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Someone was playing possum — or stuffed animal.

Among plush kangaroos, dingoes and Tasmanian devils ready to be bought by parents of antsy children, a live brushtail possum waited in a gift shop at an Australian airport this week.

The wild animal was first noticed by a shopper in the store on Wednesday, retail manager Liam Bloomfield of Hobart Airport in the state of Tasmania said.

"A passenger reported it to …. one of the staff members on shift who couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing," Bloomfield told The Associated Press. "She then called the (airport) management and said we’ve got a possum in the store."

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Staff at the airport were able to remove the animal without harming it.

"I’m imaging it saw some of the plush animals that were for sale on the shelf and it decided to make its home with those," Bloomfield joked of why the possum was hiding with the stuffed toys. "It wanted to blend in."

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"Can you spot the imposter?" the airport wrote in a Facebook post Thursday that showed the possum curled up in a cubby with its stuffed counterparts.

"This cheeky lost possum found a clever hiding place among the Aussie plushies in our retail store," the airport continued. "Luckily it was safely relocated out of the terminal area and the space was cleaned."

Bloomfield said the possum not only found a way into the airport but also their hearts.

"We’ll have a little shrine to the possum," he revealed, according to The Independent. "There will be a nice little photo; once it gets a name, we will put a nice little post in front of the store to make sure it’s remembered."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was chased out of the country's largest mosque Friday as Muslims in attendance voiced anger over his stance on the Israeli war against Hamas. 

Albanese was called several names, including a "putrid dog" and a "genocide supporter" in reference to the deaths of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel, The Telegraph reported.  

Video footage showed the prime minister standing alongside Tony Burke, the home affairs minister, at the Lakemba Mosque in Sydney as the community marked Eid, the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

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"Why is he in here? Get him out of here!" some shouted. 

Albanese and his Left Labor government have drawn criticism for its support of a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel's right to defend itself. 

During the commotion, Gamel Kheir, the mosque’s secretary, pleaded for calm. 

"Respect the place you’re in," he said. "We must engage and have frank and open dialogue with our political leaders and not shy away and be reclusive."

"You called him honorable. He’s responsible for the deaths of 1 million people, 1 million of our brothers and sisters," one person reportedly shouted. 

AUSTRALIAN PM ALBANESE GETS BOOED DURING BONDI BEACH VIGIL HONORING HANUKKAH ATTACK VICTIMS

Albanese was taken into an office inside the mosque by security before he was taken out of the building and into his motorcade. 

As he was leaving, cries of "shame on you" and the slur "Alba-tizi," a derogatory Arabic play on his surname, referencing buttocks, were shouted. 

"He wants to come here after shaking hands with the president of Israel, who’s got blood on his hands," said one person who confronted the prime minister. "To come here and act like nothing has happened is a disgrace."

Albanese posted photos on X showing him smiling and shaking hands with attendees.

"Overwhelmingly, the reception was incredibly positive," he told reporters of his visit. "I walked through the crowd to the mosque, and not a single person heckled. There were a couple of hecklers inside. They were dealt with.

"Contrary to what’s been suggested, no one was rushed out," he added. "We just sat there. … It was dealt with by the community themselves because overwhelmingly they did not want that to occur."

Two people were arrested after allegedly unsuccessfully attempting to enter HM Naval Base Clyde in Scotland on Thursday, authorities confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

One suspect was an Iranian man, while the other was a woman of unknown nationality, The Telegraph reported.

"Around 5pm on Thursday, 19 March, 2026, we were made aware of two people attempting to enter HM Naval Base Clyde," Police Scotland said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "A 34-year-old man and 31-year-old woman have been arrested in connection and enquiries are ongoing."

The Telegraph reported that the man was Iranian, while the woman's nationality was not immediately known. Citing the Times, the Telegraph said the suspects were turned away from the base because they lacked the correct passes and were later arrested nearby for allegedly "acting suspiciously in the vicinity."

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A Royal Navy spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital, "Police Scotland have arrested two people who unsuccessfully attempted to enter HM Naval Base Clyde on Thursday 19 March. As the matter is subject to an ongoing investigation, we will not comment further."

HM Naval Base Clyde — commonly known as Faslane — is considered the primary base for the United Kingdom's missile fleet.

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The Royal Navy says the base is home "to the core of the Submarine Service, including the nation's nuclear deterrent, and the new generation of hunter-killer submarines."

The U.K. Parliament says the Royal Navy currently operates a fleet of nine submarines, with the entire fleet based at HM Naval Base Clyde.

"Five of those are conventionally-armed nuclear-powered attack submarines of the Astute class. A further four are ballistic missiles submarines (SSBN) of the Vanguard class that comprise the UK’s submarine-based nuclear deterrent," it added.

Ukraine peace talks are on a "situational pause" as the Middle East conflict intensifies, the Kremlin said Thursday, even as Kyiv signaled negotiations could resume as soon as this weekend.

Following reports in Russian media that the Kremlin had paused talks on Ukraine and that the Middle East conflict could push Kyiv toward compromise, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the pause.

"This is a situational pause, for obvious reasons," Peskov told reporters when asked about the report, according to Reuters.

Peskov added that as soon as "our American partners" could refocus on the Ukraine conflict, Moscow hopes the pause will end and new talks can begin, the outlet reported.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video posted on X that Kyiv has received signals from the U.S. that it is ready to resume talks aimed at ending the war.

"There has been a pause in the talks, and it is time to resume them," he said. "We are doing everything to ensure that the negotiations are genuinely substantive."

Zelenskyy added that a Ukrainian negotiating team is already on its way to the U.S. and is expected to hold meetings Saturday.

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

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said the "hatred" between Russia and Ukraine was getting in the way of reaching a peace deal.

Speaking at the Shield of the Americas Summit in Doral, Florida, Trump said the "hatred between Putin and his counterpart is so great."

"It's so great that, you know, Ukraine, Russia, you'd think there would be a little bit of camaraderie, [but] there’s not. And the hatred is so great. It's very hard for them to get there. It's very, very hard to get there. So we'll see what happens," Trump said. "But we've been close a lot of times and one or the other would back out."

UKRAINE'S ZELENSKYY: RUSSIA TRYING 'TO PLAY' GAME WITH TRUMP, STALL PEACE TALKS

Trump’s comments came after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in January that Russia was losing between 20,000 and 25,000 troops each month in its war against Ukraine.

The pause in talks comes as Ukraine is increasingly being drawn into the wider Middle East conflict.

With the conflict in Iran now in its third week, Ukraine is providing technology and battlefield-tested tactics to counter Iranian drone attacks.

U.S. and Gulf partners have requested Ukrainian assistance, with Kyiv signaling it is prepared to share both systems and personnel to help defend against Iranian aerial threats.

Fox News Digital's Greg Norman-Diamond and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report, along with Reuters.

Denmark prepared to sabotage Greenland’s airstrips using explosives and flew in blood supplies amid fears of a potential U.S. invasion earlier this year, according to a new report by Danish public broadcaster DR.

The measures were said to be part of a contingency plan that included deploying troops to the island in January with explosives for possible runway demolition aimed at preventing U.S. aircraft from landing, EuroNews said.

The measures were outlined in a Danish military operations order dated Jan. 13, which DR said it had reviewed.

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The preparations were made as tensions escalated over President Donald Trump’s statement that the U.S. should control Greenland for national security reasons.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen repeatedly rejected Trump’s demands to acquire the island.

DR said it based its report on 12 sources within the highest levels of the Danish government and military and sources among Denmark’s allies in France and Germany, the BBC said.

TRUMP’S GREENLAND PUSH DRIVES DANISH PM TO CALL EARLY ELECTION

"When Trump says all the time that he wants to buy Greenland … we had to take all possible scenarios seriously," an unnamed Danish military official told DR.

Denmark and several European allies also deployed troops to Greenland under what was a NATO exercise called Arctic Endurance.

In reality, according to the sources cited by DR, the deployment was operational.

Soldiers arrived equipped not only with standard military gear but also with the medical supplies and the explosives, the report said.  France, Germany and Sweden also took part in the January deployment.

Despite the preparations, Danish authorities sought to avoid escalation with Washington.

Trump announced a vague "framework" agreement on Greenland with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Jan. 21, though details remain unclear.

TRUMP SENDING US MILITARY HOSPITAL SHIP TO GREENLAND TO 'TAKE CARE' OF SICK

At the World Economic forum in Davos Trump said, "I don't want to use force. I won't use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland."

On March 17, the commander of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), Gen. Gregory Guillot, said, "We are working with Denmark through the Department of State to expand some of the authorities that are in the 1951 treaty to give increased access to different bases across Greenland.

"But everything that we're doing through NORTHCOM is through Greenland and through Denmark."

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been linked to two luxury apartments overlooking the Israeli Embassy in London, a location that security experts said could provide "permanent surveillance," according to multiple reports.

The multimillion-dollar Kensington properties sit next to the high-profile embassy compound and were identified by UK media, drawing on findings from a yearlong probe into Khamenei’s potential overseas assets.

The Times of London reported on March 5 that the one building "sits next to the Israeli Embassy on Palace Green," placing the residences in exceptional proximity to one of Israel’s most sensitive diplomatic sites.

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The revelations stem from a Bloomberg investigation that alleged that the Khamenei portfolio could span multiple countries and include high-value real estate in London, totaling around $138M as well as assets in Europe and the Gulf.

The two London apartments were reportedly acquired in 2014 and 2016 via intermediaries and occupy upper floors of the building, offering a direct vantage point toward the rear of the Israeli embassy compound, UK media reported.

A terrorism specialist quoted in reports said the positioning effectively means "Iran owns the view into the back of the Israeli Embassy from less than 50 meters away," describing the situation as a potential "serious security breach."

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Roger Macmillan, a former director of security at the Iranian dissident satellite channel Iran International, also said the two apartments had "a direct line of sight, held through Mojtaba Khamenei. That's not a property portfolio — it's a permanent surveillance platform."

"This is a serious security breach," he added.

Further details from Bloomberg’s investigation indicated that a businessman acted as a financial conduit, buying up high-end properties on Khamenei’s behalf and channeling funds through a network of investments.

TRUMP SAYS HE'S 'NOT HAPPY' WITH IRAN'S CHOICE OF NEW SUPREME LEADER

The investigation also found that 11 mansions on London's "Billionaire’s Row" were purchased using an Isle of Man shell company.

The Financial Times has also similarly reported on links between Khamenei’s associates and luxury assets across Europe.

Khamenei, 56, has been viewed as a powerful figure within Iran’s ruling establishment, ultimately becoming the leading successor to his father, who was killed in a Tehran compound strike on Feb. 28. 

So far, since he was selected by Iran's Assembly of Experts, he has not been seen in public.

Iran’s intelligence ministry has arrested 97 people accused of being "soldiers of Israel," according to state media reports Thursday.

The arrests are part of the country’s latest security sweep, which has seen hundreds detained over alleged links to Israel and the United States since the start of the war, Reuters said.

Earlier Thursday, state media also cited the police commander of Alborz province as saying 41 people had been arrested for sending videos to opposition media channels based abroad.

TOP IRANIAN OFFICIAL, COMMANDER KILLED IN STRIKE, ISRAEL DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS

On March 10, Iran’s intelligence ministry also reported it had arrested a foreign national, along with 30 other people it described as spies, internal mercenaries and operational agents of Israel and the U.S., according to Reuters.

The latest wave of arrests came in the wake of the assassination of Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, in a targeted Israeli strike in Tehran.

Khatib’s death was confirmed March 18 by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz 10 days after the start of Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion, both targeting the Iranian regime.

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Under Khatib, the intelligence ministry’s role broadened significantly, and it now operates extensive informant networks across universities, media organizations, minority communities and activist circles across the country.

Its agents identify protest organizers, monitor communications and conduct interrogations, according to The Jerusalem Post.

On March 12, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) also said Iranian authorities had arrested nearly 200 people on charges related to the U.S.-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic.

The charges include alleged activity on social media, sending content to foreign media outlets, espionage and disturbing public order, HRANA said before adding that its count was based on official reports.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called for an immediate de-escalation in the Middle East, urging a halt to U.S.–Israeli strikes on critical infrastructure as fighting intensifies across the region.

"France calls for the immediate implementation of a moratorium on strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, whether related to water or to energy," Macron wrote on X, reinforcing France’s push for diplomacy even as the United States and Israel emphasize military pressure against Iran and its proxies. "Freedom and security of navigation must be restored." 

President Donald Trump recently struck a mixed tone on France’s role, saying he had spoken with Macron and was cautiously optimistic Paris ultimately would help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route for oil and energy supplies.

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On "a scale of 0 to 10," Trump said Macron had been "an eight." 

"Not perfect, but it’s France," he said at a press briefing in the White House Monday.

Trump went on to say he believes Macron "is going to help" regarding securing the Strait of Hormuz, but added, "I don’t do a hard sell on them because my attitude is we don’t need anybody. We’re the strongest nation in the world."

"I’m almost doing it … because I want to find out how they react," Trump said, suggesting the U.S. is also testing its allies. 

In a future crisis, he warned, "I’ve been saying for years that if we ever did need them, they won’t be there. Not all of them, but they won’t be there."

The divide reflects a broader question shaping the conflict: whether diplomacy can contain Iran’s regional network, or whether force is required to dismantle it.

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That tension is playing out most clearly over the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that serves as one of the world’s most critical energy choke points, with roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies passing through it each day. 

In recent weeks, Iran has disrupted traffic through the strait with drone, missile and naval threats, raising fears of a broader economic shock as commercial shipping slows and global energy markets face increasing uncertainty.

Macron said France "will never take part in operations to open or free" the critical waterway "in the current context," emphasizing that France is "not a party to the conflict." 

Paris instead has proposed escorting commercial vessels only after hostilities subside, in coordination with regional actors.

At the same time, European allies — including France — signaled they are not entirely stepping back from efforts to secure the strategic waterway.

Leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan expressed in a joint statement released Thursday a "readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts" to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while calling on Iran to "cease immediately its threats" against commercial shipping.

A European diplomat told Fox News that the United Kingdom is leading a diplomatic effort to build support among European and Gulf partners for a coordinated response, with discussions underway on how such a mission could be structured.

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However, European officials remain divided over timing, with concerns that launching such an effort during active hostilities could introduce new high-value targets into the conflict, according to the diplomat.

Lebanon has emerged as a second front in the war after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, began attacking Israel following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. 

The group launched rockets and drones from southern Lebanon, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes and escalating the conflict into a broader regional confrontation tied directly to Tehran, Iran, and its proxy network.

While distancing itself from direct military involvement, France is intensifying its diplomatic push in Lebanon, urging direct negotiations between Israel and Beirut following signals from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that he is open to talks.

French officials view this as a "window of opportunity" to stabilize the border and prevent further escalation, arguing that both sides share an interest in preventing Lebanon from becoming a launchpad for attacks against Israel.

But Israeli officials have sharply pushed back, arguing that diplomacy cannot succeed while Hezbollah remains armed and active. 

The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday that since Hezbollah joined the fighting following strikes on Iranian regime, the group has launched hundreds of rockets, missiles and drones toward Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said Israel has come under sustained attack from Lebanese territory in recent weeks. 

"Since March 2nd, Israel has been attacked from Lebanese territory more than 2,000 times with missiles and drones," he wrote on X Tuesday. 

Sa’ar warned that the crisis extends beyond the region, calling disruptions to maritime routes "naval terrorism that harms the global economy."

While expressing openness to normalization with Lebanon, Sa’ar made clear that Hezbollah remains the central obstacle. 

"The obstacle to this is Hezbollah," he said, adding that Beirut must take "meaningful action" against the group’s weapons, funding and leadership.

Analysts say that gap — between France’s diplomatic push and Israel’s security demands — reflects a deeper structural problem that has persisted for years.

France has "potential influence that they never use … essentially the stick," David Schenker, a former U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs who oversaw Lebanon policy during the first Trump administration and now directs the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Fox News Digital. 

He argued that Paris has failed to use its leverage to pressure Hezbollah or its backers.

While Schenker said direct negotiations between the Lebanese government and Israel could be useful, he questioned whether they would change realities on the ground.  

"I don’t see how a ceasefire in and of itself changes the status quo," he said.

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Lebanese leaders repeatedly have pledged to assert a state monopoly over weapons, but "they haven’t really done much," Schenker said, adding there is "zero confidence" they would move forward given Hezbollah’s opposition.

Even the Lebanese army has signaled its limits, prioritizing "national unity and the safety of the army above disarmament," he said.

On the ground, the situation continues to deteriorate rapidly.

Violence in Lebanon has surged dramatically since the war in Iran began.

"There has been a 400% increase in violence events in Lebanon," said Bassel Doueik, a researcher at the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), adding that Israeli strikes and Hezbollah clashes have displaced at least 1 million people.

Doueik said Israel appears to be seeking to create a buffer zone south of the Litani River in Lebanon, warning the escalation could lead to "another occupation of southern Lebanon similar to 1982."

At the same time, Hezbollah — long backed by Iran — continues to operate as a powerful armed force inside Lebanon, complicating efforts to reach any durable political settlement.

France has played a leading diplomatic role in Lebanon for years, including backing the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). But the mission has faced growing challenges, including restrictions on movement and attacks on its personnel, raising criticism about its effectiveness.

Critics argue that repeated diplomatic initiatives have failed to curb Hezbollah’s military buildup, leaving Israel increasingly skeptical of new proposals.

"The French are specializing in carrots," Schenker said, arguing that Paris has been reluctant to use pressure despite its influence in Lebanon.

But he added that the transatlantic divide is not entirely one-sided. 

"This is a war that was launched by Israel and the United States, and they disagreed with it," he said, noting that protecting global energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz should be "an international responsibility."

A retired U.S. general predicted that "neither Israel nor the U.S. will fully succeed in replacing the Iranian regime." 

Former Lt. Gen. Mark Schwartz was quoted by the Israel Hayom newspaper as making the remark. The joint U.S. and Israeli missions against Iran, named Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion, are in their 20th day Thursday.

"In my professional assessment, neither Israel nor the U.S. will fully succeed in replacing the Iranian regime. The main reason is that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of Iranian religious leaders who can replace the Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah, if he is eliminated," Schwartz told Israel Hayom. 

"No matter how many successors you kill one after another, there will always be another one in line. Iran's intelligence and security apparatus, the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iranian military also have depth. They are capable of replacing the top of the organization if it is destroyed," he reportedly added. 

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Schwartz is a career Green Beret who served in the U.S. Army for 33 years, according to The National Special Forces Green Beret Memorial, where he is the chairman of the advisory board.  

The organization said, "During his career, Mark served throughout the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa," and, "He has had the opportunity to lead strategic planning and operations working with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States Agency for International Development." 

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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard had warned Wednesday that if the Iranian regime survives Operation Epic Fury, "it will likely seek to begin a yearslong effort to rebuild its military, missiles and UAV forces."   

Gabbard also said the intelligence community "assesses that Operation Epic Fury is advancing fundamental change in the region that began with Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023, and continued with the 12-day war last year, resulting in weakening Iran and its proxies."   

The campaign so far has resulted in the killing of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been replaced by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei. 

A group of 12 Arab and Islamic countries on Thursday condemned Iran’s "heinous" attacks, denouncing missile and drone strikes on civilian infrastructure and warning Tehran against further escalation.

The foreign ministers of Qatar, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates issued the joint statement after a consultative meeting in Riyadh.

The countries accused Iran of deliberately targeting residential areas, oil facilities, airports and diplomatic premises across the region.

The ministers reaffirmed what they called the right of affected countries to defend themselves under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and urged Iran to immediately halt its attacks and abide by international law.

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They also called on Tehran to respect their territorial sovereignty, cease support for affiliated militias in Arab countries and avoid actions that could threaten maritime security, including in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, a key global shipping route linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The statement further expressed support for Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty, while also condemning Israel’s actions in the country and its "expansionist policy in the region."

"The Ministers reaffirm their commitment to continuing intensive consultation and coordination in this regard, to monitor developments and assess emerging issues in a way that ensure the formulation of common positions and the adoption of necessary legitimate measures and procedures to protect their security, stability, and sovereignty, and to halt the Iranian heinous attacks on their territories," the joint statement reads.

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It comes a day after Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field, prompting Iranian retaliatory attacks on energy infrastructure in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, including Doha’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world’s largest LNG production facility.

Oil prices surged Thursday morning following the strikes, with Brent crude rising to $114.08 a barrel and U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude climbing to $97.41.

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President Donald Trump said on his Truth Social platform that Israel would halt further strikes on Iran’s South Pars gas field unless Tehran escalates, warning that the United States could respond with overwhelming force if Qatar’s LNG facilities are targeted again.

"The United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before," Trump wrote. "I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, but if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so."

Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is little more than an "empty entity" who is not at the helm of the regime, according to Israeli national security sources.

The son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a targeted Israeli strike on Feb. 28, is also linked to what officials describe as a "misfunctioning" regime.

"The new leader is an empty entity," Kobi Michael, a defense analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital.

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"Mojtaba Khamenei does not appear in public, but we also have reliable information that he does not control or lead the regime or what has been left of the regime.

"The current Iranian leadership is broken, confused and is almost misfunctioning."

Mojtaba reportedly escaped death by minutes when his father was killed Feb. 28, leaving the compound for a walk shortly before an Israeli missile strike, according to leaked audio accessed by The Telegraph.

The audio, reportedly from a March 12 meeting, revealed details about the strikes that also took out several members of the Khamenei family.

Mazaher Hosseini, head of protocol for Khamenei’s office, is supposedly heard in the audio telling senior leaders that Mojtaba sustained "a minor injury to his leg." 

Since being named supreme leader, Mojtaba has not made one public appearance. Instead, a message by him was read on Iranian state TV, warning of continued strikes and urging Gulf nations to shut down U.S. bases.

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Other reports claimed Mojtaba was in critical condition or even in a coma, though Iranian officials have insisted that the new supreme leader is in good health.

Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge Wednesday after the killing of senior security official Ali Larijani in an Israeli strike.

"Such acts of terror only reflect the enemies’ hostility and will strengthen the resolve of the Islamic nation. Undoubtedly, justice will be served," the statement said.

Larijani, one of Iran’s top security figures, was killed after Israeli intelligence reportedly located him and other officials on the outskirts of Tehran.

Other senior figures have also been killed in recent strikes, including Basij militia leader Gholamreza Soleimani, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

"This is not a new phase, but a continuing effort and a very successful and impressive one and a crucial component of the strategy meant to weaken the Iranian regime," Michael said of the continued strikes at regime figures.

"This is to the degree that it will not be able to reconstitute itself and/or to become again a severe threat and destabilizing player in the broader Middle East."

US-SANCTIONED MOJTABA KHAMENEI NAMED IRAN’S NEXT SUPREME LEADER AFTER FATHER’S DEATH: REPORTS

After the opening U.S.-Israeli strikes, President Donald Trump told the Iranian people that their "moment of freedom" was at hand.

"When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take," Trump said, suggesting the U.S. would help bring down the Iranian regime.

"At the very same time, by weakening the regime and paralyzing its capacities generally speaking and its domestic control specifically, the U.S. and Israel are facilitating the required conditions for the Iranian people to topple the regime," Michael added.

"This is the ultimate victory in their eyes, and the route to this destination is that they are trying to increase any damage wherever they can."

Iran’s potentially most dangerous nuclear site is buried as deep as 100 meters below a granite mountain, according to new assessments, and one nonproliferation expert warned it must be "neutralized" before the U.S. war with Iran ends.

This came as new figures released Wednesday by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) show that U.S. and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury in late February and have since struck more than 7,800 targets in Iran as the conflict enters Day 18.

"Before the United States and Israel end major combat operations against Iran, they must complete two urgent tasks," Andrea Stricker, deputy director of the Nonproliferation Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said in a policy briefing.

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"First, they must neutralize Pickaxe Mountain. Second, they must recover or eliminate highly enriched uranium stocks to prevent them from falling into the hands of surviving regime elements, other adversarial states or terrorist proxies."

High-resolution satellite imagery from mid-February shows Iran's accelerated efforts to reinforce the site at Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, known as "Pickaxe Mountain," against potential airstrikes, according to the Institute for Science and International Security.

"At one of the eastern tunnel entrances, rock and soil can be seen pushed back and leveled on top of the tunnel portal," the institute's report said.

"Additionally, over the last month, a concrete-reinforced headworks for the tunnel entrance extension was added. This allows for additional overburden in the form of rock, soil or concrete."

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

The report added that "these efforts strengthen the tunnel portals and provide additional protection against an airstrike," noting visible piles of construction materials near the entrances.

Preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon is one of President Donald Trump’s stated war aims. 

In June 2025, U.S. forces carried out strikes against nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

Iran had roughly 441 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% as of June 2025, enough material, if further enriched to weapons-grade levels, for multiple nuclear weapons, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Rafael Grossi, its director general, also said March 9 that the U.N. watchdog believes roughly 200 kilograms of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile are still stored in deep tunnels at a nuclear complex outside Isfahan.

SATELLITE IMAGES REVEAL ACTIVITY AT IRAN NUCLEAR SITES BOMBED BY US, ISRAEL

Grossi added that additional quantities of highly enriched uranium are believed to be at another nuclear center in Natanz, where Iran has constructed a new fortified underground facility at Pickaxe Mountain.

On March 9, Trump pointed to Iran’s efforts to resume nuclear activity at a deeper site and said Tehran has continued pursuing a nuclear weapon "even after we obliterated their key nuclear sites."

"They were starting work at another site, a different site … that was protected by granite. … They wanted to go a lot deeper, and they started the process," Trump said, according to reports.

According to Stricker, the "different site" referenced by Trump is Pickaxe Mountain, where Iran has said it has been building a centrifuge assembly plant at the site since 2021. The site is a mile from its Natanz enrichment plant.

"The size of the facility, as well as the protection provided by the tall mountain, raised immediate concerns about whether additional sensitive activities are planned, such as uranium enrichment," the Institute for Science and International Security also noted in its report.

At the beginning of March, a vehicle was struck outside the site, presumably by Israel, The Wall Street Journal reported, before suggesting that the vehicle strike was evidence the U.S. and Israel are watching the mountain carefully.

Russia is covertly shipping oil to Cuba using deceptive shipping tactics to bypass U.S. sanctions, according to maritime intelligence reports, and as the island grapples with fuel shortages and power outages.

One alleged delivery came amid one of Cuba’s worst energy crises and ahead of a grid collapse on March 16 which left roughly 10 million people without electricity, according to Cuban authorities and the U.S. Embassy in Cuba.

"The Hong Kong-flagged tanker, which is not sanctioned, has AIS patterns that suggest the tanker spoofed its location and likely sailed to Cuba to discharge its cargo in early March," Windward AI said.

The Financial Times also reported March 18 that another Russian-flagged tanker, Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying crude oil, was expected to reach Cuba by April 4.

"We are ready to provide all possible assistance," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had told reporters at a briefing on Cuba on March 17, The Moscow Times reported.

PROTESTERS TORCH COMMUNIST PARTY HQ IN CUBA AS VIDEO APPEARS TO CAPTURE GUNFIRE

The alleged shipments came as senior officials at the State Department told Fox News that, under existing law, there are ways for Cuban companies and citizens to purchase oil, but said the Cuban regime is making that impossible. 

The U.S. oil embargo prevents the Cuban regime from purchasing oil only, the official confirmed.

Windward AI first identified the tanker, Sea Horse, as the key vessel in the suspected clandestine oil delivery in its report on March 18.

The firm said the vessel was thought to have transported around 190,000 to 200,000 barrels to Cuba while engaging in behavior consistent with sanctions evasion. Although the vessel is not under sanctions, Windward analysts flagged several suspicious activities.

These included switching off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) during a ship-to-ship transfer near Cyprus — where it likely loaded its cargo — and sailing without Western insurance, both common indicators of sanctions circumvention.

The tanker also repeatedly altered its stated destination, initially signaling Havana before changing to "Gibraltar for orders," a tactic often used to obscure final delivery points.

CUBAN ACTIVIST TO TRUMP: ‘MAKE CUBA GREAT AGAIN’ BY ENDING COMMUNIST RULE

After crossing the Atlantic, it appeared to drift while broadcasting that it was "not under command," with analysts suggesting its AIS signals may have been manipulated to conceal its true location and activities.

These movements strongly indicate that the vessel may have completed an unreported delivery to Cuba before resuming normal transmissions.

Since Jan. 29, U.S. measures — effectively creating an oil blockade — have disrupted fuel shipments to the island.

The policy shift followed major changes in Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, further tightening supply to Cuba and discouraging other tankers from approaching its ports.

President Donald Trump had warned that countries supplying oil to Cuba could face tariffs, while Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the measures as an "economic war" and pledged continued resistance in a post shared on X.

"The only way for Cuba to fix its energy crisis is to address the root cause of its economic failures: total government control of economic life," a U.S. official told Fox News on March 17.

RUSSIA TO SUSPEND FLIGHTS TO CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CUT FUEL SUPPLY

"The regime must make significant changes, allowing for privatization and for the Cuban people to provide for themselves," they said.

Otherwise, another senior State Department official said Cuba's blackouts have "sadly become common for many years in Cuba — a symptom of the failing regime’s incompetence and inability to provide even the most basic goods and services for its people."

"This is the tragic result of over 60 years of Communist rule. An island that was once the crown jewel of the Caribbean has plunged into extreme poverty and darkness.

"As President Trump has said, what is left of the regime should make a deal and finally let the Cuban people be free and prosperous, with the help of the United States," the official said.

"Cuba right now is in very bad shape. They’re talking to Marco," Trump told reporters March 17 before adding that "we’ll be doing something with Cuba very soon."

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez on Wednesday replaced a longtime loyalist military official, as she continues to make changes to her cabinet amid relations with the Trump administration. 

General Gustavo Gonzalez ‌Lopez, 65, will replace General Vladimir Padrino as defense minister, who held the position for more than a decade, Reuters reported. 

In a Telegram post, Rodriguez thanked Padrino for ​his service and said he would be given new responsibilities.

MADURO'S SON GIVES 'UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT' TO NEWLY SWORN IN INTERIM VENEZUELA PRESIDENT

Lopez, who is among several officials sanctioned by the United States and European Union for human rights violations and corruption, was appointed by Rodriguez in January as the head of the presidential guard and the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM).

TRUMP ISSUES DIRECT WARNING TO VENEZUELA'S NEW LEADER DELCY RODRÍGUEZ FOLLOWING MADURO CAPTURE

He previously worked with Rodriguez as head of strategic affairs at PDVSA, the state-owned oil company, which ​she previously oversaw as energy minister.

Padrino had also been sanctioned by the U.S. ​over alleged drug trafficking and his support for ousted President Nicolas Maduro.

Despite the U.S. intervention, Venezuela's repressive apparatus remains intact, the United Nations said last week. The government has repeatedly denied allegations of human rights and political oppression. 

The United States recently restored diplomatic relations with the South American nation following years of heightened tensions between the two states.  

One person died Wednesday when a cable car cabin at a Swiss ski resort fell and crashed on a snowy mountainside. 

The fatal incident happened at the ski resort of Engelberg in central Switzerland around 11 a.m. local time, authorities said. 

2 SKIERS KILLED IN AVALANCHE ON POPULAR MONT BLANC SKIING ROUTE NEAR FRENCH-SWISS BORDER

"A cabin of the ‘Titlis Xpress’ gondola lift between Trübsee and Stand detached from the cable and plunged down the snow-covered slope in rugged terrain," a press release states. "A person who was in the cabin at the time of the accident sustained fatal injuries."

The person was identified as a 61-year-old woman. Her exact cause of death has not been disclosed.

Investigators from several agencies were looking into how the accident happened. 

AMERICAN SKIERS RESCUED AFTER GETTING LOST NEAR OLYMPIC VENUE IN THE ITALIAN ALPS

"It's also important for us that the incident is investigated down to the second. We will provide all the data without gaps," said Norbert Patt, CEO of Titlis cable cars, during a news conference, the Blick newspaper reported. "It's an extraordinary event. Gondolas shouldn't crash," he added.

Patt said there was a breeze at the time the gondola fell, but could not say how strong the winds were. 

Several schoolchildren attending a ski camp witnessed the accident. 

"I was really shocked. We were then afraid to go back down in the gondola," a 14-year-old girl told the news outlet. 

A former Syrian prison official was convicted by a U.S. federal jury in Los Angeles Monday on torture and immigration fraud charges after prosecutors said he oversaw and at times personally carried out brutal abuses against detainees under the now-ousted regime of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Samir Ousman Alsheikh, a former brigadier general who once headed Damascus Central Prison, also known as Adra Prison, was found guilty following a nine-day trial of conspiracy to commit torture, immigration-related fraud offenses, and three counts of torture, according to the Justice Department.

The case marks a historic step toward accountability, with Alsheikh becoming the first Assad-era official to be tried and convicted in a U.S. federal court.

Prosecutors said the 73-year-old ordered and oversaw the torture of political prisoners between 2005 and 2008, including beatings, suspension from ceilings and the use of devices such as the so-called "Magic Carpet," which folded victims’ bodies to inflict extreme pain.

TEXAS FAMILY SUES SYRIA FOR DEATH OF LOVED ONE: ‘PLAN TO HOLD THE REGIME FULLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS CRIMES'

He entered the United States in 2020 after lying about his past on his visa application and later attempted to become a U.S. citizen, authorities said.

Alsheikh, who was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in 2024 as he attempted to board a one-way flight to Beirut, faces up to 20 years in prison for each torture-related count when he is sentenced at a later date.

"Samir Ousman Alsheikh ordered, directed, and directly participated in heinous acts of torture designed to inflict excruciating mental and physical pain with the goal of punishing and silencing political dissent," said Tysen Duva, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s criminal division in a statement.

"For many years, he evaded responsibility for his crimes in Syria, including by lying to U.S. immigration authorities in order to reside in the U.S. with the hope of obtaining citizenship. Thanks to the courage and perseverance of the victims and the dedication of Department of Justice prosecutors, along with their law enforcement partners, justice has prevailed and Alsheikh can no longer run from his past."

‘HIGH STAKES DIPLOMACY’: NEW BOOK GIVES AN INSIDE LOOK AT EFFORTS TO BRING HOME AN AMERICAN DETAINED IN SYRIA

According to a federal criminal complaint filed in July 2024, Alsheikh was an associate of Maher al-Assad, the younger brother of Bashar al-Assad, who led the Syrian military's elite Fourth Division.

He was appointed by Assad in 2011 as governor of Deir ez-Zor following anti-government protests that spread across the country during the Arab Spring.

The Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF), a Washington-based advocacy group, assisted investigators in bringing the former regime official to justice. The organization first identified Alsheikh in Los Angeles through a tip and conducted its own verification using open-source material and leaked Syrian government data.

It then alerted U.S. authorities and worked with the FBI and Justice Department to help build the case, including connecting investigators with key witnesses who testified about abuses at Adra Prison. According to SETF, it pushed for torture charges rather than solely immigration violations to ensure broader accountability.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO…SYRIA'S CIVIL WAR?

Mamoun al-Homsi, a former independent member of the Syrian Parliament, was arrested in 2001 for demanding democratic reforms and spent five years in Adra Prison. He told Fox News Digital in an interview, through a translator, that Alsheikh stood out from other prison directors for his brutality.

Al-Homsi said that while previous prison heads largely adhered to prison rules and did not target detainees for their political views, Alsheikh's arrival in 2005 marked a shift. 

"The toughest torture for me wasn't anything done to me physically as much as it was what was done to others on my behalf," said al-Homsi.

SETF executive director Mouaz Moustafa, who attended the trial, told Fox News Digital that testimony revealed Alsheikh allegedly ordered another prisoner, Khaled Abdul Malek, to poison al-Homsi.

"Khaled Abdul Malek had come so close to Mamoun al-Homsi so he told him about this plan and told him don't eat anything from anyone to the point where Mamoun al-Homsi would go to the trash if there was any and wash whatever is left," Moustafa said.

Malek refused Alsheikh’s demand to poison the prominent political figure, leading to him being placed in Wing 13, a notorious part of the prison where people were tortured.

"Khaled Malik then had his back broken," Moustafa said, adding that he arrived in court with a cane and could barely walk.

Al-Homsi said he survived on olive pits and lost more than 60 pounds. He was released in 2006 and later fled to Canada.

WHY SYRIA PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN TRUMP'S PLANS FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE

The former parliament member told Fox News Digital the verdict sends a message that former regime officials cannot evade accountability, even if they leave Syria and attempt to rebuild their lives abroad.

Al-Homsi called the verdict a signal that justice, though long delayed, is finally taking hold — an outcome he described as essential for the future of a free Syria.

A reported airstrike on a hospital in Afghanistan that allegedly left hundreds dead is drawing growing scrutiny, not only over the strike itself but over what critics describe as a muted international response.

Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government said more than 400 people were killed and hundreds were wounded after a strike hit the Omid Hospital, a major drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul, Afghanistan, according to Reuters. Civilians, including children, also have been killed in escalating cross-border strikes in Pakistan, The Associated Press reported. 

The casualty figures have not been independently verified.

The strike comes amid a rapidly escalating military campaign between Pakistan and Afghanistan that has intensified over the past three weeks.

INDIA STEPS UP DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE TALIBAN AS RIVAL PAKISTAN LOSES INFLUENCE IN AFGHANISTAN

Cross-border airstrikes and clashes have expanded across multiple provinces, with Pakistan targeting what it says are bases of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for attacks inside Pakistan and designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. The Taliban government has accused Islamabad of violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty.

At a United Nations briefing Wednesday, a U.N. spokesperson said the conflict has now entered its third week, with widespread civilian impact. More than 115,000 people have been displaced, more than 300 shelters damaged or destroyed, and at least 25 health facilities closed or disrupted due to the fighting, according to U.N. humanitarian agencies.

Pakistan has denied targeting a hospital, saying the operation struck militant infrastructure.

"Since the beginning of this counterterrorism campaign, Pakistan has sought to defend and protect the people of Pakistan … by targeting terrorists and terrorist infrastructure that are incubated and nurtured by the Afghan Taliban," the prime minister’s spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi told Fox News Digital.

PAKISTAN DECLARES 'OPEN WAR' ON AFGHANISTAN IN RESPONSE TO TALIBAN'S RETALIATORY STRIKES

Zaidi said the strike targeted weapons and ammunition at Camp Phoenix in Kabulm Afghanistan, and insisted, "There are no civilian hospitals in Camp Phoenix," adding that reports of a rehabilitation facility being hit may be due to "secondary explosions" from stored weapons.

The United Nations on Wednesday, two days after the attack, condemned the reported strike, with Secretary-General António Guterres, through a spokesperson, "strongly condemning" an airstrike that "reportedly resulted in the death (and) injury of civilians at a hospital," and calling for an independent investigation.

Still, some analysts say the response does not match the scale of the incident.

"U.N. officials swiftly condemned U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s regime as unlawful ‘aggression’ … Yet Pakistan’s airstrike on Kabul’s Omid Hospital — killing over 400 civilians — has drawn only a belated ‘strong condemnation’ … and standard pleas for ‘de-escalation’," Executive Director of UN Watch Hillel Neuer told Fox News Digital.

"This restrained response — no personal outrage from Guterres, no emergency session naming Pakistan, and no equivalent chorus from U.N. rapporteurs, or agencies like WHO, U.N. Women, and UNICEF — reveals rank hypocrisy," he said. "When hundreds of vulnerable Afghans die in a hospital, the U.N. offers measured words. Yet when the U.S. or Israel can be blamed — justifiably or not — the condemnation is immediate and overwhelming. When some victims matter far more than others, the U.N. reveals its cynical political agenda. This double standard doesn’t uphold human rights, it erodes them." 

Australian human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky echoed that criticism in a post on X, calling the strike "an absolute massacre," while noting what he described as a lack of global outrage: "World outrage? Zero. Could barely muster p17 in the newspaper here."

Belgium is ramping up security for its Jewish community after a recent synagogue attack heightened fears across Europe, as a newly emerged terrorist group with suspected ties to Iran has claimed responsibility for a series of strikes on Jewish targets across the continent.

Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, translated as "The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right," said it carried out multiple attacks recently, including the March 9 explosion at a synagogue in Liège, Belgium, according to a Fox News Digital report. The group also claimed responsibility for an arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam, Belgium, and an explosive attack on a Jewish school in Amsterdam. 

A fourth incident at a Jewish site in Greece has been linked to the group by several sources, though details about that attack remain limited. 

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said March 15 that "a jihadi group tied to an Iranian proxy" was behind the attacks, adding that "the IRGC continues to sponsor and export terror across the globe," referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

NYC BOOSTS PATROLS AMID ‘HEIGHTENED THREAT ENVIRONMENT,' AFTER GUNMAN RAMS TRUCK INTO MICHIGAN SYNAGOGUE

Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin described the blast outside a synagogue in the eastern city of Liège as a "despicable antisemitic act" that directly targeted the country’s Jewish community.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever responded on X Monday morning, writing, "Antisemitism is an attack on our values and our society, and we must combat it unequivocally. We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community in Liège and throughout the country."

Joe Truzman, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of its Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital that the war in Iran has likely "compelled the group, for whoever is behind this, to start launching these attacks." 

Truzman said he "suspect(s) this organization is being directed" and that there is "an entity behind it." 

In response to the attack in Liège, Belgian officials announced increased protection measures.

"To protect our Jewish community, we are deploying military personnel to support security on our streets. The safety of every citizen must be guaranteed," Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken wrote on X Monday. "Antisemitism and hatred against Jews will never be tolerated. We will stand firm against it, always."

CANADA’S CARNEY UNDER PRESSURE TO ACT AFTER SYNAGOGUES SHOT AT IN LATEST ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS

The move drew praise from U.S. officials.

"Last week, I urged Belgian officials to adequately protect Jewish communities—thank you, Defense Minister Francken and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prévot, for stepping up with increased security measures," Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism at the State Department, wrote, adding that he looks forward to working with Belgian counterparts "to safeguard the Jewish community."

Undersecretary of State Sarah B. Rogers also welcomed the decision, calling it a rare example of action rather than rhetoric.

"We hear a lot of talk about combating antisemitism and other forms of hatred — but it’s satisfying to see practical action, like this, to guard the public square against brute terrorist violence targeting Jews and others," Rogers wrote on X. "Liberty in the tweets, order in the streets."

Belgium long has maintained heightened security around Jewish institutions following past attacks, including the 2014 shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussels that killed four people — one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in the country’s modern history.

Still, Jewish organizations warn the current moment reflects a renewed and dangerous escalation.

"This criminal act against a Jewish house of worship is deeply alarming and part of a broader and troubling rise in antisemitic incidents and violent extremism across Europe," the World Jewish Congress said in a March 10 statement.

Fox News Digital reporter Beth Bailey and Reuters contributed to this report.

Video footage captured the fiery aftermath of a ballistic missile strike that hit Ramat Gan, a neighborhood east of Tel Aviv, overnight Tuesday, killing at least two people, according to Israeli officials.

The footage shows a car engulfed in flames, with wreckage scattered across the street as emergency responders assess the scene and ambulance sirens sound in the background.

The missile was launched by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which said it targeted central Israel to avenge the killing of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and one of the country’s most powerful figures.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it launched Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr multiple-warhead missiles, which it claims have an increased chance of evading missile defense systems and can overwhelm radar tracking. 

ISRAEL HITS BACK AFTER COORDINATED IRAN-HEZBOLLAH MISSILE, DRONE STRIKES, URGES BEIRUT TO REIN IN TERRORISTS

Israel said the two victims killed in the overnight strike were a couple in their 70s.

The attack is part of a rapidly escalating tit-for-tat conflict that began Feb. 28 following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, which have since killed multiple senior Iranian officials. Those include Larijani and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of the Revolutionary Guard’s Basij militia, who was killed Tuesday.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also said Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib was killed in an overnight strike, though Iran has not confirmed his death.

Iran has responded with a widening campaign of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, U.S.-linked positions and energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf, including strikes reported in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

The broader conflict has raised fears of a regional war and potential disruptions to global energy supplies, as Iran has also threatened shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical transit route for the world’s oil. 

Israel killed Iran’s Minister of Intelligence Esmaeil Khatib in a precision strike overnight, a senior Israeli official told Fox News Wednesday.

The official said the strike was enabled by a joint U.S.-Israeli intelligence effort and described Khatib as a central player in plots targeting American officials.

"This man had American blood on his hands. His network specifically targeted current and former U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump," the official added.

Khatib had previously survived a sweeping strike on Iran’s senior leadership at the "Defense Council" compound in Tehran during the opening phase of Operation Epic Fury, where more than 40 Iranian leaders were killed in roughly 40 seconds, according to the official.

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He was reportedly the only person to survive the initial attack.

"Today, he met the fate of his combatant comrades," the official told Fox News.

Israel has targeted and killed several senior Iranian leaders since the start of the war, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Gen. Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Basij unit, and Mohammad Pakpour, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The Israel Defense Forces said Khatib played a central role in directing crackdowns on protesters, including arrests and killings during recent unrest and the nationwide demonstrations sparked by the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini.

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The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Khatib in 2022 for his role in leading Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), which U.S. officials said was responsible for cyberattacks against the United States and its allies. 

Treasury said the ministry oversaw global cyber operations targeting government and private-sector organizations, including disruptive attacks on critical infrastructure.

United Against Nuclear Iran, a non-partisan advocacy group, said Khatib enlisted in the IRGC at the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War in 1980 and studied under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.

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

He joined MOIS in 1985 or 1986 after it was established in 1983.

The State Department’s Rewards for Justice program last week offered up to $10 million for information on senior Iranian security figures tied to the IRGC and its networks, including Khatib.