Federal judge gives man 15 years for Iran-backed assassination plot on US soil
A federal judge sentenced a would-be assassin to the maximum 15 years in prison for plotting to kill an Iranian American journalist in New York on behalf of Iran’s government.
U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman said the defendant, Carlisle Rivera, caused “great harm” to American journalist and human rights activist Masih Alinejad and her husband, calling the messages Rivera exchanged while planning the 2024 Brooklyn attack “chilling.”
Alinejad told the court the repeated assassination attempts against her were not just personal threats, but attacks on Americans and U.S. sovereignty.
“I’m just a woman,” she said. “My weapon is my voice. My weapon is my social media.”
IRAN WILL RETALIATE ‘WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE’ IF US ATTACKS, SENIOR DIPLOMAT WARNS
She urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence to deter future plots “targeting U.S. citizens on U.S. soil.”
Before sentencing, Rivera, 51, apologized, telling the judge, “I’m deeply sorry for my actions.”
In a brief courtroom moment, Rivera’s fiancée approached Alinejad during a recess, sobbing and apologizing. Alinejad later said she told the woman she was fighting not only for herself, but “for all Americans.”
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Outside the Manhattan courthouse, Alinejad warned that the violence used to silence dissidents in Iran must not be allowed to spread to the United States. Holding a tablet showing images of Iranians killed during protests, she said Americans should not ignore the regime’s reach.
She also called on President Donald Trump to take stronger action against Iran’s leadership, comparing the regime to Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, who was captured in a U.S. military operation earlier this year and brought to New York on drug trafficking charges.
“Removing terrorists is not tragedy. It’s a sign of justice,” Alinejad said, adding she does not support bombing Iran but wants its leaders removed.
She noted that U.S. authorities have said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard was behind multiple plots to kill her, as well as a separate plot targeting Trump. Tehran has denied the allegations.
Alinejad fled Iran in 2009 after the country’s disputed presidential election and became a U.S. citizen in 2019. She rose to prominence through campaigns encouraging Iranian women to defy the regime’s mandatory headscarf law and has since become a global advocate for women’s rights.
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Last year, two men were convicted and sentenced to 25 years for plotting to kidnap and kill her in 2022. Prosecutors said Iran placed a $500,000 bounty on her head.
Trump threatens to end Iraq support over al-Maliki comeback bid tied to Iran influence
President Donald Trump appealed to Iraqis on Tuesday to not reinstate the controversial former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to a new term because of his alleged corruption and severe mismanagement of the country’s economy and security situation.
Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform: “I’m hearing that the Great Country of Iraq might make a very bad choice by reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister. Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again. Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!”
A parliamentary session was slated for Tuesday to elect a president, who would then appoint the prime minister. The meeting was canceled because of a lack of a quorum.
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Al-Maliki fired back at Trump on Wednesday, stating, “We reject the blatant American interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and consider it a violation of its sovereignty.”
The Trump administration vehemently opposes al-Maliki attempts to secure a third term because of his close ties to the Islamic Republic of Iran — a state-sponsor of terrorism, according to the U.S. State Department.
Al-Maliki’s previous premiership (2006 to 2014) was plagued by sectarian violence, including his reported failure to form an inclusive government that did not discriminate against Iraqi Kurds and Sunni Muslims in favor of Shiite Muslims.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told caretaker Prime Minister al-Sudani on Sunday that the U.S. was concerned about a pro-Iran government seizing control of the Iraqi state.
“The Secretary emphasized that a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraq’s own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts, or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq,” said U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
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Al-Maliki ended his second term in 2014 after the Obama administration’s growing frustration with his security blind spots that saw the rise of the Islamic State in the same year across a large swathe of Iraqi and Syrian territory.
Al-Sudani secured the most seats in November’s parliamentary elections but withdrew his candidacy this month. The 75-year-old al-Maliki, from the Shiite Islamist Dawa Party, tossed his hat in the political ring and won the support of the Coordination Framework, a collection of Shia parties that is the largest parliamentary bloc.
Entifadh Qanbar, a former spokesman for the deputy prime minister of Iraq, told Fox News Digital that “Iran has exercised tremendous influence over Iraq. Ayatollah Khamenei personally ‘blessed’ Nouri al-Maliki’s nomination. Even if Maliki is ultimately dropped, Iran will simply nominate another candidate who is secretly acceptable to Washington. That individual may even be given leeway to say the right things publicly in order to appease the U.S., while remaining fully aligned with Tehran behind the scenes.”
Qanbar, who worked as a civil engineer in Iraq, added, “As for the Iraqi elections, the process itself has been systematically engineered to ensure that Iran’s proxies win without meaningful resistance. These elections are not contests between Iranian-backed factions and genuine alternatives; rather, they are mechanisms to divide votes among groups already approved by Iran. Any real dissent has been banned, imprisoned, or eliminated.”
He noted that “I have often used the analogy that Iraqi elections resemble a soccer match with only one goal, no goalkeeper and only one team allowed on the field,” and warned, “the United States fails to see these structural manipulations.”
An Iraqi Kurdish official also echoed the view that Iran has gained greater control of Iraqi power politics. The official told Fox News Digital that, “Under Sudani’s government, Iran’s proxies have doubled on the state payroll and receive over $3 billion a year. He established the Muhandes company — the PMF’s investment wing, securing public contracts and buying weapons.”
The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is an umbrella organization of Shiite militias loyal to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The PMF wields enormous power in Iraq.
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The Iraqi Kurdish official said, “Economically, Iran’s oil blending in Basra has been formalized with official state support. Financially, Iraq’s state and private banks have funneled billions in U.S. dollar bills into Iran under Sudani, bringing Tehran critical relief against U.S. sanctions.”
The official added, “Iran, of course, has always been ahead of the curve in Iraq. When the pro-Western candidate Ayad Allawi beat Maliki in the 2010 elections, it was the Americans who handed Maliki a second term — an odd moment of alignment with Iran against their own preferred outcome.” He said he hopes the U.S. won’t make the same mistake again.
Gulf shipping operations grind to halt near Iran; US quietly prepares for possible strike: ‘Heightened risk’
Shipping in the Persian Gulf dipped sharply Wednesday as tensions with Iran intensified amid signs the U.S. was positioning military forces for a potential strike, according to maritime intelligence assessments.
The U.S. Navy’s USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Monday, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News Digital, as President Donald Trump continued to keep military options on the table.
“At this stage, it remains ambiguous, and probably intentionally ambiguous, what the objectives and desired outcomes are of any U.S. military action,” Ambrey Intelligence’s Robert Peters told Fox News Digital.
“This means that there are a wider range of possibilities and retaliatory scenarios under consideration.
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“That said, there are five U.S.-flagged merchant vessels, tankers and cargo ships in the Gulf today — two transited the Strait of Hormuz earlier without any apparent issues — but those already in the Gulf and destined for the U.S. are at heightened risk,” he added.
Trump, who earlier this week indicated “numerous” calls were received from Iran, also posted about the situation on Truth Social Wednesday morning.
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela,” he wrote.
IRAN POSES A FAR MORE DANGEROUS MILITARY TEST FOR THE US THAN VENEZUELA, EXPERTS WARN
“Like with Venezuela, it is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!”
The post came as the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported the death toll from nationwide protests in Iran has surpassed 6,200 since the outset Dec. 28.
The organization said nearly 17,100 more were under investigation with “a continuation of both scattered and mass arrests” as internet restrictions continue.
TRUMP THREATENS IRAN WITH CRUSHING RESPONSE AS TEHRAN DENIES HALTING PROTEST EXECUTIONS
Peters meanwhile, claimed that “shipping companies have been advised to reduce aggregate risk when operating in the Arabian/Persian Gulf.
“This means limiting the number of ships that could be exposed to retaliatory action, and sometimes ships will await further instructions closer to their next port in the Gulf,” he said. “At this point, it is more appropriate to wait further away in case of an escalation.”
Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned Wednesday that any military action by the U.S. from any origin and at any level “will be regarded as the start of a war, and the response will be immediate, all-out, and unprecedented, targeting the heart of Tel Aviv and all those who support the aggressor,” according to Iran International.
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“Our brave Armed Forces are prepared — with their fingers on the trigger — to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.
With tensions rising in the region, Peters described how shipowners may be approached by cargo charterers to load cargo in the Gulf.
“Then they will make the decision to avoid the Gulf for the time being until the tensions reduce,” Peters added. “Interestingly, last year the Iranians did not take retaliatory action in the maritime sphere. Israeli shipping was already avoiding the Gulf, and the U.S. military action was highly targeted at the nuclear capabilities.”
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But Peters warned that the situation “may see something similar again. If there is a much broader, regime-destabilizing operation, the effects could be considerable for wider shipping.
“During periods like this, we tend to see greater risk aversion and inquiries from those asked to pick up cargo for U.S. charterers and destined for the U.S.,” he added.
After Trump declared ISIS defeated, US faces new test as detainees move amid Syria power shift
As the U.S. military moves thousands of ISIS detainees across the border into Iraq, Washington is effectively closing the door on the Kurdish era of counter-terrorism and trusting that a unified Syrian state — once its adversary — can now hold the line against a swelling insurgent threat.
The transfer is intended to prevent mass breakouts from facilities long run by Kurdish Syrian Defense Forces now that Syria’s new government has taken control in northeastern Syria.
The shift carries consequences for Washington beyond the immediate fight against ISIS. A breakdown in detainee handling or security during the transition would undermine claims of a durable ISIS defeat — a milestone President Donald Trump declared in 2019 after U.S.-backed forces dismantled the group’s territorial caliphate.
Iraqi intelligence officials are warning that ISIS could again find space to operate amid Syria’s political and security transition, citing internal assessments that put the group’s strength as high as 10,000 fighters. United Nations estimates place the number far lower — about 3,000 Islamic State members across Syria and Iraq as of August 2025 — underscoring the uncertainty U.S. planners face as detention systems fracture, custody shifts across borders, and regional authority is rapidly reconfigured.
TRUMP VOWS ‘VERY SERIOUS RETALIATION’ AGAINST ISIS AFTER DEADLY SYRIA AMBUSH KILLS US SOLDIERS
Hamid al-Shatri, head of Iraqi intelligence, told The Washington Post recently that ISIS had grown from roughly 2,000 fighters to as many as 10,000 fighters in just over a year.
“This certainly does pose a danger to Iraq, because ISIS — whether it’s in Syria or Iraq or anywhere in the world — is one organization, and it will certainly try and find ground once more in order to launch attacks,” al-Shatri said.
Brian Carter, a Middle East analyst at the Washington, D.C., free-market American Enterprise Institute think tank, cautioned that Iraqi assessments should be viewed in context, noting that Baghdad has long harbored deep concerns about Syria’s new leadership and its Islamist roots — factors that can shape how Iraqi officials assess the threat emanating from across the border.
Trump declared the U.S. had defeated ISIS in 2019 after U.S.-backed forces dismantled the group’s territorial caliphate. Since then, the group has partially reconstituted as an insurgent network, maintaining sleeper cells across the region.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment and has yet to receive a reply.
That persistence was underscored Dec. 13, 2025, when an ISIS-affiliated gunman killed U.S. National Guard Sgts. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and William Nathaniel Howard in Palmyra, Syria — the first U.S. combat deaths in Syria since the 2024 transition.
The attack prompted a U.S. military response known as Operation Hawkeye Strike, a series of airstrikes targeting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure sites days later. U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, described the mission as aimed at “eliminating ISIS fighters,” signaling a more aggressive posture as Syria’s landscape fractured.
CHAOS IN SYRIA SPARKS FEARS OF ISIS PRISON BREAKS AS US RUSHES DETAINEES TO IRAQ
For years, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) guarded roughly 10,000 ISIS detainees in Syria. But that system is now breaking down.
Following the Jan. 18, 14-point agreement brokered by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, the SDF is being integrated “individually” into the Syrian National Army. This has forced a rapid reorganization of security responsibilities.
The collapse of Kurdish autonomy has directly affected detention operations. Syrian government forces have taken over major sites, including Shaddadi Prison and Panorama Prison, both of which saw intense fighting Jan. 19 during Operation Hawkeye Strike. U.S. military officials have framed the subsequent detainee transfers as a critical effort to prevent a broader security failure.
“We are closely coordinating with regional partners, including the Iraqi government,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, following the Jan. 21 transfer of the first 150 high-risk fighters to Iraq. “Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States.”
Analysts say one of the most delicate challenges facing Syria’s new government is that not everyone held in ISIS detention facilities is actually an ISIS fighter. Years of mass arrests, shifting front lines and inconsistent record-keeping have left authorities with incomplete files on who was detained for terrorism and who was swept up for political or security reasons.
LINDSEY GRAHAM SAYS ‘STRONG CONSENSUS’ TO PROTECT KURDS AS SYRIAN FORCES ADVANCE ON TERRITORY
While up to 7,000 detainees are slated for transfer, the situation remains volatile. Syrian authorities recently completed a takeover of the al-Hol camp, which houses 24,000 people.
Kurdish-led forces said they withdrew from the camp amid “international indifference,” leaving Syrian authorities to manage a population analysts warn could complicate release decisions during a fragile transition.
“There’s always a risk when you’re moving large numbers of people in a hurry,” said Daniel Byman, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Byman said the danger lies not in ISIS’s current strength, but in the conditions surrounding a security transition.
“These groups are weak, right? So this isn’t 2015,” he said. “But chaos is good for ISIS.”
Carter warned that if a ceasefire between SDF and Syrian government forces does not hold, ISIS may work to exploit the fighting.
Byman warned that periods of declining local authority — marked by fewer troops and fractured control — historically create openings.
“If there are fewer troops around, it’s easier for a relatively small group to survive and maybe even grow,” he said.
The U.S. currently has around 900 troops in Syria, and is in the process of withdrawing all troops from Iraq by the end of the year.
“There’s going to be a window of opportunity for ISIS as the Syrian government regains control,” Carter said, warning that security forces distracted by internal reorganization could struggle to maintain pressure.
But, “I think it’s actually a net positive for the United States,” Carter added. “It puts these detainees in a country that has shown an ability to prosecute them.”
Carter noted that Iraq’s purpose-built prisons are better positioned than the often improvised SDF sites.
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As responsibility for tracking ISIS fighters becomes increasingly diffuse, analysts say the outcome will depend on whether regional governments can manage detainees and close gaps during this rapid political transition.
“When you’re saying, ‘we don’t care about your region,’ your ability to coordinate your allies declines,” Byman warned.
Combined war casualties for Russia and Ukraine could hit 2 million, new report warns
A new report is warning that the combined war casualties in the nearly four-year Russia-Ukraine war could hit 2 million by spring 2026. The number includes soldiers killed, injured or missing on both sides of the conflict.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released a report on Tuesday predicting the grim milestone. CSIS states that Russia suffered 1.2 million casualties, including 325,000 troop deaths, between February 2022 and December 2025. It estimates that Ukraine suffered between 500,000 to 600,000 casualties, including 140,000 troop deaths. CSIS estimates that the current combined Russian and Ukrainian casualties could be as high as 1.8 million.
Getting a clear picture of the fatalities and casualties suffered on both sides is not easy as neither Moscow nor Kyiv gives timely data on military losses, according to The Associated Press, which noted that the two countries are also simultaneously focused on amplifying each other’s casualties. Russia has publicly acknowledged the deaths of just over 6,000 soldiers, the AP reported.
The outlet noted that activists and independent journalists have said that reports of military losses have been repressed in Russian media.
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“Despite claims of battlefield momentum in Ukraine, the data shows that Russia is paying an extraordinary price for minimal gains and is in decline as a major power,” the report reads.
“No major power has suffered anywhere near these numbers of casualties or fatalities in any war since World War II,” the report notes.
Russian battlefield casualties and fatalities have been “significantly higher” than Ukraine’s, according to the report.
CSIS estimates the ratio to be roughly 2.5:1 or 2:1. CSIS points to several reasons for the high Russian casualties and fatalities, including the country’s “failure to effectively conduct combined arms and joint warfare, poor tactics and training, corruption, low morale and Ukraine’s effective defense-in-depth strategy in a war that favors the defense.” The report also states that Russia has accepted taking high casualties as part of its strategy.
“Russia’s attrition strategy has accepted the costs of high casualties in hopes of eventually wearing down Ukraine’s military and society,” CSIS states in its report.
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In addition to its high casualty rate, Russia has also been advancing “remarkably slowly,” according to the report. CSIS stated in its report that Russian forces had advanced at an average rate of 15 to 70 meters (49 to 230 feet) per day in its most prominent offenses since seizing the military initiative in January 2024. The authors of the report say Russia’s pace is “slower than almost any major offensive campaign in any war in the last century.”
The report comes less than one month before the fourth anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine. Despite international mediators, including the U.S., making attempts to end the war, it has persisted, with both sides suffering casualties.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials said two people were killed during Russian strikes that hit an apartment block on the outskirts of Kyiv, the AP reported. Additionally, at least nine people were injured in separate attacks on the Ukrainian cities of Odesa and Kryvyi Rih.
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Representatives for Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. recently met in the United Arab Emirates for the first trilateral talks since 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X that the “conversations were constructive.”
“A lot was discussed, and it is important that the conversations were constructive,” he wrote on X, noting the delegations could have further meetings as early as next week. “As a result of the meetings held over these days, all sides agreed to report back in their capitals on each aspect of the negotiations and to coordinate further steps with their leaders.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Russia and Ukraine’s foreign affairs ministries.
Russian drone attack on passenger train is an ‘act of terrorism,’ Zelenskyy says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian attack drones struck a civilian passenger train in the Kharkiv region on Tuesday, killing at least four people in what he called an “act of terrorism.”
“In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be regarded in the same way – purely as an act of terrorism. There would be no doubt about the classification, neither in Europe, nor in America, nor in the Arab world, nor in China, nor anywhere else,” he wrote in a post on X. “There is, and can be, no military justification for killing civilians in a train carriage.”
The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday on Telegram that the number of confirmed fatalities had risen to five, with two people injured and one man reported missing.
Oleksiy Kuleba, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, said three Russian drones were used in the attack on the train, which was carrying more than 200 people.
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Eighteen passengers were inside the carriage hit by one of the drones, he added.
The attack followed trilateral talks between Moscow, Kyiv and Washington in Abu Dhabi over the weekend that were aimed at ending the nearly four-year war.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said the meetings were “very constructive” and plans were being made for the sides to meet again this week.
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“President Trump and his entire team are dedicated to bringing peace to this war,” Witkoff said.
Russia has continued to strike Kyiv’s energy infrastructure during negotiations, leaving thousands of residents without power and heat as winter conditions persist.
RUSSIA HAS SUFFERED MORE CASUALTIES IN UKRAINE WAR THAN ALL OTHER CONFLICTS COMBINED SINCE WWII: PENTAGON
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Zelenskyy said significant outages remain across the region, with hundreds of residential buildings in three districts of the capital still without heating despite ongoing repair efforts.
“Repair crews are working at maximum capacity. Crews from almost across the entire country have been deployed to assist,” he noted.
Trump pressures Iran to ‘come to the table’ as ‘massive’ US armada draws near
President Donald Trump urged Iran to “come to the table” as the U.S. deploys a “massive armada” to the region on Wednesday.
Trump confirmed that the USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group are deploying as a direct threat to the Iranian regime. The president said a major attack may be necessary of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime does not make a deal with the U.S.
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again,” he added.
SECRET SERVICE AWARE AFTER IRANIAN STATE TV AIRS TRUMP THREAT FEATURING PHOTO OF BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Iran’s mission to the United Nations responded to Trump’s post within hours, vowing to defend itself.
“Last time the U.S. blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives. Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests—BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!” the statement read.
Trump said earlier this week that Tehran appears willing to negotiate amid the U.S. military buildup.
In a Monday interview with Axios, Trump suggested that Tehran had reached out on “numerous occasions” and “want[s] to make a deal.”
“They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk,” the president told the outlet.
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According to U.S. officials, also cited by Axios, any potential agreement would need Tehran to remove all enriched uranium, cap its long-range missile stockpile, a change in support for regional proxy forces, and cease independent uranium enrichment, terms Iranian leaders have not agreed to.
The Abraham Lincoln entered CENTCOM waters on Monday
The U.S. military buildup comes amid widespread unrest inside Iran following protests that began Dec. 28.
According to a recent report from Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the confirmed death toll from the protests has reached 5,848, with an additional 17,091 deaths under investigation.
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Khamenei has been sheltering in a fortified underground facility, according to Iran International.