One day soon we will bring back the animal videos. I will see you up in new york tomorrow. See you done. Bret good evening i am bret baier. Coming to you life from inside the u. S. Capital just down the hall from the house chamber. The house essentially frozen and searching for a speaker. The process begins tonight and it has taken on new urgency following the weekend. Strikes against israel. We are waiting for a meeting of House Republicans scheduled to begin it right around now as to begin to vet the two major candidates for the top political post in the chamber. There could be surprises, including from the man who was just removed from the post. The pressure to settle on a speaker quickly has increased exponentially because without a Speaker Congress ability to help israel is greatly reduced. We will talk about all of that as this program proceeds. First, the latest from the middle east. The death toll is estimated at more than 1600 on both sides at this hour and that includes at least 11 americans that are said to be more than 130 israeli hostages in gaza and possibly americans held hostage as well. Israel is promising to destroy hamas and is blaming iran for helping to Terrorist Group staged the sitting attacks. It raises the possibility that the conflict could become a regional one. Israel is too late total siege to the gaza strip. An israel tonight where regaining control and counting the dead. Great job on the front lines. Good evening. Good evening. State israeli air strikes continued on the gaza strip. Using their navy and artillery units to hammer at the northern and eastern part of gaza before they go in and to the ground. That is what the plan appears to be according to israeli Prime Minister benjamin. Still palace sent militants. We are inside the city and the border that just yesterday it had a Mosque Fighters battling Israelis Inside of it. To date the police were looking for the bodies of their football and officers and we were there. They just came end. These are the teams that are going to go in to try to find the bodies of those officers. They dont have the time to go through and identify each and every person. They have stack to ten or 11 bodies at the back of one pickup truck. When palestinians entered this area at the storm the Police Station they can these officers hostage and slaughtering them. Unfortunately that has been a devastating scene for Southern Israel in the last 48 hours. Speak up we have seen thousands of Israeli Soldiers in Southern Israel to enter the gaza strip. Idf tanks and rpgs. We went with the military where we sought the bodies of hamas militants laying along the side of the road. Want you to listen to what is really Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu had to say tonight when he addresses nation, but the world. Israel is at war. We do not want this war and it was forced upon us and the most brutal and savage way. Israel did not start this war, israel will finish it. Once the jewish people were stateless, once the jewish people were defenseless. No longer. This evening israel is bracing for the possibility of a multifront conflict. Already the Lebanese Militant Group a hezbollah into northern israel and Firing Missiles at eight israeli base. Bret going to have back with Breaking News throughout the show. President biden in the meantime has gone a second full day without an on camera comment about the situation and the middle east. His administration is also engaged in a bit of Damage Control about its iran policy on a number of fronts. Now as we said confirmation of american dead, 11, and possible american hostages. Senior national with the latest from there. President biden released a statement revealing 11 americans are now dead and hamas may be holding more. White house says that officials are speaking and coordinating with their israeli counterparts, trying to free hostages. Talking to them about resources and capabilities and needs that they might have that we will be able to help them with. As far as im able to go today. President biden says the United States is working to confirm that iran backed hamas. Administration believes that is likely. White house is also facing criticism about its iran policy. From the very first day of the Body Administration they moved for appeasement. Hamas is one of militant groups that are run supports. By the administration has tried to gauge iran to gauge the Nuclear Agreement that the Previous Administration abandon. The best option to prevent iran from building a Nuclear Weapon is through such an agreement. Republicans argued that heavy sanctions and economic isolation is better. Only way youre going to keep this war from escalating is to hold iran accountable. By the administration of us also defending its decision to unfreeze 6 billion as part of an agreement to free american hostages from our rent. Not a single dollar of money has been spent. That money can only be spent on food, agricultural product, on medicine. That sort of thing we will be watching closely. President has been speaking this afternoon with foreign leaders, but no Public Events since he addressed the nation on saturday. And i say stance with the people of israel with the face of this terrible assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and people. Statement today President Biden said that federal Law Enforcement is closely monitoring for any type of threat in the United States in connection with the Terrorist Attacks in israel. Fbi has said that has no credible and specific information indicating an intelligence that there is an attack in a in the stage. Speak bret thank you. Blue and white this evening to honor israel. The u. S. Is sending a Aircraft Carrier group into the middle eastern region. Defense department is preparing munitions and war plans. Update tonight from the pentagon. Good evening. Senior Defense Official told reporters that the pentagon is reaching out to u. S. Defense Industry Leaders to accelerate existing contracts for Weapon Shipments to israel, calling to violence, isis level savagery. Urging support to israel and that includes air defense and munitions. Remain and constant ongoing contact with her counterparts in israel. We are working as fast as possible to provide critical munitions. Pentagon ordered the uss gerald r. Ford strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean ann end closer to israel and allowed message of deterrence to iran and its proxies especially hezbollah. Caring about 5,000 u. S. Sailors. Guided missiles and Missile Destroyers and f15, f16, and a ten fighter jets have already taken off and are headed to the region. U. S. Defense Officials Say they are deeply concerned about hezbollah making the wrong decision and choosing to open a second front to this conflict. When asked if the fact that congress has not passed this years Defense Budget or any budget and it is operating off of a continuing resolution. Whether that harms the ability of the pentagon to search assistance, this Defense Official says that this is a clarifying moment when the government should send a message of unity to its allies. Regarding american hostages Defense Officials said that there is continual conversations across the u. S. Government with an israeli counterparts about the hostages that hamas is holding in gaza. Finally regarding a Wall Street Journal report this morning about an alleged meeting between irans revolutionary guard corps of hamas and hezbollah. Senior official said that iran is in the picture, has provided support for years to hamas and hezbollah. No information cooperating the specifics of the Wall Street Journal story. Bret . To . Bret thank you. Imposing a complete siege therell be no electricity. No food, no water, no fuel, everything will be closed. We are fighting against Human Animals and were acting accordingly. B bret Role Defense Minisr talking about what will be ahead on the ground and gossip for israeli forces. Lets bring an fox news strategic analyst jack keane. In general, thank you for being up here. We have talked many times during the iraq war about how tough it is going straight from street, house to house, without fighting really looks like. Alan think everybody has their head wrapped around us. They have got two objectives going in there. One is to political objective. Hamas governs the gaza strip. Remove them as a political enemy and they have got to think about what the replacement is. The real Military Operation is one of the challenges. What they want to accomplish is something that they have not done before. They have got hard and fast before, a week, two weeks and destroy all of the storage facilities, weapon warehouses, because many enemies as they can. At this time they want to destroy the hamas and Islamic Jihad network. That means leaders, fighters, and then take out all of the facilities, factories that they make the rockets and missiles. Storage facilities. Launchers. All of the military equipment. What we are talking about is not something that is going to be done as they did in the past for a week or two coat. It will take weeks and months. Go neighborhood by neighborhood. Got to have to Senior Leaders to have some patients in terms of what the troops are doing on the this takes time and it soaks up a lot of troops to go block by Block Arid House by house. That is what is in front of them. Bret you had to hostages. Israeli with possible american hostages. Stories about how they have got these weapon munitions. The horror of hamas from the outset has been how they weaponized their own people. They hide their leaders. They hide their weapons among them and he exposed them. They welcomed the casualties because they know that when youre a Civilian Cabot casualties that they exaggerate the numbers. They used as a Pressure Point in the International Community to get to a ceasefire. Bret Gerald Ford Battle Group is heading that way to the region. They are close to that area. The problem that people have thinking about this is that they could expand to a regional conflict. Youre talking about hezbollah in the north and they are already putting soldiers. Im convinced that just like everybody else that iran is behind a sting. They likely have made a decision to expand it and particularly with lebanon and hezbollah. We will find out. That can cause real problems for the years release. They have got 130,000 plus rockets and missiles. These are not like hamas, homemade, not particularly sophisticated. These missiles have a greater range, greater lethality and precision. They have significant number of them. What their intent would be was too overmatched match and swarm the three air Defense Systems that israel has. Iron dome, aero, and david slaying. Taking casualties on a regular. It is possible that israeli is going to ask the americans will help them. Will we do it . Bret out Cannot Imagine An American president say no to that request. Our viewers understand that israelis have never asked for troops to help them from every war 1948 to the present. If they had to stop the bleeding and they cannot do it themselves than the likely web. Bret is something to watch. We will be tapping into your expertise throughout. Thank you. Bret as we told you at the top of the program with the drama of last weeks historic removal of the House Speaker. Holding a meeting right now to discuss all of data. Senior Congressional Correspondent is just outside the Conference Room with that part of the story. They called that the ugly hallway. Perhaps i understand why. Absolutely, bret. It is an ugly hallway, but pretty intense conversation that is going on and the room behind me. This is the first on the republicans have gotten together to talk since they ousted to Kevin Mccarthy, speaker of the house last week. Im told that this is kind of going to be an airing of the grievances. Might hear some profanity in the room, may be some yelling. The house is paralyzed right now. They do not have a House Speaker in a middle of an international crisis. I am hoping that people who created this chaos in the house understands that chaos in American Politics emboldens the bad guys. The house cannot do anything until i elects a speaker, that includes helping israel. Kevin mccarthy is waging a notsosubtle campaign to become speaker again. When not directly answer if you would return to leadership. Dead is a conference decision. They can decide which way they want to go. At im a conservative that wants to go. But if we have a majority and 96 want to go one way, but 4 get to decide what happens, that is not majority. Reminded members day is led official trips to israel and spoke this year. He tried to fill a Leadership Vacuum calling a Press Conference to talk about the middle east today. I dont think it is the iron dome done is to be replenished. We want to make sure that we kill hamas. Destroy hamas. Nader House Majority leader can win the speaker race easily. The new speaker could be the old speaker. If kevin is willing to fight im willing to fight with them. We will get a number of colleagues to fight with him to the end. Here as he scheduled that they will vote, republicans will on wednesday by secret ballot. They do not want to go to the house floor until they have a clear candidate who can win. This took five days, 15 ballots back in january. They want to avoid that chaos. Bret . Bret we are going to head back to you a little later on the show. Chad, thank you. Former Speaker Mccarthy he gave that Press Conference here in the rayburn room earlier today. As we go to break a look at the chaos in gaza early today. Civilians and groups recovered following strikes in gaza. Heres and all of our stuff where we want to go. But, our cars cant take us e with unpaid tolls. Vehicles with overdue, unpaid tolls may not be able to renew their registration until outstanding balances are paid. Payment assistance is available. Visit bayareafastrak. Org ase so go pay your unpaid tolls y and keep your wheels on the one of our strongest allies in the world under attack and we are dillydallying around with the leadership struggling in the house. It should have never occurred. Will kind of message are we sending to our adversaries when we cannot govern . I dont think other countries think about Kevin Mccarthy speakership quite as much as Kevin Mccarthy does. Best person to lead the house considering what is happening in israel . Not my decision. Bret will come back inside the rayburn room, the capitol. Same room debt Kevin Mccarthy issued debt speech day. Joining us to talk about the speaker issue and hamas attack are three congressmen. Brian fitzpatrick of pennsylvania. Thank you for being here. Congress woman, about the reaction to the attacks in israel and what we as a country should be doing. It is terrific in my prayers go out to everyone who has been injured. I have friends who i do now. We have to unite as a country and we have two stand behind israel on all costs. Introduced a bill to bolster the iron dome and to give israel more safeguards. This is the worst that we have seen in 50 years in this country. Bret is it a tough time that the house is frozen in the midst of all of this . Unbelievably ridiculous. We are in a situation. Im not sure that they are not related. The house is paralyzed right now. Speaker cannot do anything, we have no clear leader in the race, dont know when we are going to have one. World this is in crisis. Ukraine under assault, israel under assault, taiwan under crosshairs. Bret heres what the Secretary Of State said about the funds and whether the house needed to act quickly. Tremendous amount of aid and assistance already in the pipelines and back under president obama. We signed a memorandum of understanding with israel that provides with 3. 8 billion in year of defense assistance. Much of that is ongoing. Bret they pledge support by saying it is already in the pipeline. Speak up more than sufficient Funds Available for the administration to bring any and all relief in support of israel including from our dapo that we have in israel. That is not going to last v