Feed aggregator

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez declared Sunday that the island nation would defend itself "to the last drop of blood," responding to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to strike a deal with Washington. 

President Trump had spoken about Cuba in a Truth Social post earlier in the day, urging that "they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE."

"Those who blame the Revolution for the severe economic shortages we suffer should hold their tongues out of shame. Because they know it and acknowledge it: they are the fruit of the draconian measures of extreme strangulation that the U.S. has been applying to us for six decades and now threatens to surpass," the Cuban wrote on X, according to a translation of the Spanish-language post. 

"#Cuba is a free, independent, and sovereign nation. No one dictates what we do. Cuba does not aggress; it is aggressed upon by the United States for 66 years, and it does not threaten; it prepares, ready to defend the Homeland to the last drop of blood," he wrote in another post, according to the translation.

CUBA IDENTIFIES 32 MILITARY PERSONNEL KILLED IN US OPERATION AGAINST MADURO REGIME IN VENEZUELA

U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who was born in Cuba, responded to the foreign figure's post.

"You dictators, henchmen, and executioners of the Cuban nation think you own the island. You don't have much time left," he declared, according to the translation of his post, also written in Spanish.

CUBAN-BORN GOP LAWMAKER WARNS VENEZUELA ELECTIONS MUST HAPPEN IN ‘MONTHS,’ NOT ‘YEARS’ AFTER MADURO DOWNFALL

Trump declared in a Truth Social post on Sunday, "Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided ‘Security Services’ for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE! Most of those Cubans are DEAD from last weeks U.S.A. attack, and Venezuela doesn’t need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years.

"Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful military in the World (by far!), to protect them, and protect them we will. THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE," he warned.

TRUMP ULTIMATUM TO CUBA: ‘MAKE A DEAL, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE’ OR FACE CONSEQUENCES

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Rep. Gimenez thanked the president.

"I was born in Cuba & forced from home shortly after the Communist takeover. Today, I represent my community in Congress. Thank you, President Trump, first Venezuela & next is Cuba. We will be forever grateful. Our hemisphere must be the hemisphere of liberty," the lawmaker wrote in a post on X.

Five severed human heads were found hanging from ropes on a beach in southwestern Ecuador Sunday in a gruesome display linked to ongoing gang violence sweeping across the country, according to reports.

The killings came amid a wave of bloody violence tied to drug trafficking and organized crime, which has surged across Ecuador in recent years.

The Associated Press reported that the grim discovery underscores the tactics used by criminal groups competing for control of territory and trafficking routes, especially along the country’s coastline.

TREN DE ARAGUA GANG LEADER CHARGED WITH RACKETEERING CONSPIRACY AND COCAINE TRAFFICKING UNDER TRUMP CRACKDOWN

Police said the heads were found on a tourist beach in the small fishing port of Puerto Lopez, in Manabi province.

The images shared by Ecuadorian media and on social media showed the severed heads tied with ropes to wooden poles planted in the sand, with blood visible at the scene.

A wooden sign left beside the heads carried a threatening message aimed at alleged extortionists targeting local fishermen.

The message warned those demanding so-called "vaccine cards" protection payments commonly extorted by gangs that they had been identified, the report said.

RUBIO IDENTIFIES 'SINGLE MOST SERIOUS THREAT' TO THE US FROM WESTERN HEMISPHERE

Authorities said the display was likely the result of a conflict between criminal groups operating in the area.

Drug-trafficking networks with links to transnational cartels are active along Ecuador’s coast and have used fishermen and their small boats to transport illicit shipments, according to local police.

President Daniel Noboa launched an armed campaign against gangs and declared states of emergency in several provinces, including Manabi, deploying the military to support police operations.

Despite his efforts, violence has continued to escalate with police increasing patrols and surveillance in Puerto Lopez following recent massacres in the province, the Associated Press said.

MS-13 GANG LEADER ACCUSED IN MURDER OF EX-HONDURAN PRESIDENT’S SON ARRESTED IN NEBRASKA

In 2025, at least nine people, including a baby, were killed there in an attack that authorities blamed on clashes between local gangs also.

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, in 2025, infighting between factions of a gang vying for control over territory in Ecuador's largest city, Guayaquil, left nearly two dozen people dead.

Ecuador ended the year with a record homicide rate of 52 per 100,000 people, according to the Organized Crime Observatory, making it the deadliest year on record.

Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests continued Sunday, with reports of mass killings as demonstrations spread across the country amid warnings of drone surveillance.

The Center for Human Rights in Iran claimed a "massacre was unfolding," while the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported "surveillance drones flying overhead and movements by security forces around protest locations, indicating ongoing monitoring and security control."

"Drones are indispensable reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence tools," military drone expert Cameron Chell told Fox News Digital. "They have given the Iranian government a distinctive upper hand in combating the protests."

"I doubt there will be any use of drones for direct strikes at this point," Chell said. "But I would not be surprised if, beyond surveillance, they were using drones to help position snipers and shock protesters."

IRAN PROTESTS GROW DEADLIER AS REGIME INTERNET BLACKOUT FAILS TO STOP UPRISING

"It does indicate the level of seriousness the government is applying towards the situation."

The full scale of the violence has been difficult to verify due to a near-total internet blackout. Iran’s connectivity to the outside world remained at roughly 1% of normal levels, according to NetBlocks.

The most conservative estimates indicate at least 2,000 people may have been killed across Iran over the past 48 hours, Iran International reported. 

The deaths of 544 people involved in the protests have been confirmed, with dozens of additional cases under review, according to HRANA.

HRANA said more than 10,681 individuals have been arrested and transferred to prisons. Protests have been recorded at 585 locations in 186 cities across all 31 provinces, the agency reported.

Witnesses told Iran International that security forces appeared "overstretched in some areas," relying on intimidation, warning shots and force. 

GRAHAM WARNS IRANIAN AYATOLLAH: 'TRUMP IS GONNA KILL YOU' IF INTERNAL CRACKDOWN CONTINUES

In other locations, particularly in southeastern Iran, rights groups said security forces fired directly at protesters in Zahedan after prayers, wounding several people.

Ali Safavi, a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, told Fox News Digital that drones were observed over Ferdow Boulevard in Tehran-sar.

"The regime, in fear of the people, deployed drones to monitor and control the demonstrations," Safavi said. "In other areas there were clashes and assaults from the suppressive forces."

Chell, CEO and co-founder of Draganfly, claimed more danger was imminent given Iran’s sudden use of drones.

"Iran would not be unique or advanced by western standards in using drones, but they are advanced in their tactical understanding and effectiveness using them," he said.  "This drone deployment 100% signals more danger as if, for no other reason, it enables the regime to know when and where to deploy resources."

"It helps track specific people or groups who flee protest sites," Chell continued. "They could also be using cells for tracking and listening so they could track protesters' cell phones who were at the protest sites."

ARMED IRAN PROTESTERS BATTLE POLICE IN TEHRAN STREETS AS TRUMP WARNS OF FORCEFUL US RESPONSE

Chell said Iran relies largely on small, domestically produced systems.

"They would have the Bina, which has a smaller reconnaissance drone with a shorter operational range of up to 40 km," he said. "These are typically lightweight, equipped with optical/infrared cameras, used to monitor movement and relay imagery back to ground stations. These are the ones most likely to be adapted for crowd monitoring throughout cities."

Protests that began Dec. 28 over Iran’s economic collapse have evolved into the largest anti-regime demonstrations in years, according to analysts and opposition groups.

"We could see an escalation in the use of intimidation/force multiplier effect of drones and/or the use of tear gas or smoke to help create crowd disbursement," Chell said.

President Donald Trump renewed warnings to Tehran, saying the U.S. stands ready to support protesters and cautioned Iranian authorities against the use of lethal force.

"Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP," he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump also said that protesters appear to be gaining ground in some cities and warned Iranian leaders not to begin shooting demonstrators, saying, "we’ll start shooting too."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of U.S. intervention in Iran, according to a report.

The two leaders spoke by phone Saturday as Israel is on "high alert," preparing for the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Iran, according to Reuters, citing multiple Israeli sources.

The report comes as nationwide anti-regime demonstrations across Iran hit the two-week mark.

On Saturday, the Iranian regime triggered an internet "kill switch" in an apparent effort to conceal alleged abuses by security forces and as protests against it surged nationwide, according to a cybersecurity expert. The blackout reduced internet access to a fraction of normal levels.

KEANE WARNS IRANIAN REGIME TO TAKE TRUMP 'DEAD SERIOUS' ON PROTEST KILLING THREAT AMID ONGOING DEMONSTRATIONS

On Sunday, Iran’s parliament speaker warned that the U.S. military and Israel would be "legitimate targets" if America strikes the Islamic Republic.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf issued the threat as lawmakers rushed the dais in the Iranian parliament, shouting, "Death to America!" according to The Associated Press.

President Donald Trump offered support for the protesters on Saturday, writing on Truth Social that "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!"

IRANIAN MILITARY LEADER THREATENS PREEMPTIVE ATTACK AFTER TRUMP COMMENTS

At a news conference Friday, Trump said Iran was facing mounting pressure as unrest spreads across the country.

"Iran’s in big trouble," he said. "It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully."

The president said the U.S. would respond forcefully if the regime resorts to mass violence. 

"We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts," he said.

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

Fox News Digital's Emma Bussey, Brie Stimson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The organization that oversees the Nobel Peace Prize rejected recent suggestions that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado could give or share her award with President Donald Trump.

The Norwegian Nobel Institute shut down the idea Friday, after Machado suggested that she might transfer the prestigious award to Trump earlier this week.

"Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others," the institute said in a statement. "The decision is final and stands for all time."

The statement comes after Machado floated the idea during an appearance Tuesday on Fox News' "Hannity."

UNITED NATIONS 'UPSET' THAT TRUMP TOOK 'BOLD ACTION' TO IMPROVE VENEZUELA, SAYS UN AMB. MIKE WALTZ

"Did you at any point offer to give him the Nobel Peace Prize?" Sean Hannity asked. "Did that actually happen?"

Machado responded, "Well, it hasn’t happened yet."

"I certainly would love to be able to personally tell him that we believe — the Venezuelan people, because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people — certainly want to give it to him and share it with him," Machado continued. "What he has done is historic. It’s a huge step towards a democratic transition."

TRUMP ADMIN SAYS MADURO CAPTURE REINFORCES ALIEN ENEMIES ACT REMOVALS

On Jan. 3, Trump announced that the U.S. had successfully completed an operation to capture authoritarian Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is now facing drug trafficking charges in New York.

Trump was asked during an appearance Thursday on "Hannity" whether he would accept the Nobel Prize from Machado.

"I've heard that she wants to do that," Trump responded. "That would be a great honor."

TRUMP OUSTING OF MADURO DRAWS PARALLELS TO US RAID IN PANAMA – BUT THERE ARE SOME MAJOR CONTRASTS

Machado secretly escaped Venezuela last month and traveled to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, which she dedicated to Trump.

"Let me be very clear. As soon as I learned that we had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, I dedicated it to President Trump because I believed at that point that he deserved it," Machado said on "Hannity." "And a lot of people, most people, said it was impossible to achieve what he has just done on Saturday, January 3rd."

Trump said he plans to meet with the Venezuelan opposition leader in Washington next week.

He has previously stated that Machado "doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country" to lead. Trump has supported acting President Delcy Rodríguez, a longtime Maduro loyalist, who previously served as vice president under Maduro.

Fox News Digital's Landon Mion contributed to this report.

The Iranian regime triggered an internet "kill switch" in an apparent effort to hide alleged abuses by security forces and as protests against it surged nationwide, a cybersecurity expert has claimed.

The blackout slashed internet access to a fraction of normal levels on the 13th day of the protests as rights groups, including Amensty International, accused the regime of using lethal force against protesters.

"This is Iran’s war against its own population using digital means," NetBlocks CEO Alp Toker told Fox News Digital.

"This was a piecemeal measure that eventually encompassed the entire country, with the government willing to use this kind of measure for an extended period of time," he said.

"There would be an attempt by the regime to cover up crimes that it may have committed, so this blackout could potentially last for days or weeks," Toker added.

PROTESTER SCALES IRANIAN EMBASSY IN LONDON, TEARS DOWN REGIME FLAG, HOISTS PRE-REVOLUTION SYMBOL

At least 65 people have been killed in the protests, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, which said late Friday that the death toll had more than doubled since earlier in the week.

The group also reported that more than 2,300 people have been arrested and that demonstrations have spread to at least 180 cities nationwide. Most of those killed were protesters, the group said.

"People in Iran daring to express their anger at decades of repression and demand fundamental change are once again being met with a deadly pattern of security forces unlawfully firing at, chasing, arresting and beating protesters," Amnesty International also said in a statement Thursday.

"The single kill switch is the censorship mechanism that is centrally controlled by the regime, so there are no legal procedures or mechanisms for people to push back," Toker said.

"We know now that they’ve centralized all of this into a one-step operation," he explained, calling it "very much a top-down mechanism."

"It’s been in development since the Cold War, and it means they are able to triangulate the ground terminal in satellite transmissions. Some governments implement this kind of kill switch in their cyber operations rooms," he said.

ARMED IRAN PROTESTERS BATTLE POLICE IN TEHRAN STREETS AS TRUMP WARNS OF FORCEFUL US RESPONSE

"We know that in 2019, for example, it used to be a painstaking measure when the government had to switch off businesses one by one, city by city."

NetBlocks said the current blackout is among the most severe it has ever recorded in Iran.

"We are tracking near-total disconnection of internet service across Iran right now, and connectivity is below 2% of ordinary levels," Toker said.

"This is a nationwide disruption that is impacting almost all services, all connectivity and all avenues of life, extending beyond just mobile phones and computers," he said.

"It’s impacting banks, essential services, and there’s very little communication within the country, so people are unable to reach the outside world and nobody has the ability to communicate."

EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE URGES TRUMP TO HELP AS PROTESTS AGAINST ISLAMIC REGIME INTENSIFY: 'MAN OF PEACE'

Despite the sweeping restrictions, some limited communication channels remain available, Toker revealed.

"There are a few gaps, so it's possible to communicate with those close to the borders through Wi-Fi or mobile service that crosses borders," he said.

"It’s also occasionally possible to find a part in the service, in a fixed-line service, where they can tunnel through all those, but that is increasingly rare and no longer an option. 

"Another mechanism we’ve seen is access via satellite internet, namely the Starlink network, but the equipment is banned by the Iranian regime."

"The technology that the Iranian regime uses to trace links is essentially anti-espionage technology," he said.

"These measures are typically imposed by the most authoritarian regimes, the most controlling governments that seek to silence and oppress their own populations," Toker said.

"NetBlocks tracked very similar multi-week disruption in 2019, during which thousands were killed, and this was also done in 2022 when people were protesting the killing of Mahsa Amini."

IRANIAN MILITARY LEADER THREATENS PREEMPTIVE ATTACK AFTER TRUMP COMMENTS

"In past incidents, we did observe that the government attempted to keep a baseline of service available.

"In this recent case, they pulled the plug, so there’s a far more extreme measure in place here, which suggests that the regime is scared and isn’t taking risks when it comes to the possibility of information reaching the outside world."

President Donald Trump warned Iran’s leaders Friday against using force on protesters.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, he warned Iran was in "big trouble."

"I just hope the protesters in Iran are going to be safe, because that’s a very dangerous place right now," Trump said. "You’d better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting, too."

"The U.S. has encouraged democracy in Iran, and that’s a positive thing at this point," Toker said.

"There’s very little that can be done from the outside, but it’s important to continue to support positive efforts.

"A free and open internet in Iran, and indeed in other countries, can encourage democracy and support basic liberties," he added.

Armed protesters clashed Friday with security forces in the Tehranpars neighborhood of Iran’s capital, as nationwide two-week-long anti-regime demonstrations became more violent in the country.

Repeated gunfire could be heard for minutes in cellphone video sent to Iranian TV and shared with Fox News Digital as Iran’s State Security Forces clashed with so-called "rebellious youth."  

In the video, people on the streets were seen running and shouts of "Death to Khamenei!" "Death to the dictator!" "Shame on you!" and "We are all together!" could be heard.

WHO WOULD RULE IF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC FAILS?

The protests entered their 14th day on Saturday, with 65 killed, including children, and 2,311 arrested by Friday, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran.

Authorities imposed a sweeping internet blackout this week that largely cut the country off from the outside world and escalated threats of harsh punishment while anti-regime protests spread.

TRUMP SAYS US WILL INTERVENE IF IRAN STARTS KILLING PROTESTERS: ‘LOCKED AND LOADED’

The protests expanded to 190 cities in Iran by Saturday, according to the National Council of Resistance in Iran.

"By defending the demonstrators, the rebellious youths did not allow the flames of the uprising to be extinguished," dissident politician Maryam Rajavi said in a statement. " They have shown their determination to triumph over the regime."

At a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday, President Donald Trump said Iran was facing mounting pressure as unrest spreads across the country.

"Iran’s in big trouble," Trump said. "It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully."

Trump warned that the U.S. would respond forcefully if the regime resorts to mass violence. 

"We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts," he said.

Fox News' Efrat Lachter contributed to this report. 

An anti-regime protester scaled the balcony of Iran’s Embassy in London on Friday and tore down the Islamic Republic’s flag, replacing it with Iran’s pre-1979 "Lion and Sun" emblem, video shows.

The demonstrator climbed the front of the embassy building in Kensington before ripping down the regime’s flag and hoisting the historic symbol associated with Iran’s monarchy prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution as a large crowd of anti-regime protesters cheered on.

The Metropolitan Police said officers responded to the scene and made two arrests — one for aggravated trespass and assault on an emergency worker, and another for aggravated trespass. Police said they are also seeking another individual for trespass. It was not immediately clear whether the protester who tore down the flag was among those arrested.

Fox News Digital reached out to Iran’s Embassy in London for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

EXILED IRANIAN PRINCE SAYS REGIME ‘VERY CLOSE TO COLLAPSING' AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST

The embassy protest comes as Iran faces its most significant wave of unrest in years. President Trump has warned the regime that the U.S. will protect protesters if necessary.

Potkin Azarmehr, a British-Iranian journalist, said the current unrest stands in sharp contrast to Iran’s 2009 Green Movement, when protesters openly questioned whether the Obama administration supported them.

"What a contrast to Obama’s time, when protesters in Iran were chanting, ‘Obama, are you with us or with them?’" Azarmehr told Fox News Digital.

"Any international support, whether at the grassroots or government level, is encouraging," he said.

He said global attention matters to protesters on the ground, but questioned the lack of visible demonstrations by Western activist groups.

"The question is where are the Western activist elite protesters? Why are they not protesting? Are they on the side of the ayatollahs? An archaic religious apartheid?"

GRAHAM WARNS IRANIAN AYATOLLAH: 'TRUMP IS GONNA KILL YOU' IF INTERNAL CRACKDOWN CONTINUES

Demonstrations that began on Dec. 28 over economic grievances have since spread nationwide, evolving into a direct challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership. Solidarity protests with Iranian demonstrators have also emerged in other major European cities, including Paris and Berlin. A protest also took place outside the White House in Washington, D.C.

As of Saturday, at least 72 people have been killed and more than 2,300 detained in Iran-based protests, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.

Some protests have included chants supporting Iran’s former monarch, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who died in 1980. His son, Reza Pahlavi, has publicly called for continued demonstrations. The Iranian regime has also cut nationwide internet access.

At a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Trump said Iran was facing mounting pressure.

"Iran’s in big trouble," Trump said. "It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully."

Trump warned the United States would respond forcefully if the regime resorts to mass violence.

"We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts," Trump said. "And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts."

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signaled a coming clampdown despite U.S. warnings, according to The Associated Press.

Tehran escalated its threats Saturday, with Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warning that anyone taking part in protests would be considered an "enemy of God," a charge that carries the death penalty. The statement, carried by Iranian state television, said even those who "helped rioters" would face the charge.

"Prosecutors must carefully and without delay, by issuing indictments, prepare the grounds for the trial and decisive confrontation with those who, by betraying the nation and creating insecurity, seek foreign domination over the country," the statement read.

"Proceedings must be conducted without leniency, compassion or indulgence."

Fox News’ Efrat Lachter, Greg Norman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The U.S. government issued a new security alert Saturday urging Americans in Venezuela to leave the country immediately, citing security concerns and the U.S. government’s inability to provide emergency assistance, according to the U.S. Embassy Caracas.

"U.S. citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately," the embassy said in a Jan. 10 security alert.

The warning cited reports of armed groups operating on Venezuelan roads. 

"There are reports of groups of armed militias, known as ‘colectivos,’ setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence of U.S. citizenship or support for the United States," the U.S. Embassy Caracas said.

The alert comes as international travel options have reopened. "As international flights have resumed, U.S. citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately," the embassy said.

MOBS OF MOTORCYCLE-RIDING ARMED MILITIA HUNT VENEZUELAN STREETS FOR TRUMP SUPPORTERS AS CRACKDOWN INTENSIFIES

The U.S. Department of State continues to list Venezuela at its highest travel warning level. "Venezuela has the highest Travel Advisory level – Level 4: Do Not Travel – due to severe risks to Americans," the State Department said.

Those risks include "wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure," according to the State Department.

TRUMP VOWS US 'IN CHARGE' OF VENEZUELA AS HE REVEALS IF HE'S SPOKEN TO DELCY RODRÍGUEZ

The embassy said Americans in Venezuela should not expect consular assistance. 

"In March 2019, the U.S. Department of State withdrew all diplomatic personnel from U.S. Embassy Caracas and suspended operations," the embassy said. "The U.S. government continues to be unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Venezuela."

As part of the alert, officials issued a clear warning to Americans. 

"Do not travel to Venezuela," the embassy said, adding that "U.S. citizens in Venezuela are advised to leave Venezuela as soon as they feel it is safe to do so."

The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for additional comment.

Staff at hospitals in Iran said their facilities have become overwhelmed with injuries — including of people suffering from gunshot wounds — as anti-government protests are raging across the Islamic Republic, a report said. 

A doctor from Tehran’s Farabi Hospital, which is the city’s main eye specialist center, told the BBC late Friday that the facility entered crisis mode, with emergency services slammed and non-urgent admissions suspended. 

A medic from a hospital in the city of Shiraz also told the network that large numbers of injured people were being brought in despite the hospital not having enough surgeons to treat them. He added that many of those wounded had gunshot injuries to the head and eyes, according to the BBC. 

As of Saturday, the death toll in the protests has grown to at least 72 people killed and over 2,300 others detained, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.

WHO WOULD RULE IRAN IF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC FALLS?

The protests began late last month with shopkeepers and bazaar merchants demonstrating against accelerating inflation and the collapse of the rial, which lost about half its value against the dollar last year. Inflation topped 40% in December. The unrest soon spread to universities and provincial cities, with young men clashing with security forces. 

At a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday, President Donald Trump said Iran was facing mounting pressure.  

"Iran’s in big trouble," Trump said. "It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully."

Trump warned that the United States would respond forcefully if the regime resorts to mass violence. "We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts." 

INSIDE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORT TO QUICKLY REACH AUDIENCES BEHIND MEDIA WALLS IN VENEZUELA, IRAN

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signaled a coming clampdown, despite U.S. warnings, according to The Associated Press. 

Tehran escalated its threats Saturday, with the Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warning that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an "enemy of God," a death-penalty charge. The statement carried by Iranian state television said even those who "helped rioters" would face the charge.

"Prosecutors must carefully and without delay, by issuing indictments, prepare the grounds for the trial and decisive confrontation with those who, by betraying the nation and creating insecurity, seek foreign domination over the country," the statement read. "Proceedings must be conducted without leniency, compassion or indulgence." 

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered support for the protesters.

"The United States supports the brave people of Iran," Rubio wrote Saturday on X. 

Fox News’ Efrat Lachter and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

President Donald Trump pushed back on suggestions from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the United States could capture Russian President Vladimir Putin after Zelensky pointed to Washington’s recent action against Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

Trump waved off the idea of such an operation, while venting frustration over the grinding war and his failure so far to bring it to an end. Trump has repeatedly said on the campaign trail that he could end the war on his first day back in office, but despite meetings with both Zelenskyy and Putin, a resolution remains elusive.

"Well, I don't think it's going to be necessary," Trump said in response to a question from Fox News’ Peter Doocy during a meeting with US oil companies executives at the White House Friday.

RUSSIA ALLEGES ATTACK ON PUTIN RESIDENCE AS UKRAINE DENIES CLAIM AHEAD OF TRUMP TALKS

"I've always had a great relationship with him. I'm very disappointed," Trump said of Putin. "I settled eight wars. I thought this would be in the middle of the pack, or maybe one of the easier ones."

Trump said the conflict continues to take a heavy toll, particularly on Russian forces, and claimed Moscow’s economy is suffering as well.

"And in the last month they lost 31,000 people, many of them Russian soldiers," Trump said, adding that the Russian economy is "doing poorly."

"I think we're going to end up getting it settled," Trump said. "I wish we could have done it quicker because a lot of people are dying."

UKRAINE'S ZELENSKYY YET TO READ PEACE PLAN, TRUMP SAYS

"But largely it's the soldier population," he continued. "When you have 30,000, 31,000 soldiers dying in a period of a month, 27,000 the month before, 26,000 the month before that. That's bad stuff."

Trump also criticized the Biden administration for sending what he said was $350 billion to Ukraine, arguing the U.S. should be able to recoup costs through a rare earth minerals agreement tied to continued support. He also claimed the U.S. is not losing money in the conflict, saying Washington is benefiting through arms sales to NATO allies, and pointed to NATO’s pledge to raise defense and security spending toward 5% of GDP by 2035, up from the longstanding 2% benchmark.

"We're not losing any money. We're making a lot of money."

Zelenskyy’s comments came after Russia said it fired its new nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile as part of a massive overnight attack on Ukraine, a claim Kyiv disputed. Ukrainian officials said the barrage involved hundreds of drones and multiple missiles and struck energy facilities and civilian infrastructure, killing at least four people. 

Zelenskyy called on the United States and the international community to respond, saying Russia must face consequences for attacks targeting ordinary civilians.

Fox News' Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.

Greenland's leadership is pushing back on President Donald Trump as he and his administration call for the U.S. to take control of the island. Several Trump administration officials have backed the president's calls for a takeover of Greenland, with many citing national security reasons.

"We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders," Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and four party leaders said in a statement Friday night, according to The Associated Press. Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory and a longtime U.S. ally, has repeatedly rejected Trump's statements about U.S. acquiring the island.

Greenland's party leaders reiterated that the island's "future must be decided by the Greenlandic people."

"As Greenlandic party leaders, we would like to emphasize once again our wish that the United States’ contempt for our country ends," the statement said.

TRUMP SAYS US IS MAKING MOVES TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND 'WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT'

Trump was asked about the push to acquire Greenland on Friday during a roundtable with oil executives. The president, who has maintained that Greenland is vital to U.S. security, said it was important for the country to make the move so it could beat its adversaries to the punch.

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

Trump hosted nearly two dozen oil executives at the White House on Friday to discuss investments in Venezuela after the historic capture of President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3.

"We don't want to have Russia there," Trump said of Venezuela on Friday when asked if the nation appears to be an ally to the U.S. "We don't want to have China there. And, by the way, we don't want Russia or China going to Greenland, which, if we don't take Greenland, you can have Russia or China as your next-door neighbor. That's not going to happen." 

Trump said the U.S. is in control of Venezuela after the capture and extradition of Maduro. 

Nielsen has previously rejected comparisons between Greenland and Venezuela, saying that his island was looking to improve its relations with the U.S., according to Reuters.

FROM CARACAS TO NUUK: MADURO RAID SPARKS FRESH TRUMP PUSH ON GREENLAND

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Monday that Trump's threats to annex Greenland could mean the end of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

"I also want to make it clear that if the U.S. chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops. Including our NATO and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War," Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster TV2.

That same day, Nielsen said in a statement posted on Facebook that Greenland was "not an object of superpower rhetoric."

White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller doubled down on Trump’s remarks, telling CNN in an interview on Monday that Greenland "should be part of the United States."

CNN anchor Jake Tapper pressed Miller about whether the Trump administration could rule out military action against the Arctic island.

"The United States is the power of NATO. For the United States to secure the Arctic region, to protect and defend NATO and NATO interests, obviously Greenland should be part of the United States," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

As anti-regime protests continue to spread across Iran and questions swirl about the durability of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s rule, a central question looms: Who would actually take power if the Islamic Republic were to collapse?

The answer, according to regional experts and Iranian opposition figures, is far from clear. It may depend less on ideology than on how the regime falls and whether Iran’s security forces fracture or hold.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the critical variable is not simply whether the regime collapses, but how it happens.

"Despite being supreme leader, one has to wonder, especially post-war and with limited public appearances, how much Khamenei is directly governing the affairs of the country," Ben Taleblu told Fox News Digital. He warned Western governments against backing a cosmetic transition that merely reshuffles elites.

"One thing I fear is the Western temptation for a Maduro-type or Egypt-type model," he said, referring to scenarios in which entrenched security forces retain power under new leadership. "That will only be playing musical chairs at the top and will not provide the Iranian people a pathway for meaningful change."

Ben Taleblu argued that Iran’s opposition faces a logistical challenge more than an ideological one: translating sustained street protests into organized political power before security forces reassert control.

Multiple experts agreed that Iran’s future hinges on whether the regime’s coercive apparatus, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Basij militia and the regular military, remains intact.

Ben Taleblu said the key factor is whether segments of the security forces defect, refuse orders or fragment. "What has to be chipped away is the regime’s coercive power," he said, adding that a transition would require sustained protests, economic strikes and cracks within security units.

Without that, analysts warn, Iran could see a scenario in which clerical figureheads disappear but real power remains in the hands of armed institutions.

"That’s the fear," Ben Taleblu said. "If the state plays musical chairs, the street will not settle for it. That means a bumpier road ahead."

TRUMP SAYS US WILL INTERVENE IF IRAN STARTS KILLING PROTESTERS: ‘LOCKED AND LOADED’

Some analysts point to historical precedents, including Egypt, where the military stepped in amid unrest. Benny Sabti, an Iran expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, said a military-led transition cannot be ruled out, but would be fraught.

"IRGC generals could theoretically attempt a coup," Sabti told Fox News Digital, stressing that Iran’s military institutions are not monolithic. He distinguished between the IRGC, which he described as an ideological and asymmetric force, and the regular army, which he said is more professional and nationally oriented.

Sabti highlighted former armed forces chief Habibollah Sayyari as an example of a figure who has voiced limited criticism from within the system. Still, he cautioned that criticism alone does not make a leader and said charisma matters deeply in Iranian politics.

"There is a problem of charisma," Sabti said. "In Iran, it is very important."

Despite international attention on jailed activists, experts are skeptical that Iran’s next political leadership would emerge from within the country’s prison system.

Ben Taleblu said decades of repression have made it nearly impossible to cultivate political leadership inside Iran. "What will come from within are the forces of revolution," he said. "Political leadership has to be built outside."

Sabti echoed that view, saying freed prisoners would likely become part of a broader system rather than dominant leaders.

"There won’t be leaders coming out of prison," he said. "They will be part of a new system, but not charismatic leaders."

Supporters of Reza Pahlavi say he is emerging as a focal point for opposition mobilization amid escalating unrest. On January 8, Pahlavi publicly called on Iranians to chant at 8 p.m. from their homes or in the streets and his aides said large crowds responded across multiple cities, including Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Ahvaz and Tabriz.

Those close to Pahlavi describe him as advocating a secular, democratic Iran committed to human rights, while rejecting claims that he is seeking to restore the monarchy. Pahlavi has repeatedly said the form of Iran’s future system should be decided by the people through a free constitutional process.

"My role is not to tip the scales in favor of either monarchy or republic," Pahlavi said. "I will remain entirely impartial in the process to help ensure that Iranians finally have the right to choose freely."

Banafsheh Zand, an Iranian-American journalist and editor of the "Iran So Far Away" Substack, told Fox News Digital that Pahlavi is the only viable unifying figure capable of guiding a transition, a view strongly contested by others in the diaspora.

IRAN CRACKDOWN RATTLES MIDDLE EAST AS ANALYSTS WEIGH US OPTIONS SHORT OF MILITARY INTERVENTION

"The only person who can see this through is the crown prince," Zand said, arguing that any prominent figure inside Iran would be swiftly eliminated by the regime. She dismissed alternative opposition figures as lacking legitimacy inside the country.

Zand said chants supporting Pahlavi during recent protests reflect genuine sentiment, not fabrication, though such claims are difficult to independently verify amid internet shutdowns and state censorship.

Some experts caution that while Pahlavi has visibility in the West and among parts of the Iranian public, he remains a polarizing figure, particularly among Iranians wary of monarchy or external influence.

Another long-standing opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khalq, led by Maryam Rajavi, has received backing from some senior U.S. political figures from across the aisle over the years, including former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Rudy Giuliani. 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Rajavi said change "will not come from outside Iran, nor will it be delivered by the will of foreign capitals," arguing that only an organized, nationwide resistance can overthrow the Islamic Republic.

Rajavi pointed to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran and its "Resistance Units" as the core force behind recent uprisings, claiming they have played a decisive role in organizing protests and confronting security forces at the cost of heavy casualties. She said the National Council of Resistance of Iran does not seek power for itself, but instead proposes a six-month provisional period following the regime’s overthrow, culminating in free elections for a constituent assembly to draft a new constitution for a democratic, secular republic.

"Once established, all authority will be transferred to that Assembly, which will both select the provisional government and draft the constitution of the new republic," Rajavi said. "Gender equality in all its facets, the separation of religion and state, autonomy for Iranian Kurdistan and many other urgent matters have been ratified in detail by the NCRI."

Rajavi also cited what she described as broad international backing for the NCRI’s platform. Critics and analysts interviewed by Fox News Digital dispute the group’s level of support inside Iran. Sabti said the MEK’s history of violence in the 1980s and its rigid ideology have alienated younger Iranians.

Speaking to an NCRI conference in Washington D.C. last November, Pompeo pushed back against critics, stating "A thriving, democratic, popular government in Iran—not a theocracy, not a monarchy, not an oppressive regime. This will be a great thing for the entire world. We are waiting for that day, and it will be a blessing to us all."

Ben Taleblu also warned against Western governments "playing favorites" among exiled factions, saying legitimacy must ultimately come from inside Iran.

Despite intense speculation, experts agreed on one point: there is no clear successor waiting in the wings.

"We are not there yet," Sabti said, noting that Khamenei remains alive, and the security forces have not fractured.

Ben Taleblu described the moment as a marathon rather than a sprint, warning against simplistic narratives about regime collapse.

"This is about getting the best bridgehead to a post-Islamic Republic Iran," he said, "so that the forces of revolution inside can finally become voters and choose their own fate."

Following the ousting of Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3 after he and his wife were whisked away to face justice in NewYork, ordinary citizens of Venezuela are responding with a mix of relief, shock and uncertainty after 30 years of a brutal socialist dictatorship that bankrupted their nation.

While what happens next remains largely uncertain and multiple possibilities continue to be studied by Washington, the celebratory tones seen across the country and throughout the almost 9 million citizens in the diaspora on Saturday have largely subsided into muted and cautious joy only expressed in private circles among those who longed for an end to years of economic hardship and political repression.

Vera, a professor at one of the better known universities, told Fox News Digital that, "The world cannot fathom the joy we feel. Maduro is in a federal prison in the U.S. with living conditions and rights that our political prisoners never had. For me, it is comforting to know he’ll spend the rest of his life behind bars eating rice and sausage and taking showers only three times a week, paying for damaging the lives of millions of Venezuelans."

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS THERE WON'T BE A 'SECOND WAVE OF ATTACKS' AGAINST VENEZUELA DUE TO THEIR 'COOPERATION'

Yet fear remains. The government has decreed any celebration of current events — and even expressions of approval of the U.S. operation in written text messages — to be a crime equivalent to national treason. Worse yet: it has empowered any law officer to check citizens and their telephones at random at hundreds of checkpoints established throughout Caracas and other regions of the country.

Anyone found in violation of the decree can be immediately arrested without a trial, turning the promise of change into an anxiety-tempered state about what comes next and raising questions about sovereignty, daily survival and how to overcome yet another crisis.

For Jesús, a 23-year-old university student from a middle-class family in Caracas who also works for a local business, a single word defines this past week: stress. For safety reasons, he and other Venezuelans interviewed for this story requested either partial or complete anonymity due to the security situation.

"We cannot afford the luxury of staying home and waiting to see how things will unfold. I have my own private vehicle and drive extensively throughout Caracas to go and come back from work, school, and run errands," he said.

AFTER MADURO, VENEZUELA POWER VACUUM EXPOSES BRUTAL INSIDERS AND ENFORCERS

"There are police cars and officers from the national, municipal, and local authorities stationed in every corner. Hundreds of checkpoints have sprung up across Caracas since the decree forbidding any celebratory expression at the U.S. operation that captured Maduro. At the first few days, there were also pro-government publicly armed colectivos (state-sanctioned citizen collectivities) doing the rounds to capture and violently repress anyone so much as expressing relief that Maduro was gone. It’s been extremely difficult having to remain vigilant at all times. From prior experiences, I learned to avoid most checkpoints through alternate ways and avoiding main roads. People have been sending texts saying where the checkpoints are and telling us to delete anything that shows our support for U.S. actions from our phones."

He continued, "For me, personally, it’s a time of mixed feelings. I am relieved to see Maduro gone and finally see a promise or discourse by either local or foreign governments to come to pass in Venezuela. While I obviously understand this only happened because of foreign interference, I much prefer a U.S. action that ends this dictatorship than preserving Venezuela’s sovereignty at the cost of our country. On the other hand, I am also frightened, because once you start dismantling the established structures, you end up having chaos, and in such a case, the population suffers the most."

Jesús adds that he transits through three main large groups of people — his student friends, his family and older relatives and his job. He adds that among his friends the mood is largely of hope that the U.S. might reshape the Venezuelan market and develop it into what he calls a "developed" system, where people can actually lead a better life. "We’ll finally stop being a Cuban colony and either be truly independent or a US.-.led country like the Dominican Republic. Nothing wrong with that. We’ll still be better off and more stable," he added.

TRUMP BACKS MADURO LOYALIST OVER VENEZUELA OPPOSITION LEADER IN POST-CAPTURE TRANSITION

Among his relatives, the overarching tone is fear. So far, many of Maduro’s cronies remain in power and they don’t know how they might suddenly react under paranoia, people with private property, and especially a potential mandatory military draft.

"Finally, at work, there is apathy. I work in a rich neighborhood where lots of government officers and military people frequent. Obviously, police officers and other government officials who benefited from the corruption and criminality are against what happened, but most military personnel say they won’t die for something they didn’t sign up for because of a dictatorship. At my work we’ve seen so many broken promises, that we are only bracing to stay afloat," he concluded.

For Hannah, a recent graduate, there’s relief that Maduro is gone. "Obviously, things shouldn’t be like this, and Venezuelans should be the ones deciding the future of their own country, but Maduro had to leave one way or another, and now he is gone," she adds.

A business entrepreneur who requested to speak anonymously said there was very little inclination for Venezuelans in his position to speak to the press due to smear campaigns by the government and possible reprisals.

Based in Caracas, he said that stocks have been experiencing record highs both in trade and value since Saturday, with some of them reaching close to a 20% uptick since then.

"In the more pragmatic business elite in Venezuela, there is a lot of hope that a more normal business environment will be created now that Maduro is gone and if the U.S. plays the regime-change and economy-development cards right even if it is to favor themselves foremost. But even then, this would be a better environment for private businesses and an enormous market ripe for renovated activity. In that sense most people are hopeful that Maduro is finally gone, but obviously it’s hard to see your own country being attacked by a foreign power," he says.

Vera, the professor, says she has been out and about in Caracas since Jan. 4, and has not encountered any of the colectivos. She describes an overall sensation of relief a joy at seeing Maduro gone despite the many uncertainties.

"There is generalized uncertainty, but the collective sensation is relief. For the first time in 26 years of oppression, there is political change. I do have my personal reservations regarding Trump and the U.S., as there is evidently an economic interest on their part. We have one of the largest extra-heavy oil reserves in the world, on top of our reserves of gas, gold and coltan."

She continued, "The U.S. actions are not free, and we still need to see what the actual costs—which could be very high — will be. I am very sorry that this happened in my country and would be lying if I said I agreed with foreign incursions, but I am also of the opinion that our own Armed Forces should have listened to the majority of the citizens in the 2024 elections [when Maduro retained power despite losing the vote], but they chose to continue oppressing their own people. This is, therefore, part of the cost we should pay for their inoperancy," she said.

Vera cautions that reactivating Venezuela’s economic growth will be a medium-to-long term task, but that when the feeling of political change is real everything flows better, and the feeling of opportunity in the country is real right now.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is removing funding for its citizens to study in the United Kingdom, citing concerns they could be radicalized abroad. 

The move means the UAE has removed British universities from a list of higher education institutions eligible for state scholarships amid growing tensions over London's decision not to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, The Financial Times reported. 

"[The UAE] don’t want their kids to be radicalized on campus," a person directly involved with the decision told the outlet. 

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ORDERED TO REINSTATE LAW STUDENT WHO WAS EXPELLED AFTER ANTI-JEWISH COMMENTS

Since then, Emirati students who have applied to their government for scholarships to study in the U.K. have been denied. 

The move also means that the UAE will not recognize qualifications from academic institutions that are not on its accredited list, rendering degrees from U.K. universities less valuable than others, according to the report. 

NYC STUDENTS EXPOSE 'EXTREMIST' PROFESSORS FOSTERING CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM AT MAJOR UNIVERSITIES

"All forms of extremism have absolutely no place in our society, and we will stamp them out wherever they are found," Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said in a statement. "We offer one of the best education systems in the world and maintain stringent measures on student welfare and on-campus safety."

The UAE has taken a hardline approach to Islamist movements abroad and at home. 

During the 2023-24 school year, 70 students at U.K. universities were reported for possible referral to the government’s deradicalization program, the report states. 

Starmer’s administration last year said the matter was under "close review."

Iran’s nationwide unrest entered its thirteenth day Friday, as authorities imposed a sweeping internet blackout that largely cut the country off from the outside world and escalated threats of harsh punishment while anti-regime protests spread. Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) reported that at least 51 protesters, including nine children, have been killed, with hundreds more injured. 

At a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday, President Donald Trump said Iran was facing mounting pressure as unrest spreads across the country. "Iran’s in big trouble," Trump said. "It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully."

Trump warned that the United States would respond forcefully if the regime resorts to mass violence. "We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts."

IRAN ON THE BRINK AS PROTESTERS MOVE TO TAKE TWO CITIES, APPEAL TO TRUMP

Trump said the administration hopes such action will not be necessary. "We don’t want that to happen," he said. "There have been cases like this where President Obama totally backed down, but this is something pretty incredible that’s happening in Iran. It’s an amazing thing to watch."

Trump blamed Iran’s leadership for the unrest, saying the regime had mistreated its people.

"They’ve done a bad job. They’ve treated the people very badly, and now they’re being paid back," he said. "So let’s see what happens. We’ll watch it. We’re watching it very closely."

Banafsheh Zand, an Iranian-American journalist and editor of the Iran So Far Away Substack, said demonstrations were expected to intensify later Friday despite the communications blackout.

"People are going to be pouring out into the streets," Zand told Fox News Digital. She described the unrest as unprecedented in the Islamic Republic’s history.

"Absolutely, this is the first time in 47 years. February 12 will mark 47 years that we have this opportunity," she said. A senior U.S. official told Fox News there had been no change to the U.S. military posture in the Middle East in response to the unrest, adding that U.S. Central Command was closely monitoring developments, particularly around Friday prayers and the regime’s response.

Thirteen days into the protests, the leaders of France, the United Kingdom and Germany issued their first joint declaration on the situation in Iran.

"We are deeply concerned about reports of violence by Iranian security forces and strongly condemn the killing of protesters," the statement said. "The Iranian authorities have the responsibility to protect their own population and must allow for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal. We urge the Iranian authorities to exercise restraint, refrain from violence, and uphold the fundamental rights of Iran’s citizens."

TRUMP SAYS US WILL INTERVENE IF IRAN STARTS KILLING PROTESTERS: ‘LOCKED AND LOADED’

The opposition-linked National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said Friday that security forces killed a significant number of protesters overnight in several cities, particularly Tehran and Karaj. The group said repression forces opened fire on civilians in the Fardis area of Karaj, leaving at least 10 young people killed or wounded in one incident—claims that could not be independently verified.

The leader of the NCRI, Maryam Rajavi, told Fox News Digital, "The developments of recent months have proven a fundamental truth: although the regime ruling Iran has been severely weakened and has suffered heavy blows, it will not collapse under the weight of its own failures. Its overthrow will not come from outside Iran, nor will it be delivered by the will of foreign capitals. As I have repeatedly emphasized, change can only be achieved by the Iranian people themselves, through an organized and nationwide resistance that is present on the ground — one capable of confronting a ruthless dictatorship."

According to Reuters, Iran was effectively isolated after authorities shut down internet access in an effort to curb the demonstrations, sharply limiting the flow of information out of the country. Phone calls into Iran were failing, and at least 17 flights between Dubai and Iran were canceled, according to Dubai Airport’s website. Videos verified by Reuters showed buildings and vehicles ablaze in several cities as unrest intensified.

Footage verified by Reuters from Tehran showed hundreds of demonstrators marching, with at least one woman heard shouting, "Death to Khamenei!" Other chants included slogans supporting the monarchy.

IRANIAN MILITARY LEADER THREATENS PREEMPTIVE ATTACK AFTER TRUMP COMMENTS

In Zahedan, where Iran’s Baluch minority predominates, rights group Hengaw reported that a protest march following Friday prayers had been met with gunfire, wounding several people, according to Reuters.

Iranian state television aired images of clashes and fires, while the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several police officers were killed overnight, underscoring the increasingly violent nature of the confrontations.

In a televised address Friday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed not to back down. Reuters reported that while the unrest has not yet drawn as broad a cross-section of society as some previous protest waves, Iranian authorities appear more vulnerable due to a dire economic situation and the aftermath of last year’s war with Israel and the United States.

IRANIAN PROTESTERS RENAME TEHRAN STREET AFTER TRUMP, PLEAD 'DON'T LET THEM KILL US' AMID CRACKDOWN

The protests began late last month with shopkeepers and bazaar merchants demonstrating against accelerating inflation and the collapse of the rial, which lost about half its value against the dollar last year. Inflation topped 40% in December. The unrest soon spread to universities and provincial cities, with young men clashing with security forces.

State television broadcast overnight images of burning buses, cars and motorbikes as well as fires at underground railway stations and banks. In the Caspian Sea port city of Rasht, a state TV journalist standing amid the flames said, "This looks like a war zone – all the shops have been destroyed."

Reuters noted that Iran’s opposition abroad remains fragmented, with disputed levels of support inside the country for figures such as Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late Shah of Iran. Pahlavi urged Iranians to take to the streets in a social media post, while President Donald Trump said Thursday he would not meet Pahlavi and was "not sure that it would be appropriate" to support him," he stated in an interview with Hugh Hewitt.

Despite the unrest, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the likelihood of foreign military intervention was "very low," adding that Oman’s foreign minister would visit Tehran on Saturday, according to Reuters.

The Islamic Republic has weathered repeated waves of nationwide unrest over the decades, including major protests in 1999, 2009, 2019 and 2022. Analysts say the coming days will test whether the current uprising can sustain momentum under intensified repression — or meet a similar fate.

Reuters contributed to this article.

Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi is calling on President Donald Trump to intervene after the Islamic regime implemented a nationwide internet blackout amid intensifying anti-government protests. He said the president has proven himself to be a "man of peace and a man of your word."

"Mr. President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support, and action. Last night you saw the millions of brave Iranians in the streets facing down live bullets. Today, they are facing not just bullets but a total communications blackout. No Internet. No landlines," Pahlavi wrote on X.

"Ali Khamenei, fearing the end of his criminal regime at the hands of the people and, with the help of your powerful promise to support the protesters, has threatened the people on the streets with a brutal crackdown," Pahlavi added. "And he wants to use this blackout to murder these young heroes."

IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER SAYS PROTESTERS 'RUINING THEIR OWN STREETS' TO PLEASE TRUMP

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently took a swipe at Trump, saying that protesters in Iran were "ruining their own streets" to appease the U.S. president, according to The Associated Press.

Palhavi added that he believed Trump's threat to intervene if the Iranian government used violence against protesters "kept the regime's thugs at bay" during Thursday night's protests. The prince called on the people of Iran to demonstrate on Thursday night and renewed his call for more protests on Friday night.

Recently, Palhavi predicted that the regime was "very close to collapsing" amid the nationwide unrest.

"Over a hundred cities and millions of people on the street chanting ‘Death to the dictator,’" Pahlavi told "Hannity" on Tuesday. "The regime is crumbling and is very close to collapsing," he added.

IRAN REGIME CUTS NATIONWIDE INTERNET ACCESS AS PROTESTS CLAIM 44 LIVES ACROSS MAJOR CITIES

He said the movement is "unprecedented" and differs from past efforts, pointing to participation from Iran’s powerful merchant class.

As of Friday, at least 36 people had been killed, including 34 protesters and two members of security and law enforcement forces, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency.

Trump said in a Truth Social post on Jan. 2 that the U.S. was "locked and loaded and ready to go" defend protesters if the regime used violence against them.

EXILED IRANIAN PRINCE SAYS REGIME ‘VERY CLOSE TO COLLAPSING’ AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST

"If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go," Trump wrote.

Trump reiterated the statement during an interview with Hugh Hewitt that aired on Thursday. He said that Iran has "been told very strongly, even more strongly than I’m speaking to you right now, that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell," according to the AP. However, in the same interview, the president seemed to cast doubt on the idea that he would meet with Pahlavi.

"I’m not sure that it would be appropriate at this point to do that as president," Trump said, according to the AP. "I think that we should let everybody go out there, and we see who emerges."

The president also spoke with Fox News' Sean Hannity about the possibility of intervening in Iran. During his appearance on "Hannity," Trump said that the U.S. would hit the regime "very hard" if it mistreated protesters.

"We’re ready to do it. If they do that, we can hit them hard," Trump told "Hannity."

Video from Tehran showed business owners shutting their shops in the Grand Bazaar and facing off with security forces in riot gear. Meanwhile, video from other parts of Iran have shown large crowds with thousands taking to the streets as they decry the country's worsening economic conditions.

On Thursday, the regime plunged Iran into a nationwide internet blackout as the protests intensified. Live network data from NetBlocks showed internet traffic collapsing in the troubled nation on Thursday evening, shortly after calls circulated for mass protests at 8 p.m. local time.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, the State Department and a representative for Pahlavi for comment.

Fox News Digital's Madison Colombo and Emma Bussey contributed to this report.

Russia said on Friday it used its new hypersonic Oreshnik missile in an attack against Ukraine, according to reports.

The Kremlin said that the strike was carried out in response to what it said was an attempted Ukrainian drone strike on one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's residences, something Kyiv has denied, according to Reuters. 

The outlet noted that Ukraine and the U.S. have cast doubt on Russia’s claims about the alleged attempted attack on Putin’s residence on Dec. 29, the report said. Ukraine called it "an absurd lie," while President Donald Trump also doubted the veracity of the claim, saying he did not believe the strike occurred and that "something" unrelated happened nearby.

This is the second time Russia has used the intermediate-range Oreshnik, which Putin has said is impossible to intercept because of its velocity, Reuters reported.

RUSSIA ALLEGES ATTACK ON PUTIN RESIDENCE AS UKRAINE DENIES CLAIM AHEAD OF TRUMP TALKS

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the strike targeted critical infrastructure in Ukraine, according to Reuters, which added that Russia said the attack also used attack drones and high-precision long-range land and sea-based weapons.

While Moscow did not say where the missile hit, Russian media and military bloggers said it targeted an underground natural gas storage facility in Ukraine's western Leviv region, CBS News reported. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadoviy said the attack hit critical infrastructure but did not give details, the outlet added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the attack on social media, saying that the aftermath was "still being dealt with."

"Twenty residential buildings alone were damaged. Recovery operations after the strikes also continue in the Lviv region and other regions of our country. Unfortunately, as of now, it is known that four people have been killed in the capital alone. Among them is an ambulance crew member. My condolences to their families and loved ones," Zelenskyy wrote.

PUTIN RESIDENCE ATTACK VIDEO SLAMMED AS US OFFICIALS SAY UKRAINE DID NOT TARGET LEADER

The Ukrainian leader said the attack involved 242 drones, 13 ballistic missiles, one Oreshnik missile and 22 cruise missiles. Zelenskyy added that the ballistic missiles were aimed at energy facilities and civilian infrastructure as the people of Ukraine faced "a significant cold spell." He said the attack was "aimed precisely against the normal life of ordinary people." However, he assured that Ukraine was working to restore heating and electricity.

Zelenskyy claimed that in addition to the civilian infrastructure, a building of the Embassy of Qatar was damaged in the attack.

"A clear reaction from the world is needed. Above all from the United States, whose signals Russia truly pays attention to. Russia must receive signals that it is its obligation to focus on diplomacy, and must feel consequences every time it again focuses on killings and the destruction of infrastructure," Zelenskyy added.

A spokesperson for the State Department told Fox News Digital that the U.S. remains committed to ending the war through diplomatic means, emphasizing that it is the only path toward a durable peace. The spokesperson underscored Trump's desire to end the war that is approaching its fourth year.

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

U.S. forces boarded an oil tanker on Friday in a pre-dawn action, the U.S. Southern Command announced.

"In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford and apprehended Motor/Tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea without incident," the U.S. Southern Command wrote in a post on X. 

"Apprehensions like this are backed by the full power of the U.S. Navy’s Amphibious Ready Group, including the ready and lethal platforms of the USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale," the statement added. "The Department of War’s Operation Southern Spear is unwavering in its mission to defend our homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere."

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said "the world's criminals are on notice" after the latest operation.

"Early this morning, the [U.S. Coast Guard] executed a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea. As another "ghost fleet" tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil, this vessel had departed Venezuela attempting to evade U.S. forces," Noem wrote on X.

"The ghost fleets will not outrun justice. They will not hide under false claims of nationality. 
The Coast Guard will seize sanctioned oil tankers, enforce U.S. and international law, and eliminate these funding streams for illicit activity including narco-terrorism," Noem added. She also praised the U.S. Coast GUard for its "relentless execution of this mission."

This is the fifth such seizure in recent weeks and comes less than one week after the U.S. carried out a daring operation in Venezuela in which dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cili Flores, were arrested.

This is a developing story. Please check back for more details.

Fox News' James Levinson contributed to this report.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei signaled that security forces would clamp down on protesters after overnight marches through the streets as the country continues to see demonstrations.

Overnight, Iran was plunged into a nationwide internet blackout as anti-regime protests intensified. The blackout severely restricted communications across the country as demonstrations enter their second week and the death toll reportedly reaches 44. Live network data from NetBlocks showed internet traffic collapsing in the troubled nation on Thursday evening, shortly after calls circulated for mass protests at 8 p.m. local time.

Khamenei's warning about security forces came just days after President Donald Trump vowed the U.S. would intervene if peaceful Iranian protesters were met with violence at the hands of the regime.

"If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Jan. 2.

IRAN PROTESTERS EMBOLDENED BY TRUMP ADMIN’S PERSIAN MESSAGING AFTER OBAMA-BIDEN INACTION, ACTIVISTS SAY

Trump reiterated the statement during an interview with Hugh Hewitt on Thursday and said that if the regime forces were to kill protesters, "they will be hit very hard." The remark was posted on the State Department's Farsi feed.

The Iranian leader dismissed Trump's statements, saying that the U.S. president's hands were "stained with the blood of Iranians" as supporters shouted "Death to America!" in footage aired on Iranian state TV, according to The Associated Press.

IRAN REGIME CUTS NATIONWIDE INTERNET ACCESS AS PROTESTS CLAIM 44 LIVES ACROSS MAJOR CITIES

Khamenei said that Iranian protesters were "ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy," referring to Trump.

Short videos purportedly showing protests against the regime still circulated before the blackout cut the nation from the internet and international calls, according to the AP. The outlet noted that the videos appeared to show protesters chanting against the Iranian regime around bonfires as debris littered the streets in Tehran and other areas in the country. Iranian state media claimed "terrorist agents" from the U.S. and Israel set the fires and sparked the violence, the AP reported.

Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, whose father, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, fled Iran just before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, called for the protests on Thursday night. Pahlavi said on X that he was proud of all those who demonstrated against the regime on Thursday night.

"I am proud of each and every one of you who took over the streets across Iran on Thursday night... You saw how the massive crowds forced the repressive forces to retreat," Pahlavi said. "Those of you who were hesitant, join your fellow compatriots on Friday night."

Pahlavi encouraged protests on Friday to be even larger than the ones that took place the night before, saying it would further weaken the Islamic Republic's regime. He also expressed his faith that the people in the streets would not give up in the face of internet blackouts, assuring the protesters that the victory belonged to them.

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

The Associated Press and Fox News Digital's Emma Bussey contributed to this report.