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Nigeria said it shared intelligence with the U.S. ahead of Christmas night airstrikes on ISIS targets in the country.

The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday that it was "engaged in structured security cooperation" with other nations, including the U.S., adding that the cooperation "led to precision hits on terrorist targets." The ministry said that the joint security efforts include the sharing of intelligence and strategic coordination.

"Nigeria reiterates that all counter-terrorism efforts are guided by the primacy of protecting civilian lives, safeguarding national unity, and upholding the rights and dignity of all citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity. Terrorist violence in any form whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to international peace and security," the ministry wrote in a statement posted on X.

TRUMP’S WARNING TO NIGERIA OFFERS HOPE TO NATION'S PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

President Donald Trump announced the Christmas night airstrikes in northwest Nigeria, saying the targets were ISIS militants who he accused of killing Christians. The president also included a warning that further attacks would take place if the violence against Christians continued.

"Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!" Trump said Thursday on Truth Social. 

"I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.

"Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper," he continued. "May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues."

NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN LEADER CALLS TRUMP'S SPOTLIGHT ON VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA AN 'ANSWERED PRAYER'

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz, who has been outspoken about the violence against Christians in Nigeria, praised the strikes. The ambassador said the precision strikes showed Christians in Nigeria and around the world that Trump would "fight for them."

Last month, Trump threatened to "do things in Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to be happy about" and "go into that now disgraced country guns-a-blazing."

That warning set the stage for the Christmas-night strikes, which Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said fulfilled the president’s demand that the killings stop. Hegseth also included in a post on X a reference to the U.S.-Nigeria cooperation that led to the strikes.

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"The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end," Hegseth wrote on X. "The [War Department] is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come… Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!"

Christians and Christian institutions in Nigeria have been under attack in recent months, prompting global outrage and drawing the ire of the Trump administration.

In November, armed gunmen stormed the Christ Apostolic Church, killed two people and kidnapped dozens. The 38 abducted worshipers were freed almost a week later.

The attack on the Christ Apostolic Church was preceded and followed by attacks on Christian schools in Nigeria.

In the days before the attack, gunmen kidnapped 25 girls from a boarding school in Nigeria’s Kebbi State and killed at least one staffer. One of the girls managed to escape on the same day as the kidnapping, while the remaining 24 were rescued about a week later, The Associated Press reported.

Days after the attack on Christ Apostolic Church, armed attackers raided the Saint Mary's School and kidnapped more than 300 students and staff. School officials said 50 of the students were able to escape in the following days, while 253 students and 12 teachers remain captive.

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

Three Palestinians were arrested on accusations of lighting a Christmas tree on fire and damaging part of a Nativity scene at a Catholic church in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Jenin, the Palestinian Authority Police announced.

The attack happened at around 3 a.m. Monday, according to the church.

Palestinian Authority Police said Wednesday the three were taken into custody after a review of surveillance footage targeting the Holy Redeemer Church of Jenin. Tools believed to have been used in the attack were seized from the suspects.

Police condemned the apparent attempt to incite sectarian and religious tensions in the West Bank.

CHRISTMAS RETURNS TO HOLY LAND CITIES AS BETHLEHEM'S CHRISTIAN POPULATION DWINDLES, NAZARETH REMAINS STRONG

The church shared photos on social media showing the skeleton of a synthetic Christmas tree that had been cleared of the green plastic branches, and red and gold ornaments were scattered across a courtyard.

The torched tree was quickly cleaned up by the church, which erected a new one a day after the attack in time for Christmas Mass.

The church held a special ceremony with local Muslim and Christian leaders and politicians in attendance. Rev. Amer Jubran, the local priest at the church, said the arson was an isolated incident and emphasized the city’s unity.

"This occasion reaffirmed that attempts to harm religious symbols will never diminish the spirit of the city nor the faith of its people," the Holy Redeemer Church said in a statement.

The small Christian community in the West Bank is facing increasing threats of extremism from various sides, including both Israeli settlers and Palestinian extremists, prompting them to escape the region.

Christians make up between 1-2% of the West Bank’s roughly 3 million residents, and the vast majority of the community is Muslim. Across the entire Middle East, the Christian population has been declining as people have fled conflict.

In Israel, some church authorities and monitoring groups have documented a recent uptick in anti-Christian sentiment and harassment, including in Jerusalem’s Old City. Extremist Israeli settlers have also reportedly vandalized and torched areas around churches and Christian villages.

POPE LEO XIV DELIVERS FIRST CHRISTMAS CALLING FOR END TO VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EAST, RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza kicked off a surge of violence in the West Bank, with the Israeli military's offensive targeting terrorists killing hundreds of Palestinians and displacing tens of thousands. Terrorists have also attacked and killed Israelis in Israel and the West Bank.

The conflict has coincided with an increase in Israeli settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russian forces appear close to being pushed out of the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kupyansk, with only a small number of isolated troops remaining and even pro-Kremlin voices acknowledging the setback, according to a report.

The Kyiv Post reported Thursday that Ukrainian military officials say Russian units left inside the city are cut off from reliable supply lines and are increasingly surrendering as their position deteriorates.

Viktor Trehubov, head of communications for Ukraine’s Joint Forces grouping, said Russian forces inside Kupyansk now number only several dozen and include foreign mercenaries fighting alongside Moscow’s troops.

"They are surrendering," Trehubov said during a televised briefing carried by Ukrainian state media. "There have even been cases of foreigners — foreign mercenaries for the Russians — giving themselves up."

ZELENSKYY VISITS FRONTLINE UKRAINIAN CITY WEEKS AFTER RUSSIA CLAIMED IT TOOK CONTROL

According to Ukrainian officials, the remaining Russian units are surviving largely on limited air resupply, a tactic that cannot sustain long-term operations inside the city.

"Supply by air bridge alone is not something that allows them to hold out for long," Trehubov said.

While Russian forces continue to launch multiple assaults along the Kupyansk axis each day, Ukrainian officials say those attacks lack the manpower and reserves needed to change the balance on the ground.

UKRAINE, US NEAR 20-POINT PEACE DEAL AS PUTIN SPURNS ZELENSKYY CHRISTMAS CEASEFIRE OFFER

"At this stage, they simply do not have additional capabilities to somehow restore the situation," Trehubov said.

The Kyiv Post also reported that Russian military bloggers and war correspondents have begun openly conceding that Kupyansk is no longer under Russian control, marking a notable shift in Kremlin-aligned messaging.

"An entire wave of messages appeared saying that Kupyansk is gone," Trehubov said. "Even Russian propagandists have switched to a line acknowledging that the city is no longer under their control."

Ukrainian officials stressed that Russia never fully reestablished control over Kupyansk after its liberation in September 2022, aside from a brief occupation during the early phase of the invasion.

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"In reality, it was never fully taken by them in order to be ‘lost,’ aside from a short period in 2022," Trehubov said.

Efforts by Russian units to dig in within the city’s northern districts have failed, leaving those forces unable to withdraw or receive reinforcements, Ukrainian officials said.

"They themselves now admit that the defense of the city by the same units that entered and tried to secure positions in the northern districts has failed," Trehubov said.

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Combat continues outside the city, particularly from positions across the Oskil River, though Ukrainian forces maintain control of Kupyansk itself.

Ukraine’s General Staff said Russian troops carried out five attacks in the Kupyansk sector Dec. 24, all of which were repelled near Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Zahryzove and Kupyansk.

Trehubov said a recent Ukrainian counteroffensive further disrupted Russian efforts to stabilize the front.

"The counteroffensive came as a surprise for the enemy," he said. "Right now, they simply lack the resources to regain control."

Kupyansk, a key rail and road hub in the Kharkiv region with a prewar population of about 27,000, has long been a focal point of Russian territorial claims.

The city was briefly occupied during the opening months of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 before being liberated by Ukrainian forces later that year, a history Ukrainian officials say Moscow has repeatedly tried to obscure through disinformation.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Thursday his government plans to establish a national bravery award to recognize the civilians and first responders who risked their lives during a mass shooting earlier this month that left 15 people dead at a Hanukkah celebration.

The announcement came as Australia grapples with the aftermath of its deadliest massacre since 1996, which officials have described as an ISIS-inspired attack targeting the country’s Jewish community during the holiday season.

Albanese said Christmas was marked by a sharp contrast between extremist violence and the "best of humanity."

"This Christmas is a different one because of the anti-terror and the terrorist attack motivated by ISIS and antisemitism," Albanese said during a press conference. "But, at the same time, as we have seen the worst of humanity, we have seen the bravery and kindness and compassion ... from those who rushed to danger."

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Albanese said his government plans to create a special honors system recognizing the heroism of those who confronted what he called "the worst of evil" during the Dec. 14 attack, including Ahmed al Ahmed, a Syria-born Australian Muslim store owner captured on video tackling and disarming one of the gunmen before being wounded.

The award would recognize those nominated for bravery or meritorious awards under the existing Australian Honors and Awards system for their actions during and after the attack, according to The Associated Press.

Two different bystanders, identified as Boris and Sofia Gurman, were seen on video confronting a gunman before the shooting began at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.

AUSTRALIA TERROR ATTACK EXPOSES ISIS RESURGENCE AS EXPERTS WARN OF GLOBAL JIHADIST NETWORKS

Despite their efforts to disarm him, the gunman later overpowered and killed them, according to authorities.

Australian authorities say a father and son accused of carrying out the attack — 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram — filmed a video manifesto containing antisemitic language and expressions of support for the Islamic State.

The pair may have been planning the attack for several months, investigators said.

Only the son survived the attack and now faces murder and terrorism charges.

Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump said the U.S. launched airstrikes in northwest Nigeria on Christmas night targeting ISIS militants he accused of killing Christians, calling the operation decisive and warning further attacks would follow if the violence continues.

‘GENOCIDE CAN’T BE IGNORED’: GOP LAWMAKER BACKS TRUMP’S THREAT OF MILITARY ACTION IN NIGERIA

"Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!" Trump said Thursday on Truth Social. "I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.

"Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper," he continued. "May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues."

Christmas celebrations returned this year to both Bethlehem and Nazareth, but the season is unfolding very differently in the two cities that sit at the heart of Christianity — Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, and Nazareth, where he lived.

In Nazareth, festivities are broad and confident, rooted in a growing Christian presence in Israel. In Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, celebrations took place again after more than two years of disruption, but against the backdrop of a long-term demographic decline and deep concern within the local Christian community.

Elias Zarina, a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Applied Policy and a longtime Christian activist, said the long-term numbers underscore the concern. Christians made up 86% of Bethlehem’s population in 1950, Zarina said. By the last Palestinian census in 2017, they accounted for roughly 10%. He added that since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, at least 142 Christian families have left the Bethlehem area.

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"They saw what happened on Oct. 7 and understood that minorities in this region have no future without real protection," Zarina said.

In Nazareth, Josh Reinstein, director of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus and president of the Israel Allies Foundation, described a sharply different reality, which he said reflects governance and security.

"Nazareth is a completely different situation," Reinstein said. "It’s an indigenous Christian community under the authority of Israel, and it grows every year. It prospers."

Reinstein pointed to economic and social indicators to make his case, noting that while Christians make up around 2% of Israel’s population, "Christian communities have the highest GDP per capita compared to Jews, Muslims and Druze," he said. "They’re respected, they’re protected, and they have the same rights as everyone else."

Reinstein contrasted that with Bethlehem’s trajectory since the 1990s.

"Since the Oslo accords in the 90s, the Christian community of Bethlehem has been decimated by the Palestinian Authority," Reinstein told Fox News Digital. "Bethlehem was once a city with an overwhelming Christian majority. Today, Christians are around 10% of the population, and they are no longer represented in the municipality. That tells you everything about what has happened there."

TRUMP’S WARNING TO NIGERIA OFFERS HOPE TO NATION'S PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

Bethlehem did mark Christmas this year. Crowds gathered in Manger Square, the Christmas tree was lit, and religious ceremonies took place at the Church of the Nativity. Local officials framed the celebrations as a sign of resilience and an effort to project normalcy after years of war and economic collapse.

Zarina, however, said the Palestinian Authority’s decision to allow Christmas events this year should be viewed in context.

"In recent months, the Palestinian Authority has sought to reintroduce itself to international public opinion, particularly to the Christian world, through symbolic festive displays such as the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Bethlehem," Zarina said in comments provided to Fox News Digital. "These efforts are meant to market the Palestinian Authority as moderate, especially as discussions continue about Gaza’s future. But events on the ground over just a few days have sharply contradicted that image."

Zarina noted that several incidents targeting Christians occurred within a single week ahead of Christmas, including threats against churches and violent assaults tied to land disputes.

"Christians in these areas are subjected to a systematic policy manifested through harassment, violence, psychological terror, forced displacement and the confiscation of property by extremist families driven by rigid Salafi ideology and supported morally and financially by states known for backing extremist movements, foremost among them Turkey and Qatar," he claimed. "In this context, the Palestinian Authority appears either unable or unwilling to enforce the rule of law and protect the Christian minority."

Recent incidents in the Palestinian Authority area of control have reinforced those concerns. A church in Jenin was firebombed earlier this week, and a Christmas tree was set on fire outside another church. Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded by warning of "growing hostility toward Christians" under Palestinian Authority governance.

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And while Israel has occasionally seen attacks against its Christian community by extreme religious-nationalist elements who have been accused of vandalizing religious sites and using verbal assaults aimed at clergy, in his Christmas message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is a nation that looks after its Christian population.

He stated in part, "Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Christians can practice their faith with full rights and in total freedom. Where Christian pilgrims are embraced with open arms and are so deeply appreciated. Where Christians can celebrate proudly their traditions and openly do so without any fear," he said, adding, "The persecution of Christians or members of any religion cannot and must not be tolerated."

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Zarina said that Christian residents in nearby Beit Jala and in Nablus avoided visible festivities out of fear of harassment.

Not all Christian leaders in Bethlehem share the same assessment. Pastor Naim Khoury told Israeli news agency TPS-IL that conditions in Bethlehem itself have improved this year and that, so far, he has not seen attacks connected to the holiday. Other activists, however, argue that fear limits what many Christians are willing to say publicly.

"The Christians are under enormous pressure and cannot speak freely," said Shadi Khalloul, founder and CEO of the Israeli Christian Aramaic Association, in comments to TPS-IL. "They are trying to survive quietly."

The contrast is also reflected in official demographic data. According to figures released this week by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics and reported by TPS-IL, approximately 184,200 Christians live in Israel as of Christmas Eve 2025, accounting for about 1.9% of the population. The Christian population grew by 0.7% in 2024, making Israel one of the few countries in the Middle East where the Christian community continues to grow.

Nazareth is at the center of that growth. The city has the largest Arab Christian population in Israel, with roughly 18,900 residents, followed by Haifa and Jerusalem, according to Israeli government data. Most Arab Christians live in Israel’s Northern and Haifa districts, where Christian communities have expanded alongside rising education and income levels.

Heather Johnston, founder and CEO of the U.S. Israel Education Association, said the visible contrast this Christmas reflects deeper realities.

"At Christmas, the contrast between Nazareth and Bethlehem tells a larger story," Johnston said. "Christians are flourishing in Nazareth under Israeli rule, while in Bethlehem, under the Palestinian Authority, the Christian population has been shrinking for years. That difference speaks volumes about which systems actually protect religious freedom and allow ancient Christian communities to endure."

This Christmas, lights and hymns filled both cities. For Zarina and others, the question now is whether international attention will fade once the lights come down, or whether it will translate into lasting protection for one of Christianity’s oldest communities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed optimism Thursday about the progress of peace negotiations after speaking with Jared Kushner and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Zelenskyy said the Christmas conversation centered on ongoing efforts to end the war and move toward a durable, lasting peace.

"Today we had a very good conversation with President Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff @SEPeaceMissions and @jaredkushner," he wrote on X, thanking them for their "intensive work" and "constructive approach."

"We are truly working 24/7 to bring closer the end of this brutal Russian war against Ukraine and to ensure that all documents and steps are realistic, effective, and reliable," Zelenskyy said.

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Ukrainian officials have met with Witkoff and Kushner multiple times in Miami in recent weeks to discuss possible elements of a peace plan aimed at ending nearly four years of fighting.

Zelenskyy said Monday that the draft peace framework has been reduced to 20 points from 28 and includes proposed security guarantees involving Ukraine, European allies and the United States, along with an initial outline for Ukraine’s post-war recovery.

The Ukrainian president said the framework includes a separate document on bilateral security guarantees with the United States that would likely require review by the U.S. Congress.

Zelenskyy cautioned that some differences remain, noting that both Ukraine and Russia have positions they are not prepared to accept as U.S. talks with Russian officials continue.

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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing Thursday that talks between Washington and Moscow were moving forward gradually, while accusing unnamed Western European countries of trying to undermine the process.

Zakharova said negotiations had shown "slow but steady progress," but were being accompanied by what she described as "extremely harmful and even malicious attempts" to derail diplomatic efforts, according to Russia’s state-run Tass news agency.

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested last week that Russia’s goals in Ukraine are unchanged and will be accomplished either through negotiations or by further military advances if diplomatic efforts fail.

"The goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved," he said, using the Kremlin's term to refer to Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion.

"We would prefer to accomplish this and address the root causes of the conflict through diplomatic means. However, if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means," the Russian leader told military officials, according to a transcript of the speech released by the government.

Poland scrambled fighter jets Thursday after detecting a Russian reconnaissance aircraft operating near its airspace, authorities said.

Poland’s Operational Command wrote on X that the aircraft was intercepted and escorted out after it was identified over international waters in the Baltic Sea.

The command said separate airspace incidents were also detected overnight near Poland’s eastern border.

"At night, entries into Polish airspace of objects from the direction of Belarus were observed. After conducting detailed analyses, it was determined that these were most likely smuggling balloons, moving in accordance with the direction and speed of the wind," the command said.

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"The flight of all objects was continuously monitored by radar systems. To ensure safety, a portion of the airspace over the Podlaskie Voivodeship was temporarily closed to civilian traffic," it added.

No threat to Poland’s airspace was detected, authorities said, and officials continued to monitor the situation.

The incident comes just days after Polish aircraft were scrambled again on Tuesday as Russia carried out widespread strikes against Ukraine.

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Polish authorities said the response included support from NATO allies, with Spanish aircraft assisting in air policing and Dutch forces providing air defense systems support.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 650 drones and more than 30 missiles two days before Christmas, targeting Kyiv’s energy sector and civilian infrastructure.

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"Tragically, lives were lost. In the Kyiv region, a woman was killed by a Russian drone. One person was pronounced dead in the Khmelnytskyi region. In the Zhytomyr region, a four-year-old child was killed after a Russian drone struck a residential building. My condolences to the families and loved ones," Zelenskyy said.

"This Russian strike sends an extremely clear signal about Russia’s priorities. An attack ahead of Christmas, when people simply want to be with their families, at home, and safe. An attack carried out essentially in the midst of negotiations aimed at ending this war," he added. "Putin still cannot accept that he must stop killing. And that means that the world is not putting enough pressure on Russia. Now is the time to respond. Russia must be pushed toward peace and guaranteed security."

Pope Leo XIV appealed Thursday in his Christmas Day message for peace in conflict-scarred regions, calling for an end to violence in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Speaking to tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his first Christmas "Urbi et Orbi" address, Latin for "to the city and to the world," Pope Leo prayed for "justice, peace and stability for Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Syria."

The pontiff then turned to the Russia-Ukraine war, calling on believers to pray for the "tormented people" of Ukraine. 

"May the clamor of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue," he said.

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Pope Leo also remembered civilians caught in other conflicts, including in parts of Africa and Asia, and prayed for peace for people suffering under political instability, religious persecution and terrorism.

He urged world leaders to reject violence and indifference, stressing that peace must be rooted in justice, dialogue and solidarity with the most vulnerable.

"In becoming man, Jesus took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each one of us: with those who have nothing left and have lost everything, like the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who are prey to hunger and poverty, like the Yemeni people; with those who are fleeing their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, like the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean or traverse the American continent," the pontiff said.

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"On this holy day, let us open our hearts to our brothers and sisters who are in need or in pain. In doing so, we open our hearts to the Child Jesus, who welcomes us with open arms and reveals his divinity to us," he added.

Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was elected in May following the death of Pope Francis and has made appeals for peace a central theme of his early papacy.

He has repeatedly called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine and has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of his diplomatic outreach. 

The Vatican said in July that Pope Leo expressed willingness to host representatives of both Russia and Ukraine for peace negotiations, a position he has maintained.

North Korea showed off its apparent progress in the development of a nuclear-powered submarine. State media released photos of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and his daughter, a potential heir, as they inspected what appears to be a largely completed hull.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's official state media, said Kim and his daughter visited the shipyard to examine the construction of what it describes as an 8,700-ton-class nuclear-propelled submarine, The Associated Press reported. Pyongyang has signaled that it plans to arm the submarine with nuclear weapons, the AP noted. Kim has said the development of the submarine is a crucial step toward the modernization and nuclear armament of his country's navy.

The Christmas Day release of the photos marks the first time North Korean state media has shown an update on the nuclear-powered submarine since March. Earlier images mostly showed the lower sections of the vessel, the AP noted. The KCNA did not say when the photos released on Thursday were taken.

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Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert at Seoul’s Hanyang University, told the AP that the photos of a largely completed hull indicate that many of the core components are already in place, as submarines are typically built from the inside out. However, it was not immediately clear exactly how much progress Pyongyang had made.

"Showing the entire vessel now seems to indicate that most of the equipment has already been installed and it is just about ready to be launched into the water," Moon, who also served as a submarine officer in the South Korean navy, told the AP. Moon added that North Korea's submarine could be ready for testing at sea within months.

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While at the shipyard, Kim condemned South Korea's efforts to develop its own nuclear-powered submarine as an "offensive act," despite the fact that President Donald Trump has backed Seoul's push toward the technology. Kim said South Korea's efforts violate North Korea's security and maritime sovereignty, according to the AP.

In October, during his tour of Asia aimed at securing investments, Trump said that the U.S. would share technology with South Korea that would allow it to build a nuclear-powered submarine. The president posted on Truth Social that the vessel would be built in Philadelphia.

"South Korea will be building its nuclear-powered submarine in the Philadelphia shipyards, right here in the good ol’ U.S.A. Shipbuilding in our country will soon be making a BIG COMEBACK," the president wrote.

The White House underscored the point when it released a fact sheet in November which directly referenced Washington and Seoul's efforts to "further our maritime and nuclear partnership."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Nasry Asfura has won the 2025 Honduras presidential election, delivering victory for the right-of-center National Party of Honduras (PNH) and shifting the political landscape of Central America. 

The 40.3% to 39.5% result in favor of Asfura over Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla arrived after the vote counting process had been impacted for days by technical glitches and claims by other candidates of vote rigging. Rixi Moncada, the candidate of the ruling LIBRE party, came in a distant third.

The results of the race were so tight and the ballot processing system was so chaotic, that about 15% of the tally sheets, which accounted for hundreds of thousands of ballots, had to be counted by hand to determine the winner.

Two electoral council members and one deputy approved the results, despite disputes over the razor-thin difference in the vote. A third council member, Marlon Ocha, was not in the video declaring the winner.

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"Honduras: I am ready to govern. I will not let you down," Asfura said on X after the results were confirmed.

The head of the Honduran Congress, though, rejected the results and described them as an "electoral coup."

"This is completely outside the law," Congress President Luis Redondo of the LIBRE party said on X. "It has no value."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Asfura on X, saying the U.S. "looks forward to working with his administration to advance prosperity and security in our hemisphere."

Initially, preliminary results on Monday showed Asfura, 67, had won 41 percent of the ballot, inching him ahead of Nasralla, 72, who had around 39 percent.

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On Tuesday, the website set up to share vote tallies with the public experienced technical problems and crashed, according to The Associated Press.

With the candidates only having 515 votes between them, a virtual tie and site crash saw President Trump share a post on Truth Social.

"Looks like Honduras is trying to change the results of their Presidential Election," he wrote. "If they do, there will be hell to pay!"

By Thursday, Asfura had 40.05%, about 8,000 votes ahead Nasralla, who had 39.75%, according to Reuters, with the latter then calling for an investigation.

"I publicly denounce that today, at 3:24 a.m., the screen went dark and an algorithm, similar to the one used in 2013, changed the data," Nasralla wrote on social media and said that 1,081,000 votes for his party were transferred to Asfura, while 1,073,000 votes for Asfura's National Party were attributed to him.

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Asfura, nicknamed "Tito," is a former mayor of Tegucigalpa and had entered the race with a reputation for leadership and focus on infrastructure, public order, and efficiency.

His win ended a polarized campaign season, with one of the defining moments of the contest being Asfura’s endorsement by Trump.

"If he [Asfura] doesn’t win, the United States will not be throwing good money after bad," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Nov.28.

Before the start of voting Nov. 29, Trump also said he would pardon former President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who once led the same party as Asfura. Herandez is serving a 45-year sentence for helping drug traffickers.

VENEZUELAN NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER MARÍA CORINA MACHADO DEDICATES AWARD TO TRUMP FOR 'DECISIVE SUPPORT'

In the end, the election saw the defeat of centrist former Vice President of Honduras, Nasralla, and left-wing Ramona, 60, who served under President Xiomara Castro. 

As a prominent lawyer, financier and former minister of National Defense, she focused on institutional reform and social equity.

Nasralla, a high-profile television personality turned politician, mobilized a base but fell short of converting his popularity into a winning coalition.  

He was focusing on cleaning up Honduran corruption. The Honduran presidential race was also impacted by accusations of fraud.

As well as electing a new president, Hondurans voted for a new Congress and hundreds of local positions.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Video shows a late-night joyride spiraling out of control as a driver raced around a central square in southern Kazakhstan before crashing into a towering Christmas tree and knocking it over.

CCTV footage from the town of Saryagash shows the driver speeding into the largely empty square during the early morning hours and performing tight circular spins, commonly known as donuts, in a Russian-made Lada sedan.

As the driver attempted to complete a second consecutive spin, the vehicle swung wider than before and headed directly toward a 40-foot Christmas tree positioned in the center of the square.

The car continued forward and slammed into the decorated tree, sending it crashing to the ground as lights scattered across the pavement. The impact flattened the illuminated holiday display almost instantly.

OHIO KIDS AS YOUNG AS 8 STEAL CAR, LEAD POLICE ON CHASE CRASH INTO HOME, WORRIED ABOUT SANTA, PRESENTS: POLICE

The driver sped away, leaving the toppled tree lying flat in the square.

According to The Sun, witnesses said the vehicle’s tires screeched as the driver circled the square, narrowly missing street furniture and festive decorations in the moments leading up to the crash.

‘CHRISTMAS LAWYER’ WHO WENT TO WAR WITH HOA SPENDS WINDFALL ON HOLIDAY CHEER

The Sun also reported that Saryagash District Police said in a statement they received a report around 3 a.m. that an unknown driver had crashed into the main Christmas tree installed in the central square and then fled.

FOUR DEAD, AT LEAST 13 INJURED AFTER SPEEDING CAR CRASHES INTO CROWD OUTSIDE FLORIDA BAR

"Officers carefully studied the recordings from the area using CCTV cameras," police said in the statement. "As a result, the identity of the offender was established."

Police later confirmed the driver was behind the wheel of a VAZ-2105 Lada.

Investigators tracked him down after reviewing the surveillance footage, and his vehicle was subsequently impounded, according to the report.

'CHRISTMAS LAWYER' FILES FOR SUPREME COURT REVIEW IN BATTLE WITH HOA OVER HOLIDAY LIGHT SHOW

Authorities said the driver was issued a fine for dangerous driving. In an unusual outcome, police also ordered him to repair the damage he caused to the holiday display.

"The young driver repaired the damaged tree and promised not to commit similar offenses in the future," police said.

Thousands flocked to Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas for the first time since the implementation of the U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas peace deal.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who has served as the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem since 2020, kicked off the celebration during a traditional procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, calling for "a Christmas full of light," The Associated Press reported. Upon his arrival at Manger Square, which is named for the manger in which Christian tradition says Jesus was laid after his birth, Pizzaballa said that he came with greetings from the Christian community in Gaza where he held a pre-Christmas Mass on Sunday, the AP reported.

"We, all together, we decide to be the light, and the light of Bethlehem is the light of the world," Pizzaballa told the crowd, according to the AP.

BIRTHPLACE OF JESUS TO RESUME CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AFTER WAR FORCED A TWO-YEAR PAUSE

In November, Bethlehem Mayor Maher Canawati announced that the city would see a return of Christmas celebrations.

"From the heart of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, the city of peace — once again, we ignite the flame of hope and raise our prayers for peace," Canawati said in a video posted to Instagram.

"Let us celebrate together the message of Christmas," he added. "Glory to God in the highest — on Earth, peace, goodwill to all. Bethlehem keeps the light alive."

Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born, started its Christmas festivities on Dec. 6 with the city's first Christmas tree lighting since 2022.

"We came to celebrate, watch and enjoy, because for several years we haven't had the chance," said Randa Bsoul, a Palestinian from Haifa, Israel, told Reuters at the time.

HISTORIC ITALIAN VILLAGE CREDITED FOR FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND CHRISTMAS NATIVITY SCENE DRAWS CROWDS FOR 800 YEARS

Bethlehem, over which the Palestinian Authority has limited control due to the Oslo Accords, has seen limited, if any, Christmas celebrations over the past two years due to the war in Gaza. During the war, Manger Square featured a nativity scene of baby Jesus surrounded by rubble and barbed wire in homage to the situation in Gaza.

During the war, Bethlehem, which relies on tourism, saw a massive drop in visitors. Canawati said earlier this month that the city's unemployment rate jumped from 14% to 65%, according to the AP. Additionally, poverty in Bethlehem soared with approximately 4,000 people left searching for work.

The U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal has largely remained in place, despite both sides accusing the other of violating the agreement. Recently, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said that preparations for the second phase of the plan were underway, following high-level talks in Miami with representatives from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.

Fox News Digital's Ashley J. DiMella and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and the United States are close to finalizing a framework of security guarantees and economic arrangements tied to a proposed peace plan, while Russia has signaled it will seek significant changes before any agreement to end the war.

Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on December 22, Zelenskyy said talks with U.S. officials had produced a 20-point plan and accompanying documents that include security guarantees involving Ukraine, the United States and European partners. He acknowledged the framework was not flawless but described it as a tangible step forward.

"There are 20 points of the plan, probably not everything is perfect there, but this plan is there," Zelenskyy said. "There are security guarantees between us, the Europeans and the United States of America, there is a framework document."

US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH 'LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE' BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA

Zelenskyy said a separate bilateral document with Washington covering security guarantees is intended to be reviewed by the U.S. Congress, adding that key annexes critical to Ukraine’s military needs were largely agreed.

"I saw the first developments, there are almost 90%, to be honest, exactly those attachments that are important for us, what our army and Ukraine can count on," he said, describing the draft as "quite decent."

He also said a first version of an agreement on Ukraine’s recovery had been prepared, calling it an economic strategy that, together with the security documents, forms "the basic block of all documents."

Zelenskyy warned, however, that diplomacy has not reduced the immediate military threat from Russia. He criticized Moscow for rejecting proposals for a Christmas ceasefire, calling it a "bad signal," and warned of potential attacks during the holiday period.

MOMENTUM BUILDS IN UKRAINE PEACE PUSH, BUT EXPERTS FEAR PUTIN WON’T BUDGE

"When Russia says there will be no Christmas ceasefire, I think that this is, in principle, always what they say, they emphasize intimidation," Zelenskyy said. He added that Ukraine faces an air-defense shortfall and urged civilians to remain vigilant.

Reuters also reported that Zelenskyy confirmed Russian forces captured a border village in Ukraine’s Sumy region, taking dozens of civilians and 13 Ukrainian soldiers prisoner. He said Ukrainian troops refrained from striking Russian forces because civilians were present. Reuters noted it could not independently verify the account and that Russia had not commented.

On the Russian side, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on the U.S. peace proposals, with Moscow expected to formulate its position in the coming days, according to Reuters and Anadolu Agency.

Bloomberg News reported that Russia views the 20-point plan agreed between Ukraine and the U.S. as only a starting point. According to a person close to the Kremlin, Moscow intends to seek key changes, including additional restrictions on Ukraine’s military, arguing that the proposal lacks provisions important to Russia and leaves many questions unanswered.

The emerging positions underline a widening gap between Kyiv’s portrayal of progress toward security guarantees and Moscow’s insistence on renegotiating core elements of the U.S.-backed plan as diplomacy continues.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday he was "very disappointed" after his home state of Illinois approved a law allowing medically assisted suicide.

Leo, who grew up in Chicago, said he had spoken "explicitly" with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker while the legislation was on his desk and urged him not to sign the bill into law, saying the measure undermines respect for human life from "the very beginning to the very end."

"Unfortunately, for different reasons, he decided to sign that bill," Leo told reporters outside Rome. "I am very disappointed about that."

The Medical Aid in Dying Act, also referred to as "Deb's Law," was signed into law by Pritzker on Dec. 12 and allows eligible terminally ill adult patients to obtain life-ending medication after consultation with their doctors.

NY GOV. HOCHUL TO SIGN BILL TO LEGALIZE PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE: 'WHO AM I TO DENY YOU?'

The measure was named after Deb Robertson, a lifelong Illinois resident with a rare terminal illness who had pushed for the bill's approval.

The law takes effect in September 2026, giving participating healthcare providers and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) time to implement required processes and protections.

Leo said Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich also urged Pritzker not to sign the bill, but his efforts were unsuccessful.

BISHOPS, CATHOLIC GROUPS SLAM CARDINAL CUPICH'S PLAN TO HONOR PRO-ABORTION SEN DICK DURBIN: ‘GREAT SCANDAL’

"I would invite all people, especially in these Christmas days, to reflect upon the nature of human life, the goodness of human life," Leo said. "God became human like us to show us what it means really to live human life, and I hope and pray that the respect for life will once again grow in all moments of human existence, from conception to natural death."

The state’s six Catholic dioceses have also criticized Pritzker’s decision to sign the bill, saying it puts Illinois "on a dangerous and heartbreaking path."

Illinois joins a growing list of states allowing medically assisted suicide. Eleven other states and the District of Columbia allow medically assisted suicide, according to the advocacy group, Death with Dignity, and seven other states are considering allowing it.

After signing the bill, Pritzker said the legislation would allow patients with terminal illnesses to "avoid unnecessary pain and suffering at the end of their lives," and said it would be "thoughtfully implemented" to guide physicians and patients through deeply personal decisions.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Pritzker's office for comment.

Fox News Digital's Alexandra Koch and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele responded to allegations by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about the conditions at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), the country's maximum-security prison that has received migrants deported from the United States. 

Bukele was responding to a post on X by Clinton that was accompanied by an 11-minute video of the PBS Frontline documentary titled: "Surviving CECOT." 

"Curious to learn more about CECOT?" she wrote. "Hear Juan, Andry, and Wilmer share firsthand how the Trump administration branded them as gang members without evidence and deported them to the brutal El Salvadoran prison."

'60 MINUTES' POSTPONES SEGMENT ON MIGRANT INMATES FROM EL SALVADOR'S CECOT PRISON

The short documentary tells the story of three Venezuelan men — Juan José Ramos Ramos, Andry Blanco Bonilla and Wilmer Vega Sandia — who were deported by the Trump administration to CECOT, a description of the short film states.

All three men were branded by the U.S. government as Tren de Aragua gang members, which they deny. 

In response, Bukele said his country was ready to cooperate if Clinton thinks people have been tortured in the notorious prison that houses many of the country's gang members and migrants deported from the U.S. 

"We are willing to release our entire prison population (including all gang leaders and all those described as "political prisoners") to any country willing to receive them," he wrote. "The only condition is straightforward: it must be everyone."

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED FROM ICE CUSTODY

"This would also greatly assist journalists and your favorite NGOs, who would then have thousands of former inmates available for interviews, making it far easier to find additional voices critical of the Salvadoran government (or willing to confirm whatever conclusions are already expected)," added Bukele. "Surely, if these testimonies reflect a systemic reality, a much larger pool of sources should only reinforce the claim, and many governments should be eager to offer protection."

Until then, he continued, El Salvador will continue prioritizing the human rights of the millions of Salvadorans who today live free from gang rule," Bukele said. 

Bukele solidified his relationship with President Donald Trump by offering to house certain migrants deported from the U.S. at CECOT. The U.S. has deported Venezuelan migrants deemed to be gang members to El Salvador after their home country refused to take them back. 

A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to provide due process to a class of Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador in March, and gave it two weeks to detail how it will do so – setting up another high-stakes clash between the White House and the federal courts.

Airspace over Turkey’s capital was shut down Tuesday night after a business jet carrying Libya’s top military commander crashed south of Ankara shortly after takeoff, prompting flight diversions, an emergency security response, and an ongoing investigation in a NATO member state.

The Falcon 50 business jet was carrying Chief of the General Staff of Libya’s armed forces Muhammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad and four others when it lost contact roughly 30 minutes after departing Esenboga International Airport, according to Turkish officials cited by Al-Monitor. Libyan and Turkish authorities have since confirmed Al-Haddad's death.

The temporary shutdown of airspace over Ankara elevated the incident beyond a routine aviation accident. Such measures are typically reserved for situations involving unresolved security risks or the need to secure the nation's capital while authorities assess potential follow-on threats.

TRUMP EYES LIFTING SANCTIONS, POTENTIAL SALE OF PRIZED FIGHTER JET TO TURKEY

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said contact with the aircraft was lost at 8:52 p.m. local time after it transmitted an emergency landing notification near Haymana, approximately 75 kilometers south of the capital. The jet, tail number 9H-DFJ, had taken off at 8:10 p.m. bound for Tripoli.

Following the loss of contact, Turkish authorities closed Ankara’s airspace as a precaution and diverted multiple commercial flights away from Esenboga Airport, according to Turkish broadcaster NTV and flight tracking data cited by TRT. Search and rescue teams were deployed to the suspected crash area.

The crash came just hours after Al-Haddad concluded an official visit to Ankara. Turkey's Defense Ministry had earlier announced that the Libyan army chief met with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Turkish Chief of General Staff Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, and other senior commanders as part of ongoing military and security coordination between Turkey and Libya, according to TRT.

US GENERAL WARNS OF KREMLIN INTERFERENCE IN LIBYA AMID REPORTS OF RUSSIAN MERCENARIES

Türkiye Today reported that the visit underscored deepening defense ties between Ankara and Libya’s Tripoli-based government, adding sensitivity to the incident given the seniority of those aboard the aircraft and the timing immediately following high-level meetings.

The prime minister of Libya’s U.N.-recognized Government of National Unity, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, said he had received news of the death of Libya’s army chief of staff after Al-Haddad’s plane lost radio contact above Turkey’s Ankara, Reuters reported.

Dbeibah, who said he was mourning Al-Haddad’s death, added that the army chief had been accompanied by others on board the aircraft, including military officials. No additional details about the other passengers’ identities or conditions were immediately released.

Turkish officials have not yet publicly detailed the cause of the crash. No official statements have indicated sabotage or hostile fire, and any conclusions beyond a reported in-flight emergency remain pending verification.

Search and recovery efforts were continuing, and Turkish authorities said further information would be released as it is confirmed.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested Tuesday in London while supporting pro-Palestinian activists in British prisons staging a hunger strike.

Prisoners for Palestine, the protest group, released a video showing the 22-year-old Swede holding a sign saying: "I support Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide," referring to the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. 

She was later released on bail, the group said on X. 

GRETA THUNBERG’S FLOTILLA BOMBARDED WITH ABBA MUSIC AFTER RADIOS HIJACKED: REPORT

The protest was in support of the group on hunger strike, Palestine Action, which has been banned in Britain as a terrorist organization. 

The protests were part of a larger demonstration in which two other activists sprayed red paint in front of an insurance company in London.

Prisoners for Palestine says they targeted the insurer because it supports the Israel-linked defense firm Elbit Systems.

GRETA THUNBERG'S ALLEGED JAIL COMPLAINTS CALLED 'BRAZEN LIES' BY ISRAELI GOVERNMENT

A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. A third woman was later arrested on suspicion of supporting a banned organization. 

Eight Palestine Action members have staged a hunger strike to protest their detention without bail. They are awaiting trial on charges related to earlier protests. 

Two of the members have been on hunger strike for 52 days and are at a "critical stage, where death is a real possibility," Prisoners for Palestine said in a statement.

Last year, Thunberg was acquitted by a London court of refusing to follow a police order to leave a protest that was blocking the entrance to an oil and gas industry conference.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

A foiled ISIS-inspired terror plot targeting Manchester’s Jewish community has renewed fears over Jewish safety in Britain, after three men were convicted on Tuesday of planning a mass-casualty gun attack. English authorities said the Manchester case exposed a highly advanced ISIS-inspired terror plot that could have become the deadliest terrorist attack in U.K. history

Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were convicted at Preston Crown Court of planning a firearms attack against Jewish targets in Manchester. A third man, Saadaoui’s brother Bilel Saadaoui, 36, was convicted of failing to disclose information about the plot, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Prosecutors said the men planned a marauding gun attack using military-style weapons. Saadaoui paid an initial deposit toward the purchase of four AK-47 assault rifles, two pistols and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, with funds raised after selling his home and business. The plot was uncovered through an undercover police operation, and Saadaoui was arrested while attempting to take possession of weapons and ammunition, the CPS said.

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Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said the plan could have become "the deadliest terrorist attack in U.K. history," warning that an assault on crowded Jewish sites would have had "catastrophic" consequences, according to Sky News.

According to the prosecution, Saadaoui admired Hamid al-Abaoud, the ISIS operative who led the deadly 2015 Paris terrorist attacks, and sought to replicate a similar style of mass murder. The court heard that Saadaoui told an undercover officer he wanted to kill "young, old, women, elderly, the whole lot," and described Christian victims as "a bonus," Sky News reported.

Prosecutors said the men planned to move between locations and intended to kill police officers who might respond to the attack. Saadaoui and Hussein also traveled to the White Cliffs of Dover in March and May 2024 to observe port security, believing they were surveilling how weapons would be brought into the U.K., according to the CPS.

The plot was disrupted on May 8, 2024, when Saadaoui was arrested while attempting to take delivery of firearms and ammunition during the undercover operation. Sky News reported that police body-worn camera footage showed armed officers arresting him moments after the handover.

POLAND FOILS ISIS-TYPE BOMB PLOT AS SYDNEY ATTACK TRIGGERS UK, EUROPE TERROR ALERTS

Sky News also reported that intelligence sources said MI5 believed Saadaoui had previously been in contact with a British extremist who left the U.K. to join ISIS in 2013.

Prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC told the jury the plan "hardly had the innocence of a teddy bear picnic," describing it as a deliberate attempt to inflict mass civilian casualties, Sky News reported.

The foiled plot revived painful memories in a city that has already suffered major terrorist attacks.

Manchester was the site of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, when an ISIS-inspired suicide bomber killed 22 people at a concert, the deadliest terror attack in the U.K. since the July 7, 2007, one in London.

More recently, counterterrorism police responded to an attack outside a synagogue in Manchester in October when an assailant rammed pedestrians and stabbed worshipers during Yom Kippur services, killing two Jewish men. British authorities declared the incident a terrorist attack, according to Reuters.

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The CPS said the foiled ISIS-inspired gun plot targeted an area of north Manchester predominantly occupied by the Jewish community, heightening concerns among security officials about repeated targeting of the same population.

The convictions come as new polling shows a sharp deterioration in British Jews’ sense of security.

A survey published by the Campaign Against Antisemitism in December 2025 found that 51% of British Jews do not believe they have a long-term future in the United Kingdom. According to the poll, 61% said they had considered leaving the country within the past two years, citing antisemitism and safety concerns.

The survey also found that 96% of respondents said Jews are less safe in the U.K. than before the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, while 59% said they avoid wearing visible signs of Jewish identity in public due to fear of antisemitism.

Confidence in the police and justice system was also low. Only 14% of respondents said police do enough to protect Jewish communities, 8% said the justice system adequately punishes antisemitic crimes, and 7% said prosecutors do enough to bring offenders to justice, the Campaign Against Antisemitism reported.

Reuters contributed to this report.

For years, Washington has spoken about reducing its Middle East footprint, yet analysts told Fox News Digital that 2025 proved the opposite: American force — not retreat — reshaped the region.

Blaise Misztal, vice president for policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), said the past year confirmed a long-standing strategic lesson. "2025 underscored what Middle East watchers have long known, and U.S. policymakers never seemed to want to admit: that strength is the currency of the realm and there is no substitute for U.S. leadership," he said.

Israeli political analyst Nadav Eyal said the shift was unmistakable. "What we have seen in 2025 is an increased role of the United States, rather than a withdrawal," Eyal said. "It delivered a hostage deal and a ceasefire in Gaza. It brought a certain level of stability in Syria. We see increased cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE."

"The idea that the U.S. is out of the Middle East is just out the window," he added.

WHITE HOUSE TURNS TO EXPANDING ABRAHAM ACCORDS AFTER ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE

During 2025, the Trump administration brokered a ceasefire that ended the two-year war in Gaza and returned all Israeli hostages except for the body of Ran Gvili, which still remains in Hamas' hands. The deal was initially met with deep skepticism inside Israel. 

President Donald Trump traveled to both Israel, where he addressed the Knesset, and Cairo to finalize the agreement, coordinating with Arab leaders and mediators in a complex process that included an exchange of Palestinian terrorists held in Israeli prisons for hostages.

"There is absolutely no doubt that without President Trump’s intervention, this could have lasted much longer, or maybe not have ended at all, or ended in tragedy," Eyal said, adding that the administration fundamentally changed what had been considered possible.

"He expanded the realm of possibilities," Eyal said. "If someone had told us six months earlier that this would be the framework of the deal, and that all the living hostages would be back home within 72 hours, we would have said it’s a great idea, but Hamas would never agree."

According to Eyal, the breakthrough came from Israeli military pressure combined with U.S. insistence and regional coordination. "The military pressure put by Israel, enabled by the White House, together with the White House’s insistence and the enlistment of Qatar and Turkey, is what made the breakthrough," he said.

Misztal also argued that the outcome was not the result of diplomacy alone. "The relative calm that the region is now enjoying, after two years of war, is not the result of diplomacy, which failed on its own to stop Iran’s nuclear advance or convince Hamas to return Israeli hostages," Misztal said. "It is the result of Israeli and U.S. willingness to use force, and do so together in pursuit of common objectives."

"Operations Rising Lion and Midnight Hammer, coupled with the Israeli strike in Doha, unlocked the path to peace," he added.

The ceasefire remains fragile but intact, with the U.S. now deeply involved in shaping the postwar phase in Gaza.

US MILITARY TO OVERSEE NEXT PHASE OF PEACE DEAL FROM COORDINATION BASE IN ISRAEL

On Dec. 8 last year, after Israel defeated Hezbollah, the Assad regime in Syria collapsed, signaling a dramatic shift in the regional balance of power.

That momentum carried into 2025. Operation Rising Lion known as the 12-day war, underscored Israel’s air superiority, with Israeli aircraft striking Iranian military infrastructure and eliminating senior IRGC commanders.

The campaign also highlighted the depth of U.S.-Israel coordination, culminating in a U.S. strike that targeted Iran’s nuclear program and curtailed Tehran’s ability to support its proxies.

Eyal said Iran now faces a period of profound uncertainty. "Iran will, without doubt, try to rebuild its influence after its proxy system was shattered," he said. "It was defeated in war with Israel and lost most of its nuclear program."

Two questions now dominate. "Can Iran rebuild its alliances, its prestige and its sources of power, like the nuclear program or air defenses, and stabilize itself again as a regional power?" Eyal asked. "The deeper question," he added, "is what happens to the regime."

He described Iran as increasingly unstable, with a devastated economy and growing public discontent. "It seems like almost everything is ripe for a substantial change in Iran," he said. "Whether the Islamic Republic can survive without significant reform, or whether there will be a coup or counterrevolution, will take us well into 2026."

FIVE POSSIBLE FUTURES FOR MIDDLE EAST FROM RENAISSANCE TO ROCKETS

Eyal said the past year forced a reckoning about Hamas’ future. "In 2025, Israelis, and to a certain extent countries in the Middle East, woke up from a fantasy that Hamas would cease to exist completely as a functioning body," he said.

"Everybody understands there will be some sort of presence of Hamas, and unfortunately, they will hold some sort of armed power," Eyal added. "The question is, to what level can you reduce it?"

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

At the same time, he stressed the scale of Hamas’ losses. "In 2025 they suffered tremendous defeats and were wiped out as a functioning military body," Eyal said. "This is the year in which it happened."

"Even after losing half of Gaza, with Gaza devastated, and the hostages returned, they are still functioning as a military organization," he added. "That means they are incredibly resistant or flexible."

Misztal warned that the calm will not hold without sustained U.S. engagement. "The sands of the Middle East are always shifting," he said. "Today’s calm will not last without consistent effort applied to uphold it."

He warned that 2026 could see renewed pressure from multiple fronts. "Adversaries will seek to reassert themselves and find new advantages," Misztal said. "Iran will test the boundaries of U.S. and Israeli patience and ISIS or other Sunni extremists may seek a spectacular attack to mark their comeback."

"These will all be tests for the U.S. appetite to continue applying the ‘peace through strength’ approach," Misztal said. "If Washington takes its eyes off the region, the progress of the last year might quickly be lost."