among our people. Let's not fall for provocations," it added.

TRUMP DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY OVER CUBA, THREATENS TARIFFS ON NATIONS THAT SUPPLY OIL TO COMMUNIST REGIME

State media said police had detained five people and that a "drunken" participant fell and was being treated for injuries in hospital.

Over the past week, several small groups of residents across Havana have banged pots in protest against extended blackouts.

Cuba has faced rolling blackouts, food shortages and renewed protests tied to the island’s worsening energy and economic crisis.

A recent nationwide blackout was triggered by a failure at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the island’s largest power station, cutting electricity across much of the country, according to Reuters.

The crisis has been compounded by fuel shortages after the Trump administration moved to curtail oil shipments to the island, particularly from Venezuela — one of Cuba’s main suppliers.

Cuban officials say U.S. sanctions have worsened the country’s economic difficulties, while repeated power plant failures and an aging electrical grid have left millions facing prolonged blackouts that have fueled growing public frustration and protests.

"What initially began peacefully, and after an exchange with local authorities, turned into acts of vandalism against the headquarters of the Municipal Party Committee," the state-run Invasor newspaper reported, according to Reuters.

"A smaller group of people stoned the entrance of the building and started a fire in the street with furniture from the reception area," it added.

Vandals also targeted several other state-run establishments in the area, including a pharmacy and a government market, the report said.

On Friday, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said that he was holding talks with the U.S. government, marking the first time the Caribbean country has confirmed widespread speculation about discussions with the Trump administration.

Díaz-Canel said that no petroleum shipments have arrived in Cuba in the past three months and blamed a U.S. energy blockade for that. He said that the island is running on a mixture of natural gas, solar power and thermoelectric plants.

Fox News’ Efrat Lachter, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The ghost of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has struck again. This time, even though he died in 2019, his is still adding to the stress and criticism of the World Economic Forum.

On Feb. 26, WEF president and CEO Børge Brende resigned after revelations that he had three dinners, and some emails and SMS communications with Epstein. His ouster followed an independent investigation earlier in February. 

Brende said he wasn’t aware of Epstein’s sex crimes. 

"Had I known about his background, I would have declined the initial invitation to join Rod-Larsen and any subsequent dinner invitations or other communications," he said.

That response hasn’t been well received by observers, given that Epstein's conviction occurred in 2008 and would have been easy to uncover. As Norway's foreign minister from 2013 to 2017, perhaps he should have been more cautious, some observers say.

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"If you are standing on a public stage, you have to know who you are standing with," said Ben Habib, right-leaning leader of the British political party Advance UK, and an entrepreneur.

Founder of the U.K.-based Henry Jackson Society, Alan Mendoza, added, "The moral is that people in positions of authority should be very careful with whom they have dinner. Mendoza also wonders how many people with a criminal record have attended the WEF.

The news of Brende’s resignation comes hot on the heels of other scandals and bad publicity for the WEF, commonly known as Davos, after the Swiss village in the Alps where the annual meeting takes place. Last year, Klaus Schwab, the founder of the WEF, stepped down in July after accusations that he had misused WEF funds and treated employees inappropriately. 

Both Schwab and his wife were both ultimately cleared by the WEF board for any material wrongdoing, though a board of trustees statement noted in part that, "Minor irregularities, stemming from blurred lines between personal contributions and Forum operations, reflect deep commitment rather than intent of misconduct."

Others have a beef with the WEF. Two years ago, Argentina’s President Javier Milei spoke at Davos.

"The Western world is in danger," Millei said. "It is in danger because those who are supposed to have to defend the values of the West are co-opted by a vision of the world that inexorably leads to socialism, and thereby to poverty."

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Milei also noted that many countries have ditched freedom for collectivism, a.k.a., socialism.

"We’re here to tell you that collectivist experiments are never the solution to the problems that afflict the citizens of the world; rather, they are the root cause," he said at Davos in 2024.

Since 2023, when Milei took office as Argentina’s president, inflation has dropped from more than 200% to 32%, according to data from Trading Economics.

Likewise, others have a lot to tell the WEF, most of it not positive.

"Globalization has failed the West and the United States of America," said U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at this year’s Davos meeting. "It’s a failed policy. It is what the WEF has stood for."

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The fact is, America has been left behind in the global economy as the WEF has encouraged offshoring manufacturing to places with cheap labor, Lutnick said. He also encouraged other countries to follow the "America First" model, which is that the workers come first.

Lutnick also attacked Europe’s alternative energy push, which includes solar and wind energy. "Why would Europe agree to be net zero in 2030 when they don’t make a battery? he said at Davos. Achieving net zero means countries aim to have no increase in overall carbon emissions by 2050.

But if Europe does pursue Net zero, then the EU will be subservient to communist China, Lutnick says. China is by far the dominant producer, accounting for approximately one-third of global renewable energy, compared with 11% in the U.S.

"The WEF is the embodiment of power and wealth," Habib said. "Big money is diverting policy. It’s fascism." He says the world may have been tricked into believing the economic promises made by globalist organizations. "The shine is now off. It is failing and not gaining traction."

The WEF isn’t the only organization that is running roughshod over multiple countries. The European Union is also doing similar work with the countries in its bloc through a multitude of regulations, Habib said.

THE Associated Press contributed to this report.

In March 2026, as the smoke cleared over Tehran following the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran’s leadership, Russia’s response was strikingly restrained. Despite a 20-year strategic partnership treaty signed with Tehran just last year, Moscow limited its reaction to condemnation and calls for diplomacy. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russia had received no request from Iran for military assistance. "There were no requests from Iran in this case," Peskov told reporters on March 5th.

For analysts who study the relationship between Moscow and Tehran, the moment felt familiar. "The relationship has always been transactional," said Ksenia Svetlova, executive director of the Regional Organization for Peace, Economy and Security (ROPES) and an associate fellow at Chatham House. "Russia does what serves its own interests."

While Iran and Russia have moved closer in recent years — particularly after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine — experts say the partnership has never resembled a true alliance. Instead, they say, it reflects a long history of cooperation shaped by convenience, rivalry and shifting geopolitical needs.

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The uneasy relationship between the two powers stretches back nearly two centuries. In 1828, the Treaty of Turkmenchay forced Persia to cede large parts of the Caucasus to the Russian Empire after a military defeat. The treaty remains one of the most painful symbols of foreign domination in Iranian political memory.

In the twentieth century, Russia’s relationship with Iran shifted dramatically. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Moscow maintained relatively stable ties with Iran under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. "It actually had good relations with the Shah who visited Moscow after World War II," Svetlova said.

"But Communist Russia was very suspicious of Islamist Iran after the 1979 revolution," said Svetlova. It was a mutual distrust; Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini denounced both Cold War superpowers, calling the United States the "Great Satan" and the Soviet Union the "Lesser Satan." 

Even during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, the Soviet Union maintained ties with Tehran while simultaneously supplying weapons to Iraq. "The Soviet Union was very suspicious of Islamist Iran," Svetlova said. "Even after the revolution, the relationship could not really be considered an alliance."

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In recent years, however, geopolitical pressures pushed the two countries closer together. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 created new military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. 

Though Russia and Iran have not shared a land border since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, they remain "neighbors" via the Caspian Sea. This "blue border" became a vital artery in 2022 when Iran supplied the Shahed-series drones used in Ukraine, that Russia has used extensively in attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.

Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward, a retired Navy SEAL and former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, said the partnership has had direct consequences on the battlefield. "Sadly, the world is just now getting a taste of Iranian drones. But there's one group that already knows them well, the Christians in Ukraine," Harward said. "Close to 600 Ukrainian churches have been destroyed by Russian attacks, including from the Iranian Shahed drones."

Carrie Filipetti, executive director of the Vandenberg Coalition and a former deputy assistant secretary of state, argued that Russia’s continued use of Iranian drones against Ukrainian targets underscores the depth of the military relationship, while its calls for restraint in the current conflict highlight a fundamental contradiction. "If Russia were serious about peace, we would see a ceasefire with Ukraine months ago," she said. "Yet, Putin continues to attack Ukrainian cities, churches and civilians with Iranian drones day after day."

And yet, Russia’s dependence on Iranian drones during the early stages of the Ukraine war has also diminished as Moscow built its own production capacity. A report cited by the Washington Post found that Russia has "transitioned from importing Iranian Shahed drones to mass-manufacturing them" under the name Geran-2.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that Russia "should not be involved" in the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, as reports that Russia has provided information that could help Iran identify U.S. military assets in the Middle East emerged. Moscow has not publicly confirmed the claims. 

"I believe Russia is providing Iran intelligence to more effectively target Americans, our allies and partners in the CENTCOM region," said Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, a retired Air Force officer who served as assistant vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force. "It's absolutely clear Russia is not our friend."

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"They are doing for the Iranians without spending money, spending troops or spending equipment," Svetlova added. "They share knowledge. They supplied the Iranians with a target list, basically, through their satellites – American targets, but also air targets in the Gulf and Iraq."

Harward argued that confronting this growing cooperation requires a broader strategy. "If we want to break the threat of the increasingly dangerous Russian-Iranian alliance, we need to fully decimate Iran's capabilities to threaten our allies and the United States – and we need to continue to support Ukraine and get Europeans to do their part," he said.

Filipetti remains skeptical of Moscow’s role as a mediator. "The idea that Russia would call on the U.S. and Israel to cease military operations against the regime in Iran and suggest that we should negotiate is absurd," Filipetti said.

Although Russia is falling short of helping Iran in a straightforward military way, experts say the cooperation in the world of intelligence has been profound. 

Ultimately, Newton argued that Russia’s actions should be viewed through the lens of President Vladimir Putin’s broader geopolitical goals. "Putin only does what serves Putin, and right now escalating the war in the Middle East and driving up oil prices only serves his interests so he can continue to fund his war machine against Ukraine," he said.

The State Department is offering a $10 million reward for information on Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and several senior officials linked to the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Officials said the reward, part of the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program, is an effort to gather intelligence on the IRGC and its leadership, which Washington accuses of orchestrating attacks against Americans and supporting terrorism.

The reward targets Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several key figures inside Iran’s ruling security apparatus.

The department said it is also seeking information about Ali Asghar Hejazi, deputy chief of staff for the Supreme Leader’s Office, and Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

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The program also lists several senior figures linked to Iran’s security and intelligence structure, including Yahya Rahim Safavi, a top military adviser to the supreme leader, Esmail Khatib, Iran’s minister of intelligence, and Eskandar Momeni, the country’s interior minister.

"The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), part of Iran’s official military, plays a central role in Iran’s use of terrorism as a key tool of Iranian statecraft," the State Department said.

"In addition, the IRGC has created, supported, and directed other terrorist groups. The IRGC is responsible for numerous attacks targeting Americans and U.S. facilities, including those that have killed U.S. citizens," the department added.

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The agency said the IRGC has also expanded its influence far beyond military operations since its founding after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, becoming deeply embedded in the country’s political and economic system.

"Since its founding in 1979, the IRGC has gained a substantial role in executing Iran’s foreign policy," the department said. "The group now wields control over vast segments of Iran’s economy and is influential in Iranian domestic politics."

The Rewards for Justice program allows the U.S. government to offer financial rewards for information that helps disrupt terrorist networks or identify individuals involved in attacks against Americans.

The State Department said individuals who provide credible information may be eligible for rewards of up to $10 million.