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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used a meeting with Evangelical Christian leaders in Florida today to underscore Israel’s reliance on faith-based allies in the United States, as divisions inside the U.S. over Israel’s war and U.S. support continue to surface.

The meeting came days after Netanyahu held talks on Monday with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, amid growing debate within conservative circles over the scope of American backing for Israel and the direction of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

Speaking to the leaders, Netanyahu said Israel has emerged "in many ways victorious" from what he described as a "seven-front war," but warned that an additional front now looms in the West.

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"There’s an eighth front," he said, describing a struggle "for the hearts and minds of people, especially young people in the West, and for me especially in the United States." He framed that effort not only as Israel’s fight, but as a broader one. "It’s our common Judeo-Christian civilization’s battle," he said.

The prime minister argued that this ideological front requires the same resolve as military action. "There are some people who believe that faith should be silent and terrorism should be understood," Netanyahu said. "Faith should speak its voice and terrorism should be confronted, not understood, confronted and defeated."

Netanyahu repeatedly emphasized the historical and ideological bond between Christian Zionists and Israel. "You are representatives of the Christian Zionists who made Jewish Zionism possible," Netanyahu said, crediting U.S. Christian support as central to the reestablishment of the Jewish state. "I can say that we have no better friends."

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Netanyahu told the group he had spoken with Trump the day before and described what he sees as global threats facing Israel and its allies. He pointed to "two forces," identifying "radical Shiite Islam," led by Iran, and "radical Sunni Islam," which he said is led by the Muslim Brotherhood.

He also highlighted persecution of Christians in multiple regions, saying Christians are being targeted "in Syria, in Lebanon, in Nigeria, in Turkey, and beyond," while arguing that Israel plays a unique protective role. "One country protects the Christian community, enables it to grow, defends it, and makes sure that it thrives," Netanyahu said. "That country is Israel. There is no other. None."

Netanyahu said Israel is working toward broader cooperation to assist Christian communities under threat worldwide. "We are joining an effort to have basically a United Nations of countries that support Christian communities around the world," he said, adding, "Just as you are helping us, we want to help back."

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, who attended the meeting, later wrote on X that Evangelical leaders’ commitment to Israel was "inspiring" and said shared values would "fortify the bond between both our nations."

Russian President Vladimir Putin used his New Year’s address to deliver a blunt message to the West and to his own troops: Russia is not backing down in Ukraine.

As 2026 arrived in Russia’s far eastern regions, Putin vowed victory in the nearly four-year war, praising Russian soldiers and framing the conflict as a fight for the nation’s survival — even as the United States ramps up diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the bloodshed.

"We believe in you and our victory," Putin said in remarks broadcast nationwide and released by the Kremlin on Wednesday. Addressing troops directly, he congratulated "all our soldiers and commanders" and pledged continued support for what Moscow calls its "special military operation."

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Putin cast the war as a struggle for Russia’s homeland, "truth and justice," signaling determination to press ahead despite mounting losses and international pressure.

In a separate message, ex-President Dmitry Medvedev — Putin’s security council deputy — said of victory in Ukraine: "I sincerely believe that it is near." Echoing Putin, he spoke of "our great and invincible Russia."

The defiant tone comes as the war approaches grim milestones. On Jan. 12, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will surpass the 1,418 days the Soviet Union fought Nazi Germany in Europe during World War II. On Feb. 24, the conflict will enter its fourth year. Western estimates place the number of killed and wounded at more than 1 million — a figure the Kremlin disputes.

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Putin’s rhetoric stood in sharp contrast to renewed diplomatic activity led by Washington.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Sunday, as the White House explores possible paths to end Europe’s largest land war since World War II.

After the meeting, Trump said Ukraine and Russia were "closer than ever" to peace, while acknowledging that major obstacles — particularly territorial disputes — remain unresolved. Reuters separately reported that Trump and Zelenskyy discussed potential U.S. troop involvement as part of broader security guarantees, though no decisions were announced.

Reuters contributed to this report.

While the United States presses for negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, Russia is signaling a parallel strategy — deepening cooperation with U.S. adversaries and portraying itself as resistant to Western pressure.

That posture was on display this week when Iran announced that three of its domestically designed satellites were launched into orbit aboard a Russian rocket.

The launch was broadcast by Iran’s Arabic-language state television channel Al-Alam News Network, which aired footage showing the satellites lifting off from Russian territory. The Associated Press and Reuters reported that the satellites were carried into orbit aboard a Russian rocket launched from eastern Russia, marking the seventh time Iran has conducted a satellite launch with Russian assistance.

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Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali said the satellites were "designed and produced by Iranian scientists," adding that cooperation between Tehran and Moscow continues "despite all the sanctions and threats," according to Iranian state media cited by Reuters.

Iranian officials claim the satellites are intended for civilian purposes, including environmental monitoring and agriculture, though Western governments have long warned that Iran’s space program could advance technologies applicable to ballistic missile development.

The launch underscored a broader strategic relationship between Moscow that has expanded significantly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Iran has supplied Russia with drones and other military equipment used on the battlefield, while Russia has provided diplomatic cover, economic cooperation and advanced technical support amid sweeping Western sanctions on both countries.

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The growing Russia-Iran alignment comes as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to rise. After President Donald Trump recently warned that the United States could strike Iran again if it attempted to rebuild its nuclear program, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a sharp response.

According to the Associated Press, Pezeshkian said any U.S. attack would be met with a "harsh and discouraging" response. Iranian officials framed the warning as defensive, arguing it was meant to deter potential U.S. aggression rather than signal an intention to initiate conflict. Tehran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is peaceful, a claim the United States and its allies dispute.

The exchange highlights how Iran and Russia are increasingly positioning themselves as partners pushing back against U.S. pressure, even as Washington attempts to pursue diplomacy on multiple fronts. Russia has portrayed its partnerships with Iran and other sanctioned states as evidence that Western efforts to isolate Moscow have failed, while Iran has used its cooperation with Russia to showcase technological resilience under sanctions.

U.S. and partner forces killed or captured nearly 25 Islamic State operatives in Syria in the days following a large-scale U.S.-led strike on Dec. 19, according to a new statement from U.S. Central Command, underscoring Washington’s assessment that ISIS remains an active and persistent threat inside the country.

CENTCOM said those forces conducted 11 follow-on missions between Dec. 20 and Dec. 29, killing at least seven ISIS members, capturing the remainder and eliminating four ISIS weapons caches. The operations followed Operation Hawkeye Strike, when U.S. and Jordanian forces hit more than 70 ISIS targets across central Syria using over 100 precision munitions, destroying infrastructure and weapons sites linked to the group. 

"We will not relent," CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said, adding that U.S. forces remain "steadfast" in working with regional partners to dismantle ISIS networks that pose a threat to U.S. and regional security.

The scope of the follow-on raids highlights a reality U.S. commanders and analysts have been warning about for months: ISIS no longer controls large swaths of territory, but it retains the ability to organize, strike and regenerate inside Syria’s fragmented security landscape.

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Syria remains divided among competing forces, militias and foreign-backed armed groups, with no single authority exercising full control over large parts of the country. Analysts say that vacuum continues to provide space for ISIS cells to operate quietly, recruit and exploit overstretched local forces.

Analysts note that Syria’s security environment remains shaped by former jihadist networks that were never fully demobilized after the war. The country’s transitional leadership, including President Ahmed al-Sharaa, emerged from armed Islamist factions that relied heavily on foreign fighters and militias, according to regional security assessments. While those groups are not synonymous with ISIS, experts say the incomplete dismantling of extremist networks has left gaps that ISIS cells continue to exploit.

"ISIS today doesn’t need a caliphate to be dangerous," Bill Roggio told Fox News Digital. "We’ve always been quick to declare terrorist organizations defeated and insignificant, and that couldn’t be further from the truth."

Roggio said the group has adapted rather than disappeared, shifting away from holding territory toward smaller, more covert cells capable of carrying out lethal attacks. He pointed to ongoing ISIS activity not only in Syria and Iraq, but also in Afghanistan and other regions, citing United Nations reporting that estimates roughly 2,000 ISIS fighters remain active in Afghanistan alone.

"That’s not what a defeated group looks like," Roggio said, noting that ISIS continues to recruit, indoctrinate and inspire attacks even without the visibility it once had.

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One of the most sensitive vulnerabilities remains the network of detention facilities in northeastern Syria holding thousands of ISIS terrorists and supporters. Those prisons are guarded primarily by Kurdish-led forces backed by a small U.S. military presence, estimated at roughly 1,000 troops, according to Reuters.

U.S. and coalition officials have repeatedly warned that any major disruption to prison security could allow hardened ISIS operatives to escape and reconstitute networks across Syria and beyond. Kurdish officials have also raised concerns about funding shortages, manpower strain and pressure from rival militias operating nearby.

While U.S. officials have not publicly linked the recent strikes to prison-related threats, analysts say the broader environment of fragmented control increases the risk of coordinated attacks, insider assistance or prison unrest.

The danger is not theoretical. ISIS has previously staged mass prison break operations in Syria and Iraq, including a 2022 assault on the al-Sinaa prison in Hasakah that required days of fighting to contain.

The U.S. strikes also come amid continued instability inside Syria, where multiple armed actors operate with overlapping authority. Analysts note that clashes among militias, sectarian violence and unresolved command structures have weakened overall security and diverted attention from counterterrorism efforts.

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Bombings in neighborhoods of Damascus, including Mezzeh, and unrest in minority areas have further illustrated the gaps ISIS and other extremist groups can exploit, according to regional security assessments and open-source reporting.

"Syria’s chaos is the accelerant," Roggio said. "ISIS thrives where no one is fully in charge."

U.S. officials and analysts stress that ISIS activity in Syria is part of a wider pattern rather than an isolated flare-up.

Sources in the Israeli Mossad told Fox News Digital of continued ISIS-linked activity across multiple theaters, including recruitment networks and small-scale attacks designed to test security responses and maintain operational relevance.

In Turkey, security forces recently clashed with Islamic State militants during counterterrorism operations, wounding several officers, according to Reuters on Monday. Turkish authorities said the raids targeted ISIS cells suspected of planning attacks inside the country.

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"These are signals, not spikes," Roggio said. "ISIS operates across regions, adapting to pressure and exploiting weak governance wherever it finds it."

The renewed U.S. military action raises difficult questions for policymakers about how long the current containment strategy can hold.

While U.S. officials say the Dec. 19 strikes delivered a significant blow to ISIS infrastructure, they have also acknowledged that counterterrorism operations alone cannot eliminate the underlying conditions that allow the group to persist.

"Just because we want to declare the war against terror over doesn’t mean it’s over," Roggio said. "The enemy gets a vote."

Two West African nations have issued a simultaneous ban on American citizens in a diplomatic tit-for-tat move, amidst heightened tensions with both the United States and Europe, and as Russia seeks to increase its economic and geopolitical influence in the region.

Mali and Burkina Faso made the move in response to the Trump administration's Dec. 16 expansion of travel restrictions to more than 20 countries. The policy particularly affected the African continent, with Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan also being subject to travel restrictions.

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The Trump administration cited the persistence of armed attacks in both nations as part of the rationale for its decision:

"According to the Department of State, terrorist organizations continue to plan and conduct terrorist activities throughout Burkina Faso. According to the Fiscal Year 2024, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Entry/Exit Overstay Report ("Overstay Report"), Burkina Faso had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 9.16 percent and a student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 22.95 percent.  Additionally, Burkina Faso has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals."

Regarding its decision to include Mali on the list, it stated:

"According to the Department of State, armed conflict between the Malian government and armed groups is common throughout the country.  Terrorist organizations operate freely in certain areas of Mali."

Burkina Faso and Mali are both currently ruled by military juntas that came to power amidst rising violence and instability, as both nations came under attack from Islamist terrorist groups.

Both nations have also seen a rise in anti-French sentiment, in conjunction with deepening relationships with Russia, which has pledged to offer assistance in fighting back the Islamist rebels battling the central governments for territorial control.

MILITARY-LED MALI SUSPENDS ALL POLITICAL ACTIVITY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

"In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation informs the national and international community that, with immediate effect, the Government of the Republic of Mali will apply the same conditions and requirements to US nationals as those imposed on Malian citizens," the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

Burkina Faso's government cited a similar rationale for issuing its ban on American travelers.

Both nations, as well as neighboring Niger and Nigeria, have seen skyrocketing violence in recent years, as chronically underfunded governments struggle to retain control of rural, sparsely-populated desert regions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Escalating claims by Russia that Ukraine tried to hit a residence used by President Vladimir Putin with drones have been dismissed by a top military drone expert, who called the alleged attack "hard to fathom" and tactically implausible.

Cameron Chell's comments came as Moscow doubled down on accusations Kyiv has flatly denied, with the drone industry leader arguing the alleged strike announced Monday runs counter to Ukraine’s drone tactics.

Chell, the CEO and co-founder of Draganfly, a drone manufacturer that supplies to the U.S. Department of Defense and allied militaries, including Ukraine, said Russia's claims lack credibility.

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"What really makes things usually very signature about Ukraine is that they’re always incredibly clever about how they use drones," Chell told Fox News Digital.

"They are clever from a cost perspective — let’s call it an efficiency perspective — but also very clever in their tactics," he added.

"I find it hard to fathom that this drone attack even happened on Putin’s residence or that it was something that Ukraine orchestrated for a number of reasons," Chell said.

"To get over the top of Putin’s residence, for one, the drones would not have been launched from a very long distance away," he added.

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Chell’s comments came as Russia doubled down Tuesday on accusations that Ukraine attempted to strike a presidential palace in the Novgorod region using drones, allegedly to disrupt peace efforts.

Kyiv dismissed the allegation, with the timing also raising questions given the upbeat tone of a recent meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed late Monday that 91 drones were intercepted en route to Putin’s residence on the shores of Lake Valdai.

His statement appeared to contradict earlier Defense Ministry tallies, which said 89 drones were shot down over eight regions, including 18 over Novgorod, later adding another 23.

Only after Lavrov spoke did the ministry allege that 49 drones intercepted over Bryansk, nearly 300 miles away, were also targeting Valdai.

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Asked about wreckage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "a matter for our military," while calling Zelenskyy’s denial and Western skepticism "completely insane."

Peskov said Russia’s diplomatic stance would be toughened, and Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin vowed there could be "no forgiveness" for Zelenskyy.

Chell said the story simply does not add up. "To attack Putin’s residence, you need long-range, very fast-moving drones," he said.

He added that for drones that small to reach such a site, they would have had to be launched from a much closer location, likely inside Russia itself.

"They would have to be within about 10 kilometers [6.2 miles] — or maybe, at most, 30 kilometers — of Putin’s residence," Chell said.

"That facility where Putin lives would also be incredibly secure, and so to have a number of lower-cost, slower-moving drones coming in on that facility would be very un-Ukrainian," Chell said.

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"Ukraine also doesn’t announce when they’re going to show up," he added.

Chell also noted that night operations would rule out GPS- or AI-based navigation due to jamming and visibility limits, making the launch of dozens of drones even less plausible.

"Apparently the thing was at night, so that’s very difficult for machine vision or AI mapping software," he said. "So, you know, it definitely wasn’t using GPS, because it would have been jammed. There are just a bunch of things that don’t add up."

Politically, Chell argued, Ukraine has nothing to gain. "They’re bold, but right in the middle of peace talks — when they need Trump on side — it makes no sense," he said. "Ukraine is just politically too smart to have done that."

Zelenskyy on Monday also called the claim a complete fabrication, accusing Moscow of laying the groundwork for further attacks. 

Lavrov warned of retaliation but said Russia would continue talks with Washington.

Trump also said he learned of the alleged attack directly from Putin and was "very angry about it." Asked whether there was evidence, Trump replied, "We’ll find out."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Kremlin for comment.

China fired rockets into waters near Taiwan during large-scale live-fire drills Tuesday, staging its biggest military encirclement of the island in eight months while warning "separatist" forces and outside powers.

A video released by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command showed forces firing rockets into waters north of Taiwan and bomber aircraft taking off at night as part of the encirclement.

The footage was released on the second day of the large-scale exercise "Justice Mission 2025."

China launched the exercise Monday, surrounding Taiwan with warships, aircraft and live-fire drills as tensions rose following a record U.S. arms sale to Taipei.

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"Justice Mission 2025" includes coordinated deployments of ground forces, naval vessels, fighter jets, drones and artillery across seven maritime zones encircling Taiwan.

Tuesday’s drills included long-range live-fire exercises in waters north of Taiwan, PLA Eastern Theater Command spokesperson Li Xi said, according to state-run Xinhua News. Li said the drills achieved their intended results.

Other drills included assaults on maritime targets and anti-air and anti-submarine operations. Destroyers, frigates, fighter jets and bombers also carried out simulated strikes on maritime targets.

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Rockets fired by Chinese forces landed inside Taiwan’s 24-nautical-mile line, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said.

Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te said Tuesday that Beijing "has continued to escalate military tension in the region, which is not the behavior of a responsible world power," according to Focus Taiwan. He added that "Taiwan will not provoke a confrontation, nor seek conflict with China."

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on X that 130 PLA aircraft, 14 naval vessels and eight official ships were operating around the island as of 6 a.m. local time.

"Ninety of the 130 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zone," the statement said. "We monitored the situation and responded."

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The PLA said on X that a Chinese military drone captured aerial footage of Taipei 101, which Taiwan’s Defense Ministry described as a typical example of psychological warfare. "So close, so beautiful, go to Taipei at any time," the PLA said in the post.

President Donald Trump said Monday that Chinese President Xi Jinping did not inform him of the drills, adding that the exercises did not concern him.

As the drills unfolded, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels were operating near the island, with some engaging in close stand-offs near Taiwan’s contiguous zone, about 24 nautical miles from shore.

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"Conducting live-fire exercises around the Taiwan Strait would not only constitute military pressure on us, but could also pose broader risks to the international community and neighboring countries," said Hsieh Jih-sheng, Taiwan’s deputy chief of the general staff for intelligence.

Taiwan placed its military on high alert and said it was prepared to conduct rapid-response exercises if the drills escalated. The ministry released video highlighting its own capabilities, including U.S.-made HIMARS systems, while the coast guard deployed large patrol ships to monitor Chinese vessels near its waters.

China claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects that claim, maintaining that only its people can decide the island’s future.

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips and Reuters contributed to this report.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing intensifying political scrutiny after U.K. counterterrorism police began assessing resurfaced social media posts by Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah, whom the prime minister had publicly welcomed back to Britain following his release from prison in Egypt.

Abd El-Fattah was forced to apologize this week after the controversial posts published between 2008 and 2014 that included remarks endorsing violence against "U.S. soldiers, Zionists and police." The posts resurfaced shortly after his return to the U.K., triggering political backlash and a counterterrorism review, including a tweet he wrote: "From time to time I remind people that I rejoice when U.S. soldiers are killed, and support killing Zionists, even civilians."

Abd El-Fattah returned to Britain on Boxing Day after receiving a pardon from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Starmer, who had campaigned publicly for his release and described the case as a priority for his government, said he was "delighted" when Abd El-Fattah arrived in the country.

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That welcome has since become a central point of controversy, although Starmer later condemned the historic posts as "absolutely abhorrent" and said the government was "taking steps to review the information failures in this case."

An official Counter Terrorism Policing spokesperson said authorities have received multiple public referrals related to Abd El-Fattah’s historical posts and that they are now being assessed by specialist officers within the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU), according to GB News.

GB News reported that the posts under review include material in which Abd El-Fattah allegedly described the killing of Zionists as "heroic" and appeared to call for violence against police. One post is reported to have stated, "We need to kill more of them." Another post is alleged to have read: "By the way I’m a racist, I don’t like white people so piss off.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper ordered an urgent review into what she described as "serious information failures" in the case and said neither she nor Starmer were briefed on the social media posts before Abd El-Fattah arrived in Britain. Cooper said she "very much regrets" the government’s public welcome and that it "added to the distress felt by Jewish communities in the U.K."

TOP MAMDANI APPOINTEE DRAMATICALLY QUITS AFTER ANTISEMITIC POSTS RESURFACE

Speaking to Fox News Digital, Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, attacked the government’s handling of the case, saying: "The British Government is guilty of incompetence at the very least for having embraced an activist with such an obvious and appalling social media record."

He continued, "The fact that el-Fattah’s public commentary was not checked by successive administrations allowing him access to first citizenship and consular support and then admission to the U.K. shows how shambolic our institutions have become. There is nothing British about this man beyond a quirk of administration, and he should be stripped of his status immediately and deported on account of who he really is: an enemy of this state."

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Much of the material now under scrutiny dates to between 2010 and 2012, a period during which Abd El-Fattah was an active figure in Egypt’s protest movement, which led the way to the Muslim Brotherhood affiliated Mohamed Morsi seizing power and becoming Egyptian president.

In his apology, Abd El-Fattah said the posts reflected "expressions of a young man’s anger and frustration in a time of regional crises," including wars in Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza, and rising police brutality in Egypt. He said he particularly regretted posts written during online disputes and acknowledged he "should have known better."

Opposition lawmakers argue the episode exposes a broader failure of vetting and judgment. Conservative MP Robert Jenrick has dismissed the apology as "scripted and fake" and called for Abd El-Fattah’s removal from Britain, according to GB News.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Protests spread across Iran on Tuesday after President Donald Trump and other administration officials voiced support for demonstrators. Speaking Monday, Trump pointed to Iran’s economic collapse and long-standing public discontent while stopping short of calling for regime change.

Inside Iran, demonstrations entered a third consecutive day, expanding beyond the capital’s commercial center. The exiled opposition coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reported widespread strikes and student protests across Tehran and multiple provincial cities, describing clashes with security forces and anti-government chants. A video obtained by the NCRI appears to show protesters pushing back security forces, forcing them to leave the scene on Tehran’s Jomhouri Street. 

Iran International reported that universities emerged as major protest hubs, with rallies at Tehran University, Sharif University of Technology, Shahid Beheshti University, Elm-o-Sanat University and Khajeh Nasir University. Security forces tightened entry controls at campuses and reinforced offices linked to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

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Strikes spread across Tehran’s Shoush and Molavi districts and into Isfahan’s Naqsh-e Jahan Square, while parts of Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and the gold market shut down. Mobile phone traders gathered outside major shopping centers after closing their stores. Protests turned violent in several locations, with tear gas fired in Tehran and Malard and reports of live fire in Hamadan. Nighttime demonstrations were reported from Qeshm Island in the south to Zanjan and Hamadan in the north, with videos showing chants of "death to the dictator."

Speaking at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, Trump said he was "not going to talk about overthrow of a regime." Instead, he focused on Iran’s deteriorating economy and the state’s violent response to protests. "They’ve got tremendous inflation. Their economy is busted, the economy is no good," Trump said. 

He said that when Iranians gather to protest, the regime responds with lethal force.

"Every time they have a riot or somebody forms a group, little or big, they start shooting people," Trump said. "You know, they kill people. All of a sudden people start getting shot and that group disbanded pretty quickly."

Trump said he has watched the unrest build for years, describing Iran’s leadership as brutal.

"I’ve watched this for years — there is tremendous discontent," he said. "I’ve watched it for years, and vicious, vicious people." His remarks came as protests intensified following the collapse of Iran’s currency to historic lows. The rial fell to roughly 1.45 million per U.S. dollar on the open market, triggering strikes and demonstrations centered on Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and spreading to other major cities, according to Iran International’s live reporting. Videos and eyewitness accounts described heavy security deployments, clashes with demonstrators and the use of tear gas as unrest widened.

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U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz issued a direct message of support. "The people of Iran want freedom," Waltz wrote on X. "We stand with Iranians in the streets of Tehran and across the country as they protest a radical regime that has brought them nothing but economic downturn and war." 

A parallel statement from the U.S. government’s Persian-language account, @USAbehFarsi, said Washington supports the Iranian people’s efforts "to make their voices heard," urging the Islamic Republic to respect fundamental rights rather than suppress protests.

Iranian officials acknowledged the unrest but defended the government’s approach. Reuters reported that government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said Tehran recognizes protests and that officials would set up a mechanism to engage with protest leaders. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian directed his interior minister to address protesters’ "legitimate demands" and engage in dialogue with their representatives.

Independent analysts warned the unrest reflects deeper structural strains. The OSINT research group SpecialEurasia said in an assessment on Tuesday that Iran’s internal stability has reached a "critical threshold," citing the convergence of currency collapse, renewed international sanctions and chronic water and energy shortages. The group noted that the participation of bazaar merchants, traditionally a pillar of regime support, signals declining confidence in the state’s economic management and raises the risk of prolonged unrest.

NCRI leader Maryam Rajavi said the protests reflect the anger of "tens of millions" driven to the breaking point by inflation, corruption and clerical rule. NCRI’s claims reflect opposition reporting and cannot be independently verified due to restrictions on access inside Iran.

Cameron Khansarinia, vice president of the National Union for Democracy in Iran, said the latest demonstrations underscore a growing shift in public sentiment. "Iranians have once again taken to the streets". Citing President Donald Trump’s remarks this week, he added that "each time they do, the regime tries to crush it," but argued that "Iranians’ desire to be free is increasingly becoming greater than their fear of the regime." Khansarinia claimed that chants in support of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi have been growing in the protests, saying the protesters showed "remarkable bravery". 

As protests continue, verification of casualties and arrests remains limited, but the scale and spread of the unrest underscore mounting pressure on Iran’s leadership amid economic freefall and growing public defiance.

The international high-speed passenger rail service that connects the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands was forced to cancel all services to and from London after experiencing a "major disruption."

"Eurostar services to and from London are suspended until further notice due to overhead power supply issues in the Channel Tunnel, followed by a failed LeShuttle train," Eurostar said in a statement emailed to Fox News Digital. 

"We advise our customers to rebook their journey for another day, with free exchanges available," the statement added. "We apologize for the disruption and will continue to keep customers updated with the latest information."

YOUR HOLIDAY TRAVEL PLANS COULD BE RUINED IF YOU WEAR ONE PARTICULAR ITEM TO THE AIRPORT

Earlier on Tuesday, Eurostar issued a warning to travelers to postpone their journeys due to a power supply issue. The company said passengers could see severe delays and last-minute cancellations as a result. Customers were instructed not to go to the station unless they already had a ticket, according to the BBC.

The U.K.'s National Rail issued a similar statement urging passengers to postpone their travel amid delays and cancellations between London St. Pancras International and Paris Nord, the BBC reported.

"An incident related to the power supply to trains occurred last night in part of the Channel Tunnel, affecting train and shuttle traffic. A technical intervention is required, which is currently underway," Eurotunnel said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "The service is temporarily suspended in both directions."

Eurotunnel said that service for LeShuttle customers would "resume gradually" starting around 3:00 p.m. CET. 

"Our teams are working to restore the situation as quickly as possible. Waiting times will be adjusted throughout the day," the company added.

MILLIONS AFFECTED AS MAJOR AIRLINE ENDS ADVANTAGE MILES PROGRAM ON BASIC ECONOMY TICKETS

Eurostar told Fox News Digital that no passengers were stranded in the tunnel and that the broken shuttle, known as LeShuttle, had been removed.

LeShuttle, which is separate from Eurostar’s passenger-only rail service, runs between Folkestone, U.K., and Calais, France, bringing passengers and their vehicles through the Channel Tunnel in just 35 minutes.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) told Fox News Digital that customers with tickets for Dec. 30 whose travel was affected by the Eurostar disruption could travel to their home station on an alternative LNER train for no additional fee.

"Any LNER customers who have had to abandon their journey in London King's Cross are able to return to their home station on the next available LNER service at no additional cost," LNER told Fox News Digital. "LNER customers who choose to defer their Eurostar travel to a different day may use their existing LNER ticket to travel on that same day."

In response to a request for comment, National Rail referred Fox News Digital to Eurostar's media center.

LeShuttle did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

U.S. Central Command announced on Tuesday that the U.S. and partner forces have terminated or captured nearly 25 ISIS figures since a December 19 strike in Syria.

"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and partners across Syria killed at least seven ISIS members and captured the remainder during 11 missions conducted Dec. 20-29. The operations also led to the elimination of four ISIS weapons caches," an article posted by the CENTCOM X account said.

"These recent missions followed the launch of Operation Hawkeye Strike on Dec. 19 when U.S. and Jordanian forces struck over 70 targets with more than 100 precision munitions. The massive strike executed by dozens of fighter aircraft, attack helicopters and artillery destroyed ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites across central Syria," the article explained.

TRUMP TARGETS ISIS IN NIGERIA AMID WARNINGS SAHEL REGION IS BECOMING ‘EPICENTER OF TERRORISM’

The U.S. and partner forces in Syria have carried out activity in the last 12 months that led to more than 300 terrorists getting detained and more than 20 being killed, according to CENTCOM.

The CENTCOM post noted that this year, there have been "at least 11 plots or attacks against targets in the United States" that were inspired by ISIS.

WAR SEC HEGSETH ISSUES STATEMENT AFTER TWO US SOLDIERS KILLED IN SYRIA ARE IDENTIFIED

"We will not relent," CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in a statement. "We are steadfast in commitment to working with regional partners to root out the ISIS threat posed to U.S. and regional security."

"Continuing to hunt down terrorist operatives, eliminate ISIS networks, and work with partners to prevent an ISIS resurgence makes America, the region, and the world safer," Cooper added.

US LAUNCHES ‘VENGEANCE’ ATTACK ON ISIS TARGETS AFTER NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS KILLED

Two Iowa Army National Guard soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed earlier this month in Syria. The soldiers were later identified as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa. The interpreter was Ayad Mansoor Sakat, 54.

Hamas has officially confirmed the deaths of five senior leaders, marking one of the most significant blows to the terror organization since the start of the Gaza war, according to reports.

In a statement released on Monday by the group’s armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas said that Mohammed al-Sinwar, the brother of former Hamas leader Yahya al-Sinwar, was killed during Israeli military operations in Gaza, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Al-Sinwar had risen to a senior role within the organization and was widely viewed as a key figure in Hamas’ wartime command following the deaths of other top commanders.

The Israeli military also said in May that he had been killed in an airstrike targeting a Hamas command center beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis.

NETANYAHU CALLS ON NEIGHBORING NATIONS TO JOIN ISRAEL IN 'EXPELLING HAMAS' FROM REGION

Hamas did not immediately specify the exact date of his death but acknowledged he had been killed earlier this year.

Hamas also confirmed the death of Abu Obeida, the longtime masked spokesman of the al-Qassam Brigades, who became the public face of the group’s military wing during the war, per Reuters.

In its announcement, Hamas revealed for the first time that his real name was Hudhayfa Samir Abdullah al-Kahlout.

According to Israeli statements, Abu Obeida was killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza City in late August.

While Israel had previously announced his death, Monday’s statement marked the first official confirmation by Hamas itself.

ISRAEL’S COVERT CAMPAIGN TARGETS HAMAS TERRORISTS BEHIND OCT 7 MASSACRE

Among the other senior figures confirmed dead was Raed Saad, a high-ranking commander within the al-Qassam Brigades, the Times of Israel reported.

Israel had announced Dec. 13 that Saad had been killed in a targeted strike after months of tracking his movements through Gaza’s tunnel network.

Israeli security officials described Saad as one of the principal planners of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack where around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage.

Hamas also acknowledged the deaths of Mohammed Shabanah, the head of its Rafah Brigade, and Hakam al-Issa, a veteran commander and one of the founders of the al-Qassam Brigades.

Both men were reported by Israel to have been killed in separate airstrikes in Gaza earlier this year, with al-Issa dying during attacks on the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City.

MOSSAD–EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE OPERATION LAUNCHES SWEEPING CRACKDOWN ON HAMAS GLOBAL TERROR NETWORK

The confirmations came despite a ceasefire that took effect in October. 

Speaking Monday after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, President Trump also warned that Hamas must disarm soon or face severe consequences.

"They’re going to be given a very short period of time to disarm," Trump said.

The president added that the next phase of the Gaza peace plan could move forward quickly if Hamas lays down its weapons.

Protests escalated across Iran on Monday as demonstrators confronted security forces in Tehran and Mashhad, with authorities deploying tear gas amid strikes and street clashes, according to reports.

An Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, reported that a large crowd of demonstrators marched along Jomhouri (Republic) Street before moving into nearby areas, including Naser Khosrow Street and Istanbul Square in Tehran.

Central parts of Tehran turned into flashpoints as protesters and regime security forces engaged in running street clashes near major government and commercial areas.

Police units fired tear gas and used batons to break up crowds in the city center, according to accounts from the scene.

IRAN REPORTEDLY DEVELOPING CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL MISSILE WARHEADS AS PROTESTS SPREAD OVER COLLAPSING ECONOMY

Demonstrators responded with chants of "Shameless! Shameless!" and pushed back, forcing security forces to retreat from several areas.

Nationwide strikes and protests by merchants continued across Iran, with shops shuttered in major commercial hubs including Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, Lalehzar Street, Naser Khosrow and Istanbul Square. Demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans calling for the downfall of the ruling clerics and demanding the leadership step aside.

Video circulating online showed protesters inside a major shopping complex in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar chanting, "Have no fear, we are all together," while hurling insults at security forces and calling them shameless.

IRAN KILLING SPREE CONTINUES AS REGIME SETS NEW RECORD FOR 2025 EXECUTIONS, DISSIDENT GROUP SAYS

Additional footage from Tehran’s bazaar districts showed crowds chanting "Death to the dictator," calling on merchants to shut down their shops and demanding President Masoud Pezeshkian step aside, as voices in the video said businesses had closed in protest.

Other video clips captured demonstrations across different parts of Tehran, including footage showing protesters attacking and damaging the car of a cleric aligned with the regime.

In another video, an Iran International reporter narrated scenes from the protests with subtitles, describing clashes between demonstrators and security forces as unrest spread through the capital.

IRAN'S 'WATER BANKRUPTCY' WILL WEAKEN REGIME AND NUCLEAR PROGRAM, UN EXPERT WARNS

By Monday afternoon, the unrest had spread to the northeastern city of Mashhad, where demonstrators gathered in central squares and clashed with riot police who moved in with batons. Protesters pushed back as confrontations escalated.

In another report, the IRGC-run Fars News Agency wrote, "Eyewitnesses reported to Fars that among the crowd of about 200 people, there were small cells of five to 10 individuals chanting slogans that went beyond economic demands."

"At the same time as these gatherings, Maryam Rajavi called for the ‘formation of a chain of protests,’" the report continued. "An informed source at the Ministry of Intelligence said the pattern was in line with what it described as an effort to turn economic grievances into political instability."

IRAN REGIME ESCALATES REPRESSION TOWARD 'NORTH KOREA-STYLE MODEL OF ISOLATION AND CONTROL'

Iran International also reported on the protests, saying Pezeshkian said Monday he has instructed his interior minister to open talks with representatives of the protesters, marking his first official response to the unrest.

The protests, which continued into the night, gained international attention, with former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett calling for protesters to rise up in a video posted to X.

"The Iranian people have a glorious past, and they can have an even more glorious future," Bennett said. "That future depends on every one of you."

IRAN INTENSIFIES INTERNAL SECURITY CRACKDOWN AFTER US, ISRAEL STRIKES

Also weighing in was former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said it was no surprise Iranians are taking to the streets amid a collapsing economy he blamed on the regime’s extremism and corruption.

"It’s no surprise that the people of Iran are taking to the streets to protest the collapsing economy," Pompeo said. "The Iranian regime has ruined what should be a vibrant and prosperous country with its extremism and corruption.

"The people of Iran deserve a representative government that serves their interests — not those of the mullahs and their cronies," he added.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR IRAN'S TERROR ARMY, THE IRGC, AFTER DEVASTATING MILITARY SETBACKS?

The NCRI claimed earlier in the day that security forces linked to the IRGC were placed on heightened alert in Tehran, with additional units on standby in nearby provinces. The claims could not be independently verified.

In a statement, Maryam Rajavi, NCRI president-elect, said the protests reflected public anger over high prices, inflation and political repression, and called on Iranians to support the striking merchants.

The Iranian rial has fallen to a new record low against the U.S. dollar. Official data show year-on-year inflation reached 52.6% in December, while average annual inflation was 42.2%.

Videos circulating online show chants against government officials and growing frustration among merchants, a group traditionally viewed as a key pillar of regime support.

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

Russian strikes on Ukraine’s power grid will continue without President Trump stepping in, Ukraine’s top energy executive has warned, as millions risk a freezing winter without power.

DTEK's Maxim Timchenko spoke out as Ukraine braced for further Russian drone and missile attacks on energy infrastructure and a day after Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the third time to bring an end to the nearly four-year war.

"Yesterday’s meeting gave us renewed hope. But our task is not to live from hope to hope — it is to continue doing what we have done for four years: responding to immediate challenges and fighting every day," Timchenko told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP TOUTS 'TREMENDOUS PROGRESS' BUT SAYS HE'LL MEET PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY 'ONLY WHEN' PEACE DEAL IS FINAL

"We are deeply grateful to President Trump for his leadership. We believe he and his team are the only ones who can force Russia to negotiate and stop the war, together with the support of our partners in the European Union and other countries," the DTEK CEO said.

Founded by Ukrainian entrepreneur Rinat Akhmetov, DTEK is Ukraine’s largest private energy company and a backbone of the nation’s power supply.

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the company operated eight thermal power stations. Three were later occupied by Russian forces.

"Today, we operate five power stations, and each of them has been attacked at least five times since the full-scale invasion," Timchenko confirmed.

PUTIN REJECTS KEY PARTS OF US PEACE PLAN AS KREMLIN OFFICIAL WARNS EUROPE FACES NEW WAR RISK: REPORT

He described the damage as unprecedented. "The level of destruction is incomparable to any energy system in the world. Nothing like this has happened in modern history," he said.

At one point, he said, nearly all of DTEK’s generation capacity was damaged or destroyed, with losses totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

"And I can say that at some moment of time, 90% of our generation capacity was damaged or destroyed," he explained.

"With this destruction, we lost hundreds of millions of dollars in direct damages, and I don't even mention lost revenue. So, only for 2025, our recovery budget was about $220 million, but if you take it from the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I say it's hundreds, hundreds of millions of dollars," Timchenko said.

Despite the destruction and losses faced, his company has repeatedly restored power to millions of Ukrainians.

"Since 2022, we have managed to reconnect more than 30 million households and clients," Timchenko said. "We are fighting and we are fast."

RUSSIA UNLEASHES MAJOR DRONE, MISSILE ATTACK ON UKRAINE AS US DIPLOMATIC TALKS CONTINUE

"For the last two years, it has been extremely difficult. Attacks have become so intense and we live in crisis mode every single day because our equipment is destroyed, power stations damaged, and the only thing we are thinking about is how to restore power supply as soon as possible," Timchenko said.

He also added that recovery efforts include resuming gas drilling, continuing construction of Eastern Europe’s largest wind park, and building a major battery storage system with U.S. firm Fluence.

Otherwise, in Odesa, for example, around 600,000 people have been affected by outages, with some neighborhoods left without power for days at a time.

But Russia’s most recent large-scale strike came on Dec. 26, when missiles and drones hit Kyiv and surrounding areas, cutting electricity to more than 1 million people during freezing temperatures.

FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS PUTIN WON’T AGREE TO UKRAINE PEACE DEAL UNLESS FACED WITH 'BIGGER STICK'

"People have learned how to live without necessities like electricity," Timchenko said.

"The temperature in Kiyv was minus 10 degrees and because of this attack, we couldn't get water, we couldn't get heat, and of course, there is no electricity.

"They attacked us with ballistic and Kalibr missiles and calibers, then 500 drones and other types of missiles," he added.

Looking ahead, Timchenko stressed Ukraine’s dependence on continued support.

"The energy system is at the core of this fight. Modern life simply cannot exist without electricity. We need continued global support," he added.

Actor George Clooney, along with his wife Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two children, have become French citizens.

The couple and their 8-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, were granted citizenship, according to a naturalization decree.

The couple has been living in France with their children after uprooting the family to get away from the culture of Hollywood, the Academy Award-winning actor and director said in October. 

AMANDA SEYFRIED BAILS ON 'TRICKY' HOLLYWOOD FOR QUIET FARM LIFE

In an interview with Esquire, Clooney, 64, opened up about his life in France and explained why they chose to move his family to the countryside. 

"You know, we live on a farm in France. A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid I hated the whole idea of it. But now, for them, it’s like – they’re not on their iPads, you know? They have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in. They have a much better life."

CANDACE CAMERON BURE EMBRACES SMALL-TOWN LIFE AWAY FROM HOLLYWOOD

"I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood. I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life," he continued. 

In addition to his family home in France, George reportedly owns an estate in England, a villa on Lake Como in Italy, and another property near his family in Kentucky, People reported. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Clooney's representatives for comment. 

During his Esquire interview, Clooney talked about living in France, away from the glamor of Hollywood. 

"France – they kind of don’t give a s--- about fame," he said. "I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids."

President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States and Israel have already destroyed Iran’s nuclear program and warned that Tehran would face renewed military action if it attempts to rebuild, as new reports allege the regime is pursuing chemical and biological warheads for its ballistic missiles.

Speaking at Mar-a-Lago alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump issued a blunt warning to Tehran over its nuclear and missile ambitions.

"Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down," Trump said. "We’ll knock the hell out of them." He added that Iran would be "much smarter" to pursue a deal.

IRAN, ISRAEL AND US AGREE THAT ISLAMIC REPUBLIC NUCLEAR SITES WERE 'BADLY DAMAGED' DESPITE LEAKED INTEL REPORT

Trump framed Iran’s defeat as central to regional stability, claiming joint U.S.-Israeli military action had fundamentally altered the Middle East balance.

"We just won a big war together," he said. "If we didn’t beat Iran, you wouldn’t have had peace in the Middle East. We wiped it out."

Pressed on whether he would support further Israeli military action if Iran continues advancing its missile or nuclear programs, Trump responded affirmatively. "If they continue with the missiles — yes," he said. "The nuclear — absolutely."

The Trump-Netanyahu meeting came as Iran’s currency has hit record lows, and shopkeepers in Tehran have staged strikes over soaring inflation and a collapsing economy.

TRUMP WOULD STRIKE IRAN 'WITHOUT QUESTION' IF IT RESTARTS NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM

Asked whether he would support the overthrow of Iran’s regime, Trump rejected the idea while pointing to unrest inside the country.

"I’m not going to talk about overthrow of a regime," he said. "But they have tremendous inflation. Their economy is busted." Trump added that protests are frequently met with lethal force by Iranian authorities.

The remarks followed a report Sunday by Iran International alleging that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is accelerating work on unconventional missile payloads, including chemical and biological options, citing unnamed military and security sources.

MOSSAD CHIEF THANKS US FOR HELP WITH IRAN, SAYS 'MISSION IS NOT YET COMPLETE'

Iran denies pursuing chemical or biological weapons and maintains its missile program is defensive. Tehran ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997 and analysts say the reported developments fit a broader pattern.

"The fact that Tehran’s ballistic missiles can carry unconventional payloads is not new," said Behnam Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Taleblu pointed to Iran’s recent military behavior. 

"What should underscore the chemical threat was Tehran’s use of warheads with cluster munitions against Israel during the 12-day war," he said. "These warheads can easily carry canisters for poison gas. In short, the conflict contained a dry run for a potential chemical attack."

He added that Iran’s history heightens concern, citing Tehran’s past use of chemical agents during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s and its transfer of such weapons to Libya.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushed back Monday against a report that Kyiv attacked Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence, calling the allegation a "complete fabrication."

According to Reuters, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Ukraine tried to strike Putin's home in Novgorod, located in northern Russia, and that Moscow intends to retaliate.

"This alleged ‘residence strike’ story is a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia’s own refusal to take necessary steps to end the war," Zelenskyy said in a post on X. "Typical Russian lies. Furthermore, the Russians have already targeted Kyiv in the past, including the Cabinet of Ministers building."

"Ukraine does not take steps that can undermine diplomacy," the Ukrainian leader continued. "To the contrary, Russia always takes such steps. This is one of many differences between us."

This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated in a post on X that Ukraine would like to have 30, 40 or even 50 years of security guarantees from the U.S. and that President Donald Trump said Congress will consider it.

Zelenskyy met with Trump in Florida on Sunday, as his nation remains locked in a deadly, protracted war against Russia, and the U.S. administration aims to help broker peace.

In a Monday post on X, the president of the embattled Eastern European nation indicated that Trump had "confirmed strong security guarantees" during their meeting.

TRUMP, ZELENSKYY SAY UKRAINE PEACE DEAL CLOSE BUT ‘THORNY ISSUES’ REMAIN AFTER FLORIDA TALKS

"He confirmed the details that had been developed up to this point by our negotiating teams regarding these security guarantees, and he confirmed that they would be put to a vote by the United States Congress. This is a very strong agreement," Zelenskyy noted.

During a joint press conference alongside Zelenskyy on Sunday, Trump was asked whether he offered any promises or assurances of security for Ukraine.

"I did. We wanna work with Europe," Trump answered, adding that Europe will "take over a big part of it" but that the U.S. will assist.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE CRITICIZES TRUMP'S MEETINGS WITH ZELENSKYY, NETANYAHU: ‘CAN WE JUST DO AMERICA?'

Zelenskyy, in another Monday post on X, indicated that Ukraine would like decades of security guarantees from the U.S.

"In the documents, the guarantees are set for 15 years, with the possibility of extension. I raised this issue with the President. I told him that our war has already been going on for more than a decade, and therefore, we would very much like the guarantees to last longer. We would like to consider the possibility of 30, 40, or 50 years. It would then become a historic decision by President Trump. The President said that the U.S. would consider it," the foreign leader noted in the post.

TRUMP SAYS RUSSIA, UKRAINE IN ‘FINAL STAGES’ OF TALKS, PREDICTS WAR WILL ‘END’ SOON OR ‘GO ON FOR A LONG TIME’

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House on Monday for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

Iran is reportedly developing chemical and biological warheads for its ballistic missiles, even as the country faces mounting domestic unrest fueled by a collapsing currency and soaring inflation, according to an exclusive report published by Iran International on Sunday.

The outlet, citing unnamed military and security sources, reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has accelerated work on unconventional missile payloads alongside upgrades to command-and-control systems. If confirmed, the developments would raise serious alarms in Washington and Israel, particularly as Tehran struggles to contain growing anger at home.

The report comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with President Donald Trump on Monday, with Iran’s missile program and broader regional security threats expected to be high on the agenda, according to Israeli and U.S. officials familiar with the discussions. The talks are also expected to address the war in Gaza, amid U.S. officials’ concerns that Netanyahu has delayed advancing a postwar framework and ceasefire-related steps. 

IRAN FIRES BALLISTIC AND CRUISE MISSILES AT SIMULATED TARGETS NEAR PERSIAN GULF

According to Iran International, missile infrastructure has been repositioned and expanded, with some launch assets reportedly moved to eastern Iran to reduce vulnerability. The report claims the IRGC is exploring nonconventional warhead configurations for long-range missiles.

Tehran has long denied pursuing chemical or biological weapons, insisting its missile program is defensive. Iran is a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention, though Western governments have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of violating international norms.

The missile report coincides with escalating economic unrest inside Iran. Iran International reported Monday that shopkeepers in Tehran shut down major markets for a second consecutive day, protesting inflation and the collapse of the national currency.

FROM GAZA TO IRAN: WHAT’S AT STAKE IN TRUMP-NETANYAHU MAR-A-LAGO TALKS?

A video from Tehran posted on Simay Azadi’s TV X page on Monday showed a large crowd marching in the streets and chanting slogans against the regime.

An Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the strikes spread across multiple commercial districts, including the Gold Bazaar and central arcades, with crowds gathering in surrounding streets. The group also claimed security forces linked to the IRGC were placed on heightened alert in Tehran, with additional units on standby in nearby provinces. The claims could not be independently verified.

In a statement, Maryam Rajavi, NCRI president-elect, said the protests reflected public anger over high prices, inflation and political repression, and called on Iranians to support the striking merchants.

The Iranian rial has fallen to a new record low against the U.S. dollar. Official data show year-on-year inflation reached 52.6% in December, while average annual inflation was 42.2%. Videos circulating online show chants against government officials and growing frustration among merchants, a group traditionally viewed as a key pillar of regime support.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Monday afternoon, with talks expected to focus on renewed tensions with Iran and the possibility of advancing to additional stages of the Gaza peace plan.

Before meeting with the president, Netanyahu is slated to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday morning.

Dr. Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, told Fox News Digital that President Trump has likely been pressuring Netanyahu since the peace plan’s implementation, noting that the American leader has little patience for Middle Eastern timelines, which he said are far longer than those in the U.S. and the real estate sector.

NETANYAHU CALLS ON NEIGHBORING NATIONS TO JOIN ISRAEL IN 'EXPELLING HAMAS' FROM REGION

"The problem is that Hamas knows all it has to do is survive and continue controlling the western part of Gaza while attacking Israel, as it has been doing from Gaza’s tunnel network, in order to ratchet up tensions between Israel and the U.S.," Diker said.

Netanyahu’s mission during the visit, he continued, will be first to lay out Israel’s threat assessment regarding Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas as extremely serious, and to impress upon the president that Tehran is rebuilding its military capabilities. He is also likely to seek to persuade Trump to allow Israel to take the steps it deems necessary to defeat Hamas.

Israeli opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid told Fox News Digital that "We [Israel] should be coordinating with President Trump on all the major fronts, but the top priority has to be the management of stage two in Gaza."

Lapid added, "Israel needs to achieve the disarmament of Hamas and the removal of the threat from Gaza, and that requires the implementation of President Trump’s plan."

IRANIAN PRESIDENT SAYS HIS COUNTRY IS AT 'TOTAL WAR' WITH THE US, ISRAEL AND EUROPE: REPORTS

During the meeting, Netanyahu will reportedly present Trump with plans for a potential strike on Iran. Israel has warned Washington that a recent Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps missile drill could be masking preparations for an attack, a concern that IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir conveyed to U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper during recent meetings in Tel Aviv.

In a Saturday interview reported by the country's media, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country is engaged in what he described as a "total war" with the U.S., Israel and Europe. The Times of Israel reported him saying, "In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe," Pezeshkian said. "They want to bring our country to its knees."

Axios reported that U.S. intelligence assesses there is no immediate threat, while Israeli defense officials say forces remain on heightened alert.

According to Dr. Meir Javedanfar, a lecturer on Iran and the Middle East at Reichman University, Netanyahu’s plan is expected to call for strikes on Iran’s missile program.

"Israel will probably hope that such a wide-scale attack would further undermine the legitimacy of Iran’s supreme leader, thereby creating greater political instability within the country. This is especially true given that after the recent war with Israel, Iran’s economy has deteriorated significantly, and the regime is not taking the necessary steps to address these problems," he said.

RUBIO REVEALS SHARED INTELLIGENCE PREVENTED POSSIBLE HAMAS ATTACK, DISCUSSES INTERNATIONAL STABILIZATION FORCE

Israeli Minister for Settlement and National Missions Orit Strook stressed the importance of completing full Gaza demilitarization before moving forward with further stages of the plan.

She referenced Trump’s address to the Israeli Knesset in October, noting that he highlighted his role in building international support for Gaza’s demilitarization and securing a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for the full dismantling of weapons, tunnels and terror infrastructure.

"Hamas wakes up every day with a mission to hurt us," Strook told Fox News Digital. "The IDF will not withdraw even one meter, and no rehabilitation framework will be established until full demilitarization is completed.

"If, God forbid, the opposite happens in the meeting, it will be a failure of the peace plan, a failure for Trump himself — who would be settling for fake demilitarization— and a failure for us. We will not be able to say that we won this war if Hamas remains armed," she added.

Trump is nevertheless expected to soon unveil the second stage of his Gaza framework, despite Hamas’s failure to return the remains of Israel Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, who was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre, and whose body was taken to Gaza by Hamas terrorists.

Fox News Digital's Sophia Compton contributed to this report.