New York, NY – As President Donald Trump’s new peace plan circulates at the United Nations, Israel launched long-range strikes deep inside Yemen, hitting targets more than 2,000 kilometers from home and underscoring how volatile the Middle East remains even as diplomacy plays out in New York.

Trump unveiled a 21-point initiative to end the Gaza war during meetings with Arab leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly this week. 

A White House official, speaking on background, told Fox News Digital, «The President underscored his desire to bring fighting in Gaza to an expeditious close. Special envoy Witkoff summarized the U.S. plan for Gaza, including the return of all hostages living and deceased, no further attacks on Qatar, a new dialogue between Israel and Palestinians for peaceful coexistence and more.

«Foreign partners expressed broad agreement that President Trump was the only one who could end the fighting in Gaza and expressed the hope that they could work together with Special Envoy Witkoff to consider the President’s plan as Americans continue to engage with Israeli officials,» the White House official added. 

Arab officials told Fox News Digital that, during the meeting, leaders pressed Trump to confirm he would block Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing the discussion as «productive.»

FRANCE SAYS UN RECOGNITION OF PALESTINIAN STATE IS A BLOW TO HAMAS NOT A GIFT

Speaking at the Concordia Annual Summit in New York, U.S. special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff also described a «very productive» meeting Tuesday between Trump and officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan.

«We presented what we call the Trump 21-point plan for peace in the Middle East,» Witkoff said. «I think it addresses Israeli concerns as well as concerns of neighbors in the region.»

ABBAS TO ADDRESS UN AFTER VISA CLASH WITH US AS QUESTIONS SWIRL OVER HAMAS

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly Sept. 26, 2024, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, speaking in a recorded UNGA address after being barred from entry to the U.S., also signaled support. 

«We declare that we are ready to work with U.S. President Donald Trump and with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France, the United Nations and all partners to implement the peace plan that was approved in the conference that was held on the 22nd of September, in a way that would lead towards a just peace and regional cooperation,» Abbas said.

Abbas added that the PA is prepared to take over security and governance in Gaza, while Hamas must disarm. 

«The dawn of freedom will emerge, and the flag of Palestine will fly high in our skies as a symbol of dignity, steadfastness and being free from the yoke of occupation,» he said. «Palestine is ours. Jerusalem is the jewel of our hearts and our eternal capital. We will not leave our homeland. We will not leave our lands.»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before departing for New York, where he is scheduled to address the UNGA Friday, said without directly commenting on the 21-point proposal, «In Washington, I will meet for the fourth time with President Trump, and I will discuss with him the great opportunities our victories have brought, as well as our need to complete the war’s objectives: to return all of our hostages, to defeat Hamas and to expand the circle of peace that has come our way following the historic victory.»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends his corruption trial at the district court in Tel Aviv March 12, 2025. (Yair Sagi/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Even as Trump pushed diplomacy in New York, Israel expanded its campaign against Iran-backed militias. The IDF confirmed Thursday it carried out a wide wave of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Sana’a, Yemen, less than 24 hours after a Houthi drone slammed into a hotel in Eilat, wounding 24 people, two of them seriously.

Saudi and Israeli media reported more than 10 strikes during the Houthis’ weekly address, targeting command centers, intelligence headquarters and military compounds. Israeli officials estimate over 50 militants were killed. The IDF said the operation involved dozens of aircraft and long-range refueling, marking Israel’s 15th strike in Yemen since the war began.

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Defense Minister Israel Katz said the raids, carried out under the code name Package Delivered, dealt a heavy blow. 

«We struck numerous terror targets of the Houthi regime in Sana’a, eliminating dozens of operatives and destroying stockpiles of drones and weapons,» Katz declared. «As I promised yesterday — those who harm us will be harmed sevenfold.»

EXCLUSIVE: President Trump reacted to the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, telling Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview that he «placed a cloud over the entire nation» with the bureau’s «Crossfire Hurricane» probe.

Comey, on Thursday evening, was indicted by a grand jury on two counts, alleged false statements within jurisdiction of the legislative branch and obstruction of congressional proceeding.

COMEY INDICTED FOR ALLEGED FALSE STATEMENTS, OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDING

«What they did was so terrible and so corrupt,» Trump told Fox News Digital, referring to those involved in the Trump-Russia probe. «We had a great administration, though.»

Former Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok formally opened the Trump-Russia investigation, known inside the bureau as «Crossfire Hurricane» on July 31, 2016.

Trump fired Comey in May 2017. Days later Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed to take over the Crossfire Hurricane probe.

«He is a very corrupt person. He was absolutely a terrible man for what this country stood for,» Trump told Fox News Digital.

Former FBI Director James Comey is sworn in prior to testifying before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 8, 2017. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

«Comey placed a cloud over the entire nation, and actually, the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax made it very difficult,» Trump said. «It could have caused wars.»

Fox News Digital exclusively reported in July that Comey was under criminal investigation by the FBI. 

Fox News Digital also exclusively reported that former CIA Director John Brennan is under criminal investigation related to the Trump–Russia probe. 

When asked whether Brennan should be charged as well, the president told Fox News Digital: «We’ll have to see what happens.»

«It is up to the Justice Department, but I can tell you, it is a group of people that was very disappointing,» the president said. «This makes Watergate look like peanuts.» 

EXCLUSIVE: FBI LAUNCHES CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF JOHN BRENNAN, JAMES COMEY: DOJ SOURCES

He added: «They tried to destroy our country.»

Comey’s case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The indictment alleges that Comey obstructed a congressional investigation into the disclosure of sensitive information in violation of 18 USC 1505.

The indictment also alleges Comey made a false statement when he stated he did not authorize someone at the FBI to be an anonymous source. According to the indictment, that statement was false. 

His arraignment is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 9, in Alexandria Courtroom 600 before District Juge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

«No one is above the law,» Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X. «Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case.»

FBI Director Kash Patel took to X to say, «Today, your FBI took another step in its promise of full accountability.»

«For far too long, previous corrupt leadership and their enablers weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and severely eroding public trust,» Patel wrote. «Every day, we continue the fight to earn that trust back, and under my leadership, this FBI will confront the problem head-on. Nowhere was this politicization of law enforcement more blatant than during the Russiagate hoax, a disgraceful chapter in history we continue to investigate and expose.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised Tuesday’s guilty verdict for Ryan Routh, who tried to assassinate then-candidate Donald Trump.  (Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

«Everyone, especially those in positions of power, will be held to account – no matter their perch.»

Meanwhile, after nearly two years, former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, which concluded in March 2019, yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election.

Shortly after, John Durham was appointed as special counsel to investigate the origins of the «Crossfire Hurricane» probe.

Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, pictured May 29, 2019, is the latest person to testify in the House Oversight Committee’s probe into Jeffrey Epstein. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Durham found that the FBI «failed to act» on a «clear warning sign» that the bureau was the «target» of a Clinton-led effort to «manipulate or influence the law enforcement process for political purposes» ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

«The aforementioned facts reflect a rather startling and inexplicable failure to adequately consider and incorporate the Clinton Plan intelligence into the FBI’s investigative decision-making in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation,» Durham’s report states.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO INDICT FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY FOR ALLEGEDLY LYING TO CONGRESS

«Indeed, had the FBI opened the Crossfire Hurricane investigation as an assessment and, in turn, gathered and analyzed data in concert with the information from the Clinton Plan intelligence, it is likely that the information received would have been examined, at a minimum, with a more critical eye,» the report continued.

John Durham testifies before the House Judiciary committee on Wednesday, June 20, 2023. (Screenshot/HouseJudiciaryCommittee)

Durham, in his report, said the FBI «failed to act on what should have been — when combined with other incontrovertible facts — a clear warning sign that the FBI might then be the target of an effort to manipulate or influence the law enforcement process for political purposes during the 2016 presidential election.»

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In an Instagram post on Thursday, Comey acknowledged that he and his family have known for years that there are costs to standing up to President Donald Trump.

«We couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way,» he said. «We will not live on our knees and you shouldn’t.»

Fox News’ David Spunt contributed to this report. 

El gobierno de Estados Unidos anunció este jueves un nuevo paquete de sanciones dirigido a una red internacional señalada por generar ingresos clave para los programas de armas de Corea del Norte, en particular mediante la provisión de bombas y sistemas de guiado norcoreanos al Ejército de Birmania.

De acuerdo con información facilitada por el Departamento de Estado de EEUU, la medida pretende obstaculizar el financiamiento externo que sostiene el desarrollo armamentístico de Pyongyang y frenar el comercio militar que ha permitido al gobierno militar birmano emplear estos recursos en operaciones contra infraestructura civil desde el golpe de Estado de 2021.

El Tesoro de Estados Unidos detalló que las sanciones se dirigen contra la compañía Royal Shune Lei Company Limited, con sede en Birmania, así como contra figuras clave como su director Aung Ko Ko Oo, y los empresarios Kyaw Thu Myo Myint y Tin Myo Aung.

En el anuncio, el Tesoro informó que Kim Yong Ju, representante adjunto en Beijing de la Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID) de Corea del Norte, habría coordinado con los empresarios birmanos la venta de al menos dos modelos de kits de guiado de bombas, explosivos y equipamiento de vigilancia aérea para la fuerza aérea de Birmania. Las operaciones, según las autoridades estadounidenses, han permitido el refuerzo militar del gobierno birmano en detrimento de la población civil.

El subsecretario de Terrorismo e Inteligencia Financiera, John Hurley, subrayó en un comunicado: “Los programas armamentísticos ilegales de Corea del Norte son una amenaza directa para Estados Unidos y nuestros aliados”. Las autoridades indicaron que, a pesar de los intentos, no lograron contactar a los individuos ni a la empresa sancionada para obtener comentarios. También informaron que la delegación de Corea del Norte ante las Naciones Unidas y la embajada birmana en Washington no respondieron de inmediato a las solicitudes de información.

La relación militar entre Birmania y Corea del Norte ha sido objeto de atención para organismos internacionales. Un grupo de expertos de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU), encargado de monitorear el cumplimiento de las sanciones internacionales sobre Corea del Norte, mencionó en sus informes la cooperación militar entre ambos países asiáticos. El gobierno estadounidense bajo la presidencia de Donald Trump intentó poner fin a esa relación, que supuso la transferencia de conocimientos sobre misiles y materiales para la producción armamentística desde Corea del Norte hacia Birmania. Los líderes militares birmanos han sido objeto de sanciones por parte de Washington desde hace varios años.

Por otra parte, a la par de este anuncio de Washington, el ministro surcoreano de Unificación, Chung Dong-young, advirtió este jueves sobre una potencial escalada nuclear en la península. Chung señaló que, según estimaciones de especialistas como la Federación de Científicos Estadounidenses, Corea del Norte dispone actualmente de cerca de 2.000 kilos de uranio altamente enriquecido con una pureza mayor al 90%. “Incluso en este momento, las centrifugadoras de uranio norcoreanas están operando en cuatro instalaciones”, indicó el ministro.

El Ministerio de Defensa surcoreano ha descrito la cantidad de uranio enriquecido en poder del Norte como “significativa” durante años, pero la declaración de Chung representó una inusual confirmación pública de estas cifras. Según sus palabras, cinco o seis kilos de plutonio bastarían para fabricar una bomba nuclear, mientras que los dos mil kilos de uranio almacenados permitirían la fabricación de “una cantidad enorme de armas atómicas”.

El uranio altamente enriquecido es el principal componente para producir bombas atómicas debido a que puede convertirse en plutonio a través de reactores nucleares. De acuerdo con estimaciones del Organismo Internacional de Energía Atómica (OIEA), la cantidad mencionada podría ser suficiente para la producción de unas 47 armas nucleares.

En ese contexto, Chung argumentó que “detener el desarrollo nuclear de Corea del Norte es un asunto urgente” y sostuvo que las sanciones internacionales “no serán efectivas” para frenar el programa. Propuso como única posible solución la celebración de una cumbre entre Pyongyang y Washington.

El dictador norcoreano Kim Jong-un expresó esta semana estar dispuesto a dialogar con Estados Unidos, pero condicionó la apertura de conversaciones al mantenimiento del arsenal nuclear norcoreano.

(Con información de AFP y Reuters)