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What are the Iran-backed groups in the Middle East?

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What are the Iran-backed groups in the Middle East?

Iran backs multiple terrorist groups in the Middle East, including Iraq’s Kata’ib Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

Each group, which receives support from Iran through a number of methods, have increasingly become a threat to members of the U.S. armed forces, U.S. allies, commercial global shipping and the regions in which they operate.

WHAT IS KATA’IB HEZBOLLAH?

Kata’ib Hezbollah is an Iraq-based, Iran-backed terrorist group believed to be responsible for the recent attack that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan.

US LAUNCHES MIDDLE EAST AIRSTRIKES AFTER SOLDIERS’ DEATHS: ‘THIS IS THE START OF OUR RESPONSE’

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Iranian missiles exhibited in a park Jan. 20, 2024, in Tehran, Iran. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

Originally formed in 2003, Kata’ib Hezbollah, which translates to “Brigades of the Party of God,” is responsible for a large majority of the more than 160 attacks against U.S. forces operating in Iraq and Syria since mid-October.

The group has an apparent headquarters in Baghdad and has operated across Iraq. Believed to have approximately 3,000 members, the group has also operated in Syria, both in Aleppo and Damascus, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).

The group was “an umbrella organization for several Shiite militant groups until 2007, when it issued a statement announcing a merger,” according to FDD.

The group, which has an allegiance to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, claimed it is suspending military activity in the region this week. 

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IRAN-BACKED PROXY GROUP THREATENS MORE ATTACKS ON US TROOPS

“We announce the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces — in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government,” the group’s leader, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, said in a statement late Tuesday.

WHO ARE THE HOUTHIS?

Iran-funded proxy the Houthis have recently escalated their attacks against vessels in or near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and have stated their support of Hamas, which is engaged in a war with Israel. The group has also attempted to insert itself into the war by firing drones and missiles at Israel, resulting in fears the fighting could escalate into a regional conflict.  

The attacks by the Houthi rebels have prompted some shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through the maritime route where the Houthis initiated attacks on commercial ships.

Houthi fighters stage a rally in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and against the U.S.-led airstrikes on Yemen, in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)

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The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, launching a years-long, bloody war. The conflict soon became a proxy war between Saudi Arabia, which backed the Yemeni government in exile, and Iran, which backed the rebels. 

The war created a major humanitarian crisis that resulted in widespread hunger and misery in Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world. The war reportedly killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, killing tens of thousands more.

A cease-fire that technically ended a year ago has largely been honored. The Houthis control most of Yemen and trace their history to a religious revival movement for the Zaydi sect of Shi’ite Islam in the late 1990s. The sect ruled Yemen for centuries but was marginalized under the Sunni regime that came to power after a 1962 civil war.

As friction with the government grew, a series of guerrilla wars with the national army were fought, as well as a brief border conflict with Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters.

Following a year of relative calm in Yemen, the Houthis have launched a number of missiles and drones. On Oct. 31, they attacked Israel, saying at the time there would be more “to help the Palestinians to victory.”

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Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of training, arming and funding the Houthis, a claim Tehran continues to deny.

WHAT IS HEZBOLLAH?

Backed by Iran, Hezbollah is a terrorist group that holds major influence over Lebanon. It operates with a broader goal of bolstering Iranian objectives.

Since Oct. 7, Hezbollah and Israel have traded fire in what’s been described as low-intensify warfare. Hezbollah has fired more than 1,000 rockets, missiles and drones into Israel while losing almost 200 of its fighters, who were killed by the IDF in its targeted response against the terror group.

Fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah carry out a training exercise in Aaramta village in southern Lebanon in May 2023.  (AP/Hassan Ammar)

Hezbollah was founded during the 15-year Lebanese Civil War that started in 1975. Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) provided funding and training to the group of Shiites who began fighting against Israeli forces. The group became known as Hezbollah, which means “The Party of God.” 

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The party’s original objective was to remove the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from southern Lebanon. Although Israel withdrew its troops in 2000, Hezbollah justified its ongoing conflict based on Israel’s presence in Shebaa Farms, an area within the Lebanon-Syria-Israel border region.

A 1985 manifesto consecrated Hezbollah’s mission to expel Western influence from the Middle East and destroy Israel. The manifesto listed Ayatollah Khomeini, the Iranian Islamic revolutionary, as its leader. Khomeini ruled Iran as its supreme leader from 1979 until his death in 1989.

Hezbollah’s reach extends beyond the Middle East. The group is responsible for attacks and plots across Bulgaria, Peru, Cyprus, Thailand, Argentina and elsewhere. While Hezbollah has not succeeded with a terrorist attack in the United States, the group attempts to develop the ability to do so. 

Hezbollah operates networks inside and outside Lebanon to execute various criminal activities, including a series of attacks against U.S. interests. These attacks included the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing that killed 241 United States Marines, the deadliest day for the United States Marine Corps since the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.

Led by Hassan Nasrallah, the terrorist organization has a history of carrying out terrorist attacks to support its mission stated in the manifesto.

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WHAT IS HAMAS?

Like the others, Hamas is a terrorist group made up of Iranian-backed terrorists.

The group is designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the State Department. According to the U.S., EU and Israel, it has maintained an iron-clad grip on Gaza since violently taking over the territory in 2007, after Israel unilaterally withdrew in 2005.

Palestinian Hamas militants march in support of the group in Gaza City Dec. 10, 2022. (Mohammed Abed/AFP via Getty Images)

On Dec. 14, 2022, Yahya Sinwar, leader of the Hamas terror group, and others celebrated the 35th anniversary of Hamas’ founding at the Gaza Strip.

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The terrorist group, which receives funding and training from Iran, imposes a strict Islamic code on its 2 million-plus residents and continues to engage in fighting Israel, including firing endless rounds of rockets and incendiary devices into Israeli territory and mass protests along the border fence.

On the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, the Hamas terror organization attacked and infiltrated areas of southern Israel with thousands of rockets launched from the Gaza Strip. That invasion resulted in 1,200 deaths, and the ensuing war between Hamas and Israel has resulted in the deaths of thousands more, mostly Palestinians.

Fox News’ Louis Casiano, Breana Scheckwitz, Anders Hagstrom, and Gabriele Regalbuto contributed to this report.

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‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Sets Summer Release, Reveals More First-Look Photos as Jason Sudeikis Returns to Richmond

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‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Sets Summer Release, Reveals More First-Look Photos as Jason Sudeikis Returns to Richmond

Jason Sudeikis‘ long-awaited return to AFC Richmond now has a date.

Apple TV has announced that that the fourth season of “Ted Lasso” will debut globally this summer, while the streamer has also sharing new stills and plot details.

Currently in production, the show will see the return of Sudeikis, who exec produces, plus Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Emmy winner Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt and Jeremy Swift. New signings include Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsey, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern and Grant Feely.

In season four, Ted returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women’s football team. As per the synopsis: “Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would.”

“Ted Lasso” season four also adds Emmy winner Jack Burditt (“Nobody Wants This,” “Modern Family,” “30 Rock”) as executive producer under a new overall deal with Apple TV. Sudeikis stars and executive produces alongside Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Jane Becker, Jamie Lee, and Bill Wrubel. Goldstein serves as writer and executive producer alongside Leanne Bowen. Sarah Walker and Phoebe Walsh will serve as writers and producers for season four, and Sasha Garron co-produces. Julia Lindon will write for season four, and Dylan Marron will serve as story editor.

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Bill Lawrence executive produces via his Doozer Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of NBCUniversal Content. Doozer’s Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer also serve as executive producers. The series was developed by Sudeikis, Lawrence, Kelly and Hunt, and is based on the preexisting format and characters from NBC Sports.

Following its global debut on Apple TV, “Ted Lasso” immediately broke records, the first season becoming the most Emmy-nominated comedy series. The series went on to land back-to-back outstanding comedy series Emmys for its first two seasons on air.

See the other first-look stills from “Ted Lasso” season 4 below.

Michael Becker Courtesy of Apple

Courtesy of Apple

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Ted Cruz urges US to arm Iranian protesters as militias threaten ‘total war’ against America

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Ted Cruz urges US to arm Iranian protesters as militias threaten ‘total war’ against America

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Sen. Ted Cruz called for the U.S. to arm Iranian protesters Tuesday as unrest continues inside the nation and Iran-backed militias issued threats against Washington.

“We should be arming the protesters in Iran. NOW,” Cruz wrote in a post on X.

“For the Iranian people to overthrow the Ayatollah — a tyrant who routinely chants ‘death to America’ — would make America much, much safer,” the Texas Republican added.

Cruz was responding to another post from Tehran Bureau, which cited a source inside Iran detailing what was described as a rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground as security forces continued to crack down on demonstrations.

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IRAN WILL RETALIATE ‘WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE’ IF US ATTACKS, SENIOR DIPLOMAT WARNS

“From trusted source in Tehran: Tell all of your friends [abroad] — everyone you know: there is absolutely nothing else we can do here inside Iran,” the post read.

“They are killing people in such ways, they’ve descended upon people so brutally, they’re attacking us in such ways… We’ve lost so many lives that no one dares go out anymore. They shoot directly with bullets. They kill outright. And even after killing, they come and behead you, and do countless other violent things to you,” it continued.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called for the armament of anti-government protesters in Iran. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“Going out into the streets is literally suicide. It’s not about bravery anymore. It’s madness. You go out and they shoot you point-blank. They don’t even ask why you came. They just kill you,” the post continued. “There is absolutely no way for us to gather unless we had weapons, unless we were armed like them. Otherwise they have weapons everywhere.”

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According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, activist groups estimate that more than 6,000 people have been killed in Iran, with additional cases still under review.

The protests began in late December amid widespread anger over economic hardship, political repression and corruption, according to reports.

IRAN REGIME REPORTEDLY ISSUED NATIONWIDE SHOOT-TO-KILL ORDERS AS PROTEST DEATH TOLL SURGES

Iranian security forces allegedly killed detainees and burned bodies during protests, with clashes continuing in Kermanshah, Rasht and Mashhad despite government claims. (NCRI)

Cruz’s post came after armed militias aligned with Iran warned the U.S. they would retaliate against any American attack on the Islamic Republic, as the Trump administration moved forces into the region.

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Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq said it was prepared for “total war” if the U.S. attacked Iran, according to The Associated Press.

Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, the group’s leader, said the “enemies” of the Islamic Republic would face “the bitterest forms of death.”

IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER ACKNOWLEDGES THOUSANDS KILLED AS TRUMP CALLS FOR NEW LEADERSHIP: REPORTS

Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq said it was prepared for “total war” should the U.S. attack Iran. (Fadel Itani/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“You will taste every form of deadly suffering, nothing of you will remain in our region, and we will strike terror in your hearts,” the statement read.

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Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthis also threatened to restart attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, releasing a video Monday showing a ship engulfed in flames, captioned: “Soon,” The Associated Press reported.

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As previously reported by Fox News Digital, President Donald Trump said Iran appeared to be seeking negotiations with the U.S. amid the growing military buildup, telling Axios, “They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk.”

The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in the Middle East on Monday as unrest inside Iran continued to escalate.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Sen. Ted Cruz for comment.

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North Korea’s Kim to outline plans to boost nuclear arsenal

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North Korea’s Kim to outline plans to boost nuclear arsenal

Pyongyang expected to release five-year development plan for defence and economy at upcoming congress.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will unveil plans to bolster the country’s nuclear forces at an upcoming governing party meeting, state media reported.

The report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Wednesday came the day after Kim oversaw the latest in a series of missile tests that have unsettled the region. Kim has ordered the “expansion” and modernisation of the country’s missile production.

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Details, which Kim has warned will bring “excruciating mental agony” to his enemies, are expected to be released at the upcoming ninth Communist Party congress, which is due to take place in the coming weeks.

At the meeting, the first such gathering since 2021, the governing party will unveil a five-year development plan for defence and the economy.

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Kim described Tuesday’s test-firing of a large-calibre multiple rocket launcher system as of “great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent” and said it showed the weapon system could be used for “specific attacks”, KCNA reported.

The missiles that were fired “hit a target” in waters at a distance of 358.5km (222.7 miles), the North Korean leader declared.

The missiles were fired in the direction of the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. Two landed outside North Korea’s Exclusive Economic Zone, Japanese state news agency Jiji Press reported, citing Defence Ministry sources.

South Korea’s military reported that it detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles launched from north of Pyongyang towards the Sea of Japan.

“The result and significance of this test will be a source of excruciating mental agony and serious threat to the forces that attempt to provoke a military confrontation with us,” Kim said.

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Analysts told South Korea’s Yonhap news agency that the “self-steered precision guided flight system” mentioned by Kim may indicate a new navigation system employed to help the weapon defy global positioning system (GPS) jamming.

Photos showed Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, accompanying him to the test, along with Kim Jong-sik, first vice department director of the party’s central committee, and Jang Chang-ha, chief of the Missile Administration, Yonhap reported.

While acknowledging that development of the rocket launcher system had “not been plain sailing”, Kim said the test was “of great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent”.

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