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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump held a "very good" phone call on Wednesday, during which the pair discussed the preliminary agreement reached with Russian President Vladimir Putin one day prior.

"Just completed a very good telephone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine," Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social just moments after the hourlong call wrapped. "Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs. 

"We are very much on track," Trump added. 

WHAT’S NEXT IN THE RUSSIA, UKRAINE CEASEFIRE TALKS?

Putin on Tuesday agreed to stop hitting Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 days, though the ceasefire did not extend to the frontlines or civilian populations as the Trump administration had originally hoped. 

Despite skepticism from Ukraine and European leaders, special envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday said he believes a full ceasefire can be achieved in a couple of weeks. 

He also said an official meeting between Trump and Putin is "likely to happen," as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security advisor Mike Waltz plan to return to Saudi Arabia on Sunday to discuss the details of the Tuesday agreement. 

It is unclear at this time if a Ukrainian delegation will also be returning to Saudi Arabia to begin discussions with Russian counterparts. 

EVEN IF TRUMP SECURES UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE DEAL, CAN PUTIN BE TRUSTED?

Putin also agreed to exchange 175 prisoners as well as the return of 23 "seriously wounded" Ukrainians as a "gesture of goodwill."

Just moments after his call with Trump was intended to take place, Zelenskyy said in a post on X that "one of the largest POW exchanges" had taken place and showed a picture of men with Ukrainian flags draped over them returning from Russian captivity. 

Zelenskyy confirmed that 175 soldiers and 22 "defenders" had been released. 

"We are also grateful to all our partners, especially the United Arab Emirates, for making today’s exchange possible," he added, though he did not mention U.S. efforts in the negotiations. 

International leaders voiced frustration that the deal Ukraine agreed to last week was not accepted by Putin during Trump's discussions with him, though Trump on Tuesday told Fox News' Laura Ingraham on the "Ingraham Angle" that pushing Putin further into a ceasefire would have been tough. "Russia has the advantage."

Zelenskyy’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions following the Trump-Putin call, but in a message posted to X, the Ukrainian president argued that "Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire."

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"It would be right for the world to respond by rejecting any attempts by Putin to prolong the war," he continued, highlighting Russia's continued attacks on Ukrainian civilians, including a Tuesday night Shahed drone strike on a hospital in Ukraine's Sumy region.

"Sanctions against Russia. Assistance to Ukraine. Strengthening allies in the free world and working toward security guarantees," Zelenskyy listed as steps the Western world should take to counter Putin. "Only a real cessation of strikes on civilian infrastructure by Russia, as proof of its willingness to end this war, can bring peace closer."

The Italian Coast Guard recovered six bodies and was searching for up to 40 migrants missing after a rubber dinghy that departed from Tunisia sank in the central Mediterranean, the U.N. refugee agency said Wednesday.

Another 10 people, including four women, were rescued Tuesday and brought to Italy’s southernmost island of Lampedusa. The Red Cross said they were in good condition and were receiving psychological care.

Aircraft from the European border agency Frontex, the Italian coast guard and others were assisting in the search due to difficult sea conditions, the coast guard said.

TURKS AND CAICOS TRAVEL WARNING ISSUED AS MIGRANTS DESCEND ON POPULAR VACATION SPOT IN DROVES

Survivors said some 56 people were in the dinghy when it departed from the Tunisian port of Sfax on Monday, UNHCR said.

The boat started to deflate a few hours later. The people on board were from Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Mali, the UNHCR said.

The U.N. Missing Migrant Project puts the number of dead and missing in the perilous central Mediterranean at over 24,506 from 2014 to 2024, many of them lost at sea. The project says the number may be greater as many deaths go unrecorded.

So far this year, 8,963 migrants have arrived in Italy, according to Interior Ministry figures updated Wednesday, a 4% increase over the same period last year.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni's center-right government has pushed for economic agreements with northern African countries aimed at preventing departures. Speaking to lawmakers this week, Meloni credited the deals with a nearly 60% drop in migrant arrivals in Italy last year to 66,317 from 157,651 in 2023.

She said 1,695 people were dead or missing at sea in 2024, compared with 2,526 a year earlier.

"What do these numbers mean? They tell us that reducing the departures, and curbing the traffickers' business, is the only way to reduce the number of migrants who lose their lives trying to reach Italy and Europe,'' she said.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian rescue group Emergency rescued 35 people in the Libyan search-and-rescue area on Monday and was ordered to bring them to the northern city of La Spezia to disembark, in keeping with the Meloni government practice of assigning ports far from the rescue area.

"This means three days more to arrive, and above all it means to increase the suffering of the shipwrecked people,'' said Anabel Montes Mier, who was running the mission.

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire ended on Monday when Israel announced it was resuming airstrikes in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on its X account that it was "conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip." Israel pointed to Hamas’ repeated refusal to accept a hostage release and ceasefire extension as the reason for the return to war.

"Israel said, ‘Yes, we're willing to extend ceasefire and to have more hostages released,’ but Hamas said ‘no.’ Very clearly, twice Hamas said ‘no’ to the option of releasing more hostages and extending the ceasefire. So, basically, we are left with no choice, with no other option to release our hostages," Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Oren Marmorstein told Fox News Digital.

As of now, according to Marmorstein, Israel’s "war objectives" include securing the hostages’ release, destroying Hamas infrastructure and ensuring there "is no more threat of another October 7th."

ISRAEL SHOOTS DOWN HOUTHI BALLISTIC MISSILE AFTER CEASEFIRE COLLAPSES

Marmorstein acknowledged that Palestinians were suffering, but placed the blame on Hamas for using Gaza civilians as "human shields." Israel has often pointed to Hamas’ use of civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals, in its terror operations.

Prior to the airstrikes, IDF Spokesperson for Arabic Media Col. Avichay Adraee issued a warning to Gazans in Arabic. In the past, Israel has also used Arabic pamphlets and other methods to warn Palestinians ahead of its operations.

The IDF’s translation of part of Adraee’s message reads, "For your own safety, move away to the known shelters in western Gaza City and in the city of Khan Yunis. Staying in the area marked in red may endanger you and your family."

When asked about the Hostages and Missing Families Forum’s statement calling for an immediate return to the ceasefire, Marmorstein insisted that resuming war operations would secure the hostages’ release.

"If you want to have the hostages’ release, you needed to go into this operation because Hamas was very adamant in their decision not to accept any offer, any offer to extend the ceasefire," Marmorstein said.

HOW ISRAEL'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS TERRORISTS WILL BE DIFFERENT UNDER TRUMP

Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, was trying to make a "corridor" between phases one and two of the ceasefire plan, which would have seen the release of more hostages, according to Marmorstein. The Israeli official said that the Jewish state accepted more than one U.S. proposal, while Hamas rejected them.

Marmorstein also said that Hamas "rhetoric" on the war "has nothing to do with reality," adding that statements from the U.S. indicate a "clear understanding that Hamas" is at fault. Additionally, Marmorstein told Fox News Digital that Israel consulted with the Americans, something that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told "Hannity" earlier this week.

"The Trump administration and the White House were consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza tonight," Leavitt told "Hannity" on Monday night.

When speaking to Fox News Digital, Marmorstein offered high praise for the Trump administration, saying that Israel "cannot hope for a better friend in the U.S."  Marmorstein told Fox News Digital that the relationship between the U.S. and Israel reached "new peaks" with President Donald Trump. He also said that Israel was "grateful" for the U.S. and Trump’s support during the war.

Marmorstein expressed confidence in Israel’s ability to defeat Hamas and echoed the message of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, who said that Israel’s "secret weapon" was that the Jews had no other place to go.

"This is the fight that we were forced to fight and will win it. And I can tell you, I know we'll win it because of simple reason, we'll win this fight against Hamas and against Houthis and against any other terrorist organization, because we have no other choice," Marmorstein told Fox News Digital.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he needs more details about peace proposals following President Donald Trump’s call with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, warning that "For us, the red line is the recognition of the Ukrainian temporarily occupied territories as Russian." 

Zelenskyy announced he plans to speak with Trump Wednesday after the president told Fox News’ "The Ingraham Angle" that he spent nearly two hours on the phone Tuesday with Putin. 

"We will discuss the details of the next steps with him," Zelenskyy said. "For us, the red line is the recognition of the Ukrainian temporarily occupied territories as Russian. We will not go for it." 

Zelenskyy added that attacks continue to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, despite U.S. and Russia saying Tuesday that Trump and Putin agreed to a ceasefire against those targets. Russia launched a series of drone strikes that struck civilian areas overnight and damaged a hospital in Ukraine. 

WHAT’S NEXT IN THE RUSSIA, UKRAINE CEASEFIRE TALKS? 

"We will support any proposals that lead to a sustainable, just peace. But for this we must understand what is at stake. What are the details? And I hope to God that we know all these details, so that the partners talk to us. Because there are two sides in this war – Russia and Ukraine. Trying to negotiate without Ukraine, in my view, will not be productive," Zelenskyy said Tuesday. 

"We support all steps toward ending the war. We will give support, but in order to support something we need to understand what specifically it is," he added. 

Trump described his call with Putin as "very good and productive" on Truth Social. 

"Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy would like to see it end," Trump wrote. "That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!" 

RUSSIA ORDERS PARTIAL CEASEFIRE AFTER CALL WITH TRUMP BUT NOT THE ONE HOPED FOR 

The White House said in a statement following the call that "The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace.  

"These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East," it added. 

During the call, Putin also said a complete cessation of military aid to Ukraine was a key condition for ending the war, Russia's state-run TASS news agency reported, citing the Kremlin. 

However, Trump told Fox News "We didn’t talk about aid, actually." 

"We didn’t talk about aid at all," he said. "We talked about a lot of things, but aid was never discussed." 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Iran is trying to bolster its "battered deterrence" after a general vowed to respond "decisively and destructively" to any threats in the wake of U.S. strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, an expert told Fox News Digital.

Gen. Hossein Salami, the leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said, "We warn our enemies that Iran will respond decisively and destructively if they carry out their threats" following U.S. military action over the weekend against the Tehran-backed terrorist group, according to Reuters. Salami also denied that Iran is involved with Houthi attacks on U.S. Navy ships and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, the Associated Press reported. 

"Tehran’s bluster is aimed at bolstering its battered deterrence and getting President Trump to disconnect the dots between Iran and its proxies at a time when the regime is at its weakest," Behnam Ben Taleblu, director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' Iran program, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. 

"Tellingly, as a measure of the regime’s weakness, Tehran is also trying to downplay its ties with the Houthis despite having built them up with state-level military capabilities for over a decade," he added. 

IRAN GENERAL RESPONDS TO TRUMP THREATS AGAINST HOUTHI REBELS 

Trump said Monday that "every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!" 

"Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Any further attack or retaliation by the ‘Houthis’ will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there.  

"Iran has played 'the innocent victim' of rogue terrorists from which they’ve lost control, but they haven’t lost control," he continued. "They’re dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, "Intelligence.'" 

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CRITICIZED FOR EMBOLDENING IRAN-BACKED HOUTHIS AS TRUMP RAMPS UP MILITARY STRIKES

U.S. Central Command said Saturday it had "initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation."   

Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday that he "ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen."

"It has been over a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden," Trump continued. "The last American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times."  

Fox News’ Taylor Penley, Andrea Margolis and Lucas Y. Tomlinson contributed to this report. 

With President Donald Trump now in the White House, analysts say Israel is operating with fewer constraints than before, impacting its military approach and the war’s potential outcome.

"It is all about Trump," a former senior Israeli official told Fox News Digital, "Netanyahu can continue this war for another year. If Trump tells him in two weeks, enough, now you have to go for a deal, he would." The same source also suggested that a new strategy is now being implemented: Dividing Gaza into controlled corridors, with food and civilian movement under Israeli military oversight, aiming to pressure Hamas.

John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at West Point’s Modern War Institute, told Fox News Digital, "The Trump administration, even before it was elected, was very clear: release all the hostages, including American citizens, or I will provide Israel everything it needs to legally, lawfully, and within all international laws prosecute its war against Hamas, with fewer constraints than the Biden administration put on it."

CEASEFIRE OVER AS ISRAEL STRIKES GAZA AFTER HAMAS REFUSED TO RELEASE HOSTAGES, OFFICIALS SAY

"The big variable at the higher level is the status of civilian evacuations," Spencer explained. "The United States is now more open to encouraging nations to allow Gazans to temporarily evacuate combat zones, which signals a shift in approach under the Trump administration."

The collapse of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has reignited military operations in Gaza. Israel cited Hamas' refusal to release hostages as the reason for resuming attacks, while Hamas claimed that Israel failed to uphold its commitments under the ceasefire agreement. 

Jonathan Conricus, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, highlighted Egypt’s role in the evolving situation: "I think that this time around, Egypt will be forced by the U.S. to open up the gate and allow Palestinians to flee the battlefield. That is the right thing to do. It's the humane thing to do. It is the legal thing to do, and that is what Egypt must do," he said. He criticized Egyptian authorities for restricting Palestinian movement, arguing that their policies have contributed to civilian suffering.

"For the first time, Israel will be able to use all available weapons to decisively defeat Hamas," Conricus, a former IDF spokesman, told Fox News Digital.

FREED ISRAELI HOSTAGE SPEAKS FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT HIS 505 DAYS OF SURVIVING HAMAS HELL

In a video statement on Tuesday, Netanyahu thanked President Trump for his unwavering support of Israel, "Our alliance with the United States has never been stronger," he said.

On the battlefield, Israel has expanded its targets beyond Hamas’ military infrastructure to its governmental network.

"The recent strikes, as Israel states, include quite a lot of the governmental side of a terror organization," Assaf Orion, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute and INSS, told Fox News Digital. However, he said, questions remain about what will follow if Hamas' governance structure is dismantled.

The hostage situation remains a central issue. While the Israeli government argues that military action is necessary to pressure Hamas into releasing captives, concerns about hostage safety have sparked protests within Israel. Conricus told Fox News Digital, "The risk to hostages has increased. Hamas may execute some in retaliation for Israel’s renewed offensive, but the way I see it, Israel had no choice but to resume military operations after two weeks in which Hamas didn’t release any hostages. Honestly, I’m surprised we’ve waited this long to act."

Orion acknowledged the complexity of balancing military objectives with hostage negotiations: "There is a clear tension between releasing the hostages, which involves a deal, and eradicating Hamas, which involves fighting. If the hostages are killed, that’s irreversible. An enduring defeat to Hamas, we all understand, is a generational task," he told Fox News Digital.

Whether Hamas can be fully defeated remains an open question. Spencer believes it to be possible, saying, "Hamas is weaker than ever, with its ability to hold territory and conduct organized military operations severely diminished. However, Israel must commit to holding the ground it clears, or Hamas could regroup and return."

The outcome of Israel’s renewed campaign will depend not just on military strategy but also on Trump’s political approach. As the former Israeli official noted, if Trump decides to push for negotiations, Netanyahu is likely to follow suit. Until then, Israel appears set to continue its most extensive military operation yet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to stop attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, but the 30-day ceasefire still leaves many significant issues unresolved. 

The temporary truce did not include any protections for troops fighting on the front lines or for Ukrainian civilians who continue to live through Russia’s constant aerial bombardments. 

Putin’s preliminary agreement came after a 90-minute phone conversation with President Donald Trump, who took to social media afterward and described it as "very good" and "productive."

EVEN IF TRUMP SECURES UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE DEAL, CAN PUTIN BE TRUSTED?

"We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine," he said. "That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!"

Trump later told Fox News' Laura Ingraham on the "Ingraham Angle" that pushing Putin further in a ceasefire "would have been tough. Russia has the advantage."

Speaking to Sean Hannity on Tuesday, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Saudi Arabia on Sunday to discuss the details of Tuesday's agreement between the two leaders.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions, but in a message posted to X he said, "Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire."

"It would be right for the world to respond by rejecting any attempts by Putin to prolong the war," he continued, highlighting Russia's continued attacks on Ukrainian civilians, including on Tuesday when a Russia-fired Shahed drone hit a hospital in Ukraine's Sumy region.

"Sanctions against Russia. Assistance to Ukraine. "Strengthening allies in the free world and working toward security guarantees," Zelenskyy listed as steps the Western world can take to counter Putin. "Only a real cessation of strikes on civilian infrastructure by Russia, as proof of its willingness to end this war, can bring peace closer."

The Trump administration has argued that true negotiations can only begin once a ceasefire has been secured, though it remains unclear how negotiations will proceed with no truce that includes civilian protections from Russia’s aerial attacks.

Neither the State Department nor the White House responded to Fox News Digital’s questions on why the president believes Putin "wants to make peace" — which Trump accused Zelenskyy of not being "serious" about when he attempted to negotiate security guarantees for Ukraine last month.

Officials from NATO and the EU were also tight-lipped following the call between Trump and Putin.

Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire last week following an hours-long meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security advisor Mike Waltz, which the pair said they would then "take to the Russians."

While Washington was short on the details of the negotiations agreed to by Kyiv, Zelenskyy said the U.S. had pushed for a full ceasefire along the front lines, in the air and on the Black Sea — a push Trump was apparently unable to secure in his Tuesday discussions with Putin.

PUTIN ORDERS PARTIAL CEASEFIRE AFTER CALL WITH TRUMP BUT NOT THE ONE HOPED FOR

Zelenskyy said his delegation had also discussed the "release of prisoners of war and detainees — both military and civilian — and the return of Ukrainian children who were forcibly transferred to Russia."

While the Kremlin on Tuesday said Putin had agreed to a 175-prisoner swap with Ukraine, there was no mention of the 20,000 Ukrainian children Kyiv has reported to have been forcibly abducted, largely from Luhansk and Donetsk, and then funneled through adoption schemes in Russia.

There are a litany of issues that still need to be negotiated between Ukraine and Russia, which the U.S. has said Europe will also be a part of.

Putin has already made clear Ukraine should not be allowed to join NATO — which the Trump administration has also backed over concerns it could not only perpetuate but escalate the nature of Russia’s war.

European leaders and Zelenskyy have argued that peacekeeping troops should then be placed in Ukraine to prevent Russia from launching a future invasion — but Moscow has also already signaled this will be viewed as a threat to Russia.

Issues over Western arms supplies, international observance of Russian occupied lands, Ukraine’s future security, Ukrainian troops in Kursk and Russia’s continued aerial campaigns over civilian populations all remain major issues that need to be negotiated. 

"Putin doesn’t share Trump's abhorrence of war," former CIA Moscow Station Chief Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital. "At this point there’s no indication that he’s going to do anything else but negotiate with an eye towards ensuring Ukraine can’t deter future Russian attacks."

Hoffman also argued that the Trump administration needs to be careful about finding itself in a situation where Washington wants a ceasefire more than Moscow.

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"The strategic objective is still to destroy Ukraine," Hoffman said. "The question is, Putin has not agreed to a ceasefire, so what are you going to do about?" 

"Define success by what serves U.S. national security interests. A bad deal would not serve our interests," he added. 

"Let them go negotiate," Hoffman said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday ordered his military to adhere to a 30-day ceasefire on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, but he did not extend the temporary truce to the active frontlines or civilian populations. 

"The blood and treasure that both Ukraine and Russia have been spending in this war would be better spent on the needs of their people," the White House said in a release following the roughly 90-minute call between Putin and President Donald Trump. "The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace."

Reports leading up to the call suggested that Trump intended to push Putin to agree to an unconditional ceasefire, as he refused to engage with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy until the latter makes clear that he "wants to make peace."

EVEN IF TRUMP SECURES UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE DEAL, CAN PUTIN BE TRUSTED?

Following the call, Trump posted on Truth Social that, "My phone conversation today with President Putin of Russia was a very good and productive one. We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine," Trump said in a post following the call.  "That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!"

While Ukraine last week agreed to immediately start a ceasefire upon Russia’s agreement, Zelenskyy again voiced skepticism Monday night over whether Putin was actually interested in ending the war. 

"Now, almost a week later, it’s clear to everyone in the world – even to those who refused to acknowledge the truth for the past three years – that it is Putin who continues to drag out this war," he said during this Monday night address. 

Similarly, on Tuesday, a Ukrainian lawmaker, who wished to remain anonymous, pointed out that an agreement to stop hitting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure two days before the first day of spring was not necessarily a sign that Putin is interested in peace.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE TRUMP-PUTIN CALL ON UKRAINE WAR 

"30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure when winter is over, really? That’s it?" the lawmaker told Fox News Digital, highlighting Russia’s three-year winter-time strategy of targeting Ukraine’s energy sector. 

Zelenskyy’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions, and both NATO and EU officials held off on immediately reacting to the day’s talks. 

"The Russian readout is a typical diplomatic talk by the Kremlin, with a lot of fluff in it. The only tangible and significant commitment that Putin has made is to stop the strikes on Ukrainian critical infrastructure," Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA intelligence officer and author of "Putin’s Playbook," told Fox News Digital. "The key point, though, is the ‘mutual refusal of the parties to the conflict’ to strike these facilities. 

"I don’t rule out the possibility that Russia may violate this commitment and claim that Ukrainians did that first," she added. "But at least on the surface it looks positive."

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Putin also apparently agreed to a 175-prisioner swap with Ukraine, and 23 "seriously wounded" Ukrainian servicemen currently being treated in Russian hospitals will be returned to Ukraine in a "gesture of goodwill," said the Kremlin’s readout following the call. 

The Russian leader also said that following Trump’s "appeal to save the lives" of the Ukrainian forces bogged down in the Kursk region, he has been "guided by humanitarian considerations" and will allow for their surrender and provide "decent treatment to the soldiers," which is an existing international law mandated by the United Nations Geneva Convention. 

The Israeli military said it intercepted a ballistic missile launched by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen on Tuesday, the terror group's first attack on the Jewish state following the collapse of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that sirens sounded in southern Israel after a missile launched from Yemen. The Israeli Air Force said it intercepted the missile before it crossed into Israeli territory.

President Donald Trump's ordering of U.S. strikes against the Houthis in Yemen over the weekend is believed to have deterred the terror group from resuming an attack on Israel sooner and with greater volume, IDF sources told the Jerusalem Post. 

Nearly a quarter-million people were sent to bomb shelters across the central and southern desert Negev region as a precaution due to shrapnel from the interception Tuesday, Fox News has learned. 

CEASEFIRE OVER AS ISRAEL STRIKES GAZA AFTER HAMAS REFUSES TO RELEASE HOSTAGES, OFFICIALS SAY

The Houthi attack came hours after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas crumbled over what U.S. officials said was the terror organization's refusal to release more Israeli hostages.

There are still 59 hostages in Gaza, but Israel believes only 24 of those who remain are alive.

Israel bombarded the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, eliminating the head of the Hamas government and other key terrorist leaders. 

TRUMP'S SIGHTS SET ON IRAN AFTER US AIRSTRIKES DECIMATE MORE THAN 30 HOUTHI TARGETS

At least 404 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in the Israeli airstrikes so far, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry. The death toll has not been independently verified.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with security officials at the Kirya, Israel’s version of the Pentagon, on Tuesday during the airstrikes. 

"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength," Netanyahu’s office wrote in a series of posts on X as the airstrikes commenced.

Fox News’ Yonat Friling, Rachel Wolf, Louis Casiano, Landon Mion and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

At least a dozen people died after a plane crashed off the Caribbean coast of Honduras Monday evening, authorities said.

The plane crashed seconds after taking off from the Juan Manuel Galvez Airport on Roatan Island, according to the country's Civil Aeronautics Agency. Its destination was meant to be the nearby island of La Ceiba. 

Honduran President Xiomara Castro said the wreckage was found less than a mile off the coast of Roatan Island.

Two crew members and 15 passengers were onboard the small aircraft, a Jetstream 32 operated by Honduran airline Lanhsa, according to the aeronautics agency. 

PLANE CAUGHT ON CAMERA CRASHING INTO NEW ENGLAND NEIGHBORHOOD, NARROWLY MISSING HOMES

Those aboard the plane included an American national, a French national and two minors, Reuters reported, citing the flight manifest shown by local media.

Five people were rescued from the incident, but one remains missing, Honduran firefighters said.

Local firefighters said among the dead was well-known Honduran musician Aurelio Martinez Suazo, according to Reuters. 

DELTA PLANE WING CLIPS RUNWAY DURING BOTCHED LANDING AT LAGUARDIA AIRPORT

The accident was reportedly caused by a suspected mechanical failure of the aircraft, Roatan Mayor Ronnie Richard McNap Thompson said. 

Fox News reached out to Lanhsa Airlines for more information but did not immediately receive a response. 

Civil aviation official Carlos Padilla told AFP news agency that the plane "made a sharp turn to the right of the runway and fell into the water," CBS reported.

DELTA RELEASES NEW INFORMATION ABOUT CAPTAIN, FIRST OFFICER FLYING PLANE THAT CRASHED IN TORONTO

The government of Honduras activated several emergency services, including the Armed Forces, firefighters and police.

"The Government of Honduras deeply regrets the tragic accident in Roatan," the government said in a post on X Monday.

The armed forces also said in a post on X that "rapid response teams continue working in the area to safeguard the lives of those affected."

Dramatic video of the incident shows emergency crews conducting rescue efforts from the sea.

Roatan Fire Capt. Franklin Borjas told Reuters the survivors were transported to a nearby hospital but noted that adverse conditions complicated the search and rescue efforts on Monday.

"It's been difficult to access the accident [site], because there are 30 meters [98 feet] of rocks, and you can't get there while walking or swimming," Borjas said on Monday night. "The divers helping with the rescue have zero visibility."

Firefighters said efforts to find the sole missing passenger will continue Tuesday when weather and visibility conditions are expected to improve. 

Reuters contributed to this report.

A member of a South African research team at an isolated base in Antarctica was put under psychological evaluation after colleagues accused him of physical assault and sexual harassment, government officials said.

The situation at the SANAE IV base was first reported in South Africa's Sunday Times newspaper, which said it saw an email from a team member to authorities pleading for help.

The email claimed that the man had attacked the base leader and made a death threat, behavior the team member described as having "escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing." The team member expressed in the email being "deeply concerned about my own safety" and "constantly wondering if I might become the next victim."

South Africa’s Ministry of Environment, which oversees the research missions, responded to the report in a statement Monday night.

FBI ISSUES SPRING BREAK TRAVEL WARNING AFTER AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT'S DISAPPEARANCE

The alleged assault was reported on Feb. 27, according to the ministry. Officials and counselors intervened remotely "to mediate and restore relationships at the base," speaking with the nine team members almost daily, the statement said.

"The alleged perpetrator has willingly participated in further psychological evaluation, has shown remorse and is willingly cooperative," the ministry said, adding that he had written a formal apology to the victim of the alleged assault.

The investigation is also looking into alleged sexual harassment, though reports of sexual assault were false, the ministry said. No members of the team were identified, and officials said none of the incidents required any team member to return to Cape Town.

Fox News Digital reached out to South Africa’s Ministry of Environment for details about what led to the alleged physical assault but did not immediately hear back.

The team, which includes scientists, a doctor and engineers, arrived at the remote base on Feb. 1 and is expected to stay for about 13 months, authorities said.

MASSIVE FLOATING SOLAR POWER PLANT IS MAKING WAVES

The base is on a cliff in Queen Maud Land and is surrounded by a glacial ice sheet, more than 2,485 miles from South Africa.

The team will endure living in close quarters through the hostile Antarctic winter, which has six months of darkness beginning in June. 

The ministry said that each team member undergoes evaluations, including psychological and medical, to ensure they can cope with the "extreme nature of the environment in Antarctica."

"Even though all of the assessments and evaluations show no areas of concern, it is not uncommon that once individuals arrive at the extremely remote areas where the scientific bases are located, an initial adjustment to the environment is required," the ministry said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More than 400 migrants were evacuated from a theater in Paris where they had been squatting for more than three months. 

Police reportedly used tear gas at the beginning of the operation, but for the most part, the evacuation went on without incident, Reuters reported.

"At this stage, this was the thing to do because the situation was becoming complicated, tense and dangerous inside," Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told France Inter radio, according to Reuters.

PARIS POLICE REMOVE DOZENS OF MIGRANTS FROM PARIS CITY HALL 100 DAYS BEFORE OLYMPIC GAMES

French police arrested more than 46 people in the Tuesday operation, according to reports. It was not clear whether all 46 of those arrested were migrants, as police clashed with activists supporting the squatters during the operation.

FRENCH LEGISLATORS PASS CONTROVERSIAL IMMIGRATION BILL AIMING TO STRENGTHEN DEPORTATION MEASURES

Paris Police Prefect Laurent Nuñez said that some were arrested for "rebelling" while the evacuation operation was taking place and others were detained for "administrative checks," according to Le Monde. Nuñez apparently called the migrants’ occupation of Paris' Gaite Lyrique theater a threat to "public order," the outlet added.

A banner outside the theater read "400 lives in danger, 80 jobs under threat."

The Gaite Lyrique Theater in Paris was forced to suspend operations in December, days after migrants began taking over the venue, demanding food and shelter. Gaite Lyrique apparently slammed authorities for their "inaction" on the situation, reports indicate.

A senior Hamas official is warning that Israel’s decision to resume the war against the terror group after ceasefire talks stalled is a "death sentence" for the remaining hostages, according to The Associated Press.

That could include the last living American hostage, Edan Alexander, who was born in Tel Aviv and raised in New Jersey. A group of hostage family members expressed outrage at Israel's decision.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said Israel "chose to give up on the hostages" by resuming the war. The organization called for protests on Tuesday following the airstrikes, saying that "military pressure could further endanger their lives and complicate efforts to bring them home safely."

There are still 59 hostages in Gaza, but Israel believes only 24 of those who remain are alive. The ceasefire was meant to be carried out in two phases. However, talks on phase two, which would have meant an end to the war and the release of the remaining hostages, have stalled.

CEASEFIRE OVER AS ISRAEL STRIKES GAZA AFTER HAMAS REFUSED TO RELEASE HOSTAGES, OFFICIALS SAY

The Israeli airstrikes left more than 400 Palestinians, including women and children, dead, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Fox News cannot independently confirm the death toll put out by the ministry controlled by a terror organization.

"The ER was just chaos, patients everywhere, on the floor," Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan, a volunteer with Medical Aid for Palestinians based at Nasser Hospital, told the AP. She apparently treated multiple patients who died in the emergency room.

This marks the end of a nearly two-month-long ceasefire, which saw the release of multiple hostages. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Twitter that the Jewish state was carrying out "extensive strikes on terror targets" in Gaza.

The IDF said on Tuesday that its targets belonged to both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and included launch posts, weapons stockpiles and military infrastructure.

Egypt reportedly called on all parties to show restraint and work towards a long-term ceasefire, according to Reuters.

HAMAS SAYS AMERICAN-ISRAELI HOSTAGE WILL ONLY BE FREED IF CEASEFIRE IS IMPLEMENTED

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with security officials at the Kirya, Israel’s version of the Pentagon, on Tuesday following the airstrikes. 

"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength," according to Netanyahu’s office wrote in a series of posts on X as the airstrikes commenced.

Palestinians were ordered by Israel to evacuate eastern Gaza, signaling the IDF could resume its ground operations in the Strip, according to The Associated Press.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk's office called the airstrikes "horrifying," saying "this nightmare must end immediately."

"It is time for the countries of the world to take seriously our unwavering commitment to return all our hostages home and defeat the enemy," Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement. "Let me be clear: Nothing will stop us from fighting to free our hostages who have been held in brutal Hamas captivity for 527 days."

Fox News' Trey Yingst, Louis Casiano, Landon Mion and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaced his military’s top official ahead of a call Tuesday between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine. 

Andrii Hnatov, whom Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said has "over 27 years of military experience," was appointed the new chief of the general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces. Anatoliy Barhylevych, who has held the position since February 2024, will now serve as the general inspector of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry. 

"We are consistently changing the Armed Forces to make them even more efficient. To do this, we are changing the management system and implementing clear standards," Umerov said in a statement. 

"Grateful to Lieutenant General Anatoliy Barhylevych for his service as Chief of the General Staff. In the most difficult times, his experience and professionalism were important to the organization of defense of Ukraine," Umerov added. "Changes are in process. Strengthening the army for victory." 

TRUMP SAYS HE’LL SPEAK WITH PUTIN IN CALL TO PUSH FOR TRUCE IN UKRAINE 

The personnel change comes as Trump and Putin are set to speak by phone Tuesday about the final points of a deal to end the war in Ukraine. 

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said many "elements of a Final Agreement" have been agreed to "but much remains." 

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE TRUMP-PUTIN CALL ON UKRAINE WAR 

"Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW," Trump wrote. "I look very much forward to the call with President Putin." 

In preparation for the Trump-Putin call, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff met last week with Putin in Moscow to discuss the proposal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio persuaded senior Ukrainian officials during talks in Saudi Arabia to agree to the ceasefire framework. 

Trump said Washington and Moscow have already begun discussing "dividing up certain assets" between Ukraine and Russia as part of a deal to end the conflict. 

"It’s a bad situation in Russia, and it’s a bad situation in Ukraine," Trump told reporters on Monday. "What’s happening in Ukraine is not good, but we’re going to see if we can work a peace agreement, a ceasefire and peace. And I think we’ll be able to do it." 

Fox News’ Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

King Charles III is slated to have an audience with Pope Francis during a visit to the Vatican next month, suggesting there is optimism the pontiff will be back at work by then, as he continues his recovery from double pneumonia.

Francis, 88, was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14 after a week-long bout of bronchitis worsened. Doctors first diagnosed the complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection and subsequently the onset of pneumonia in both lungs.

The Vatican said Monday it would no longer provide morning updates and is issuing less frequent medical bulletins as the pope shows gradual improvements.

Buckingham Palace said Charles wrote privately to the pope when he became ill.

POPE FRANCIS SEEN FOR FIRST TIME SINCE BEING ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL: PHOTO

Charles' visit to the Vatican is symbolic of efforts to establish closer ties between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, which split from Rome in the 16th century during King Henry VIII's reign.

The head of the Church of England, Charles has made building bridges between people of all faiths a top focus since he ascended the throne in 2022 following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Charles’ trip will begin on April 7 and last three days. It will also feature events in Italy including its capital of Rome, which surrounds Vatican City.

During his stop in Rome, Charles will emphasize the close links between Britain and Italy — two NATO allies — as European nations are working to strengthen support for Ukraine’s war against Russia.

POPE REMAINS STABLE AFTER MONTH IN HOSPITAL AS HE CONTINUES TREATMENTS AND WORKS FROM BEDSIDE

There will be a joint flypast over Rome during Charles' visit by the Italian Air Force aerobatic team, Frecce Tricolori, or Tricolor Arrows, and their Royal Air Force counterparts, the Red Arrows.

Charles and Queen Camilla will attend a reception in Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, to mark the 80th anniversary of the region’s liberation from the Nazis by Allied forces. The pair will also celebrate local cuisine and meet with farmers impacted by recent floods in the area.

"The visit to Italy will underscore the depth and breadth of the bilateral relationship," Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

One central event during Charles’ trip to the Vatican will be a historic first in which the king will visit the Papal Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, where reconciliation and ecumenical relations between Christian faiths are celebrated. At this event, choirs from the King’s Chapel Royal, St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and the Sistine Chapel will perform.

English kings had a particular link to the basilica prior to the split from Rome during the Protestant Reformation. The basilica was built over a white marble sarcophagus that, for some 2,000 years, has been believed to be the tomb of St. Paul.

Charles' visit will happen during the Papal Jubilee, a year of forgiveness and reconciliation that is celebrated by the Catholic Church every 25 years.

"The Visit to the Holy See will be an historic visit in the year of the Papal Jubilee, and will mark a significant step forward in relations between the Catholic Church and Church of England," Buckingham Palace said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former President Biden’s alleged appeasement of the Houthis, an Iran-backed terrorist organization, is facing renewed criticism for allowing them to disrupt global commerce and destabilize the Middle East, according to Saudi and American experts.

In a speech at the State Department less than a month into his presidency, Biden announced in February 2021 that his administration was ending all U.S. offensive support for the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis, as he pledged support for the United Nations-led "initiative to impose a ceasefire," and restore peace talks in Yemen.

A week later the Biden administration removed the Houthis from the list of terrorist groups in what then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken described as "a recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen."

Salman Al-Ansari, a prominent geopolitical analyst from Saudi Arabia, told Fox News Digital that "Biden’s early appeasement of the Houthis, lifting them from the terror list with nothing in return, emboldened their aggression. The Houthis, an Iranian proxy, have dragged Yemen into chaos, destabilized the region, and attacked global shipping. Trump’s response is a necessary correction to Biden’s missteps, sending a clear message that piracy and terror won’t go unchecked."

US MILITARY SHOOTS DOWN HOUTHI DRONES AS TRUMP’S STRIKES AGAINST TERRORIST GROUP CONTINUE 

When asked about Trump’s military strikes on the Yemen-based Houthis, Al-Ansari said, "The strikes are long overdue. The Houthis have disrupted global trade, attacked U.S. forces and fueled instability. That said, it’s unclear how far the U.S. is willing to go in its campaign against them. The Red Sea and the Strait of Mandab are among the most strategic trade routes in the world, carrying over 20% of oil shipments and 13% of global trade." 

He continued, "Any failure to secure them risks severe economic and security consequences. While Saudi Arabia remains committed to a political solution, that can't happen without serious pressure on both the Houthis and their backer, Iran. Strength, not appeasement, is the only language they understand."

The official slogan of the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) reads, "Allah is Greater. Death to America. Death to Israel. Curse on the Jews. Victory to Islam." One of Biden’s first foreign policy moves was to de-list the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization. The first Trump administration sanctioned the Houthis. 

The Biden administration also pressed the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia to pull the plug on its aerial military campaign to stop Houthi terrorism targeting the oil-rich nation and Houthi piracy on the high seas.

Al-Ansari noted that "Saudi Arabia did its best to convince the U.S. of the Houthis' threat, but the Biden administration failed Riyadh completely. The good news is that Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s legitimate government have already done the heavy lifting, liberating around 80% of Yemeni territory. If the U.S. wants to take on the remaining 20%, they’ll have to do it on their own. Riyadh has different regional calculations now, prioritizing diplomacy over military escalation."

Jonathan Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that "Biden made the Houthis a partisan issue when he de-listed the Houthis. This has prompted Trump to target the Houthis more aggressively. And it doesn’t hurt that weakening the Houthis will signal to the Saudis that America is back as an ally of Saudi Arabia after four years of ambivalence by the Biden White House."

HEGSETH DECLARES ‘PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH IS BACK’ WHILE VOWING ‘UNRELENTING’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST HOUTHI TARGETS 

"These U.S. strikes have multiple benefits for the U.S.," Schanzer added. "It’s a sign to the Saudis that we are committed to their regional security. It’s a sign to Europe that we are committed to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, which will reduce shipping costs for their companies. And perhaps most importantly, we are watching the dismantling of Iran’s ‘ring of fire’ strategy in real time. The regime is growing weaker by the day, raising questions about a possible endgame to finally take out the Iranian nuclear program or even bring down the regime."

The Iranian regime-backed Houthis have also launched military strikes at U.S. ally Israel in response to the Jewish state’s war against the Hamas terrorist movement in Gaza.

President Biden first authorized strikes against the Houthis in January 2024 in response to the group's ongoing attacks on vessels traveling through the Red Sea. Biden said he authorized the strikes "in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea—including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history." 

A week after the first strikes, the Biden administration changed policy again and put the Houthis on its list of specially designated global terrorists as it looked for a way to halt the terror group's attacks on U.S. and world shipping. 

Fox News Digital reached out to President Biden’s spokesperson for comment on criticism over his administration's policies towards the Houthis.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is over as Israeli fighter jets began striking the Gaza Strip after Hamas refused repeated hostage deal offers, officials said. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began striking Hamas terrorist targets across Gaza "in order to achieve the war objectives set by the political leadership, including the release of all our hostages—both the living and the fallen," the office of Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a letter. 

"This decision comes after Hamas repeatedly refused to release our hostages and rejected all proposals presented by U.S. President’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, as well as the mediators," the letter states. 

Israel will intensify its military actions against Hamas moving forward, authorities said.

"Under the direction of the political echelon, the IDF and Shin Bet are widely attacking terrorist targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip, more details below," the IDF and Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service, said in a joint statement. 

This story is breaking. Please check back for updates. 

The U.S. military recently launched fighter jets with the intent of targeting Houthi forces in Yemen, new video shows.

Fox News obtained the dramatic video that shows the jets taking off towards the terrorist targets. It comes soon after President Donald Trump launched "decisive and powerful" airstrikes against the Iran-backed organization, which has targeted commercial merchant vessels and U.S. military ships for several months.

"It has been over a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Saturday. "The last American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times."

"Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at U.S. aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies," the president continued. "These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk."

US NAVY SHIPS REPEL ATTACK FROM HOUTHIS IN GULF OF ADEN

Trump promised that the U.S. military would "use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective."

"To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!" his post concluded.

TRUMP RE-DESIGNATES IRANIAN-BACKED HOUTHIS AS TERRORISTS: 'THREATEN[S] SECURITY OF AMERICAN CIVILIANS'

Since the strikes began on Saturday, Houthi drone, missile and air defense systems have been targeted by American forces. A senior defense official told Fox News on Sunday that at least a dozen Houthi drones have been shot down by U.S. forces so far.

On Monday, Joint Staff Director for Operations Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich told reporters that "dozens of military casualties" had so far been counted.

The Houthis claimed 53 people had been killed as of Monday, including five children, but that has not been confirmed by the U.S. military.

"This is also not an endless offensive," Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said on Monday. "This is not about regime change in the Middle East, this is about putting American interests first."

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

Student-led protests pose the gravest threat to Serbian strongman Aleksandar Vucic’s 14 years in power, with over 100,000 taking to the streets of Belgrade and cities across Serbia, calling out systemic corruption throughout the government.

March 15 saw what many believe to be the largest crowds in Serbia’s recent history, with an estimated 300,000 people marching in the center of Belgrade.  

Serbian President Vucic, who remains close to Russia, has remained defiant, ignoring calls to step down and accusing the protest movement of planning violent attacks and stoking a civil war.

HISTORIC RUSSIAN ALLY SNUBS PUTIN IN GROWING SHIFT TO EUROPEAN UNION

"Moscow and Belgrade pledged to combat color revolutions together in 2021. This is dangerous as Russia can provide Serbia with intelligence support," Ivana Stradner, research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

"Vucic is hoping that protests in Serbia will stop, but they are growing increasingly," Stradner added.

Vucic accused the students of orchestrating a Western-backed "colored revolution" and compared the movement to the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution in Ukraine, when the pro-Russian president of Ukraine was ousted from power for seeking closer ties with Vladimir Putin over Europe.

Nongovernmental and civil society organizations accuse the government of using illegal weapons, including long-range acoustic devices (LRAD), a common crowd control device that can cause severe hearing damage, during a commemorative silence for the victims of the Novi Sad railway collapse in November. 

"The Belgrade Center for Security Policy strongly condemns the unlawful and inhumane deployment of prohibited weapons, such as acoustic devices, against peaceful protesters during a public gathering of hundreds of thousands of citizens paying tribute to victims of the collapsed roof in Novi Sad," the group said in a statement.

Serbia’s foreign minister, Marko Djuric, denied the allegations in a post on X.

"Serbia categorically denies the baseless accusations that any illegal weapons, including so-called ‘sound cannons,’ were used against demonstrators in Belgrade," Djuric said.

President Vucic also denied the claims, calling it "a vile lie" in an address to the nation and promised to investigate the matter.

The protests consuming Serbia didn’t just happen overnight and have been sustained for months.

ZELENSKYY WARNS RUSSIA WANTS TO CAUSE 'EXPLOSION' IN THE BALKANS

Tens of thousands of college students have been marching since December, demanding justice and accountability after the deaths of 15 people in the collapse of a railway station in the Serbian town of Novi Sad. The canopy at the railway station collapsed Nov. 1 after renovations led by two Chinese companies.

What originally started as spontaneous protests voicing dissatisfaction with the government’s failed response to the railway catastrophe transformed into a movement opposing widespread corruption and the erosion of the rule of law under Vucic.

"It's also important to recognize that the cause of the protests runs deeper — many people perceive the state as corrupt and are broadly dissatisfied with Vučić’s government. They are calling for greater press freedom and accountability," Helena Ivanov, senior fellow at the Henry Jackson Institute, told Fox News Digital.

Ivanov said that the government’s attempts to mitigate the situation, such as arresting individuals involved in corrupt deals from years ago or the resignation of the prime minister in January, have been seen as too little, too late by the protesters and opposition politicians.

SERBIA, CAUGHT BETWEEN EUROPE AND RUSSIA, COULD MOVE ONE STEP CLOSER TO NORMALIZING RELATIONS WITH KOSOVO

Many experts and observers of the Balkans were disappointed in the Biden administration’s regional policy, claiming that the administration appeased the Vucic regime and refused to call out his antidemocratic practices. The efforts to sway Vucic and maintain close ties to Belgrade were seen as integral to the Serbia-Kosovo normalization process and their path toward European Union ascension. 

A former high-ranking diplomat with expert knowledge of the Balkans told Fox News Digital that Vucic wrongly portrays the protesters as inspired and led by the "globalist elite," hoping to gain the attention and support of President Trump. 

If President Trump wants a quick, cheap win for him and the U.S. in the Balkans, the diplomat said Trump should shift the U.S. regional posture from appeasing Vucic to containing him. Such a posture in Serbia will show that the U.S. is not kidding in the Balkans and wants a peaceful solution to simmering conflicts while utilizing the "peace through strength" doctrine.

Fighting along the Syrian-Lebanese border intensified on Monday as deadly clashes erupted between the Syrian military and Hezbollah-aligned forces. 

The escalation follows accusations from Syria’s interim government that Hezbollah terrorists crossed into Syrian territory, kidnapped three soldiers and executed them on Lebanese soil. In response, the Syrian army launched artillery strikes on Hezbollah positions, targeting what it called "gatherings" of fighters responsible for the killings. Hezbollah has denied involvement.

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, reported that the Syrian army successfully captured the village of Hawsh al-Sayyid Ali on the Syria-Lebanon border during the confrontations. Currently, most of the fighting is near the village of Al-Qasr.

Earlier this morning, the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya reported intermittent clashes between the Syrian army and Hezbollah forces along the border. The report also claimed that a Hezbollah ammunition depot in Lebanon was destroyed by Syrian artillery fire.

ISRAEL FACES NEW SYRIA CHALLENGE AS IT ADJUSTS TO NEW STRATEGY AMID REGIONAL POWER STRUGGLE FOR INFLUENCE 

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun addressed the escalating violence, saying, "What is happening on the eastern and northeastern border cannot continue, and we will not accept its continuation. I have instructed the Lebanese army to respond to the sources of fire."

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least five additional Syrian soldiers were killed during the clashes. Civilians, including families with young children, were seen fleeing toward the Syrian village of Hermel as violence spread across the border region.

The newly established Syrian government, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa of the U.S.-sanctioned terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, issued a rare statement vowing retaliation against Hezbollah.

"They took them to Lebanese territory and killed them. The Ministry of Defense will take all necessary measures in response to this escalation by Hezbollah," the statement reads.

The conflict reflects deeper sectarian and ideological divisions. HTS, a Sunni terrorist group with roots in Syria’s jihadist insurgency and former ties to al Qaeda, and Hezbollah, a Shiite terrorist force backed by Iran, represent opposing factions in the ongoing struggle for regional dominance.

"Hezbollah is trying to take advantage of the new government’s weakness in Syria, but the group itself is in a precarious position. It has suffered major setbacks from Israeli strikes, the fall of Assad, and now new adversaries in Syria," Javed Ali, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy and former senior director at the National Security Council, told Fox News Digital.

The collapse of President Bashar Assad’s government in December marked a major turning point, as Hezbollah had spent 14 years backing him alongside Russia and Iran’s pro-Shiite militias. However, in late November, Syrian rebels launched a surprise offensive against Assad’s forces, just as a ceasefire was announced in northern Gaza, leading to the final collapse of his rule.

EVANGELICAL LEADER SAYS US MUST PROTECT SYRIAN CHRISTIANS FROM ATTACKS BY JIHADI TERRORISTS

Now in power, HTS has pledged to crack down on weapons and drug smuggling along the border, a move that directly threatens Hezbollah’s operations. The new Syrian government has already begun military deployments to secure its borders, further restricting Hezbollah’s ability to maneuver.

"Hezbollah is facing a confluence of threats unlike any time in its history," said Ali. "With HTS consolidating control in Syria, Hezbollah’s overland weapons supply route from Iran has been severely compromised. This disruption could significantly degrade its operational capabilities."

The rise of HTS as a governing force in Syria has also drawn U.S. attention. While Washington has designated HTS as a terrorist organization, analysts suggest that al-Sharaa's pragmatic approach should be assessed cautiously.

"The U.S. is navigating a complex landscape in Syria, and while it does not officially recognize HTS, there are strategic interests in seeing Hezbollah and Iranian influence further weakened," Ali noted.

HTS has attempted to rebrand itself from its extremist origins, portraying itself as a nationalist Islamist movement opposed to Iranian influence and Hezbollah’s expansion in Syria. While skepticism remains, the group’s control over key Syrian territory disrupts Iran’s ability to maintain a direct supply corridor to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Beyond Syria, Hezbollah is also facing growing challenges in Lebanon. The group’s losses in recent confrontations with Israel have emboldened its domestic opponents, who now see an opportunity to weaken its grip on Lebanese politics.

Former Lebanese President Michel Aoun echoed these concerns, highlighting three major threats to Lebanon’s stability: ongoing Israeli attacks, Hezbollah’s involvement in cross-border violence, and the unresolved Syrian refugee crisis.

"Officials must take immediate action to protect the safety of the nation and its citizens," he said.

Further complicating the situation, Mounir Shehadeh, a former Lebanese government coordinator with the United Nations Interim Force peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, said "there is no presence of Hezbollah in the northeastern Bekaa Valley, and this is known by the people and tribes in the region." His statement contradicts reports of Hezbollah’s activity along the Lebanese-Syrian border, raising questions about the true extent of its control.

Analysts say the long-term implications of these developments remain uncertain, but Hezbollah’s regional position is rapidly deteriorating. While Lebanese and Syrian officials are working to contain the crisis, the risk of further escalation remains high.