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The Iranian regime-backed Houthi movement launched two missiles at Israel on Saturday, creating a third front for the Jewish state in its current war against the Islamic Republic and its other terror-proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The Houthis said they "targeted sensitive Israeli military sites" with a "barrage of ballistic missiles." The IDF, according to YNET, said it intercepted both a cruise and ballistic missile fired by the Houthis on Saturday morning.

Nadwa Al-Dawsari, an expert on Yemen and an associate fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital, "This is now fundamentally about the survival of the Iranian regime. The intervention of the Houthis and other Axis members is determined by the IRGC-run Axis of Resistance Operations Room. The Houthis have already demonstrated their ability to withstand intense U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. For both Iran and the Houthis, ‘winning’ is defined by survival, not decisive victory."

IRAN CONTINUES FIRING MISSILES, DRONES AT NEIGHBORING STATES, WITH MULTIPLE INTERCEPTIONS REPORTED

She continued, "The strategy is to prolong the conflict and raise the cost. The Houthis are uniquely positioned to do that, given their ability to disrupt critical maritime routes and open additional pressure fronts. If escalation continues, they will likely resume Red Sea attacks and could expand pressure toward KSA [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia]."

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Houthis were engaged in a war before the Biden administration reportedly forced the Saudi government to stop its military strikes on the Houthis. Biden had also delisted the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization only for the Trump administration to swiftly reimpose the terror designation on the Houthis in the early days of his second term.

Salman Al-Ansari, a Saudi geopolitical analyst, told Fox News Digital that "The Houthis appear to be acting under heavy pressure from Tehran. Iran wanted them involved two weeks ago, and this attack looks more symbolic than strategic. It is part of Tehran’s effort to improve its position in negotiations with the U.S. by showing that it still has cards to play beyond Hormuz."

He added, "The Houthis do not control the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, but they can still disrupt shipping in the Red Sea. At the same time, they seem to view Iran as a dead horse and are cautious about betting too heavily on it."

THE FUTURE OF WAR? US-ISRAEL BLITZ ON IRAN UNVEILS NEXT-GEN ALLIED COMBAT

The Houthis are fanatically anti-American and anti-Israel. The official slogan of the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) reads, "Allah is Greater. Death to America. Death to Israel. Curse on the Jews. Victory to Islam." 

The Houthis control most of northwest Yemen. They expelled the internationally recognized government from the capital, Sanaa in 2015.

The Houthis joined Hamas in its war against Israel in mid-October 2023, after the terrorist movement in Gaza invaded Israel and murdered over 1,200 people, including more than 40 Americans. A Houthi drone killed an Israeli civilian in Tel Aviv in 2024.

Michael Szanto, an international relations expert, told Fox News Digital that, "Iran has already been badly hit by the United States and Israel and all supply routes between Iran and Yemen will be cut off by U.S. forces. This means that Yemen will lack the supply lines to maintain a sustained offensive against Israel, though it still likely has large stockpile of missiles and drones."

He added, "The Houthis are making a major strategic mistake by once again provoking Israel, which will try to finish off the terrorist threat in Yemen. The Houthis have proven themselves to also be a menace to the Saudis, the Emiratis, the U.S., and the world."

Saturday's attack happened hours before a spokesman for the terrorist group threatened that it's "fingers were on the trigger." 

Uganda’s military chief has warned the African country’s armed forces could enter the Iran war on Israel’s side after issuing a series of statements on social media that went viral this week.

Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba — son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni — who is considered to be his likely successor, has spent this week making a barrage of posts on X in support of Israel.

"We stand with Israel because we are Christians," he wrote, adding in another post, "Uganda is the David that was forgotten and neglected by the world. We will defeat the giant, Goliath."

INSIDE THE ISRAELI DRONE UNIT TAKING ON IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH

Kainerugaba began his social media blitz with, "We want the war in the Middle East to end now. The world is tired of it. But any talk of destroying or defeating Israel will bring us into the war. On the side of Israel!"

Uganda has 45,000 active military personnel in the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF), with around 35,000 reserves, according to its ministry of defense. It’s estimated to have approximately 240 tanks and over 1,000 armored fighting vehicles.

The nation is also heavily involved militarily in conflict-affected countries. Its soldiers fight as part of an African Union force against Islamist al-Shabab terrorists in Somalia. Their army is also still operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against the Islamic State-linked ADF terrorist group.

While Iran is not known to have any interests in Uganda, it has been accused of covert operations in neighboring Kenya and Tanzania, including the running of smuggling networks and making controversial diplomatic and economic outreach with questionable motives throughout the region. Although landlocked, Uganda is said to be wary of Iran’s strategic interest in gaining a presence in the regional waters of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea.

NEXT MOVE ON IRAN: SEIZE KHARG ISLAND, SECURE URANIUM OR RISK GROUND WAR ESCALATION

In another post he stated, "Israel stood with us when we were nobodies in the 1980s and 1990s. Why wouldn't we defend her now that our GDP is $100 billion? One of the largest in Africa."

Israel has historically trained Ugandan forces, including the general. It is understood that Uganda maintains a strong strategic partnership with Israel, with close security and intelligence ties.

It wasn’t always like this. In 1976, with dictator Idi Amin aggressively opposing Israel, four terrorists hijacked Air France Flight 139 on its way from Tel Aviv to France. The plane was diverted to Entebbe Airport in Uganda. During the night of July 3, 1976, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) mounted a long-range rescue mission, originally codenamed Operation Thunderbolt, to rescue 106 mostly Israeli hostages being held.

The mission was retroactively renamed Operation Yonatan after the mission’s leader, Lt. Col. Yonatan "Yoni" Netanyahu, the elder brother of the current Israeli Prime Minister, was killed by a Ugandan sniper during the raid. The Israeli soldiers pulled off a successful rescue, but four hostages, seven hijackers and 45 Ugandan soldiers were killed.

Kainerugaba announced that in a further gesture of goodwill toward Israel, he intends to have a statue of Yonatan Netanyahu erected at the exact spot in Entebbe’s airport where he fell. This week, Kainerugaba posted a photo of the statue on X, dubbing it "a sneak peek."

Iran’s military is not designed to win a conventional war against the United States or Israel. It is designed to survive one, absorb damage and continue fighting over time, experts say.

That strategy is reflected both in how the force is built and how it is performing now, after weeks of sustained U.S. and Israeli strikes.

The scale of the campaign has been significant. More than 9,000 targets have been struck since the launch of Operation Epic Fury, according to a March 23, 2026, fact sheet from U.S. Central Command, alongside more than 9,000 combat flights, hitting missile sites, air defenses, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command centers and weapons production facilities.

NEXT MOVE ON IRAN: SEIZE KHARG ISLAND, SECURE URANIUM OR RISK GROUND WAR ESCALATION

U.S. officials say the objective is clear. 

"We are targeting and eliminating Iran’s ballistic missile systems … destroying the Iranian Navy … and ensuring Iran cannot rapidly rebuild," Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said during a March Pentagon briefing.

But analysts caution that the picture is more complex.

"It’s a mixed bag," Nicholas Carl, a fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute think tank and assistant director of the Critical Threats Project, told Fox News Digital. "On one hand, (Iran’s military) is badly degraded across the board, but the regime still retains a significant amount of capability." 

INSIDE THE ISRAELI DRONE UNIT TAKING ON IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH

At the heart of Iran’s military system is a deliberate dual structure: the conventional army, known as the Artesh, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a parallel force created after the 1979 revolution to safeguard the regime.

According to Carl, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has shaped the armed forces throughout decades around one central objective: preserving the Islamic Republic and exporting its revolutionary ideology.

"You need to separate between the IRGC and the regular army," Middle East intelligence expert Danny Citrinowicz told Fox News Digital. "The IRGC gets all of the budgets — better salaries, better equipment, better everything."

Carl describes the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a "deeply ideological praetorian guard," while the Artesh remains a more conventional force tasked with defending Iran’s borders.

But the distinction is not absolute. 

"The IRGC is probably the more dangerous of the two, but we cannot discount the threat that the regular military poses as well," Carl said.

TRUMP’S IRAN STRATEGY SHOWCASES ‘DOCTRINE OF UNPREDICTABILITY’ AMID STRIKE THREATS AND SUDDEN PAUSE

Iran’s missile program remains the backbone of its military power, even after extensive strikes.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force has spent years building what Carl describes as the largest missile inventory in the Middle East.

U.S. officials say those capabilities have been significantly reduced with recent strikes. 

"Iran’s ballistic missile shots fired are down 86% from the first day of fighting," Caine said in a Pentagon briefing earlier in March, adding that drone launches have dropped by roughly 73%.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in the same briefing that the campaign has sharply limited Iran’s ability to sustain attacks. 

"The enemy can no longer shoot the volume of missiles they once did, not even close," he said. 

But even U.S. officials acknowledge the threat persists. 

"Iran will still be able to shoot some missiles … and launch one-way attack drones," Hegseth said.

Carl said the decline in fire has plateaued.

"Iranian missile and drone fire has dropped precipitously … about 90% since the war began… but that number has been consistent for weeks," he said. "That means they still retain enough capability to sustain strikes across the region."

Citrinowicz offered a similar assessment. 

"They suffered blows, but still hold the ability and still have the capacity to launch missiles for weeks to come," he said.

U.S. estimates cited by Carl suggest roughly a third of Iran’s missile capabilities remain active.

"The regime still does have a significant capability to threaten targets across the region … especially as it demonstrates the ability to shoot beyond 2,000 kilometers," Carl said.

WHY TRUMP, IRAN SEEM LIGHT-YEARS APART ON ANY POSSIBLE DEAL TO END THE WAR

The Pentagon says it has made major gains against Iran’s naval forces.

More than 140 Iranian vessels have been damaged or destroyed, according to U.S. Central Command.

Caine said U.S. forces have "effectively neutralized" Iran’s major naval presence in the region.

But analysts warn that Iran’s naval threat was never dependent on large ships.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy is built around "area denial capabilities," including fast attack craft, mines, missiles and drones designed to swarm adversaries and disrupt maritime movement.

"They still have the capacity — speedboats, drones, surface-to-sea missiles — allowing them to block the Strait of Hormuz," Citrinowicz said.

Carl cautioned against a common misconception.

"It’s not technically accurate to say the Strait of Hormuz is closed … Iran is selectively denying access … firing at some ships while allowing others to pass," he said.

"Iran has to do very, very little to achieve a meaningful effect."

HEZBOLLAH, IRAN UNLEASH COORDINATED CLUSTER BOMB STRIKES ON ISRAEL IN MAJOR ESCALATION

U.S. officials say the campaign has achieved major progress in the air.

"We will have complete control of Iranian skies, uncontested airspace," Hegseth said.

Caine added that U.S. forces have already established "localized air superiority" and are expanding operations deeper into Iranian territory.

But Iran’s air force was never the centerpiece of its strategy. Years of sanctions have left it reliant on aging aircraft and limited modernization, making it far less capable than its Western or regional adversaries.

"There is definitely a setback … but Iran was never built on an air force," Citrinowicz said.

Instead, Iran relies on missiles, drones and layered defenses.

WHO ACTUALLY RUNS IRAN RIGHT NOW? THE KEY POWER PLAYERS AS TRUMP CLAIMS TALKS TO 'TOP' OFFICIAL

On the ground, Iran retains a key advantage: its forces have largely not been directly engaged.

The Artesh ground forces, which include tens of brigades, are positioned primarily to defend Iran’s borders, according to Carl’s report.

"The ground troops are still intact, nobody has invaded Iran," Citrinowicz said.

He noted that ground forces are increasingly launching drones, signaling a broader shift in how Iran fights.

Beyond its borders, Iran’s military power is extended through a network of proxy forces managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.

Carl said the Quds Force provides "leadership, materiel, intelligence, training and funds" to allied militias across the Middle East, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.

"The ‘Axis of Resistance’ is the central mechanism by which Iran can further regionalize the conflict … to endanger as many actors’ interests as possible," Carl said.

US MOVES AIRBORNE TROOPS, MARINES AS IRAN REJECTS CEASEFIRE, RAISING GROUND WAR POTENTIAL

Iran’s military is also structured to confront internal threats, reinforcing its core purpose: regime survival.

The result is a force built on redundancy, asymmetry and endurance.

Even after weeks of sustained strikes, Iran retains enough capability to continue launching missiles, harassing global shipping and leveraging proxy forces across the region.

It may be weakened, but it remains strategically dangerous. 

"We cannot discount the threat that the Iranian military poses," Carl said, "it remains a force capable of threatening regional and international security."

The Iranian regime’s retention of key nuclear weapons sites and material for building atomic bombs — highly enriched uranium — has led to new efforts by the U.S. and Israeli to take out the last vestiges of the regime's program.

On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that its "Air Force Struck the Arak Heavy Water Plant — A Key Plutonium Production Site for Nuclear Weapons." The Arak plant is located in central Iran.

Prior to Friday's attack, an IDF spokesperson, speaking in reference to Arak, told Fox News Digital there is a "high estimation" that attacks on "uranium enrichment sites are part of the plan.":

The IDF declined to answer more specific questions about its target list and if any ground operations to retrieve the nuclear weapons-grade uranium were being considered.

NEXT MOVE ON IRAN: SEIZE KHARG ISLAND, SECURE URANIUM OR RISK GROUND WAR ESCALATION

Reuters, quoting regime media outlet Fars, reported that joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Friday hit the Khondab heavy water research reactor. 

A statement released by the IDF said, "Heavy water is a unique material used to operate nuclear reactors, such as the inactive Arak reactor, which was originally designed to have weapons-grade plutonium production capabilities. These materials can also be used as a neutron source for nuclear weapons.

"The plant was a significant economic asset for the terror regime and served as a source of income for the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, generating tens of millions of dollars for the regime each year."

The regime's foreign minister posted a condemnation of Israel and warned the Jewish state, "Iran will exact HEAVY price for Israeli crimes."

According to an article published by the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), "The IR-40 Arak, aka Khondab, Heavy Water Reactor and Heavy Water Production Plant date to the early 2000s. … The reactor core design was ideal for making substantial amounts of weapon-grade plutonium for nuclear weapons."

STRIKES MAY SET IRAN BACK — BUT LIKELY WON'T END NUCLEAR PROGRAM, UN WATCHDOG CHIEF SAYS

Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), told Fox News Digital, "The one nuclear site which hasn’t been hit to date has been Pickaxe Mountain, so striking that site as part of Operation Epic Fury will be important to further degrade the Iranian nuclear program."

A White House spokesperson referred Fox News Digital to President Trump’s Cabinet meeting comments about Iran’s nuclear weapons program. 

"We're free to roam over their cities and towns and destroy all of their crazy nuclear weapons and missiles and drones that they're building," Trump said Thursday.

David Albright, a physicist, founder and president of the Institute for Science and International Security, told Fox News Digital that with respect to key nuclear weapons facilities that remain, "The elephants in the tent are Natanz and Isfahan. There was an attack on Natanz that the Iranians revealed, but the Israelis said we are not aware of an attack. So, it must have been the U.S."

TRUMP SAYS US, ISRAEL SHATTERED IRANIAN MILITARY CAPABILITIES, PRESSES LEADERS TO SURRENDER: 'CRY UNCLE'

He said Natanz has enriched uranium. 

"The Iranians were doing recovery operations in the underground fuel enrichment plant there and continuing to build this Pickaxe Mountain tunnel complex, which could hold enriched uranium. Right next to it is another tunnel complex that was built much earlier, around 2007. … And the Iranians sealed it up, fortified it. There is something obviously important there."

Albright said U.S. and Israeli airstrikes "have not attacked the underground Isfahan site. We know, according to the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency], highly enriched uranium is in that site. There may be an enrichment plant under construction in that underground complex. We would like that site to be attacked."

Albright warned that the war should not end like the previous U.S.-Israel war with Iran in 2025 with Tehran retaining the "crown jewels" of its atomic weapons program — highly enriched uranium and a number of centrifuges.

"You don’t want it to come out of this war with the same kind of nuclear weapons capabilities that it had at the end of June war with a higher incentive to build a bomb," Albright said. That is why it's so important "to finish the job" in Iran, he added.

A Russian man convicted of assaulting a woman in London in an attack witnessed by Barron Trump, President Donald Trump’s youngest son, on a video call was sentenced to four years in prison by a London court on Friday. 

Matvei Rumiantsev, 23, an MMA fighter, was convicted by a jury on Jan. 28 of assault with bodily harm but was acquitted of rape and choking charges. He was also convicted of perverting the course of justice stemming from a letter he sent the woman a letter from jail asking her to retract her allegations.

After the assault, Rumiantsev admitted he was jealous of his girlfriend's friendship with the 19-year-old son of President Donald Trump.

BARRON TRUMP REPORTEDLY SAVED WOMAN'S LIFE AFTER WITNESSING VIOLENT ASSAULT ON FACETIME CALL

"Your lack of insight and empathy was apparent at trial," Justice Joel Bennathan said. "You continue to try to blame the complainant for everything that has happened."

Trump told investigators he had placed a late-night FaceTime call to the woman, whom he had met on social media, and had been startled when the call had been briefly answered by a shirtless man on Jan. 18, 2025.

"That view lasted maybe one second and I was racing with adrenaline," Barron Trump said. "The camera was then flipped to the victim getting hit while crying, stating something in Russian."

BARRON TRUMP SPOTTED ON NYU CAMPUS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE INAUGURATION

Barron Trump called the police in London.

"It’s really an emergency … I’m calling from the U.S., uh, I just got a call from a girl, you know, she’s getting beat up," he told an operator. 

Police responded to the address and arrested Rumiantsev, a London-based receptionist.

At his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Rumiantsev was acquitted of rape and choking related to the attack, as well as a separate rape and assault allegation from November 2024.

His attorney, Sasha Wass, said that Trump wasn't aware the woman had a boyfriend and questioned how much he could have seen in just a few seconds of video. 

Trump never testified in the case. However, the judge praised him for his quick-thinking actions. 

"Mr, Trump properly and responsibly, despite being in the United States, made sure the emergency services here were called, and he told them what he had seen," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in France on Friday to attend the G7 foreign ministers meeting where he will deliver a clear message on U.S. priorities for the ongoing war with Iran.

In the days leading up to the meeting, other members have taken markedly different approaches to the war. Nearly all of Washington’s partners — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan — have reacted cautiously to the U.S.-Israeli military campaign and declined to participate in offensive operations, even as they condemn Iranian actions.

Before departing on Thursday, Rubio signaled a defiant approach to the talks: "I don’t work for France or Germany or Japan… the people I’m interested in making happy are the people of the United States. I work for them," he said in a video posted on X.

The divergence has drawn frustration from President Donald Trump, who has pressed allies to contribute more, particularly in securing key maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. While some countries have signaled a willingness to support defensive or maritime security efforts, they have stopped short of joining direct military strikes.

TRUMP PRESSES NATO PARTNERS ON SUPPORT AS HEGSETH BLASTS HESITATION

"The U.S. is constantly asked to help in wars and we have. But when we had a need, it didn’t get positive responses from NATO. A couple leaders said that Iran was not Europe’s war. Well, Ukraine isn’t our war, yet we’ve contributed more to that fight than anyone," Rubio added.

"The Strait of Hormuz could be open tomorrow if Iran stops threatening global shipping, which is an outrage and a violation of international law. For all these countries that care about international law, they should be doing something about it," he said before boarding his plane to France.

The remarks set the tone for a summit already marked by growing friction between Washington and some of its closest allies over how to handle the Iran conflict. Rubio has framed the stakes in stark terms. "Iran has been at war with the United States for 47 years… Iran has been killing Americans and attacking Americans across this planet," he said during a White House cabinet meeting, adding that allowing Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons would be "an unacceptable risk for the world."

But even before Rubio arrived at the meeting, European officials were signaling a markedly different approach.

"We need to exit from the war, not escalate this further, because the consequences for everybody around the world are quite severe," Vice President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas said during a briefing on the sidelines of the G7 on Thursday.

JACK KEANE CALLS OUT NATO'S WEAKNESS AS SHIPPING CRISIS GRIPS STRAIT OF HORMUZ

"It can only be a diplomatic solution… sit down and negotiate to have a way out," she added.

The contrast between Rubio’s framing and Kallas’s message captures the core tension shaping the meeting.

U.S. officials say Rubio is heading into the talks with a broader agenda that goes beyond Iran.

According to a State Department spokesperson, who spoke to Fox News Digital on background, Rubio will use the meeting to "advance key U.S. interests" and push discussions on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as "international burden sharing" and the overall effectiveness of the G7.

The U.S. is also expected to emphasize maritime security, including freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, while urging allies to take on a greater share of responsibilities in conflict zones and international organizations, the spokesperson said.

RUBIO, RATCLIFFE TO DELIVER CLASSIFIED IRAN BRIEFING TO 'GANG OF EIGHT' AHEAD OF TRUMP'S STATE OF THE UNION

European officials have instead emphasized the broader risks of the conflict.

France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said discussions at the G7 would build on a recent joint statement condemning Iran’s actions while also addressing maritime security concerns.

He said the "discussions will provide an opportunity to revisit positions already agreed at the G7 level… including the unjustifiable attacks carried out by Iran against Gulf countries… which we condemned in the strongest possible terms."

Barrot added that ministers would also focus on securing global shipping routes.

"We will also have the opportunity to address maritime security and freedom of navigation… including an international mission… to ensure the smooth flow of maritime traffic in a strictly defensive posture, thereby helping to ease pressure on energy prices," he said.

Kallas echoed that global framing. "All the countries in the world are one way or another affected by this war… it is in the interest of everybody that this war stops," she said.

IRAN SIGNALS NUCLEAR PROGRESS IN GENEVA AS TRUMP CALLS FOR FULL DISMANTLEMENT

Her remarks also pointed to the interconnected nature of the crisis. "Russia is helping Iran with intelligence… and also supporting Iran now with drones," she said, linking the Iran conflict to the war in Ukraine.

That uncertainty is already affecting the structure of the summit, with officials dropping plans for a unified final communiqué to avoid exposing divisions, Reuters reported.

Analysts say those differences reflect deeper structural tensions in the alliance. "Europe has criticized Donald Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’ strategy towards Iran while pursuing a failed diplomatic approach that has enabled the regime to expand its terrorist networks and edge closer to nuclear threshold status," Barak Seener, senior research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital.

"This reflects a lack of European capability to project power in the region, particularly in safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz."

Seener added that years of reliance on Washington have left Europe increasingly exposed as the U.S. shifts its strategic priorities. "Years of underinvestment in defense and reliance on the United States have created a dependency that Washington increasingly views as a betrayal of the peace it has guaranteed Europe since the Second World War," he said.

"With the U.S. placing greater value on its relationship with Israel than NATO, the result may be further erosion of the alliance, reduced support for Ukraine and rising economic pressure on Europe."

He warned that the immediate test will come at the G7 itself. "Divisions over how to respond to Iran and to any U.S. request for support are likely to expose a deeper transatlantic split," Seener said.

"Operation Epic Fury has showcased President Trump’s ability to assemble a coalition of allies to eliminate a common threat — in this case the Iranian regime — and stabilize international trade," Jacob Olidort, chief research officer and director of American security at the America First Policy Institute, told Fox News Digital.

"The failure of Western Europe to participate in securing the Strait of Hormuz is particularly egregious because those countries depend on it more than we do," he added.

"At the same time, the historic successes of Operation Epic Fury have awakened a new confidence in our Middle East partners to eradicate the threats from the Iranian regime and to work together to shape a more peaceful and prosperous region."

U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine are being tied to Kyiv ceding the eastern Donbas region to Russia as part of a potential peace deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Reuters in an interview published Thursday.

"The Americans are prepared to finalize these guarantees at a high level once Ukraine is ready to withdraw from Donbas," Zelenskyy said, describing a proposal he warned could undermine both Ukraine’s defenses and broader European security.

But a U.S. official, speaking on background, told Fox News Digital the claim is false.

Zelenskyy's comments point to growing pressure from President Donald Trump to reach a swift end to the war, now in its fourth year following Russia’s 2022 invasion. 

ZELENSKYY SAYS PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE AFTER TRUMP MEETING BUT TERRITORY REMAINS STICKING POINT

Zelenskyy suggested the administration’s approach is influenced in part by competing global crises, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

"The Middle East definitely has an impact on President Trump," Zelenskyy said. "President Trump, unfortunately, in my opinion, still chooses a strategy of putting more pressure on the Ukrainian side."

Talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine have taken place in Abu Dhabi and Geneva in 2026, but key issues remain unresolved, including how Ukraine’s future security would be guaranteed and who would fund its long-term defense.

Zelenskyy warned that abandoning Donbas would hand Russia heavily fortified Ukrainian defensive lines, weakening Kyiv’s position and potentially enabling future aggression.

"I would very much like the American side to understand that the eastern part of our country is part of our security guarantees," he said.

ZELENSKYY CLAIMS TRUMP SAID US WILL CONSIDER GIVING UKRAINE DECADES OF SECURITY GUARANTEES

Russian President Vladimir Putin has long insisted that full control of Donbas is central to Moscow’s war aims. While Russian forces have made gains, analysts cited by Reuters say progress has been slow, and capturing the remaining territory could take significant time and manpower.

Zelenskyy also warned that Moscow is betting Washington will lose interest if negotiations stall. 

"Russia is counting on the fact that the United States will not have the strength or patience to bring this to an end," he said.

Despite tensions over negotiations, Zelenskyy thanked the Trump administration for continuing deliveries of Patriot missile defense systems, which Ukraine relies on to intercept Russian ballistic missiles. 

"Deliveries to us were not stopped. I’m very grateful to President Trump, and to his team," he said, while adding that supplies remain insufficient.

In parallel with the diplomatic push, Zelenskyy signaled a broader strategy to expand Ukraine’s role as a security provider, particularly in the Middle East, where countries are seeking solutions to large-scale drone and missile threats.

UKRAINE PEACE TALKS PRODUCTIVE AS EX-GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS COUNTRY RETHINKING 'UNCOMPROMISING' STANCE

"The United States has reached out to us regarding their bases in Middle Eastern countries," Zelenskyy wrote on X Thursday, adding that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait have also approached Ukraine.

He said Ukrainian teams are already on the ground sharing operational experience, particularly in countering mass drone attacks. 

"No matter how many Patriots, THAADs, or other air defense systems are in the Middle East, that alone is not enough," he wrote. "There are modern interceptors designed to counter heavy drone strikes."

Zelenskyy also indicated Ukraine is exploring defense trade arrangements, offering to sell surplus systems and expertise while seeking access to air defense missiles it currently lacks. 

"Funding is the scarcest resource today," he wrote, noting Ukraine’s defense industry is operating at roughly half capacity and needs additional financing to scale drone production.

In separate posts tied to an address at a Joint Expeditionary Force summit, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine’s battlefield experience could play a broader role in European and global security.

"We have this experience. … Let’s bring all of this together even more," he wrote, calling for deeper cooperation with European partners and warning that the continent must build its own capacity to produce air defense systems rather than rely on external suppliers.

Reuters contributed to this story.

U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine are being tied to Kyiv ceding the eastern Donbas region to Russia as part of a potential peace deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Reuters in an interview published Thursday.

"The Americans are prepared to finalize these guarantees at a high level once Ukraine is ready to withdraw from Donbas," Zelenskyy said, describing a proposal he warned could undermine both Ukraine’s defenses and broader European security.

The comments point to growing pressure from President Donald Trump to reach a swift end to the war, now in its fourth year following Russia’s 2022 invasion. 

Zelenskyy suggested the administration’s approach is influenced in part by competing global crises, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

ZELENSKYY SAYS PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE AFTER TRUMP MEETING BUT TERRITORY REMAINS STICKING POINT

"The Middle East definitely has an impact on President Trump," Zelenskyy said. "President Trump, unfortunately, in my opinion, still chooses a strategy of putting more pressure on the Ukrainian side."

Talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine have taken place in Abu Dhabi and Geneva in 2026, but key issues remain unresolved, including how Ukraine’s future security would be guaranteed and who would fund its long-term defense.

Zelenskyy warned that abandoning Donbas would hand Russia heavily fortified Ukrainian defensive lines, weakening Kyiv’s position and potentially enabling future aggression.

"I would very much like the American side to understand that the eastern part of our country is part of our security guarantees," he said.

ZELENSKYY CLAIMS TRUMP SAID US WILL CONSIDER GIVING UKRAINE DECADES OF SECURITY GUARANTEES

Russian President Vladimir Putin has long insisted that full control of Donbas is central to Moscow’s war aims. While Russian forces have made gains, analysts cited by Reuters say progress has been slow, and capturing the remaining territory could take significant time and manpower.

Zelenskyy also warned that Moscow is betting Washington will lose interest if negotiations stall. 

"Russia is counting on the fact that the United States will not have the strength or patience to bring this to an end," he said.

Despite tensions over negotiations, Zelenskyy thanked the Trump administration for continuing deliveries of Patriot missile defense systems, which Ukraine relies on to intercept Russian ballistic missiles. 

"Deliveries to us were not stopped. I’m very grateful to President Trump, and to his team," he said, while adding that supplies remain insufficient.

In parallel with the diplomatic push, Zelenskyy signaled a broader strategy to expand Ukraine’s role as a security provider, particularly in the Middle East, where countries are seeking solutions to large-scale drone and missile threats.

UKRAINE PEACE TALKS PRODUCTIVE AS EX-GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS COUNTRY RETHINKING 'UNCOMPROMISING' STANCE

"The United States has reached out to us regarding their bases in Middle Eastern countries," Zelenskyy wrote on X Thursday, adding that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait have also approached Ukraine.

He said Ukrainian teams are already on the ground sharing operational experience, particularly in countering mass drone attacks. 

"No matter how many Patriots, THAADs, or other air defense systems are in the Middle East, that alone is not enough," he wrote. "There are modern interceptors designed to counter heavy drone strikes."

Zelenskyy also indicated Ukraine is exploring defense trade arrangements, offering to sell surplus systems and expertise while seeking access to air defense missiles it currently lacks. "Funding is the scarcest resource today," he wrote, noting Ukraine’s defense industry is operating at roughly half capacity and needs additional financing to scale drone production.

In separate posts tied to an address at a Joint Expeditionary Force summit, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine’s battlefield experience could play a broader role in European and global security.

"We have this experience. … Let’s bring all of this together even more," he wrote, calling for deeper cooperation with European partners and warning that the continent must build its own capacity to produce air defense systems rather than rely on external suppliers.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment and didn't receive a reply. 

Reuters contributed to this story.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri was targeted and killed in an Israeli attack, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz has noted.

"Tonight, in a precise and lethal operation, the IDF eliminated the Commander of the IRGC Navy, Tangsiri, along with senior members of the naval command," Katz noted, according to a translation from Hebrew. "The man who was directly responsible for the terrorist act of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz to navigation has been targeted and eliminated."

"This is a clear message to all senior officials of the Iranian IRGC terror organization currently ruling Iran: The IDF will hunt and eliminate you one by one. I congratulate the IDF on a perfect execution," Katz indicated. "This is also significant news for our American partners, as an expression of the IDF's assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz and the historic partnership between U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and between our two countries and two armies."

TRUMP ADMIN PITCHES 15-POINT IRAN PEACE PROPOSAL AS PAKISTAN OFFERS TO HOLD TALKS

The strike was executed based on American and Israeli intelligence, a senior Israeli official indicated to Fox News.

"The head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy, Alireza Tangsiri, who directly commanded the closure of the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints — was targeted in a strike overnight, along with his senior operational leadership, including intelligence and operations chiefs, at a covert naval command center," the official noted. "This targeted strike was based on U.S. and Israeli intelligence and continues to demonstrate how deeply it is capable of penetrating."

US MOVES AIRBORNE TROOPS, MARINES AS IRAN REJECTS CEASEFIRE, RAISING GROUND WAR POTENTIAL

President Donald Trump launched the controversial war against Iran in conjunction with Israel nearly four weeks ago.

"The Iranian negotiators are very different and ‘strange.’ They are ‘begging’ us to make a deal, which they should be doing since they have been militarily obliterated, with zero chance of a comeback, and yet they publicly state that they are only ‘looking at our proposal.’ WRONG!!!" Trump declared in a Thursday morning Truth Social post. 

WHY TRUMP, IRAN SEEM LIGHT-YEARS APART ON ANY POSSIBLE DEAL TO END THE WAR

"They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty!" he warned.

Fox News' Yael Rotem-Kuriel contributed to this report

EXCLUSIVE: As U.S., Israeli and allied forces continue to intercept the vast majority of Iranian missiles and drones, a new report and expert analysis reveal a growing concern behind the headline success: the cost and sustainability of the defense itself.

More than 90% of Iranian projectiles have been intercepted during the war, according to a report obtained by Fox News Digital from the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), thanks to a layered regional air defense system built during years of coordination.

But beneath that success lies a widening imbalance that could shape the next phase of the conflict.

The report highlights a critical trend: Iran’s least expensive weapons are proving the most disruptive and are draining costly U.S. and Israeli interceptors.

IRAN’S REMAINING WEAPONS: HOW TEHRAN CAN STILL DISRUPT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

The current air defense architecture, integrating U.S., Israeli and Arab systems, has proven highly effective at stopping incoming threats. Early warning systems, shared radar coverage and pre-positioned assets have allowed multiple countries to work together to defeat Iranian missiles and drones.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "More than 9,000 enemy targets have been struck to date … Iran's ballistic missile attacks and drone attacks are down by roughly 90%," she said, adding that U.S. forces have also destroyed more than 140 Iranian naval vessels, including nearly 50 mine layers.

A surge of U.S. assets before the war, including Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), batteries, Patriot systems, two carrier strike groups and roughly 200 fighter aircraft, helped absorb Iran’s opening salvos and maintain high interception rates, according to JINSA's report.

But Ari Cicurel, associate director of foreign policy at JINSA and author of the report, said focusing only on interception percentages misses the bigger picture.

"Overall high missile and drone interception rates have been important but only tell part of the story," Cicurel told Fox News Digital. "Iran came into this war with a deliberate plan to dismantle the architecture that makes those intercepts possible. It has struck energy infrastructure to upset markets and used cluster munitions to achieve higher hit rates."

IRAN’S DRONE SWARMS CHALLENGE US AIR DEFENSES AS TROOPS IN MIDDLE EAST FACE RISING THREATS

Danny Citrinowicz, a Middle East and national security expert at Institute for National Security Studies and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, said that imbalance is at the heart of the problem. 

"There needs to be a change in the equation," he told Fox News Digital. "The Iranians are launching drones that cost around $30,000, and we are using missiles that cost millions of dollars to intercept them. That gap is a very problematic one."

He added that the same dynamic applies to ballistic missiles.

"Building a missile in Iran may cost a few hundred thousand dollars, while the interceptor costs millions, especially when we talk about systems like Arrow," he said. "It’s easier and quicker to produce missiles than it is to build interceptors. That’s not a secret."

This cost imbalance is feeding into a broader concern: interceptor depletion.

The JINSA report warns that stockpiles across the region are already under strain. Some Gulf states have used a significant portion of their interceptor inventories, with estimates suggesting Bahrain may have expended up to 87% of its Patriot missiles, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have used roughly 75% and Qatar has used roughly 40%. 

Israel is also facing mounting pressure. While officials have not publicly confirmed stockpile levels, the report notes signs of rationing, including decisions not to intercept certain cluster-munition threats in order to conserve more advanced interceptors.

PENTAGON ESTIMATES IRAN WAR COST $11.3B IN THE FIRST SIX DAYS IN CLOSED-DOOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARING: REPORT

Citrinowicz said that dynamics become more acute the longer the war continues.

"We are now several weeks into the war, and even if the salvos are limited, the issue of interceptors becomes more significant over time," he said.

Iran has adapted its tactics accordingly, shifting from large barrages to smaller, more frequent attacks designed to maintain constant pressure while gradually draining defensive resources.

These persistent salvos, even if limited in size, force defenders to remain on high alert and continue expending interceptors, accelerating the depletion of already finite stockpiles.

The report underscores that drones pose a unique challenge compared to ballistic missiles.

Unlike missiles, which rely on large launchers and leave detectable signatures, drones can be launched from mobile platforms and can fly at low altitudes that make them harder for radar systems to detect.

For example, A Shahed-136 weighs roughly 200 kilograms and launches from an angled rail mounted on a pickup truck, after which the crew can quickly relocate. That simpler launch profile makes it easier for Iran to disperse, conceal and fire under pressure, the report stated.

Iran also has incorporated lessons from the war in Ukraine, deploying more advanced drones, including those guided by fiber-optic cables that are immune to electronic jamming, and faster variants powered by jet engines.

These innovations complicate interception timelines and increase the likelihood of successful strikes, even against otherwise effective defense systems.

INSIDE THE ISRAELI DRONE UNIT TAKING ON IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH

Despite these challenges, the report emphasizes that the defensive architecture has not failed.

"The architecture has held, but the trajectory is moving in the wrong direction," Cicurel said. "Reversing it requires moving assets to where the pressure is greatest, hunting Iranian launchers and drones more aggressively, and convoying ships through the Gulf."

Even with high interception rates, the broader impact of the attacks is being felt.

Iranian strikes on energy infrastructure and shipping have driven oil prices higher and disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, demonstrating that air defense alone cannot prevent economic and strategic consequences.

The emerging picture is not one of failing defenses, but of a system under growing strain.

As long as Iran can produce cheap drones and missiles faster than the U.S., Israel and their partners can produce interceptors, the balance may gradually shift.

"As long as the war continues," Citrinowicz said, "the key question will be whether Iran can produce missiles faster than we can produce interceptors."

Iran could significantly increase U.S. casualties if its elite military and proxy forces shift to guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks in the region, a leading military analyst has warned.

Michael Eisenstadt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy spoke as the Pentagon moved elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division into the Middle East amid a new escalation in the conflict, according to reports.

"Iran has large infantry units in its military that are equivalent to the brigade combat team of the 82nd Airborne," Eisenstadt, a former U.S. Army Reserve officer, told Fox News Digital.

"The 82nd Force is too small to cause significant harm to Iran, but it is large enough to be vulnerable to Iranian strikes, and this would enable Iran to significantly increase U.S. casualties," he said.

HEGSETH WARNS ‘MORE CASUALTIES’ EXPECTED IN OPERATION EPIC FURY AGAINST IRAN

Eisenstadt, who has worked as a U.S. government military analyst, claimed that, even if major conventional operations begin to wind down in the Middle East region, the danger may only evolve rather than disappear.

"We could see an end to major combat operations, with activity shifting to guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks in the Gulf and other gray-zone activities by Iran," he said.

"Think of the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War with Iraq, in which we had to contain the Iraqis for a decade after a very successful war."

US COULD TAKE IRAN’S MAIN OIL EXPORT HUB ‘AT A TIME OF OUR CHOOSING,’ JACK KEANE SAYS

Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reported Wednesday that the U.S. has ordered the deployment of an additional 82nd Airborne forces to the region.

The contingent is expected to include Maj. Gen. Brandon R. Tegtmeier, the division commander, elements of his headquarters staff, and infantry battalions from the division’s Immediate Response Force. 

Officials also indicated that the total number of troops ultimately sent could still change.

Eisenstadt said this new deployment is intended to increase pressure on Tehran as the U.S. pushes for new ceasefire terms, set in place by President Donald Trump.

WINNING THE BATTLES, LOSING THE WAR? AMERICA MUST DEFINE THE ENDGAME IN IRAN

"This deployment is intended to create leverage over Iran and pressure it to accept U.S. terms for a ceasefire agreement. It would also create military options if Iran rejects those terms," he said.

In that scenario, he said, the 82nd could potentially operate alongside Marine expeditionary units in operations to seize and hold terrain, including Kharg Island, located roughly 20 miles off Iran’s Gulf coast.

U.S. forces struck military targets there March 13, destroying more than 90 Iranian military sites while deliberately sparing key oil infrastructure, according to multiple reports.

IRAN’S REMAINING WEAPONS: HOW TEHRAN CAN STILL DISRUPT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

"The brigade combat team of the 82nd could work with the 11th and 31st MEUs, or independently, to seize and hold terrain — such as Kharg Island," Eisenstadt said.

"This would provide leverage over Iran by denying it the ability to export oil and helping end the war on terms favorable to the U.S."

"There are risks involved though, because Iranian units on the mainland could bombard Kharg Island and inflict casualties on U.S. troops there also," Eisenstadt said.

JACK KEANE WARNS CEASEFIRE WITH IRAN WOULD 'PLAY RIGHT INTO THEIR HANDS' AS TRUMP SIGNALS DEAL PROGRESS

The latest military buildup comes as the conflict that began with Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, has also centered on the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran restricting access.

"The 82nd deployment is intended to increase psychological pressure on Iran and support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz so it can once again be used by all countries," Eisenstadt explained.

The 82nd Airborne is one of the U.S. military’s premier rapid-response units, trained to parachute into hostile or contested territory to secure key ground and airfields.

Portions of the division have also spent recent days at the Joint Readiness Training Center, sharpening infiltration, surveillance, combat and resupply skills, Axios reported.

"Iranian military officials have welcomed news of the dispatch of these units to the Gulf because it potentially creates options for them to impose costs on the U.S.," Eisenstadt said.

The man reportedly being floated by the Trump administration as a possible interlocutor with Iran is also one of the regime’s most hardline figures — Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The longtime Revolutionary Guards commander is widely described by experts as a loyal "yes man," with a record of threats against the United States and deep ties to the system’s inner circle.

That contradiction underscores the central question facing U.S. policymakers: Even if Washington is speaking to the "right people," as President Donald Trump has claimed, can someone like Ghalibaf actually deliver?

"Ghalibaf doesn’t have an independent line. His strength is that he is a ‘yes man,’" said Beni Sabti, an Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies. He added, "If he is told to shake hands with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, he will do it. If he is told to escalate, he will. It is not about moderation, it is about who gives the orders."

AS AIRSTRIKES RAIN DOWN ON THE IRANIAN REGIME, CAN A FRACTURED OPPOSITION UNITE TO LEAD IF IT FALLS?

Ghalibaf, 64, is a product of Iran’s security establishment.

He rose through the ranks of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps during the Iran-Iraq War, eventually becoming commander of the IRGC air force.

"He even completed flight training abroad, which was not unusual at the time, with France reportedly assisting at one stage. Until recently, he was still conducting training flights in France," said Sabti.

He later served as Iran’s national police chief, overseeing internal security forces responsible for suppressing protests, including the 1999 student uprising, alongside Qassem Soleimani.

After transitioning into politics, Ghalibaf attempted to run for president multiple times but failed. He instead built his career through loyalty to the system, serving as Tehran’s mayor for more than a decade before becoming speaker of parliament in 2020.

"Ghalibaf went on to serve in senior national roles and is now speaker of parliament. He has consistently aligned himself with the supreme leader and follows directives rather than setting his own independent positions," Sabti said.

"His name has also been linked to multiple corruption allegations, including misuse of oil revenues and sanctions evasion networks involving his family. His sons have reportedly been involved and are under sanctions," Sabti said, adding, "There have also been public scandals involving family members traveling abroad and making luxury purchases, including widely circulated images of them arriving with numerous high-end Gucci suitcases."

IRAN’S NEW SUPREME LEADER IS ‘HIS FATHER ON STEROIDS,’ EXPERTS WARN OF HARDLINE RULE

Ghalibaf’s wartime statements reflect a hardening tone inside Iran’s leadership.

He has rejected ceasefire terms, declaring Iran would continue fighting "until the enemy truly regrets its aggression."

He has also warned that attacks on Iranian infrastructure would trigger retaliation across the region, including against energy targets.

At the same time, he has publicly denied any negotiations with the United States, calling reports of talks "fake news" and accusing Washington of manipulating markets.

In remarks aired on Iranian television on Jan. 12, 2026, he warned that U.S. forces would face catastrophic consequences if they confronted Iran. "Come, so you can see what catastrophe befalls American bases, ships and forces," he said, adding that American troops would be "burned by the fire of Iran’s defenders."

In the same remarks, broadcast and translated by MEMRI, he described the U.S. president as "delusional and arrogant," and framed Iran’s ideology as a growing global movement.

More recently, he escalated further. He warned that "the blood of American soldiers is the personal responsibility of Trump," and vowed Iran would "settle accounts with the Americans and Israelis," adding that "Trump and Netanyahu crossed our red lines and will pay the price."

He has also threatened retaliation against regional energy infrastructure, signaling a willingness to expand the conflict beyond direct military confrontation.

"He’s considered relatively moderate in the current Iranian context, but he’s not the one calling the shots. He’s not the leader himself," Danny Citrinowicz, Middle East, national security and intelligence expert, told Fox News Digital, adding that Ghalibaf may serve as a channel to Iran’s leadership, but not as the ultimate authority.

"If you want to speak to someone in Iran, he’s probably the point of contact," he said. "But he’s not deciding anything. Even if he wants to do something, he has to get approval from the IRGC and the supreme leadership."

Sabti said, "Some point to periods during Rouhani’s presidency when he appeared to align with Rouhani and describe him as somewhat moderate, but that is misleading."

TRUMP SAYS IRAN WANTS TO TALK BUT WHO WILL LEAD AFTER KHAMENEI?

Analysts say the bigger issue is not Ghalibaf himself, but the system he operates within.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said: "Those who see the ascendance of someone like Ghalibaf, who is an IRGC veteran, as extending power outside his traditional civilian role have missed how personality, not profession, has been the driving force in Iranian politics for decades. Those who focus on IRGC backgrounds in the Supreme National Security Council may also overlook that recent secretaries — Shamkhani, Larijani and Ahmadian — all had IRGC backgrounds."

"The system today is more radicalized and decentralized," Citrinowicz agreed. "It’s not one person. It’s multiple actors you need to coordinate with, which makes it much harder to negotiate."

"I’m not saying it’s impossible, because this is still the Middle East, but it will be very difficult to reach an agreement with them, let alone one that reflects the same demands the U.S. was making before the war. There is no way they are going to agree to that," he added.

Citrinowicz said the regime sees themselves as prevailing. "From Iran’s perspective, they are winning, not losing. They are using their strategic capabilities and effectively threatening a choke point in the global economy, namely the Strait of Hormuz. That only reinforces the radicalization taking place inside the regime. Under those conditions, they will be the ones making demands of Trump, not the other way around."

Even if talks were to take place, he said, Ghalibaf would not be able to commit Iran without broader approval.

A new analysis of social media activity during the opening days of Operation Epic Fury suggests that much of the online backlash and anti-Israel content may not have been driven by Americans at all.

The report identified recurring narratives pushed by foreign-based accounts, including claims that the operation was a "betrayal of MAGA," "highly unpopular with the American people" and carried out "on behalf of Israel."

Sixty percent of the most viral posts on X mentioning "Iran" during the first week of the operation originated from accounts based outside the United States — despite often presenting themselves as American voices, according to research conducted by Argyle Consulting Group, a private intelligence and data analysis firm.

WITH DOGS, DANCE AND UNCOVERED HAIR, IRANIANS DEFY 'UNHOLY ALLIANCE' OF SOCIALISTS, RADICALS: ‘HYPOCRITES!’

"These aren’t just random opinions," Eran Vasker, CEO and co-founder of Argyle Consulting Group, told Fox News Digital. 

"What we’re seeing is discourse that looks American — written in English, using U.S. political language — but is actually coming from outside the country … almost impossible for a regular user to detect," Vasker said, explaining that the accounts "look very American" and mirror domestic political language and debates.

The analysis examined 100 highly X viral posts — each with more than 10,000 shares — between Feb. 28 and March 7. In total, posts containing the word "Iran" generated 98 million posts, 696.4 million interactions, and an estimated 1.5 trillion potential views, making it one of the largest online information events on record. 

Foreign accounts alone generated 155.6 million views, compared to 93.4 million from U.S.-based accounts, outpacing them by more than 60 million views in the sample.

Even more striking, every single foreign-based post in the dataset was negative toward the operation, while the only supportive content came from U.S.-based users, Argyle found. 

WHY TRUMP IS DENOUNCING THE MEDIA’S IRAN WAR COVERAGE AS TOO NEGATIVE – BOOSTED BY RHETORICAL FCC BACKING

JP Castellanos, Binary Defense director of threat intelligence and a former member of U.S. Central Command’s Active Cyber Defense Team, said much of the activity is focused on Israel and combines disruption with messaging. 

"About 42% of the attacks that we’re seeing or the claims that we’re seeing online are directed toward Israel," Castellanos said.

He also pointed to doxing campaigns and AI-generated videos "trying to basically shape the information space."

Much of the challenge, Castellanos said, is distinguishing real cyber incidents from inflated online claims by hacktivist groups seeking attention.

"A lot of times, these are just claims that they put online," he said. 

BLOODY NYC KHAMENEI VIGIL REVEALS ANTI-US PROTEST NETWORK LINKED TO IRAN

Researchers said the scale, consistency and geographic spread of the messaging point to a coordinated effort rather than organic global debate.

Cyber threat analysts say that an online narrative campaign is unfolding alongside broader activity by pro-Iranian and aligned groups across the digital space.

One of the most prominent groups to emerge in the current conflict, Castellanos said, is Handala, an Iran-linked hacking operation that has claimed responsibility for attacks on both U.S. and Israeli targets. 

Among the most influential voices driving engagement, seven of the top 10 accounts were based outside the United States, including accounts linked to Russia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and South Asia.

U.S. authorities and cybersecurity firms have linked Handala to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, describing it as part of a broader effort combining cyberattacks with psychological and information operations.

The cybersecurity researchers told Fox News Digital Handala is part of a wider network of Iran-aligned and pro-Russian hacktivist groups that have mobilized since the start of the war, blending disruptive cyber activity with narrative-shaping campaigns online.

Fox News Digital reached out to X multiple times, providing a list of the accounts in question per their request, but has not yet received a response.

Police in the United Kingdom arrested two men Wednesday allegedly behind what Prime Minister Keir Starmer described as an "antisemitic arson attack" as detectives are investigating a possible Iran link. 

Metropolitan Police said the men, ages 45 and 47, were detained at addresses in northwest and central London on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and that their properties are being searched. On Monday, "Four ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the Golders Green area of north London, were set on fire," according to police. 

"The antisemitic arson attack in Golders Green is horrifying," Starmer said on X in reaction to the incident. 

A video circulating online purports to show Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, an Iran-linked group that has claimed responsibility for recent attacks on Jewish sites in Belgium and the Netherlands, taking credit for the London attack, according to the Jewish Chronicle.

UK COUNTERTERRORISM POLICE PROBE ANTISEMITIC ARSON ATTACK AS IRAN-LINKED GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY

"We are aware of an online claim from a group taking responsibility for this attack," Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams of the Metropolitan Police previously said. "Establishing the authenticity and accuracy of this claim will be a priority… but it is not something we can confirm at this point." 

When asked about the possible Iran link on Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police told Fox News Digital that establishing any potential motivation behind the attack is part of the ongoing investigation but that it could not comment further at this time. 

Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counterterrorism Policing London, which the Metropolitan Police said is leading the investigation, said Wednesday, "We have been working around the clock since this appalling attack took place and this has led to these arrests being made this morning."

BELGIUM DEPLOYS MILITARY TO PROTECT JEWISH SITES AFTER ANTISEMITIC SYNAGOGUE EXPLOSION

"This appears to be an important breakthrough in the investigation, but we’re also mindful that CCTV footage of the incident suggests there were at least three people involved," she added. "We fully recognize the local community will still be concerned and our investigation very much remains active and we will continue to work to identify and seek to arrest all of those who may have been involved." 

"We know that community concerns remain heightened and I want to reassure the community that an enhanced, bespoke policing plan and activity, which is particularly focused around vulnerable areas right across London, will continue over coming days and weeks," Williams said Wednesday.

"This includes specialist officers and capability being deployed alongside local officers to help protect certain locations and will also involve highly visible armed police patrols to serve as a deterrent to anyone seeking to cause our communities harm," he continued. "I must stress that these are precautionary and not in response to any specific threat, and we continue to work alongside our colleagues in Counter Terrorism policing to support their investigation." 

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

The United States military reportedly launched airstrikes targeting the headquarters of Iraq's ​Iran-backed Shiite militia (PMF) and a residence belonging to its leader on ‌Tuesday, in an escalation of strikes against Tehran's prized militias. 

The latest strikes from the U.S. military follows a statement last week from Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said AH-64 helicopters "have been striking against Iranian-aligned militia groups to make sure that we suppress any threat in Iraq against U.S. forces or U.S. interests." 

In what appears to be an Iraqi threat against the U.S., Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in a statement on Tuesday, "In light of the unjustified attacks and grave violations of Iraqi sovereignty, including the targeting of official security headquarters, the Council decided the following: To confront and respond to military attacks carried out by military aircraft and drones targeting the headquarters and formations of the Popular Mobilization Forces Commission and other formations of our armed forces, using available means, in accordance with the right to respond and self-defense."

US WARNS IRAQ MUST ACT AGAINST IRAN-BACKED MILITIA ATTACKS ON AMERICAN ASSETS

Sudani also said Iraq’s foreign ministry planned to summon the U.S. chargé d’affaires and separately the Iranian ambassador on Wednesday. The PMF is part of Sudani's government.

An Iraqi Kurdish government official said to Fox News Digital, "So what the Iraqi government will now fight the Americans?"

When asked about the Iraqi Kurdish government official’s comment, a spokesperson for Iraq’s embassy in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital, "Absolutely not. It is against elements that target them."

According to the Times of Israel, a fresh airstrike on Wednesday hit the PMF in western Iraq. "Two missiles were fired from a fighter jet" at a base in Anbar province, a security official said. The Anbar base was also reportedly struck by U.S. forces on Tuesday.

The Iraqi embassy spokesman said, responding to additional Fox News Digital press questions, that he lacked the current information to comment regarding the fast-moving developments in Iraq.

The PMF has launched attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Israel and other American assets in the region, especially in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, following the U.S.-Israel joint attack on the Islamic Republic on Feb. 28. Over the years, the PMF has been accused of killing American military personnel in the Middle East.

DEFIANT IRAN VOWS TO FIGHT 'UNTIL COMPLETE VICTORY,' DESPITE HEAVY MILITARY LOSSES

PMF leader Falih al-Fayadh was not present when his residence was hit in the northern city of ​Mosul on Tuesday. At least 15 PMF terrorists were killed in other ⁠airstrikes that hit a headquarters of the group in Iraq's Euphrates valley ​province of Anbar, according to sources and a statement from the group.

The Kurdish government official told Fox News Digital on Tuesday: "The militias are brazenly doing Iran’s bidding. They’ve attacked U.S. forces and diplomats, Iraq’s own intelligence services, French troops, and the KRG’s Peshmerga [Kurdish Regional Government]. Energy and civilian infrastructure haven’t been spared. This does not require analysis — these groups openly claim responsibility."

The Kurdish official added: "So why does the Iraqi government continue to pay those it itself describes as terrorists and criminals? There are four principal groups: Harakat al-Nujaba, Kataeb Hezbollah, Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada and Asaib Ahl al-Haq. This government is unwilling to defend its own interests, let alone those of its partners. At this point, the distinction between the PMF and the state is increasingly hard to discern."

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a senior non-resident fellow at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy and an expert on the PMF, told Fox News Digital there was a "sense of delusion" during the Biden administration, which tried to differentiate between the PMF and six of its pro-Iran militia members that are U.S.-designated terrorist entities.

She said the recent strikes clearly "show that the U.S. is tired of this inane distinction," Tsurkov said. She stressed the "entire PMF structure is a problem."

Tsurkov, who was held hostage by the pro-Iranian regime, Kataib Hezbollah, for two and half years in Iraq, said, "The U.S. possesses immense leverage over Iraq. The U.S. can sanction certain ministries and certain directors generals." She added that the U.S. can also sanction Iraqi banks that transfer money to Iran.

Tsurkov said the PMF are highly sensitive to U.S. strikes on their top leadership.

The PMF movement is reeling from the devastating alleged U.S. airstrikes. The dead included its operations commander, Saad al-Baiji. The statement said ​U.S. forces had targeted a command headquarters in Anbar while personnel were on ​duty. The security sources said the strikes were hit during a meeting attended by senior commanders.

TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST ENVOY REVEALS WHAT LED TO BREAKDOWN IN IRAN TALKS BEFORE OPERATION EPIC FURY

A State Department official told Fox News Digital, "The United States strongly condemns the widespread attacks by Iran and Iran-backed militias against U.S. citizens and targets associated with the United States throughout Iraq, including U.S. diplomatic personnel and facilities."

The official continued: "As Secretary Rubio has said, the Iraqi government must take all measures to safeguard U.S. diplomatic personnel and facilities and ensure militia groups cannot use Iraqi territory to threaten the United States, our Iraqi partners, or the region. Doing so is in Iraq’s interest. Continued attacks by Iran-backed militias undermine Iraq’s stability and risk drawing Iraq into a broader regional conflict."

A spokesperson for U.S. Central Command referred Fox News Digital to the White House and to the Office of the Secretary of War for comment on the administration’s policy. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Pentagon for comment.

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On Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad issued a security alert warning: "Iraq Iran-aligned terrorist militias have conducted widespread attacks on U.S. citizens and targets associated with the United States throughout Iraq, including the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR). U.S. citizens should leave Iraq now."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Israel Defense Forces regarding Israel's role in the ongoing strikes against Iran-backed militias.

Reuters contributed to this report.

"Nobody knows who to talk to," President Donald Trump said Tuesday at the White House, describing what he portrayed as both chaos and opportunity inside Iran’s leadership. "But we're actually talking to the right people, and they want to make a deal so badly." 

His remarks come as the U.S. claims it is engaged in talks with a "top" Iranian figure, even as Tehran publicly denies negotiations are taking place.

The question now is not just whether talks are happening, but whether anyone in Tehran has the authority to deliver. With strikes on senior Iranian leadership and growing internal fractures, Iran appears to be operating less like a centralized theocracy and more like a wartime system run by overlapping power centers, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at its core.

Here’s who matters now.

TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST ENVOY REVEALS WHAT LED TO BREAKDOWN IN IRAN TALKS BEFORE OPERATION EPIC FURY

Across intelligence assessments and recent reporting, one conclusion is consistent: the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has emerged as the dominant force in Iran’s political system.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the current moment is accelerating a long-standing trend. 

"No doubt both the 12-Day war and this current conflict have trimmed the commanding heights of the Islamic Republic's political and military leadership," he said.  "But it has also expedited the trend lines inherent in Iranian politics, which is the dominance of the security forces and the ascendance of the IRGC."

"Yes, there is more IRGC control over the state than ever before, but the state is weaker than ever before and more of a national security rump state than ever before," he said. 

"It shouldn't particularly preoccupy Washington, who is and isn't offering negotiations," Ben Taleblu added, "The preeminent preoccupation of Washington has to be working toward a military win at a political win, and that does not come by working with the IRGC, but actually beating them on the battlefield and supporting the forces's most arrayed against them in Iran, which are the Iranian people."

If the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is the power in Iran, the Supreme National Security Council appears to be the mechanism through which that power is exercised.

The Supreme National Security Council is Iran’s top forum for coordinating military and foreign policy, bringing together senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders and government officials under the authority of the supreme leader. It was established after the 1979 revolution and has played a central role in managing major crises, from nuclear negotiations to wartime operations.

Iran appointed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, as secretary of the council, reinforcing its central role in coordinating military and political decisions, Reuters reported Tuesday.

A Middle Eastern official source with knowledge of the system described the structure:

"Right now, the power is in the hands of the IRGC," the source said. "The Supreme National Security Council makes the decisions, of course, with the backing of the majority of IRGC commanders."

Formally, Iran’s system centers on Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. But his actual grip on power remains uncertain.

Khamenei inherited the position’s sweeping authority following his father’s death, but "lacks the automatic authority enjoyed by his father," the Middle Eastern official said.

Moreover, he has not appeared publicly since taking power and only has issued written statements, raising questions about both his health and his ability to govern, after reportedly being injured in the initial Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed his father and other senior Iranian leaders.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, head of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, suggested his role may currently be limited: "For the time being, since Mojtaba has been injured, it seems he's a hologram and not holding power. However, if Mojtaba recovers, he will be involved in ruling Iran. He is not just a figurehead. But anyhow, for the time being, the control of Iran is in the hands of the revolutionary guards."

WITH DOGS, DANCE AND UNCOVERED HAIR, IRANIANS DEFY 'UNHOLY ALLIANCE' OF SOCIALISTS, RADICALS: ‘HYPOCRITES!’

Trump’s statement that he is speaking to a "top person" has focused attention on one name in particular: Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

The White House is quietly exploring Ghalibaf as a potential interlocutor and even a possible future leader, Axios reported.

A former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander and current parliament speaker, Ghalibaf represents a hybrid figure inside the system, bridging military credentials and political authority.

He was one of the key security figures involved in the crackdown on student protests in July 1999 and has run for president four times since 2005.

IRAN WAR, 11 DAYS IN: US CONTROLS SKIES, OIL SURGES AND THE REGION BRACES FOR WHAT’S NEXT

Ghalibaf is expected to meet U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the capital of Pakistan as early as the end of this week.

Ben Taleblu said: "Those who see the ascendants of someone like Ghalibaf, who is an IRGC veteran, having extended power outside his traditional civilian rule, have missed the decades of how personality, not profession, has been the driving force, has been a driving force in Iranian politics for the past few decades. I would also say those who worry about the IRGC background of the Supreme National Security Council are all that in Iran today, may have missed the fact that the past few Supreme National Security Council Secretaries, Shamkhani, Larijani, Ahmadian, all also had IRGC backgrounds."

At the same time, Ghalibaf has publicly denied engaging in talks with the United States, and no direct confirmation of negotiations has been provided by either side.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi remains one of the most visible figures internationally.

If talks were to take place, Araqchi likely would be part of the Iranian delegation alongside Ghalibaf, Reuters reported.

But analysts caution that his role is limited. He may act as a channel for communication, but does not set policy independently. 

Strategic decisions, particularly on war and negotiations, are still shaped by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the broader security establishment.

Beyond the headline figures, a broader group of officials who continue to shape Iran’s direction can be identified.

These include Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Ahmad Vahidi, Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, naval commander Alireza Tangsiri, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and senior clerical and political figures such as Saeed Jalili and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi.

Each represents a different pillar of the system: military power, regional proxy operations, control of strategic waterways, internal repression and religious legitimacy.

Together, they form what analysts describe as a fragmented but resilient governing network.

Despite internal divisions, Iran’s leadership remains united on one core objective: survival of the regime.

Kuperwasser described the split: "There are the more pragmatic elites, like Araghchi, Rouhani, and Zarif. There are also the hardliners who have usually held the upper hand … But they are united in one issue — that the regime should survive and stay in power."
Iran’s U.N. mission did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. 

The U.S. military has sent MQ-9 Reaper drones to Nigeria, a U.S. defense official reportedly told The Associated Press, as fears are growing of a renewed insurgency by the terrorist group Boko Haram. 

The drones were deployed after 200 U.S. troops arrived in Nigeria last month to provide training and intelligence. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is battling a complex security crisis, especially in the north of the country. 

A spokesperson for AFRICOM, the U.S. Africa Command, told the AP that U.S. troops "are working alongside their Nigerian counterparts to provide intelligence support, advisory assistance, and targeted training in support of the Nigerian Armed Forces." 

Among the most prominent Islamic militant groups active in Nigeria are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, which is affiliated with the Islamic State and is known as Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP.  

NIGERIA SUICIDE BOMBINGS KILL AT LEAST 23 PEOPLE, WOUND MORE THAN 100 

There is also the ISIS-linked Lakurawa, as well as other "bandit" groups that specialize in kidnapping for ransom and illegal mining. 

The U.S. troops and the MQ-9 drones are based at Bauchi Airfield, a newly built airport in the northeast of the country, the spokesperson said to the AP. The number of drones deployed remains unclear. 

The deployment is part of a new security partnership agreed on after President Donald Trump sounded the alarm about Christians being slaughtered in Nigeria’s security crisis. 

The U.S. launched strikes against IS forces on Dec. 26 — the day after Christmas.

Earlier this month, three suspected suicide bombings killed at least 23 people and wounded 108 others in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state in northeastern Nigeria. No group claimed responsibility, but suspicion quickly fell on Boko Haram, which in 2009 launched an insurgency in northeastern Nigeria to enforce Sharia law.

100 US TROOPS LAND IN NIGERIA AS ISLAMIC MILITANTS THREATEN WEST AFRICA REGIONAL SECURITY 

MQ-9 drones cost around $30 million apiece and have separate models for land and sea. They can also be used to carry out airstrikes, but AFRICOM says they will only be used in Nigeria for intelligence-gathering and training. 

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence says Boko Haram aims to "overthrow the current Nigerian Government and replace it with a regime based on Islamic law." 

"The U.S. State Department designated Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organization in November 2013," it added. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

North Korean's Kim Jong Un pledged to solidify his nation's nuclear status while keeping a hard-line position regarding South Korea, which he referred to as the "most hostile" state, state media indicated Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.

In a speech Monday to Pyongyang’s rubber-stamp parliament, Kim accused the United States of global "state terrorism and aggression," in an apparent reference to the war in the Middle East, and said North Korea will play a more forceful role in a united front against Washington amid rising anti-American sentiment.

The AP reported that the North Korean official indicated that the matter of whether opponents "choose confrontation or peaceful coexistence is up to them, and we are prepared to respond to any choice."

KIM JONG UN APPEARS WITH TEENAGE DAUGHTER AT LIVE-FIRE ROCKET TEST IN NORTH KOREA

"The dignity of the nation, its national interest and its ultimate victory can only be guaranteed by the strongest of power," Kim stated, according to the AP. "The government of our republic will continue to consolidate our absolutely irreversible status as a nuclear power and will aggressively wage a struggle against hostile forces to crush their (anti-North Korean) provocations and schemes."

KIM JONG UN CALLS SOUTH KOREA ‘MOST HOSTILE ENEMY,’ SAYS NORTH COULD ‘COMPLETELY DESTROY’ IT

The 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community states, "North Korea remains committed to expanding its strategic weapons programs, including missiles and nuclear warheads, and to solidifying its deterrent capability." 

TRUMP'S IRAN STRATEGY SHOWCASES ‘DOCTRINE OF UNPREDICTABILITY’ AMID STRIKE THREATS AND SUDDEN PAUSE

The U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran more than three weeks ago in a bid to prevent the Islamic Republic from potentially joining the ranks of other nations that possess nuclear weapons.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Russia launched nearly 400 drones and dozens of missiles across Ukraine overnight Monday, triggering NATO to scramble fighter jets in neighboring countries, according to reports.

The massive aerial assault killed at least four people and injured more than two dozen, with strikes hitting multiple regions including Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv, The Associated Press reported, citing Ukrainian officials.

Poland and Romania both scrambled fighter jets as Russian strikes approached NATO airspace, East2West reported, with Warsaw placing air defenses on the "highest state of readiness," Poland’s operational command said.

"Due to the activity of long-range Russian air forces conducting strikes on Ukrainian territory, Polish and allied air forces have begun operating in our airspace," Poland’s operational command said, according to East2West.

RUSSIA LAUNCHES RECORD MISSILE BARRAGE AGAINST UKRAINE ONE DAY BEFORE PEACE TALKS SET TO RESUME IN ABU DHABI

Hours earlier, two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled in fellow NATO state Romania as Russian drones attacked Ukraine near the River Danube, the outlet reported. The Danube forms part of the border between Ukraine and Romania.

Ukrainian military leaders said Russian forces have intensified attacks along the roughly 750-mile front line, with hundreds of assaults reported in recent days.

The Institute for the Study of War said the escalation suggests Moscow’s long-anticipated spring-summer offensive is now underway, according to The Associated Press.

RUSSIA KILLS 12 UKRAINIAN MINERS IN DEADLY BUS ATTACK HOURS AFTER PEACE TALKS POSTPONED

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched nearly 400 drones. Ukrainian officials later said most were intercepted or disrupted, although some were able to hit their targets, according to East2West.

Russia also launched 23 cruise missiles and seven ballistic missiles at Ukraine during the night, hitting at least 10 locations across the country, according to the Ukrainian air force.

Ukrainian civilians have endured relentless barrages since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor more than four years ago. U.S.-brokered talks between Moscow and Kyiv over the past year have brought no respite, with Russia rejecting Ukraine’s ceasefire offer.

The latest strikes came after Ukraine hit Russia’s largest Baltic port, Primorsk, in a pinpoint attack a day earlier, leaving the key export hub in flames, East2West reported.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambassador to London, Andrey Kelin, threatened "dire" consequences over what he said was Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow missiles, which this month hit and damaged a microelectronics plant in Russia’s Bryansk region.

"The British, without whose participation the use of Storm Shadow missiles is simply impossible, decided to remind everyone of both Ukraine and themselves," he said. "However, any action has consequences. And for everyone involved in the tragedy in Bryansk, the consequences will be dire."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

An Iranian military spokesman defiantly vowed Tuesday that Tehran’s armed forces will fight "until complete victory," despite suffering heavy losses from the joint U.S. and Israeli campaign. 

The remark from Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, which is Iran’s top military command, comes after President Donald Trump paused planned U.S. strikes on Iran on Monday, citing diplomatic progress. 

"Iran’s powerful armed forces are proud, victorious and steadfast in defending Iran’s integrity, and this path will continue until complete victory," Iranian state television quoted Aliabadi as saying, according to The Associated Press. It added that Aliabadi did not say what "complete victory" would look like. 

Operation Epic Fury, which started Feb. 28, has resulted in the destruction of or damage to more than 140 Iranian naval vessels, U.S. Central Command said Monday. In total, more than 9,000 combat flights have been conducted as part of the campaign. 

TRUMP’S IRAN STRATEGY SHOWCASES ‘DOCTRINE OF UNPREDICTABILITY’ AMID STRIKE THREATS AND SUDDEN PAUSE 

"CENTCOM forces are striking targets to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that pose an imminent threat," CENTCOM said. 

Targeted assets include Iranian navy ships and submarines, air defense systems, anti-ship missile sites, military communication infrastructure and facilities involved in ballistic missile and drone manufacturing. 

On Friday, Trump, speaking about Iran, said, "Their Navy's gone, their Air Force is gone, their anti-aircraft is all gone." 

JET FUEL PRICES SOAR AS AIRLINES WARN SUPPLIES COULD RUN DRY WITHIN WEEKS 

"Their leaders are all gone. The next set of leaders are all gone. And the next set of leaders are mostly gone," Trump continued. "And now, nobody wants to be a leader over there anymore. We're having a hard time. We want to talk to them and there's nobody to talk to." 

Trump also said, "Over the past few weeks, the world has seen the true strength and might of our sailors and aviators as they fought in one of the most complex and successful military operations of all time against the Iranian regime."  

"And it's amazing... I don't want to get too crazy here, not a contest. It's not even a contest. They do whatever they want," Trump said. 

Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey, Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.