US Congressman Ro Khanna was detained for over an hour by armed Israeli settlers supported by IDF soldiers, while visiting the Palestinian hamlet of Khirbet Zanuta in the southern West Bank on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

The California Democrat reported that settlers brandishing American-made M4 rifles surrounded his group's vehicle, blocked the road, and refused to let them leave after they inspected a village and school destroyed by previous settler attacks.

Khanna said that when four IDF soldiers arrived, they sided with the settlers and continued the detention until intervention by the US Embassy and high-level Israeli officials secured their release.

"Israeli settlers, brandishing American made M4s, detained me & other Americans on my trip to Palestine," Ro Khanna wrote on X Saturday. "When the IDF arrived, they sided with the settlers & continued our detention. They made a huge mistake. You will be hearing more soon."

The IDF in a statement claimed its troops did not take part in blocking the road and instead dispersed the civilians to reopen the route upon receiving a report.

"The Israeli government is lying to cover up for 4 IDF soldiers who aided violent settlers brandishing M4 guns and threatening American lives," Ro Khanna wrote on X, responding to IDF statement. "I am calling for their arrest and prosecution. I have met with Israeli hostages and condemned the brutal, terrorist attacks of Oct 7. That does excuse the IDF from detaining American citizens."

The incident has intensified scrutiny on settler violence and US military aid, with Khanna calling for the prosecution of both the settlers and the involved soldiers.

This event occurs amid rising tensions within the Democrat Party over the Israel-Palestine conflict, influencing Khanna's potential 2028 presidential campaign as he advocates for a "new moral direction" regarding human rights in the region.

Popular American journalist Tucker Carlson slammed Mike Huckabee, affter the U.S. Ambassador to Israel posted on X about his coming appearance on Fox News to talk about Iran, instead of addressing the Khanna incident.

"An Amercian member of congress is threatened by foreign terrorists carrying American rifles, backed by a foreign military paid for by American taxpayers, and the US ambassador to that country says not a word in defense of his own countryman, and instead uses his social media accounts to promote his own vapid cable news appearances, which amount to propaganda for that same foreign country," Carlson wrote on X, Saturday. "It’s too much, too insulting and humiliating to America. This is how revolutions start. For the sake our nation, Mike Huckabee should be removed from his post immediately"

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed inevitable revenge for the assassination of his father, Ali Khamenei, and family members in US-Israeli strikes, declaring retaliation a national demand that will occur "soon" regardless of his own survival.

In a written statement released on Saturday, following the conclusion of week-long funeral ceremonies in Mashhad, Mojtaba promised that the "criminal and disgraced killers," whose names are documented, would not die peacefully. The new leader, who has not appeared publicly since sustaining injuries in the February 28 attacks, emphasized that vengeance is a "divine mission" for the Iranian nation.

“Revenge for Iran’s martyred leader is the will of our people, and it must certainly be carried out," Mojtaba wrote. "These criminals, all of whom are fully identified, from the most senior to the most junior, will take to their graves the dream of dying peacefully in their beds.”

President Donald Trump responded with an explicit threat on Truth Social, stating that 1,000 missiles are "locked and loaded" and aimed at Iran, with thousands more ready to follow if Tehran attempts to assassinate him. Trump ordered the US military to be prepared to "completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran" for a one-year period should any attack on his life occur, citing intelligence regarding hardline factions' aspirations.

While US officials noted no evidence of a unified, specific assassination plot currently in motion, the exchange of threats has severely strained relations just weeks after a temporary peace memorandum was signed.

Meanwhile diplomatic talks in Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz concluded without an agreement, as Iran rejected proposals for separate navigation routes and refused US demands to surrender its enriched uranium stockpile.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Washington of violating the interim deal by revoking oil waivers following Iranian attacks on commercial vessels, while the US insisted the ceasefire is effectively "over" due to these maritime hostilities.

With Iran maintaining that control of the strategic waterway rests exclusively with Tehran, the failure of these negotiations raises the risk of further military escalation in the Persian Gulf.

Ann Widdecombe, the 78-year-old former Conservative MP, MEP, and Reform UK spokesperson, was found dead at her Dartmoor home in Haytor, Devon, on Thursday, with serious head injuries, prompting an active murder investigation by Devon and Cornwall Police.

Widdecombe was last seen communicating with staff on Wednesday, July 8, around 12:19 BST; police believe she was attacked at approximately 12:30 BST that day, roughly 24 hours before her body was discovered by ambulance personnel at 11:40 BST on Thursday.

A 26-year-old British man was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot on Friday, July 10, but was released from custody on Saturday morning and is no longer considered a suspect, though police continue to hunt for a male suspect.

Authorities have ruled out terrorism and stated there is currently no information to suggest the crime was politically motivated, though Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speculated it could have been a burglary gone wrong.

Widdecombe served as the MP for Maidstone from 1987 to 2010, holding roles as a Home Office and employment minister in John Major’s government. She later served as an MEP for the Brexit Party (2019–2020) before becoming a key spokesperson for Reform UK.

After leaving Parliament, she gained widespread recognition as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing (2010) and Celebrity Big Brother (2018), maintaining a profile as a staunch socially conservative voice and free speech advocate.

Widdecombe's death has reignited concerns regarding the safety of UK politicians, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood urging the public to avoid speculation and allow the investigation to proceed