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U.S. special presidential envoy for peace missions Steve Witkoff announced on Thursday that delegations from the U.S., Ukraine and Russia had agreed to the exchange of hundreds of prisoners.

"Today, delegations from the United States, Ukraine, and Russia agreed to exchange 314 prisoners — the first such exchange in five months," a Thursday post on X declared. 

"This outcome was achieved from peace talks that have been detailed and productive. While significant work remains, steps like this demonstrate that sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible results and advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine," the post continued.

WITKOFF SAYS TALKS WITH RUSSIAN ENVOY WERE ‘PRODUCTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE’ AMID TRUMP ADMIN'S PEACE PUSH

"Discussions will continue, with additional progress anticipated in the coming weeks. We thank the United Arab Emirates for hosting these discussions, and President Donald J. Trump for his leadership in making this agreement possible," the post noted.

President Donald Trump's administration has been aiming to try to help broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

TRUMP SPEAKS WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING ON RANGE OF ISSUES INCLUDING RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

The president said in a Wednesday Truth Social post that "the War between Russia/Ukraine" was one of the topics during a phone call he had that day with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a Tuesday post on X that he "would urge President Trump to start a process to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles which would be a game changer militarily." 

WITKOFF CELEBRATES ‘NEW DAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST’ AFTER FINAL ISRAELI HOSTAGE IS RETURNED FROM GAZA

"In the coming days and weeks, we must apply more pressure to Putin. Any negotiation that is seen as overly rewarding aggression will set in motion catastrophes all over the world. The opposite is equally true. If negotiations result in a free, strong and independent Ukraine — who had to make concessions — then the world will be far more stable," Graham asserted.

Venezuelan official Alex Saab, a former businessman and close ally of captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, was arrested in the Latin American country on Wednesday as part of a joint operation between the U.S. and Venezuela, according to a U.S. law enforcement official.

Saab, 54, who had previously been held in the U.S., is expected to be extradited to the U.S. in the coming days, the U.S. official told Reuters.

A lawyer for Saab, Luigi Giuliano, was cited in the Colombian newspaper El Espectador later on Wednesday, denying the arrest as "fake news." Journalists aligned with Venezuela's government also made social media posts denying that Saab had been arrested.

Giuliano told Venezuelan news site TalCual that Saab may make an appearance to refute the arrest allegations himself but was consulting with the government about what had happened.

VENEZUELA RELEASES ALL KNOWN AMERICAN DETAINEES AFTER MADURO'S CAPTURE AND GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER

Venezuela's top lawmaker, Jorge Rodríguez, did not confirm or deny the reports during a press conference, saying he had no information concerning the possible arrest.

This comes after the U.S. operation to attack Venezuela and arrest Maduro, and the Trump administration's subsequent seizing of oil tankers from the country.

Saab's arrest would suggest a new level of collaboration between U.S. and Venezuelan authorities under the government of interim President Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's former deputy, who currently controls Venezuela's law enforcement agencies and actions.

VENEZUELA'S ACTING PRESIDENT OVERHAULS OIL INDUSTRY AMID PRESSURE FROM TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

The U.S. official highlighted the significance of Rodriguez's cooperation in the joint operation.

Raul Gorrin, the head of Venezuela's Globovision TV network, was also arrested in the operation, the official said.

Saab, who was born in Colombia, was previously detained in the African nation of Cape Verde in 2020 and held in the U.S. for more than three years on bribery charges. He was eventually granted clemency in exchange for the release of Americans held in Venezuela.

Before he was granted clemency, U.S. officials had charged Saab with taking around $350 million out of Venezuela through the U.S. as part of a bribery scheme connected to Venezuela's state-controlled exchange rate.

Saab denied the allegations and appealed to have the charges dismissed on grounds of diplomatic immunity. An appeals court had not ruled on Saab's appeal by the time the prisoner swap went through.

When he returned to Venezuela at the end of 2023, Maduro praised Saab's loyalty to the country's socialist revolution and called him a national hero.

Maduro later appointed Saab as industry minister, a position he held until last month, when he was dismissed by Rodriguez following the arrest of the country's former leader.

Reuters contributed to this report.

The Hamas terrorist who murdered surveillance soldier Corporal Noa Marciano while she was held captive in Gaza has been eliminated, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Wednesday.

The strike on a group of terrorists, including Muhammad Issam Hassan al-Habil, had reportedly followed a Hamas attack overnight that wounded IDF troops in northern Gaza, in violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Al-Habil, a key Hamas cell commander, was killed in the airstrike in Gaza City’s Shati refugee camp, the IDF said in a statement.

"In response to the blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement overnight, earlier today (Wednesday), the IDF and ISA struck and eliminated the terrorist Muhammad Issam Hassan al-Habil, head of a Hamas terrorist cell," the IDF confirmed.

IDF STRIKES HAMAS 'TERRORIST TARGETS' ACROSS GAZA FOLLOWING REPORTED CEASEFIRE VIOLATION

The IDF also said that via Israeli Security Agency (ISA) questioning, al-Habil had brutally murdered Marciano, 19, while in Hamas captivity.

The IDF soldier had been abducted from the Nahal Oz outpost during the terrorist organization’s October 7th massacre.

She was wounded in an IDF airstrike on Nov. 9, 2023, while being held by Hamas and was later taken to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. At the time, Hamas claimed Marciano died in an Israeli airstrike.

Her body was eventually recovered by Israeli forces in November 2023 and returned to Israel for burial in Modi’in, where she had lived with her family.

Following the announcement of al-Habil's death, Marciano’s mother, Adi Marciano, said the family had been promised that everyone involved in her daughter’s murder would be brought to justice, according to The Times of Israel.

"There is no real comfort in this," she said. "But there is knowledge that justice was done, even if only partially. Nothing will bring Noa back to us."

HAMAS TERRORISTS USE AMBULANCES, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS IN VIOLATION OF US-BROKERED CEASEFIRE, IDF OFFICIAL SAYS

"This elimination brings closure for the Marciano family, and to the IDF and ISA," the IDF said.

"The IDF and ISA will continue to operate against any terrorist involved in the brutal Oct. 7 massacre and against any attempts by terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip to carry out terror attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians."

Israeli forces had been responding to multiple security incidents overnight, including attacks on IDF troops when al-Habil was killed.

At around 1 a.m., terrorists had opened fire on IDF forces in the Daraj Tuffah area, severely wounding a reserve officer. 

IDF KILLS KEY HAMAS FOUNDER AND MASTERMIND OF OCT 7 TERROR ATTACK IN ISRAEL

IDF troops returned fire and carried out additional strikes in the area to eliminate the threat.

In the attack, suspects were identified approaching the yellow line in southern Khan Younis and were deemed a threat to the troops. The suspects were subsequently struck, the IDF said.

In addition to al-Habil, those killed included Bilal Abu Assi, a Hamas Nukhba platoon commander who led the massacre at Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7.

Abu Assi was believed to have taken part in holding deceased hostages in captivity while directing terrorist plots against IDF troops. 

Ali Raziana, commander of the Northern Gaza Brigade of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization was also killed, according to the IDF.

The U.S. military has bolstered its presence across the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran, as nuclear talks were thrown into uncertainty Wednesday before being moved to Oman.

U.S. and Iranian officials had been expected to meet Friday in Istanbul, with several Middle Eastern countries participating as observers.

A senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News Digital that the talks, focused on restarting negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, will now take place in Oman.

"The agreement to move forward with this happened only after several Arab country leaders lobbied the Trump administration today – making the case the US should not walk away," the source said.

US MILITARY WARNS IRAN IT WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY 'UNSAFE' ACTIONS AHEAD OF LIVE-FIRE DRILLS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Satellite imagery from Plant Labs shows U.S. aircraft, naval vessels and logistical platforms positioned throughout the region at the end of January.

"The military buildup is consistent with a force preparing for a variety of potential strike options," Philip Sheers, a research associate with the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security, told Fox News Digital.

Sheers cautioned that visible movements alone do not indicate a strike is imminent, saying "positioning of platforms is not the only precondition to preparedness for a strike."

"Additional maintenance equipment, munitions and intelligence, among other elements, may still be needed before a desired strike can be executed," he said, adding that "operational details will be classified and are difficult to discern based on aircraft and ship movements alone."

U.S. naval assets in the region include the aircraft carrier strike group centered on the USS Abraham Lincoln, operating in the Arabian Sea, as well as destroyers deployed throughout the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea region.

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE GROUP MAKES MOVE AMID THREAT FROM IRAN

The images of Duqm Airport in Oman appear to show a U.S. V-22 Osprey aircraft, which Sheers, who viewed the images, said could support "search-and-rescue missions to recover personnel after a mission."

Images from Muwaffaq Salti Airbase in Azraq, Jordan, appear to show C-130 aircraft, which Sheers said could be used for "search and rescue at sea or for other logistics operations."

"It's clear that there are multirole combat aircraft stationed here, which would support ground strikes and defensive counterair operations," Sheers added while stating that helicopters were also visible, though their type, he said, could not be determined from the available imagery.

Sheers also cited the presence of Iran’s Shahid Bagheri drone carrier, saying its potential role could be to "harass, fatigue or distract U.S. surface ships in the area" and force U.S. forces to expend time and munitions defending themselves.

IRAN RESPONDS TO TRUMP PRESSURE WITH WARNING OF RETALIATION: 'FINGERS ON THE TRIGGER'

Wednesday also saw Secretary of State Marco Rubio say the U.S. would only engage in meaningful talks if they addressed Iran’s ballistic missile program, support for militant groups across the Middle East and its treatment of its own people, in addition to its nuclear activities.

"If the Iranians want to meet, we're ready. They've expressed an interest in meeting and talking. If they changed their mind, we're fine with that, too. We prefer to meet and talk," Rubio told reporters at the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting at the State Department.

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, U.S. Central Command warned Iran against what it called "escalatory behavior" in international waters, vowing the United States would protect its personnel and assets.

On Tuesday, U.S. forces also shot down an Iranian drone that approached the Abraham Lincoln in international waters, according to U.S. Central Command, underscoring rising tensions.

"What is clear is the United States is moving a variety of intelligence, logistics, search and rescue, strike and air defense platforms into the region," Sheers added.

"Those are clear signals to Iran of increasing U.S. strike capability, but the potential timing and targets of a possible strike are not clear and may not become clear," he said.

Fox News' Gillian Turner contributed to this report.

The British government has committed to releasing files related to the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States despite his ties to the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The decision to release the documents came after the Conservative Party said it would force a vote in Parliament compelling the government to publish documents related to Mandelson's appointment, according to The Associated Press. The outlet noted that critics said Mandelson's relationship with Epstein was known at the time of his appointment, though not to the extent that has since been revealed.

On Wednesday, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was grilled on the revelations and the decision to appoint Mandelson.

"I intend to make sure that all of the material is published," Starmer told lawmakers. He said the release would not include documents that compromise Britain's national security, international relations or the police investigation into Mandelson's activities.

LONDON POLICE LAUNCH CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO FORMER UK AMBASSADOR TO US WITH ALLEGED EPSTEIN TIES

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch cast doubt on Starmer's promise, demanding that the government publish all relevant files and "not just the ones the prime minister wants us to see." Badenoch went on to accuse the government of "trying to sabotage that release with an amendment to let him choose what we see."

"The prime minister is talking about national security. The national security issue was appointing Mandelson in the first place," Badenoch said.

Starmer said he knew Mandelson had maintained contact with Epstein after his 2008 prison term but that the former ambassador had "misrepresented the extent" of the relationship and "lied throughout the process, including in response to the due diligence."

"Mandelson betrayed our country, our Parliament and my party. He lied repeatedly to my team when asked about his relationship with Epstein, before and during his tenure as ambassador," Starmer said in the House of Commons on Wednesday. "I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never have been anywhere near government."

In response to a request for comment, Starmer's office referred Fox News Digital to the prime minister's remarks in the House of Commons.

The prime minister added that he had instructed his team to write legislation that would strip Mandelson of his title.

DOJ PUBLISHES TROVE OF EPSTEIN FILES, SAYS MORE TO COME AFTER FRIDAY DEADLINE

Last week, the Justice Department released a trove of documents related to the Epstein case. Among them were emails between the disgraced financier and Mandelson.

The files appeared to show that in 2009, Mandelson passed an internal government report to Epstein and discussed lobbying for reduced taxes on bankers' bonuses, the AP reported. Additionally, the files suggest that Epstein sent payments totaling $75,000 to accounts linked to Mandelson or his partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva.

Following the revelations in the newly released files, Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords on Sunday.

EX-PRINCE ANDREW PHOTOGRAPHED KNEELING OVER WOMAN IN LATEST DOJ JEFFREY EPSTEIN FILE RELEASE

In September, Starmer fired Mandelson from the ambassadorship after a string of emails, released by The Sun newspaper, showed he maintained a friendship with Epstein even after the late financier's 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor.

Following the fresh revelations about Mandelson, police in the U.K. opened an investigation into the former ambassador.

Metropolitan Police Cmdr. Ella Marriot in London said following the latest DOJ documents dump, the Met received "a number of reports" into alleged misconduct in public office, including a referral from the UK government.

"I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has now launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former Government Minister, for misconduct in public office offenses," Marriot wrote in a statement.

The House of Lords declined to comment on the police investigation when asked by Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

The Associated Press and Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan and Alex Koch contributed to this report.

U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday that it carried out five strikes against "multiple" Islamic State targets in recent days as part of a joint military effort to "ensure the enduring defeat of the terrorist network." 

CENTCOM said, from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, its forces "located and destroyed an ISIS communication site, critical logistics node, and weapons storage facilities with 50 precision munitions delivered by fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft." 

"Striking these targets demonstrates our continued focus and resolve for preventing an ISIS resurgence in Syria," Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of CENTCOM, said in a statement.  

"Operating in coordination with coalition and partner forces to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS makes America, the region and the world safer."

AFTER TRUMP DECLARED ISIS DEFEATED, US FACES NEW TEST AS DETAINEES MOVE AMID SYRIA POWER SHIFT

CENTCOM said it launched the Operation Hawkeye Strike mission in response to a Dec. 13, 2025, ISIS "ambush" attack against U.S. and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria. The attack left two U.S. service members and an American interpreter dead. 

"After nearly two months of targeted operations, more than 50 ISIS terrorists have been killed or captured. CENTCOM forces killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim during a deliberate strike in northwest Syria on Jan. 16. The terrorist leader was directly connected with the ISIS gunman responsible for the Dec. 13 attack," the military agency said. 

CHAOS IN SYRIA SPARKS FEARS OF ISIS PRISON BREAKS AS US RUSHES DETAINEES TO IRAQ

Cooper said in December at the launch of Operation Hawkeye Strike that the effort is "critical to preventing ISIS from inspiring terrorist plots and attacks against the U.S. homeland."

"We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region," he added. 

In December, before Operation Hawkeye Strike, CENTCOM said U.S. and partner forces in Syria "conducted more than 80 operations over the last six months to eliminate terrorists posing a direct threat to the United States and regional security." 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Wednesday that Iran requested to change locations for talks with its U.S. counterparts, following several reports on the matter.

"We thought we had an established forum that had been agreed to in Turkey. It was put together by a number of partners who wanted to attend and be a part of it," Rubio said when taking questions from reporters on Wednesday. 

"I saw conflicting reports yesterday from the Iranian side saying that they had not agreed to that. So, that's still being worked through. At the end of the day, the United States is prepared to engage in, has always been prepared to engage with Iran."

IRAN PUSHES FOR FRIDAY NUCLEAR TALKS IN OMAN AMID RISING TENSIONS WITH US FORCES: SOURCE

A source familiar with the discussions told Fox News on Tuesday that Iran had requested to hold nuclear talks with the U.S. in Oman on Friday. Additionally, Axios reported that Iranian officials were pressing to limit the talks to a bilateral U.S.-Iran format, excluding other Arab and regional countries — a move that could complicate U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region.

Rubio would not say what topics had been agreed on. Rather, he laid out matters that, in his view, would need to be discussed in order for the meeting to "actually lead to something meaningful." The topics on Rubio's list include the range of Iran's ballistic missiles, its sponsorship of terror organizations, its nuclear program and the treatment of its people.

IRANIAN MEDIA CLAIMS DRONE SHOT DOWN BY US WAS CONDUCTING SURVEILLANCE IN A 'ROUTINE AND LAWFUL MISSION'

The secretary also spoke about the anti-regime protests that have raged in Iran since late December. When the demonstrations began, President Donald Trump said the U.S. would act if protesters were met with violence. Rubio credited Trump's tough talk with the cancellation of protesters' executions, something that the regime has denied.

"The Iranian people and the Iranian regime are very unalike," Rubio said. "The leadership of Iran at the clerical level does not reflect the people of Iran. I know of no other country where there's a bigger difference between the people that lead the country and the people who live there."

TRUMP SAYS IRAN 'SERIOUSLY TALKING TO US' AS MILITARY SHIPS HEAD TO MIDDLE EAST

Rubio said that the Islamic regime is unable to fix the economic problems plaguing its people because Iranian leaders are using the country's money and resources to sponsor terrorism and proxy groups around the world.

On Tuesday, the U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone after it "aggressively approached a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with unclear intent," a U.S. Central Command spokesman told Fox News.

Iran later claimed that the drone was conducting surveillance as part of a "routine and lawful mission over international waters."

Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan, Greg Norman-Diamond and Liz Friden, and Fox News' Aishah Hasnie contributed to this report.

Late last month, the Australian government canceled a travel visa for outspoken Jewish influencer Sammy Yahood over anti-Islam comments posted to social media — critics say this is just the latest instance of targeting pro-Israel voices by authorities.

In an Instagram post, Yahood claimed the Australian government "called up the UAE," to be sure that he could not board a plane to Melbourne.

He said he booked his travel via the United Arab Emirates three days before the Bondi Beach terror attack that killed 15 people assembled for a beachside Hannukah celebration. Following the tragedy, he said that he hoped his visit would give the Jewish community "some hope for the future."

ISIS, IRAN ESCALATING GLOBAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST JEWS, ISRAEL SPY CHIEF SAYS

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said of his visa cancellation that, "spreading hatred is not a good reason to come" to Australia, the Guardian newspaper reported. On social media, the controversial influencer, Yahood, has called for a ban on Islam, saying, "it’s time to stop being tolerant of those that are not tolerant of us."

Avi Yemini, chief reporter for Rebel News Online in Australia, told Fox News Digital that Yahood "is just the latest name on a growing list of Jews being barred from entering Australia, not because they pose any genuine security threat, but because this government is pandering to a specific voting bloc."

Yemini claimed that "only one Islamist extremist has been stopped under this government. In the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack, that imbalance tells you everything you need to know about their priorities."

The Australian government blocked the visa of Lebanese preacher Hussain Makke in March 2025, according to the Herald Sun. Makke had planned to speak during Ramadan in Melbourne and Sydney. His visa was canceled after he attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whom he described as the "greatest freedom fighter."

Fox News Digital also found that in Aug. 2025, the government blocked travel for a Palestinian cookbook author who openly expressed support for Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre, the Sydney Morning Herald said. SBS reported that a 61-year-old Palestinian woman had her visa canceled while in Australia in July 2025.

INTELLIGENCE WARNED AUSTRALIA OF IRANIAN-LINKED TERROR ACTIVITY MONTHS BEFORE BONDI ATTACK, OFFICIALS SAY

Three other Israelis were also canceled after Oct. 7, 2023 by the Australian government. In June last year, the visa of prominent pro-Israel activist Hillel Fuld was stopped. Fuld’s brother was killed in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem in 2018.

The Times of Israel reported that in a letter sent to Fuld from the Ministry of Home Affairs, his visit would incite "particular segments of the community, namely the Islamic population," the report claimed.

Two months later, the government canceled a visa for right-wing Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, who had a speaking tour scheduled in Melbourne and Sydney. Rothman is a member of Israel's governing coalition.

In 2024, Burke canceled a visa for former Israeli parliamentarian Ayelet Shaked, citing remarks about Palestinians that he felt were "demeaning," according to ABC News.

The Australian Embassy and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade did not answer questions about Yemini’s claims. The press secretary of the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, declined to respond without Fox News Digital naming sources of criticism against the pm.

FORMER HAMAS HOSTAGE WARNED AUSTRALIAN LEADERS ABOUT DANGERS OF ANTISEMITISM MONTHS BEFORE BONDI BEACH ATTACK

The Home Affairs Ministry told Fox News Digital it could not comment on specific cases and did not respond to additional questions.

The environment inside Australia remains tense following the Bondi Beach massacre.

Former Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison recently drew condemnation when he suggested that Muslim leaders should be licensed to preach, and that their teaching should be translated into English. Morrison suggested that Muslims in Australia should take "accountability and responsibility" for radicalization, the Australian reported.

The site also claimed that one of the shooters had ties to Sydney preacher Wissam Haddad, some of whose lectures ABC News says were ordered removed from social media by a federal judge because they were found to contain "racist and antisemitic" content.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) produced a 15-minute video which they claim contains multiple instances of incitement to violence towards Jews, recorded at protests in Sydney and at a variety of mosques within 30–40 minutes of Bondi Beach.

Albanese’s press secretary did not respond to questions about whether Albanese had made any effort to respond to the conduct shown in the video.

The Australian National Imams’ Council called Morrison’s remarks "reckless, irresponsible, and deeply ill-informed," and said it was unacceptable "to suggest that an entire faith community should be held accountable for the actions of two (alleged) criminal offenders, both of whom law enforcement agencies have confirmed acted alone."

Yemini said the response to Morrison "is part of a broader attempt to shut down any honest conversation about what is driving the surge in antisemitism and ideological violence in Australia." He said that Australians were told for years that "it was reasonable to distinguish between Islam and radical Islam. Now, we’re being told to ignore the fact that attackers themselves cite religion as their motivation."

Seif al-Islam al-Qaddafi, the son of the late Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi, was reportedly killed by "four masked men," according to his team.

The 53-year-old was killed in the town of Zintan, which is located southwest of the country's capital, Tripoli, according to The Associated Press, which cited Libya’s chief prosecutor’s office. The office said he was shot to death, but did not provide other details, according to the AP. Additionally, the outlet said that Khaled al-Zaidi, a lawyer for Seif al-Islam, confirmed his death on Facebook.

The "masked men" allegedly stormed Seif al-Islam's home and killed him in a "cowardly and treacherous assassination," the AP reported, citing Seif al-Islam's team. The team also claimed in its statement that the assailants closed the CCTV cameras at the house "in a desperate attempt to conceal traces of their heinous crimes," according to the AP.

JET CRASH CARRYING LIBYA’S TOP GENERAL TRIGGERS AIRSPACE SHUTDOWN OVER NATO CAPITAL

Born in 1972, Seif al-Islam was the second-born son of longtime dictator al-Qaddafi. He was educated at the London School of Economics, where he studied for a Ph.D.

US AMBASSADOR TO NATO WARNS THE 'BALL' IS IN IRAN'S 'COURT' AS TRUMP CONFIRMS NEGOTIATIONS TAKING PLACE

Seif al-Islam, who was seen by many as Libya's face to the West, has been described as the most influential man in the country, despite the fact that he did not hold an official position. He led the talks on Libya abandoning weapons of mass destruction and negotiated compensation for the loved ones of those killed in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, Reuters reported.

Muammar al-Qaddafi, who ruled Libya since 1969, was toppled and killed in a NATO-backed popular uprising in 2011. The uprising led to a civil war, and the country has since become divided between rival armed groups and militias, the AP noted. In late 2011, Seif al-Islam was captured by fighters while trying to flee to Niger and was later released in June 2017 when one of Libya's rival governments granted him amnesty, according to the AP.

In November 2021, Seif al-Islam announced his candidacy in the country's presidential election, but was eventually disqualified by Libya's High National Elections Committee, the AP reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Iranian drone shot down by the U.S. military over the Arabian Sea was conducting surveillance as part of a "routine and lawful mission over international waters," Iranian media is claiming. 

The Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), cited a source Wednesday as saying that the drone operated by the IRGC successfully transmitted reconnaissance photos to its command center before suffering a loss of communication. 

The source added that the drone was carrying out a "routine and lawful mission over international waters," engaging in surveillance and imaging duties. 

The U.S. military had shot down the unmanned Iranian drone Tuesday after it "aggressively approached a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with unclear intent," a U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesman previously told Fox News. 

US MILITARY SHOOTS DOWN IRANIAN DRONE APPROACHING USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN IN THE ARABIAN SEA, OFFICIAL SAYS

"USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) was transiting the Arabian Sea approximately 500 miles from Iran’s southern coast when an Iranian Shahed-139 drone unnecessarily maneuvered toward the ship," Capt. Tim Hawkins added. 

"The Iranian drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters," CENTCOM also said. "An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board." 

IRANIAN GUNBOATS UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPT TO BOARD OIL TANKER AS TRUMP BUILDS MILITARY PRESENCE

Hawkins said no U.S. service members were injured and no U.S. equipment was damaged during the incident.

USS Abraham Lincoln is in the Middle East after President Donald Trump said last week that, "A massive Armada is heading to Iran."   

Hawkins also told Fox News on Tuesday that, "During a separate incident hours later in the Strait of Hormuz, IRGC forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel lawfully transiting the international sea passage." 

FIRST ON FOX: Amid the recent start of phase two of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and the Jewish state, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claim that Hamas has violated the deal through its misuse of ambulances, hospitals and schools to regain control of the northern Gaza Strip.

The IDF provided Fox News Digital with exclusive video footage of what it alleges is Hamas operatives using an ambulance to transport terrorists and weapons from the "inner yard of the Yemen Al-Saeed Hospital" to various checkpoints in northern Gaza.

"You see an armed suspect going into the ambulance with a Kalashnikov. The ambulance is connecting the dots for us. We passed the information to the American headquarters of the footage of the militants," an IDF official said of the video shared with Fox News Digital.

GAZA’S RAFAH BORDER CROSSING PARTIALLY REOPENS UNDER CEASEFIRE DEAL

The first phase of the agreement required that Hamas return all hostages held in Gaza. The second core part involves the disarming of Hamas, the U.S. and EU-designated terrorist movement.

An IDF spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "There are disturbing developments over the last few weeks. We see the return of Hamas to the front line, to the yellow line."

The yellow line separates IDF-controlled territory in Gaza, which is estimated to be 53%, from the enclave area not under Israeli control.

"Hamas has returned to schools, hospitals and kindergartens and is turning them into military bases. A Hamas commander is in charge of each school in Jabalia in northern Gaza," the IDF official claimed.

They continued, "We have seen Hamas with Kalashnikovs and, over the past few weeks, Hamas has been using ambulances. We have tracked over several weeks that Hamas uses ambulances to do checks in Jabalia. It is a big change. We see the confidence of Hamas using ambulances. It is a symbol for Hamas that it is gaining confidence and rebuilding itself, a sign of a potential raid on our bases in the future."

The city of Jabalia was the scene of intense combat for the IDF during the over two-year war with Hamas. In May 2024, Fox News Digital reported the IDF secured the bodies of seven hostages from Jabalia. Hamas turned the "civilian area into a fortified combat compound," the IDF said at the time about Jabalia.  

When asked about the number of Hamas fighters in Jabalia in January 2026, the IDF official told Fox News Digital, "There are 3,000 Hamas operatives in Jabalia. 75,000 citizens have returned to Jabalia."

HAMAS CONFIRMS FIVE LEADERS KILLED INCLUDING 'MASKED SPOKESPERSON' IN MAJOR BLOW TO TERROR GROUP

The official said, "In the Jabalia refugee camp there are still functioning tunnels. We are working on destroying tunnels inside of the yellow line and are at an advanced stage of clearing tunnels."

Fox News Digital has reported extensively during the war on Hamas’ use of hospitals as military centers. The IDF operation against Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza resulted in the capture of roughly 100 suspected Hamas terrorists.

Shortly before the ceasefire came into effect in Oct. 2025, the IDF showed international reporters a Hamas terrorist tunnel adjacent to the Jordanian Field Hospital in Gaza City.  The IDF said that Hamas terrorists were in the hospital and Jordanian medical personnel cooperated with Hamas. The state of Jordan denied the links to Hamas at its field hospital.

The IDF official said, "At the Yemen Al-Saeed Hospital, a Hamas commander with the rank of lieutenant colonel controls the hospital. We have notified the Americans. The freedom of action of IDF is limited. Hamas is violating the ceasefire. We have footage of Yemen Al-Saeed Hospital that we used to see before Oct. 7. Hamas places citizens in the hospital. The ambulance with Hamas goes through major crossroads."

Hamas invaded parts of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and murdered over 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250 individuals.

IDF SAYS GAZA STRIKES HIT TERRORISTS, WEAPONS FACILITIES AFTER CEASEFIRE BREACH; HOSPITALS REPORT 30 KILLED

The IDF official, along with many U.S. and Israeli counter-terrorism officials, have placed large question marks over the possibility of disarming one of the world’s worst and most ideologically committed Islamist terrorist movements.

Hamas officials have stressed over the last week and since the ceasefire started that it will not disarm. The senior Hamas official, Moussa Abu Marzouk, told the Qatari government-controlled outlet Al-Jazeera last week that the Hamas agreement to abandon its weapons "never happened, not for a single moment did we talk about the surrender of weapons, or any formula about destroying, surrendering, or disarmament."

The IDF official said, "There is a lot of belief in phase two and it will include disarming Hamas. I am very pessimistic in this matter. Hamas will not give away its weapons, and it will put on a show. Hamas might have civilians give away weapons. The game will be how good the show is." The official added, "We have indications from the ground level that there is no process of full disarmament by Hamas. We have intelligence that Hamas operatives know that no full disarmament is planned."

When asked about disarming Hamas, Brig. Gen. Yossi Kuperwasser (res.), a former head of research in the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate, told Fox News Digital, "Hamas is not willing to disarm but may be ready to give up some heavy weapons." 

Fox News Digital efforts to reach the Hamas spokesman were not successful.

Iran is losing an estimated $1.56 million every hour because of its state-imposed internet blackout, draining its struggling economy and disrupting life for more than 90 million people, according to an internet privacy analyst.

The prolonged disruptions originated amid spiraling protests through January with losses he claimed were continuing even after partial connectivity was restored.

"The current blackout is costing Iran an estimated $37.4 million per day, or $1.56 million every hour," Simon Migliano, head of research at PrivacyCo, told Fox News Digital. "The full internet blackout itself cost Iran more than $780 million, and the subsequent strict filtering continues to have a significant additional economic impact."

"Iran has already drained $215 million from its economy in 2025 by disrupting internet access," the internet privacy and security analyst added.

IRAN WILL RETALIATE 'WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE' IF US ATTACKS, SENIOR DIPLOMAT WARNS

Migliano said his estimates were calculated using the NetBlocks COST tool, an economic model that measures the immediate impact on a nation’s gross domestic product when its digital economy is forced offline.

The model assesses direct losses to productivity, online transactions and remote work, drawing on data from the World Bank, the International Telecommunication Union, Eurostat and the U.S. Census Bureau.

IRAN PUSHES FOR FAST TRIALS AND EXECUTIONS OF SUSPECTS DETAINED IN PROTESTS DESPITE TRUMP'S WARNING: REPORT

Iranian authorities abruptly cut off communications on the night of Jan. 8 amid widespread protests against the clerical regime.

While officials later restored much of the country’s domestic bandwidth, as well as local and international phone calls and SMS messaging, the population is largely unable to freely access the internet because of heavy state filtering.

"The recent 579% surge in VPN demand reflects a scramble for digital survival," Migliano said before describing how even when access is briefly restored, the internet remains "heavily censored and effectively unusable without circumvention tools such as VPNs."

"We can see spikes showing that as soon as connectivity returned, users immediately sought VPNs to reach sites and services outside the state-controlled network, including global platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram that remain otherwise inaccessible," he added.

IRAN REGIME OPENED FIRE WITH LIVE AMMUNITION ON PROTESTERS, DOCTOR SAYS: ‘SHOOT-TO-KILL’

"Sustained demand — averaging 427% above normal levels — indicates Iranians are stockpiling circumvention tools in anticipation of further blackouts," Migliano said.

"The usual strategy is to download as many free tools as possible and cycle between them. It becomes a cat-and-mouse game, as the government blocks individual VPN servers and providers rotate IP addresses to stay ahead of the censors," he added.

Iran’s minister of information and communications technology, Sattar Hashemi, acknowledged the economic toll caused by the blackout tactics.

He said recent outages were inflicting roughly "5,000 billion rials" a day in losses to the digital economy and nearly 50 trillion rials on the wider economy, according to Iran International.

"Iran’s three-week internet blackout may have been lifted, but connectivity remains severely disrupted still," Migliano claimed.

"Access is still heavily filtered. It is restricted to a government-approved ‘whitelist’ of sites and apps and the connection itself remains highly unstable throughout the day," he added.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced sweeping plans at the World Government Summit in Dubai to hold social media executives criminally liable and curb platform algorithms, prompting a sharp and profane response from X owner Elon Musk.

Sánchez laid out five measures in a speech, with implementation set to begin next week.

"Dirty Sánchez is a tyrant and traitor to the people of Spain," Musk wrote on X, using an explicit insult and a poop emoji.

Sánchez framed the proposals by describing social media as a lawless digital ecosystem, arguing that platforms have become a "failed state" where disinformation, hate speech and criminal activity flourish without accountability.

BIG TECH'S TOBACCO MOMENT IS HERE — AND THE TRUTH ABOUT HARMING KIDS IS OUT

Sánchez also appeared to take aim at Musk directly, criticizing the X owner for amplifying what he described as false claims about Spain’s immigration policy and allowing harmful content to spread on the platform.

"Just last week, the owner of X, a migrant himself, used his personal account to amplify disinformation about the sovereign decision by my government, the regularization of 500,000 migrants that live, work and contribute to the success of our country," Sánchez said.

Under the plan, Spain would first amend its laws to hold platform executives criminally liable for failing to remove illegal or hateful content, exposing executives to potential prosecution.

GRAHAM LEADS BIPARTISAN DEMAND FOR TECH REFORM VOTE TO 'BRING SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES TO HEEL'

Sánchez said governments must stop turning "a blind eye to the toxic content shared under their watch."

Second, Spain would make the algorithmic manipulation and amplification of illegal content a new criminal offense, targeting both disinformation actors and the platforms whose systems promote their content for profit.

"Disinformation doesn’t appear by itself," Sánchez said. "It is created, promoted and spread by certain actors."

MARCO RUBIO VOICES CONCERN THAT AMERICANS MAY SOMEDAY BE ARRESTED FOR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS WHEN VISITING EUROPE

Third, Sánchez announced the creation of a "hate and polarization footprint," a system to track and quantify how platforms fuel division and spread hate, which would serve as the basis for future legal and financial penalties.

"For too long, hate has been treated as invisible and untraceable," Sánchez said. "Spreading hate must come at a cost."

Fourth, Spain will ban access to social media for children under 16, requiring mandatory age-verification systems that Sánchez said must function as real barriers, not simple check boxes.

"Today, our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone," Sánchez said, describing social media as a realm of "addiction, abuse, pornography, manipulation [and] violence."

Finally, Sánchez said his government will work with public prosecutors to investigate alleged violations by Grok, TikTok and Instagram, vowing zero tolerance and warning that Spain would defend its digital sovereignty against foreign interference.

"We are fighting back," he said. "And we will continue to do so."

Leaked documents from the Iranian regime reveal a coordinated plan by its security apparatus, approved by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to violently suppress nationwide protests using force, surveillance and internet shutdowns.

Excerpts of the documents, reviewed by Fox News Digital, show that Iran’s Supreme National Security Council developed the strategy after the 2019 nationwide protests that came amid fuel price hikes and economic collapse.

At a National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) press briefing Tuesday covering the regime’s pre-planned orders behind the protests and mass killings, Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the Washington office, said the documents "were obtained from within the regime" and later cited The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) as having gained access to them.

"This Directive by the National Security Council was obtained by the network in Iran of the MEK, which has access to sources within the regime," he confirmed to Fox News Digital.

IRAN'S PRESIDENT ACCUSES TRUMP, NETANYAHU, EUROPE OF PROVOKING UNREST: 'THEY BROUGHT THEM INTO THE STREETS'

"These documents show the regime's efforts to prevent the resurgence of the uprising and, if it occurred, to suppress it," Jafarzadeh added before stating that there are "clear operational plans allocated to the IRGC to use lethal force to kill as many people as needed to stay in power."

The first document, classified "top secret," was issued Mar. 3, 2021, with the regime codifying four escalating law enforcement and security conditions. The regime defined how unrest would be handled and which authorities would be in command at each stage.

Initial law enforcement and non-armed security situations placed command authority with Iran’s national police force, with support from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Intelligence Ministry (VAJA).

In the most severe category, designated an "armed security situation," full command authority rapidly shifted to the IRGC.

"For now, this compilation should be communicated for two years," Khamenei wrote before ordering the blueprint implemented nationwide.

RUBIO REVOKES IRANIAN OFFICIALS' US TRAVEL PRIVILEGES OVER DEADLY PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS

The secret guidelines became the blueprint for crushing the January 2026 protests, which erupted amid soaring inflation, currency collapse and anger toward clerical rule.

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), at least 6,854 people have been killed during the protests, with 11,280 cases under investigation.

Internal regime assessments cited in other leaked files describe three phases of the 2026 uprising: an initial law enforcement phase, followed by a non-armed security phase and finally an armed security situation beginning Jan. 8 when authority shifted fully to the IRGC that played the command role and carried out armed killings.

The documents specify that during armed security situations, the IRGC operated with support from other security bodies, while Iran’s Ministry of Communications was ordered to impose internet restrictions, including full shutdowns.

IRAN RAMPS UP REGIONAL THREATS AS TRUMP CONSIDERS TALKS, EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF REGIME VIOLENCE EMERGE

A second classified document, compiled in 2024 by the IRGC’s Sarallah Headquarters, reveals how far the regime went to prepare for dissent.

The 129-page "Comprehensive Security Plan of Tehran" details extensive surveillance and repression measures, identifying members of the opposition MEK and family members of executed dissidents as "level number one" enemies subject to monitoring and control.

"It also shows how far the regime is prepared to go to kill as many people as needed, which they did in January 2026. However, these killings further convinced the people that there is only one way to end the killings, and that is to overthrow the regime," Jafarzadeh added.

"There are more people, especially young ones, who have joined the ranks of the organized force to confront the IRGC and liberate the nation," he said.

A House Foreign Affairs Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday underscored what lawmakers and witnesses repeatedly described as a "historic" but "narrowing" opportunity to weaken Hezbollah and restore Lebanese state sovereignty, while exposing sharp disagreement over whether current U.S. policy is moving fast or forcefully enough.

Opening the hearing, Chairman Mike Lawler, R-NY., said Lebanon is "at a crossroads" following the Nov. 2024 Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, arguing the moment offers "an unprecedented opportunity" to help Lebanon "break free of the shackles of Iran’s malign influence." He warned, however, that progress has been uneven, saying implementation of the Lebanese Armed Forces’ has been "haphazard at best."

The ranking member, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., struck a more confrontational tone toward the administration, warning that Hezbollah is already rebuilding and that U.S. policy risks squandering the moment.

WALTZ HAILS ‘NIGHT-AND-DAY’ MIDDLE EAST SHIFT AS TRUMP’S GAZA PLAN RESHAPES REGION

"There is a historic opportunity in Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah and remove its grip on the Lebanese state," he said. "That window of opportunity, however, is narrow. Hezbollah is working hard to rebuild, rearm and to reconstitute itself."

He criticized cuts to non-security assistance and faulted comments by a Trump administration envoy who described Hezbollah as "a political party that also has a militant aspect to it," arguing such language "sent the wrong signals" at a critical moment.

David Schenker, senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, testified that while Hezbollah has been weakened militarily, the pace of disarmament remains slow and obstructed.

"The LAF has a presence in the south that it didn’t have prior to November 2024," Schenker said. "But they are not in control. Hezbollah still controls the region."

Schenker said the obstacle is no longer capability but political will. "At this point, the question of disarmament is not a matter of capability but of will," he told lawmakers, warning that Hezbollah continues to thrive amid corruption and a cash-based economy.

ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH BORDER TENSIONS RISE AS TERROR GROUP REARMS, RESISTS US-BACKED CEASEFIRE

Hanin Ghaddar, senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said that even full weapons surrender would not dismantle Hezbollah’s power.

"Hezbollah is not sustained by weapons alone," Ghaddar said. "It survives through an economic and political ecosystem that protects cash flows, penetrates state institutions and enables military rebuilding."

She warned that Lebanon’s unregulated cash economy has become Hezbollah’s most durable asset. "Weapons can be collected, but money keeps flowing," Ghaddar said. "Disarmament without dismantling the cash economy… will not be durable."

TRUMP ADMIN PRESSURES LEBANON TO DISARM HEZBOLLAH AS ENVOY CALLS NATION ‘FAILED STATE’

All three witnesses emphasized U.S. support should be tied to measurable performance such as progress on disarmament of Hezbollah and economic reform.

Schenker called for renewed sanctions against corrupt Lebanese officials, saying, "We should be sanctioning leaders right now… who are obstructing reform."

Dana Stroul, director of research and senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, warned that Washington’s approach remains incomplete.

"For the past year, U.S. policy has focused on Hezbollah disarmament, which is critical, but on its own is only a partial strategy," Stroul said.

She cautioned that upcoming parliamentary elections could either "strengthen or undermine the anti-Hezbollah government," calling it the "worst-case outcome" if Hezbollah-aligned politicians retain power.

Ghaddar said Hezbollah’s weakening has shifted Lebanese public discourse. "The mythology of resistance has shattered," she said. "Peace is no longer taboo."

She argued that normalization with Israel would raise the political cost of Hezbollah’s rearmament and help lock in reform. "Without a credible peace horizon, disarmament and economic reform will be temporary. With one, they become structural," Ghaddar said.

Police in the United Kingdom announced a criminal investigation Tuesday into Peter Mandelson, Britain's former ambassador to the United States, after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released millions of court documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Metropolitan Police Cmdr. Ella Marriot in London said following the DOJ documents dump, the Met received "a number of reports" into alleged misconduct in public office, including a referral from the UK government.

"I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has now launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former Government Minister, for misconduct in public office offenses," Marriot wrote in a statement.

RESURFACED PHOTO LINKS MAMDANI TO EPSTEIN-CONNECTED PUBLICIST AT NEW YORK CITY EVENT

"The Met will continue to assess all relevant information brought to our attention as part of this investigation and won’t be commenting any further at this time," she added.

Mandelson resigned Sunday from the governing Labour Party amid allegations he received $75,000 in payments from Epstein and shared sensitive government information after the 2008 financial crisis.

HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO SUBPOENA LES WEXNER, 2 OTHERS IN EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION

Prime Minister Keir Starmer abruptly fired Mandelson from his ambassadorial position in September following the release of emails between Mandelson and Epstein.

Starmer on Monday requested an urgent review of Mandelson’s communications with Epstein while he was in office.

The House of Lords announced on Tuesday Mandelson is stepping down.

"He will cease to be a member tomorrow," the House of Lords told Fox News Digital. "We have no comment on any possible police investigation."

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while in federal custody.

He was awaiting trial on charges including sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Two Swedes were convicted in a Danish court of terrorism and attempted murder for detonating two hand grenades near the Israeli Embassy in Copenhagen in October 2024.

The younger of the two men, who is 18 years old, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while his older accomplice, aged 21, was sentenced to 14 years, according to The Associated Press, which cited Swedish news agency TT. The two men, who have not been identified, were said to be acting on behalf of a criminal gang, the AP reported.

The attack occurred on Oct. 2, 2024, when the two threw hand grenades towards the Israeli Embassy in Copenhagen. The grenades detonated on the terrace of a residential building, which was inhabited by a family with children, according to the AP. No one was injured in the blasts. The nearby Jewish school, Carolineskolen, was closed when the attack took place.

AMERICANS WARNED BY US EMBASSY IN ISRAEL TO PREPARE FOR ‘CRISES’ AMID IRAN TENSIONS

The two men admitted to throwing the grenades, but denied being ideologically motivated, saying they did it for money, the AP reported.

IRAN-DIRECTED PLOT TO ASSASSINATE ISRAEL’S AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO THWARTED, OFFICIALS REVEAL

The Danish court was reportedly split on whether the two should be convicted of terrorism. Two judges and four jurors concluded that they were guilty, while one judge and two jurors disagreed, according to the AP, which cited TT.

At the time of the attack, Israel's war in Gaza had been ongoing for nearly a year following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, massacre that left 1,200 dead and resulted in the taking of 251 hostages. Throughout the war, Jerusalem faced international scrutiny as world leaders debated whether the Israel Defense Forces' actions in Gaza were excessive.

The war ended in October 2025 with a peace deal brokered under the Trump administration.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Iran has requested that nuclear talks with the United States be held in Oman on Friday, a source familiar with the discussions told Fox News, as Tehran pushes for changes to the structure of renewed negotiations.

The request comes as Axios reported that Iranian officials are also pressing to limit the talks to a bilateral U.S.-Iran format, excluding other Arab and regional countries — a move that could complicate U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region.

The State Department has not publicly confirmed whether any talks are scheduled or what format they would take.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN ALREADY HAS US TERMS AS MILITARY STRIKE CLOCK TICKS

Reuters reported Monday that Tehran is examining the possibility of renewed nuclear talks with the United States, with Turkey emerging as a potential venue and regional mediators, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, playing an active role, after President Donald Trump said he was hopeful a deal could be reached to avert military action against Iran.

Trump has reportedly been weighing his options on a possible military strike on Iran amid widespread protests and violent crackdowns inside the country. Trump announced last week that a "massive Armada is heading to Iran," led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that talks between the U.S. and Iran are still scheduled, confirming special envoy Steve Witkoff remains engaged in diplomatic discussions.

IRANIAN GUNBOATS UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPT TO BOARD OIL TANKER AS TRUMP BUILDS MILITARY PRESENCE

"Oh, look, I just spoke with special envoy Witkoff. And, these talks as of right now are still scheduled. President Trump is always wanting to pursue diplomacy first, but obviously it takes two to tango. You need a willing partner to achieve diplomacy. And that's something that special envoy Witkoff is intent on exploring and discussing," Leavitt said.

Leavitt added that Trump continues to keep military options on the table.

"As always, though, of course, the president has a range of options on the table with respect to Iran. As commander in chief, I think they learned that quite well last year with the strike in Operation Midnight Hammer, which was wildly successful and obliterated their nuclear capabilities. But those talks will continue later this week as far as we're concerned. Right now," she said.

The news comes after six Iranian gunboats unsuccessfully attempted to halt a U.S.-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The security firm Vanguard Tech told its clients on Tuesday that the Iranian vessels were armed with .50-caliber guns, and they ordered the oil tanker to turn off its engines and prepare to be boarded. Instead, the tanker sped up and was ultimately escorted to safety by a U.S. Navy vessel, according to the Journal.

In addition, the U.S. military shot down an unmanned Iranian drone Tuesday after it "aggressively approached a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with unclear intent," a U.S. Central Command spokesman told Fox News. No U.S. service members were injured and no U.S. equipment was damaged during the incident.  

Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom and Greg Norman contributed to this report.

The Iranian president, who just days ago accused President Donald Trump of provoking unrest and trying to "tear this country apart," is now striking a softer tone regarding talks about its nuclear program, following a warning from Trump. 

Trump said at the White House on Monday that the U.S. is talking with Iran and that he would "like to see a deal negotiated."  

"And if we could work something out, that'd be great," Trump added. "And if we can't, probably bad things would happen." 

Masoud Pezeshkian then took to X on Tuesday and wrote, "In light of requests from friendly governments in the region to respond to the proposal by the President of the United States for negotiations: I have instructed my Minister of Foreign Affairs, provided that a suitable environment exists — one free from threats and unreasonable expectations — to pursue fair and equitable negotiations, guided by the principles of dignity, prudence, and expediency."

IRAN RAMPS UP REGIONAL THREATS AS TRUMP CONSIDERS TALKS

"These negotiations shall be conducted within the framework of our national interests," Pezeshkian also said. 

Axios has reported that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul on Friday. However, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News on Tuesday that Iran wants to move the discussions to Oman.

Pezeshkian told state television on Saturday that Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and European leaders "rode on our problems, provoked, and were seeking — and still seek — to fragment society," according to Reuters.

IRAN STAGES KHAMENEI PHOTOS TO MASK CRACKS IN IRGC, OPPOSITION GROUPS SAY

"They brought them into the streets and wanted, as they said, to tear this country apart, to sow conflict and hatred among the people and create division," Pezeshkian reportedly added about the anti-government protests and deadly crackdown that recently swept through Iran. "Everyone knows that the issue was not just a social protest."   

Then in a series of posts on X on Tuesday, Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, "The United States wants to devour Iran; the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic prevent this," and, "Iran stands firm and will continue to stand firm, and — God willing — will put an end to the United States’ mischief and harassment."

"The recent sedition was orchestrated by Zionists & the US. I was informed through a certain channel that the CIA & Mossad deployed all of their resources into the field!"  Khamenei also claimed, without providing any evidence.

Trump said last week that "time is running out for Iran."

In a Truth Social post last Wednesday, Trump wrote, "A massive Armada is heading to Iran."  

"It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully, Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!" the president warned. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Russia carried out a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure using a record number of ballistic missiles, one day before peace talks with Moscow and Washington are set to resume in Abu Dhabi.

Zelenskyy said the attack involved more than 70 missiles — among them 32 ballistic and 28 cruise — as well as more than 450 attack drones that targeted eight regions, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said five people were injured and three more were rescued in Kharkiv after a drone strike caused a fire in a residential high-rise building.

"The Russian army exploited the U.S. proposal to briefly halt strikes not to support diplomacy, but to stockpile missiles and wait until the coldest days of the year, when temperatures across large parts of Ukraine drop below -20°C (-4°F)," Zelenskyy wrote on X.

RUSSIA, UKRAINE TO DISCUSS TERRITORY AS TRUMP SAYS BOTH SIDES 'WANT TO MAKE A DEAL'

The large-scale strikes came after President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to pause attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for one week, as freezing temperatures caused widespread power and heating outages.

Trump announced the weeklong pause Thursday, but Russia resumed its attacks several days before the period was set to expire, striking a maternity ward in Zaporizhzhia and a bus of Ukrainian miners, leaving 12 people dead.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

ZELENSKYY ANNOUNCES NEXT ROUND OF TALKS WITH US, RUSSIA AS UKRAINE AIMS FOR 'REAL AND DIGNIFIED END TO THE WAR

Residents took to subway and metro stations on Monday to hide underground as air raid alerts sounded throughout the night.

"With temperatures dropping to -25°C (-13°F), Russia knowingly yet again aims to leave hundreds of thousands of people, including children and the elderly, without heating or electricity," said Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s prime minister. 

"This is an attempt to freeze civilians into surrender. Thanks to Ukraine’s air defense forces, the majority of missiles and drones were intercepted," she added.

Zelenskyy said the work of his negotiating team will be "adjusted accordingly" as his country prepares for another round of meetings in the United Arab Emirates with U.S. and Russian officials on Wednesday and Thursday.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with his Russian counterpart Kirill Dmitriev in Florida on Saturday and said the discussions were constructive, amid ongoing hostilities in Ukraine.

"We are encouraged by this meeting that Russia is working toward securing peace in Ukraine and is grateful for @POTUS’s critical leadership in seeking a durable and lasting peace," Witkoff wrote on X.