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KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — The official response from Xi Jinping's communist China to President-elect Trump's victory was formulaic.

"Our policy towards the U.S. is consistent," foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters Wednesday afternoon. "We will continue to view and handle China-U.S. relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful co-existence and win-win cooperation." 

National Taiwan University Department of Philosophy professor Yuan Juzheng returned to Taiwan from a trip to China Monday, where, he noted, nearly everyone he met with wanted to talk about the U.S. election. He told Fox News Digital a Trump win is a "worst-case scenario" for Beijing. China experts, as well as Chinese citizens online, believe the next four years under President-elect Trump will almost certainly worsen already strained ties.

During the campaign, Trump made it abundantly clear he would adopt a tariff-based approach to trade with China. Professor Yuan explained that China had "not been prepared psychologically" when, around 2018, President Trump hit huge Chinese companies such as Huawei with tariffs.

TAIWAN REACTS TO TRUMP’S THEY 'SHOULD PAY US FOR DEFENSE' COMMENTS

But this time around, Yuan says, China knows how much such policies will hurt, and they will come at a time when China’s domestic economy is not doing well. 

"Three key issues will continue to dominate the U.S.-China relationship. They are the three T’s — trade, technology and Taiwan," Zhiqun Zhu, a professor of political science and international relations at Bucknell University, told Fox News Digital a few hours before Trump’s stunning triumph became official. 

On Wednesday, Taiwan President William Lai wrote on X, "Sincere congratulations to President-elect @realDonaldTrump on your victory. I’m confident that the longstanding # Taiwan - #US partnership, built on shared values & interests, will continue to serve as a cornerstone for regional stability & lead to greater prosperity for us all." 

Taiwanese Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, also via X, added, "I join President Lai in offering my congratulations to President Trump, VP-elect Vance, and the American people. Looking forward building a strong Taiwan-US partnership, for freedom, peace, and economic prosperity."

The Taiwanese public has had mixed views about the U.S. election. Some here find Trump’s often brash and blunt personality unappealing. One recent poll showed over 50% of the Taiwanese preferred Harris to Trump. However, many Taiwanese have also said they viewed Trump as potentially "better for Taiwan," mostly due to an expectation that he will take a hard line on China. That expectation is shared on the other side of the Taiwan Strait. 

Ross Darrell Feingold, a Taipei-based lawyer and commentator on local and regional politics, is among a small group of Americans living in Taiwan who are active on TouTiao, a Chinese information platform owned by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. With over 150 million daily users, TouTiao could be likened to a hybrid of Facebook and X. 

On the Sunday before the U.S. election, Feingold posted a question on TouTiao that was finally allowed to be published after some rewording due to China’s strict internet controls. 

"As a Chinese person, do you think Trump or Kamala Harris will be more harmful to China-US relations?" he wrote.

ENCIRCLING TAIWAN WAS A SMOKESCREEN FOR CHINA'S REAL GOAL OF CONVINCING US NOT TO INTERVENE, EXPERT SAYS

More than 30,000 people viewed the question, and roughly 5,500 provided a variety of answers that included some direct support for Democratic nominee Harris, whom Chinese netizens have given the nickname "Ha Ha Sister," a reference to the vice president’s exuberant laughter. 

Feingold, however, noted the near unanimity in Chinese netizens’ comments that the U.S. is hostile toward China, and they don't wish to see China rise to its rightful place as a global power. 

"Based on the comments I received on TouTiao, the public in China seems to think the U.S. — led by a leader from either party — would seek to restrain China’s growth," Feingold told Fox News Digital. 

He added that it can be difficult to determine whether internet comments reflect genuine personal opinions or are merely the parroting of ideas from China’s state-run media. Overall, Feingold says, the Chinese public has begun to take American policies personally, interpreting them as being directed at ordinary Chinese people rather than critiques of the governing Chinese Communist Party.

Zhu, the Bucknell professor, laid it out starkly in comments to Fox News Digital, saying, "While over 80% of Americans surveyed view China negatively now, the positive Chinese views of America have also dropped. … What is different now than a few years ago is that many Chinese, including liberals in China, have become more critical of the United States … and believe the U.S. is not welcoming Chinese students, tourists and businesspeople." 

Zhu noted that some states such as Florida have cut virtually all cultural and educational exchanges with Beijing. 

Japan, which also has a tense relationship with China, offered its congratulations to Trump Wednesday. Barron’s quoted Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as saying he hoped the countries’ alliance would move "to new heights" during Trump’s second term. 

In a post on X, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol both congratulated and praised Trump, writing, "Under your strong leadership, the future of the ROK [Republic of Korea]-U.S. alliance and America will shine brighter. Look forward to working closely with you." 

And despite the views of some that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un would welcome the return of Trump to the White House, there was no immediate official comment from the so-called "Hermit Kingdom." But North Korea "fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern sea" hours before the U.S. election on Tuesday. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "was among the first" Wednesday to call President-elect Donald Trump, the world leader’s office says.  

"The conversation was warm and cordial. The Prime Minister congratulated Trump on his victory, and the two agreed to work together for Israel's security," read a statement from the Israel Prime Minister’s Office. 

"The two also discussed the Iranian threat," it added. 

The statement came hours after the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas said Trump’s incoming administration in January must "work seriously to stop the war" in the Gaza Strip. 

LIVE UPDATES: DONALD TRUMP ELECTED AS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

Last week, a report emerged claiming Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to wrap up the conflict by the time he gets inaugurated on Jan. 20 if he had won the election. Trump ultimately prevailed over Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Hamas said, "In light of the initial results showing Donald Trump winning in the U.S. presidential elections," they believe he is "required to listen to the voices that have been raised by the U.S. public for more than a year regarding the [Israeli] aggression on the Gaza Strip."  

WORLD LEADERS REACT TO TRUMP VICTORY 

The incoming Trump administration must "work seriously to stop the war of genocide and aggression against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, stop the aggression against the brotherly Lebanese people, stop providing military support and political cover to the Zionist entity, and to recognize the legitimate rights of our people," Hamas added.  

Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani – whose country has played a key role in cease-fire talks for Gaza – wrote on X, "Congratulations to President-Elect Donald Trump on winning the U.S. presidential election" and "I wish you all the best during your term and look forward to working together again to strengthen our strategic relationship and partnership, and to advancing our shared efforts in promoting security and stability both in the region and globally."

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also said Wednesday that "We will remain steadfast in our commitment to peace, and we are confident that the United States will support, under [Trump's] leadership, the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people," according to Middle East Eye.

A source from the Times of Israel said Trump initially gave the message to Netanyahu about ending the war when the Israeli leader visited him at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, this past July. 

Fox News’ Andrea Margolis contributed to this report. 

Climate activists in the United Kingdom wasted no time responding to President-elect Trump’s re-election win on Wednesday, spraying orange paint on a section of the U.S. embassy in London in protest.

Two members of the environmental group Just Stop Oil covered the embassy's compound wall with orange paint, according to a video the group posted on social media. Video showed the orange spray paint covering nearby plants and dripping into the River Thames below the wall.

"Trump's win puts the lives of ordinary people at risk, everywhere," the group said in a press release.

Trump defeated Vice President Harris in a historic comeback victory, achieving a second term in the White House. Trump was projected to have breached the 270 electoral vote threshold after stunning wins in the battleground states of North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia.

JUST STOP OIL PROTESTERS INTERRUPT ‘LES MIS’ PERFORMANCE IN LONDON, CALLED ‘STUPID PEOPLE’ BY ANGRY CROWD

"I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected the 47th president," Trump said during early morning remarks at a victory celebration in West Palm Beach, Florida. "And every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future. Every single day. I will be fighting for you. And with every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve."

British police arrested the two men, aged 25 and 72, on suspicion of criminal damage after the embassy wall was covered in orange paint, authorities said.

CLIMATE ACTIVISTS SPRAY STONEHENGE WITH ORANGE POWDER DEMANDING END TO FOSSIL FUELS IN UK

"This activity is vandalism purporting as protest and we will continue to have a zero tolerance attitude to actions such as this," Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine said in a statement.

Just Stop Oil has demanded governments work together to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030.

The activist group has engaged in infamous protests throughout the U.K., including spraying Stonehenge with orange powder, disrupting a "Les Mis’ performance and pouring tomato soup on a Vincent van Gogh painting.

JERUSALEM—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was one of the first world leaders to congratulate former President Donald Trump on his stunning political comeback victory on Wednesday.

Netanyahu, who is leading a seven-front existential war against Iran’s regime and its proxies, wrote on X, "Dear Donald and Melania Trump, Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback! Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory! In true friendship, yours, Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu."

Fox News projected Trump as the winner of the presidential election in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

DONALD TRUMP ELECTED AS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

An array of world leaders also chimed in to congratulate Trump on X. French President Emmanuel Macron said on X, "Congratulations, President @realDonaldTrump . Ready to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity." 

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote,"The biggest comeback in US political history! Congratulations to President @realDonaldTrump on his enormous win. A much needed victory for the World!" 

Orban, like Trump, is a proponent of strict border control.

FOX NEWS PROJECTS TRUMP BEATS HARRIS IN WISCONSIN, FLIPPING 'BLUE WALL' STATE BACK TO RED

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that the U.S. and the United Kingdom are the "closest of allies" and noted that the "US-UK special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come." He said "Congratulations President-elect @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. I look forward to working with you in the years ahead." 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who like Netanyahu, is leading his country in an existential war, stated on X, "Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump on his impressive election victory! I recall our great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine." 

He added "I appreciate President Trump’s commitment to the ‘peace through strength’ approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer. I am hopeful that we will put it into action together. We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump’s decisive leadership. We rely on continued strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States." 

Zelenskyy continued, "We are interested in developing mutually beneficial political and economic cooperation that will benefit both of our nations."

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele also congratulated Trump on X, stating, "Congratulations to the President-Elect of the United States of America … May God bless and guide you."

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised Trump on X noting, "I congratulate @realDonaldTrump on his election as US President. For a long time, Germany and the US have been working together successfully promoting prosperity and freedom on both sides of the Atlantic. We will continue to do so for the wellbeing of our citizens."

"Congratulations to President Donald Trump on his election victory. Australians and Americans are great friends and true allies. Working together, we can ensure the partnership between our nations and peoples remains strong into the future," wrote Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Ukraine has engaged militarily for the first time with South Korean troops that were deployed to support Russia in its ongoing war with its neighbor, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday in a nightly address. 

Zelenskyy did not go into detail about the engagement but warned of what he says is Russia’s intention to escalate the war that has raged for nearly 1,000 days. 

A Kyiv official said Ukraine’s army fired artillery at North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk border region.

ZELENSKYY WARNS NORTH KOREA, RUSSIA ALLIANCE COULD SPELL TROUBLE FOR ASIA: CHINA'S 'SILENCE IS STRIKING'

"Terror, unfortunately, can spread like a virus when it does not meet sufficient counteraction. Now our counteraction must be sufficient, strong enough. The first battles with North Korean soldiers have opened a new chapter of instability in the world," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address as he thanked Ukraine’s allies around the world.

"Together with the world, we must do everything so that this Russian step to expand the war with real escalation fails. Both for Russia and South Korea."

South Korea's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that more than 10,000 North Korean troops had arrived in Russia, with a "significant number" in the frontline areas, including the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces staged an incursion in August.

Defence Minister Rustem Umerov told South Korean state television there had been a "small engagement" with the North Korean troops, per Reuters. The report, with excerpts from the interview, quoted Umerov as saying that the engagement was small and not yet systematic in terms of mobilizing soldiers.

Umerov reportedly said he expects that five North Korean units, each consisting of about 3,000 soldiers, will be deployed to the Kursk area. North Korean soldiers are mixed with Russian troops and are misidentified on their uniforms, Umerov was quoted as saying, according to the Associated Press.

DOCUMENTS REVEAL RUSSIA'S INITIAL 'PEACE DEAL' EQUATED TO THE SURRENDER OF UKRAINE: REPORT

Russia is reported to have 1.3 million active-duty soldiers with another 2 million in reserves. Russia is now seeing its highest number of casualties than at any other time since the war began, with some 1,200 casualties reported a day, claimed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week. Despite the high number of troop casualties, there still does not appear to be any end in sight to the war — validating early concerns that this would be a war of attrition. 

Zelenskyy has been sounding the alarm that the recent deployment of North Korean troops in Russia not only spells trouble for Ukraine, but also draws into question the stability and security of nations in Asia that are allied with the West.

"North Korea’s actions aren’t random," Zelenskyy said in a frank interview with South Korea’s public broadcasting network KBS on Thursday. "They have strategic goals."

"Their actions aren’t coincidental — they want Russia’s support in return," he added in comments also posted to his social media account on X.

Zelenskyy has called on South Korea to take a bigger role in the conflict and has said that South Korea has already pledged to send a team of specialists to Ukraine where they will collaborate on defensive capabilities, including air defense, as North Korea also provides Russian with artillery and missiles.

"If South Korea wants to understand the real capabilities of North Korea and its soldiers, it would benefit them to be here, to see and analyze the reality firsthand," he said. Consider how close North Korea is to Seoul [25-30 miles], the range of modern artillery, not even missiles." 

"Air defenses can’t counter artillery strikes. Our own towns were obliterated by artillery. I hope South Korea never faces this, but preparation is critical," Zelenskyy added.

Zelenskyy also called into question China’s "silence" with regard to the North’s recent involvement in the war. 

Meanwhile, North Korea was reported to have fired a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Tuesday.

The launch came days after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised a flight test of the country's newest intercontinental ballistic missile designed to reach the U.S. mainland. In response to that launch, the United States flew a long-range B-1B bomber in a trilateral drill with South Korea and Japan on Sunday in a show of force.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, the Israeli leader announced Tuesday.

Netanyahu cited significant differences between their views on how to proceed in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as a lack of trust between the pair. Netanyahu's office shared a letter, written in Hebrew, that was delivered to Gallant Tuesday notifying him of his removal.

"The security of the State of Israel always was, and will always remain my life’s mission," Gallant said in a statement Tuesday.

The move comes as Israel is engaged in multiple conflicts, fighting Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon as well as exchanging long-range blows with Iran.

IRAN AND RUSSIA CLOSE IN ON DEAL AS TEHRAN THREATENS REVENGE AGAINST ISRAEL

Netanyahu warned Iran last week that Israel may target Tehran's nuclear program if the country moves forward with another attack on Israel.

"The supreme objective that I have set for the IDF and the security services is to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said while speaking at a course graduation ceremony for soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). "Halting the nuclear program has been – and remains – our chief concern."

ISRAEL CEASE-FIRE PLAN FOR LEBANON SEEKS TO BYPASS UN, AS US MEDIATORS TRAVEL TO JERUSALEM FOR TALKS

"I have not taken, we have not taken, and we will not take, our eyes off this objective," he added.

Netanyahu’s suggestion that Israel could next target Iranian nuclear facilities is in line with other comments made by the IDF that vowed to escalate its attack "capabilities" and target hit list should Iran follow through with another attack on the Jewish state. 

The U.S. – Israel’s chief ally in its fight against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran – has repeatedly warned Jerusalem against hitting Iran’s energy infrastructure, in particular, its nuclear and oil facilities, out of concern it could prompt an outright regional war.

Reports from last week suggested that Iran could be waiting until after the U.S. presidential election.

Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this report

An Iran-backed Iraqi militia launched a drone attack in northern Israel early Tuesday, according to Iranian state media.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed several of its drones targeted Haifa, a port city in northern Israel, in response to Israeli military action in Gaza and Lebanon, the state media said.

Israel Defense Forces said it shot down one drone that entered Israeli airspace from the direction of Syria overnight, the Times of Israel reported.

The reported drone attack comes as the entire Middle East region teeters on the edge of being engulfed in a wider regional conflict over the ongoing conflicts between Israel and Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah in Gaza and Lebanon.

US SOLDIER WOUNDED DURING GAZA PIER MISSION DIES MONTHS AFTER BEING INJURED

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with "a crushing response" following Israeli strikes on Oct. 26 that targeted military bases and other locations and killed at least five people in the Islamic Republic.

Early Sunday, U.S. Central Command confirmed that B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers from Minot Air Force Base's 5th Bomb Wing arrived in the Middle East region, an effort aimed at deterring Iran and its allies from attacking Israel.

IRAN THREATENS TO USE MORE POWERFUL WARHEADS AGAINST ISRAEL IN NEXT ATTACK: REPORT

Despite growing pressure from the U.S. and wider international community on Israel for a cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon, Israel has intensified strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon and continues to wage a massive offensive in northern Gaza.

Israeli strikes late Monday killed at least 30 people in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A soldier who was injured amid last summer's Gaza pier mission recently died, the U.S. Army confirmed.

Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley, 23, passed away on Oct. 31, according to an online obituary. He was one of three soldiers injured during the Gaza pier mission, which involved providing humanitarian aid to Gazans amid the Israel-Hamas war.

The Biden administration had sought to create a temporary pier to facilitate bringing aid into Gaza. The effort, which began in May and ended in July, cost nearly $230 million and delivered significantly less aid than it had promised.

Bad weather and miscalculations had contributed to the mission's failures, though the military considered it a success.

US BOMBERS ARRIVE IN MIDDLE EAST AS CONCERNS OF IRANIAN ATTACK ON ISRAEL MOUNT

In a statement provided to Reuters, the Army confirmed Stanley's death. The young soldier had recently retired from the military and was receiving long-term medical care.

"Stanley was an instrumental and well respected first line leader in the 7th Transportation Brigade Expeditionary (TBX), especially during the mission to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza," Colonel John Gray, the commander of the unit, said.

In June, the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command reported that two soldiers on the mission suffered a sprained ankle and a minor back injury, respectively. 

ISRAEL KILLS ANOTHER HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER IN RETALIATORY STRIKES: IDF

The official noted that the third service member – who was not named at the time – was injured while supporting the mission and was evacuated to an Israeli hospital.

"We're clear eyed and we continue to look at force protection all day, every day and as it stands now we assess the operations can continue," U.S. Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. Army for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Just hours before the U.S. election, North Korea was reported to have fired at least one ballistic missile into its eastern sea. 

It remains unclear whether North Korea fired only one missile or multiple. It is also unclear what type of missile it was or how far it flew. 

The launch came days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a flight test of the country's newest intercontinental ballistic missile designed to reach the U.S. mainland. In response to that launch, the United States flew a long-range B-1B bomber in a trilateral drill with South Korea and Japan on Sunday in a show of force. 

North Korea claimed last week that the Hwasong-19 it tested last Thursday was "the world's strongest" ICBM, but experts say the solid-fuel missile was too big to be useful in a war situation. Experts say the North has yet to acquire some critical technologies to build a functioning ICBM, such as ensuring that the warhead survives the harsh conditions of atmospheric re-entry.

DOCUMENTS REVEAL RUSSIA'S INITIAL ‘PEACE DEAL’ EQUATED TO THE SURRENDER OF UKRAINE: REPORT

South Korean officials have warned that the North was likely to ratchet up military displays around the U.S. presidential elections to command the attention of Washington. 

South Korea's military intelligence agency said last week that North Korea has also likely completed preparations for its seventh nuclear test.

Tensions between North and South Korea have been at all-time highs in recent months as Kim has repeatedly flaunted his expanding nuclear weapons and missile programs while providing Russia with munitions and troops to support President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

In response to North Korea's growing nuclear threats, South Korea, the United States and Japan have been expanding their combined military exercises and updating their nuclear deterrence plans built around U.S. strategic assets.

FIRST ON FOX – A Global Peace Flag exhibit at the United Nations New York City headquarters features a slogan that many Israelis regard as an explicit call to wipe Israel off the map. 

The picture shows a map of Israel, resembling a watermelon, without any West Bank or Gaza partition. In the top right-hand corner is the Palestinian flag. 

The left side of the map contains the phrase "From the River to the Sea" and the right side contains the phrase, "Will be Free." It is an obvious nod to the phrase, "From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free."

Supporters of Palestinians maintain that the phrase is merely a slogan to represent the Palestinian struggle against the State of Israel, which they see as an occupying force. 

IRANIAN WOMAN STRIPS DOWN IN ANTI-HIJAB PROTEST FOLLOWING VICIOUS ASSAULT BY REGIME MILITIA

Israelis, meanwhile, regard the phrase as an explicit call to genocide, a call for Israel to be wiped off the map completely. 

The phrase has gained a resurgence since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed and hundreds more were taken hostage. 

The phrase was widely used during protests that swept college campuses in the spring. 

As of November 4, 2023, around 100 hostages are still believed to be in captivity in Gaza. 

The UN’s Global Peace Flag exhibit contains no explicit call for the hostages to be released. Nor do any messages condemn Hamas, or the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets into Northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas for over a year. 

EYEWITNESS TO FIGHTING HAMAS TERRORISTS IN GAZA'S DEADLY NETZARIM CORRIDOR: ‘THE CHALLENGES ARE CONSTANT’

"This appalling display is front and center at the UN, and included art that unambiguously calls for the destruction of the Jewish people and the State of Israel," Jonathan Harounoff, the international spokesperson for Israel’s Mission to the UN, said in a statement. 

Danny Danon, Israel’s permanent representative to the UN, called the display a "disgrace" and "shameful" and demanded that the UN remove it. 

"Look at the drawings of children from all around the world," Danon said in a video posted on X. "Nothing about Israel. Nothing about our hostages. Look what they have. They don’t recognize Israel. They promote hate in those drawings. That is shameful. This is part of the hypocrisy of the United Nations. I demand that the UN will remove this exhibit immediately and will stop the hypocrisy against Israel." 

A UN spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the "Peace Flags" exhibit was compiled by a fashion designer who asked students and other people from around the world to send messages of peace on fabric scraps "as a way to repurpose fashion waste for positive impact." 

The spokesperson said UN staff, upon installation, informed the exhibit's sponsor, SDG Action Campaign, that several panels "could not be displayed." Among these were the panel that said, "From the River to the Sea." 

"Those panels in the quilts [were] covered with square cloth in agreement with the organizer in the second week of October. Earlier last week, someone removed those covers. Our colleagues covered it twice last week and were planning to do the same today upon learning that it was uncovered again," the spokesperson said. "We have alerted UN Security to the continued unauthorized interference in the exhibit and to review security footage to find out who is responsible."

Newly revealed documents of Russia’s first proposal in 2022 in an alleged attempt to end its so-called "special operation" in Ukraine in actuality resembled an agreement to surrender, reported Radio Free Europe on Monday.

The documents obtained by the Europe-based outlet showed that on March 7, 2022 – 11 days after Russia’s invasion began and one week after talks between Moscow and Kyiv started – Russia presented a document dubbed the "Agreement on settlement of the situation in Ukraine and neutrality of Ukraine."

But according to the outlet, the "neutrality of Ukraine" essentially meant Russia was hoping to turn the former Soviet nation into a "puppet" regime of the Kremlin's.

ZELENSKYY WARNS NORTH KOREA, RUSSIA ALLIANCE COULD SPELL TROUBLE FOR ASIA: CHINA'S 'SILENCE IS STRIKING'

The Russian proposal apparently called for Kyiv to give up Crimea – which Russia seized a decade ago – as well as the Donbas – where separatist forces had been fighting with Ukrainian troops since 2014. But it called on Ukraine to hand over both the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that make up easternmost Ukraine and which Russia has still been unable to seize despite years of brutal fighting. 

The proposal also called on Kyiv to pledge to never join the NATO alliance and to whittle down its military to just 50,000 soldiers from the 250,000-strong military force that stood before the invasion. 

Four ships, 55 helicopters and 300 tanks would reportedly have been permitted to remain in Ukraine.

Kyiv, should it have agreed to the terms, would also have been barred from possessing or developing any missiles with a strike range of 250 km (155 miles) – roughly the distance that separates the Crimean bridge from the Ukrainian-controlled territory on the front lines in the Zaporizhzhia region. 

By the end of April 2022, the talks had failed after Ukraine rejected Moscow's terms and successfully ended Russian attempts to seize Kyiv – the same month that the extent of the atrocities committed in Bucha by Russian forces were also revealed. 

After nearly 1,000 days of war, Russia has been unable to actually seize any region from Ukraine since its Feb. 22, 2022, invasion – though Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed to have annexed Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk in September of that year. 

US SAYS 8,000 NORTH KOREAN SOLDIERS TO BEGIN COMBAT OPERATIONS IN WAR WITH UKRAINE 'IN COMING DAYS'

Several attempts to hold peace talks have been pushed, though to little avail, as Ukraine remains steadfast in its assertion that the war will end once Russia withdraws its troops and ceases its illegal invasion.

Following Ukraine’s success in blocking Russian forces from seizing the capital city, ousting Russia from several key areas, and largely holding the line in the east over the last two years – though it saw some setbacks this year when U.S. military aid temporarily slowed – the West has championed Moscow’s failures.

The U.S. and NATO allies have substantially backed Ukraine with military support, though it has stopped short of sending in international troops, and concerns about Ukrainian manpower have remained a chief issue in the war. 

Though Ukraine began immediately conscripting men to fight among its ranks and significantly expanded its fighting force with some 900,000 active-duty soldiers as of 2024, along with another 1.2 million reserve forces, according to Statista, it is still a fraction of the size of Russia’s military.

Russia is reported to have 1.3 million active-duty soldiers with another 2 million in reserves, as well as up to 10,000 North Korean soldiers that are expected to join its war machine.

Russia is now seeing its highest number of casualties than at any other time since the war began with some 1,200 casualties reported a day, claimed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week.

Despite the high number of troop casualties, there still does not appear to be any end in sight to the war – validating early concerns that this would be a war of attrition. 

Reports earlier this year suggested Putin may agree to freeze the fighting on the current battle lines, though he has also repeatedly said Ukraine must agree not to enter NATO if it wants an end to the war. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not only flatly refused to cede any territory to Russia and has demanded that Crimea be returned to Ukraine, but he has also made clear that it is a top security priority for Kyiv to join the NATO alliance. 

Western security officials reportedly said they believe Russia is plotting to plant explosives aboard either commercial or passenger airplanes bound for the United States and Canada. 

Two incendiary devices were shipped using the German logistics company DHL and ignited at DHL logistics hubs in Leipzig, Germany, and in Birmingham, England, in July, sparking a multinational investigation, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Security officials and sources familiar with the investigation told the Journal that intelligence agencies in Europe determined the explosions were caused by electric massagers implanted with a magnesium-based flammable substance.

Those officials say the electric massagers, sent to the United Kingdom from Lithuania, were intended as a "test run" of a wider Russian sabotage plot meant to evaluate how best to get explosives on board aircraft headed to North America. 

JD VANCE TELLS NC CROWD HARRIS CAN'T DEAL WITH CHINA, RUSSIA IF SHE 'RUNS' FROM 'FRIENDLY AMERICAN MEDIA'

Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office announced that four suspects have been arrested in connection to the fires at the DHL hubs and are charged with "sabotage or terrorist operations on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency," the Journal reported. 

"The group’s goal was also to test the transfer channel for such parcels, which were ultimately to be sent to the United States of America and Canada," the prosecutor’s office said, without revealing the names or nationalities of the suspects.   

The leader of Poland’s foreign-intelligence agency, Pawel Szota, told the Journal that Russian spies were responsible and the actualization of any such attack would be seen as a "major escalation" of Russia’s sabotage campaign against the Western powers. 

ZELENSKYY WARNS NORTH KOREA, RUSSIA ALLIANCE COULD SPELL TROUBLE FOR ASIA: CHINA'S 'SILENCE IS STRIKING'

"I’m not sure the political leaders of Russia are aware of the consequences if one of these packages exploded, causing a mass casualty event," Szota told the Journal. 

The Journal asserted that Szota’s comments and those of Western intelligence officials support the claim that the Russian military-intelligence agency, the GRU, was behind the plot. 

"We have never heard any official accusations" of Russian involvement," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Journal when asked for comment. "These are traditional unsubstantiated insinuations from the media."

The U.K.’s counter-terrorism police is investigating the Birmingham fire and is working with other agencies in Europe. German police reportedly tested replicas of the incendiary devices and said that the firefighting systems on most planes would struggle to extinguish the magnesium if it ignited on board. 

Sources familiar with the German investigation said pilots would need to make an emergency landing in that scenario or the plane could go down over water if an immediate landing isn't possible. 

JERUSALEM—The devastating wars launched by Russia’s authoritarian leader Vladimir Putin against Ukraine and the Hamas terrorist movement against Israel are raising uncomfortable questions for President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris about their alleged lack of resolve toward an Israeli victory over the Islamic Republic of Iran-backed proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah.

Fox News Digital turned to experts on the Mideast and Russia for their reflections on the different war strategies embraced by Biden and Harris with respect to Ukraine and Israel.  

"The strategic behavior of the United States toward Ukraine and Israel differs substantially," David Wurmser, a former senior adviser for nonproliferation and Middle East strategy for former Vice President Dick Cheney, told Fox News Digital.

"There has never been any indication that the United States affords Russia any legitimacy to its reasons for invasion. While a cease-fire in place may be sought, there is no indulgence of Russia’s ostensible grievances or demands," Wurmser said, adding, "In contrast, regarding the Palestinians, the October 7 attack was blasted as a horror and Israel’s immediate defense was accepted, but the thrust of U.S. policy almost immediately and certainly with ever greater intensity was that a legitimate grievance underlies Palestinian claims and led to these events."

HAMAS ADMITS 'PAINFUL, DISTRESSING' LOSSES AFTER ISRAELI VIDEO SHOWS TERRORIST SINWAR MOMENTS BEFORE HIS DEATH

While many Mideast experts see the effort to establish a Palestinian state as a failed project, the Biden-Harris administration has embraced Palestinian demands and sought to push Israel to accept a two-state solution before the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion and after Hamas massacred nearly 1,200 people in Israel.

The language of Biden and Harris towards Ukraine and Israel also shows a disconnect. In September, after Russian missiles killed more than 50 during an attack on a training facility and hospital, Biden said, "Make no mistake: Russia will not prevail in this war. The people of Ukraine will prevail. And on this tragic day, and every day, the United States stands with them."

Terminology that advances victory is largely shunned by Biden and Harris when discussing Israel’s ground wars against Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Biden and Harris went as far as to threaten Israel with punitive measures if the Jewish state invaded the last stronghold of Hamas in the city of Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhau called their bluff and defeated Hamas in Rafah, including the elimination of its terrorist leader Yahya Sinwar last month.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Biden announced last month during a discussion of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Victory Plan "their resolve to continue supporting Ukraine in its efforts to secure a just and lasting peace." In the same statement, the western world leaders stressed "ending the war in Gaza," a message to Israel that it recoil from its anti-terrorism war.

NETANYAHU SIGNALS TEHRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM COULD BE NEXT TARGET AS IRAN PLANS FUTURE ATTACK

Israel Defense Forces have not rooted out all Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip and Hamas’ leadership insists on continuing its war to obliterate the Jewish state. 

The juxtaposition of U.S. policies and language toward the prosecution of wars in Ukraine and in Gaza and Lebanon has revolved around blunting Israel’s paths to victory and its efforts to re-establish deterrence, argue critics of the Biden-Harris school of thought. Ukraine has not experienced the same offensive war restrictions from Biden and Harris, argue experts. 

Wurmser noted that "Ukraine is not facing an incessant attempt from the first days of the Ukraine war of self-defense to stop the war in a way that allows its enemy to consolidate its gains and pocket a victory. Only recently has the United States begun to indicate the preference for, but did not impose material pressure on yet, Ukraine to move toward a cease-fire. Not so with Israel.  From the first week of the war, the United States [has tried] to restrain Israel and press it towards a cease-fire."

He continued, "From the start of the Hezbollah attack on Israel on October 8, the United States pressed Israel to minimize its response and move to a cease-fire.  After the Houthis blockaded Israel’s southern port in late October 2023, sent missiles and drones into Israeli cities and attacked Israeli and world shipping, the United States pushed Israel to defer to the United States to guarantee its interests—which it then failed to do. After missiles and drones were sent by Iraqi militias in November 2023 into Israeli cities and ports, the United States similarly urged Israeli passivity but failed to provide Israel security."

Iran’s regime supports and funds the Houthi movment in Yemen and pro-Iran Iraqi militias.

US DEPLOYS ADDITIONAL MILITARY FORCES TO MIDDLE EAST AMID INTENSIFYING REGIONAL TENSIONS: PENTAGON

Biden and Harris have, however, imposed a restriction on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles. Zelenskyy appealed to the White House, in a late September meeting, that Biden and Harris increase Ukraine’s leverage to defeat Russia by lifting the ban on long-range missiles that can strike Russian territory. Key Republican lawmakers also urged Biden and Harris to permit Ukraine to use the U.S. long-range missile systems. 

Former U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency officer Rebekah Koffler told Fox New Digital that the "Biden-Harris Team has been trying to appease Iran by trying to micromanage Israel’s war fighting campaign, in which Israel is working to eliminate the existential threat. This incompetent approach — constantly pressuring Netanyahu to do a cease-fire, not letting him finish the job — is inviting escalation from Iran. Iran is emboldened, having witnessed that Biden-Harris don’t have Israel’s back. Iran has gotten so out of control that they’ve targeted Netanyahu’s home - think about that. The Ayatollahs clearly feel that Biden-Harris are on their side."

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei taunted the U.S. and the Jewish state with a "tooth-breaking" response to the actions of both countries on Saturday. Iran’s regime vowed to launch a third attack on Israel in response to Israel's Oct. 26 attack on Iran, which targeted critical military infrastructure. That attack from Israel came in response to a wave of 200-some missiles launched from Iran into Israel on Oct. 1.

The U.S. State Department referred Fox News Digital to the White House for a comment. The White House and the Harris campaign declined to respond to Fox News Digital press queries.

Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

Iranian officials have warned they are planning the country's next attack using more powerful warheads than any previously used weapons in strikes against Israel, despite U.S. warnings against a counter-attack on the country, according to reports.

Israel attacked Iran on Oct. 26, targeting critical military infrastructure. The attack from Israel came in response to a wave of about 200 missiles launched from Iran into Israel on Oct. 1.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel has refrained from striking oil and nuclear facilities in Iran, which are essential to its security. Israeli officials have said that logic could change.

Iranian and Arab diplomats reportedly said its conventional army could be involved in future attacks against Israel, after losing four soldiers and a civilian in Israel’s most recent attack. But using the conventional army does not necessarily mean troops would be deployed, but instead, it could mean the Islamic Revolutionary Guard that typically deals with Israeli security measures may not act alone.

US BOMBERS ARRIVE IN MIDDLE EAST AS CONCERNS OF IRANIAN ATTACK ON ISRAEL MOUNT

Arab and Iranian officials also said Iran does not plan to limit its response to drones and missiles, like the previous attacks. Any missiles used in the future, the officials added, would have more powerful warheads.

In the attack on Oct. 1, the WSJ reported, Iran said it mostly used four different types of medium-range ballistic missiles.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) senior fellow Behnam Ben Taleblu told Fox News Digital the challenge with signaling an attack is that it must be mutually intelligible. He said any successful strike, like the one by Israel in October that was designed to stem escalation, can be perceived by the Iranian regime as a slight that must be responded to.

ISRAEL KILLS ANOTHER HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER IN RETALIATORY STRIKES: IDF

"Assessments from Iranian outlets and officials have morphed from trying to downplay the strike to using it to grandstand and threaten revenge," Taleblu said. "Make no mistake, Tehran still has the capability to respond. The Islamic Republic can still fire considerably more projectiles and with heavier warheads than have been employed in its first two direct attacks against Israel. Escalating without air defenses is either leading with one’s chin or setting the pieces of the puzzle in place to justify a move towards developing atomic weapons."

On Saturday, Iran claimed it is capable of building a nuclear weapon when Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed a "tooth-breaking" response to the actions of both Israel and the U.S. on Saturday.

Kamal Kharrazi, a top adviser to Khamenei, issued a warning about Iran’s nuclear capacity on Friday, saying the country may be prepared to alter its policies on using nuclear weapons if the nation faces an existential threat.

IRAN CLAIMS IT IS CAPABLE OF BUILDING NUCLEAR WEAPONS AS AYATOLLAH VOWS ‘TOOTH-BREAKING’ RESPONSE TO ISRAEL, US

"If an existential threat arises, Iran will modify its nuclear doctrine, we have the capability to build weapons and have no issue in this regard," Kharrazi told Lebanese media.

The threat from Iran remains to be seen.

The WSJ also reported that the Iranian official said it does not want to influence the U.S. election with the attack, adding any response to Israel’s attack on Oct. 26 would come after Election Day on Tuesday but before the winner of the presidential election is inaugurated in January.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

JERUSALEM—A female Iranian student on Sunday stripped down to her underwear on the campus of Tehran's Islamic Azad University to protest an assault on her by the IRGC's paramilitary militia, known as the Basij, because she allegedly was improperly wearing the mandatory hijab. Since it's part of the IRGC, the Basij is a U.S-designated terrorist organization.

The video of the unidentified woman walking through the courtyard of the university’s Science and Research Branch in her underwear rapidly went viral on social media. 

A university official confirmed the student’s arrest. "Following an indecent act by a student at the Science and Research Branch of the university, campus security intervened and handed the individual over to law enforcement authorities," Amir Mahjoub, director general of public relations at the university, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, according to a report by the London-based news organization Iran International reported 

Fox News Digital was not able to independently confirm the student's name, but media outlets in France and Germany have identified her as Ahoo Daryaei.

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He added, "The motives and underlying reasons for the student's actions are currently under investigation."

The U.N.'s special rapporteur for Iran, Mai Soto, posted on X, "I will be monitoring this incident closely, including the authorities response. #Iran," along with a video of the young woman sitting in the courtyard from the U.S. government news outlet Voice of America’s Farsi outlet.

According to Iran International, Amir Kabir Newsletter, a student group on Telegram, reported the Islamic Republic’s security forces severely assaulted the young student. After the regime bashed her head into a car door or a pillar, "Blood stains from the student were reportedly seen on the car’s tires," the newsletter report noted.

The Iranian American lawyer Elika Eftekhari told Fox News Digital, "Her protest may seem shocking to outsiders because it comes with the certainty of imprisonment, torture and rape as punishment from Islamic Republic officials. She reminds me of Jan Palach’s act of self-immolation in the formerly communist Czech Republic. It speaks to the pervasive psychology of depression and hopelessness among Iranians, who often feel trapped in a negative spiral both within the world and vis-à-vis their futures."

IRAN'S MORALITY POLICE RESUME STREET PATROLS, FORCING WOMEN TO WEAR HEADSCARVES AFTER MONTHS-LONG PROTEST

Eftekhari, a member of the U.S.-based Alliance for Human Rights and Democracy in Iran, added, "At the same time, there is tremendous fortitude in this expression of resistance, by taking the regime’s gender apartheid misogyny by the throat, so to speak, and ripping it to shreds through civil disobedience. The call to action here for the U.S. and West is clear: first and foremost, recognize her by commenting, tweeting, and issuing statements. Importantly, they must understand her actions within the analytical framework of readiness on the part of Iranians in Iran for regime change, not reform."

Lisa Daftari, editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk and an expert on Iran, told Fox News Digital, "We are seeing many examples of Iranian women courageously defying the mandatory Islamic hijab laws in Iran. Iranian men and women have been protesting the oppressive Islamic Republic’s rule for decades, but particularly since the Woman, Life, Freedom demonstrations following the murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini two years ago, the hijab, women’s dress code and women in general have been at the center of the anti-regime opposition."

US SANCTIONS IRANIAN OFFICIALS OVER WOMEN'S RIGHTS ABUSES

She continued, "Each episode builds confidence in other Iranians to stand up against the regime’s oppressive laws."

The Iranian American human rights activist Masih Alinejad wrote on X: "In Iran, a student harassed by her university’s morality police over her ‘improper’ hijab didn’t back down. She turned her body into a protest, stripping to her underwear and marching through campus – defying a regime that constantly controls women’s bodies. Her act is a powerful reminder of Iranian women’s fight for freedom. Yes we use our bodies like weapons to fight back a regime that kills women for showing their hair. This happened at Tehran’s Science and Research University. She has since been arrested by the authorities. Be her voice. #WomanLifeFreedom."

Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian said during his 2024 campaign, in which females are not allowed to run for president, that he will end the infamous morality police patrols that arrest women for failing to comply with hijab rules. 

Yet, critics see Pezeshkian ‘s pledge to be empty rhetoric. Just last month, Iran's Guardian Council passed the controversial hijab and chastity bill, which means a "violation of the Hijab and Chastity law carries a fine of three million tomans [$50]." Iran’s parliament is now reviewing the bill.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, controls all laws and legislation in the highly repressive state. The president is largely a symbolic figure.

Cease-fire talks continued last week as Israel, the U.S., Egypt and Qatar looked to find a solution to free the hostages and stop the war, yet life in the trenches goes on. Fox News Digital spoke with an IDF colonel based in the explosive Netzarim corridor in Gaza.

The Netzarim Corridor splits Gaza in half, and it's here where IDF Col. Amir Ofri organizes his troops in a fight against terrorists. The atmosphere is tense, he says, and describes a recent incident where a Gazan woman stumbled toward his unit checkpoint, her movements erratic, suggesting disorientation. As she approached, he recalls her repeatedly glancing over her shoulder, seemingly reluctant to come closer. He says it was clear to him that she was under the influence of drugs.

"We try to assess whether she poses a threat or is armed," Ofri tells Fox News Digital. But as the woman gets closer, it becomes obvious she is being directed by someone behind her. The decision is made to send her back, but as they do, his soldiers identify Hamas spotters in a nearby school in the refugee camp of Al-Bureij. As the soldiers move closer, terrorists fire at them from the windows, unleashing anti-tank missiles and explosives.

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"Women and children, Hamas exploits the population in extreme and cruel ways," he says during a Zoom interview. "I’ve never seen anything like it."

On the morning that Hamas attacked Israeli communities and settlements close to Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, Col. Ofri was with his family in the north to celebrate his 46th birthday. A seasoned officer, he immediately reported for duty to a base in the Negev Desert a little more than 30 kilometers from the border. By the next day, his reserve armored brigade was positioned at the Gaza fence, ready for whatever lay ahead. "We were the first to enter Gaza on Oct. 21," he recalls.

The responsibility he bears weighs heavily on him. "It's been over nine months since I’ve seen my wife and children for more than a fleeting moment," he says. Before the war, he directed a company with factories in Israel, Spain and the U.S. "My partner in Oklahoma was one of the first to call me after Oct. 7. He said he hoped the U.S. would send everything it could to help us."

His mission along the Netzarim Corridor, which serves both as a lifeline for humanitarian aid and a strategic position in the ongoing conflict, is critical. "Our job is to keep the route open for humanitarian convoys," Ofri explains. "Every day presents unique challenges and risks."

The Netzarim Corridor is pivotal in the Gaza Strip. With the onset of the ground campaign, IDF forces established a four-kilometer wide corridor to split Gaza in two, from its eastern border to the Mediterranean Sea. Key towns sit along the route – Jabalia and Zeitoun to the north, and Al-Bureij and Nuseirat to the south.

Fifteen years after Gaza was last under Israel’s military control, this strategic route is again being held by the IDF. The majority of Gaza’s population has been evacuated south, allowing the IDF to maintain nearly full control over significant parts of the Strip. However, it has also become one of the most dangerous areas in the conflict, with Israeli soldiers killed and injured since operations began.

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"I don’t like this mission at all," he admits. In the early stages of the war, "when the brigade was on the attack, we were more efficient and lethal. In the Netzarim Corridor, the challenges are constant," he says.

Despite these difficulties, Ofri’s brigade has operated with minimal casualties. "Eight fighters from my brigade have fallen since the fighting began," he says somberly. "But we haven’t lost any soldiers while securing the corridor, and that’s the result of learning from others’ experiences."

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has dominated media coverage since the conflict escalated, leading to significant criticism of Israel from the U.N. and various countries, including the U.S. Many organizations have highlighted the deteriorating situation for civilians, emphasizing that while they face hardships, the military also has a responsibility to minimize harm.

"They’re living in tents under difficult conditions, but they lack neither food nor water," he says. "Every day, we transfer about 30 trucks filled with food, water, tents and medicine. The other side, Hamas, doesn’t account for the population; they exploit them. The terrorists we eliminate often wear civilian clothes. Some are disguised as women."

One evening as a convoy approached, an unplanned vehicle got into the line. "When we stopped the convoy, terrorists emerged from that vehicle – one dressed as a woman – and they opened fire. We eliminated two of them, while two others fled back to the vehicle," Ofri says.

"All the convoys we needed to pass did pass, and then we saw Hamas setting up roadblocks, stopping and looting them," he says, elaborating on the complicated dynamics on the ground. "Hamas targets specific trucks rather than looting indiscriminately. We observed them unloading supplies quickly, moving items into warehouses. We even saw armed Hamas vehicles leaving those locations, with guards at the entrances."

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When it comes to using civilians in the conflict, he disputes a recent reports claiming that the IDF uses Gazan civilians as human shields in operations against Hamas, at least when it comes to his brigade. "I’ve been in combat for a year; we don’t use civilians as human shields," he says. "Hamas does. As someone who approves all operations for the brigade, I state clearly that no fire is intentionally directed at women or children. Not a single shell or airstrike is executed without assessing potential collateral damage."

The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry claims more than 42,000 people have been killed in Gaza. Israel says the number is lower, but will not publish its assessment. Hamas doesn't differentiate between civilians and terrorists in its calculations.

"The problem lies in Hamas's cynical use of the population," Ofri says. He blames the terror organization for the loss of so many civilian lives. "We witnessed this during the recent Iranian attack. As soon as the Iranian assault began, on October 1, Hamas operatives attacked us. We were on the southern side of the corridor when they used short-range mortars to exploit the situation, pushing civilians toward our position. They forced people out of refugee camps, creating a dangerous environment as they told them to move closer to our forces," he says.

In October, Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' leader and the mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attack, was killed by the IDF in Rafah, in southern Gaza. While many speculate that Sinwar’s death may lead to a turning point in the conflict, Ofri remains dubious. "In my view, he was just another terrorist who deserved to die. He’s just another obstacle in the effort to release hostages. I understand we won’t be able to free them through military means alone. However, I believe military pressure is the only strategy that has led to the first hostage deal."

And it is because of the hostages that Israel must continue fighting, he says. "There are 101 hostages left, many of whom are relatives of our soldiers. Oct. 7 affected us all. I lost friends that day as well," Ofri says. "That’s why we come together time and again, although it gets harder and harder. If you ask any soldier, they will tell you it’s about the hostages."

Authorities say an Iranian-American journalist who worked for a U.S.-funded broadcaster is believed to have been detained by Iran for months, according to a report.

State Department officials acknowledged to the Associated Press that Reza Valizadeh has been imprisoned by the Iranian regime. Valizadeh worked for Radio Farda, the Iranian branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which provides "factual, objective and professional journalism" to its audience, broadcasting in Farsi from the Czech Republic. Iran's theocracy views Radio Farda as a hostile outlet. 

Valizadeh's detainment comes as Iran celebrates the 45th anniversary of the American Embassy takeover and hostage crisis on Sunday. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also been threatening both the U.S. and Israel with a "crushing response" after U.S Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered additional B-52 bombers and Navy warships to the Middle East amid rising tensions. 

Valizadeh in February had posted on X that members of his family had been detained in Iran and pressured to convince him to return to the country. 

US DEPLOYS ADDITIONAL MILITARY FORCES TO MIDDLE EAST AMID INTENSIFYING REGIONAL TENSIONS: PENTAGON

In August, Valizadeh reportedly posted two messages that suggested he had indeed returned to Iran without guarantees for his safety. 

"I arrived in Tehran on March 6, 2024. Before that, I had unfinished negotiations with the (Revolutionary Guard's) intelligence department," one message read in part, according to the AP. "Eventually, I came back to my country after 13 years without any security guarantee, even a verbal one."

Valizadeh included a cryptic message with the name of a man he claimed belonged to Iran's Intelligence Ministry. The AP could not verify if the person worked for the ministry. 

The Human Rights Activists News Agency, which monitors cases in Iran, reported earlier this month that Valizadeh had been arrested and transferred to Evin prison. The report said he had been denied legal representation and that the charges against him remain undisclosed. 

NETANYAHU SIGNALS TEHRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM COULD BE NEXT TARGET AS IRAN PLANS FUTURE ATTACK

The State Department told the AP that it was "aware of reports that this dual U.S.-Iranian citizen has been arrested in Iran," when asked about rumors that Valizadeh had been detained. 

"We are working with our Swiss partners who serve as the protecting power for the United States in Iran to gather more information about this case," the State Department said. "Iran routinely imprisons U.S. citizens and other countries’ citizens unjustly for political purposes. This practice is cruel and contrary to international law."

Iranian officials have not acknowledged Valizadeh's detention. 

Since the 1979 U.S. Embassy crisis, which saw dozens of hostages released after 444 days in captivity, Iran has used prisoners with Western ties as bargaining chips in negotiations with the world. In September 2023, five Americans detained for years in Iran were freed in exchange for five Iranians in U.S. custody and for $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets to be released by South Korea.

Valizadeh is the first American known to be detained by Iran in the time since.

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Iran commemorated the anniversary of the embassy takeover on Sunday with thousands of demonstrators chanting, "Death to America," and, "Death to Israel," outside the former U.S. Embassy. Some burned U.S. and Israeli flags, the AP reported.  

They also carried images of killed top figures of Iran-backed terrorist groups including Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Palestinian Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The crowd in the state-organized rallies chanted they were ready to defend the Palestinians.

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Gen. Hossein Salami, head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, spoke in Tehran and reiterated Khamenei's pledge to respond to the U.S. military's presence in the Middle East and intensified engagements between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

"The resistance front and Iran will equip itself with whatever necessary to confront and defeat the enemy," Salami said, per the AP. 

Fox News Digital's Jasmine Baehr and Liz Friden, as well as the Associated Press contributed to this report.

U.S. bombers have arrived in the Middle East region as tensions flare over Iran potentially launching another attack on Israel, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed early Sunday.

B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers from Minot Air Force Base's 5th Bomb Wing arrived in the Middle East, CENTCOM said, without elaborating.

Pentagon officials earlier said that B-52 long-range bombers, along with more destroyers, fighter squadrons and tankers, would be deployed to the region to deter Iran and its militant allies.

The moves come ahead of the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday and as the entire Middle East region teeters on the edge of being engulfed in a wider regional conflict over the ongoing conflicts between Israel and Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah in Gaza and Lebanon.

ISRAEL KILLS ANOTHER HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER IN RETALIATORY STRIKES: IDF

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with "a crushing response" following Israeli strikes on Oct. 26 that targeted military bases and other locations and killed at least five people in the Islamic Republic.

"The enemies, whether the Zionist regime or the United States of America, will definitely receive a crushing response to what they are doing to Iran and the Iranian nation and to the resistance front," Khamenei said in a video released by Iranian state media.

IRAN CLAIMS IT IS CAPABLE OF BUILDING NUCLEAR WEAPONS AS AYATOLLAH VOWS ‘TOOTH-BREAKING’ RESPONSE TO ISRAEL, US

Khamenei did not elaborate on when such an attack could occur or its potential scope.

Iran had already launched two major direct attacks on Israel in April and again in October. The latest attack saw Iran launch nearly 200 ballistic missiles towards targets in Israel.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military last month sent Israel a U.S. missile defense system, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, aimed at protecting Israel from potential Iranian attacks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claims to have killed another Hezbollah commander who was responsible for recent attacks in Northern Israel.

IDF said Sunday morning that the Israel Air Force (IAF) struck and killed terrorist Farouk Amin Alasi, the Hezbollah commander of the Khiam area.

Alasi was responsible for the execution of many anti-tank missile and rocket attacks toward Israeli communities in the Galilee Panhandle, and especially Metula. 

ISRAEL KILLS 2 HEZBOLLAH COMMANDERS RESPONSIBLE FOR 400 STRIKES AGAINST THEM IN OCTOBER: IDF

Additionally, the IDF killed the terrorist Yousef Ahmad Nun, a Radwan Forces company commander in the Khiam area who was responsible for rocket and anti-tank missile attacks toward Israeli communities in the Galilee area and IDF troops operating in the area.

This comes one day after the IDF claimed to have killed two Hezbollah commanders deemed responsible for more than 400 strikes against Israel in October.

IDF troops continue operational activity in southern Lebanon. The IDF eliminated Radwan Forces and additional Hezbollah terrorists in aerial strikes and close-quarters combat. Furthermore, the troops located large amounts of Hezbollah weaponry.

Over the past week, with the direction of IDF Intelligence, the IAF struck and killed the terrorist Raafat Ibrahim Mahmoud Akdeih, a Nukhba terrorist who infiltrated Kibbutz Nir Oz during the brutal Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack. During the war, Akdieh served as an aide to the commander of Islamic Jihad Nukhba forces in the Khan Yunis Brigade. 

7 KILLED IN ISRAEL BY HEZBOLLAH AIRSTRIKES AS IDF ELIMINATES TERRORIST GROUP'S SPECIAL FORCES COMMANDER

Over the past day, the IDF has continued operating in the Jabaliya area in the northern Gaza Strip, killing dozens of terrorists. 

The "Kfir" Brigade has begun operations in the area, during which the brigade eliminated a terrorist cell in an aerial strike that posed a threat to troops operating in the area. 

IDF troops are continuing operational activity in the central and southern Gaza Strip, locating weaponry and decimating terrorist cells. 

IDF soldiers are continuing to conduct limited, localized, targeted raids against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. The troops operated against Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the area, located weapons, and eliminated terrorists in cooperation with the IAF.

In the Gaza Strip, IDF soldiers continue operational activity in the area of Jabaliya where dozens of terrorists were eliminated in aerial and ground activity. In Rafah and central Gaza, the troops operated to eliminate terrorists, dismantle terror infrastructure, and locate weapons.

Friday’s attack by Israel followed a deadly attack on Thursday from Hezbollah forces in northern Israel.

The first attack was in Metula – a town located along the Israel-Lebanon border – that left an Israeli farmer and four foreign agricultural workers dead. A second reported attack from Hezbollah left two people dead near Haifa.

Fox News Digital’s Yonat Friling and Greg Norman contributed to this report.

Thieves in the Netherlands used explosives to blow open the doors of an art gallery on Friday, making off with two rare screen prints by American pop artist Andy Warhol.

According to MPV Gallery owner Mark Peet Visser, the suspects also abandoned two more works which were badly damaged in the street as they fled.

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Visser shared with the Associated Press that the suspects attempted to steal all four works from Warhol’s 1985 "Reigning Queens" series. The Warhol portraits include renderings of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, and Queen Ntombi Tfwala of Swaziland (now Eswatini).

In a phone interview with the Associated Press, Visser called the heist "amateurish." Visser recounted the entire heist was recorded on security cameras.

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He said, "The bomb attack was so violent that my entire building was destroyed, and nearby stores were also damaged. So they did that part of it well, too well actually. And then they ran to the car with the artworks, and it turns out that they won’t fit in the car." 

"At that moment, the works are ripped out of the frames, and you also know that they are damaged beyond repair, because it is impossible to get them out undamaged," added Visser.

The stolen portraits included those of Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Margrethe II, while the damaged portraits of Queen Beatrix and Queen Ntombi Tfwala were left on the street.

Visser declined to estimate the value of the signed, numbered works, which he had planned to showcase as a set at an upcoming Amsterdam art fair.

Police are actively investigating and appealing for witnesses in this case. Forensic experts examined the destroyed gallery on Friday.

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Mark Peet Visser with the MPV Gallery did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.