Trump orders complete withdrawal of all troops from Syria within two months: report
The U.S. is preparing to withdraw all roughly 1,000 troops from Syria, ending a decade-long military mission as President Donald Trump reshapes America’s posture in the Middle East, according to a report.
Three American officials familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal that U.S. forces are expected to depart the country within the next two months, completing a full withdrawal after the military already vacated several key positions earlier this year.
The move would mark the end of a U.S. ground presence that began in 2014 under Operation Inherent Resolve, the coalition campaign aimed at dismantling ISIS.
American troops remained in Syria after the terrorist group’s territorial defeat in 2019 to support partner forces, prevent an ISIS resurgence and counter Iran-backed militias operating across the region.
TOP GOP SENATOR SAYS SYRIA CEASEFIRE WELCOME BUT ACTIONS MUST MATCH WORDS
U.S. forces previously withdrew from al-Tanf Garrison, a strategic outpost near the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq, as part of a broader posture adjustment announced earlier this year. At the time, U.S. Central Command said American forces would remain prepared to strike ISIS targets and safeguard long-term stability.
Officials told the Journal the broader withdrawal is not tied to the current buildup of U.S. naval and air assets in the Middle East amid tensions with Iran over its nuclear program. Tehran has threatened retaliation against American troops in the region if the U.S. launches airstrikes.
The Trump administration has determined a continued military footprint in Syria is no longer necessary following shifts in control on the ground, including the integration of Kurdish-led forces into the Syrian army after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, the officials told the Journal.
134 HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEMAND ‘ASSURANCES’ BEFORE US EASES SYRIA SANCTIONS
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently met with Syria’s foreign minister to discuss counterterrorism coordination and maintaining a fragile cease-fire.
The change in posture comes just weeks after U.S. forces transferred 150 ISIS fighters from a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq.
US FORCES COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL FROM STRATEGIC AL-TANF GARRISON IN SYRIA
Officials indicated in late January that thousands more detainees could also be moved as part of the broader effort to maintain long-term security in the region.
Syria became the 90th member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, a U.S.-led alliance formed to coordinate international efforts against the extremist group, in November.
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Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, said Damascus – under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa – is prepared to assume security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps, following the 2024 ouster of al-Assad.
Terror sponsor Iran gets UN leadership overseeing Charter principles
United Nations, New York – Iran has been elected vice-chair of the United Nations Charter Committee, a body tasked with examining and strengthening the principles of the U.N. Charter, drawing criticism from Israel and renewed scrutiny of the organization’s selection processes.
The appointment was approved during the committee’s opening meeting as part of its executive composition, through an agreed procedure and without a formal vote.
At a U.N. press briefing, Fox News Digital asked whether Iran’s record aligns with the values of the Charter and whether the secretary-general would condemn the move.
UPROAR AFTER IRAN NAMED VICE-CHAIR OF UN BODY PROMOTING DEMOCRACY, WOMEN’S RIGHTS
“The election of any member state to a body is the result of voting by member states themselves,” téphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary-general said. “So, questions about who gets elected to which bodies is a question for member states. We expect every member state of this organization to uphold the Charter, to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, given that they themselves signed on to this club that the U.N. is and those are founding, some of our founding documents.”
Pressed on whether the secretary-general would condemn Iran’s election, the spokesperson added, “It is not for him to condemn the election of any member state to a body. He will condemn and has when member states, through their actions, he feels, violate the charter or human rights.”
The Charter Committee operates under the U.N. Legal Committee and meets annually. Its mandate includes examining issues related to the Charter and proposing ways to reinforce its implementation, though its work typically requires consensus among member states and rarely results in binding action.
ISRAELI UN AMBASSADOR SENDS STARK WARNING TO IRAN AMID GROWING UNREST
Anne Bayefsky, president of Human Rights Voices and director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust, sharply criticized the move, linking it to longstanding concerns about the U.N.’s performance.
“The U.N. created a committee back in 1974 supposedly to ‘enhance the ability of the U.N. to achieve its purposes.’ The trouble is that, ever since, the U.N. has been a downward trajectory on actually achieving its primary purposes, namely, maintaining international peace and security and promoting respect for fundamental human rights,” Bayefsky said.
“Given that Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and a country committed to the annihilation of the Jewish state and the bloody repression of its own people, the U.N. appointment helps clarify that in our time, U.N. purposes are in fact antithetical to peace, rights and human dignity.”
Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon sharply criticized Iran’s appointment.
“This is a moral absurdity,” Danon said. “A regime that violates the basic principles of the U.N. cannot represent them.
“A country that systematically violates the basic principles of the U.N. cannot sit in a leadership position that deals with strengthening them. The U.N. cannot continue to grant legitimacy to regimes that violate the very principles of its own charter.”
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The committee has in recent years served as a forum for political disputes among member states, including criticism directed at Israel, diplomats say. Iran’s selection to a leadership role comes amid ongoing debate over how the U.N. balances representation among member states with concerns about human rights records and adherence to the organization’s founding principles.
The U.N. maintains that leadership positions across its committees are determined by member states, not the secretariat, and reflect internal diplomatic processes rather than endorsement of any government’s policies or record.
World’s largest aircraft carrier heads to Middle East as Iran nuclear tensions spike dramatically
The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group are moving from the Caribbean toward the Middle East as tensions escalate between the U.S. and Iran, according to reports.
The strike group is steaming across the Atlantic toward the Strait of Gibraltar, a Navy official confirmed to USNI News on Tuesday.
The move would place two aircraft carriers and their accompanying warships in the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers arrived in the Middle East more than two weeks ago.
After deploying from Norfolk, Virginia, in June 2025, the Ford was moved from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean last fall as the Trump administration assembled a major military presence before launching strikes on Venezuela and capturing President Nicolás Maduro.
SCOTT BESSENT SAYS IRAN UNDERSTANDS ‘BRUTE FORCE’ AS TRUMP WEIGHS OPTIONS AMID NUCLEAR STANDOFF
Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Navy for comment on the matter.
The shift comes as Iran and the U.S. engage in a second round of indirect nuclear talks in Geneva, where negotiators continue to seek an agreement on Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that Tehran must fully dismantle its nuclear infrastructure or face consequences. He called for “full dismantlement” of Iran’s program in comments tied to the Geneva negotiations and U.S. demands that go beyond a simple freeze.
TRUMP SAYS IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER KHAMENEI SHOULD BE ‘VERY WORRIED’ AMID TENSIONS
Last Thursday, Trump warned Iran that failure to reach a deal with the U.S. regarding its nuclear program would be “very traumatic” after the two countries held indirect talks in Oman earlier this month.
“It should happen quickly. They should agree very quickly,” he told reporters.
IRAN’S TOP DIPLOMAT SAYS NATION’S POWER LIES IN DEFYING PRESSURE: ‘NO TO THE GREAT POWERS’
Trump also weighed in on the strategic posture in the region, urging U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to enter a reported long-term lease arrangement involving Diego Garcia, a key U.S.-U.K. military base in the Indian Ocean that could be critical in any potential operation against Iran.
“I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100-Year Lease with whoever it is that is ‘claiming’ Right, Title, and Interest to Diego Garcia, strategically located in the Indian Ocean,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
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“Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime,” he added. “DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”
Russia gets Paralympic slots under national flag; Ukraine officials boycott over ‘outrageous decision’
For the first time since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s flag will be represented at a major international sporting event.
The International Paralympic Committee announced Tuesday that Russia’s National Paralympic Committee was awarded six entry slots for the Milan Cortina Paralympic Games and that Belarus, a close ally of Russia, was also awarded four slots.
“The IPC can confirm that NPC Russia has been awarded a total of six slots: two in Para alpine skiing (one male, one female), two in Para cross-country skiing (one male, one female) and two in Para snowboard (both male),” the statement said.
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“NPC Belarus has been awarded four slots in total, all in cross-country skiing (one male and three females).”
Should any of these athletes win gold in their respective sports, it will be the first time the Russian anthem has been played on the stage of any major global sporting event in the past four years. It has not been heard at any Olympics or Paralympics since the 2016 Games in Rio.
The announcement also marks the first time Russian athletes will compete at the Paralympics under their own flag in over a decade, both due to the war and a ban stemming from a state-sponsored doping program.
The IPC, which operates separately from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), announced a partial lift of suspensions against Russia and Belarus in September.
IPC President Andrew Parson told The Associated Press in November that no athletes from those countries would be at the Games, but Russia appealed the ban in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which paved the way for athletes to compete under a neutral flag at the Olympics and their own at the Paralympics.
UKRAINIAN OLYMPIAN OUT OF WINTER GAMES OVER HELMET HONORING FALLEN COUNTRYMEN
The announcement was met with backlash, and Ukrainian sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi posted on social media that no Ukrainian official would be present for the Paralympics.
“In response to the outrageous decision by the organizers of the Paralympic Games to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete under their national flags, Ukrainian officials will not attend the Paralympic Games,” Bidnyi said.
“We will also not be present at the opening ceremony and will not attend other official Paralympic events,” his statement continued. “We thank every official from the countries of the free world who will also ignore the official events of the Paralympics. We continue the fight!”
In an earlier statement on social media, Bidnyi said that the flags of Russia and Belarus “have no place at international sporting events that stand for fairness, integrity, and respect.”
He also accused the IPC of giving Russia a platform “to voice war propaganda.”
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Tuesday’s announcement comes amid controversy at the Olympics after a Ukrainian athlete was disqualified from a men’s skeleton event after he refused to use any other helmet other than the one honoring his country’s athletes who were killed in the war with Russia.
The IOC said the decision stemmed from its rules prohibiting athletes from making political statements on the field of play.
Ukraine makes fastest gains in years as Russia talks stall, exploiting cracks in Kremlin command
As U.S.-backed negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva ended without a breakthrough, Kyiv made gains on the battlefield, recapturing territory at its fastest pace in years through localized counterattacks along the southeastern front.
The advances come as analysts point to disruptions in Russian battlefield communications and shifting operational dynamics, developments that could strengthen Ukraine’s leverage even as talks remain stalled.
Ukrainian forces retook about 78 square miles over five days, according to a report by Agence France-Presse based on an analysis of the Institute for the Study of War battlefield mapping. The gains represent Kyiv’s most rapid territorial advances since its 2023 counteroffensive in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Richard Newton said Ukraine’s battlefield performance should not be underestimated. “As this war grinds on, the world too often forgets that the Ukrainians’ determination, innovation, and moral clarity are force multipliers. Their capabilities to defend against a larger and better-resourced enemy should never be counted out. There are growing signals that Russia’s supposed invincibility is no longer a good bet, particularly as President Trump applies greater pressure on the Kremlin’s client states.”
UKRAINE SAYS IT CARRIED OUT FIRST-EVER UNDERWATER DRONE STRIKE ON RUSSIAN SUBMARINE IN NOVOROSSIYSK
The fighting has centered east of Zaporizhzhia, where Russian forces have steadily advanced since mid-2025. Open-source battlefield monitoring and mapping indicate Ukrainian troops pushed forward around Huliaipole and nearby settlements, though analysts caution the front remains fluid, and some areas are not fully secured, The Telegraph reported.
The Institute for the Study of War assessed in mid-February that the counterattacks appear to be exploiting disruptions in Russian command-and-control. ISW said Ukrainian forces are likely leveraging limits affecting Russian battlefield communications, including reported restrictions tied to the use of Starlink satellite terminals and messaging platforms cited in open-source reporting.
Analysts say reduced connectivity can create short windows for Ukrainian units to move through contested zones that are typically dominated by drone surveillance and electronic warfare. ISW and other observers emphasize that such opportunities are temporary and do not signal a broader collapse in Russian defenses.
The evolving fight is also shaped by the growing role of drones. In a Feb. 10 special report, ISW said Russia’s expanding use of first-person-view drones reflects a campaign to “weaponize and institutionalize intentional civilian harm as a purposeful tool of war,” warning the tactic is becoming embedded in operational doctrine and could influence future conflicts.
UKRAINE STRIKES MAJOR RUSSIAN AMMO DEPOT WITH ‘FLAMINGO’ MISSILE AS TRUMP URGES ZELENSKYY TO MOVE ON DEAL
Despite the recent gains, analysts caution against viewing the developments as a decisive shift in the war. Newton argued that sustained Western military support remains essential. “Putin only responds to force, therefore the U.S. and Europe should continue to provide Ukraine with defensive and offensive capabilities including land-based Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of reaching deep inside Russia.”
Retired Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward said battlefield gains are increasingly tied to diplomacy. “Both sides are clearly trying to use battlefield advances to shape their positions at the negotiating table. It may be a real sign that neither of the two parties are willing to get to a deal yet, despite President Zelenskyy’s good faith offer to hold elections if there is a ceasefire.”
“If there is a lasting and fair diplomatic deal to be achieved, the Trump Administration is the most capable team to deliver it as the U.S. applies increasing pressure on Venezuela, Iran, and Putin’s few remaining friends,” he said.
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Nearly two years after Ukraine’s last major offensive stalled, the war remains defined by incremental territorial changes rather than sweeping breakthroughs. Both sides continue to rely heavily on drones, artillery and electronic warfare, with front lines shifting village by village.
“As U.S.-led negotiations continue, it is critical we ramp up pressure on Putin to end this war on terms that ensure he is put back in his corner once and for all,” Newton said.
Former Rep MTG asserts that Americans don’t want US war against Iran
As the possibility of U.S. military action against Iran looms, former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene asserted in a post on X that Americans do not want the U.S. to wage war against the Islamic Republic.
“Americans do not want to go to war with Iran!!!” Greene exclaimed in the post.
“They want to be able to afford their lives and get ahead. They want to be happy and enjoy life. They want their government to put elite pedos in jail. And they voted for NO MORE FOREIGN WARS AND NO MORE REGIME CHANGE,” she added.
IRAN SIGNALS NUCLEAR PROGRESS IN GENEVA AS TRUMP CALLS FOR FULL DISMANTLEMENT
In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokesman Davis Ingle declared, “President Trump’s strong and decisive leadership has already ended eight wars and saved countless lives, and he will continue to make America and the world a safer place. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a former congresswoman, traitor, and a quitter.”
Greene, who had previously been a longtime, staunch supporter of President Donald Trump’s, had a major falling out with the president last year and left office early last month in the middle of her House term.
TRUMP MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN CONTEST TO FILL HOUSE SEAT VACATED BY EX-ALLY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE
Trump has been pressuring Iran to make a deal to give up its nuclear weapons ambitions.
After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, Trump said in a Truth Social post that he “insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated.”
“If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference,” he wrote.
MTG CALLS TRUMP’S ENDORSEMENT OF SALAZAR ‘AN INSULT TO HIS BASE’
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“If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible,” Trump declared in the post.