american troops in iraq and in syria. this comes with the u.s. concerned that this israel-hamas war could expand in the region. martha raddatz standing by with late reporting on these u.s. strikes. also breaking at this hour, the tense talks under way right now for the potential release of dozens of hostages held by hamas in gaza. what sources are now telling abc news, and matt rivers in israel. in new york city, ivanka trump taking the stand in the $250 million civil trial against her father. what she told the court today. aaron katersky at the courthouse. outside new york city tonight, the urgent manhunt under way in new jersey, after authorities say a january 6th suspect evaded police, running into the woods. the fbi and the s.w.a.t. teams called in tonight. stephanie ramos at the scene for us. the images coming in, the explosion. huge flames and dark smoke rising into the sky at a chemical plant in texas. john quinones reporting from texas tonight. democrats declaring major victories in ohio, kentucky, and virginia overnight. voters protecting abortion rights. and the democratic governor in the south who won re-election in a deep red state. rachel scott at tonight's republican debate. tonight, the fda approving a new diabetes drug from eli lilly to treat obesity, with significant weight loss reported. what they've seen with this drug. three beloved pandas saying good-bye to the national zoo, their journey home tonight. and the one runner from the new york city marathon, days later, she still has people talking. you have to see her finish, you'll understand why. she is america strong. good evening and it's great to have you with us here on a very busy wednesday night. we do begin tonight with the breaking news. u.s. air strikes on a weapons storage facility in syria. the pentagon just a short time ago revealing the u.s. has unleashed retaliatory strikes after iran-backed forces targeted american troops in both iraq and syria for weeks since the israel-hamas war began. tonight, defense secretary lloyd austin issuing a statement, saying the strikes were conducted by two u.s. f-15s, targeting a weapons storage facility. abc's chief global affairs correspondent martha raddatz leading us off tonight with what she's learned. >> reporter: tonight, retaliation. u.s. warplanes striking a weapons facility in syria, after iranian-backed forces targeted american troops in iraq and syria with a barrage of drone and rocket attacks over the weekend. making at least 40 such attacks on americans since mid-october. most of those intercepted and no serious injuries reported. this is the second time the u.s. has launched these retaliatory air strikes in response to attacks on american troops by iran-backed militants. on october 26th, launching missiles into two weapons storage facilities in syria. just hours before these latest retaliatory attacks, one of the most serious provocations by the iranian-backed militants since the israel-hamas conflict began. a u.s. defense official confirming that houthi forces in yemen shot down a u.s. reaper drone over waters off yemen's coast. the mq-9 reaper is one of the most sophisticated and expensive armed drones in the u.s. arsenal. just weeks ago, the "uss carney" brought down four houthi cruise missiles and more than a dozen drones aimed towards israel from the red sea. >> david: and martha raddatz with us live tonight. we know this evening's u.s. air strikes of course come at a time of extremely high tensions across the middle east and concern here in the u.s. >> reporter: very high tensions, david. and while the u.s. is trying to make sure the war in israel does not spread, defense secretary lloyd austin saying in a statement tonight, "the united states is fully prepared to take further necessary measures to protect our people and our facilities." david? >> david: martha raddatz on the breaking developments tonight. martha, thank you. there is also breaking news at this hour on the hostages tonight. abc news learning that there are tense talks under way right now for the potential release of dozens of hostages held by hamas in gaza. what is unclear is if the americans held captive could be among this group potentially released. what sources are now telling abc news, and abc's matt rivers in israel again tonight. >> reporter: tonight, urgent negotiations underway for the potential release of dozens of hostages held by hamas in gaza. sources telling abc news, israel is considering a proposal brought by egypt and qatar for a humanitarian pause in exchange for the release. with the u.s. in close coordination. but so far, no final deal has been reached. just days ago, david pressing prime minister benjamin netanyahu on the hostages, which includes americans. netanyahu saying, no cease-fire unless the hostages are released. >> david: if hamas agreed to release the hostages, then there would be a pause? >> well, there would be a cease-fire for that purpose. and we're waiting for that to happen, it hasn't happened so far. >> david: do you know where the hostages are? do you know where the americans are? >> we have some intelligence, i'm not sure it's wise to share it here with hamas. >> reporter: the israeli military saying ground forces are pushing deeper into gaza city, destroying 130 tunnel shafts. claiming hamas has lost control of northern gaza. the u.n. saying 40,000 palestinians fled south over the past three days through a humanitarian corridor set up by the idf. some in this crowd holding white flags. and the civilian death toll keeps rising. 10-year-old hanin saying she's scared of the bombings, and just wants to go back home and back to school. >> david: the children inside gaza tonight. matt rivers with us now, and matt, we pressed prime minister netanyahu in our exclusive interview this week on the growing palestinian death toll, the civilians, of course, caught in the middle of this war. and on the hostages. we know the biden administration has been pushing for this pause to address both of these concerns, both humanitarian aid getting into gaza, and, of course, the effort to get the hostages out. and tonight, it would appear that there might be some progress here? >> reporter: yeah, david, we know that the u.s., israel, qatar urgently working towards trying to finalize a deal. what's unclear how these latest strikes in the region will complicate those efforts. it's clear that this entire region, and that hostage deal, remain on a knife's edge. david? >> david: matt rivers, thank you. back here in the u.s. tonight, here in new york city, ivanka trump taking the stand in the $250 million civil trial against her father and the family business. what she told the court today, and abc's senior investigative reporter aaron katersky was in the courtroom. >> reporter: she's not a defendant in this case, and she didn't want to be here. but today, ivanka trump forced to testify in the civil fraud trial threatening the trump family business. >> how are you feeling, ivanka? >> reporter: on the witness stand, she testified she played no role in her father's statements of financial condition that the judge has determined were riddled with fraud. "those weren't things that i was privy to," she said, echoing her deposition. >> i don't specifically know what was prepared on his behalf for him as a person separate and distinct from the organization. >> reporter: she acknowledged working to secure loans guaranteed by her father's wealth for trump properties, like the doral golf club in miami. but says she couldn't remember the details, at one point saying, "i believe it was the ninth month of pregnancy of my oldest daughter." attorney general letitia james unmoved. >> this case is about fraudulent statements of financial condition that she benefited from. she was enriched. and clearly, you cannot distance yourself from that fact. >> reporter: the state has now rested its case. the defense is going to begin on monday. but david, it's going to be an uphill climb, since the judge has already decided former president trump engaged in fraud. david? >> david: aaron katersky, thank you. we're going to turn now to the urgent manhunt, 40 miles outside new york city at this hour, in middlesex county, new jersey, after a suspect wanted in the january 6th attack evaded authorities. this was the scene in central new jersey today, a massive police presence. the fbi and s.w.a.t. teams called in. abc's scene for us tonight. >> reporter: an all-out manhunt tonight in the small central new jersey town, just 40 miles southwest of new york city. after this man, wanted in connection to the attack at the capitol on january 6th, evaded arrest. gregory yetman fleeing on foot into the wooded area near his home. police searching from the sky and the ground. according to "usa today," yetman is suspect number 278afo, wanted for assault of a federal officer. pictured at the capitol in these photos on the fbi's website. in an interview earlier this year, yetman indicated he was at the capitol that day, but said he did nothing wrong. the fbi leading the multi-agency manhunt in the town of helmetta. officers in tactical gear looking in vehicles, teams moving through backyards, armed with long guns and k-9s. >> there were officers running through everybody's yards, asking questions. >> reporter: even though the sun has gone down, we can still see joint terrorism task force agents going door-to-door, looking for yetman. according to police, yetman is in his 40s, last seen wearing a red jacket and baseball cap. he served in the new jersey national guard for 12 years, and was honorably discharged in march of 2022. >> they are determined to attain this gentleman today, that is their effort. >> reporter: tonight, authorities are urging residents to shelter in place. streets here were closed for a period of time. tactical vehicles and law enforcement officers are still lining this street behind me, which is near the house where authorities believe yetman was staying. david, it is still a very active scene here. >> david: all right, stephanie ramos reporting tonight. steph, thank you. now to the scene unfolding in texas tonight, after a massive explosion and fire in a chemical plant outside houston. evacuations ordered five miles all around that plant tonight. these are the images coming in all day today. the thick, black smoke seen for miles, and of course, concern about what is now in the air. all of the employees accounted for. one treated for burns tonight. abc's john quinones on the scene in texas. >> reporter: tonight, that massive inferno of flames and fumes northeast of houston. >> what a horrific sight to be seeing from a thousand feet above the ground. >> reporter: the calls coming in just after 8:00 this morning from sound resource solutions, a chemical plant in shepherd, texas. >> office of emergency management has issued that shelter in place for a five-mile radius around the plant. >> at first, i thought they were emptying the garbage bins. but then, after you heard the third and fourth and fifth explosion, they were one after another. >> schools have been advised to shelter in place, turn off all hvacs. >> reporter: one school close to the plant forced to evacuate 31 children. >> we had to evacuate them through a pasture. a man owns a large piece of property over there, and they were gracious enough to open the gates and allow these vehicles to traverse his land. >> we are seeing some of these mini explosions happening yet again. look at this right here, tammy, zooming into it. boy, this is very concerning. >> reporter: the plant houses multiple kinds of toxic and highly flammable materials. >> we do oil field chemicals. we do paint coatings, chemicals, hazardous materials. yes. but it's the type of material you probably have under your kitchen sink. it's not to be taken lightly. >> reporter: and tonight, david, the owner of the company tells us the explosion was the result of a forklift incident. the driver sustained minor burns and was taken to a local hospital. officials, meanwhile, tonight, are continuing to monitor air quality here. david? >> david: john quinones in texas for us tonight outside houston. thanks, john. tonight, five republican candidates who want to beat donald trump for the republican nomination will debate. they are at least 40 points behind trump. it all comes after the election yesterday, voters protecting abortion rights in this country from ohio to virginia. and a democratic governor in kentucky, of course, a deep red state, winning re-election. here's rachel scott. >> reporter: tonight, democrats pointing to victories in virginia, kentucky, and ohio as proof abortion is increasingly the issue that decides elections. >> the voters said, look, the government should not be telling a woman what to do with her body. >> reporter: president biden declaring, "democracy won and maga lost." and in an attempt to dismiss his own sliding poll numbers, he added, "voters vote. polls don't." in ohio, voters overwhelmingly choosing to protect abortion rights in the state constitution. in virginia, voters rejected the republican governor's effort to flip the state legislature from democrat control. he promised to sign a 15-week abortion ban with exceptions, casting it as a compromise. voters rejected that. >> i'm a little disappointed, to be clear. >> reporter: and in the south, a rare red state democratic governor winning re-election, fending off his opponent's effort to tie him to president biden. >> it was a victory that sends a loud, clear message. a message that candidates should run for something, and not against someone. that a candidate should show vision, and not sow division. >> reporter: andy beshear winning despite president biden's low approval ratings. the president is hoping to turn those around. tonight, his republican challengers will take the stage for the third republican presidential debate. of course, all of them still trailing donald trump by more than 40 points, and trump sitting this one out once again, david. >> david: rachel scott, you'll be following the debate for us. rachel, thank you. there was yet another developing story for details. >> that breaking news just coming in. sag-aftra negotiators have reached a tentative deal with the mainly movie and tv studios to end the longest actors strike in history. reportedly boost minimum pay and increase residual payments for shows streamed online and establishes new rules for the use of ai that. breaking news, a tentative deal reached to end the hollywood actors strike. big news across the country. >> thank you. now to a new promise tonight for treating diabetes and obesity. the fda has approved a drug from eli lilly explicitly for use in treating obesity. zepbound has the same active ingredient as the diabetes drug mounjaro. and research says it could be more effective for weight loss than other drugs being used right now. here's erielle reshef for us. >> reporter: tonight, a powerful new weapon in the fight against obesity. the fda approving zepbound, with the same ingredient in the diabetes drug mounjaro, but for weight loss. >> we're changing the way medicine is practiced in the united states by treating the obesity with naturally occurring gut hormone therapy. that is going to reverse the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. >> reporter: zepbound, from eli lilly, works like the injectable weight loss drugs ozempic and wegovy, mimicking a hormone that makes the body feel full. but zepbound targets a second hormone, and research suggests it may lead to more dramatic weight loss. kristi keiser says she lost 122 pounds after 15 months on the drug. she says she's no longer pre-diabetic and no longer needs blood pressure medicine. >> for me personally, it has given me my life back. my health is, you know, is better. i hope i've extended the longevity of my life because of it. >> reporter: zepbound comes with side effects like wegovy and ozempic, including nausea, constipation, and abdominal pain. injectable weight loss drugs are not always covered by insurance, and can cost over $1,000 a month. eli lilly says zepbound will be 20% cheaper than its competitors. and eli lilly says zepbound will be available just after thanksgiving. david? >> david: erielle reshef reporting for us tonight. erielle, thank you. when we come back here, the horrific crash on a highway. eight people killed. the driver allegedly smuggling migrants into the u.s. also, a major break tonight, after the killing of a synagogue leader in detroit. and later here, the pandas now leaving the national zoo. ♪ [man struggles] i need some sleep. ♪ [man relieved] if you struggle with cpap, you should check out inspire. inspire. sleep apnea innovation. learn more and view important safety information at inspiresleep.com ( ♪ ) ( whale calling ) during its first year, a humpback calf and its mother are almost inseparable. she lifts her calf to its first breath of air, and then protects it on their long journey. one of the most important things you can do is help the next generation. protect the ones you love with pacific life's trusted financial solutions. talk to a financial professional about life insurance and retirement income with pacific life. if you have chronic kidney disease you can reduce the risk of kidney failure with farxiga. because there are places you'd rather be. farxiga can cause serious side effects, including ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration, urinary tract, or genital yeast infections, and low blood sugar. a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking farxiga and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection, an allergic reaction, or ketoacidosis. ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ tonight, eight people have been killed in a horrific crash on the highway in batesville, texas, about 50 miles from the border. a driver allegedly smuggling migrants into the u.s. crashing head-on into an suv on u.s. highway 57. five people in the car and two in the suv were killed. the driver allegedly trying to outrun police. tonight, police in detroit arresting a suspect wanted for killing a synagogue leader there. samantha woll was found dead outside her townhouse last month. investigators believe she was stabbed inside her home, then stumbling outside and collapsing. authorities say the suspect acted alone. they do not believe this was a hate crime. there's no word though, tonight, on a possible motive. when we come back here, three beloved pandas saying good-bye to the national zoo. the remarkable images right here. and days later, the one runner from the new york city marathon who deserves her moment, right here tonight, you'll see why. this is how it feels to du more with less asthma... ...thanks to dupixent. dupixent is not for sudden breathing problems. it's an add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. and can help improve lung function for better breathing in as little as two weeks. dupixent helps prevent asthma attacks... and can even reduce or eliminate oral steroids. imagine that. dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. get help right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. who knows what you can do when you du more with less asthma. ask your doctor about dupixent. the most prescribed biologic for asthma. new nature's bounty hair growth. help grow thicker, fuller hair with just one capsule a day of advanced hair complex. conquer hair thinning... ...and fall in love with your hair all over again. only from nature's bounty. have heart failure with unresolved symptoms? 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