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Fox News has exclusively obtained satellite imagery revealing what an opposition group says is a previously undisclosed Iranian nuclear weapons facility – raising fresh concerns amid ongoing negotiations between Tehran and the Trump administration.

The newly identified site, located in Iran’s Semnan Province, is far from the regime's already-known nuclear facilities. According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), intelligence gathered from sources inside the country points to a sprawling compound covering nearly 2,500 acres.

Code-named the "Rainbow Site" by Iranian officials, the facility has reportedly been in operation for more than a decade, masked as a chemical production company known as Diba Energy Siba.

IRAN'S COVER NUCLEAR AGENCY FOUND OPERATING OUT OF TOP SPACE PROGRAM LAUNCH SITES

According to NCRI sources, the primary function of the Rainbow Site is the extraction of tritium – a radioactive isotope used to enhance nuclear weapons. Unlike uranium enrichment, tritium has virtually no peaceful or commercial applications, casting further doubt on Iran’s longstanding claims that its nuclear ambitions are solely for energy or civilian use.

The revelations come as the Trump administration navigates sensitive negotiations with Tehran. When asked about the U.S. position on whether Iran can maintain a nuclear enrichment program short of weapons development, President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday, "We haven’t made that decision yet. We will, but we haven’t made that decision yet."

Despite the bombshell intelligence, senior officials maintain optimism. Vice President JD Vance, speaking Tuesday, said the talks remain on track.

TRUMP HALTS MILITARY STRIKES ON HOUTHIS BUT EXPERT WARNS IRAN-BACKED TERRORIST GROUP REMAINS MAJOR THREAT

"Without prejudging the negotiation, I will say, so far so good," Vance told reporters. "We’ve been very happy with how the Iranians have responded to some of the points that we’ve made."

The discovery of the Rainbow Site could complicate the already delicate diplomacy surrounding Iran’s nuclear capabilities and the possibility of a renewed agreement.

Eighty years after the Holocaust, far too many people are either downplaying its severity or denying it altogether, warned Merrill Eisenhower Atwater, great-grandson of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. 

His remarks came as nations around the world on Thursday commemorated the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

On May 8, 1945, Nazi Germany formally surrendered to the Allied powers, bringing an end to the war in Europe—a conflict that claimed the lives of approximately 40 million people, including the extermination of 6 million Jews.

Last month, Eisenhower Atwater took part in the March of the Living on Holocaust Remembrance Day, walking alongside survivors and thousands of participants from around the world. The march traces the path from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the Nazi death camps in occupied Poland, in a solemn tribute to the victims and in honor of the survivors and their liberators.

"When you’re sitting with 80 Holocaust survivors and both you and they are crying because of how special the moment is—and they tell you, ‘Without your great-grandfather, this never would have happened’—I say, without your bravery, this never would have happened," Eisenhower Atwater told Fox News Digital on Wednesday,

ISRAEL PAUSES AS THE JEWISH STATE HONORS AND REMEMBERS VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST

"One person equals multiple lives that were saved. It wasn’t just the liberation of the camps—it was saving generations," he added.

Among the march’s participants was Israel Meir Lau, former chief rabbi of Israel and a child survivor of Buchenwald, who personally met Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led the Allied offensive against the Nazis in Europe, during the camp’s liberation.

Also remembered was Chaim Herzog, father of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who was on hand for the march. A British army officer during World War II, Chaim Herzog played a role in liberating the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. His father, Yitzhak Isaac Halevi Herzog—who would also become a chief rabbi of Israel—met with Gen. Eisenhower in 1946 as part of a mission to aid Jewish survivors across postwar Europe.

Eisenhower Atwater called his inclusion "humbling" and said the march allowed him to "sit and talk with unsung heroes."

One survivor in particular, Eva Clarke, left a deep impression. "She’s one of the kindest souls I’ve ever met. Finding out that the gas ran out just a couple days before she was born—that’s divine intervention," he told Fox News Digital. "She led the way. Just an incredible woman with an incredible story. She should inspire everyone."

Clarke was born on April 29, 1945 at the gates of Mauthausen concentration camp, one of only three known babies to have survived birth there.

Clarke’s mother, Anka Kauderova, endured three and a half years in concentration camps: Theresienstadt in then-Czechoslovakia, Auschwitz, and the Freiberg slave labor camp and armament factory in Germany. She was eventually transported in open coal wagons, along with 2,000 other prisoners, on a grueling 17-day journey without food and with minimal water to Mauthausen.

ISRAELI PRESIDENT HERZOG HIGHLIGHTS ANTISEMITISM IN UN SPEECH AS NEW REPORT SHOWS SHOCKING TREND

"My parents were in Theresienstadt for three years, which was unusually long. They were young, strong, and able to work. To some extent, it was a transit camp to a death camp," Clarke told Fox News Digital.

"At the end of September 1944, their luck ran out. My father was sent to Auschwitz, and incredibly, my mother volunteered to follow him the next day. She didn’t know where he was going and, ever the optimist, believed it couldn’t get worse and they’d survive," she said.

Anka never saw her husband again. An eyewitness later told her that he was shot and killed in the death march near Auschwitz on Jan. 18, 1945. Auschwitz was liberated by the Russian army on Jan. 27.

In 1943, Anka became pregnant. "It was dangerous, but she met my father secretly. Becoming pregnant in a concentration camp was considered a crime punishable by death," Clarke said.

Her brother was born in February 1944 but died of pneumonia two months later. "Had my mother arrived at Auschwitz with a baby in her arms, both would have been sent to the gas chamber. Nobody knew she was pregnant again—with me."

In April 1945, Anka was sent to Mauthausen. "It’s a beautiful village on the Danube in Austria, but the camp sits on a steep hill behind it. When my mother saw the name at the train station, she was shocked—she had heard how horrific it was. That shock likely triggered her labor, and she began giving birth to me," Clarke said.

She credits her survival to timing. "On April 28, the Nazis ran out of gas. I was born on April 29. Hitler committed suicide on April 30. On May 5, the American 11th Armored Division liberated the camp."

When the Americans arrived, they brought food and medicine—though many, weakened, died upon receiving them. Three weeks later, once Anka regained strength, U.S. forces repatriated her to Prague. There, Anka met her second husband, and the two left to avoid living under communism, eventually settling in the U.K.

"I feel Merrill is my new best friend," Clarke said of Eisenhower Atwater. "It was overwhelming to meet someone whose great-grandfather played such an important role in ending the war. I was delighted to reconnect with him again in Auschwitz a few weeks ago. Everyone wanted to thank him for what his great-grandfather did."

Clarke will return to Mauthausen this Sunday to mark the 80th anniversary of its liberation by U.S. forces. "I’ll be there with two other babies who were born under similar circumstances. We are so grateful, I can’t even express it," she told Fox News Digital.

Reflecting on the moral clarity his great-grandfather exemplified, Eisenhower Atwater underscored that we are all human beings first.

"We all know right from wrong. It is wrong to kill people, wrong to put babies in ovens, wrong to put people in gas chambers. That’s clear," he said.

He acknowledged that Holocaust denial often stems from disbelief. "It’s easy to say something didn’t happen because it’s hard to comprehend the death of that many people. I get that. But it did happen. Nazi Germans killed 10,000 people a day—it’s well-documented. They documented it themselves, and the Allied forces saw it first-hand.

"Nobody really wants to talk about the death of six million people over a five-to-six-year period," he added. "But it’s the truth."

President Donald Trump made the surprise announcement this week that the U.S., after weeks of intense strikes, will halt all bombing campaigns on the Houthis in Yemen – but experts have warned the Iran-backed group will not sit idle. 

In Trump’s Tuesday announcement from the Oval Office, he claimed the Houthis "just don't want to fight…and we will honor that. We will stop the bombings."

The president would not say who provided him with this confirmation by the terrorist network, which for years has attacked U.S. and allied ships in the Red Sea in a major threat to freedom of navigation, but in a laugh following the question, he replied that it came from a "very good source."

Less than two hours later, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, the foreign minister of Oman, took to X to say, "Following recent discussions and contacts conducted by the Sultanate of Oman with the United States and the relevant authorities in Sana'a, in the Republic of Yemen, with the aim of de-escalation, efforts have resulted in a ceasefire agreement between the two sides."

TRUMP CLAIMS HOUTHIS 'DON'T WANT TO FIGHT' AND SAYS US WILL STOP BOMBING CAMPAIGN

"In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping," he added. 

The post suggests that Oman, which has also played an intermediary in the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, was heavily involved in securing the ceasefire.

However, a new report obtained by Fox News Digital ahead of the president’s surprise announcement warns that the Trump administration must remain vigilant against major security threats posed by the Houthis and the international actors supporting the terrorist network.

The report, dubbed "The Houthi Challenge: Forging a Strategy to Defeat the Iran-Backed Terror Group in Yemen" by Ari Heistein for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and research fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, highlighted that it is not only Iran that have helped facilitate the Houthi operational capabilities. 

While Tehran has backed the Houthis since at least 2014 – and possibly as early as 2009 during the war in Yemen – through training and advanced weapons like ballistic missiles, Oman has also played a role by allowing the group to operate from its territory and serving as a key smuggling route for Iranian arms.

ISRAEL CALLS TO EVACUATE YEMEN AIRPORT AMID FIGHT WITH HOUTHIS

Jonathan Schanzer, a former terrorism finance analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the current executive director of the FDD, called Oman's role in negotiations between Washington and Middle East adversaries "outrageous." 

"To hold them up as responsible intermediaries when they are in fact hosting the very group that we're trying to dismantle, there's very little logic [in] this position," he told Fox News Digital.

The report found that Iranian arms are smuggled into Yemen through the port of Hodeidah – which was targeted in a series of Israeli strikes on major infrastructure in and around the Houthi-controlled capital of Sana’a this week – but also through smaller ports or overland through Oman.

Omani private banking institutions and businesses are also reportedly known to be "servicing the Houthi economy and even supplying the group with arms." 

"More must be done to prevent bulk cash smuggling across the border between Oman and Yemen," Heistein found. "Muscat must begin to feel pressure from the international community to address a threat finance challenge that has gone unchecked for too long."

The report breaks down the varied steps that need to be taken to effectively undermine and counter the Houthis as repeated military strikes by first, Saudi Arabia starting in 2015, then recently by the U.S. and Israel, have not significantly degraded the terrorist group.

Those steps include continued military action – similar to Israel’s recent strikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah port and Sana’a International Airport, which are expected to have far-reaching economic impacts and increase internal pressure on the Houthis. But military action alone isn’t enough; economic, diplomatic, and other soft power strategies are also needed to weaken the group, according to the report. 

The report also highlighted that the Houthis have utilized previous lulls in fighting with nations like Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and Israel to regroup and rebuild. 

"Compelling the Houthis to halt attacks on shipping is a meaningful achievement only if it is part of a broader, long-term strategy," Heistein told Fox News Digital. "However, if a Red Sea ceasefire becomes the centerpiece and endpoint of U.S. policy toward the Houthis, it risks empowering an increasingly dangerous regime to escalate and de-escalate at will.

 "Without a comprehensive approach to addressing the Houthi threat, the U.S. and its allies could soon be confronting a more dangerous, better-armed terrorist group," Heinstein warned. 

North Korea launched several short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern sea Thursday in what South Korea is calling a "clear act of provocation." 

Lee Sung Joon, a spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the launches were possibly intended to test the performance of weapons that North Korea plans to export as it continues to send military equipment and troops to fuel Russia’s warfighting against Ukraine. 

The agency said multiple missiles were launched from an area around North Korea’s eastern port city of Wonsan from about 8:10 to 9:20 a.m. local time Thursday, with the farthest traveling about 497 miles. 

Lee said the tests likely involved a short-range ballistic missile system launched from vehicles — possibly modeled after Russia’s Iskander missile -- and also large-caliber rocket artillery systems. 

600 NORTH KOREAN TROOPS KILLED WHILE FIGHTING UKRAINE, SOUTH KOREA SAYS 

The Joint Chiefs said South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities detected the launch preparations in advance and tracked the missiles after they were launched. 

It issued a statement denouncing the launches as a "clear act of provocation" that threatens peace and stability in the region, according to the Associated Press. South Korean military officials are now analyzing whether the tests were linked to the North’s weapons exports to Russia.

In early March, North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea just hours after South Korea and the United States kicked off their first major joint military exercise of President Donald Trump’s second term. 

"We are aware of the DPRK’s multiple ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners. The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts," the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement at the time. 

NORTH KOREA FIRES MISSILES AS US, SOUTH KOREA BEGIN THEIR FIRST JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE OF TRUMP’S SECOND TERM 

Those launches come after South Korean and U.S. forces began their annual Freedom Shield exercise. 

After denying its war involvement for months, North Korea last month confirmed for the first time that it had sent combat troops to help Russia in recapturing parts of the Kursk region, which had fallen to a surprise Ukrainian incursion last year. Moscow also acknowledged the North Korean involvement, with Russian President Vladimir Putin issuing a statement thanking the North for sending troops to support his forces and promising not to forget their sacrifices. 

Recent South Korean intelligence assessments suggest that North Korea has sent about 15,000 soldiers to Russia, and that nearly 5,000 of them have been killed or injured while fighting against Ukrainian forces, the AP reported. Washington and Seoul have also accused North Korea of supplying Russia with various types of military equipment, including artillery systems and shells and ballistic missiles. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

India launched multiple Israeli-made Harop drones targeting Pakistan overnight and into Thursday, wounding at least four soldiers, Pakistan army officials said. 

Pakistani forces downed 25 of the drones, Pakistan army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif told The Associated Press. Debris from a downed drone that fell into the Sindh province killed one civilian and injured another.

A drone damaged a military site near the city of Lahore, injuring four soldiers, and another went down in Rawalpindi, which is near the capital, Sharif said.

INDIA LAUNCHES STRIKES ON TERRORIST CAMPS IN PAKISTAN

"The armed forces are neutralizing them as we speak," Sharif on the state-run Pakistan Television early on Thursday afternoon, the outlet reported.

Both India and Pakistan are among the handful of world powers that possess nuclear weapons, making tensions between the two nations particularly troublesome on the world stage.

TRUMP OFFERS TO HELP INDIA, PAKISTAN AMID GROWING CONFLICT: ‘I WANT TO SEE THEM STOP’

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he wants the conflict between the two nations to "stop," noting, "if I can do anything to help … I will be there."

Some American lawmakers have also weighed in on India and Pakistan.

PAKISTAN CALLS INDIA'S STRIKES AN ‘ACT OF WAR’ AND CLAIMS IT SHOT DOWN INDIAN FIGHTER JETS

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said in a Wednesday post on X, "I urge Indian and Pakistani leaders to find a path towards de-escalation, and to ensure accountability for those responsible for the horrific April 22 terrorist attack in Kashmir. For the sake of innocent civilians in India and Pakistan—now is the time to lean into diplomacy."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Once a new pope is voted in, the name he chooses could signal the direction the Catholic Church moves in the coming years.

The announcement "Habemus Papa," or, "We have a pope," will be made from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. It will then be followed by the pontiff’s baptismal name in Latin, along with his chosen papal name and meaning.

Should the pope choose to go with Pope Francis II, it could signify continuity with the late pontiff’s pastoral legacy, though Francis himself quipped that whoever succeeds him would be John XXIV, named after the Vatican II-era pope.

In the 20th century, the most popular name for popes was Pius, and if chosen, that could signal that a traditionalist is taking back the throne of St. Peter.

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"In the deepest recesses of their mind, when they start the conclave, everyone will walk in there with a name in their head," Natalia Imperatori-Lee, chair of religious studies at Manhattan University, told The Associated Press.

For the majority of the Church’s first 1,000 years, popes used their given names, though the first exception was Roman Mercurius in the 6th century, who was named for a pagan god and chose the name John II.

Adopting a name became common practice during the 11th century, a period of German popes who chose the names of early bishops out of a "desire to signify continuity," Rev. Roberto Regoli, a historian at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University, told the wire service.

CARDINALS GATHER IN ST. PETER'S BASILICA FOR FINAL MASS BEFORE CONCLAVE TO CHOSE NEW POPE

It was not until the mid-20th century that new popes began to choose names signaling the direction of their papacy, Regoli added.

"Even now, as we are waiting for the new pope, the name with which he will present himself will help us to understand the horizon towards which he wants to proceed," Regoli said.

Names like Urban and Innocent have not been used for centuries, and Imperatori-Lee said he did not think anyone would pick the latter, given the abuse and scandals that have rocked the church.

THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS MEET TO ELECT THE NEXT POPE. WHO WILL IT BE?

"I don’t think that would be the right choice," he said.

The most recent names chosen include Francis, Benedict and John Paul.

The AP said Francis signaled a papacy focused on those who are often seen as outsiders, including the poor, prisoners and the LGBTQ+ community, while promoting peace, brotherhood and care for the environment.

PAPAL PULSE: EVERYDAY CATHOLICS REVEAL THEIR HOPES FOR THE NEXT POPE

Benedict, who was elected in 2005, was chosen because he wanted to pay homage to Benedict XV, who led the Catholic Church during World War I and dedicated himself to healing the rifts of war.

John Paul chose his name, signaling a commitment to reforms, including the sidelining of the Latin Mass in favor of local languages and other faiths, most significantly Judaism.

But it is still a new pope’s choice to choose a name never used before.

"This would open a new season and could mean that his program is not in line with any of his predecessors, so an even more personalized program," Regoli said.

Imperatori-Lee suggested another name that might signal a continuation of Francis’ legacy: Ignatius, for the founder of Francis’ Jesuit order.

"It would be interesting," she said. "We’ve never had one of those."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A woman's head was reportedly severed Wednesday when a man began attacking people with an ax on a college campus in Poland.

Polish police said a man was detained after he killed one person with an ax at Warsaw University.

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"Police have detained a man who entered the University of Warsaw campus. One person died, another was taken to hospital with injuries," Warsaw Police said in a statement on X.

The incident happened at about 1:40 p.m. local time when the 22-year-old man entered the campus. 

TRUMP CELEBRATES CONSERVATIVE PARTY WIN IN GERMANY

"One person died, the other was taken to hospital with serious injuries," Warsaw police said. "Prosecutors and police are working on site. Actions in progress."

Private broadcaster Polsat News reported that a woman's severed head and an ax had been found at the school, Reuters reported. 

A spokesperson for the district prosecutor's office told the news outlet that a female university administrative employee was killed at the scene and a security guard was injured and taken to hospital in a critical condition.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church does not get paid what many consider a traditional salary. Instead, the Vatican provides for the pontiff's needs, from housing, food, transportation and other expenses in the form of stipends and allowances.

The Vatican, referred to as "the world's smallest country," is sustained by "an economy that relies on a combination of donations, private enterprises, and investments to generate revenue," according to Investopedia.  

Pope Francis declined any sort of salary when he took office in 2013, The Economic Times reported back in February, adding that the pontiff at the time had a net worth of "around $16 million, which includes various assets provided to him as the pope."

The Vatican's financial situation has been in peril for years, with its annual operating deficit growing to over $90 million in 2023, according to reports. In November, Pope Francis warned that the Vatican's pension fund — which provides pensions to employees of the Holy See and Vatican City State — has been facing a "severe prospective imbalance" that "tends to grow over time in the absence of interventions," according to the Vatican News.

LIVE UPDATES: 'EXTRA OMNES' ORDER GIVEN, OFFICIALLY BEGINNING PAPAL CONCLAVE

The governing body of the Vatican, also known as the Holy See, doesn't provide exact numbers regarding its finances. However, the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook estimated its revenues and expenditures in 2013 notched $315 million and $348 million, respectively.  

It generates this money through various avenues. According to the Michigan Journal of Economics, the Holy See generates some of its revenue through Peter’s Pence, which is a term that describes donations collected from Catholics around the world and given to the Pope on an annual basis. This accounts for $27 million each year, with the largest contributions deriving from the United States, Germany and Italy, according to American Magazine.

WHAT IS THE PAPAL CONCLAVE: INSIDE THE ANCIENT PROCESS OF CHOOSING THE NEXT POPE

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Vatican and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for more information about how the pope gets paid, but did not immediately hear back. 

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has released its first-ever J7 Annual Report on Antisemitism as the world prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

The report details the rise in antisemitism seen in countries that have the largest Jewish populations outside Israel, including the U.S., the U.K., Argentina, Canada, France, Germany and Australia.

The J7 Task Force was founded in July 2023, just months before Hamas launched its deadly attacks on Israel. In the wake of the massacre, the ADL has noted an uptick in antisemitic incidents and sentiments around the world. 

ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS BREAK RECORD FOR 4TH STRAIGHT YEAR, ADL FINDS

From 2021 to 2023, antisemitic incidents increased by 11% in Australia, 23% in Argentina, 75% in Germany, 82% in the U.K., 83% in Canada, 185% in France and 227% in the U.S., according to the ADL’s report. Additionally, the organization noted a "troubling" pattern in antisemitic incidents per Jewish capita in the J7 countries, including more than 38 incidents per 1,000 Jewish residents in Germany in 2023. Additionally, in Australia, incidents per Jewish capita quadrupled from 2023 to 2024.

The J7 Task Force report reveals common themes across all nations, such as increases in violent attacks, spikes in antisemitic rhetoric online and growing feelings of fear and insecurity among Jews.

In the report, the rising antisemitism in each of the J7 countries was documented by the Jewish communities directly impacted.

The Delegación de Asociaciones Israelitas Argentinas (DAIA) found that antisemitism had become deeply embedded in social media and academic institutions. Argentinian Jewish students are reportedly choosing schools "based on whether or not they will be a target of antisemitic incidents, both from their fellow students and from their professors," according to DAIA. The organization recommends more "work and engagement" in combatting antisemitism in academia.

In 2023, Argentina saw a 44% increase in antisemitic incidents compared to 2022. Like many other countries included in the report, the country saw a rise in antisemitism and anti-Zionism following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks.

Additionally, DAIA noted that Argentinian President Javier Milei’s strong support of Israel and the U.S. has led to "an increase in antisemitic and other conspiratorial rhetoric."

DAIA also found some bright spots in Argentina, noting that 60% of Argentinians, especially those aged 25-34, have a favorable view of Israel and just 7% favor boycotting Israeli products and businesses. This could be because Argentina has felt the impact of a terrorist organization that has also attacked Israel. Hezbollah carried out two deadly bombing attacks in Buenos Aires, one in 1992 at the Israeli Embassy and another in 1994 at the AMIA-DAIA Jewish Center.

AUSTRALIA'S JEWISH COMMUNITY ALARMED BY RISING ANTISEMITISM

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s (ECAJ) report, which covers Oct. 1, 2023-Sept. 30, 2024, showed a sizable 316% increase in antisemitic incidents. In the 12-month period the ECAJ studied, it found 2,062 antisemitic incidents compared to 495 incidents in the previous year. In the decade prior, the number of antisemitic incidents each year ranged from 190 to 495.

ECAJ cited Dr. Adina Bankier-Karp and Dr. David Graham’s survey, "Australian Jews in the Shadow of War," which found that 64% of Australian Jews felt that antisemitism was "very much" a big problem in the country. This, according to the report, is 10 times higher than the response in 2017.

The Australian federal government in 2024, as well as many state governments, banned hate symbols such as swastikas and the Nazi salute. Symbols of terrorist organizations were also banned. However, ECAJ said it does not believe these laws do enough to combat "post-Oct. 7 sources of antisemitism."

"While these laws are welcomed, they are not addressing the post-October 7 sources of antisemitism in Australia which makes up the majority of incidents, nor will the laws counter anti-Jewish attitudes and incidents," ECAJ wrote in the report.

The report on Canada was compiled by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA). The organization said Canada’s main challenges include increased threats of violence and "anti- Israel actions taken by the federal government that display a double standard towards the Jewish state, such as the imposition of an arms embargo."

While the data for 2024 is not yet available, CIJA noted that the 2023 statistics show "disturbing trends." While Jews make up just 1% of the country’s population, 19% of reported hate crimes were motivated by antisemitism. Additionally, hate crimes against Jews increased by 71% from 2022 to 2023, according to CIJA.

In the report, CIJA called out the Canadian government’s "inaction" on antisemitism. The organization called for action and legal reform to help fight rising antisemitism.

Nearly all Canadian Jews, 98%, said antisemitism is a "serious or somewhat serious problem," according to CIJA. Additionally, 82% said "Canada has become less safe for Jews" since Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre.

Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France (CRIF) found clear links between antisemitic incidents and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. According to CRIF, more than 30% of antisemitic incidents in 2024 included references to "Palestine." French schools also saw antisemitic incidents more than quadruple, reaching 1,670 in the 2023-2024 academic year, compared to 400 the year before.

CRIF found that antisemitic incidents became more violent in 2024. These incidents included the rape and assault of a 12-year-old Jewish girl because of her "bad words on Palestine" and the arson and antisemitic graffiti at the Rouen synagogue. 

The organization said it welcomed the French government’s adoption of a national plan to fight racism, antisemitism and discrimination. The plan was adopted in 2023 and is set to be implemented through 2026.

CRIF said in its report that many French Jews have stopped displaying or speaking about their religious identity out of fear. Even children steer clear of the topic to avoid harassment in school.

GLOBAL RISE IN ANTISEMITISM LEAVES JEWISH COMMUNITY ISOLATED, RABBI SAYS WORLD AT 'A TIPPING POINT'

Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland (ZJD) sounded the alarm over rising antisemitism, pointing out that "October 7, 2023, has massively accelerated a development that was already looming." Antisemitism in Germany is not unique to one side of the political aisle, though ZJD points out the rise of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) "poses a major challenge." 

AfD holds multiple positions that, if turned into reality, would make life extremely difficult for observant German Jews, including the banning of religious slaughter of animals, which could effectively make kosher meat illegal.

German police found 3,200 crimes from Jan. 1, 2024, to Oct. 7, 2024, were motivated by antisemitism. This comes after the Office on Research and Information on Antisemitism in Hessen found 3,000 antisemitic incidents between Oct. 7, 2023, and the end of that same year.

A January 2025 study by the Claims Conference found that approximately 40% of 18- to 29-year-olds in Germany did not know that more than 6,000,000 Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. However, the ADL’s 2024 Global 100 survey shows Holocaust distortion and denial is lower in Germany compared to other Western European nations.

ZJD concluded that ongoing debates in Germany surrounding social issues have direct impacts on the Jewish community. 

The Board of Deputies of British Jews (the Board) said in its section of the report that antisemitism has dropped since Q4 2023 but still remains above pre-Oct. 7 levels. Meanwhile, British Jews are "finding everyday life in the U.K. an increasing challenge" with 25% of British Jews feeling unsafe in the country.

The Community Security Trust’s 2024 Antisemitic Incidents Report showed 3,528 antisemitic incidents in the U.K., representing an 18% decrease from the 4,296 incidents reported in 2023. 

"Posters of Israeli hostages are regularly torn down, and in major cities the UK has faced weekly hate marches calling for Israel’s destruction," the Board wrote. It also stated that the Institute of Jewish Policy Research called this phenomenon "ambient antisemitism."

The Board acknowledged the government’s actions to fight antisemitism but said that statistics showed that further action was needed. "Enhanced law enforcement, stricter regulations on online hate speech, and comprehensive educational programs are essential to effectively combat antisemitic attitudes and behaviors," the Board wrote.

Overall, the Board believes the U.K.’s three main areas of focus should be addressing antisemitic incidents, fighting online hate speech and restoring a sense of security among British Jews.

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The ADL and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations worked together to compile a report on rising antisemitism in the U.S., noting the "alarming rise" in antisemitic incidents and attitudes.

In its 2024 antisemitism audit, which was released last month, the ADL identified 9,354 antisemitic incidents in 2024, a 5% increase from 2023 and a staggering 926% increase since it began tracking in 1979.

"Let’s be clear, antisemitism is an irrational hatred of individuals or institutions just because they are Jewish," ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told Fox News Digital upon the release of the audit. He also noted that "ADL has been conducting an annual audit of antisemitic incidents since the 1970s. And we've simply never seen numbers like this." 

The ADL and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations found that "the groundswell of antisemitism in the United States shows no signs of abating." In the report, both organizations said that the polarized political environment makes it hard to predict how antisemitism will develop.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has released its first-ever J7 Annual Report on Antisemitism as the world prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

The report details the rise in antisemitism seen in countries that have the largest Jewish populations outside Israel, including the U.S., the U.K., Argentina, Canada, France, Germany and Australia.

The J7 Task Force was founded in July 2023, just months before Hamas launched its deadly attacks on Israel. In the wake of the massacre, the ADL has noted an uptick in antisemitic incidents and sentiments around the world. 

ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS BREAK RECORD FOR 4TH STRAIGHT YEAR, ADL FINDS

From 2021 to 2023, antisemitic incidents increased by 11% in Australia, 23% in Argentina, 75% in Germany, 82% in the U.K., 83% in Canada, 185% in France and 227% in the U.S., according to the ADL’s report. Additionally, the organization noted a "troubling" pattern in antisemitic incidents per Jewish capita in the J7 countries, including more than 38 incidents per 1,000 Jewish residents in Germany in 2023. Additionally, in Australia, incidents per Jewish capita quadrupled from 2023 to 2024.

The J7 Task Force report reveals common themes across all nations, such as increases in violent attacks, spikes in antisemitic rhetoric online and growing feelings of fear and insecurity among Jews.

In the report, the rising antisemitism in each of the J7 countries was documented by the Jewish communities directly impacted.

The Delegación de Asociaciones Israelitas Argentinas (DAIA) found that antisemitism had become deeply embedded in social media and academic institutions. Argentinian Jewish students are reportedly choosing schools "based on whether or not they will be a target of antisemitic incidents, both from their fellow students and from their professors," according to DAIA. The organization recommends more "work and engagement" in combatting antisemitism in academia.

In 2023, Argentina saw a 44% increase in antisemitic incidents compared to 2022. Like many other countries included in the report, the country saw a rise in antisemitism and anti-Zionism following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks.

Additionally, DAIA noted that Argentinian President Javier Milei’s strong support of Israel and the U.S. has led to "an increase in antisemitic and other conspiratorial rhetoric."

DAIA also found some bright spots in Argentina, noting that 60% of Argentinians, especially those aged 25-34, have a favorable view of Israel and just 7% favor boycotting Israeli products and businesses. This could be because Argentina has felt the impact of a terrorist organization that has also attacked Israel. Hezbollah carried out two deadly bombing attacks in Buenos Aires, one in 1992 at the Israeli Embassy and another in 1994 at the AMIA-DAIA Jewish Center.

AUSTRALIA'S JEWISH COMMUNITY ALARMED BY RISING ANTISEMITISM

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s (ECAJ) report, which covers Oct. 1, 2023-Sept. 30, 2024, showed a sizable 316% increase in antisemitic incidents. In the 12-month period the ECAJ studied, it found 2,062 antisemitic incidents compared to 495 incidents in the previous year. In the decade prior, the number of antisemitic incidents each year ranged from 190 to 495.

ECAJ cited Dr. Adina Bankier-Karp and Dr. David Graham’s survey, "Australian Jews in the Shadow of War," which found that 64% of Australian Jews felt that antisemitism was "very much" a big problem in the country. This, according to the report, is 10 times higher than the response in 2017.

The Australian federal government in 2024, as well as many state governments, banned hate symbols such as swastikas and the Nazi salute. Symbols of terrorist organizations were also banned. However, ECAJ said it does not believe these laws do enough to combat "post-Oct. 7 sources of antisemitism."

"While these laws are welcomed, they are not addressing the post-October 7 sources of antisemitism in Australia which makes up the majority of incidents, nor will the laws counter anti-Jewish attitudes and incidents," ECAJ wrote in the report.

The report on Canada was compiled by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA). The organization said Canada’s main challenges include increased threats of violence and "anti- Israel actions taken by the federal government that display a double standard towards the Jewish state, such as the imposition of an arms embargo."

While the data for 2024 is not yet available, CIJA noted that the 2023 statistics show "disturbing trends." While Jews make up just 1% of the country’s population, 19% of reported hate crimes were motivated by antisemitism. Additionally, hate crimes against Jews increased by 71% from 2022 to 2023, according to CIJA.

In the report, CIJA called out the Canadian government’s "inaction" on antisemitism. The organization called for action and legal reform to help fight rising antisemitism.

Nearly all Canadian Jews, 98%, said antisemitism is a "serious or somewhat serious problem," according to CIJA. Additionally, 82% said "Canada has become less safe for Jews" since Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre.

Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France (CRIF) found clear links between antisemitic incidents and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. According to CRIF, more than 30% of antisemitic incidents in 2024 included references to "Palestine." French schools also saw antisemitic incidents more than quadruple, reaching 1,670 in the 2023-2024 academic year, compared to 400 the year before.

CRIF found that antisemitic incidents became more violent in 2024. These incidents included the rape and assault of a 12-year-old Jewish girl because of her "bad words on Palestine" and the arson and antisemitic graffiti at the Rouen synagogue. 

The organization said it welcomed the French government’s adoption of a national plan to fight racism, antisemitism and discrimination. The plan was adopted in 2023 and is set to be implemented through 2026.

CRIF said in its report that many French Jews have stopped displaying or speaking about their religious identity out of fear. Even children steer clear of the topic to avoid harassment in school.

GLOBAL RISE IN ANTISEMITISM LEAVES JEWISH COMMUNITY ISOLATED, RABBI SAYS WORLD AT 'A TIPPING POINT'

Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland (ZJD) sounded the alarm over rising antisemitism, pointing out that "October 7, 2023, has massively accelerated a development that was already looming." Antisemitism in Germany is not unique to one side of the political aisle, though ZJD points out the rise of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) "poses a major challenge." 

AfD holds multiple positions that, if turned into reality, would make life extremely difficult for observant German Jews, including the banning of religious slaughter of animals, which could effectively make kosher meat illegal.

German police found 3,200 crimes from Jan. 1, 2024, to Oct. 7, 2024, were motivated by antisemitism. This comes after the Office on Research and Information on Antisemitism in Hessen found 3,000 antisemitic incidents between Oct. 7, 2023, and the end of that same year.

A January 2025 study by the Claims Conference found that approximately 40% of 18- to 29-year-olds in Germany did not know that more than 6,000,000 Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. However, the ADL’s 2024 Global 100 survey shows Holocaust distortion and denial is lower in Germany compared to other Western European nations.

ZJD concluded that ongoing debates in Germany surrounding social issues have direct impacts on the Jewish community. 

The Board of Deputies of British Jews (the Board) said in its section of the report that antisemitism has dropped since Q4 2023 but still remains above pre-Oct. 7 levels. Meanwhile, British Jews are "finding everyday life in the U.K. an increasing challenge" with 25% of British Jews feeling unsafe in the country.

The Community Security Trust’s 2024 Antisemitic Incidents Report showed 3,528 antisemitic incidents in the U.K., representing an 18% decrease from the 4,296 incidents reported in 2023. 

"Posters of Israeli hostages are regularly torn down, and in major cities the UK has faced weekly hate marches calling for Israel’s destruction," the Board wrote. It also stated that the Institute of Jewish Policy Research called this phenomenon "ambient antisemitism."

The Board acknowledged the government’s actions to fight antisemitism but said that statistics showed that further action was needed. "Enhanced law enforcement, stricter regulations on online hate speech, and comprehensive educational programs are essential to effectively combat antisemitic attitudes and behaviors," the Board wrote.

Overall, the Board believes the U.K.’s three main areas of focus should be addressing antisemitic incidents, fighting online hate speech and restoring a sense of security among British Jews.

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The ADL and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations worked together to compile a report on rising antisemitism in the U.S., noting the "alarming rise" in antisemitic incidents and attitudes.

In its 2024 antisemitism audit, which was released last month, the ADL identified 9,354 antisemitic incidents in 2024, a 5% increase from 2023 and a staggering 926% increase since it began tracking in 1979.

"Let’s be clear, antisemitism is an irrational hatred of individuals or institutions just because they are Jewish," ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told Fox News Digital upon the release of the audit. He also noted that "ADL has been conducting an annual audit of antisemitic incidents since the 1970s. And we've simply never seen numbers like this." 

The ADL and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations found that "the groundswell of antisemitism in the United States shows no signs of abating." In the report, both organizations said that the polarized political environment makes it hard to predict how antisemitism will develop.

After a nearly four-year search for justice, a U.S. court has found in favor of the family of a Lebanese American man held hostage in Lebanon, finding that the Islamic Republic of Iran, working through its proxy Hezbollah, should be held liable for their father’s kidnap and torture. 

Two of Amer Fakhoury’s daughters, Guila and Zoya Fakhoury, told Fox News Digital that on May 1, a U.S. District Court judge found Iran responsible for Fakhoury’s imprisonment.

"This is the first lawsuit to prove Iran’s influence over Lebanon," Guila said. "We were very happy about the judgment." 

‘HOSTAGE IN LEBANON:’ NEW HAMPSHIRE FAMILY RECOUNTS FATHER’S DETAINMENT, TORTURE IN NEW BOOK

Amer Fakhoury was arrested a week after traveling to Lebanon with his family in September 2019. After his arrest, a newspaper linked with Hezbollah alleged that Fakhoury, formerly a member of the South Lebanon Army, had been the "butcher" of Khiam, a detention center where grave human rights abuses were reported to have taken place. 

Though he was released from a military prison in December 2019, it was only after the Lebanese Supreme Court dropped charges against Fakhoury in March 2020 that he was able to return to the U.S. By the time of his return, Fakhoury had lost 60 pounds and was suffering from late-stage lymphoma, along with rib fractures and other health complications. He died in September 2020 at the age of 57.

Proving Fakhoury’s suffering and torture was a battle for the family, though Guila said the State Department’s classification of her father as a hostage was instrumental in proving the nature of Fakhoury’s captivity. 

SENS. CRUZ, SHAHEEN PROPOSE SANCTIONS AGAINST LEBANESE OFFIICALS OVER AMERICAN PRISONER

Proving that Iran was behind the imprisonment was more difficult. In fact, while Guila said some people "kind of laughed" that the family blamed Iran for their father’s mistreatment, Zoya said "Iran’s influence in Lebanon in recent years further proves our point." 

Because Iran never responded to the suit, Guila said the family was forced to provide evidence her father witnessed of Hezbollah’s control over "every government agency in Lebanon," including the military hospital, military court, and the Lebanese General Directorate of General Security, the country’s intelligence apparatus that Guila said arrested and tortured Fakhoury. 

Even when the Lebanese judicial system found Fakhoury innocent of multiple false charges that he was a killer, a terrorist and an Israeli agent, Guila said officials told Fakhoury that they had to keep him "because Hezbollah wants [him] in prison."       

Fakhoury’s family faced difficulties even before filing their case in May 2021. Zoya says Hezbollah officials in Lebanon have been issuing threats to the family since Fakhoury’s death. In addition to Iran failing to respond to the suit, Guila said Lebanese General Directorate of General Security officials interfered with the lawsuit by asking to have their names and agencies removed. She says the judge denied the request. 

Long periods of silence from the court also made the wait for justice difficult, Zoya said. "The last four years, we were fearful," she explained. "We were worried maybe nothing’s going to come out of this."

While the family is grateful for the judgment they received, Guila says they believe the settlement awarded through the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act was "a bit of an unfair decision" and did not "take into account the pain and the suffering of the family." 

Still, the landmark judgment paves the way for others to find justice, the family says. "We’re hoping, with this administration, to use the judgment that we have and the work that we’ve been doing in the [Amer] Foundation to continue the accountability efforts," Guila said. "A lot of other Lebanese citizens [and] American citizens that have been targeted by the Lebanese government, by Hezbollah in Lebanon, can now use this case to get justice for what happened to them," Zoya explained. 

The sisters said the next steps in their journey are to find justice for their father and will involve requesting the State Department to sanction "officials in Lebanon who were traitors and working with Hezbollah and Iran." 

Pakistan is calling airstrikes launched by India an "act of war" Wednesday, with its military claiming it shot down five Indian fighter jets in retaliation. 

The strikes targeted at least nine sites "where terrorist attacks against India have been planned," India’s Defense Ministry said. Pakistan's military said the missiles hit six locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the country’s eastern Punjab province, killing at least 26 people, including women and children. 

"Pakistan has every right to give a robust response to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared. 

Tensions have soared between the nuclear-armed neighbors since an April attack in which gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, in the India-controlled portion of Kashmir. India accuses its neighbor of being behind that attack, which was claimed by a militant group calling itself Kashmir Resistance that India says is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a disbanded Pakistani militant group. 

INDIA LAUNCHES STRIKES ON TERRORIST CAMPS IN PAKISTAN 

Indian military officials said Wednesday that their forces targeted "terrorist camps" that served as recruitment centers and weapon storage facilities for Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, another Islamist militant group, according to Reuters. 

Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif, Pakistan’s military spokesperson, said the country’s air force shot down five Indian jets in retaliation. 

Three planes fell onto villages in India-controlled territory, and there was a heavy exchange of fire between the sides, the Associated Press reported. At least seven civilians were also killed in the region by Pakistani shelling, Indian police and medics said. 

Debris from one plane was scattered across Wuyan village on the outskirts of Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar, including in a school and a mosque compound, police and residents said. 

"There was a huge fire in the sky. Then we heard several blasts also," Wuyan resident Mohammed Yousuf told the AP. 

PAKISTAN WARNS OF A ‘NUCLEAR FLASHPOINT,’ URGES TRUMP TO STEP IN AMID RISING TENSIONS WITH INDIA OVER KASHMIR 

Another aircraft fell in an open field in Bhardha Kalan village. Resident Sachin Kumar told the AP he heard massive blasts and saw a huge ball of fire. 

"We found the two pilots at some distance in injured condition. They were Indian pilots and soldiers took them away," he added. 

India’s military said the strikes Wednesday were part of "Operation Sindoor." 

"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature," India’s Defense Ministry said in a statement. "No Pakistan military facilities have been targeted." 

Pakistan’s National Security Committee also met Wednesday morning. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a special meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security and postponed his upcoming official trip to Norway, Croatia and the Netherlands, scheduled to start next week. 

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Cardinals entered St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday for a final Mass before the conclave to elect the successor to Pope Francis after his death last month.

The Mass comes before the private process to select a new leader of the Catholic Church.

The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, prayed that the 133 cardinals find wisdom, good counsel and understanding before entering the Sistine Chapel to begin making their choices for the next pope.

THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS MEET TO ELECT THE NEXT POPE. WHO WILL IT BE?

The cardinals from 70 countries will be isolated from the outside world, with their cellphones surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent all communications until a new pontiff is elected.

Francis named 108 of the 133 cardinals, selecting many pastors in his image from countries like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga that had never had a cardinal before.

Many had not met one another until last week and explained that they needed more time to get to know one another, leading to questions about how long it could take for one of them to secure the two-thirds majority needed to become the 267th pope.

PAPAL PULSE: EVERYDAY CATHOLICS REVEAL THEIR HOPES FOR THE NEXT POPE

"Wait and see, a little patience, wait and see," Cardinal Mario Zenari, the Vatican’s ambassador to Syria, said as he arrived for the final day of pre-vote discussions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

India said it attacked "terrorist infrastructure" in neighboring Pakistan on Tuesday and two of its occupied territories.

Indian armed forces launched "Operation Sindoor," which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed, the Press Information Bureau of India said in a statement. 

"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature," the statement said. "No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution."

The military action comes amid tense relations between the nuclear-armed states following an April 22 attack that killed 26 people. 

The attack targeted Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir, the worst such assault on civilians in India in nearly two decades, Reuters reported. 

This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the U.S. will stop its bombing campaign against the Houthis in Yemen after the terrorist group told him they "don't want to fight."

"They just don't want to fight," Trump told reporters from the Oval Office. "They just don't want to, and we will honor that. We will stop the bombings."

ISRAEL CALLS TO EVACUATE YEMEN AIRPORT AMID FIGHT WITH HOUTHIS

Trump said the bombings on Houthi targets will stop "effectively immediately."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio then said the "job" was to get attacks on ships in the region to stop.

"If that's going to stop, we will stop," he added.

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) issued an unusual message on social media Tuesday and urged everyone around Yemen’s Sana’a International Airport to evacuate immediately.

"We call upon you to evacuate the airport area - Sana'a International Airport - immediately and warn everyone in your vicinity of the need to evacuate this area immediately," IDF Col. Avichay Adraee said in a post translated from Arabic on X, along with a map of an area highlighted in red around the airport. 

"Failure to evacuate and move away from the place exposes you to danger," he added. 

ISRAEL STRIKES YEMEN'S PORT CITY IN RESPONSE TO HOUTHI ATTACK ON TEL AVIV AIRPORT

Eyewitnesses reported four strikes in the capital city on Tuesday by the IDF, according to a Reuters report which cited the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV.

Adraee did not say whether Israel was planning on striking the international airport in the Houthi-controlled capital, but the warning came one day after Israel hit Houthi targets in Yemen in response to strikes fired by the terrorist group one day prior.

On Sunday, the Iran-backed Houthis launched a missile that landed near Israel’s largest airport in Tel Aviv in an apparent response to Israel’s newly announced expanded military operations in the Gaza Strip.

ISRAEL SAYS TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST VISIT IS THE ‘WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY’ FOR HOSTAGE DEAL

The Houthi’s vowed to hit Israel with "a comprehensive aerial blockade." 

Following the Houthi strike on Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport, Jerusalem scrambled some 20 jets and on Monday hit the Yemeni port of Al-Hudaydah, which is the second-largest port in Yemen and accounts for 80% of the nation’s food imports. 

The Houthis accused the U.S. of carrying out joint strikes with Israel on Monday which killed four people and injured 39, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. The U.S. has reportedly denied involvement in the joint strike.

The U.S. has ramped up its aerial and naval strikes against the Houthis, and since Operation Rough Rider commenced in mid-March, some 800 Houthi targets have been hit, according to an April 27 statement by U.S. Central Command. 

A right-wing Israeli minister says victory for Israel won't come until Gaza is "entirely destroyed" and Palestinians are forced out into other countries.

Israeli Finance Minister Bazalel Smotrich made the statement during a Tuesday appearance at a conference on Jewish settlements in the West Bank. While Smotrich is a senior Israeli official, his statement does not represent the official policy of the Israeli government.

"Within a year we will be able to declare victory in Gaza," he told attendees. "Gaza will be entirely destroyed, civilians will be sent to... the south to a humanitarian zone without Hamas or terrorism, and from there they will start to leave in great numbers to third countries," Smotrich said, according to the Agence France-Presse.

"Israel does not intend to withdraw from territories the IDF captures, not even as part of a deal to release hostages," he added.

TOP HAMAS TERROR LEADER KILLED IN 'PRECISE STRIKE' BY ISRAEL: IDF

Smotrich's comments come just a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government approved a plan to take over Gaza and hold it for an undefined period on Monday.

Netanyahu said in a video message the operation would be "intensive" and would see more Palestinians moved to southern Gaza "for their own safety."

Israeli Cabinet ministers approved the plan Monday morning, but it will only take effect if a hostage deal is not reached by the time President Donald Trump visits Israel on May 13.

Israel currently controls roughly 50% of Gaza, and the plan would see Israeli forces expand into the south. Officials said the plan is set to be implemented gradually, with Israeli forces rooting out Hamas control over territories.

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SLAMS UN, CALLS IT 'ROTTEN, ANTI-ISRAEL, AND ANTISEMITIC BODY'

Dubbed Operation Gideon's Chariots, the plan would also seek to prevent the militant Hamas group from distributing humanitarian aid, which Israel says strengthens the group’s rule in Gaza. It also accuses Hamas of keeping the aid for itself to bolster its capabilities. The plan also included powerful strikes against Hamas targets, the officials said.

"We want our troops to fight against a tired, hungry, and exhausted enemy, not one that has supplies and aid coming from outside the strip," Smotrich said in a statement on Monday.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Friedrich Merz, the conservative leader who was poised to become Germany’s next chancellor, failed to win enough votes to secure the country’s top position.

This leaves German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in power even though he had already delivered a farewell address. Merz’s loss marks a historic moment, as it is the first of its kind in post-war Germany.

The result came as a major upset, as Merz was widely expected to win, thanks to a coalition deal involving his party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU); its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU); and the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

TRUMP CELEBRATES CONSERVATIVE PARTY WIN IN GERMANY

In February, Merz led his party to a federal election victory and later signed the deal that many assumed would secure him the votes needed to become chancellor. However, on Tuesday, Merz received 310 votes—falling short by six—as at least 18 Members of the German Parliament in the coalition did not back him, according to Reuters.

GERMANY'S NEW LEADER LOOKS TO DISTANCE EUROPE FROM TRUMP

To secure the position of chancellor, Merz would have needed to win 316 out of 630 in the Bundestag. The coalition of CSU/CDU and SPD has 328 seats, more than enough to secure a majority victory. However, Merz received 310 votes, while 307 members voted against him and nine others abstained.

Despite his unexpected loss, Merz is not out of luck. The Bundestag now has 14 days to elect the next chancellor, and Merz still has a chance of winning the position. Germany’s socialist Left Party, however, is pushing to hold another round of chancellor elections as soon as Wednesday, according to Germany-based news outlet DW.

Merz had already lined up victory trips to France and Poland on Wednesday, Reuters reported, though it is unclear whether he will proceed with the visits as planned following the defeat.

Israel’s controversial National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir recently visited the U.S., where he met with Jewish groups, law enforcement officials and politicians, as well as facing several clashes with protesters.

The shouting critics, however, did not appear to bother Ben-Gvir, who was a right-wing activist in his youth.

Ben-Gvir spoke with Fox News Digital about his U.S. visit, highlighting his trips to Mar-a-Lago, Yale and New York. He noted that he felt a shift in Israel-U.S. relations since President Donald Trump's return to the White House.

"Under Biden’s administration, I was considered persona non grata. Under Trump, I was welcomed at Mar-a-Lago and was able to speak," Ben-Gvir told Fox News Digital. He added that having "an American president who supports us and stands behind us makes a difference" in wartime.

ISRAELI PRESIDENT SAYS NO PLANS TO EXPEL PALESTINIANS FROM GAZA AFTER MINISTERS' COMMENTS CAUSE UPROAR

Trump was not the only politician who met with the Israeli firebrand. Several high-profile Republicans, including Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., and Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., met with Ben-Gvir on Capitol Hill. 

The House Foreign Affairs Committee, which Mast chairs, posted a photo of the chairman with Ben-Gvir and wrote that the two discussed America and Israel’s shared security interests. Mast is well versed in both American and Israeli security needs as a U.S. Army veteran and former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) volunteer.

Prior to his meeting with Mast, Ben-Gvir had the chance to visit his home state where he saw something that he wanted to take back with him to Israel: gun culture.

Ben-Gvir has long been an advocate for wider distribution of firearms in Israel, and while he was visiting the U.S., he took time to see how America handles guns. He had the opportunity to visit both a shooting range and a gun store, which he said was "fascinating."

JEWISH YALE STUDENTS SPEAK OUT AFTER ANTISEMITIC PROTEST

"I was surprised by the quantity and types of weapons available. Even I haven’t reached that level," Ben-Gvir told Fox News Digital.

He spoke about how critics have accused him of arming militias, which he denies. When speaking with Fox News Digital, Ben-Gvir said that the weapons he distributed in Israel "saved many lives."

"I believe we need to learn a from the Americans. One of the important lessons is their policy on weapons," Ben-Gvir told Fox News Digital. "I’m not sure I would distribute arms to the same extent, but I definitely believe in expanding access because citizens have the right to defend themselves."

Gun culture in Israel has changed since the Oct. 7 massacre. Before the attacks, Israel was strict about who was eligible to obtain a firearm. Pre-Oct. 7, firearm licenses were restricted to those who live and work in high-risk areas, licensed tour guides and those who served with Israeli police or IDF security forces, among a few other specified categories, according to an Israeli government website from 2019.

GUN-TOTING RABBI LEADS PUSH TO ARM, TRAIN JEWISH COMMUNITY AMID HIGH TENSIONS: VIDEO

Since Oct. 7, Israel has seen a rise in applications for firearm permits. While Ben-Gvir worked to streamline the handgun application process prior to the attacks, he instituted additional reforms after the massacre. According to the Times of Israel, these reforms included changes to military service requirements for those seeking a license. Additionally, he expanded eligibility requirements to include national service members who have no criminal record, history of violence or mental health issues.

"We need to allow as many citizens as possible to be armed. It gives people a sense of security—when someone has a weapon in their pocket, they feel safer," Ben-Gvir told Fox News Digital.
He added that he had been fighting to arm communities near Gaza but said people "didn’t listen to me. After Oct. 7, I was proven right. It became clear how necessary it was to provide more weapons to civil defense squads."

However, he is proud of his work distributing weapons in the area near Gaza and establishing civil defense squads there. "Thank God, it’s working," he said.

Amelie Botbol contributed to this report.

OTTAWA-While President Donald Trump was widely viewed as the major factor in securing a fourth consecutive term in office for the Liberals in last Monday’s Canadian general election, the Conservative leader played a role in his party’s defeat at the polls, according to Canadian political analysts.

"Trump set the stage" for Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney "as a somber leader for the Liberals, who made people feel assured that things could be handled when there was a sense of fear of people at the beginning of the campaign worried about" the president’s threats of annexing Canada as the 51st state, University of Manitoba political studies professor Christopher Adams told Fox News Digital.

"It’s highly unusual for American presidents to wade into Canadian politics, especially during elections," said Adams.

He explained the last time that happened was during the 1963 Canadian general election campaign, when the press reported on President John F. Kennedy speaking favorably about Canadian Liberal Leader Lester Pearson, whose party toppled Prime Minister John Diefenbaker’s Progressive Conservatives to win the election and form a minority government.

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY SAYS 'OLD RELATIONSHIP' WITH US 'IS OVER' AMID TENSION OVER TRUMP TARIFFS

Trump directly inserted himself into Canada’s election day, April 28, as a quasi-candidate when he posted on social media that the "Great people of Canada" should "elect the man who has the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World…if Canada becomes the cherished 51st. State of the United States of America." 

Whether in jest or not, the president’s pitch for annexation was a form of "foreign interference," said Adams. 

On NBC’s "Meet the Press" on Sunday, Trump said it was "highly unlikely" that the U.S. would use military force against Canada to acquire it as the 51st state.

The president will meet the Canadian prime minister for the first time at the White House on Tuesday.

After a post-election call with Carney last week, Trump said the Canadian leader "couldn’t have been nicer" and is "a very nice gentleman."

When asked about his upcoming meeting with the president, the prime minister told reporters at his first post-election news conference on Friday that Trump "respects – as others who are good negotiators, and he’s one of the best negotiators – strength. That’s why we're building Canada strong."

Before the Canadian election was called on March 23, the president told Fox News’ "The Ingraham Angle" host Laura Ingraham that he would "rather deal with a Liberal than a Conservative," and said that Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is "stupidly no friend of mine."

Trump earlier told The Spectator that the Conservative leader’s "biggest problem is he’s not a MAGA guy." 

"He’s not a Trump guy at all," said the president.

TRUMP’S THREATS AGAINST CANADA BOOST TRUDEAU'S LIBERAL PARTY IN THE POLLS AS NEW TARIFFS SET TO BEGIN

Carney’s Liberals won 169 out of 343 seats in the House of Commons to form a minority government in Canada’s 45th general election with 44% of the popular vote. The Conservatives placed second, with 41% of the popular vote, and 144 House seats.

More than 19.5 million Canadians cast their ballots in the election.

Poilievre lost his position as official opposition leader after being defeated in his Ottawa-area riding by Liberal Bruce Fanjoy. Carney, in his first run at seeking public elected office, handily won his Ottawa seat.

Poilievre will run in a yet-to-be-called byelection in an Alberta district in which the Conservative MP Damien Kurek, who was re-elected, will step aside.

At the beginning of the year, polls showed Poilievre was poised to become prime minister and lead his Conservatives to a majority government. He just did not pivot fast enough to a new reality that unfolded within Canada since then, according to Adams, who is writing a book about Canada’s public opinion-research industry.

Justin Trudeau, whose deep unpopularity as Liberal leader and prime minister, stepped down in March and was replaced by Carney, who scrapped an equally unpopular consumer carbon tax – two targets Poilievre continued to focus on.

"And Poilievre kept saying the country is broken, which was the last thing Canadians wanted to hear when Trump was making our country broken," said Adams, who added that the Conservative leader never polled high in likeability.

"Canadians didn’t realize how much they disliked him until Trudeau was gone."

Poilievre will meet in Ottawa on Tuesday with members of the Conservative caucus who won their ridings in last week’s election. They could decide whether he stays or goes as leader through the Reform Act – a 10-year-old law introduced in Parliament by re-elected Conservative member of Parliament (MP) Michael Chong that empowers parliamentarians to hold leadership reviews following elections.

Conservative MPs will also need to choose an interim official opposition leader.

Adams believes Poilievre’s job as party leader is safe given the Conservatives’ overall electoral performance that led to them winning 16 more Commons seats in the most populous Canadian province of Ontario – at the expense of both the Liberals and fellow progressive New Democrats – and their forming the largest official opposition in Canadian history.

TRUMP THREATS BOOSTED CANADA’S CARNEY, HURT CONSERVATIVES AS COUNTRY VOTES FOR NEW LEADER

Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus in the University of Toronto’s Department of Political Science, told Fox News Digital that the race between the Liberals and Conservatives narrowed when Trump pulled back his attacks against Canada in the latter half of the campaign.

The focus shifted to "Conservative issues – cost of living, affordability, housing, time for a change – while Carney was making speeches about Trump – because he knew that was his trump card, no pun intended – and it was wearing off," said Wiseman.

May will be a busy month for Carney. Next week, he will unveil his Cabinet and, on May 27, welcome King Charles III to read the Speech from the Throne to open the next session of Parliament as Canada’s head of state – the first time the British monarch has come to Ottawa to perform that ceremonial role since Queen Elizabeth II in 1977, 20 years after she did so during her first visit to Canada.

Wiseman said the royal visit is intended to showcase national unity in response to Trump’s threats against Canadian sovereignty. 

However, the man who represented the crown as governor general in Canada from 1979 to 1984 said that he "can’t believe that as many people are taking seriously this whole business of Trump talking about the annexation of Canada as an existential threat," Edward Schreyer, a former premier of his home province of Manitoba, told Fox News Digital. "I think the whole thing is a joke – and was at the beginning, is now and ever shall be an absurdity."