INTERNACIONAL
Israel unveils game-changing artillery against Iran-backed Hezbollah amid fragile ceasefire
Israel unveils game-changing artillery technology
An Israeli Ro’em self-propelled artillery system, whose name means «thunder» in Hebrew, is seen in action. Ehud Bibi, the IDF’s chief artillery officer, said the system marks «a new era» of faster, more precise battlefield fire. (IDF Video.)
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JERUSALEM: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have introduced a new self-propelled howitzer to combat Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon as a defensive weapon against Hezbollah attacks.
Ro’em, the Hebrew word for thunder, could play an important role if the 10-day fragile ceasefire breaks down between Israel and Hezbollah. A second round of talks aimed at disarming Hezbollah between the ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel are slated for Thursday in Washington D.C. The ceasefire went into effect Thursday.
Ehud Bibi, Chief Artillery Officer for the IDF, told Fox News Digital that «The Ro’em brings a new capability to the Artillery Corps and the IDF as a whole, reshaping how firepower is employed on the battlefield. This marks a historic milestone, introducing a new era of more precise, faster, and more flexible fire enabling us to support troops on the ground more effectively.»
LAWMAKERS QUESTION WHETHER US MOVING FAST ENOUGH TO CAPITALIZE ON HEZBOLLAH’S WEAKENED STATE
Israeli Ro’em self-propelled artillery system is seen in an undated image, part of the IDF’s next-generation artillery capabilities. (IDF)
According to the IDF statement, «During the activity, the troops conducted precise artillery fire on several Hezbollah anti-tank and surface-to-surface missile launch positions, from which attacks had been launched against IDF troops. The firing was effective, achieving operational results and introducing new artillery capabilities, thereby reducing the threat posed to IDF troops and Israeli civilians.»
The IDF said the launches were purely defensive attacks against Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists during the truce. The howitzer can fire roughly 40 kilometers (about 25 miles). A team of three IDF soldiers operate the Ro’em.
Elbit Systems stated on its website that it’s «capable of automatic loading and laying of the gun system, rapid in-and-out action times and high rate of fire. It offers a protected cabin for a crew of three.» Adding that, «Depending on the mission, SIGMA is capable of automatically selecting and loading the required projectile, propellant and fuze and laying the gun to optimally engage targets.» Also known as SIGMA, the Ro’em is produced by South Carolina-based subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America.
Israeli Ro’em self-propelled artillery system is seen in an undated image, part of the IDF’s next-generation artillery capabilities. (IDF)
Hezbollah violated a previous November 2024 ceasefire, which was brokered by the U.S., when it launched missiles into Israel on March 2 in response to the joint Israel-Iran war on Iran’s regime. The Lebanese government and the Lebanese Armed Forces failed to adhere to a deadline in 2025 to disarm Hezbollah.
The United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 also required that Hezbollah be disarmed following the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon.
MACRON UNDER FIRE OVER IRAN, HEZBOLLAH POLICY AS TRUMP ADMIN HOSTS ISRAEL-LEBANON TALKS
According to an IDF statement sent to Fox News Digital about the modern howitzer, last Tuesday, «Troops from the 282nd Fire Brigade of the Artillery Corps, led by the ‘Ro’em’ branch at the Mali (Ground Training Center) Fire Center, conducted… their first operational firing using the «Ro’em» howitzer, in support of IDF troops operating in northern Israel.»
The statement continued that «The ‘Ro’em»’is a new howitzer recently introduced into IDF service, bringing advanced and innovative capabilities to the battlefield. It significantly increases the rate of fire, enables engagement at longer ranges compared to existing systems, and provides enhanced mobility and maneuverability in the field.
Hezbollah attacks on Israel since March 2 resulted in the killing of 2 civilians and 15 Israeli soldiers. Reuters reported that Hezbollah has not disclosed its casualty figures.
Hezbollah worked to build facilities below private residential buildings and houses. (Benoît Durand / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images)
Lebanese authorities report that nearly 2,300 people in Lebanon have been killed since March 2. Those figures don’t differentiate between Hezbollah terrorists and civilians.
Speaking at a Memorial Day event for the country’s fallen troops, the country’s defense Minister Israel Katz pledged to ensure that Israelis in the north, who have faced massive aerial attacks from Hezbollah, will be secure.
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«Even as we gather here to honor our fallen, after weeks of determined operations by IDF forces in southern Lebanon, our commitment to the residents of the north remains clear and unequivocal, to bring them security,» Katz said. He noted that «If the Lebanese government continues not to fulfill its obligations, the IDF will do so through continued military activity.»
Reuters contributed to this report.
israel, middle east, lebanon, war with iran, military, terrorism
INTERNACIONAL
Blue state leaders erupt after Supreme Court’s decision ending TPS protections for Haitians, Syrians
New York governor vows to fight back after TPS rollback
Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York will continue fighting for immigrants after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration Thursday to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian migrants. (Handout/Governor Hochul)
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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration in two key immigration cases on Thursday, drawing strong opposition from blue state Democrats and prompting a prominent House Republican to break ranks over concerns of a looming healthcare «crisis.»
In a 6-3 decision in Mullin v. Doe, the high court ruled that Haitian and Syrian nationals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) cannot turn to federal courts to postpone the revocation of their legal status while challenging the Trump administration’s policies.
In a separate ruling, the court also held that migrants turned away at the southern border before entering the U.S. are not entitled to apply for asylum.
Democrat leaders in New York and Massachusetts immediately held news conferences to denounce the Supreme Court’s decisions and pledge local resistance.
SUPREME COURT HANDS TRUMP TWO MAJOR IMMIGRATION VICTORIES
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a news conference Thursday in Manhattan to show her support for the Haitian and Syrian communities. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state would push back by designating «sensitive locations» to block ICE agents and banning masks for immigration enforcers.
«This is New York. We fight back. We defend our people,» Hochul said. «For those who think they can come here and just tell us that that’s going to be the different way that it is, you got to get to us first.»
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams delivered some of the harshest rhetoric, accusing the Trump administration of operating with a «White supremacist lens.»
«This is another day in Trump’s America where we have someone in the White House who believes in fascist rules with a White supremacist lens,» Williams said. «He is doing that because his policies are based on treating people like they are not human beings, particularly if they’re Black and Brown.»
TRUMP FOES MELT DOWN THAT SCOTUS IS UNLEASHING ‘RACIAL TERROR’ ON US WITH ICE RAID RULING
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams speaks at a news conference and rally at a Manhattan union headquarters. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
In her dissenting opinion on the ruling, Supreme Court Justice Elena argued there is evidence the Trump administration was motivated by «racial animus» when revoking Haitians’ TPS, citing statements Trump made during the lead-up to the 2024 election, including claims that Haitians were «eating pets in Ohio.»
However, Justice Samuel Alito, who authored both majority opinions for the Supreme Court’s decisions, noted the respondents themselves suggested the administration might simply oppose TPS as a general policy matter rather than targeting a specific group.
Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Letitia James called the ruling a «betrayal of who we are supposed to be as a nation,» and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the activation of a free municipal legal hotline to help affected immigrants.
«The people of New York City are going to show up for you as we face down a Supreme Court ruling that just opened the door to fear instability and the threat of deportation for so many,» said Mamdani, whose wife is Syrian-American. «… We don’t let those who are afraid of what makes this city great try to divide us. We reject the politics of fear.»
FEDERAL JUDGE HALTS TRUMP TPS POLICY, ACCUSES DHS OF MAKING MIGRANTS ‘ATONE FOR THEIR RACE’
New York City Mayor Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks at a news conference Thursday in Manhattan. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
In Massachusetts, which hosts roughly 45,000 TPS holders, Gov. Maura Healey slammed the decision, arguing it «makes no sense for our families, our economy, our communities, [or] our country.»
A visibly emotional Boston Mayor Michelle Wu addressed migrants directly, telling them, «You belong here.»
The ruling also exposed a rift within the GOP, as Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., strongly criticized the move to end TPS for Haitians.
While Lawler noted he does not dispute the president’s legal authority to end TPS, he warned that doing so now could trigger a disaster for the U.S. healthcare system, which heavily relies on Haitian workers.
«Of the 350,000+ lawful Haitian TPS holders, roughly 1/3rd work in our healthcare system,» Lawler wrote in an X post. «Immediately shutting off TPS will create a crisis in our hospitals, nursing homes, and in the I/DD community.»
Lawler also pointed to the rampant gang violence in Haiti, citing the State Department’s Level 4 travel advisory, as proof that the situation «continues to warrant an extension» of protections.
DHS FIRES BACK AT ‘ACTIVIST JUDGES’ BLOCKING TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS CRACKDOWN
FILE – Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey also hosted a news conference on Thursday, pushing back on the Supreme Court’s decision. (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
He urged the administration to allow an «orderly process» over the next six months for Haitian TPS holders to maintain their work authorizations and called on the Senate to take up his legislation to temporarily extend their status.
Following the decision, the White House and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) celebrated the rulings as a win for the rule of law.
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«This ruling is a tremendous win for the Trump administration,» White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. «Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what President Trump has always maintained: temporary protected status is, by definition, temporary. It was never intended to be a pathway to permanent status or legal residency.»
Similarly, DHS General Counsel James Percival posted on X that «the T in TPS stands for TEMPORARY, yet many of these designations became de facto amnesty.»
«This is a win for the rule of law and common sense,» Percival said.
supreme court, new york, immigration, massachusetts, donald trump, homeland security, politics
INTERNACIONAL
Menores heridos y sin sus padres son trasladados a hospitales de Caracas tras los terremotos que sacudieron Venezuela
Yenderlin Cabarza llegó con fracturas a emergencias desde la zona más golpeada por los devastadores terremotos en Venezuela que dejaron al menos 188 muertos. Su madre no sobrevivió. Tampoco su tío que la protegió con su cuerpo del derrumbe. La adolescente, de 13 años, espera sola por atención médica, como decenas de menores.
Ambulancias irrumpen constantemente en la entrada del Hospital Domingo Luciani, en el este de Caracas, donde personas ansiosas revisaban el jueves largas listas pegadas en las paredes del centro médico para encontrar a sus seres queridos.
Nombres y nombres escritos a mano aparecen en estos listados, entre ellos los de 22 niños y adolescentes de entre 4 a 19 años.
Estos menores heridos fueron rescatados en La Guaira, la localidad costera que sufrió la víspera los embates de dos sismos de 7,2 y 7,5 de magnitud.
Los movimientos telúricos redujeron edificios completos a escombros y el jueves aún causaban zozobra en Venezuela.
Cabarza fue trasladada en una ambulancia desde esta área, que las autoridades calificaron de “zona de desastre”.
“Salió con sus dos bracitos que le bailaban, no lograban rescatarla porque los escombros le caían encima”, cuenta a la AFP Rolando, amigo de la familia que prefiere identificarse solo con su nombre de pila.
“Subió sola en la ambulancia, después subimos nosotros” desde La Guaira hasta este hospital, dice el hombre, que acompañaba al padre de la chica. “Supimos que ella estaba aquí porque avisaron en ese momento que la trasladarían” a este lugar.
El padre de Cabarza entró a emergencias y supo que su hija salió del quirófano tras ser operada de fracturas en ambos brazos. El resto de sus parientes, los que sobrevivieron, aguardaban a las afueras del centro médico.
“Varios de los niños llegan solos porque los traen rápidamente desde el lugar en donde los rescatan”, explica un médico que prefirió el anonimato por no estar autorizado para declarar.
Unos “nos dan sus nombres”, otros llegan “identificados con un tirro (cinta adhesiva) en el brazo”, agrega una doctora, también bajo anonimato.
“La mayoría no tiene familiares, llegan solos y lo que nos refieren los paramédicos es que los sacan de los escombros, los montan en la ambulancia y los traen para acá porque en La Guaira los hospitales están muy ‘full’”, dice.
Las autoridades calculan que hay unos 1.520 heridos y casi dos centenares de desaparecidos por la tragedia.
En la sala de espera del Domingo Luciani aguardan familias y amigos de los heridos del terremoto.
Entre las lesiones más comunes hay traumatismos faciales, torácicos o abdominales, y fracturas en miembros superiores e inferiores.
“Los familiares deben estar en la sala de espera”, grita una trabajadora del hospital por un megáfono. “Deben despejar el área, está prohibido estar aquí”, cerca de la sala de emergencia.
En tanto, la mujer con el megáfono llama cada cierto tiempo a allegados de los internados, que se dicen con “suerte” al saberlos vivos.
Con la esperanza de ubicar a sus familiares, muchos recién llegados fotografían los listados de heridos.
Las imágenes con decenas de nombres se esparcen como pólvora en redes sociales.
“Vengo del hospital Pérez Carreño y ahí tampoco encontré a mi hermana”, lamenta Zoraida Hernández, de 52 años, quien la busca desde el miércoles tras enterarse del colapso de su casa en costera Catia la Mar.
Un camillero le dijo a la AFP que la morgue del hospital está llena.
La fuerza de los dos terremotos fue tal que se sintieron incluso en Colombia, donde sonaron algunas alarmas. Desde entonces se reportaron más de 130 réplicas.
(AFP)
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The Pentagon’s massive funding request to pay some of the costs of the Iran war is going to be a hard sell for Senate Democrats, and a key issue buried deep in the multibillion-dollar request could divide Republicans.
Congress received the nearly $88 billion package Wednesday afternoon after months of speculation about whether it would ever come, and exactly how much it would cost. The current price tag is drastically lower than earlier estimates, which project the package could reach as high as $200 billion.
But after roughly four months and a tenuous peace deal in place, Democrats appear unwilling to support the funding that would replenish munitions, despite sweeteners that appear geared toward attracting their support.
CLOSED-DOOR OUTBURST TURNS INTO VICTORY FOR TRUMP’S IRAN NEGOTIATIONS
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, speaks at a news conference following Senate Democrat policy luncheons at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on June 23, 2026. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg)
«It seems designed to repel Democratic votes,» Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said. «They’re clearly not trying to pass this.»
Those sweeteners, which include $11 billion in aid for farmers and $1.4 billion to fight the Ebola outbreak in Africa, didn’t sway Murphy, who charged that the farm assistance in particular was a «war cost.»
The package isn’t getting any love from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., either, who accused President Donald Trump of «asking taxpayers to clean up his messes.»
«After dragging America into a reckless war, he now wants Congress to hand him tens of billions more to paper over the damage — while families are still paying higher prices,» Schumer said on X. «We should be lowering costs for the American people, not writing another blank check for Trump.»
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wasn’t surprised that Senate Democrats appeared ready to bat down the package, which will need at least 60 votes to pass in the Senate, arguing that «they haven’t supported anything this year, or last year.»
IRAN WAR’S PRICE TAG HITS $80B — MORE THAN DOUBLE WHAT CONGRESS WAS TOLD
«It’s literally true. I mean, including stuff that they negotiated,» Hawley said. «FISA, they negotiated, which I didn’t like when they negotiated, but still, you know, they negotiated and said, ‘No,’ they negotiated all the appropriations bills then said, ‘No.’ I mean, so, you know, I’d be shocked if they did support it.»
The bulk of the request is geared toward the Pentagon and includes $67 billion for the War Department, including $21 billion to replenish missile stockpiles depleted during the Iran offensive, known as Operation Epic Fury, $17 billion for military operations, $2.4 billion for drones and $5.1 billion for cybersecurity and autonomy.
Another $12 billion of the War Department funding would go toward classified programs. The request also includes $2 billion for the Coast Guard and $800 million for the National Guard.
The administration is also seeking $672 million for the removal of Iranian nuclear materials, inspections and verification efforts, and other counterproliferation activities.
According to the proposal, the funding would support the removal of Iranian nuclear materials, including uranium hexafluoride (UF6), uranium in various forms and research reactor fuel, including highly enriched uranium.
The proposal would also fund potential U.S. verification activities in Iran, subject to site access, support inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, strengthen nuclear-smuggling detection efforts and expand Nuclear Emergency Support Team operations across the Middle East.
The funding comes as U.S. and Iranian negotiators work to translate the recent memorandum of understanding (MOU) into a more detailed agreement governing Iran’s nuclear program and stockpile of enriched uranium.
While the memorandum established downblending as the minimum acceptable method for handling Iran’s enriched uranium, negotiators have not publicly disclosed whether the material would ultimately remain in Iran, be transferred to another country or be destroyed.
TRUMP SEEKS $672M TO STOP IRANIAN NUKES AS NEGOTIATORS WEIGH FATE OF URANIUM STOCKPILE
The price of ethanol-free gasoline is shown on a gas pump at an Exxon gas station in Austin on May 5, 2026. The Trump administration will waive higher-ethanol E15 gasoline from U.S. volatility requirements this summer, expanding sales and benefiting corn farmers and biofuels producers. (Kaylee Greenlee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
While Democrats shake their fists at the supplemental spending package, one provision tucked into the legislation could also give Republicans heartburn.
Among the farm aid provisions is a policy to permanently extend the sale of gasoline with a blend of ethanol, a liquid biofuel made from corn, known as E15.
The E15 issue showed a rare rift in Senate Republican leadership, one that ripples through the Senate GOP based on geography and differing state economies than on a personal leve.
«Promising a year-round E15 mandate is a check the president can’t cash,» a Republican source said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., backs it, particularly for the benefits it could give candidates running for election or re-election in states where corn crops are king.
But his second-in-command, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., bucked the House’s year-round E15 bill when it passed last month and has argued that allowing a mandate on the fuel blend would hurt small refiners and undo strides for energy production made in Trump’s flagship legislation, the «big, beautiful bill.»
«America’s small refiners are unsung heroes of affordable American energy. Washington D.C., often overlooks them. Working families depend on them,» Barrasso said on the Senate floor earlier this week. «I represent several small refineries in Wyoming. The refineries employ thousands of people.»
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«They make gasoline prices more affordable,» he continued. «They strengthen our nation’s energy security. Proposed new mandates on small refineries would harm them and the people who work for them.»
Since the House bill passed, Thune said he has continued to have conversations to find a «path forward» on the issue.
«We’re working with the stakeholder community and our members on both sides to figure out if that’s something we can execute on and get done,» Thune said.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a proponent of the provision, argued that he viewed it as an «incentive,» but acknowledged there was a chance it could be amended out of the broader supplemental package.
«I mean it makes a better deal, and I don’t know why they would want to take it out,» Rounds said.
politics, nuclear proliferation, pentagon, war with iran, senate elections, democrats senate
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