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Protests erupted in Greenland on Saturday as demonstrators rejected pressure from President Donald Trump to take over the Arctic island, with protesters chanting that Greenland is "not for sale" and saying they want to determine their own future, Reuters reported.

"We are not interested in being Americans," one protester said in video during demonstrations in the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk.

The protests followed Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland, including a Truth Social post made Saturday in which he announced new tariffs on several European countries unless a deal is reached for the island's purchase by the U.S.

In the post, Trump wrote that Denmark and other European nations would face a 10% tariff beginning Feb. 1, rising to 25% on June 1, and said the tariffs would remain in place "until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."

TRUMP'S GREENLAND TAKEOVER WOULD LIKELY ENTAIL ENORMOUS PRICE TAG: REPORT

Some demonstrators wore red baseball caps styled after the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) hats worn by Trump supporters, but with the slogan "Make America Go Away."

In Nuuk, thousands of protesters led by Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen marched toward the U.S. consulate carrying flags and banners while chanting "Kalaallit Nunaat," the island’s name in Greenlandic, according to Reuters. Nielsen addressed the crowd outside the consulate, drawing loud cheers.

"I’ve come here today because I think it’s important to show that Greenland is not for sale. It is not a toy. This is our home," Naja Holm, a civil servant, told Reuters.

NATO AMBASSADOR SAYS EUROPE 'HAS A TENDENCY TO OVERREACT' OVER GREENLAND DISPUTE

Trump has said Greenland is vital to U.S. national security because of its strategic Arctic location and mineral resources, and has warned that China and Russia are seeking influence on the island. He has argued that U.S. control would strengthen Western security in the region.

The dispute has drawn sharp reaction from European leaders. 

Sweden’s prime minister said Europe would not be "blackmailed," while French President Emmanuel Macron warned that tariff threats were unacceptable and said Europe would respond in a united and coordinated manner in an X post.

"No intimidation nor threat will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations," wrote Macron in an X post. "Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context. Europeans will respond to them in a united and coordinated manner if they were to be confirmed."

Prime Minister David van Weel of the Netherlands also took to social media in response.

"We have taken note of President Trump’s announcement on tariffs," van Weel wrote. "Military efforts related to exercises in Greenland are intended to contribute to security in the Arctic region. The Netherlands is in close contact with the @EU_Commission and partners on our response."

Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of about 57,000.

All political parties represented in Greenland’s parliament support eventual independence, but they differ on timing and have said they would prefer to remain part of Denmark rather than become part of the U.S., Reuters reported.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday a leader affiliated with al Qaeda, who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for killing two U.S. service members and an American interpreter on Dec. 13, was killed in a U.S. strike in northwest Syria on Friday.

CENTCOM officials said Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was "directly connected" with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.

"The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces," said CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper. "There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you."

CENTCOM launched large-scale strikes in Syria in response to the Dec. 13 attack.

US TROOPS PULL OUT OF MAJOR IRAQ AIRBASE AMID ONGOING REGIONAL CONSOLIDATION EFFORT, PROGRESS AGAINST ISIS

Operation Hawkeye Strike resulted in U.S. and partner forces hitting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with over 200 precision munitions.

More than 300 ISIS operatives were captured and more than 20 were killed across Syria within the past year, according to CENTCOM.

U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, and members of their team in Damascus on Jan. 10 to discuss recent developments in Aleppo and the broader path forward for Syria’s historic transition.

TRUMP ATTENDS SOLEMN DIGNIFIED TRANSFER FOR IOWA GUARDSMEN, CIVILIAN KILLED IN SYRIA ISIS ATTACK

In a statement on X, Barrack said President Donald Trump agreed to lift sanctions in order to "give Syria a chance" to move forward. 

"The United States Government welcomes Syria’s historic transition and extends its support to the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa as it works to stabilize the country, rebuild national institutions, and fulfill the aspirations of all Syrians for peace, security, and prosperity," Barrack wrote in the post.

REPUBLICAN SENATOR CONDEMNS ALLEGED SYRIAN ARMY ABUSES AS CEASEFIRE FOLLOWS ALEPPO FIGHTING 

He added Syrian government has reaffirmed its commitment to the March 2025 integration agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), but called developments in Aleppo that "appear to challenge the terms of this agreement," deeply concerning.

"We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, immediately cease hostilities, and return to dialogue in accordance with the March 10 and April 1, 2025 agreements between the Syrian government and the SDF," Barrack wrote. "Violence risks undermining the progress achieved since the fall of the Assad regime and invites external interference that serves no party’s interests. … The objective remains a sovereign, unified Syria—at peace with itself and its neighbors—where equality, justice, and opportunity are extended to all its people."

U.S. troops have pulled out of Ain al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, Fox News has learned. 

The withdrawal from the base, which is part of an ongoing effort to consolidate troops in the region that was announced last fall, was completed by Friday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) sources told Fox News. 

"We're able to consolidate because of the significant progress made there — ISIS in Iraq doesn't pose a threat beyond Iraq's capacity to handle on their own," a U.S. official told Fox News. The officials added that it speaks to "our success in rooting out the ISIS threat in Iraq and Iraqi forces' willingness and progress in standing on their own."

The official added that U.S. forces are consolidating outside of federal Iraqi territory, meaning they’re concentrating forces elsewhere to focus on engaging remnants of ISIS in Syria. 

ARMED KURDISH FIGHTERS TRY TO BREACH IRAN BORDER AS REGIONAL THREAT GROWS AMID PROTESTS: REPORTS

The move comes as CENTCOM is calling for cooperation and teamwork among Syrian partners in coordination with American forces to combat ISIS.

"We welcome ongoing efforts by all parties in Syria to prevent escalation and pursue resolution through dialogue. We also urge Syrian government forces to cease any offensive actions in areas between Aleppo and al-Tabqa. Aggressively pursuing ISIS and relentlessly applying military pressure requires teamwork among Syrian partners and coordination with U.S. and coalition forces. A Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors is essential to peace and stability across the region," Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a statement posted on X.

The statement appeared to be a call for additional coordination in countering ISIS rather than a warning to Damascus.

On Jan. 10, CENTCOM announced that the U.S., alongside partner forces, conducted large-scale strikes against ISIS targets in Syria. 

According to CENTCOM, the strikes were part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was announced on Dec. 19, 2025 at the direction of President Donald Trump. The operation was launched "in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on U.S. and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria," CENTCOM said in a statement.

DEADLY STRIKE ON US TROOPS TESTS TRUMP’S COUNTER-ISIS PLAN — AND HIS TRUST IN SYRIA’S NEW LEADER

The Jan. 10 strikes came as U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said he met in Damascus with Syria’s new leadership to discuss the country’s future.

"Today, on behalf of President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, I met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, and members of their team in Damascus," Barrack wrote on X.

Barrack said the talks focused on "recent developments in Aleppo and the broader path forward for Syria’s historic transition," adding that the United States "welcomes Syria’s historic transition and extends its support to the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa."

US ANNOUNCES MORE MILITARY ACTIONS AGAINST ISIS: 'WE WILL NOT RELENT'

War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the launch of Operation Hawkeye Strike back in December, saying it was in response to an attack on U.S. forces in Syria that occurred on Dec. 13. Hegseth said the actions were "not the beginning of a war" but rather "a declaration of vengeance."

"Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria," Hegseth wrote on X.

On Dec. 19, American military forces employed more than 100 precision munitions to strike more than 70 targets of suspected ISIS sites at several locations across the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.

Trump previously vowed revenge on the terror group after the soldiers — Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa — and interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat of Michigan — were killed while conducting a key leader engagement, part of their mission in support of ongoing counter-ISIS/counter-terrorism operations in the region.

The gunman was killed by partner forces.

"Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria, whose beautiful souls I welcomed home to American soil earlier this week in a very dignified ceremony, I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible," he wrote on Truth Social on Dec. 19.

Fox News Digital's Jasmine Baehr and Louis Casiano, and Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is calling for the end of the Iranian regime amid ongoing protests and as the country holds its breath to see if a 26-year-old protester will be executed, something President Donald Trump has said could trigger U.S. intervention.

"I read with great sadness and heartache about the pending execution of Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old shopkeeper. He is facing death at the hands of the ayatollah simply for protesting in the street for a better life. His family is calling on the world to come to their son’s aid," Graham wrote in a post on X along with an article about Soltani.

"I hope and pray that the execution does not go forward and this young man does not forfeit his life because he wants to live in freedom without fear," the senator added. "This regime must fall, and the Iranian people must have a better life."

Graham said that he believes if the regime falls and the "murderous ayatollah running Iran" is gone, the impact on the region "would be incredibly positive." He also warned, however, that if Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were to remain in power, it would be "a giant step backward into the darkness."

LINDSEY GRAHAM CALLS FOR US TO USE 'ANY MEANS NECESSARY' TO STOP THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE KILLING OF IRANIANS

Soltani's story has spread in recent days as the unrest in Iran continues. The 26-year-old was arrested in Fardis and was sentenced to death after an expedited trial, according to ABC News, which cited Soltani's second cousin, Somayeh.

"As someone who is an activist myself and who has fought this regime for many years, I felt it was my right — and my duty — to be Erfan's voice outside the country, despite all the pressure and sanctions that fall on families," Somayeh, who is based in Germany, told ABC News.

Iranians began protesting in late December amid worsening economic conditions. Earlier this month, the regime instituted a nationwide internet blackout, blocking demonstrators from contacting each other or the outside world amid international fears that protesters would be met with violence and death.

TOP IRAN PRAYER LEADER WHO DUBBED PROTESTERS 'TRUMP'S SOLDIERS' CALLS FOR EXECUTIONS AMID ONGOING UNREST

On Jan. 2, just days after the protests erupted, Trump said the U.S. was "locked and loaded" and ready to take action if the regime used violence against demonstrators. One day after the threat was made, the U.S. captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, adding weight to Trump's words, though no known action has been taken yet.

Trump claimed on Wednesday the administration was told "on good authority" that the killing in Iran had stopped.

"We've been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, and it's stopped and stopping, and there's no plan for executions or an execution," Trump said in the Oval Office. "So, I've been told that on good authority. We'll find out about it."

On Friday, he seemed to double down on the idea that the regime had stopped using violence when he issued a Truth Social post saying that Iran had cancelled over 800 scheduled hangings.

"I greatly respect the fact that all scheduled hangings, which were to take place yesterday (over 800 of them), have been cancelled by the leadership of Iran," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The fate of Soltani remains unclear, as does the prospect of U.S. intervention in Iran.

As protests spread across Iran and security forces intensify their crackdown, former political prisoners are warning that what is visible on the streets represents only a fraction of the violence unfolding behind prison walls.

In interviews with Fox News Digital, three former detainees described a system designed not just to punish dissent, but to break it through solitary confinement, beatings, medical neglect and threats of execution. Their accounts span nearly two decades, from the 2009 uprising to the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement and the current wave of unrest, pointing to what they describe as a consistent and escalating pattern of abuse.

Maryam Shariatmadari, one of the faces of the "Girls of Revolution Street" protests against Iran’s mandatory hijab laws, was sentenced to one year in prison in March 2018 for what authorities described as "encouraging corruption by removing her hijab."

IRANIAN STUDENT SHOT IN HEAD AT CLOSE RANGE AMID PROTESTS, BODY BURIED ALONG ROADSIDE

Speaking this week, Shariatmadari said the scale of the current protests has pushed the regime beyond its capacity to detain demonstrators.

"According to the testimonies of eyewitnesses, the suppressive forces of the Islamic Republic … are delivering ‘final shots’ to wounded protesters, killing them on the spot," she said. "This has been unprecedented over the past 47 years and indicates that the number of detainees has become so large that the Islamic Republic no longer has the capacity to hold them and is killing them without any form of trial."

She said that while detainees in earlier uprisings were transferred to prisons or unofficial "safe houses," authorities expanded detention during the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests to schools, ambulances and food transport vehicles.

"They used ambulances and food transport vehicles to detain protesters, something I believe to be unprecedented in human history," Shariatmadari said.

IRAN PROTESTS SPARK REGIME SURVIVAL QUESTION AS EXILED DISSIDENT SAYS IT FEELS LIKE A ‘REVOLUTION’

Inside detention facilities, she described systematic abuse.

"These include beatings, transfers to prisons without separation based on the type of offense, and the deliberate incitement of other inmates to harass and abuse us," she said.

One of her most traumatic experiences occurred during interrogation.

"I was ordered to remove my clothes and remain completely naked for a body search while cameras were present," Shariatmadari said. "I knew that men were watching me, and I could hear their voices."

She also recalled being denied urgent medical care after an injury.

"Only after approximately 24 hours was I taken to a hospital to undergo surgery," she said. "I believe this happened as a result of media pressure and public support."

IRAN FLIPS ‘KILL SWITCH’ TO HIDE ALLEGED CRIMES AS DEATH TOLL RISES AMID PROTESTS

Shariatmadari’s husband, Mehdi Ghadimi, a freelance journalist who worked with reformist newspapers Etemad and Shargh, was arrested in January 2023 during protests and taken to an undisclosed location. He spent nearly his entire detention in solitary confinement.

"I was interrogated twice daily, morning and afternoon, for eight hours with my eyes blindfolded," Ghadimi said.

In the final days of his detention, he was transferred to a shared cell, where he encountered detainees from across Iranian society.

"I encountered students, workers, technical specialists and others who had been arrested during the Woman, Life, Freedom movement," he said.

According to Ghadimi, detainees accused of supporting the Pahlavi dynasty were beaten more severely.

"Because their slogans and symbols supported the Pahlavi dynasty, they were beaten far more than the others," he said.

Based on his experience, he warned that current detainees are likely to face even harsher treatment.

"I can only imagine that this time all detainees will face similarly brutal treatment," Ghadimi said, adding that Iran’s judiciary chief has publicly signaled a hard line.

Ghadimi, who fled the country in 2024, also cited figures circulating among activists claiming well over the 2,600 reported, likely dwarfing that number. He said the number of detainees is likely far higher than the 10,000 reported.

IRAN REGIME SAID TO UNLEASH HEZBOLLAH AND IRAQI MILITIAS AS UPRISING SPREADS

Shabnam Madadzadeh, who was imprisoned during the 2009 uprising, said watching the current protests has revived memories of extreme brutality and raised fears of mass executions.

"What immediately comes to my mind is the regime’s sheer brutality in torture and killing," Madadzadeh said.

She said detention facilities were already overflowing during the 2009 protests.

"There was no space left for detainees. Even the solitary cells were overflowing with people," she said.

Madadzadeh recalled interrogators accusing nearly everyone arrested of links to the Mujahedin-e Khalq and described torture and beatings "to the point of killing."

One threat made to her during interrogation still haunts her.

"He told me: ‘If we are going to be overthrown, we will kill all of you. We will leave no one alive,’" she said.

She warned that the current internet blackout has heightened the danger for detainees.

"We truly do not know what level of brutality is currently taking place inside the prisons," Madadzadeh said, adding that information reaching her suggests the regime is seeking to carry out executions quickly.

Citing Iran’s past, she warned of the risk of mass killings similar to the 1988 executions of political prisoners.

"Today, at a moment when the regime is on the brink of collapse, there is a real danger that such a massacre could be repeated," she said.

Madadzadeh said young detainees are likely facing forced confessions, mock executions and threats of sexual violence.

"Whatever I do to you, no one will hear your voice," an interrogator once told her, she recalled.

She also emphasized the suffering of families searching for loved ones.

"Families are moving between detention centers, prisons, morgues and cemeteries," she said. "This uncertainty itself is the greatest form of torture."

As the protests continue, all three former prisoners said the outside world must not look away.

IRANIAN REGIME TARGETING STARLINK USERS IN BID TO SQUASH LEAKING PROTEST FOOTAGE

"The first thing I expect the free world to understand is the true voice of the people inside Iran," Shariatmadari said. "The people of Iran are united in their demand for regime change and want to restore Iran to its former dignity, a dignity in which human rights and human worth were respected."

Ghadimi echoed that warning.

"Without a doubt, when the regime displays such open violence in the streets, even worse atrocities occur behind prison walls," he said. "I can only imagine that this time all detainees will face similarly brutal treatment."

For Madadzadeh, the danger is immediate.

"The world must respond decisively to this brutality," she said. "Every minute of delay costs lives."

She called for concrete international action.

"Force the regime to allow independent visits to prisons and to the secret detention centers run by the IRGC and the Ministry of Intelligence," Madadzadeh said. "Lives depend on it."

Together, their testimonies paint a stark picture of Iran’s prisons as the hidden front line of repression and a warning that what remains unseen may be even more deadly than what is already visible in the streets.

President Donald Trump announced the United States would impose 10% tariffs on multiple European countries unless Denmark agrees to the "complete and total purchase of Greenland," warning that global security and U.S. national defense were at stake.

Trump made the announcement in a lengthy Truth Social post on Saturday, arguing that the U.S. has subsidized Denmark and other European Union nations for decades by failing to charge tariffs and providing what he described as "maximum protection."

"We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration," Trump wrote.

TRUMP TAPS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR TO SERVE AS SPECIAL ENVOY TO GREENLAND

"Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake!"

Trump wrote that both China and Russia want Greenland and he said there was "not a thing that Denmark can do about it."

"They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!" Trump wrote. 

"Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake."

Trump said that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland have "journeyed" to Greenland, for "purposes unknown," posing a very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet.

EUROPEAN ALLIES WORKING ON PLAN IF US ACTS ON ACQUIRING GREENLAND: REPORT

"All of the above-mentioned Countries… will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America," Trump wrote. 

On June 1, 2026, the tariff will be increased to 25%, he said. 

"This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."

In recent weeks, Trump has zeroed in on Greenland, the world’s largest island at a strategic crossroads in the Arctic, and floated the idea of tariffs being imposed on Friday. 

A semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, Greenland is home to a crucial U.S. military base and has taken on growing strategic importance as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and access to a wealth of natural resources.

In his Saturday post, Trump said the United States has tried to purchase Greenland for more than 150 years but that Denmark has repeatedly refused. 

He tied the push to modern weapons systems and the "Golden Dome," saying hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent on related security programs and that the system can only work at maximum efficiency if Greenland is included. 

"The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades," Trump wrote. "Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Trump’s remarks come as his administration awaits a Supreme Court ruling on whether some of the tariffs he imposed in 2025 were legal.

Fox News' Amanda Macias contributed to this report. 

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday lashed out at President Donald Trump, labeling him a "criminal" and accusing the U.S. of orchestrating unrest that has erupted into the deadliest protests in decades.

"The latest anti-Iran sedition was different in that the U.S. President personally became involved," Iranian media quoted Khamenei as saying, per Reuters.

The statement is the latest Iranian government rhetoric blaming the U.S. for contributing to instability in Iran, with Tehran singling out Trump as a central figure in what it calls foreign-driven unrest. The regime has also been pointing fingers at Israel. 

Protests have raged in Iran since late December, initially over economic problems but rapidly expanding into widespread anti-regime demonstrations. Demonstrators have been met with severe crackdowns by security forces.

TOP IRANIAN GENERAL THREATENS TO 'CUT OFF' TRUMP'S HAND OVER POTENTIAL MILITARY STRIKES

Human rights groups say thousands of protesters have been killed in the unrest. Reports from various groups say Khamenei was responsible for a crackdown that killed thousands of protesters. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists in Iran on Friday put the death toll at 3,090.

The number, which exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution, continues to rise.

Meanwhile, Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi told Bret Baier on "Special Report" on Monday that a minimum of 12,000 people were dead.

Trump has expressed support for Iranian protesters and talked about regime change, while some Republican lawmakers have openly urged Trump to consider military action.

LINDSEY GRAHAM CALLS FOR US TO USE 'ANY MEANS NECESSARY' TO STOP THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE KILLING OF IRANIANS

The president said on Tuesday that he cut off meetings with the Iranian regime, saying there would be no contact until the government stops killing protesters. He also urged the Iranian people to "take over" the country.

When asked if Arab and Israeli officials "convinced" him to not strike Iran, Trump told reporters Friday that he convinced himself and cited the canceled hangings. 

Trump also expressed similar sentiments on social media Friday.

"I greatly respect the fact that all scheduled hangings, which were to take place yesterday (Over 800 of them), have been canceled by the leadership of Iran. Thank you!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday. 

It is unclear who Trump spoke to in Iran to confirm the state of any planned executions. The statement echoes what White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday about the canceled executions. She maintained that all options remained on the table when it comes to dealing with Iran.

"What I will say with respect to Iran is that the president and his team have communicated to the Iranian regime that if the killing continues, there will be grave consequences," Leavitt told reporters Thursday. "And the president received a message as he revealed to all of you and the whole world yesterday that the killing and the executions will stop. And the president understands today that 800 executions that were scheduled and supposed to take place yesterday were halted." 

It’s unclear from Trump’s post if he was referring to the 800 executions that were already canceled or whether there have been two consecutive days when 800 executions have been called off. 

Meanwhile, a sermon by Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami carried by Iranian state radio sparked chants from those gathered for prayers, including: "Armed hypocrites should be put to death!"

Khatami, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts and Guardian Council long known for his hardline views, described the protesters as the "butlers" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "Trump’s soldiers," according to The Associated Press.

He said Netanyahu and Trump should await "hard revenge from the system."

"Americans and Zionists should not expect peace," the cleric said.

Fox News Digital’s Benjamin Weinthal and Diana Stancy, as well as Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Federal Aviation Administration warned pilots of U.S. airlines about flying over the eastern Pacific Ocean near Mexico, Central America and parts of South America, citing possible "military activities" and satellite navigation interference. 

The warning was issued Friday in a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) distributed by the FAA, which said, "Potential risks exist for aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight and the arrival and departure phases of flight." 

"The FAA issued flight advisory Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) for specified areas of Mexico, Central American, Panama, Bogata, Guayaquil, and Mazatlán Oceanic Flight Regions, and in airspace within the eastern Pacific Ocean," the agency also told USA Today. 

It’s unclear what prompted the advisories, which tell aircraft operators to "exercise caution." Fox News Digital has reached out to the FAA for comment.

TRUMP DISCUSSES EXPANSION OF DRUG CARTEL CRACKDOWN

The notices come after months of U.S. military strikes against suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific. 

In November, the FAA had warned all pilots to exercise caution when flying in the airspace over Venezuela "due to the worsening security situation and heightened military activity." 

In December, a JetBlue flight from the Caribbean nation of Curaçao halted its ascent to avoid colliding with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker.

HEGSETH SIGNS OFF ON WOUNDED US TROOPS KEEPING BULLETS, SHRAPNEL REMOVED FROM THEIR BODIES AFTER MADURO RAID

Earlier this month, the Trump administration carried out a military operation capturing Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. 

President Donald Trump also recently told Fox News that the U.S. will expand operations against drug cartels.  

"We've knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water, and we are going to start now hitting land," Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in early January. "The cartels are running Mexico, it’s very sad to watch and see what’s happened to that country."

The latest FAA notices will be in effect for 60 days. 

Fox News Digital’s Nora Moriarty and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker pushed back against growing European backlash over Washington’s focus on Greenland after France announced new military exercises with Denmark, saying Arctic security is a core American defense interest and that Europe "has a tendency to overreact."

Asked whether the dispute reflects American pressure or European inaction, Whitaker said, "This is ultimately an issue between the United States, Denmark and Greenland."

Whitaker said Greenland’s importance has been clear for years as the ice melts, it reshapes the Arctic and opens new routes. "The security of the high north, which I’ve talked about a lot before this ever happened, is the most important issue," he said. "As the ice thaws and as routes open up in the Arctic, Arctic security, and therefore the security of Greenland, which is the northern flank of the continental United States, is crucial."

GREENLAND LEADERS PUSH BACK ON TRUMP'S CALLS FOR US CONTROL OF THE ISLAND: 'WE DON’T WANT TO BE AMERICANS'

He stressed that Greenland’s location makes it central to U.S. defense planning. "If you think about Greenland as part of the access to the naval assets, that monitoring and awareness and fortification of that part of the Western Hemisphere is crucial for the long-term security of the United States," Whitaker said.

Whitaker said recent diplomacy shows the issue can be addressed without escalation. "I know that a very successful meeting happened between the Danes and Greenland and Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, so I think it’s going to be constructive," he said.

Still, he cautioned European allies against inflaming tensions. "Europe sometimes has a tendency to overreact anytime that an issue is put out on the table," Whitaker said. "This is one of those things where cooler heads need to prevail."

Speaking from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Whitaker used Reagan’s "peace through strength" doctrine as justification for pushing NATO allies to spend more and move faster.

"The most important thing that we're doing at NATO is, one, the United States is strong. Nobody denies that. We have demonstrated through Midnight Hammer, through what we did in Venezuela and elsewhere, that the United States is capable and can project power. We want all of our allies inside of NATO to be equally as strong, and they're not at this point in time," he said.

He added, "Some of them have certainly become more capable, and that's why you can't just paint with a broad brush when it comes to all of our NATO allies. But there are some that are not."

TRUMP GREENLAND TAKEOVER WOULD END NATO, DENMARK ASSERTS

"Europe and the EU are going to have to untie their hands from behind their back," he continued. "They’re going to have to deregulate, they are going to have to find more capital and economic growth, because at the end of the day, that's what's going to allow them to live up to the promises they've made to increase their defense spending and therefore their defense capabilities."

He said, "One of the things that I'm talking about constantly with our friends downtown in the EU," Whitaker added, "is that they have to get their economy going, and there are proven, tried-and-true ways to do it."

Whitaker said his top priority is ensuring NATO allies follow through on the major defense commitments agreed to last year in The Hague.

"This is number one on my list right now," he said, "making sure that the political commitments we made in The Hague turn into real military capabilities at NATO."

He said proximity to Russia has shaped how seriously countries take the threat.

"You look at the Baltic countries like Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and you look at the Nordic countries… they’re very aware of the threats that Russia [poses]," Whitaker said, citing Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

MOST AMERICANS SAY 'NO' TO GREENLAND TAKEOVER, WITH EVEN REPUBLICANS SPLIT: POLL

Poland, he added, stands out. "Poland is clear-eyed," Whitaker said. "They’re gonna spend over 5% on core defense in the coming year or two."

Others, he said, are still lagging. "I keep a dashboard, a one-page dashboard on my desk that is updated regularly," Whitaker said. "It’s too soon to tell." "It has to be on capabilities," he said. "It has to make them stronger, ready to fight tonight."

"President Trump announced a $1.5 trillion defense budget," Whitaker said. "We’ve demonstrated our capabilities that nobody else can match right now."

"I’m here at the Reagan Library, and it reminds me, Ronald Reagan really was able to put those policies in place to spur growth," Whitaker said. "President Trump certainly has followed that same tradition, to unleash the American entrepreneur, unleash American innovation, and get out of the way, get the regulations out of the way so that American companies can grow and prosper."

As NATO moves forward, Whitaker said pressure on allies will remain. "We’re asking our European and Canadian allies to do more," he said. "So far, so good."

While thousands of Iranians take to the streets daily demanding the downfall of the Islamic Republic, people in the small European country of Georgia, along Russia’s southern border, have been protesting at various levels of intensity for over a year following disputed parliamentary elections in 2024.

Everyday Georgians who are still braving freezing temperatures and allegations of violence by the authorities are looking at their peers fighting for democracy in Iran and seeing their own struggle playing out against a corrupt and unpopular regime.

"When you walk through the demonstrations every day in Tbilisi, all people talk about is Iran. The heated debate over it shows how much it matters and how optimism is out on the streets due to developments despite controversies," Tinatin Khidasheli, former defense minister of Georgia, told Fox News Digital.

IRAN'S ETHNIC MINORITIES COULD HOLD KEY TO REGIME'S FATE AS PROTESTS CONTINUE

"Developments in Iran resonate in a very human way: if people can challenge a far more despotic and violent regime, it reinforces the belief that resistance in Georgia is not futile," Khidasheli added.

Mass protests began shortly after the pro-Russia Georgian Dream party claimed victory in elections in October 2024 and halted Georgia’s efforts to join the European Union.

Georgians have long desired to move closer to the West and join the European Union, with opinion polls showing overwhelming support for joining the bloc. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze halted Tbilisi’s accession path to join the EU shortly after taking power, sparking anger from many.

Tbilisi's main Rustaveli Avenue has been crowded with protesters chanting and blocking traffic, outraged at the ruling party pulling Georgia away from Europe and closer to a Russian-oriented foreign policy.

FRANCE CONDEMNS IRAN PROTEST CRACKDOWN, WEIGHS SATELLITE INTERNET AID AMID BLACKOUT

Erekle Koplatadze, a 33-year-old from Tbilisi, has been participating in protests almost daily since November 2024. Koplatadze, who was detained for six days for allegedly blocking a road while protesting in November 2025, told Fox News Digital that there has been a feeling of solidarity with the protests in Iran since people rose up in December against economic mismanagement and regime corruption. 

"You will see many Lion and Sun flags (Iran's national flag until the 1979 Islamic Revolution) in front of Georgia’s Parliament. And there have been protests in front of the Iranian Embassy in Tbilisi," Koplatadze said.

Koplatadze said the news coming out of Iran and the regime’s brutal violence employed against innocent people has shaken many Georgians in the crowd and a shared sense of empathy has emerged.

"I don’t remember such a big protest in Tbilisi in support of a foreign nation except for Ukraine," he said.

Ana Riaboshenko, co-founder of the "Initiative Culture For Democracy" who attends protests on a regular basis, told Fox News Digital that developments in Iran directly affect Georgia, as well as all the countries in the region. 

"Its transformation from a terrorist state to a democratic government will significantly change the situation and indeed contribute substantially to the global power balance and economy.  A particularly positive outcome is expected with the collapse of the Russian-Iranian partnership."

G7 THREATENS IRAN WITH NEW SANCTIONS OVER NATIONWIDE PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS

Riaboshenko pointed out that Russian-backed Georgian Dream representatives positioned themselves as partners with Tehran and bilateral relations and cooperation have increased since the rigged elections of 2024.

Civic IDEA, a Georgian NGO, issued a report in July 2025 detailing how Iranian businessmen and companies use Georgia as a strategic transit point to evade international sanctions and channel funds back to Iran. 

Nearly 13,000 Iranian companies are registered in Georgia, according to the Civic IDEA report.

Marika Mikiashvili, Foreign Secretary of party Droa, part of the largest democratic alliance in Georgia, spoke to Fox News Digital and said while Georgians are in awe and very inspired by the bravery of Iranians, their struggle is a warning sign as much as it is profoundly inspiring.

"Many protesters see Iran as a cautionary tale of what happens when a consolidating dictatorship isn’t defeated soon enough," Mikiashvili warned.

There have also been no statements of support for the pro-democracy protests from the Georgian Dream government or condemnation of security force human rights violations against innocent people.

As the Georgian Dream government entrenched itself in power, it implemented harsh anti-demonstration laws to crack down on dissent and used disproportionate force and other brutal tactics to squash the unrest.

Human Rights Watch documented numerous laws that interfered with Georgians' rights to peacefully assemble, including steep fines for protest-related violations and abusive police tactics as thousands of people have been arbitrarily detained.

Since Georgian Dream’s election, 600 people have been arbitrarily detained, 300 protesters were tortured or subjected to inhumane treatment, 1,000 citizens received fines for political opinions, and 400 journalists have been arrested, beaten, and harassed, according to Transparency International Georgia, a non-governmental organization with the goal of combating corruption in Georgia.

Exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi unveiled Friday a 6-step plan to exert pressure on the regime, which he declared "will fall, not if, but when." 

"My brave compatriots still holding the line with their broken bodies but unbreakable will, need your urgent help right now. Make no mistake, however, the Islamic Republic is close to collapse," Pahlavi declared.  

"Ali Khamenei and his thugs know this. That's why they are lashing out like a wounded animal, desperate to cling to power," he continued. "The people have not retreated. Their determination has made one thing clear. They are not merely rejecting this regime. They are demanding a credible new path forward. They have called for me to lead." 

Pahlavi said he has a comprehensive plan for an orderly transition and asked the international community to do six things, starting with protecting the Iranian people "by degrading the regime's repressive capacity, including targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard leadership and its command-and-control infrastructure." 

SECRET SERVICE AWARE AFTER IRANIAN STATE TV AIRS TRUMP THREAT FEATURING PHOTO OF BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

"Second, deliver and sustain maximum economic pressure on the regime, block their assets worldwide, target and dismantle their fleet of ghost [oil] tankers," he said. 

"Third, break through the regime's information blockade by enabling unrestricted internet access. Deploy Starlink and other secure communications tools widely across Iran and conduct cyber operations to disable the regime's ability to shut down the internet. Fourth, hold the regime accountable by expelling its diplomats from your capitals and pursue legal enforcement actions against those responsible for crimes against humanity," Pahlavi continued. 

"Fifth, demand the immediate release of all political prisoners. Six, prepare for a democratic transition in Iran by committing to recognize a legitimate transitional government when the moment comes," he concluded.

TOP IRAN PRAYER LEADER WHO DUBBED PROTESTERS ‘TRUMP’S SOLDIERS' CALLS FOR EXECUTIONS AMID ONGOING UNREST

Pahlavi’s remarks came as President Donald Trump seemed to remain ambivalent about the possibility of Pahlavi taking over the country if the Islamic regime were to fall. 

"He seems very nice, but I don't know how he'd play within his own country," Trump told Reuters during an interview on Wednesday. "And we really aren't up to that point yet. 

"I don't know whether or not his country would accept his leadership, and certainly if they would, that would be fine with me," he added. 

When Pahlavi was asked Friday by a reporter about how he plans to win Trump over, he said, "President Trump has said that it's up to the Iranian people to decide, and I totally agree."

"I've always said it's for the Iranian people to decide. And I think the Iranian people have already demonstrated in great numbers who it is that they want them to lead to this transition," he added. "So I'm confident that I have the support of my compatriot. And as for the international leaders to assess the fact on the ground and see who is capable of doing that. I believe I can, and I have the Iranian people’s support." 

Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf contributed to this report. 

EXCLUSIVE: UNRWA officials urged congressional staffers to oppose a potential Trump administration move to designate the U.N. agency as a foreign terrorist organization, and discussed UNRWA’s ongoing operations in Gaza and the West Bank, including cash-based assistance, during a Dec. 17 briefing, Fox News Digital has learned.

The video conference was organized by UNRWA USA, the American nonprofit that supports the agency through advocacy and fundraising. UNRWA USA Executive Director Mara Kronenfeld opened the briefing by saying the goal was to make clear that UNRWA "is still on the ground" in Gaza and the West Bank despite what she described as "the Netanyahu government's insidious efforts to systematically prevent UNRWA from continuing its life-saving humanitarian work."

During the meeting, briefers also raised reports that the U.S. government was considering designating UNRWA as a foreign terrorist organization and discussed with congressional offices what steps could be taken to "help prevent that and support UNRWA in its critical work," according to meeting details reviewed by Fox News Digital.

TRUMP ADMIN WEIGHS TERRORISM SANCTIONS AGAINST UN PALESTINIAN AID AGENCY OVER HAMAS ALLEGATIONS

Bill Deere, UNRWA’s director in Washington, said "press reports appear to be true" that the administration was considering a foreign terrorist organization designation for the agency.

"This would be unprecedented for a U.N. agency to consider this. It is certainly unwarranted," Deere said, asserting that "four separate independent investigations" dispute Israel’s allegations regarding UNRWA’s workforce. 

Deere urged congressional offices to respond forcefully.

"You can loudly express your displeasure," Deere said, arguing that the ramifications would extend beyond UNRWA and set a precedent affecting the broader U.N. system.

UN AMBASSADOR WALTZ REVEALS TRUMP'S MIDDLE EAST PEACE PLAN IS ‘THE ONLY WAY FORWARD’

"If they go ahead and do this, our recourse with regard to this is limited," he said, adding that one step that could be taken is that "Congress can override the designation."

The meeting featured UNRWA field leadership describing conditions and operations in Gaza and the West Bank.

Sam Rose, director of UNRWA affairs in Gaza, told participants that international staff were not entering Gaza because of the Israeli Knesset legislation, and that operations were being managed remotely.

Rose said that despite claims that UNRWA has been blocked, the agency’s services in Gaza haven’t stopped for a single day, pointing to primary healthcare, education, water and sanitation work, shelter operations and the use of UNRWA facilities as emergency shelters.

Rose also described the agency’s ability to operate programs that do not rely on immediate supply deliveries.

"Cash assistance and job creation programs are also able to continue," he said and added, "we're able to operate at scale."

RUBIO SLAMS UNRWA AS A 'SUBSIDIARY OF HAMAS,' VOWS IT WILL NOT 'PLAY ANY ROLE' IN DELIVERING AID TO GAZA

Roland Friedrich, introduced as director of UNRWA affairs in the West Bank, described UNRWA’s scale in the territory, including education, healthcare and assistance programs. He said UNRWA provides support to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees, including aid that "can be cash assistance," along with other forms such as food vouchers and social protection payments.

Friedrich also described "cash for rent" assistance for displaced people, and argued that UNRWA’s presence plays a stabilizing role across multiple countries in the region.

The officials also discussed workarounds that allow UNRWA to keep operating under restrictions.

ISRAEL SAYS UN MISLEADS WORLD AS GAZA AID STOLEN AND DIVERTED FROM CIVILIANS

Rose said UNRWA was still able to receive fuel and that certain coordination occurred through third parties, describing indirect engagement involving U.N. channels. He said fuel could run power generators and water pumps and emphasized the importance of keeping basic services running.

On aid flows, Rose said Israel was reporting truck numbers that reached 600 per day, and he said he did not have reason to doubt the overall count. At the same time, he argued that the mix of goods entering had shifted, with commercial supplies playing a larger role while certain humanitarian items remained restricted for U.N. agencies. He described what he called a two-tier system, where some items blocked from U.N. use could enter through private channels.

Beyond the operational discussion, the briefing included explicit advocacy aimed at congressional offices.

Kronenfeld urged participants to support legislation described in the meeting as the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2025, and she thanked offices already backing efforts to restore U.S. funding, describing the United States as historically UNRWA’s largest donor before the funding halt in 2024.

UNRWA USA did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Fox News Digital. UNRWA also did not respond.

William Deere, director of the UNRWA Representative Office in Washington, D.C., provided the following statement in response to a request for comment from Fox News Digital:

"UNRWA participates in briefings hosted by the UNRWA USA National Committee and attended by bicameral groups of Republican and Democratic staff from Capitol Hill, as well as think tanks and nongovernmental organizations. Briefings like these are important opportunities for the Agency to respond to the government of Israel’s ongoing disinformation campaign suggesting that UNRWA is no longer actively working in Gaza. Quite the opposite is true. Every day, UNRWA staff are delivering critical services in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In fact, in a recent letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, UNRWA thanked President Trump for negotiating the ceasefire, which allows the world to turn to Gaza’s future."

Deere added: "In Gaza, UNRWA medical personnel deliver 40 percent of primary healthcare and play a critical role in distributing water, promoting public health through immunization campaigns, pest control, nutrition screenings, and the disposal of solid waste. UNRWA is also leading the way in Gaza education, stepping up its ‘back to learning’ program, with almost 70,000 children now accessing the Agency’s in-person learning activities. The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is also a challenging area in which to work, especially given the various laws approved by the Israeli Knesset, and policymakers are always interested to hear the impacts of these laws firsthand from our experts."

An Iranian cleric has called for the death penalty for protesters detained during a nationwide crackdown amid ongoing unrest against the Islamic regime. 

The cleric's calls follow President Donald Trump's threats of U.S. intervention if protesters were met with violence.

Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami’s sermon, which was broadcast by Iranian state radio, reportedly sparked chants from those gathered for prayers. The Associated Press reported that the chants included, "Armed hypocrites should be put to death!"

During his sermon, Khatami gave the first overall statistics of the damage from the protests, which began in late December, according to the AP. This information provides a look at the scale of the protests after the regime instituted a nationwide internet blackout on Jan. 8.

ARMED KURDISH FIGHTERS TRY TO BREACH IRAN BORDER AS REGIONAL THREAT GROWS AMID PROTESTS: REPORTS

The cleric claimed 350 mosques, 126 prayer halls and 20 other holy places had sustained damage, the AP reported. Khatami also claimed that 400 hospitals, 106 ambulances, 71 fire department vehicles and another 50 emergency vehicles sustained damage.

Another 80 homes of Friday prayer leaders had also reportedly been damaged, the AP reported, adding that it could be a sign of demonstrators taking out their frustrations against the government as the leaders hold an important position within Iran's theocracy.

"They want you to withdraw from religion," Khatami said, according to the AP. "They planned these crimes from a long time ago."

POMPEO SAYS IRANIAN REGIME HAS ARRIVED AT 'NATURAL TERMINUS': 'LET'S NOT WASTE THIS HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY'

Khatami, who was appointed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and serves on the country’s Assembly of Experts and Guardian Council, had previously spoken out against protesters. He described them as being "butlers" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "Trump's soldiers."

Khamenei made similar remarks, saying that the protesters were "ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy," referring to Trump.

Trump has been vocal in his support for the Iranian people and said early on that the U.S. was "locked and loaded" and ready to intervene if the regime used violence against protesters. It is unclear if and when the U.S. will take concrete action in Iran, but speculation has circulated following the bombing of the country's nuclear sites in 2025 and the U.S. capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

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

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump’s administration formally launched the second phase of its plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas this week, shifting from a ceasefire framework toward a post-ceasefire political and security phase for Gaza. The announcement immediately raised a central question that now dominates expert analysis: who will actually disarm Hamas.

U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff announced Wednesday that phase two is underway, describing it as a transition "from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance and reconstruction." He warned that Hamas must fully comply with its obligations under the deal, including the immediate return of the final deceased Israeli hostage.

"The U.S. expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage," Witkoff wrote on X. "Failure to do so will bring serious consequences."

TRUMP FACES MIDDLE EAST TEST AS NETANYAHU BALKS AT ERDOGAN’S GAZA TROOP HOPES

President Donald Trump reinforced the administration’s announcement on Thursday, writing on Truth Social that the United States had "OFFICIALLY entered the next phase of Gaza’s 20-Point Peace Plan," following Witkoff’s remarks. Trump said that since the ceasefire, his team had helped deliver "RECORD LEVELS of Humanitarian Aid to Gaza, reaching Civilians at HISTORIC speed and scale," adding that "even the United Nations has acknowledged this achievement as UNPRECEDENTED." 

Trump wrote that these developments had "set the stage for this next phase," which he said would include backing a newly appointed Palestinian technocratic government, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, to govern the territory during a transitional period. Trump described himself as chairman of the Board of Peace and said the committee would be supported by the board’s high representative. 

Trump again warned that Hamas must "IMMEDIATELY honor its commitments, including the return of the final body to Israel, and proceed without delay to full Demilitarization," adding, "They can do this the easy way, or the hard way." Trump concluded the post by saying, "The people of Gaza have suffered long enough. The time is NOW. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH."

The new phase envisions the establishment of a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza, while the United States works with Egypt and other regional partners to ensure compliance and stability. Yet the announcement offered few operational details, particularly regarding how Hamas would be disarmed after more than two decades of military control in the enclave.

MIDDLE EAST OFFICIALS LOOK TOWARD SECOND PHASE OF ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE WITH TWO HOSTAGES LEFT IN GAZA

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Jérôme Bonnafont, France’s ambassador to the United Nations, called the ceasefire an "incredible achievement" and said phase two could help lay the groundwork for peace without Hamas.

"The Trump plan is establishing a ceasefire, which is an incredible achievement," Bonnafont said. "It has to go to a massive reopening of humanitarian aid, and it is going to be announced within a couple of days."

He said the next stage includes an international stabilization force that would support reconstruction and contribute to Hamas’s disarmament.

"That would help disarm Hamas, and that will help the Palestinian Authority return and democratically restart the management of Gaza as part of the Palestinian territory," he said.

Bonnafont emphasized that France views Israel’s security as a priority, particularly in the face of regional threats. "We have always been on the side of Israel when it comes, for example, to the threats by Iran to the existence of Israel," he said.

At the same time, he said France believes long-term security depends on the creation of a demilitarized Palestinian state living in peace with Israel. "We believe that security for Israel in the long term comes with the creation of Palestine," Bonnafont said. "A Palestine that has to be independent but demilitarized and in peace with Israel."

The United Nations also welcomed the announcement of phase two, calling it "an important step" while emphasizing adherence to international law and existing U.N. resolutions.

ISRAEL SHUTS DOOR ON TURKEY IN GAZA AS TRUMP PRAISES ERDOGAN, PLAYS DOWN CLASH

Israeli and U.S. security analysts broadly agree that phase two cannot succeed without addressing Hamas’s weapons and coercive power.

Dr. Avner Golov, vice president of the Israeli policy institute Mind Israel, told Fox News Digital that, "The central challenge is Hamas’s demilitarization," Golov said. "The only actors truly willing to dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities are the Israelis, and as long as Hamas remains armed, there should be no rebuilding and no IDF withdrawal from the current defensive line."

"In the end, there must be a credible military threat from the IDF against Hamas," he said. "Without such a threat, I see no chance that Hamas will voluntarily disarm."

Golov also pointed to what he described as a gap between diplomatic commitments and action by regional actors. "The key test is Turkey and Qatar," he said. "They signed a document committing to Hamas’s disarmament, but since then they have not demonstrated real commitment to implementing it."

US SEEKS UN AUTHORIZATION FOR GAZA INTERNATIONAL FORCE LASTING THROUGH 2027 UNDER TRUMP PLAN

Jonathan Ruhe, a fellow for American Strategy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), argued that phase two presents a detailed reconstruction framework but avoids the most politically difficult decision.

"The peace plan offers a detailed framework for rebuilding Gaza and promoting better governance," Ruhe said. "But it’s silent on the ‘who’ and ‘how’ of disarming Hamas."

"As long as Hamas can interrupt aid distribution, intimidate and kill Gazans who want a better future, and threaten renewed war with Israel, international investment in reconstruction and reform will be near zero," he said.

While Trump’s plan calls for Hamas to disarm voluntarily, Ruhe also said Hamas has little reason to do so. "Hamas refuses because it thinks it won the war," he said. "Now there is an urgent need to decide who will disarm Hamas forcefully."

Ruhe noted that a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizes an International Stabilization Force to disarm Hamas, but he said no country has been willing to put troops in that role. Instead, he said the Trump plan outlines a more limited mission for international forces, focused on guarding aid sites and preventing Hamas resupply.

"Trump and Netanyahu both said Israel might have to disarm Hamas," Ruhe said. "But the IDF ground forces need to rest and refit after two years of grueling combat, and a major offensive risks blowing up the international coalition needed for phase two."

He suggested that well-vetted private military contractors, overseen by U.S. security officials rather than U.S. Central Command, could play a role, though he acknowledged such a move would involve "hard fighting."

Despite diplomatic momentum, analysts interviewed by Fox News Digital cautioned that time may be working against the plan. "The status quo favors Hamas as it continues tightening its grip over its half of Gaza," Ruhe said. "Announcing the Board of Peace serves important diplomatic purposes, but it won’t mean much on the ground unless and until Hamas is disarmed."

Golov echoed that assessment. "As long as Hamas remains armed, there should be no rebuilding and no IDF withdrawal from the current defensive line," he said.

Even as the anti-regime protests seemed to slow down on Friday, experts say there is a major part of the country that could help decide the future of the country and that’s Iran’s complex ethnic minority population, which makes up just under 50% of the population.

Shukriya Bradost, a leading academic expert on Iran’s minorities, who was born and raised in the Kurdistan region of Iran, told Fox News Digital that "Ethnic groups from the establishment of the Islamic constitution in 1979 did not support it and have been fighting for their rights for 47 years."

According to a new paper authored by Bradost, "Iran’s protests have spread across provinces, despite skepticism and concern among ethnic groups," she notes that 51% of the country is Persian, Azeris make up 24%, Kurds comprise roughly 8% to 17% of the nation, and Arabs and Baluch minorities number 3% and 2% of the population.

IRAN PROTESTS SPARK REGIME SURVIVAL QUESTION AS EXILED DISSIDENT SAYS IT FEELS LIKE A ‘REVOLUTION’

She wrote that "Iran is a country of about 93 million people whose modern state was built around a centralized national identity rather than ethnic pluralism."

"The regime cannot survive anymore. The regime will fight to the last bullet if Khamenei is still alive," she said.

Reports from various groups say the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, ordered the slaughter of thousands of protesters — the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists in Iran reported 2,571 deaths from the protests, while leading Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi told Bret Baier on Special Report on Monday that a minimum of 12,000 people are dead.

Sardar Pashaei, the President of Hiwa, a nonprofit that organizes a new generation of Kurdish activists for human rights and democratic change, told Fox News Digital that, "Ethnic minorities make up nearly half of Iran’s population, and no meaningful political transition can succeed without them. Kurds, in particular, have decades of experience resisting authoritarian rule and have consistently paid the highest price through repression, imprisonment, and loss of life. Their role is not symbolic — it is structural to any real challenge to the Islamic Republic."

IRAN’S ‘DISTINCTIVE’ DRONE DEPLOYMENT SEES DEATH TOLL SOAR AMID VIOLENT PROTESTS

Pashaei, who won a Greco-Roman wrestling world championship title for Iran and coached the country’s elite Greco-Roman team, added, "Beyond protest, ethnic minorities — especially Kurds — are crucial to ensuring that one form of tyranny is not replaced by another. Kurdish political culture strongly favors democratic values, pluralism and women’s participation, which is why there is almost no support among them for monarchy or lifetime rule."

He noted that "In Syria and Iraq, Kurdish-administered areas became among the most stable after the collapse of dictatorships, and Kurdish regions in Iran would likely be among the most stable after the fall of the Islamic regime. Despite this, Kurds continue to face discrimination both inside Iran and within opposition politics, even though a democratic future can only be built through a broad, inclusive coalition."

Khalil Kani Sanani, a spokesperson for the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), told Fox News Digital that there are two provinces to keep an eye on. "Today, Kermanshah and Ilam are prepared to play that role. The organizations of the Kurdistan Freedom Party and the units of the National Army of Kurdistan in the cities of those two provinces are both managing the uprising process and carrying out resistance and legitimate defense."

TRUMP CANCELS ALL MEETINGS WITH IRAN, CALLS ON PROTESTERS TO 'TAKE OVER' THE COUNTRY

He noted the last major uprising began in those regions. "This time as well, after Tehran’s suppression, the cities of Kurdistan became centers of uprising against the regime, and from Kurdistan the spirit of revolt has spread toward Tehran and across all of Iran."

The "Jina uprising" he referred to was known as "The Women, Life, Freedom" movement that unfolded across Iran after the Islamic Republic’s morality police murdered Mahsa (Jina) Amini, a young Iranian-Kurdish woman, in September 2022 for failing to properly wear her hijab.

Kani Sanani said "The operations of our units in Kermanshah, Ilam, Lorestan, and Bakhtiari against the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] forces have given great hope to the people and raised public morale.  If the airspace of those regions were to be closed to the regime’s aircraft, our forces would rapidly take control of all the cities in those provinces, and from there we would move with a force of 100,000 people to assist the residents of Tehran."

Siamand Moeini, who is on the leadership council of The Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), told Fox News Digital the "The current government has no capacity or program for internal democratic reforms. Therefore, the best alternative is a joint struggle to change it and establish a democratic system that includes participation from all peoples of Iran."

He added that "Iran’s current centralized system fails to represent the will of its people. Over the past century, authoritarian governance and central state repression have resulted in the suffering and deaths of thousands — policies that the people of Iran have consistently rejected. In the current circumstances, we propose a democratic self-governance alternative for all regions of Iran, especially for Kurdistan, which can adequately address the needs of the Kurdish population."

According to Moeini, "Iran’s future system of governance must be grounded in the broad participation and cooperation of all its peoples, laying the foundation for a truly sustainable and inclusive democracy."

Social media companies have removed access to millions of accounts belonging to children in Australia in the first month since the country’s historic ban took effect, requiring platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok to identify and deactivate users under the age 16.

Access was revoked for roughly 4.7 million users, according to Australian officials, who on Friday touted the early success of the law, which was enacted in mid-December amid fears surrounding the impact of online environments on young people.

"Today, we can announce that this is working," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said during a news conference. "This is a source of Australian pride. This was world-leading legislation, but it is now being followed up around the world."

Under the law, 10 social media giants — Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, Snapchat, Kick, Reddit, Threads, Twitch and YouTube — must locate and deactivate accounts of Australian users under the age of 16. The companies face fines of up to $33 million if they don’t take "reasonable steps" to remove underage users.

AUSTRALIAN MOTHER CALLS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA AGE RESTRICTIONS AFTER DAUGHTER'S SUICIDE

"We stared down everybody who said it couldn’t be done, some of the most powerful and rich companies in the world and their supporters," said Australian communications minister Anika Wells. "Now Australian parents can be confident that their kids can have their childhoods back."

According to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, there are roughly 2.5 million Australians between the ages of 8 and 15, with about 84% of 8 to 12-year-olds having at least one social media account. While the total number of accounts across platforms is unknown, Inman Grant said the number of deactivated or restricted accounts was encouraging.

"We’re preventing predatory social media companies from accessing our children," she said at a news conference.

NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICAN VOTERS BACK SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR KIDS UNDER 16, FOX NEWS POLL SHOWS

Critics of the new ban have argued that it will be difficult to enforce, and Inman Grant acknowledged that there are still some active underage accounts.

"We don't expect safety laws to eliminate every single breach. If we did, speed limits would have failed because people speed, drinking limits would have failed because, believe it or not, some kids do get access to alcohol," she said.

She added that based on data reviewed by her office, there was an increase in downloads of alternative apps after the ban began, but not a spike in usage.

Social media platforms can verify age by either requesting copies of identification documents, using a third party to apply age estimation technology to an account holder’s face, or making inferences from data already available, such as how long an account has been active.

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads, said earlier this week that it had removed nearly 550,000 accounts belonging to users it believed were under the age of 16 just one day after the ban began.

While the law was popular among parents and child safety campaigners, online privacy advocates and groups representing teenagers largely came out against it.

FRANCE REPORTEDLY PLANNING TO BAN CHILDREN UNDER 15 FROM SOCIAL MEDIA STARTING 2026

Other countries have weighed similar measures in step with Australia, and some American lawmakers have also signaled their interest in pursuing social media restrictions in the U.S.

"I think we ought to look at what Australia’s doing, for example, requiring access to these social media platforms to not be available to anybody under the age of 16," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said last month.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., previously said that "protecting children is an avenue that should be pursued."

"I won’t rule out some sort of limitation in sales or distribution or use of those devices… Parents and grandparents need a helping hand; this is getting out of hand," he said.

Fox News Digital's Nora Moriarty, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Former Rep. Billy Long, who was nominated by President Donald Trump to be ambassador to Iceland, has apologized after privately joking to House lawmakers that the Arctic island would become the "52nd state" with him as its governor.

Long, a Republican who represented Missouri from 2011 to 2023 and served a brief stint as IRS commissioner last year, said he was just joking with his former congressional colleagues.

"There was nothing serious about that, I was with some people, who I hadn’t met for three years, and they were kidding about Jeff Landry being governor of Greenland and they started joking about me and if anyone took offense to it, then I apologize," Long told Arctic Today.

"I apologize and that’s my only comment, I look forward to working with the people of Iceland and I apologize it was taken that way, I was with a group of friends and there was nothing serious about it," he added.

BIPARTISAN LAWMAKERS PROPOSE BILL TO BLOCK MILITARY ACTION AGAINST NATO MEMBERS AMID THREATS TO TAKE GREENLAND

Trump recently named Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as a special envoy to Greenland.

This comes as Trump heats up his threats to acquire Greenland, a Danish territory, saying he plans to take the island "one way or the other."

"We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not," Trump said last week. "Because if we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor."

Trump administration officials are openly weighing options such as military force to take Greenland, a move that would violate NATO’s Article V, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all of them and could end the alliance of more than 75 years.

TRUMP GREENLAND TAKEOVER WOULD END NATO, DENMARK ASSERTS

Denmark and other European countries have made moves, including sending additional troops to Greenland in case of a U.S. invasion, backing the territory as it reaffirms its position that it does not want to join the U.S. Iceland is among the NATO members that have expressed opposition to Trump's repeated threats to take Greenland.

On Capitol Hill, most Democrats and even some Republicans have opposed the idea of taking Greenland, while other Republicans have voiced support for pursuing closer ties with the territory, including Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., who introduced legislation to make it the 51st U.S. state, although he said the best way to acquire Greenland is voluntarily.

Trump has also said he wanted to make Canada the 51st U.S. state.

Long was visiting former colleagues on the House Floor earlier this week when he made the controversial comment about Iceland, sparking some minor diplomatic backlash, with Iceland's Ministry for Foreign Affairs demanding answers from the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavík.

"There is no doubt that this is very serious for a small country like Iceland," Icelandic Parliament member Sigmar Guðmundsson told MBL. "We need to understand that all the security arguments made by the U.S. regarding Greenland, also apply to Iceland."

Some Icelanders also launched a petition drive calling on their government to reject Long as ambassador if he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The petition has obtained 2,000 signatures.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Politico that Long was "probably having some fun" and "I wouldn’t read too much into that."

As President Donald Trump ramps up his effort to acquire Greenland, a surge of international journalists have rushed to the island to take the pulse of its political leaders and residents.

In recent weeks, media from around the world — including The Associated Press, Reuters, the BBC and Al Jazeera, as well as outlets from Scandinavian countries and Japan — have made their way to the semi-autonomous Danish territory, overwhelming its politicians and community leaders with interview requests.

While Trump has argued that controlling the roughly 800,000-square-mile island is necessary for national security purposes, its leaders have repeatedly insisted it's not for sale.

Juno Berthelsen, a member of parliament for the Naleraq opposition party, said the media storm intensified last year when Trump first expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, adding that he has been doing multiple interviews a day for the past two weeks.

TRUMP TAPS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR TO SERVE AS SPECIAL ENVOY TO GREENLAND

"We’re very few people and people tend to get tired when more and more journalists ask the same questions again and again," Berthelsen told the Associated Press.

Greenland’s population is about 57,000 people, with roughly 20,000 living in Nuuk, the small capital city where the same collection of business owners are repeatedly asked to do news interviews, sometimes as many as 15 a day.

Many residents interviewed by the AP said they want the world to know that Greenlanders will decide their own future and expressed confusion about why Trump wants to control the island.

TRUMP ISSUES STERN WARNING TO NATO AHEAD OF VANCE'S HIGH-STAKES GREENLAND MEETING

"It’s just weird how obsessed [Trump] is with Greenland," Maya Martinsen, 21, told the AP.

She said Trump is "basically lying about what he wants out of Greenland," asserting that the president is using U.S. national security as a means to take control of "the oils and minerals that we have that are untouched."

The Americans, Martinsen continued, "only see what they can get out of Greenland and not what it actually is."

EUROPEAN ALLIES WORKING ON PLAN IF US ACTS ON ACQUIRING GREENLAND: REPORT

"It has beautiful nature and lovely people. It’s just home to me. I think the Americans just see some kind of business trade," she added.

Americans, however, appear ambivalent about the acquisition, with 86% of voters nationwide saying they would oppose military action to take over Greenland, according to a Quinnipiac University poll. By a 55%-37% margin, voters surveyed said they opposed any U.S. effort to try to buy Greenland.

On Wednesday, Trump said in a social media post that "anything less" than U.S. control of Greenland is "unacceptable," but Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said during a news conference this week that the island will not be owned or governed by the United States.

Trump's recent comments have sparked tension with Denmark and other NATO allies, and troops from several European countries, including France, Germany, Sweden and Norway, deployed to Greenland this week for a brief two-day mission to bolster the territory’s defenses. 

Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

One of Iran’s most senior officials issued a direct threat against President Donald Trump Thursday while warning that U.S. military action would provoke retaliation against American forces across the Middle East, according to Iranian media reports.

The remarks came as well-placed sources confirmed to Fox News Digital at least one American aircraft carrier was being repositioned toward the Middle East amid rising tensions with Tehran.

Senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) general Mohsen Rezaei, a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, reportedly made his threat during a public address.

"Trump has said his hand is on the trigger. We will cut off his hand and his finger," Rezaei said, according to Iran International.

TOP IRANIAN OFFICIAL DOWNPLAYS DEATH TOLL, BLAMES 'ISRAELI PLOT' AS US CONSIDERS STRIKES

The outlet also said that Rezaei maintained that Iran would abandon any notion of a ceasefire if attacked. 

"If we move forward, there will be no talk of a ceasefire anymore," he said. "You do not pay attention to the restraint and strategic patience we have shown. Stop right now. Step back, otherwise none of your bases in the region will be safe," Rezaei added.

The threat surfaced as at least one U.S. aircraft carrier could be moving toward the Middle East, according to sources.

Officials have not disclosed whether it is the USS Abraham Lincoln, currently operating in the South China Sea, or one of two carriers that departed Norfolk and San Diego earlier this week.

Military sources said transit to the region could take at least a week, with additional U.S. air, land and sea assets expected to follow to provide Trump with military options should he order strikes against Iran.

SOME US MILITARY PERSONNEL TOLD TO LEAVE MIDDLE EAST BASES, US OFFICIAL CONFIRMS

Rezaei is one of Iran’s most powerful military figures. He served as commander-in-chief of the IRGC from 1980 to 1997 and is currently vice president for economic affairs, secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council for Economic Coordination and a senior figure in the Principlist Resistance Front of Islamic Iran.

In 2006, Argentine authorities issued an international arrest warrant for Rezaei in connection with the 1994 AMIA Jewish community center bombing in Buenos Aires. He was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in January 2020 under Executive Order 13876 for advancing Iran’s destabilizing objectives.

During his tenure, the IRGC expanded repression at home and supported terrorist proxy groups abroad, including Hezbollah.

US OPENS NEW AIR DEFENSE OPERATIONS CELL AT QATAR BASE THAT IRAN TARGETED IN RETALIATORY ATTACK

Meanwhile, unrest inside Iran continued into its nineteenth day. According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), at least 2,677 arrests have been recorded with 1,693 additional cases under investigation.

Another agency also reported expanded communication blackouts, including the shutdown of landlines in some areas.

"They are continuing as before, but not at the pace before the slaughter of thousands and the arrests," Ali Safavi of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) told Fox News Digital, claiming as many as 50,000 detainees.

"There is still a total shutdown of the internet. Security forces are raiding residential areas and going to people’s rooftops. They started destroying satellite dishes," Safavi said before describing clashes continuing through Wednesday night into Thursday in Tehran and Kermanshah, including gunfire.

NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi also urged the international community to act immediately to secure the release of detainees and demanded an urgent international fact-finding mission to Iran’s prisons.

A Turkish Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Barcelona Thursday morning after a passenger created a hoax threat by setting up a Wi-Fi hotspot suggesting there was a "bomb threat" on board, according to airline officials.  

The emergency protocol was alerted when Flight 1853 was already approaching its intended designation at Barcelona-El Prat Airport from Istanbul. Euronews said the Airbus A321, which was carrying 148 passengers and seven crew members, was directed to a designated area for inspection upon landing. 

"​​It was detected that a passenger had created an in-flight internet access point and named the network in a way that included a bomb threat," Yahya Üstün, senior vice president of communications at Turkish Airlines, said in a post on X.

Simpleflying reported that the flight was cruising over the Mediterranean when a flight crew member noticed an alarming Wi-Fi name that reportedly said, "I have a bomb, everyone will die."  

PASSENGERS BAFFLED AND CONFUSED AFTER SCREAMS BURST FROM BENEATH TAXIING AIR CANADA PLANE

Necessary safety procedures were immediately initiated following the alert, Üstün said. 

The aircraft was then escorted by two fighter jets, one Spanish and one French, during the emergency protocol, Euronews reported.  

CAUSE OF FAILED ALASKA AIRLINES LANDING GEAR THAT SENT PASSENGERS SCREAMING REVEALED

Following the aircraft’s safe landing, response crews inspected the plane and worked to identify the passenger who created the threatening Wi-Fi hotspot name, airline officials said. The operation involved Spanish authorities such as personnel from the Civil Guard, the National Police and Catalonia’s regional police and fire services, according to Euronews.

According to footage from the scene, a dog was deployed to examine the passenger's luggage on the tarmac. 

However, "no irregularities were found" following a thorough inspection, according to officials.  

"Our aircraft's return flight will be carried out after the completion of passenger boarding," Üstün said. 

Operations at Barcelona-El Prat Airport resumed normally following the explosive scare, Reuters reported.

Reuters contributed to this report.