INTERNACIONAL
Experts urge extreme caution on Iran’s ‘crown jewel’ Hezbollah — terror group with US blood on its hands
Sen Sheehy warns of Iran’s ‘murderous regime’ as nuclear deal sparks debate
Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., reacts to the latest Iran nuclear peace talks, warning that the Iranian regime is merely buying time. He highlights Iran’s stated goal to ‘wipe our civilization off the map’ and its decades-long funding of terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas. He stresses the importance of supporting U.S. allies in the Middle East, including Israel and the UAE, against this global threat.
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Foreign policy experts are advising the Trump administration to continue to carefully watch Iran’s behavior over its terror proxy Hezbollah — a group with American blood on its hands.
The importance of Hezbollah to the Tehran regime is clear in the comprehensive U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding. While the agreement does not mention the group by name, clause one of the 14-point MOU calls for the permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including the cessation of conflict in Lebanon.
Lisa Daftari, editor-in-chief, told Fox News Digital that, «Hezbollah isn’t just the Iran regime’s most prized proxy; it’s the crown jewel of the regime’s forward defense. For almost five decades, the Islamic Republic has invested billions building Hezbollah into a forward-deployed missile arsenal aimed directly at Israel’s heart.» She said «Losing Hezbollah would hurt the mullahs more than losing the Strait of Hormuz or anything else in their arsenal. That’s why Hezbollah is clause one,» of the MOU.
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Hezbollah al-Mahdi scouts parade with large portraits of Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Khomeini and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during an event for Jerusalem Day in Nabatiyeh, Lebanon, on Aug. 1, 2013. (Hussein Malla/AP Photo)
Daftari said Hezbollah is «a forward-deployed arm of the IRGC Quds Force taking Lebanon hostage,» She said that «the IRGC created Hezbollah in 1982, trained it, armed it, funded it, and to this day embeds Quds Force commanders inside its command structure. Treating them as separate organizations is a fiction Tehran exploits.»
While the State Department didn’t answer Fox News Digital questions over concerns raised by critics regarding the administration’s handling of Hezbollah, Secretary of State Marco Rubio took a tough line on the terror group when asked by reporters in the United Arab Emirates Tuesday about Tehran’s terror proxies and why Iran’s ballistic missile program was left out of the recent Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MOU).
Rubio insisted that regional proxy threats are fundamentally covered by the framework. «I think a careful reading of the MOU will see that when you talk about, for example, a complete – an end of hostilities in the entire region, well, that’s not possible. You can’t have the end of hostilities and conflicts in the region as long as Iranian proxies are launching missiles and drones from Iraq and are participating in terrorism like Hamas did and like Hezbollah did. So I do think it’s covered by the MOU, and it is an issue that will be gotten to at the appropriate time in these negotiations.»
American Marines search for survivors and bodies in the rubble of their barracks headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, after a suicide car bomb killed 241 U.S. servicemen and wounded over 60 on Oct. 24, 1983. (Peter Charlesworth/LightRocket)
Hezbollah was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. in 1997. Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense for Democracies (FDD) and editor of its Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital that «Hezbollah has a five-decade-long track record of killing Americans, starting with the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut in 1983, attacks on U.S. embassies and airplane hijackings.»
Roggio said the efforts «continue to this day,» with Hezbollah playing «a key role in establishing, training, advising and supporting the Iraqi militias, which are responsible for killing more than 600 American soldiers. Hezbollah also trained al Qaeda to use suicide car bombs, which it implemented in the 1998 suicide attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and perfected in theaters such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.»
In May 2025, A U.S. District Court determined that the torture of Lebanese American Amer Fakhoury was the responsibility of Iran, through its proxy Hezbollah. Fakhoury lost sixty pounds during a six-month period of captivity after being kidnapped by Hezbollah in Lebanon in September 2019. He died six months after his return to the U.S. of cancer that was diagnosed in prison in Lebanon.
FAMILY OF AMERICAN HOSTAGE TORTURED IN LEBANON WINS LANDMARK CASE AGAINST IRAN
As U.S.-Iran talks opened Sunday in Switzerland, a dispute over who controls and monitors billions of dollars in potentially unfrozen Iranian assets emerged (Fabrice Coffrini/Pool via REUTERS)
Zoya and Guila Fakhoury, Amer’s daughters and co-founders of the Amer Foundation, told Fox News Digital that their «family wants to see a peaceful, sovereign, and prosperous Lebanon» and welcomes «any effort that genuinely reduces violence and helps Lebanon move toward stability.»
The Fakhoury’s said that «lasting peace cannot come at the expense of accountability. True stability in Lebanon requires ensuring that terrorist organizations like Hezbollah no longer hold the power to intimidate, detain, and silence innocent people.»
They expressed disappointment that there has been «little public focus on the Americans who remain unjustly detained by the Iranian regime.» They added that «Any meaningful agreement with Iran should include concrete progress toward bringing every wrongfully detained American home.»
Amer Fakhoury is shown before his illegal detention in Lebanon and after his rescue from hospital with cancer. His New Hampshire family seeks justice from Iran for his imprisonment. (Fakhoury Family)
A U.S. official told Fox News Digital that «The Trump Administration is committed to securing the release of all Americans unjustly detained in Iran and around the world. The Iranian regime has a long and shameful history of unjustly detaining U.S. nationals and other foreign citizens. The Iranian regime should immediately release all Americans unjustly detained in Iran. To ensure the safety and security and security of those Americans, we have nothing further to share at this time.»
As talks brokered by the U.S. between Lebanese and Israeli officials resumed in Washington, the Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, released a statement on his X account Tuesday, thanking the Vice President and Secretary of State, stating in part «for the attention that the United States is showing toward Lebanon, aimed at ending the war there, strengthening the authority of the Lebanese state, and the independence of its decision-making, considering it solely responsible for preserving national sovereignty, the dignity of the Lebanese people, and their safety.»
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The U.S. delegation including Steve Witkoff, JD Vance and Jared Kushner arrived in Switzerland on Sunday (REUTERS/Nathan Howard/Pool)
Walid Phares, a foreign policy expert and author of ‘Iran: An Imperialist Republic and U.S. Policy,’ told Fox News Digital that it was «a major mistake…to give the Islamic regime in Iran a power to include Lebanon and Hezbollah in the talks. He warned that «putting Lebanon on the agenda of the talks with the regime in Switzerland could collapse the Washington, D.C. platform.»
Pressed by reporters while in Kuwait on Wednesday about Israel’s continued military presence, Rubio drew a firm line on the administration’s expectations, stating its hope is «that the Lebanese Armed Forces and the legitimate, sovereign Lebanese government will continue to be able to control and secure more and more of their own territory – because that’s who needs to control Lebanese territory, not a terrorist group like Hezbollah. So that’s the goal. And I think the Israelis have been clear. They don’t have any quarrels with the Lebanese people, they don’t have any claims on the territory of Lebanon.»
Michael Needham, counselor for the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter pose for a photo before a meeting at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 2026. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)
Jonathan Conricus, a former international spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, told Fox News Digital that «From an Israeli perspective, Hezbollah is not an organization that we can talk with or expect them to change their ways.» He said that as a jihadi organization, «their primary objective in life is to wage holy war against the Jews, and then against Christians and against other what they consider to be infidels and Westerners. These are not people that you can negotiate or talk sense with.»
Conricus, a senior fellow at the FDD, added that «there’s a unique chance here to roll back Iranian aggression in the region and to dismantle the most important Iranian proxy Hezbollah.» To do so, he called for «political pressure, information pressure and…economic pressure on Hezbollah [and] on all of its financial institutions.»
A deliverman rides a motorcycle along a road in Baghdad past billboards showing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Hassan Nasrallah, the slain leader of Hezbollah, on Oct. 7, 2024. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP)
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A U.S. government official told Fox News Digital that «Secretary Rubio spoke to both [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and Aoun on Friday about solidifying ceasefire and future talks. As a result of those calls, the U.S. started a monitoring mechanism via [U.S. Central Command] so that our policymakers have real-time and accurate information about fighting in Lebanon.»
The Washington talks between Lebanon and Israel are expected to continue into Thursday.
war with iran, lebanon, israel, terrorism, ali khamenei, mojtaba khamenei
INTERNACIONAL
Rusia fue acusada de difundir desinformación a favor de la extrema derecha alemana antes de las elecciones
La intensificación de la desinformación en redes sociales, detectada en las últimas semanas por activistas y organismos de inteligencia, apuntan a un intento de influir en las elecciones regionales de Alemania. Las campañas, atribuidas por varios actores a operaciones rusas, generaron inquietud entre autoridades y sectores de la sociedad civil, que advierten sobre el posible impacto en los comicios de septiembre.
En el este del país, Alternativa para Alemania (AfD) lidera las encuestas en Sajonia-Anhalt y Mecklemburgo-Pomerania Occidental, y aspira a controlar un gobierno regional por primera vez desde 1945. El avance de la formación prorrusa y antiinmigrante sería un golpe para la coalición del canciller Friedrich Merz y marcaría un hito en la política alemana.
Ante la proximidad de las elecciones, se multiplicaron las publicaciones con desinformación en plataformas como X, TikTok y Bluesky. Según grupos de monitoreo y diputados alemanes, la hipótesis central es que Rusia estaría detrás de estos ataques, empleando estrategias para beneficiar a la extrema derecha y erosionar la confianza en los partidos tradicionales.
Las sospechas de injerencia rusa en las campañas digitales fueron avaladas por legisladores y activistas, quienes señalan la aparición de cuentas falsas y la difusión de acusaciones de corrupción contra rivales de AfD y BSW, un pequeño partido de extrema izquierda también identificado como prorruso. Las operaciones utilizaron versiones falsificadas de medios reconocidos, como AFP, ARD y Deutsche Welle, para amplificar el impacto de la desinformación.
La organización Antibot4Navalny, un colectivo anónimo que lleva el nombre del opositor ruso asesinado, documentó dos campañas desde junio. “No hay otra explicación plausible”, sostuvo un activista del grupo en diálogo con la AFP, quien aseguró que las maniobras guardan similitud con la operación Matryoshka, vinculada previamente al Kremlin.
El gobierno alemán evitó pronunciarse directamente sobre la operación Matryoshka, aunque reconoció: “Las operaciones de manipulación de información… constituyeron durante mucho tiempo una amenaza diaria”. Esta postura refleja una respuesta cautelosa, en parte para no amplificar involuntariamente el alcance de las campañas de desinformación.
Konstantin von Notz, diputado de Los Verdes y vicepresidente del comité de supervisión de inteligencia, fue tajante en conversación con la AFP: “La narrativa que se difunde desde Rusia a Alemania, con un presupuesto millonario, es luego retransmitida deliberadamente por la AfD de forma selectiva”. Von Notz también criticó la falta de reacción gubernamental y exigió respuestas más contundentes ante lo que considera un peligro real.
Por su parte, la embajada rusa rechazó las acusaciones, calificándolas de “ridículas” y advirtiendo que Alemania y Europa siguen “un camino extremadamente peligroso” que perjudica a sus ciudadanos. La coalición gobernante, liderada por la CDU/CSU y el SPD, denuncia regularmente una “guerra híbrida” de Moscú, que iría más allá de la propaganda y abarcaría espionaje y sabotaje.
El servicio nacional de inteligencia (BfV) confirmó estar al tanto de la campaña digital y de sus similitudes con operaciones rusas, aunque hasta el momento no se han anunciado acciones concretas para contrarrestarla. Marc Henrichmann, presidente del comité de supervisión de inteligencia y diputado de la CDU, subrayó la necesidad de cautela: “Si al dirigir una campaña a un público específico conseguimos darle aún más publicidad, entonces, obviamente, habremos cometido un error”. Henrichmann también abogó por otorgar mayores poderes a los servicios de inteligencia para combatir el fenómeno.
Desde la AfD, la respuesta ha sido de rechazo a las acusaciones. Ulrich Siegmund, principal candidato del partido en Sajonia-Anhalt, declaró a la AFP: “Buscar un entendimiento razonable con otro país no significa que estés trabajando para conseguirlo”. El político insistió en que el interés alemán debe guiar las acciones del partido, incluyendo la defensa de la compra de energía rusa barata y la reducción del gasto en Ucrania e inmigración.
Entre los simpatizantes de la formación, la percepción de Rusia como un aliado natural es recurrente. Hans-Joachim Dietrich, camionero jubilado, expresó a la AFP: “Creo que debemos defender con más firmeza, incluso dentro de la AfD, que Rusia es nuestro aliado natural”.
Henrichmann advirtió sobre el riesgo de una “guerra cognitiva” impulsada desde Moscú, destinada a sembrar miedo y división en Alemania, especialmente en un contexto de reformas militares y apoyo a Ucrania frente a Rusia.
“No hay duda: la AfD es el portavoz del presidente ruso Vladimir Putin en Alemania y está explotando conscientemente estas narrativas”, afirmó el legislador. Sin embargo, tanto Henrichmann como activistas reconocen que, por ahora, el alcance de la campaña digital es limitado, aunque advierten que la vigilancia debe continuar y que es necesario reforzar los poderes de los servicios de inteligencia para proteger el proceso democrático.
(Con información de AFP)
Domestic,Politics,Europe,Government / Politics
INTERNACIONAL
Amy Coney Barrett recalls heartbreaking question from 12-year-old son over bulletproof vest
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Justice Amy Coney Barrett told the House Appropriations Committee the uptick in threats waged against her and fellow Supreme Court justices have taken a toll on her children.
«They have required my children to think about and see things that children should not have to see or think about,» Barrett testified Tuesday.
Barrett shared how her security detail gave her a bulletproof vest to wear, and one day when she brought it into her bedroom, her 12-year-old son asked what it was.
«And I didn’t know how to respond because maybe I lack imagination, but I didn’t expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one,» Barrett told the committee.
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Barrett and Justice Elena Kagan’s testimony before Congress came as the Supreme Court seeks a 10% budget increase for fiscal year 2027, with roughly $16.6 million of the $20.7 million increase dedicated to expanding security for the justices.
Supreme Court justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett testify before the House Appropriations Committee on Capitol Hill July 14, 2026, in Washington. (Finn Gomez/Getty Images)
Barrett, who was the target of a swatting incident in May, recounted how her and her family’s lives drastically changed following the leaked Dobbs decision in 2022, which ruled that abortion was not a constitutional right, causing threats on her life to intensify.
In that incident, someone falsely reported gunshots at her home, Barrett testified, saying her teenage son and his friends were the first to discover the street filled with police.
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«I was very, very grateful that I had Supreme Court police outside my home because they were able to stop and meet with and explain to the county police that it had been a false alarm, and so the police did not actually attempt to enter our home,» Barrett said.
She also shared that her and other justices are receiving anonymous packages being sent in the name of Daniel Anderl, the 20-year-old son of U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas, who was killed in 2020.
The gunman was an attorney posing as a delivery driver. Judge Salas was his target. Salas’ husband was seriously injured as well.
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett arrives to testify during a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington July 14, 2026. (Kent Nishimura/AFP)
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«I think the message on these deliveries being sent in his name is clear,» Barrett said. «As Justice Kagan said, federal judges across the country, throughout the judiciary, including the Supreme Court, continue to do their jobs without fear or favor, but the threat level is really high.»
The testimony underscored the urgency behind the Supreme Court’s push for more security funding during its first appearance before Congress since 2019.
In total, the Supreme Court is requesting roughly $89 million to cover personal security costs, which Kagan said is necessary given that the justices have experienced a 35% increase in threats just in 2026, compared to a 25% increase in threats the year prior. Kagan noted how recent growth in the budget can be entirely attributed to security expenses.
«For some of us, those threats have come very close, and all of us live with the knowledge that they may again materialize,» Kagan testified.
She recalled that when she arrived at the Supreme Court in 2010, justices did not receive around-the-clock personal protection. Instead, the court’s police primarily guarded the building, and she only had security accompanying her during work-related public events.
But Kagan said the heightened focus on justices’ security began after Justice Antonin Scalia’s death in 2016. Scalia died while on a hunting trip in Texas, where he was hours away from security personnel after declining a private security detail for the trip.
Kagan recalled that Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and the late Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md., went to Chief Justice John Roberts to push them to step up security.
«This was how the chief described it to us — they said, kind of like, ‘We think you’re crazy, you know, that you have less security than the director of the Office of Personnel Management does. And we think that you have to do better.’
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«Then, of course, the Dobbs leak happened, and that really increased the urgency of the entire thing,» Kagan said. «But we’ve been working on this now for about a decade and actually, I think, are grateful to Congress for coming to us and saying, ‘You have to up your game in this area.’»
supreme court, judiciary, federal courts, hearings house of representatives politics, national security
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