In an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed meeting to reach a resolution to the years-long war between their two nations.

"We see that the United States is fully focused on the issue of Iran, and it would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe returns to the center of its attention. Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us — and you. I am proposing a meeting," Zelenskyy said in the letter.

"There are countries that have traditionally hosted leaders to resolve issues of war and peace. Switzerland, Türkiye, the countries of the Arab world — many are able and willing to host such a meeting. It is leaders who resolve the key issues. That has always been the case, and it always will be," he asserted.

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Zelenskyy suggested that Europe and the U.S. should also be involved in the peace process.

"Since the war is taking place in Europe, and since Ukraine needs security guarantees, while you also seek security guarantees for yourself, it would be logical to involve those who can genuinely serve as guarantors. We believe Europe should be part of this process — those who truly have the capacity to influence the situation. We also believe that the United States must be part of the process. This is what could help shape a new security architecture for our part of the world," he said.

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He indicated that Ukraine would agree to a ceasefire during the proposed negotiations.

"Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations. This is standard practice, and current developments around Iran only reinforce that point. An attempt to establish real silence is the best way to begin talking to one another. We believe it would not simply be an attempt, but a real ceasefire — if that is what you want," he noted.

He also suggested a prisoner swap between the two nations, noting, "Ukraine is ready for an all-for-all exchange of prisoners of war, and this could become a good prologue to ending the war. Serious steps must be taken to return civilians and children who were taken away during the war."

PENTAGON SLASHES NATO COMBAT COMMITMENTS AS TRUMP PUSHES EUROPE TO DEFEND ITSELF

"If you do not personally come to the conclusion that it is time to end this war, Ukraine will continue fighting for its existence. We will have those who support us. But you, too, will have to fight much harder for your own existence — not Russia’s, but your own. And this is not a threat from me or from Ukraine. It is a fact of Russian history that you know well: when Russia grows tired, change comes," Zelenskyy warned Putin.

Two days after another ceasefire was announced between Israel and U.S. terrorist designated group Hezbollah, Yulia Bar-Dan was standing outside her temporary home in Kibbutz Manara in northern Israel when the familiar sound of an interceptor echoed overhead. 

"There will probably be another siren soon," she told Fox News Digital.

Minutes later, an alert appeared on her phone warning residents in northern Israel to take shelter.

For Bar-Dan, the scene captured the reality of life on Israel's northern border nearly two years after Hezbollah joined the war against Israel on Oct. 8, 2023. 

After Hezbollah entered the recent war in support of Iran, Washington launched a diplomatic effort aimed at turning the ceasefire into a broader arrangement for Lebanon. 

ISRAEL OPENS FIRE IN LEBANON AT ‘SUSPECTS’ ALLEGEDLY VIOLATING TRUCE, WHICH HAS ENTERED ITS SECOND DAY

Multiple rounds of talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials have taken place in Washington, and President Donald Trum repeatedly has announced ceasefire understandings aimed at restoring calm along the border. Residents of communities like Manara, Israel, say the rockets, drones and uncertainty never really stopped.

"A ceasefire is supposed to be on both sides," she said. "Not that Hezbollah keeps shooting at us and we just keep absorbing it."

When Fox News Digital first spoke to Bar-Dan in December 2024 during the war, she and her husband had fled Manara, Israel, with their three children and were living out of a single hotel room, unsure whether they would ever return home.

Today, roughly 200 of the kibbutz's 280 residents have returned, Bar-Dan said. But many, including Bar-Dan's family, still cannot live in their original homes because of war damage. 

Despite repeated ceasefire announcements, residents say normal life remains elusive.

"There hasn't really been a routine or a quiet day since February," she said.

Schools officially reopened in early June, but Bar-Dan decided not to send her children.

"They take the bus to school," she said. "What if there's a siren on the way? I can't take that chance."

ISRAEL DESTROYS HEZBOLLAH'S 'LARGEST PRECISION-GUIDED MISSILES MANUFACTURING SITE' AS GROUP VOWS TO 'FIGHT'

Her frustration is not directed at Hezbollah alone.

Like many residents interviewed by Fox News Digital, Bar-Dan says there is a growing disconnect between the reality experienced on the border and the reality described by politicians.

"It doesn't really matter where the decisions are being made," she said. "The decisions just need to match reality. Right now there is a decision, but the reality is completely different."

A year and a half after most of Manara's residents were evacuated amid fears of a Hezbollah invasion, community leader Yochai Wolfin says residents have developed their own name for the current situation. 

"We call it 'the ceasefire war,'" he said. 

The phrase has become common in the community.

First came a year and a half of evacuation. Then came the return home. Then came what Wolfin describes as three months of "fire within a ceasefire."

The uncertainty has become part of daily life.

Children study inside shelters. Parts of the kibbutz still lack protected rooms. Construction projects remain unfinished because contractors are reluctant to work so close to the border. 

He said many residents increasingly feel that the decisions determining their future are being made far from the communities that bear the consequences.

ISRAEL WARNS IT WILL GO AFTER LEBANON DIRECTLY IF CEASE-FIRE WITH HEZBOLLAH COLLAPSES

"Who knows what tomorrow will bring?" Wolfin said. "We know who is calling the shots. We saw it a few days ago when Trump announced another ceasefire. But for us, the reality on the ground hasn't changed."

The comments come as Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem warned Thursday that northern Israel would remain unsafe as long as Israeli strikes continue in Lebanon, according to Reuters.

In a written statement broadcast on June 4, 2026, Qassem condemned the Washington-mediated framework as "absurd, humiliating, and insulting," calling it a roadmap for surrender.

For residents of Israel's northern border communities, the statements reinforced what many say they have been experiencing for months: a ceasefire that exists on paper but not in daily life.

Naor Shamia, who heads Manara's emergency response team, says residents increasingly worry that temporary emergency measures are becoming permanent.

"The fear isn't today," he said. "The fear is that this becomes years. We are in a deadlock."

Across the border region, similar concerns are heard.

In the community of Adamit, resident Yael Cohen-Arazi described the contrast between the beauty surrounding her and the reality of living under constant threat.

"Every morning I wake up and think I'm living in paradise," she said in footage provided to Fox News Digital by the Israeli news agency TPS-IL. "Then there are the explosions that shake my soul."

Her children, she said, have spent so much of their lives under fire that they no longer know what normal looks like.

"I tell them there are children who don't live like this," she said.

Back in Manara, Israel, another alert interrupted the afternoon.

Bar-Dan says she is not angry anymore. Mostly, she is tired and sad.

"I feel bad for the soldiers," she said. "Every day there is another casualty, and there is still no solution."

Yet she insists she is staying.

"This is our home," she said. "Someone has to live on the borders of this country."

Then another explosion sounded in the distance.

Kuwait decried Iranian attacks in a statement issued by its foreign affairs ministry, saying that the Kuwait International Airport had been targeted.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the State of Kuwait's condemnation and denunciation, in the strongest terms, of the brutal and ongoing Iranian attacks using ballistic missiles and drones, the latest of which occurred at dawn today, targeting once again civilian and vital facilities, including Kuwait International Airport, resulting in the death of one individual, injuries to others, and damage to vital facilities, including diplomatic missions," part of the statement declared, according to a translation of the Arabic-language post on X.

Kuwait's Ministry of Defense spokesperson had indicated that a building at Kuwait International Airport was damaged and people were injured, according to a post on X by the official account of Kuwait Army general staff headquarters.

IRANIANS SPEAK OUT OVER POSSIBLE TRUMP-REGIME DEAL

"The Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, stated that a number of hostile drones targeted today the passenger building (T1) at Kuwait International Airport as a result of the criminal Iranian aggression, which resulted in significant material damage to the building and injuries to a number of individuals, who received the necessary medical care," according to a translation of the Arabic-language post.

"He affirmed that the armed forces are monitoring the situation in coordination with the relevant authorities, and they are in a state of complete readiness to deal with any developments, and to take all necessary measures to preserve the security of the country and its stability," the post added.

The Iranian hostilities come more than three months since the start of the U.S. war against the Islamic Republic.

In a Tuesday statement, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) indicated that America had engaged in "self-defense strikes" against Iran.

US MILITARY ATTACKS IRAN IN 'SELF-DEFENSE STRIKES' OVER WEEKEND

"U.S. forces successfully defeated multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, and conducted self-defense strikes on Qeshm Island in response to attempted attacks by Iran across the Middle East, June 2. Iran launched several ballistic missiles toward regional neighbors; however, all failed to hit their intended targets. Two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart enroute, and three missiles launched at Bahrain were immediately intercepted by U.S. and Bahrain air defense forces," the release noted.

"Moments earlier, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces shot down three one-way attack drones launched by Iran toward civilian mariners that were rightfully transiting regional waters. American forces also conducted self-defense strikes on an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island. No U.S. personnel were harmed. CENTCOM forces remain vigilant and ready to defend against unwarranted Iranian aggression during the ongoing ceasefire," the statement added.

TRUMP INSISTS IRAN TALKS ARE ON, SAYING DEAL IS 'NOT A SIMPLE THING'

CENTCOM noted in a post on X that, "An additional wave of Iranian drones attempting to attack U.S. forces in Kuwait failed to impact intended targets tonight. U.S. Central Command air defenses successfully downed multiple drones and ensured no American personnel or assets were harmed."

Amid President Donald Trump’s Monday announcement that a deal with Iran’s clerical regime is imminent to re-open the Strait of Hormuz and negotiate an end to Tehran’s illicit nuclear weapons program, Iranians who hoped U.S. pressure would force a decisive outcome now fear it may survive while ordinary people absorb the costs.

"Inside Iran, the mood has shifted from early-war optimism to a kind of exhausted resignation, but there is still some hope that this is the moment President Trump will use his leverage to do the right thing. The Iranian people understand this unusually narrow but strategic window," Lisa Daftari, editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk who keeps in contact with Iranians on the ground, told Fox News Digital.

She continued that ,"The regime is fiscally strained and politically brittle, while the broader population has been disillusioned by years of repression and economic collapse. Iranians do see this as a one‑time opportunity for Washington — and President Trump in particular — to translate military and economic leverage into the potential collapse of an irrefromable regime. If the outcome is a shallow agreement that props up the system without changing its trajectory, that window will likely close for years."

TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP CREATES 'RARE OPPORTUNITY' FOR CHANGE IN IRAN, FORMER IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER SAYS

She continued, "If instead, the U.S. holds firm on sanctions and nuclear red lines, it can weaken the regime’s hand without punishing the Iranian people, who have already paid the highest price."

Daftari, the Iran expert, shared recent correspondence from two Iranians from Tabriz and Tehran.

The resident from Tabriz said, "From my perspective, decades of political tension between Iran and the United States have had their greatest impact on ordinary people rather than those in power. Many families feel their voices are not being heard in international discussions about Iran." Adding, "I respectfully ask whether you might consider sharing or highlighting the human side of this situation, so that the experiences of ordinary Iranian families are not overlooked in political discussions and media coverage."

The Tehran resident said, "Today, the people of Iran believe in the future. On days when economic pressure makes the faces of the Iranian people sad, the word ‘unity’ brings a smile to their lips. Our situation is not good, but we are motivated."

Fox News Digital surveyed a few Iranians and agreed to use only their first names because the clerical regime has declared the use of Starlink to bypass the censor a criminal act. A sophisticated clandestine network has managed to smuggle some satellite internet technology into Iran to allow people to communicate with the world outside the Islamist state.

Hassan, who lives in Tehran, pleaded with President Trump to keep strong in his dealings with the regime, saying that "Things have gotten so bad that even if you wanted to give up and leave Iran and just focus on your own life and work, it feels like there’s nowhere left to turn. Mr. Trump, through these deals and arrangements, has left people feeling trapped, with no road left open."

Mehdi, who resides in Tehran, expressed confusion about the existence of an agreement. He said, "So what exactly are they agreeing on? Are they saying they’re close to a deal or are there other discussions too? Every minute there is a new piece of news, everyone has a new analysis, everything changes every minute. It’s strange. This war achieved nothing. We’re the only ones left paying the price," he complained.

THE WAR HITS HOME: WHY FINANCIAL PAIN AND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY THREATEN TRUMP’S DRIVE TO TOPPLE IRAN’S REGIME

Hassan from Tehran said that "Mr. Trump, if until yesterday most Iranians thought they were on the same path as America, you caused them all to become disappointed. "Mr. Trump, if you wanted this government to remain in power, why did you blow up factories? Now workers are being laid off, and inflation is out of control. Even with a salary of 18 million tomans, you cannot feed yourself."

Mahsa, from the Caspian Sea city of Rasht, told Fox News Digital that the system [Islamic Republic of Iran] is still fully intact. They don’t care how many people died. If anything, they seem more emboldened now and even take pride in martyrdom. Yesterday I argued with a regime supporter [who] said: "Our leader didn’t give away a single meter of land, didn’t take a step backward, unlike previous kings who gave away Bahrain, Baku, Nakhchivan, and others."

The concerns among many Iranians revolve around the proposed memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran’s regime. The MOU does not address the overthrow of the clerical regime or human rights violations, according to media reports.  Large numbers of Iranians within Iran and among the Iranian diaspora want the Trump administration to topple the Islamist dictatorship in Tehran.

The MOU reportedly involves a 60-day ceasefire extension. Israel and the U.S. launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28. The MOU would also see the reopening the Strait of Hormuz and new talks over Iran's illicit nuclear weapons program.

The leaked elements of the MOU have not been confirmed by the Trump administration.

When asked about the concern among Iranians about a deal with the Islamic Republic, Anna Kelly, a spokeswoman for the White House, told Fox News Digital that "For 47 years, American Presidents and countless other world leaders talked about the threat posed by Iran, but no one had the courage to address it. President Trump took decisive action to ensure that Iran could never harm our homeland, our troops, or our allies again. Once Iran’s nuclear threat is removed for good, the entire region and its people will be safer and more stable."

IRAN REGIME ESCALATES REPRESSION TOWARD 'NORTH KOREA-STYLE MODEL OF ISOLATION AND CONTROL'

However, Trump said last week during his cabinet meeting, "We didn’t set out for regime change," adding, "But by the fact that we’re dealing with a totally different group of people than we were at the beginning … This is regime change."

Reza Farnood, an Iranian American who supports the Trump administration and is a researcher, writer and activist, urged that President Trump continue with his maximum pressure campaign against Tehran.

Farnood told Fox News Digital, "We welcome the bombing and attacking the regime because we are aiming to overthrow the regime." He urged that Trump continue the blockade of Iran’s vessels and deny money to the regime. He said sanctions relief will be used by Iran "against the U.S. and Israel and their allies and innocent Iranians."

Farnood stressed that the clerical regime is holding the Iranian people "hostage."

Kianoosh, who lives in the northern city of Karaj, the capital of  Alborz province, said about Trump’s proposed deal: "You threw six months of our lives into hell. What answer are "you going to give to the mothers of all those children who were killed? Why did you give people false hope? Why did you hand down a death sentence to everything so many people believed in?"

Leading U.S. Senators well-versed in foreign policy have praised Trump’s approach to the Islamic Republic. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC., recently told Fox News’ Sean Hannity "On Trump’s watch, they’re [Iran’s regime] becoming poorer and weaker. That’s the difference."

TRUMP’S 'ECONOMIC FURY' SQUEEZES IRAN — BUT CAN TEHRAN OUTLAST THE PRESSURE?

Graham juxtaposed Trump’s Iran policy with his predecessors. "Obama and Biden screwed Iran up, and Donald Trump is fixing it. On Obama and Biden’s watch, Iran became rich and lethal," he said. "On Trump’s watch, they’re becoming poorer and weaker. That’s the difference."

Iran is running dangerously low on oil storage capacity and could face a severe economic breaking point if forced to halt production, former U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette recently told Fox News.

Trump has said that Iran’s regime murdered as many as 45,000 Iranian demonstrators in January 2026. He urged just days after the mass murder that protesters keep going and promised them that "help is on its way."

Lawdan Bazargan, a prominent Iranian-American activist who the regime imprisoned in its infamous Evin Prison in Tehran in the 1980s for political dissent, told Fox News Digital that the Iranians she’s spoken with are discouraged by Trump’s dealings. "He was one of the few world leaders who repeatedly spoke about the thousands of Iranians killed in January 2026 and expressed disgust at the sheer brutality of the Islamic Republic. He had promised support for the Iranian people and raised expectations that meaningful change might finally come."

She continued: "Now, 88 days later, many people feel they are left facing the same regime, one that appears more emboldened, more ideological, and still willing to repress, execute, and arrest people. The economy has been devastated, and many feel trapped between a government with no mercy and a future with no clear path forward.

For years, 90 million Iranians have lived as hostages of the Islamic Republic. Now, many fear that the consequences no longer stop at Iran’s borders, through threats to global energy routes, regional stability, and even digital infrastructure."

According to Bazargan, "The question many ordinary Iranians are asking is simple: How are people expected to fight a system that feels victorious, controls the weapons, controls the narrative through a massive propaganda machine, and possesses countless tools of repression?"

Ali, who is also from the sprawling capital city of Tehran, complained about the spiraling prices and inflation and disappointment that the regime is still in place.

"For a government with state-provided housing and billions in patronage and privileges, what difference did any of this make for its supporters?"

Ali added: "We’re the ones who are paying the price and getting crushed. How are our children ever supposed to afford these housing and car prices, and how are they supposed to get married?"

The U.S. State Department referred Fox News Digital to the White House for a comment.

UNITED NATIONS: Romania’s foreign minister told Fox News Digital that Bucharest answered the Trump administration’s call for allied support in the Middle East by allowing the use of Romanian military bases for "defensive activities" related to tensions with Iran and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

"We have allowed for access to defensive activities, such as air refueling, for example, because we do believe allies need to rely on each other," Romania’s interim Foreign Affairs Minister Oana-Silvia Ţoiu said in an exclusive interview at the United Nations.

"We’re not part of the war, nor do we intend to become part of war, but we are part of an effort to ensure common defense, and we are a part of a diplomatic effort to ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz," she said.

Ţoiu’s comments come as President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressed European allies to increase defense spending and take a larger role in global security efforts, including maritime security in the Middle East.

NATO LEADERS PREDICT ERA OF 2% DEFENSE SPENDING 'PROBABLY HISTORY' AS TRUMP REPORTEDLY FLOATS HIGHER TARGET

Ţoiu acknowledged growing tensions between Washington and some European allies over support related to the conflict with Iran, but said both sides recognize the need for closer coordination.

"I’m pretty sure that both on the U.S. side and the European side, we do understand that we need to enhance our dialog in order to prevent moments when we create tension in the transatlantic partnership," she told Fox News Digital. "And I do believe a better dialog ahead of time on all sides leads to better results, specifically on the request of help in terms of the conflict in the Middle East."

The Romanian foreign minister said Bucharest approved the use of its military bases and infrastructure for defensive operations linked to regional security efforts.

"Romania has approved through Parliament the proposal of the President, the ministry of foreign affairs and the ministry for defense and the prime minister, the use of our military bases and infrastructure for defensive activities, for activities such as air-fuelling, for example, because we are aware of the fact that it is needed that we trust each other," she said.

"I think we share clear objectives here in Europe, between the U.S. and countries around the world, such as lowering energy prices, such as allowing for fertilizers not to be blocked anymore there."

MIKE WALTZ PUSHES UN RESOLUTION TO STOP IRAN MINING KEY GLOBAL SHIPPING ROUTE

Romania, a NATO member bordering Ukraine, has emerged as one of the alliance’s key eastern flank states amid growing concerns over both Russia’s war in Ukraine and instability in the Middle East.

"We do agree with President Trump on the need to increase budgets," Ţoiu said.

She noted that Romania raised defense spending to 2% of GDP during Trump’s previous term and plans to allocate an average of 3.4% next year through a combination of military procurement and strategic infrastructure investments.

Her remarks came just hours after Romania requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday following a Russian drone strike that hit a residential building in the Romanian city of Galați on May 29.

The emergency briefing marked the first time in Romania’s roughly 70-year history at the United Nations that it requested a Security Council session over a direct threat to its national security, according to Romanian officials.

MULTIPLE ALLIES DECLINE US CALLS FOR STRAIT OF HORMUZ SUPPORT AMID RISING MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS

Speaking at the Security Council, Ţoiu said a drone carrying explosives violated Romanian airspace for approximately four minutes before crashing into the 10th floor of a residential building, injuring a mother and child.

"We do have the military analysis that shows clearly that it is a Russian-made drone in type of design, type of pieces of equipment, and also the chemical analysis that they have done," she told Fox News Digital.

Ţoiu said the drone was believed to be part of a larger Russian attack targeting Ukrainian civilian infrastructure near the Danube River.

"We wanted to call on the international community to make sure we collectively state that this is a blatant violation of international law," she said.

"And irrespective of whether that was the intention or not, the responsibility is very clear. And these reckless escalations need to stop."

BALTIC LEADERS RIP UN SECURITY COUNCIL AS POWERLESS WHILE RUSSIA HOLDS VETO SEAT

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya rejected the accusations during the session, calling them "unfounded and biased."

Nebenzya argued that if a Geran-2 drone had directly hit the building, the damage would have been far more severe, claiming Romanian media footage showed only fire damage rather than complete destruction.

He also called for a "thorough, objective, and depoliticized investigation" involving Russia and suggested the incident could have been a Ukrainian provocation intended to drag NATO deeper into the war.

Ţoiu pushed back against Moscow’s position and questioned how a permanent member of the Security Council can simultaneously act as an aggressor state.

"We do now have a question that's not just a question on Romania's side, but the question of the international community of how can a member of the Security Council contribute to its mission there, which is peace and security, while also being an aggressor state," she said.

"And of course, its veto [ is not currently] used towards peace and security."

The United States joined more than 50 countries backing Romania in a joint statement condemning the strike.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz later wrote on X that he met with Ţoiu following "the reckless Russian drone strike on a Romanian apartment building.

"The violence must end before more innocent people suffer," Waltz wrote.

Ţoiu told Fox News Digital she also held meetings with the U.S. delegation at the United Nations following the emergency session.

"The United States has joined our common statement alongside more than 50 countries in making a clear public message on the attack," she said.

"We are working with the United States not just through our partnership in NATO, but also strategic partners."

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it carried out "self-defense strikes" against Iran over the weekend.

"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted self-defense strikes on Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones in Goruk, Iran and Qeshm Island this weekend," a press release noted.

"The measured and deliberate strikes occurred on Saturday and Sunday in response to aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a U.S. MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters. U.S. fighter aircraft swiftly responded by eliminating Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that posed clear threats to ships transiting regional waters," CENTCOM continued.

TRUMP WARNS IRAN US WILL 'FINISH THE JOB' IF DEAL COLLAPSES AS ISRAEL EXPANDS LEBANON OFFENSIVE

"No American service members were harmed. CENTCOM will continue to protect U.S. assets and interests in response to unwarranted Iranian aggression during the ongoing ceasefire," the release added.

The Associated Press reported that Kuwait noted its air defenses opened fire on Monday to intercept drone and missile attacks. Around the same time, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it responded to an American attack without saying where, likely referring to the attack on Kuwait. The Guard, via a statement reported by the state-run IRNA news agency, indicated that America targeted a telecommunications tower, according to the AP.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a Monday post on X, "Last night at 11 p.m. ET, U.S. forces successfully intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces based in Kuwait. These missiles were immediately defeated and no American personnel were harmed. U.S. Central Command remains vigilant and will continue to protect our forces from Iranian aggression while supporting the ongoing ceasefire."

Asserting that Iran "really wants" to strike an agreement, President Donald Trump declared in a Monday morning Truth Social post that chattering critics are making it more difficult for him to negotiate. 

MOJTABA KHAMENEI TOUTS NEW ANTI-US ALLIANCE AS GULF BACKCHANNELS SEEP INTO TEHRAN: ANALYST

He urged people to "sit back and relax," claiming that the issue will ultimately turn out "well."

"Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the U.S.A. and those that are with us. But don’t the Dumocrats, and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans, understand that it is MUCH tougher for me to properly do my job and negotiate, when political hacks keep negatively ‘chirping,’ at levels never seen before, over and over again, that I should move faster, or move slower, or go to war, or not go to war, or whatever," he declared in a Truth Social post early on Monday.

"Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end - It always does!" he declared.

TRUMP REVEALS KEY IRAN CONCESSION, WARNS US WILL 'FINISH IT OFF MILITARILY' IF DEAL FAILS

The U.S. is continuing to conduct a blockade against Iran.

"U.S. forces operating in the Gulf of Oman enforced blockade measures by disabling a Gambia-flagged maritime vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port, May 29," CENTCOM announced in a Saturday press release.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Iran's supreme leader has launched a sweeping counteroffensive against President Donald Trump, attempting to rally Middle Eastern nations into an anti-American alliance, an analyst warned Sunday.

The aggressive maneuvering came hours after Trump pitched an expansion of the Abraham Accords, as an analyst said Tehran is seeking to position itself as the region’s "new sheriff" while forcing Gulf states with backchannels to Iran to choose between Washington’s security umbrella and a "New Islamic Civilization."

On Sunday, negotiations between Iran and the United States appeared to be ongoing, with Trump not yet signing off on a potential peace agreement.

Trump recently held a phone call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain to discuss expanding the 2020 Abraham Accords, followed by a May 25 post on Truth Social.

IRAN'S KHAMENEI LAUNCHES BLISTERING ATTACK ON TRUMP AFTER MIDDLE EAST VISIT

Mojtaba Khamenei issued a direct counter-response on X on May 26, issuing a call for a "New Islamic Civilization" aimed at those same regional capitals.

"I, with sincerity and purity of intention, invite all Islamic countries and governments to friendship and cooperation in goodness, so that by working together we may take steps toward the advancement of the Islamic Ummah and the resolution of the Islamic world's problems," Khamenei posted.

Highlighting "the nations of the region" and "common interests that will shape the new order and the future architecture of the region and the world," he spoke of "the Islamic Ummah and the #New_Islamic_Civilization."

"The United States will no longer have a safe haven for its mischief and for establishing military bases in West Asia," he also warned.

"Mojtaba Khamenei's statement is that the Muslim world should consolidate under Iran's leadership — the 'Ummah,' the 'new Islamic civilization' — against the American-led order," Dr. Omar Mohammed told Fox News Digital.

"That is the theme, and it runs straight into the Accords narrative. This is a bid to build an alliance against the Abraham Accords," said Mohammed, director of the Antisemitism Research Initiative Program on Extremism at George Washington University.

TOP ISRAELI MILITARY OFFICIAL REVEALS OPERATION AGAINST IRAN INVOLVED 'STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL DECEPTION'

"In his statement, he also frames American bases on Muslim soil as an occupation to be expelled while wrapping it in religious language that casts the regime as God's instrument."

The counterterrorism expert noted that while the "Ummah" doctrine itself is not new — having been used by Mojtaba's father for years — the timing and targeted nature of the pitch represent a major escalation.

"This came into the Ummah with Iran, not into normalization with Israel under Washington," Mohammed explained. "Same audience, opposite frame, 24 hours apart, and a bid to assemble that alliance."

"The statement was published in full and carried by Iranian state media. It also tracks with his first statement as leader on March 12, when he demanded that U.S. bases in the region close."

"This was not a stray post," the expert warned. "While the doctrine is old, aiming it at these regions the day after Trump's pitch is what is new."

The posturing comes as Khamenei establishes his footing on the world stage, though his hidden nature complicates traditional diplomacy.

IRAN’S ‘STUNNING STRATEGIC MISCALCULATION’ COULD ACCELERATE GULF TIES TO ISRAEL, EX-CENTCOM DIRECTOR PREDICTS

"Tehran is selling itself to the region as the new sheriff of the neighborhood," Mohammed warned. 

"The Saudis, Qataris and Omanis have channels into the Iranian state, but you can't open a back channel to a man no one can locate. This has all been running through Pezeshkian and Araghchi."

Despite Iran's sudden rhetoric of "friendship," regional reality is defined by months of Iranian aggression against its neighbors.

Tehran's forces have actively fired upon Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Kuwait.

Mohammed added that Tehran wants to peel Gulf states away from Washington, while its threats remain aimed at both the United States and the countries that host American forces.

"Iran spent this war firing on them — it hit Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Kuwait, the same capitals it's now inviting to brotherhood, and the UAE alone reported intercepting close to 2,000 drones and hundreds of ballistic missiles since Feb. 28," Mohammed said. 

"These are the states that host our forces: the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, Al Dhafra in the UAE and Al Udeid in Qatar. You don't take three months of Iranian fire and then sign onto its alliance."

Ultimately, Gulf capitals remain deeply skeptical of Tehran, Mohammed said, but they are equally watchful of American resolve.

"What actually worries the Gulf isn't Mojtaba's invitation — it's the deal Washington might sign," Mohammed noted, "one that hands Iran its money back with its missiles intact and reads as rewarding the regime that just attacked them."

A drone struck an apartment building Friday in Romania, a NATO member, causing an explosion and fire that injured multiple people, local authorities said.

According to Romania’s Ministry of Defense, the incident occurred as Russia carried out an overnight drone attack in neighboring Ukraine near the Romanian border.

"A drone entered Romanian airspace, was tracked by radar systems as far as the Southern area of Galați municipality, and crashed onto the roof of a residential apartment building," the ministry said.

Romania — a member of both NATO and the European Union — has reported more than two dozen incidents involving Russian drones entering its airspace since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.

NATO SCRAMBLES WARPLANES AS RUSSIA HITS NEAR ROMANIAN BORDER IN UKRAINE

Friday’s incident marked the first time a drone struck a populated area in Romania, resulting in injuries.

Romania’s state news agency reported that a woman and her child were hospitalized with minor injuries, while two other people were treated at the scene for panic attacks.

Following the incident, Romania requested additional anti-drone capabilities from NATO and described the drone’s flight path as a serious violation of international law, according to The Associated Press.

RUSSIAN DRONES TEST NATO'S ARTICLE 5 DEFENSE GUARANTEE AHEAD OF FRIDAY SANCTIONS DEADLINE

Romania’s emergency response agency said the drone struck the apartment building and exploded, sparking a fire on the 10th floor.

The agency said the drone’s entire explosive payload detonated upon impact.

Seventy people were evacuated from the building, authorities said. The fire has since been brought under control.

NEW ROMANIAN LAW MAY HAVE AVERTED NATO CLASH WITH RUSSIA AFTER BORDER STRIKES

The defense ministry said two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter were deployed to monitor the Russian attack. The pilots were authorized to shoot down any drones that posed a threat.

The incident came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this week that he was pressing the United States to provide additional Patriot air defense missiles to help counter Russian attacks.

He warned that deliveries to Ukraine were falling dangerously short as the conflict with Iran strains U.S. military resources and stockpiles.

"I believe [the U.S.] must act quicker. We are being very persistent," Zelenskyy told reporters during a visit to Sweden.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russia and the Taliban government in Afghanistan have signed a military cooperation pact, cementing an alliance that further solidifies Moscow’s influence in Central Asia, according to reports.

The deal, finalized Wednesday at an international security forum in Russia, followed a meeting between Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Afghan Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob.

The Taliban Defense Ministry announced on X that Yaqoob had traveled to Russia to attend the conference.

Yaqoob is the Taliban’s former military chief and the son of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar.

AL QAEDA REMAINS MOST DANGEROUS TERRORIST GROUP 24 YEARS AFTER 9/11, EXPERT WARNS

Omar had formed a close alliance with Osama bin Laden and provided a safe haven from which al Qaeda planned the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

As of Thursday, neither Russia nor the Afghan side had shared the further details of the new military agreement.

"Afghanistan and Russia have long and historical relations. In this direction, we want to move further. We have expanded bilateral relations," Yaqoob said at the meeting.

The pact follows statements from a senior Russian security official who noted that Moscow has established a "full-fledged partnership" with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban and is encouraging other countries in the region to expand cooperation with Kabul, Reuters reported.

The Taliban had regained power in August 2021, after overthrowing the U.S.-backed Afghan government run by President Ashraf Ghani.

In 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the possibility of dropping Russia’s classification of the Taliban as a terrorist organization.

FORMER AFGHAN TRANSLATOR WARNS OF STARVATION, HUMANITARIAN CRISIS: 'BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED IN 2001'

In 2024, he called the Taliban "allies in the fight against terrorism" and Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

"After several years of vacillation, Russia has become the first country in the world to officially recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan," Nikita Smagin, an expert on Iranian foreign and domestic policies, Islamism and Russia's policy in the Middle East, said in a report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"It’s more of a symbolic gesture than something driven by trade or economic considerations," Smagin added, describing how when Taliban militants entered the Afghan capital in August 2021, "Russia was already deemed eligible for special treatment."

"Its diplomatic mission was immediately provided with security, and Russian Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov became the first foreign diplomat to meet with the new rulers of Afghanistan," he explained.

On Wednesday, Shoigu also called for Western countries to unfreeze sanctioned Afghan assets.

AFGHANISTAN'S ONLY WOMEN-LED RADIO STATION TO RESUME OPERATIONS AFTER TALIBAN LIFTS SUSPENSION

"We are convinced that Western countries should unfreeze blocked Afghan assets, fully recognize their responsibility for their 20-year presence in Afghanistan, and bear the burden of the country's post-conflict reconstruction," Shoigu said, according to reports.

"Moscow needs to take steps that will restore its image as an influential power that holds the initiative, and recognition of the Taliban regime serves precisely that purpose," Smagin added.

"The status of the first country to establish official diplomatic relations with the Taliban government should ensure Russia has a leading role in discussions of regional security issues."

The recognition of the Taliban, he said, was an attempt by Russia to "prove itself as a leading global force that is not afraid to break established norms and set precedents for other countries."

Moscow continues to emphasize the need to work directly with Kabul as it faces severe, ongoing security threats from various rival Islamist militant groups operating throughout Central Asia and the Middle East, Reuters said.

Shoigu also said Moscow was building a "pragmatic dialogue" with the Taliban that included security, trade, culture and humanitarian support, the outlet reported May 14.

UNITED NATIONS — The Czech Republic is prepared to help protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and is aligning closely with the Trump administration on security, NATO and Israel, Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka told Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview at the United Nations in New York.

Prague already had begun discussions about contributing specialized capabilities to help secure the strategically vital waterway amid growing tensions with Iran, Macinka said while speaking at Security Council-related meetings at the U.N. 

"We are ready to contribute to freedom of passage and the Hormuz trade," Macinka said. 

"We were among the first countries that were ready to contribute … We have no navy, as we are in the middle of Europe," he explained, "But we have some unique passive surveillance capabilities."

TRUMP SEEKS WARSHIPS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO HELP SECURE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Macinka warned that Iran posed a global threat through what he described as four main "war tools": nuclear proliferation, drones and ballistic missiles, international terrorism and threats to the Strait of Hormuz. 

"Their nuclear military program must be stopped," he said. "It’s a global risk and global threat."

The comments come as the Trump administration has increased pressure on European allies to take a larger role in protecting international shipping routes amid Iranian threats tied to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit choke points. Roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption passes through the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.

Speaking after a meeting with foreign ministers in Sweden Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio questioned the value of hosting U.S. military bases in allied countries that later restrict American military operations during wartime.

"One of the arguments I always made was that these bases in the region provided us with logistical options that we wouldn’t otherwise have," Rubio told reporters. "And when some of those bases are denied to you during a conflict that we’re involved in, then you question whether that value is still there."

President Donald Trump also has sharply criticized NATO allies over a reluctance to participate in military operations tied to the Iran conflict and securing the Strait of Hormuz. 

Trump said he was "strongly considering" pulling the United States out of NATO after allies failed to join the U.S. campaign against Iran, according to an April 1 interview with Britain’s Daily Telegraph, calling the alliance a "paper tiger."

The Czech Republic, a NATO member since 1999, reached NATO’s benchmark of spending 2% of GDP on defense and has supported calls for Europe to increase military readiness amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Macinka strongly defended the administration’s calls for Europe to increase defense spending and reduce dependence on Washington for long-term security guarantees. 

"We should do our homework and build our defense to become stronger," he said, arguing that Europe had delayed necessary military investments for too long.

He also tied Europe’s defense spending challenges to the European Union’s Green Deal policies, the bloc’s sweeping climate agenda aimed at reducing carbon emissions, calling them ideological and financially destructive. 

"If we get rid of this green, crazy alarmism, then we have enough money to build our defense," he said.

The Czech foreign minister also voiced unusually direct support for Trump and his administration, praising what he described as a global "common sense" shift following Trump’s election victory.

"We are friends of Israel, and we are friends of America," Macinka said. "Especially me as a politician, I'm a friend of the ideology of the current American administration."

Macinka also referenced a clash earlier in 2026 with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the Munich Security Conference, where he criticized Europe’s liberal political establishment and defended the populist wave reshaping parts of Europe and the United States.

EUROPE MUST LEAD ON UKRAINIAN SECURITY GUARANTEES, GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS: 'WE ARE THE NEIGHBORS'

Macinka linked Prague’s strong support for Ukraine to the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, when hundreds of thousands of Warsaw Pact troops occupied the country for more than two decades.

He said that historical experience continues to shape Czech public opinion and support for Kyiv.

"The Czech society feels a big solidarity with Ukraine," Macinka said, describing the war as a "symmetric war" between a powerful Russian military and a Ukrainian army backed by the West.

Macinka highlighted Prague’s leading role in a Czech-backed ammunition initiative supplying Ukraine with artillery rounds collected through international donor efforts. 

Recalling a visit to Kyiv earlier in 2026, he said he received intelligence briefings on battlefield ammunition consumption from Ukrainian military officials.

TRUMP, ZELENSKYY TO MEET FOR KEY DEAL AS NATO ALLIES, RUSSIA WAIT, WATCH

The Czech initiative delivered more than half a million rounds of ammunition in 2026 alone, according to Macinka, helping stabilize the battlefield ahead of possible peace negotiations.

Macinka argued that maintaining a stable front is essential for meaningful negotiations, warning that shifting battle lines will only harden demands on both sides.

With Washington increasingly focused on the Middle East, Macinka also said Europe must begin taking a larger diplomatic role in future negotiations over Ukraine.

"America is quite busy with the Middle East," he said. "Europe should wake up and ask for a place at the table."

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, would have to approve any final deal with the U.S. through secret courier networks while remaining in hiding as a "designated target," counterterrorism experts said Tuesday.

The unprecedented arrangement, they claimed, means Washington is negotiating a high-stakes accord with an entirely invisible counterparty, with a potential memorandum signed by a regime leader and a marked target who can never publicly show his face.

"Khamenei is a designated target, and every confirmed sighting is a coordinate," Dr. Omar Mohammed told Fox News Digital.

"The courier system used for messaging is not transitional. It is the operating system of his rule.

IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER RUNS 'STATE WITHIN A STATE' THROUGH SECRET 4,000-PERSON NETWORK, REPORT SAYS

"Any deal the United States signs will have to be designed for a permanently invisible counterparty whose enforcement depends on his continued survival. That is not arms control as it has been conventionally understood. It is a memorandum signed under American military pressure, with a regime whose leader cannot show his face."

Mohammed’s remarks came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained to reporters in India why the deal was suffering delays.

"It’s just the response," Rubio said. "I mean, when you get down on some of these things, you’ve got to hear back, and it takes the Iranians — takes them a little while longer to get back," he explained.

"That is Secretary Rubio confirming the courier latency on the record," said Dr. Omar Mohammed, director of the Antisemitism Research Initiative Program on Extremism at George Washington University. "Rubio is describing a structural feature of negotiating with a supreme leader no one can locate.

IRAN'S KHAMENEI STAYS AWAY FROM TALKS AS JD VANCE SAYS DYNAMIC MAKES DIPLOMACY 'MUCH MORE COMPLICATED'

"Mojtaba is in hiding, messages are moving by courier, and responses are arriving days late.

"Rubio just confirmed the symptom, and the administration is being honest about the problem. The question is whether the framework can be designed to survive it," Mohammed claimed.

Khamenei has spent nearly three months in hiding as tensions with the U.S. escalate.

He went underground as soon as a strike on Feb. 28 killed his father, amid reports that he was gravely injured.

He was struck in Operation Epic Fury — "wounded and likely disfigured," according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. His wife and son were killed in the same strike.

"Officials at the highest levels of the Iranian government do not know where he is," Mohammed said, meaning every piece of information he receives is "dated, and his responses come with significant latency."

The remarks come as Iran and the United States continue talks aimed at reaching a deal to end the war that began Feb. 28.

IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER MOJTABA KHAMENEI 'MISFUNCTIONING,' NOT CONTROLLING REGIME: SOURCES

"If there’s going to be a deal, we’re going to have to work through that. But this is, you know, it’s either going to be a good deal or there isn’t going to be one," Rubio said Tuesday.

A senior administration official said the U.S. is prepared to ease sanctions if Iran makes major concessions on uranium enrichment. Frozen Iranian assets have also emerged as a key hurdle.

Iran said Monday that no agreement with the United States was imminent, despite progress toward a framework in talks.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the focus of talks remained ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and that a possible memorandum of understanding did not include specific details on managing the Strait of Hormuz.

"The real question for Washington is not how fast the framework can be signed," Mohammed added.

"It is also what enforcement looks like when the counterparty’s signature comes through a courier."

LVIV, Ukraine — As Kyiv takes a massive hit from Russia, another city seeks to carry on amid war. Four years into Russia’s war, the western Ukrainian city of Lviv is trying to master something impossible: how to live normally while surrounded by death.

At 11:30 a.m., the city stops.

Cars freeze in the middle of the street. Pedestrians pause on sidewalks. In the center of town, underneath the tall clock tower that rises above city hall, people bow their heads in silence as another military funeral convoy passes through the streets.

"It happens one to five times a day," a local resident says quietly.

The war feels far from Lviv, until suddenly it doesn’t.

UKRAINE’S BATTLEFIELD IS TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF NATO

The city of roughly one million people sits near the Polish border, hundreds of miles from the brutal front lines in eastern Ukraine. But Russian drones and missiles still hit here. Air raid sirens interrupt coffee dates and children’s soccer games. Funeral processions cut through wedding traffic. Entire neighborhoods live between moments of beauty and grief.

"We lost approximately 2,000 citizens of Lviv," Mayor Andriy Sadovyi told Fox News Digital during an interview at city hall. "It is a very huge price which we pay to our independence, to our democracy."

Sadovyi has led the city for nearly two decades, except for a brief presidential run. Inside his office overlooking the historic center, he proudly points to the terrace where he has hosted world leaders and celebrities, including actor Tom Cruise. At one point, a large well-fed cat jumps onto his desk.

"This is my deputy," Sadovyi jokes. The cat, he explains proudly, has become something of a city mascot. "He’s tough like a Ukrainian."

But beneath the humor is exhaustion. Sadovyi says he realized at the beginning of the war that Lviv had a special responsibility. It was close enough to Europe to remain functioning, but close enough to war to understand what was at stake.

His answer was what he calls the "Unbroken" project: a sprawling rehabilitation and innovation effort aimed at helping Ukraine survive physically and psychologically.

The city built rehabilitation centers for wounded soldiers and civilians arriving from across the country, treating amputees, burn victims and trauma patients. Sadovyi says the municipality also dedicated 20% of its budget to supporting defense technology companies developing military solutions for the war effort.

"Every family in this city was affected by war," he says. "We need to be strong. We need to survive. I’m building what is needed for that."

'A NEW KIND OF WAR': INSIDE UKRAINE'S HIDDEN FACTORIES MASS-PRODUCING COMBAT DRONES

Yet survival in Lviv is not only about weapons or hospitals. It is also about convincing people not to give up on life itself.

"People are afraid to come here," Sadovyi says. "But we need them to come."

One of the city’s newest projects reflects that mentality. Part school, part shooting range, part patriotic training center, it was designed to prepare civilians for a country where war has become everyday reality.

Inside one classroom, dozens of teenage girls sit listening to instructors explain emergency survival skills. Upstairs, at the indoor shooting range, instructor Vitaliy proudly shows off rows of American-made weapons including AR-15 style rifles and pistols.

"It’s not as big as ranges in the United States," he says apologetically.

On the wall hangs a shredded image of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin, riddled with bullet holes from target practice.

Vitaliy laughs when asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin posters.

"We ran out," he jokes. "They’re too popular. We can’t keep them."

On the terrace outside, two wounded veterans practice archery.

One sits in a wheelchair after losing both legs in the war. Another leans on a cane. Both have become competitive athletes through rehabilitation programs.

NATO ALLY POLAND WARNS RUSSIA, BELARUS PUSHING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS TOWARD ALLIANCE — AND THE US

One proudly explains he won a silver medal during a national contest. The other recently took gold and is now preparing for an international championship. Neither wants to talk much about what happened to them during combat.

Their therapy now is sport.

Down the road, another funeral begins. A military convoy carrying the body of a 32-year-old soldier drives slowly through the city center until it arrives at the cemetery.

The city’s military cemetery filled so quickly that officials recently had to open a new burial ground just weeks ago. Already, rows of fresh graves stretch across the hillside, above them blue-and-yellow flags and photographs of young men and women smiling back from before the war.

The grieving brother at the funeral says the fallen soldier never had time to start his own family.

Around him, families kneel beside the earth.

And still, life continues.

Children go to school. Mothers rush to work. Cafés remain packed. Street musicians perform in the old town square.

That same evening, inside the Lviv Theater of Opera and Ballet, hundreds gather for the "Miss Lviv" beauty pageant.

Young women dressed in glittering gowns pose beneath bright stage lights while music echoes through the theater. The audience is overwhelmingly female. Many of the men still in the city work in defense industries or hold exemptions from military service.

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The contrast feels surreal only hours after attending a military burial.

But for many residents, events like these are an act of resistance.

"We are trying to keep life going," the reigning Miss Lviv says backstage before crowning the next winner. "I want the war to stop."

One of her friends explains why gatherings like this matter.

"These are difficult times," she says. "Doing normal things like this gives us a reason to dress up and enjoy ourselves."

Nobody here believes anymore that peace can come in 24 hours. But many still hope that President Trump and the U.S. can help bring the war to an end.

By the time evening arrives, air raid sirens once again cut through the city.

At outdoor cafés, people barely react at first.

'WRITTEN IN OUR DNA': POLISH PILOTS WHO REMEMBER SOVIET RULE PREPARE FOR AMERICA'S MOST LETHAL FIGHTER JET

Parents continue watching children play near fountains. Young couples finish drinks on restaurant terraces. Residents wait to hear whether the threat is "only" drones or actual missiles before deciding whether to move toward one of the hundreds of shelters spread throughout the city.

That frustration increasingly extends beyond the battlefield itself. Speaking to Fox News Digital while the latest wave of Russian strikes battered Ukrainian cities overnight, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Nations Andriy Melnyk warned that the war was becoming even more dangerous for civilians.

Melnyk, a native of Lviv, described the massive Russian assault between Saturday and Sunday as "the worst and the most devastating Russian attack on the capital since the beginning of the large-scale invasion."

Even members of his own family in Kyiv, he said, are now considering temporarily leaving the city because "it becomes unbearable to stay."

In Lviv, residents repeatedly ask to remind the world that the war is still intensifying, not fading into the background. Melnyk called on the United States and European allies to take "bold actions" to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin and urged Western countries to provide additional air defense systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles and drones targeting civilians.

He also criticized the United Nations for failing to stop the war, arguing that Russia’s veto power had left the Security Council effectively paralyzed.

On the overnight train leaving Lviv, most passengers are women. Border guards spend long minutes questioning the few men onboard, making sure they are not trying to escape mandatory military service. 

The exhaustion is visible everywhere. Still, Sadovyi is full of hope.

"This city will have a great future," he says confidently.

He believes the world will eventually come to Lviv not only to rebuild, but to learn.

"To learn how to be unbroken," he says.

Because, he warns, what happened to Ukraine could happen elsewhere too.

President Masoud Pezeshkian invoked one of Iran’s strongest wartime symbols on May 24, signaling Tehran’s resolve to hold its ground against the U.S. and Israel across the region, a counterterrorism expert said.

The Iranian leader's remarks came at a key moment in diplomacy, as President Donald Trump said a deal with Tehran to end the war is "largely negotiated" and warned the U.S. would either sign "a great and meaningful" agreement or walk away entirely.

While Iran signaled broad agreement with Washington on some points, it said a final deal is not imminent and that negotiations over the remaining details are still underway.

IRAN’S TOP DIPLOMAT SAYS NATION’S POWER LIES IN DEFYING PRESSURE: ‘NO TO THE GREAT POWERS’

In an X post marking the anniversary of the 1982 recapture of Khorramshahr from Iraqi forces during the Iran-Iraq War, Pezeshkian said, "Khorramshahr today is Iran, the Persian Gulf, and the Strait of Hormuz," adding that "resistance, self-sacrifice, and repelling aggression are rooted in the culture of this land."

Analysts claimed Pezeshkian was deliberately invoking one of the deepest ideological touchstones of the Islamic Republic — the battle that came to symbolize national resistance, civilian sacrifice and defiance against invasion.

"This is the Iran-Iraq War reference, and the timing is the point," said Dr. Omar Mohammed, director of the Antisemitism Research Initiative Program on Extremism at George Washington University.

May 24 marks the anniversary of the 1982 liberation of Khorramshahr, the southwestern city Saddam Hussein captured early in the war and Iranian forces retook after months of brutal urban combat.

FROM HOSTAGE CRISIS TO ASSASSINATION PLOTS: IRAN’S NEAR HALF-CENTURY WAR ON AMERICANS

"This is one of the Islamic Republic’s foundational mythological moments — civilian resistance, mass sacrifice, repelling an ‘aggressor army.’ Roughly what the Great Patriotic War is to Russia. The rhetorical move is the extension," Mohammed told Fox News Digital.

"He’s mapping the 1980-82 defensive-war frame onto the current confrontation: Iran attacked by an aggressor, ordinary citizens (‘battle-untested but brave’) expected to stand and fight, with ‘resistance, sacrifice, repelling aggression’ cast as the cultural default mode."

Some of the phrasing, Mohammed said, also evokes volunteer and Basij fighters versus a professional invading army. The analyst noted that Pezeshkian’s "Hormuz line" comment reflects a standard Iranian escalation tactic.

IRAN TO HOLD LIVE-FIRE DRILLS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ WITH US ARMADA IN MIDDLE EAST

"Invoking the strait inside a wartime-mobilization frame — even rhetorically — is a deliberate signal, not throat-clearing," he added.

"The Khorramshahr frame is the deepest register the regime has. It’s what they reach for to signal existential war, not a managed crisis."

Mohammed explained that Pezeshkian’s X post is framing the current confrontation from the presidential account to send a "high-stakes message."

"It’s also a tell on internal posture: Khorramshahr, in short, means ‘we are being invaded and we will not negotiate,’" he added.

Intensifying leaks and tense phone calls between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting a relationship breakdown over Iran were part of a calculated strategic effort to keep Tehran guessing, a leading defense analyst told Fox News Digital on Sunday.

The public display, which projected American diplomatic patience while shutting out Jerusalem, covertly laid the groundwork for a unified front, he said.

The strategy culminated in a weekend synchronization phase, with Trump and Netanyahu showcasing total alignment by Sunday, suggested Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and the Misgav Institute.

TRUMP, NETANYAHU TO MEET AT WHITE HOUSE IN HIGH-STAKES TALKS ON IRAN, GAZA PLAN

Axios had reported Thursday that a difficult call between the leaders focused on a revised U.S. proposal sent to Iran via Pakistan, which Netanyahu reportedly rejected in favor of renewed military action to degrade Tehran’s infrastructure.

One U.S. source told the outlet that "Netanyahu’s hair was on fire" after the exchange.

Separately, weekend reports suggested Israeli leaders were being marginalized from U.S.-Iran negotiations after Netanyahu’s prewar push for a joint campaign to topple the Iranian regime failed to materialize.

Netanyahu broke his silence Sunday, posting on X to declare absolute solidarity with the White House and project a unified stance.

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

"The partnership between us and our two countries has been proven on the battlefield and has never been stronger," Netanyahu shared on X. "My policy, like President Trump’s, remains unchanged: Iran will not have nuclear weapons."

Michael viewed the public friction and targeted leaks as a calculated tactical feint designed to keep Tehran blindsided.

"Neither President Trump nor Prime Minister Netanyahu has any interest in any crisis, but by leaking the story of a crisis between Trump and Netanyahu, the Iranians might find themselves surprised by the timing of the next military attack," Michael said.

"The leak created a sense of disagreement between the two leaders and positions Trump as the leader who gives another chance to the diplomatic path despite the pressures of Prime Minister Netanyahu," he said. 

"Trump understands who the Iranians are."

The final synchronization followed a weekend phone call in which Trump reassured Netanyahu that any final agreement with Iran would fully dismantle Tehran’s nuclear program.

UN'S NUCLEAR WATCHDOG WARNS ITS UNABLE TO CONFIRM IRAN'S PROGRAM IS 'ENTIRELY PEACEFUL'

Netanyahu also said Trump also "reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon."

Washington has been keeping Jerusalem updated on the negotiations "over a memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and enter negotiations toward a final agreement on the points that remain in dispute," an official statement read.

Following the Sunday call, Netanyahu also thanked Trump for his "exceptional commitment to Israel’s security."

"Netanyahu’s last post about his last conversation with Trump can be understood as the ultimate closure to this deception and any accusations," Michael added.

"This is trying to prepare the Israeli public for the idea that everything was fully coordinated with the U.S., and the diplomatic developments will serve the Israeli interest."

Michael added, however, that skepticism remained in Jerusalem over whether the gaps between the U.S. and Iran will be bridged, or whether "Trump will accept the Iranian position."

Maritime tracking transmissions collapsed near the UAE’s main oil hub, rattling Persian Gulf shipping hours before President Donald Trump announced progress was made on a bilateral peace deal with Iran, according to an AI maritime firm. 

Maritime intelligence firm Windward AI first detected the blackout in Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmissions near Fujairah, suggesting heightened electronic warfare, jamming, deliberate AIS shutdowns and intense cyber interference near the key UAE oil port.

"Fujairah goes dark: AIS transmissions collapse after Iran’s PGSA announcement," Windward warned in a post shared on X.

"Vessels are still in the area. They are loading less, and a meaningful number have gone dark," the firm said.

GULF SHIPPING OPERATIONS GRIND TO HALT NEAR IRAN, US QUIETLY PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE STRIKE: 'HEIGHTENED RISK'

As Trump announced that an Iran deal was "largely negotiated" and would see a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Fujairah went on to move 1.35 million barrels of crude Sunday aboard a single tanker bound for South Korea.

"Today, May 24, the port moved 1.35 million barrels, a single VLCC, destined for South Korea," Windward said before reporting a tense, ongoing "ceasefire posture" and blockade footprint quickly being set into place.

"One cargo doesn't mark a return to baseline, but it's the first signal of flow resuming out of Fujairah since the announcement," Windward said.

Ahead of the barrel transfer, Trump had stated that Washington and Tehran had "largely finalized" a memorandum of understanding for a peace agreement. He posted an AI-generated image depicting exploding IRGC fast boats in the strait.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ AS 84-DAY WAR NEARS POSSIBLE END

Iran responded directly by continuing to declare the strategic maritime choke point stays under Tehran’s absolute control.

"We reaffirm that the Strait of Hormuz will remain under full Iranian administration and sovereignty, even in the event of reaching any future agreement," Iran’s official military spokesperson, Ibrahim Al-Fiqar, said in a statement shared on X.

"The Islamic Republic emphasizes that the authorities to determine transit routes, timing, and issuance of maritime licenses are an absolute sovereign right exclusively in the hands of Tehran."

The tanker blackout, crude transfer activity and movement toward a U.S.-Iran deal accelerated following the launch of Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority on May 20.

Overseen by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, the PGSA functions as a sovereign regulator by requiring ships to submit vessel, cargo, insurance and crew details — along with mandatory payments — for "safe passage" through the strait.

Regional analysts told Fox News Digital that, ahead of deal progression, Iran’s territorial claims had even been stretching beyond its own waters into areas tied to Oman and the UAE.

US EYES IRAN FAST BOATS WITH ‘KILL’ TACTICS TESTED IN VENEZUELA DRUG-BOAT STRIKES

Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital that enforcement "relies on the IRGC Navy’s asymmetric playbook."

"This includes fast boats, drones, radar tracking, coastal missiles and selective intimidation rather than constant physical interdiction," Vatanka said.

"Tehran wants Gulf states and major importers to gradually accept Iranian oversight of Hormuz as a new geopolitical reality," he added.

While nuclear issues are dominating the current negotiations amid reports of a 60-day ceasefire, the PGSA has quickly emerged as an economic leverage tool threatening global oil and shipping markets.

"Now Hormuz is Iran’s main non-nuclear leverage tool," Vatanka said as the PGSA he claimed gives Tehran a "mechanism to pressure rivals, favor allies and normalize IRGC oversight of one of the world’s most critical energy routes."

According to Vatanka, the system was functioning as a wartime extortion mechanism.

"Ships submit cargo and crew data for approval, while reports point to quiet ‘facilitation payments,’ preferential treatment for friendly states and uncertainty for everyone else," Vatanka warned.

"Iran keeps the penalties deliberately vague. Noncompliant ships risk delays, harassment, drone surveillance, IRGC interception or denial of safe passage — enough pressure to encourage compliance without outright closing the strait."

This is part three of a series examining the challenges confronting the NATO alliance.

LVIV, Ukraine — Four years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, officials across NATO’s eastern flank increasingly believe the alliance’s future is already being rewritten on Ukraine’s battlefield.

From drone warfare and cyber defense to civilian resilience and large-scale military mobilization, Eastern European officials say Ukraine has become one of the world’s most battle-tested militaries, forcing NATO to rethink how future wars will be fought.

This week, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had been invited to attend the alliance’s annual summit in Ankara in July, underscoring how central Ukraine has become to NATO’s future despite not being a member of the alliance.

'A NEW KIND OF WAR': INSIDE UKRAINE'S HIDDEN FACTORIES MASS-PRODUCING COMBAT DRONES

"I think today the Ukrainian army is the number one army in Europe," Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi told Fox News Digital during an interview in the western Ukrainian city.

"I think NATO needs the Ukrainian army," he added.

The debate over NATO’s future intensified this week as alliance foreign ministers gathered in Sweden ahead of a major NATO summit in July, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling the upcoming meeting "one of the more important leaders’ summits in the history of NATO."

Rubio warned NATO allies this week that the alliance lacks sufficient munitions production for future conflicts, a concern echoed by retired Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, who said the Pentagon is studying Ukraine’s rapid wartime industrial adaptation.

"A number of nations are taking a page out of Ukraine’s transformation of its defense industrial base, in terms of quality as well as the tremendous increase in quantity of arms to the frontlines as well," Newton said, adding, "The Pentagon is taking note and working to encourage the transformation of our own industrial base so we can drastically improve and more rapidly provide capabilities to our forces in the field, not in a matter of years but in months and perhaps even in weeks."

Rubio also referenced President Donald Trump’s announcement that the U.S. would maintain troop deployments in Poland after concerns earlier this week about possible reductions on NATO’s eastern flank.

AS TRUMP FORCES NATO TO PAY UP, ALLIANCE RACES TO CLOSE MILITARY GAP WITH US

Speaking before the NATO meeting, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski welcomed Trump’s announcement. "I want to thank President Trump for his announcement that the presence of American troops in Poland will be maintained more or less at previous levels," Sikorski said.

"I think this makes Putin very uncomfortable."

Some note that the debate over NATO’s future comes with deep irony for Moscow.

One of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s central grievances before the invasion was NATO’s eastward expansion and Ukraine’s growing ambitions to move closer to the alliance. Moscow repeatedly demanded NATO roll back its military footprint to pre-1997 levels and opposed any future Ukrainian membership.

Instead, the invasion accelerated NATO’s expansion.

Finland formally joined NATO in 2023, ending decades of military nonalignment, while Sweden joined in 2024 after Russia’s invasion dramatically reshaped security calculations across northern Europe. Finland alone added more than 800 miles of direct NATO border with Russia.

Now officials in Poland and Ukraine say the war is not only expanding NATO geographically, but fundamentally transforming the alliance itself.

"For decades, NATO focused largely on expeditionary wars and counterterrorism," said Polish Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski during an interview in Warsaw. "Modern warfare is mostly done by drones."

"There is not a military in the world which is better than Ukraine" in understanding today’s battlefield realities, he added.

US SCRAMBLES AS DRONES SHAPE THE LANDSCAPE OF WAR: 'THE FUTURE IS HERE'

Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove, who served as NATO supreme allied commander Europe, said the war has fundamentally transformed how militaries around the world understand modern warfare.

"The war in Ukraine has changed far more than just NATO’s understanding of modern warfare — it has changed the whole world’s understanding," Breedlove told Fox News Digital.

Breedlove added that Ukraine’s military has evolved into "one of Europe’s most capable and formidable" forces after years of fighting Russia, despite having surrendered its Soviet-era nuclear arsenal under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum.

UKRAINE MAKES FASTEST GAINS IN YEARS AS RUSSIA TALKS STALL, EXPLOITING CRACKS IN KREMLIN COMMAND

"Today, most agree that Ukraine is not only fighting, but winning back land against one of the world’s most formidable forces," he said.

That transformation is visible throughout Ukraine.

Before Russia’s invasion, Ukraine had one of Eastern Europe’s largest IT sectors. Sadovyi said the war forced much of that technological ecosystem to pivot toward defense production.

"Before the invasion, we had in Kyiv a huge IT cluster, 40,000 workers," Lviv’s mayor said. "During the war, we rebuilt the IT cluster to defend cluster."

NATO ALLY POLAND WARNS RUSSIA, BELARUS PUSHING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS TOWARD ALLIANCE — AND THE US

Ukraine now operates a rapidly expanding wartime innovation ecosystem focused on drones, anti-drone systems, battlefield communications and decentralized weapons production. NATO officials and European militaries are increasingly studying those lessons closely.

Breedlove says the conflict exposed the limits of traditional air power and accelerated the rise of drone warfare.

"It’s critical to remember that the war in Ukraine is being fundamentally fought without the support of modern air warfare because of the failures of the Russian Air Force," he said.

"It’s why drone warfare has grown so exponentially, because neither side was able to marshal true modern air capabilities."

The changes are also reshaping NATO strategy.

The Polish defense official Zalewski told Fox News Digital the Pentagon is now promoting what Polish officials describe as "NATO 3.0," a model in which Europe assumes greater responsibility for conventional defense as the United States shifts more attention toward China and the Indo-Pacific.

"The main assumption of this concept is that conventionally it would be Europe defending itself," he said.

EUROPE STEPS UP TO FUND ITS OWN DEFENSE, PROVIDE SECURITY FOR UKRAINE AFTER TRUMP THREATS

That shift comes as Poland dramatically increases military spending and positions itself as one of NATO’s leading military powers on the alliance’s eastern flank. Warsaw spent nearly 5% of GDP on defense this year, the highest level in NATO.

Polish officials argue the war proved Eastern Europe was right to take Russia’s threat seriously long before many Western European countries did.

"The eastern flank is much more powerful than even five years ago," Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki told Fox News Digital during reporting in Warsaw.

"We were right about the nature of Putin’s regime and Russia’s aggressive strategy."

Ukraine is not currently a NATO member, and the alliance has avoided offering Kyiv a concrete timeline for accession during the war out of concern it could trigger direct confrontation between NATO and Russia.

But across Eastern Europe, officials increasingly argue the alliance’s future may depend on Ukraine regardless of formal membership.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv issued a security alert Saturday warning that a "potentially significant air attack" could hit the city in the next 24 hours.

The U.S. Mission Ukraine said in a statement, "The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has received information concerning a potentially significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next 24 hours.

"The embassy, as always, recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced."

‘A NEW KIND OF WAR’: INSIDE UKRAINE'S HIDDEN FACTORIES MASS PRODUCING COMBAT DRONES

The embassy urged Americans to "identify shelter locations before any air alert," keep reserves of food, water and medication nearby, follow the "directions of Ukrainian officials and first responders in the event of an emergency," to immediately take shelter if an alert is announced and to download an air raid app like Air Raid Siren or Alarm App. 

By early Sunday morning, the capital was rocked by a massive missile and drone strike, Reuters reported. 

At least three people were injured and some residential buildings were damaged, the mayor said on Telegram. 

The message follows a warning from Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy that Russia was preparing to strike Ukraine with a hypersonic Oreshnik missile, citing Ukrainian as well as U.S. and European intelligence. 

"We are seeing signs of preparation for a combined strike on Ukrainian territory, including Kyiv, involving various types of weaponry," Zelenskyy wrote in an X post Saturday morning. 

"The specified intermediate-range weapons could be used in such a strike. It is important to act responsibly on air-raid alerts, starting this evening. Russian madness truly knows no bounds, so please protect your lives. Use shelters."

UKRAINE’S 'SPIDER’S WEB' DRONE STRIKE BURNS OVER 40 RUSSIAN WARPLANES, MOSCOW CALLS IT 'TERRORIST ATTACK'

He added that the use of such weapons would set a precedent for future aggressors. 

"If Russia is allowed to destroy lives on such a scale, then no agreement will restrain other similar hatred-based regimes from aggression and strikes," he said. "We count on a response from the world and on a response that is not post factum, but preventive. Pressure must be put on Moscow so that it does not expand the war."

Zelenskyy said Ukraine was preparing its air defenses as much as possible, and "we will respond fully justly to every Russian strike."

"We have given permission for a parade," he concluded his post, referring to the President Donald Trump-brokered three-day ceasefire earlier this month, "but Russia has no permission for madness. This war must be ended – we need peace, not some missiles satisfying the sick ambitions of one individual. I thank everyone helping to protect lives. Once again, please take care of yourselves and use shelters tonight."

At the start of the three-day ceasefire May 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters he thought the war could come "to an end" soon. 

On Friday, however, Putin vowed retaliation for a deadly Ukrainian drone strike in Starobilsk, an occupied town in eastern Luhansk, claiming that the Ukrainians hit a college dormitory in a "terrorist" act. 

Ukraine denied the claim, saying it struck a Russian drone command unit in the area. 

LVIV, Ukraine: Exclusive — The same Iranian-designed Shahed drones that rain down in Lviv, Ukraine, nearly every night are now being hunted by weapons built just miles away inside hidden factories where former students and office workers assemble kamikaze drones and interceptor systems around the clock.

What began as an improvised wartime effort has evolved into one of the world's fastest-growing military drone industries. One Ukrainian official says Kyiv now leads NATO in battlefield innovation and can offer hard-won lessons for the U.S. and Israel as they confront the same Iranian drone technology across the Gulf.

"Drone technology completely changed the situation in the frontline," Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. "Maybe in six months, maybe in one year, we will have technology to land 1,000 drones in one moment.

POLAND SEEKS ANSWERS AFTER PENTAGON SCRAPS PLANNED US ARMORED BRIGADE ROTATION

"If we will have more deep collaboration between Ukraine, the United States, Israel and Europe, we will prepare special equipment for our victory," he said.

Dmytro, CEO of a Ukrainian drone manufacturer producing roughly 1,000 drones a week, told Fox News Digital, "We are three or four steps ahead of other countries. … This is a new kind of war. It is a war of IT technology."

Cheap drones now allow small battlefield units to identify and destroy tanks, armored vehicles and even sophisticated air defense systems that once required expensive missiles or fighter aircraft.

That transformation is visible throughout western Ukraine, where defense technology hubs, secret workshops and testing sites now operate, while in the cities air raid sirens regularly interrupt daily life.

Inside a workshop Fox News Digital visited, workers moved rapidly between tables stacked with propellers, fiber optic cable and other classified drone components. The workers say they no longer see themselves as civilians temporarily helping the war effort. Many now view drone production as essential to Ukraine’s survival.

Vitaliy, one of the technicians assembling kamikaze drones destined for the front line, said he now builds hundreds of drone components a day. 

"Targets will be vehicles, tanks, troopers, positions," he told Fox News Digital.

NATO ALLY POLAND WARNS RUSSIA, BELARUS PUSHING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS TOWARD ALLIANCE — AND THE US

Referring to President Donald Trump's statement that he will end the war, Vitaliy said, "I feel honored because I’m helping my country to get peace much faster," Vitaliy added. "Peace through strength — this is our motivation. But it is mostly on us, for sure."

Ukraine’s domestic drone production has expanded at a staggering pace. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Serhiy Boyev said earlier this year the country aims to produce more than seven million drones in 2026, up from roughly four million in 2025.

From AI-assisted battlefield systems to drones resistant to Russian electronic warfare, Ukraine’s wartime innovations are exposing vulnerabilities in traditional Western military doctrine.

At another defense technology hub in Lviv, rows of interceptor drones, unmanned ground vehicles and remotely operated weapons systems fill a showroom demonstrating Ukraine’s rapidly evolving battlefield ecosystem.

"We have around 250 tech companies in the system," said Volodymyr Cherniuk, co-founder of Iron, a Ukrainian defense technology cluster.

Some drones are designed for reconnaissance, others for evacuation, logistics or direct strike missions. One heavy-lift drone used for nighttime attacks has earned the nickname "Baba Yaga" from Russian troops, which Cherniuk translated as "boogeyman."

Another interceptor drone is designed specifically to hunt Iranian-made Shahed drones that Russia uses in nightly attacks on Ukrainian cities.

UKRAINE’S 'SPIDER’S WEB' DRONE STRIKE BURNS OVER 40 RUSSIAN WARPLANES, MOSCOW CALLS IT 'TERRORIST ATTACK'

"They can go 300 kilometers per hour," Cherniuk said. "One hundred grams is enough to shut down a Shahed."

"We have a lot of Americans, Canadians, Europeans who come here and want our data, feedback from the front line," Dmytro said. 

As Fox News Digital reported from Lviv, air raid sirens repeatedly echoed across the city, a reminder that western Ukraine remains within reach of Russia’s expanding drone campaign.

Russia has dramatically escalated its aerial assaults in the recent week after the end of the short ceasefire, launching massive drone barrages targeting cities and logistical hubs across Ukraine, including areas near NATO territory close to the Polish border.

Ukraine has also increasingly demonstrated its ability to strike deep inside Russian territory with long-range drone attacks targeting areas around Moscow and Russian energy infrastructure.

But the evolving drone war has also increasingly spilled beyond Ukraine and Russia’s borders into NATO territory.

In recent weeks, drones linked to Ukrainian long-range strike operations entered the airspace of Baltic alliance members including Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, triggering political fallout and renewed concerns about regional air defenses. Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds resigned after drones crashed near fuel storage facilities close to the Russian border.

Ukrainian and Baltic officials blamed Russian electronic warfare and GPS spoofing for redirecting the drones off course, arguing Moscow is increasingly using electronic warfare not only defensively, but also to create instability and political pressure inside NATO countries.

The incidents underscore how the same Iranian-designed Shahed drones Russia uses nightly against Ukrainian cities — and similar long-range drone technologies increasingly used by both sides — are reshaping modern warfare far beyond the battlefield itself.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has spent nearly three months in hiding as tensions with the U.S. escalate — a disappearance that counterterrorism analysts say mirrors the final years of al Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden.

The comparison comes amid a critical standoff between Washington and Tehran that prompted President Donald Trump to pause a planned strike on May 19. On Wednesday, Trump told reporters he was in "no hurry."

Khamenei, meanwhile, appeared to share three posts on his official X account on May 18 but remains out of public view.

"For the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic, the United States has done to Tehran what it spent two decades doing to al-Qaeda and ISIS," counterterrorism expert Dr. Omar Mohammed told Fox News Digital.

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"The U.S. has driven its leader into the same kind of operational invisibility that bin Laden lived in for 10 years in Abbottabad," he added.

"Both Mojtaba Khamenei and bin Laden inherited their status on the back of an American operation, and both responded the same way: by ceasing to exist publicly," Mohammed said before adding that bin Laden "stopped releasing dated videos around 2007 and confined himself to audio messages carried by hand."

Bin Laden founded al-Qaeda in the late 1980s and masterminded the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States.

After the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, bin Laden evaded capture for a decade by hiding inside a fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

To avoid Western electronic surveillance, he severed his digital footprint and relied exclusively on a network of physical couriers, said Mohammed, an expert with the Antisemitism Research Initiative at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism.

U.S. intelligence eventually tracked one of those couriers to the compound, culminating in the 2011 Navy SEAL raid that killed the al Qaeda leader.

OPERATION EPIC FURY: HOW AMERICA'S AIR POWER IS CRUSHING IRAN’S TERROR REGIME

"Bin Laden survived with no cables out of the Abbottabad compound. Communications were carried by hand by two trusted couriers, the Kuwaiti brothers," Mohammed said.

"Bin Laden stayed hidden for the rest of his life because the moment he surfaced was the moment he died. Mojtaba’s incentives point the same way. Mojtaba Khamenei won’t emerge," he said.

"The Abbottabad lesson, which Tehran will have studied closely, is that the safest hiding place is not a cave in Tora Bora but a walled compound in a garrison town," Mohammed added, recalling how U.S. forces targeted bin Laden in the cave complex before he escaped.

Bin Laden also lived roughly a mile from Pakistan’s top military academy, hiding in plain sight behind high concrete walls and barbed wire, Mohammed noted.

"The logical Iranian equivalents are hardened sites under or alongside IRGC facilities," Mohammed added, referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and possible locations where Khamenei could be.

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, one of Khamenei’s few recent communications was an X post declaring a "holy war," framing the geopolitical clash as a mandatory religious obligation.

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"This is a religious leader calling for sacred war against America and the Jews from an undisclosed location because his enemies have publicly vowed to kill him on sight," Mohammed said, describing the narrative as "the bin Laden template, almost line for line."

Mohammed also suggested Khamenei’s retreat into the shadows marks a watershed moment for Washington and the future of the Iranian regime.

His predecessor and father, Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed Feb. 28 in a targeted U.S.-Israeli airstrike in Tehran during Operation Epic Fury.

"This regime that for 47 years projected its power through a single visible Supreme Leader at the Friday prayer pulpit can no longer produce that figure on demand," he said, calling it a "strategic milestone."

"Predecessors killed by U.S. strikes and successors who cannot show their faces. Real power exercised by a security apparatus rather than by the nominal figurehead."

"Now one side is announcing operations on three continents through its president; the other is governed on paper by a man whose own population is uncertain where he is or what state he is in," Mohammed said.

"The contrast is also about the optics of leadership during this war," he added.

U.S. and Nigerian forces launched another strike against ISIS fighters in Nigeria, according to U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), just days after they carried out an operation that killed a global ISIS leader.

AFRICOM said it conducted the additional kinetic strikes against ISIS militants on Monday in coordination with Nigeria’s government. It said complete assessments are ongoing, though noted that no U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed during the operation.

"The removal of these terrorists diminishes the group’s capacity to plan attacks that threaten the safety and security of the U.S. and our partners," AFRICOM said.

The strikes come after President Donald Trump announced late Friday that U.S. and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as ISIS’s second-in-command globally.

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"Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social at the time. "He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans."

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed Saturday that U.S. forces, in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, killed al-Minuki and other ISIS leaders.

"So, for months, we hunted this top ISIS leader in Nigeria who was killing Christians, and we killed him — and his entire posse," Hegseth wrote.

The announcement also comes after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out multiple strikes against more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria in February as part of a joint military effort to "sustain relentless military pressure on remnants from the terrorist network."

Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz and Robert McGreevey contributed to this report.

The U.S.-brokered alliance designed to counter Iran in the Middle East is showing signs of strain amid tensions between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, an analyst says, as the possibility of a broader conflict with Tehran intensified Sunday.

The friction first surfaced May 13 after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he held a "historic breakthrough" meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a "secret visit" to Al Ain near the Oman border.

The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a swift denial following the announcement.

The ministry said, "Its relations with Israel are public and were established within the framework of the well-known and publicly declared Abraham Accords. These relations are not based on secrecy or clandestine arrangements."

IRAN IS 'TRYING TO GIVE THE GLOBAL ECONOMY A HEART ATTACK' BY CLOSING STRAIT OF HORMUZ, UAE MINISTER SAYS

It added, "Therefore, any claims regarding undisclosed visits or arrangements are baseless unless issued by the relevant official authorities in the UAE."

"The stakes are high," Middle East Institute analyst Natan Sachs told Fox News Digital.

"I imagine the Israelis are working overtime to mend relations with the UAE, but it is too early to tell," he said.

President Donald Trump spoke with Netanyahu on Sunday as tensions over Iran escalated and with the Israeli leader saying he was "prepared for every scenario."

The leaders discussed the possibility of renewing the war with Iran as well as Trump’s recent trip to China, according to the Times of Israel.

Sachs, a senior fellow at the institute, said Netanyahu’s UAE meeting claim "seems like a diplomatic blunder because it embarrasses the UAE."

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"This was an odd move to make since the UAE has been a close partner of Israel, even during this war," Sachs said.

"Either Netanyahu didn't think, or he was thinking about something else — domestic politics. It would not be the first time he did that."

"To the degree that the Emirati anger is genuine, it would have meant working to preserve trust with their Gulf Arab ally," Sachs added.

"I would also not rule out Emirati anger at the leak itself, which could be seen as a break of trust — something very important to the Emirati leadership."

The Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States in 2020, fundamentally altered the regional balance by normalizing relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.

Security cooperation has since expanded significantly due to shared concerns over Iran’s military ambitions.

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

That alliance was tested when Iran launched strikes against UAE military and energy infrastructure during Operation Epic Fury.

Israel is said to have deployed Iron Dome air-defense systems and personnel to the UAE, according to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The UAE confirmed Sunday that it had intercepted three drones coming from the west.

"The UAE received much of the fire from Iran. It is the most vulnerable to Iranian short-range missiles, which are more plentiful and cheaper than the medium-range missiles fired at Israel," Sachs said.

"While short-range missiles can be intercepted, Iran has many more of them. The UAE took the most hits, yet it stood out by sticking most clearly to its strategy of open partnership with Israel."

"But the public disclosure that Netanyahu himself visited may have just been seen as a step too far," Sachs added.

Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, ISIS’s shadow commander in West Africa, was killed May 16 using what an extremism analyst describes as one of the hardest forms of intelligence to detect, after decades being shielded by "deep local networks" across the region.

While the killing dealt one of the biggest blows to ISIS’s global network in years, disrupting operations in northeastern Nigeria, the terror group's top leader, Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, remains at large as Africa becomes the movement's global epicenter.

"There is no single ISIS ‘headquarters’ in Nigeria; ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) operates dozens of small, shifting camps scattered across the Lake Chad islands and the Borno bush," Dr. Omar Mohammed, Senior Research Fellow at the GW Program on Extremism, told Fox News Digital.

"Al-Minuki would have had no smartphones, relying instead on courier-based communications and constant movement between these small camps," he said.

TRUMP TARGETS ISIS IN NIGERIA AMID WARNINGS SAHEL REGION IS BECOMING ‘EPICENTER OF TERRORISM’

President Donald Trump’s explicit reference to "sources who kept us informed" points directly to human intelligence, or HUMINT — the hardest form of intelligence for a target to detect or counter, Mohammed explained.

The precision strike successfully penetrated defenses that had been held for years.

"He would have utilized deep local networks the Nigerian military has struggled to penetrate for over a decade," Mohammed added.

MS NOW GUEST SUGGESTS TRUMP STRIKE IN NIGERIA WAS RACIALLY MOTIVATED VIOLENCE

"His operational security would have been severe," Mohammed said. "But two things eventually undo even careful targets: time generates patterns, and human sources are extremely difficult to defeat."

"Despite severe operational security, al-Minuki was ultimately compromised through persistent human intelligence," he noted. "Al-Minuki knew he was marked."

ISIS FIGHTERS STILL AT LARGE AFTER SYRIAN PRISON BREAK, CONTRIBUTING TO VOLATILE SECURITY SITUATION

The Nigerian army described the strike as "a meticulously planned and highly complex precision air-land operation" carried out Saturday between midnight and 4 a.m. in Metele, located in Borno State in northeast Nigeria.

U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, placed the strike in northeastern Nigeria, with Nigerian army communications pointing specifically to the Metele region.

Despite the tactical success, the current ISIS "caliph," or overall leader, remains on the run, according to reports.

Al-Qurashi was "named following his predecessor’s death in Syria," Mohammed claimed.

"He is deliberately faceless, with analysts describing this line of leaders as the ‘caliphs of the shadows,’" Mohammed said, noting al-Qurashi assumed leadership after Turkish authorities killed his predecessor in 2023.

While al-Qurashi’s exact location is unknown, reports indicate he traveled from Syria or Iraq through Yemen to Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region.

"This is where the financial hub also sits, meaning the entire center of gravity of the organization — leadership, finance, operational direction — has been quietly relocating to Africa for years," Mohammed said.

RUSSIAN MERCENARIES REPLACE WESTERN FORCES AS ISIS SURGES ACROSS AFRICA'S SAHEL REGION

Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project confirms this regional shift, showing more than two-thirds of all Islamic State global activity now takes place in Africa.

"Africa has transitioned from a peripheral theater to the operational and financial center of global ISIS activity," Mohammed explained. "Africa is no longer a peripheral theater. It is the main one. Funding is overwhelmingly local and extractive — taxation, ransom, smuggling — which is precisely why these networks are so resilient."

"Al-Minuki, for example, rose through ISWAP and operated across the Lake Chad Basin and into the wider Sahel," he noted.

"Still, staking out al-Minuki is the most significant blow to ISIS’ global leadership architecture since the al-Baghdadi raid in 2019, executed in the theater that has quietly become the group’s beating heart," Mohammed said before adding the strike was "not a one-off kinetic moment."

President Donald Trump announced late Friday that U.S. and Nigerian forces carried out an operation that killed a global ISIS leader.

Trump identified the terrorist as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as ISIS’s second-in-command globally.

"Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

"Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing," Trump continued. "He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans."

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

Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation in the mission.

"With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished," he added.

In a Saturday morning X post, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed U.S. forces, in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, killed al-Minuki and other ISIS leaders and provided more details about al-Minuki's role within ISIS.

"Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was the senior ISIS General Directorate of Provinces Emir — the number two for ISIS globally — responsible for overseeing the planning of attacks, directing hostage-taking and managing financial operations," Hegseth wrote. "The removal of him and other ISIS personnel makes Americans safer by further degrading ISIS’s ability to plan and carry out attacks that threaten the U.S. homeland, American citizens, and innocent civilians. "

"Operations like last night’s demonstrate the exceptional lethality, patience and skill of U.S. forces, amplified alongside willing and capable partners, to address shared threats," Hegseth wrote. "This should serve as a reminder that we will hunt down those who wish to harm Americans or innocent Christians, wherever they are."

Hegseth said U.S. Africa Command carried out the "precise operation to remove this terrorist" at Trump's direction and in conjunction with Nigeria's president. 

The secretary reiterated how Trump in November "declared to the world that we will help protect Christians in Nigeria and instructed the Department of War to prepare for action."

"So, for months, we hunted this top ISIS leader in Nigeria who was killing Christians, and we killed him — and his entire posse," Hegseth wrote.

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

United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the ISIS strikes in a Saturday statement. 

US MILITARY IN SYRIA CARRIES OUT 10 STRIKES ON MORE THAN 30 ISIS TARGETS: PHOTOS

"At the direction of the President of the United States and the Secretary of War, and in coordination with the Government of Nigeria, U.S. Africa Command conducted an operation against ISIS in Northeastern Nigeria on May 16, 2026," the statement read. "The command’s initial assessment is that multiple terrorists, to include Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the director of global operations for ISIS, as well as other senior ISIS leaders, were killed during this operation. No U.S. service members were harmed."

"As President Trump shared last night, AFRICOM in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, bravely and valiantly conducted a successful mission that resulted in the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, and multiple other ISIS leaders," AFRICOM commander U.S. Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson said in a statement.

"This operation underscores the exceptional value of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership and was made possible through the cooperation and coordination of our forces in recent months. Make no mistake, our two nations will relentlessly pursue and neutralize terrorist threats and are committed to protecting our people and interests," Anderson said.

Al-Minuki, the statement added, provided "strategic guidance to the ISIS global network on media and financial operations as well as the development and manufacturing of weapons, explosives, and drones." 

Al-Minuki was "the most active terrorist in the world and has a significant history of involvement in planning attacks and directing hostage taking," AFRICOM wrote.

The announcement comes after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out multiple strikes against more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria in February as part of a joint military effort to "sustain relentless military pressure on remnants from the terrorist network."

CENTCOM said U.S. forces struck ISIS infrastructure and weapons-storage targets using fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned aircraft.

DEADLY STRIKE ON US TROOPS TESTS TRUMP’S COUNTER-ISIS PLAN — AND HIS TRUST IN SYRIA’S NEW LEADER

Trump told reporters on Jan. 27 that he had a "great conversation" with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

"All of the things having to do with Syria in that area are working out very, very well," he said at the time. "So, we are very happy about it."

CENTCOM announced in February that more than 50 ISIS terrorists had been killed or captured and more than 100 ISIS infrastructure targets struck during two months of targeted operations in Syria.

The U.S. launched Operation Hawkeye Strike in response to an ISIS ambush that killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter Dec. 13, 2025, in Palmyra, Syria.

Fox News Digital's Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.

A ship was seized off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning, the British military reported.

The ship was boarded and "taken by unauthorized personnel" while it was roughly 38 nautical miles northeast of the United Arab Emirates’ oil export terminal Fujairah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported Thursday.

UKMTO spotted the ship heading toward Iranian territorial waters after the seizure, it reported Thursday.

British authorities did not release information on who the ship belonged to or who seized it. Despite the lack of official corroboration, the BBC reported that the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan was seized in the Strait on Thursday.

CARGO SHIP ATTACKED BY SMALL CRAFT NEAR STRAIT OF HORMUZ, UK MARITIME AGENCY SAYS

Citing the risk-management company Vanguard, the BBC reported that the ship's operators told Vanguard that the Hui Chuan was operating as a "floating armory" for ships in the Strait to defend themselves from pirates.

At least two other ships have already been seized in the Strait of Hormuz since February.

IRAN SAYS ITS SMALL SUBS DEPLOYED TO STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS EXPERT EXPLAINS THREAT: ‘VULNERABLE TO DETECTION’

In April, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized the Panamanian-flagged MSC Francesca and the Epaminondes ships in the Strait.

Fox News Digital contacted UKMTO and Vanguard for further information but did not immediately receive a response.

Iran says it has deployed small submarines to act as an "invisible guardian" of the Strait of Hormuz amid a series of rejected peace deals between Tehran and the U.S., according to reports.

The deployment claim came as analysts said that although the Iranian Ghadir-class mini-subs could threaten U.S. naval forces, the vessels’ limited range, firepower and endurance would blunt any real strategic impact.

The submarine deployment was highlighted by Bloomberg and first reported by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, commander of Iran’s navy, said that his forces deployed its light submarine, referred to as the "dolphins of the Persian Gulf," according to the Iranian state media outlet.

IRAN TURNS TO PUTIN AS US TALKS COLLAPSE, HORMUZ STANDOFF THREATENS GLOBAL OIL FLOW

It also comes as Tehran seeks to reinforce its control over the strait, now defining it as a far larger zone, Reuters reported.

"Time would be limited, probably a couple of days at the most," defense analyst Tom Shugart told Fox News Digital about the Iranian vessel deployment.

The retired U.S. Navy submarine warfare officer also said the small diesel-electric submarines face fundamental operational constraints.

IRAN HOLDS WORLD ENERGY HOSTAGE WITH 'NIGHTMARE' STRAIT OF HORMUZ SEA MINES, FORMER CENTCOM OFFICIAL WARNS

"If they run their diesel engines to snorkel and recharge batteries, that could generate sound that could be detected," Shugart said.

"Their snorkel mast projecting from the water could be detected by radars on patrol aircraft or helicopters," Shugart added.

The submarines are said to be designed for shallow waters like the Strait of Hormuz and can operate quietly for limited periods on battery power.

"While they may be able to sit on the bottom for a while and operate somewhat quietly on their batteries for a while, they have no air-independent propulsion system (AIP) like more modern diesel-electric submarines," Shugart said before adding that they’ll, "eventually have to come up and snorkel. This will make them more vulnerable to detection and destruction."

INSIDE IRAN’S MILITARY: MISSILES, MILITIAS AND A FORCE BUILT FOR SURVIVAL

The IRGC Navy is said to be the sole operator of this class of submarine, all of which serve in the Southern Fleet.

"Any remaining Ghadirs, if they exist and are actually deployed, may be able to lay mines and may be able to threaten merchant ships," Shugart warned.

"But I don’t see them as a serious threat to U.S. Navy warships — and certainly not to U.S. submarines," he said.

"But I can say for sure that I wouldn’t want to go out on one in the current environment."

HORMUZ CHOKE POINT PERSISTS AS IRAN HALTS OIL TRAFFIC DESPITE TRUMP CEASEFIRE

The U.S. Navy confirmed May 10 that a U.S. Navy Ohio-class nuclear-armed submarine had arrived in Gibraltar.

"The port visit demonstrates U.S. capability, flexibility and continuing commitment to its NATO allies," U.S. Sixth Fleet Public Affairs said in a statement.

"Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines are undetectable launch platforms for submarine-launched ballistic missiles, providing the U.S. with its most survivable leg of the nuclear triad," it added.

Meanwhile, Shugart’s remarks came as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, with commercial tanker traffic largely choked off amid ongoing military activity and the continued U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

The United Arab Emirates and South Korea reported new strikes on stranded vessels Wednesday, while the IRGC increased its fast-attack craft activity, according to reports.

President Donald Trump has maintained Iran’s navy is "completely obliterated."

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran is on "massive life support," as retired U.S. commanders and national security experts are increasingly split whether Washington should resume military operations against Tehran or avoid what critics warn could become another prolonged Middle East conflict.

"I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support," Trump told reporters Monday. "Where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a 1% chance of living.’"

Trump also dismissed Iran’s latest response to a proposed agreement as "a piece of garbage," amid reports the White House is reviewing military options should negotiations collapse.

Retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, former national security adviser under Trump, said he believes Iran’s leadership is unlikely to make the concessions Trump considers necessary for a deal.

WHITE HOUSE WARNS IRAN AGAINST BALKING AT DEAL: TRUMP READY TO 'UNLEASH HELL'

"I think the Iranian leadership and IRGC are unwilling to make the kind of concessions that President Trump thinks are at the minimum," McMaster told Fox News Digital, referring to Iran's hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

"President Trump always wants a deal," he added. "But he's not going to sign up for a bad deal."

The emerging debate now centers on a core question facing Washington: whether additional military pressure could force Iran to abandon its nuclear and missile ambitions, or whether renewed strikes would deepen a regional conflict without producing decisive results.

Retired Vice Adm. Mark Fox, former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said he believes the current ceasefire and diplomatic track are unlikely to force Iran to back down.

"I really cannot envision anything other than a full return to combat operations," Fox told Fox News Digital. "The only thing that they will respond to, I think ultimately, is force."

Fox argued the U.S. military remains capable of reopening and securing commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing Iranian threats against vessels transiting the waterway.

HORMUZ CHOKE POINT PERSISTS AS IRAN HALTS OIL TRAFFIC DESPITE TRUMP CEASEFIRE

"This is a militarily obtainable objective," he said, outlining a strategy involving guided missile destroyers, attack helicopters, drones and expanded aerial surveillance to create a protected maritime corridor through the Strait.

Fox acknowledged the U.S. Navy is smaller than it was during the 1980s tanker wars, but argued American forces still possess the capability to secure the chokepoint if Washington commits enough naval assets and persistent monitoring operations.

"It’s not easy," Fox said. "But the geography is fixed."

He described a possible strategy that would rely on destroyers, drones and attack aircraft to create what he called an "unblinking eye" over the strait, allowing U.S. forces to identify and neutralize Iranian speedboats, drones and anti-shipping threats before they can strike commercial vessels.

Fox also warned against allowing Iran to preserve leverage over Hormuz while continuing to advance its missile and nuclear programs.

"If not now, when?" he said. "If they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it."

EXPERTS WARN IRAN’S NUCLEAR DOUBLE-TALK DESIGNED TO BUY TIME, UNDERMINE US PRESSURE

Fox, who also signed onto a recent policy paper by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, echoed the report’s argument that Iran is using negotiations to buy time while preserving its military capabilities.

The paper was authored by several retired senior U.S. military officials and national security experts, including retired Gen. Chuck Wald, former deputy commander of U.S. European Command and retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, former deputy commander of CENTCOM, argued the current ceasefire and diplomatic track "cannot reliably compel Iran" to meet U.S. demands and warned Tehran was seeking to "drag out talks, erode U.S. resolve, and use the time to strengthen itself."

The report called for expanded military operations targeting Iran’s maritime capabilities, missile infrastructure and internal coercive apparatus while avoiding broad attacks on civilian infrastructure that could trigger wider regional escalation.

But not everyone agrees that renewed military action would produce a better outcome.

Retired Lt. Col. Daniel Davis, a senior fellow at Defense Priorities and longtime critic of expanded U.S. military interventions, warned that calls to "finish the job" ignore the realities exposed during the recent fighting.

"To ‘finish the job,’ as they say, is irrational," Davis told Fox News Digital. "It’s illogical, and it violates any kind of military principle."

KEITH KELLOGG URGES US TO 'FINISH THE JOB' AGAINST IRAN BY SEIZING ISLANDS, STRANGLING ECONOMY

Davis argued that despite thousands of strikes and weeks of fighting, Iran retained significant missile and maritime capabilities.

"We couldn't knock them out with 14,000 targets hit," he said. "Why does anybody think that going back another time is going to have a different result?"

He described Iran’s geography, dispersed missile infrastructure and asymmetric naval tactics as creating what he called "a militarily unsolvable problem."

"The only thing left is a diplomatic outcome," Davis said.

The disagreement reflects a broader divide emerging in Washington as officials weigh what comes next if negotiations fail.

Supporters of renewed military action argue Iran is weaker than it has been in decades and that stopping now risks allowing Tehran to regroup, rebuild its missile arsenal and preserve leverage over one of the world’s most important energy choke points.

Critics counter that even extensive U.S. and Israeli strikes failed to fundamentally break the regime’s control or eliminate its military capabilities, raising the risk that further escalation could drag the United States into another drawn-out regional conflict with uncertain results.

Pakistan rejected reports Tuesday that it allowed Iranian aircraft to use its airfields amid tensions with the United States—claims suggesting the move could have shielded the planes from potential airstrikes—even as Islamabad positioned itself as a high-profile mediator between the two sides.

According to the report May 11, Tehran was also said to have possibly sent a civilian aircraft to Afghanistan during the conflict. 

Pakistan said Tuesday the CBS report was "misleading and sensationalized. Such speculative narratives appear aimed at undermining ongoing efforts for regional stability and peace," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

"Following the ceasefire and during the initial round of the Islamabad Talks, a number of aircraft from Iran and the United States arrived in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams, and administrative staff associated with the talks process," the ministry said before clarifying that "some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan in anticipation of subsequent rounds of engagement."

JD VANCE RETURNS TO WASHINGTON AFTER 16 HOURS OF IRAN PEACE TALKS COLLAPSE IN PAKISTAN

The alleged Iranian asset movements had also suggested there was an effort by Iran to conceal some of its remaining aerial assets as Pakistan worked behind the scenes to broker a ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

President Donald Trump also confirmed Tuesday he was satisfied with the mediation work carried out by Pakistan, telling reporters ahead of his trip to China that they were "great."

"I think the Pakistanis have been great. The field marshal and the prime minister of Pakistan have been absolutely great," Trump clarified.

In April, Pakistan had emerged as a key mediator in efforts to de-escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis and the regional conflict.

Islamabad hosted senior delegations for talks on April 11–12 after helping secure a temporary two-week ceasefire.

IRAN COVERTLY REPOSITIONS STRIKE DRONES AMID RUSSIA DRILLS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ, EXPERT SAYS

Pakistan’s position was unique, given its geographic proximity to Iran and its longstanding strategic partnership with the United States. 

Mediation efforts were led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Officials told CBS that, days after Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran in early April, Tehran sent multiple aircraft to Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan.

Nur Khan Airbase, located near Rawalpindi, is said to be a key installation of the Pakistan Air Force and serves as a major logistical and operational hub. 

Among the aircraft reportedly moved there was an Iranian Air Force RC-130, a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, the outlet said.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES 'PROJECT FREEDOM,' IRAN THREATENS ATTACKS, PAKISTAN ANNOUNCES US RELEASE OF SEIZED CARGO SHIP

Despite initial progress between the U.S. and Iran, talks in Islamabad on April 11 ultimately collapsed. 

However, Pakistani leadership said it felt optimistic. "We are very optimistic that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement," Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.

Trump also praised Pakistan’s mediating role again, stating on May 7, "Pakistan has been fantastic. And its leaders have been fantastic—the marshal and the prime minister."

As part of the next response, Trump also launched "Project Freedom" to guide vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and to help free up shipping.

Trump's initiative to help thousands of stranded crew lasted 48 hours, with the president later acknowledging that it was halted "at the request of Pakistan and other countries," including Saudi Arabia, to avoid jeopardizing ongoing negotiations with Iran.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. said Monday that if Pakistan did shelter Iranian aircraft during mediation then it would force a complete reassessment of Pakistan’s role.

"If this reporting is accurate, it would require a complete reevaluation of the role Pakistan is playing as mediator between Iran, the United States and other parties. Given some of the prior statements by Pakistani defense officials towards Israel, I would not be shocked if this were true," Graham said in a post shared on X.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Government of Pakistan, The White House and U.S. Central Command for comment.

The church bells still ring in Rmeish on the Lebanon-Israel border.

While much of southern Lebanon has suffered destruction during the war between Israel and the terror group Hezbollah, the predominantly Christian border town close to Israel remained largely untouched. Churches are still standing. Homes remain intact. Residents say the village avoided Israeli strikes because locals refused to allow Hezbollah fighters to operate from inside the town.

"There was more than one attempt for them to come to the outskirts or the entrance of the village to launch rockets from there," one resident told Jusoor News. "The young men of Rmeish confronted them and prevented them from entering."

"That led to the protection of Rmeish from any Israeli attacks," the resident said. "The Israelis do not target aimlessly. They target launch sites."

HEZBOLLAH DISARMAMENT DEADLOCK RISKS CIVIL WAR, ANALYSTS SAY, AS US PREPARES FOR ISRAEL–LEBANON TALKS

The account offers a rare public glimpse into open resistance to Hezbollah inside southern Lebanon, where criticism of the Iranian-backed terrorist group is often met with accusations of treason or collaboration with Israel.

Tarek, a Christian social activist from Rmeish who spoke by phone with Fox News Digital, said residents of the town have long-faced pressure because they refused to align with Hezbollah.

"After 2000, when Israel left, we were always labeled as collaborators of Israel," Tarek said. "We suffered a lot from this stigma."

He said Hezbollah supporters accused the town of cooperating with Israel simply because it escaped the destruction seen in neighboring villages.

The interviews come as the Trump administration brokers talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at stabilizing the border and addressing Hezbollah’s military presence in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem recently rejected any discussion about disarming the group, while U.S. officials continue pushing to strengthen the Lebanese state over the armed terror group.

Tarek argued Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanon cannot be separated from Iran.

"The Lebanese government has been ruled by Hezbollah for almost 36 years," he told Fox News Digital. "They are deeply entrenched in all arms of the government, security, army and institutions."

"If the president or prime minister says they want peace, Hezbollah will resist that," he added.

Tarek said weakening Iran is the key to weakening Hezbollah.

IRAN COULD ‘ACTIVATE’ HEZBOLLAH IF US TARGETS REGIME, TRUMP’S INNER CIRCLE TO DECIDE: EXPERT

"It’s about cutting the head of the octopus, which is the Iranian regime," he said. "Once you cut the head, Hezbollah will no longer function."

Another resident said many in the town increasingly believe "Hezbollah’s project is an Iranian project, not a Lebanese one."

Another woman from the village described living surrounded by war while trying to keep the town outside the fighting.

‘WAR FOLLOWED US’: A SYRIAN FAMILY FLED BEIRUT AFTER ISRAELI BOMBARDMENT TO FACE REPRESSION, BOMBING AT HOME

"We are in the middle, and the war surrounds us from all sides," she said. "This makes us live in a state of fear, anxiety, insecurity and instability."

A man from the village said residents had endured decades of wars that they have nothing to do with.

"We decided to remain steadfast," he said. "Where would we go?"

An older resident said his family has suffered from violence along the border since the 1970s.

"We are tired of wars," he said. "We want nothing but peace."

Despite accusations from Hezbollah supporters, residents insisted they do not regret standing up to the terrorist group.

"All accusations of treason are rejected," one resident said. "The people of Rmeish want to live safely on their land."

Another resident added: "Just because I don’t believe in your project doesn’t mean I’m a traitor."

Ahed Al Hendi, a senior fellow at the Center for Peace Communications, told Fox News Digital that, "The defiance shown by Christians in southern Lebanon reflects a major shift in the country’s internal dynamics. For more than two decades, many Christians living near the border suffered under Hezbollah’s dominance, yet were stigmatized and often afraid to speak openly against it." 

"Today," Al Hendi added, "with the changing balance of power, they are increasingly confronting Hezbollah publicly and speaking out against what they see as its tyranny."

The apparent collapse of high-stakes U.S.-Iran negotiations has intensified fears that senior figures inside Tehran’s leadership could flee to Russia, seeking refuge to "continue their insurgency and undermine any new regime," an analyst warns.

The breakdown in talks comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also told CBS’ "60 Minutes" that toppling Iran’s regime could now even be a realistic outcome.

Netanyahu noted that any collapse would dismantle the "scaffolding" of Tehran's global terror proxy network, also potentially ending Hezbollah's influence in the region.

"The whole scaffolding of the terrorist proxy network that Iran built collapses if the regime in Iran collapses," Netanyahu said.

HERE’S WHAT A POST-AYATOLLAH IRAN COULD LOOK LIKE IF WAR WITH ISRAEL LEADS TO REGIME’S FALL

"I think you can’t predict when that will happen. Is it possible? Yes. Is it guaranteed? No," he warned.

With diplomatic options perhaps exhausted and the regime's stability in question, an expert suggests the exit strategy any leadership may be eyeing might be similar to that of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who fled Syria in 2024.

"If the situation deteriorates further, some senior figures could potentially follow a path like Bashar al-Assad’s inner circle and seek refuge in Russia," Middle East expert Saeid Golkar told Fox News Digital.

IRANIAN REGIME ELITES ALLEGEDLY MOVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT OF COUNTRY AMID SANCTIONS

Golkar, a senior adviser at United Against Nuclear Iran, noted that flight destinations would likely depend on rank.

While top commanders like Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf might head to Moscow, lower-ranking figures would more likely seek shelter in Iraq or Afghanistan, where the IRGC maintains operational connections, he clarified.

"For the most senior figures, Russia would probably be the most likely destination, again as we saw with Bashar al-Assad," Golkar said, noting many officials have already moved wealth into "financial networks outside Iran."

The current crisis started following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier in 2026 during the onset of Operation Epic Fury.

While his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was named successor, reports continue to indicate he was severely injured in the strikes and has been absent from recent negotiations.

INSIDE IRAN’S RULING IDEOLOGY: HOW A ‘HOLY MISSION’ AND MESSIANIC DOCTRINE FUEL REGIME EXTREMISM

Golkar explained that the "invisible state," or Bayt-e Rahbari, was designed to survive decapitation, while the ideological cost of fleeing for leaders would be high.

"Inside the regime’s ideological culture, leaving the country during the collapse would look like desertion," Golkar noted.

However, as military fractures deepen and succession remains uncertain, the "Assad model" of seeking Russian protection appears increasingly attractive to those at the top.

Mojtaba, however, is "either dead or in bad condition that he cannot send any video or voice message," Golkar added.

"If he had died from his injuries, there was no clear natural successor. He was the continuation of the regime."

"Still, the system was designed for continuity during a crisis," Golkar said, adding that the goal is to "make sure the regime could survive even if formal institutions were damaged, leaders were killed, or civilian government stopped functioning."

"I would describe it as a regime designed not just to govern, but always to try and survive decapitation," Golkar added.