Gaza government declares Rafah region 'disaster zone'

The local government in Gaza, which is controlled by the Hamas terror group, has declared the Rafah region in southern Gaza to be a "disaster zone." IDF forces recently began operating in Gaza, in an attempt to eliminate the terror infrastructure in the area and destroy the Hamas terror group. According to a statement by the government, the region has suffered unprecedented damage to its civilian and public infrastructure. 

The report claimed that 90% of the approximately 50,000 homes in the region have been completely destroyed. In addition, 22 of the 24 wells sustained damage, 85% of the sewage system collapsed, and 320 kilometers of roads were destroyed. It also claimed that 12 medical centers, eight schools, and around 100 mosques were completely destroyed, and a great deal of damage was done to thousands of dunams of agricultural land. Among the affected neighborhoods are a-Salam, Brazil, Janina, and the Rafah "refugee camp," around 90% of which the terror group claimed were destroyed. 

 In its statement, the government said that the closure of the Kerem Shalom Crossing for over a month has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the area, especially due to the lack of fuel to run the water pumps which still work. Gaza's governments are run by the Hamas terror group, and expressed full support for the October 7 massacre. The terror group has large stockpiles of fuel and food, which it uses to ensure the continuation of its terror activities.  (Source)

Egyptian proposal: Release of 8 hostages in exchange for 70-day ceasefire

An Egyptian source told the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsatthat the Egyptian proposal for an agreement with Hamas, presented to representatives of the terrorist organization, includes the release of about eight Israeli hostages in exchange for a ceasefire that would last between 40 and 70 days.  

According to the report, the proposal was formulated in an attempt to bridge the positions of the parties: Hamas initially demanded the release of only two living hostages in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire, while Israel demanded the release of half of the remaining hostages. t was reported in Qatar that a delegation of senior Hamas officials is expected to arrive in Cairo in the coming hours to meet with Egyptian officials and discuss the proposal with them. 

 The Egyptian proposal further stipulated that Israel would stop its attacks against Hamas in exchange for the release of the hostages and allow the entry of aid from the beginning of the agreement. It would also release terrorists in exchange for the hostages, and at the same time, negotiations would be renewed on the implementation of the second and third phases of the January ceasefire agreement. t was reported in Egypt that the Egyptian proposal is also expected to come up in a conversation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump this evening.  (Source)

Terrorists in Syria threaten Israel

Masses in Aleppo were filmed chanting 'We kill ourselves for Allah' and calling for armed conflict with Israel. Post-Assad Syria, under the rule of the Islamist Ahmed al-Sharaa, may soon become another serious front of confrontation for Israel in the north. A video first published on Telegram shows a large-scale demonstration in the city of Aleppo in northern Syria in which chants supporting armed struggle against Israel could be heard. 

The protest leader can be heard chanting, "We all kill ourselves for the sake of Allah," and the crowd is heard repeating him several times. Other chants that could be heard were: "Oh Palestine, we will not forget you," "The entire Syrian nation is with you [Palestine]," "Wake up the revolution [against Israel]," and "We will die, and Gaza will remain."

A few days ago, another video was published showing armed Islamist militants reading a message with a clear military threat against Israel. The militants promised the "Jews" that if the "massacre" of Gaza residents would not end, there would be an attack on Israel similar to the one on October 7th, 2023." To prove how serious they were, the militants stated: "Our met wish for death like you wish for life." (Source)

Iranian Foreign Minister: 'If the US has the necessary will, an agreement can be reached'

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shed light on the upcoming talks between him and the US and made clear that he rejects the plan supported by Prime Minister Netanyahu. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with Iranian state media on Tuesday about the talks between him and US representatives scheduled for Saturday in Oman. "As announced and as I informed in a tweet last night, the talks will be held in Oman on Saturday. These talks will be held indirectly, and we do not accept any other method of negotiation."

The Foreign Minister noted that whether the talks are direct or not "is not of primary importance to me. What really matters is the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the negotiations, the seriousness of the parties and their intentions, and their will to reach an agreement."

Araghchi stated that as far as he knows, he will be meeting with US Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. He explained that Iran is refusing to hold direct negotiations with the US, so they could not "impose their points through pressure and threats." He claimed that :"indirect negotiations can guarantee a real and effective dialogue. We will also proceed in this way."He also explained why Iran agreed that Oman would broker the talks: "We trust Oman as a mediator because of its good history, and we hope to encounter the serious will of the other side to reach a diplomatic solution. This is what is important in negotiations."    (Read More)

Trump Tariffs Aim to Bring Down Curtain on Era of Globalization

President Trump’s biggest tariff blitz yet sends a clear message to U.S. and foreign companies alike: The era of globalization is over. Trump’s “Liberation Day” plan to impose sweeping new duties on trillions of dollars in imports shows that the White House wants goods sold to American consumers to be built in American factories—bringing down the curtain on U.S. support for the turbocharged globalization that powered the world economy for decades.

The new tariffs include a baseline duty of 10% on foreign imports and larger so-called reciprocal tariffs. China faces an additional 34% tariff on top of levies totaling 20% applied since February. When combined with levies from previous administrations, economists estimate that China now faces total tariffs of 65% to 70%. Vietnam faces a new 46% tariff and the European Union a new 20% tariff. “Jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country, and you see it happening already,” Trump said in a Rose Garden ceremony Wednesday. To any company or country that complains, he said: “If you want your tariff rate to be zero, then you build your product right here in America.”

Trump’s Made-in-America ambitions mean that a gusher of investment that in recent years showered low-cost manufacturing destinations such as Vietnam, as well as U.S. allies such as South Korea and Japan, is set to dry up. Firms are reconsidering their options for where best to spend their investment dollars. “The U.S. has been at the center of globalization,” said Andre Sapir, a former EU official who is now economics professor at the Free University of Brussels. “Now the U.S., the center, wants to pull away.” (Ed note: Will Trump's tariffs end Globalism? I doubt it. Remember in Prophecy, Satan is trying to develop a Global platform for his boy Antichrist to step out upon)  (Read More)

Imminent Prophetic Fulfillment Shaping

At the outset, I want to give much attribution to my good friend Bill Salus. He has done tremendous work on bringing information to the forefront of understanding of likely prophetic developments in the general geographical region surrounding Israel.

In particular, his research and writing about the movement toward prophetic fulfillment of Iran’s destiny with regard to that regime’s hatred for Israel is obviously, I think, Holy Spirit directed. I recommend his great books about prophecy involving Israel in these last days.

I have relied heavily in writing this article on material from Bill’s book, The Now Prophecies. His treatment, especially in the matter of the foretelling of Iran (ancient Persia) and its coming against God’s chosen people, Israel, is, to me, almost prescient in its discernment of where we stand exactly at this late hour of the end of the age.

At this moment, there is, according to those who observe likely imminent military action of a major sort, a building force whose intent is to fulfill Israel’s prime minister’s and America’s president’s collective pledge. Both Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald J. Trump have vowed that Iran’s terrorist-spawning regime, which has nuclear development facilities deeply within a mountainous area — will never have an atomic weapon. The following news item explains the nature and extent of these leaders preparing to fulfill that pledge. (read article)

Iran: US can only dream of a nuclear deal like Libya

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirms that no direct negotiations have occurred between Tehran and Washington following US outreach, dismisses any possibility of a Libya-style nuclear agreement with the US. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi clarified on Sunday that Tehran and Washington have yet to engage in direct diplomatic discussions, despite recent US efforts to initiate contact regarding Iran's nuclear program.

Speaking to the Iranian parliament’s official news outlet and quoted by the Russian TASS news agency, Araqchi stated, “We have expressed our point of view, so we adhere to diplomacy and the path of negotiations, but only indirectly. Of course, it must be recognized that not a single negotiation stage has taken place so far.”

“The United States can only dream,” Araqchi said, dismissing parallels with the Libyan model, which saw Tripoli renounce its weapons of mass destruction. His comments come amid tensions between the US and Iran, after Iran recently rejected President Donald Trump’s offer for direct talks, which was outlined in a letter sent by Trump to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump recently warned that “bad things” would happen to Iran if it does not agree to a deal on its nuclear program. (Ed note: It's coming, have you gotten your copy of Bill Salus' great book, "Nuclear Showdown in Iran"?)  (Read More)

THAAD arrives in Israel: US bolsters defense against ballistic missile threats - report

A US Air Force Galaxy cargo plane has landed at an Israel Air Force base, delivering THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) air defense batteries, Israeli and Arab media reported Sunday evening. The latest deployment of the system, likely coordinated with Israel’s security forces, comes amid rising tensions along Israel's borders and the possibility of a large-scale conflict, including ballistic missile attacks on Israel.

THAAD is designed to intercept short and medium-range ballistic missiles during their final flight stages. Unlike Israel's Arrow system, which relies on a warhead to detonate near the incoming missile to destroy it, THAAD uses "Hit to Kill" technology. This means interception occurs through direct impact, without the use of a warhead. The collision happens at extremely high speeds, generating immense kinetic energy that completely destroys the missile's warhead. The system features a powerful radar, the AN/TPY-2, operating on X-band technology, capable of detecting missile launches at early stages.

Data from the radar is sent to a control center, where experts analyze the threat, its trajectory, and the optimal interception point in real time. If the threat is confirmed, THAAD interceptors are launched toward the target. These missiles, powered by solid fuel, travel at speeds exceeding Mach 8 and are guided by advanced technology towards the incoming missile’s warhead. Upon impact, the collision is so intense that it destroys the missile entirely, sometimes at altitudes above the atmosphere.  (Read More)

Russia rejects Syrian request to hand over former regime leader Assad

Russian authorities have said they will not hand over Syria's former president, Bashar al-Assad, following requests from the acting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Jordanian newspaper Rai-al-Youm reported on Sunday. Assad fled Damascus by plane on Sunday, Dec. 8, escaping the rebel coup in the capital. He flew to Russia's Hmeimim airbase in the Syrian coastal city of Latakia, and from there on to Moscow, where he met up with his family.

"One of the conditions for Bashar al-Assad's settlement in Moscow is his complete abstention from any media and political activity, and up to this point, no violations have been observed on his part," Russian Ambassador to Baghdad, Alperus Kotrashev, told the Islamic Republic News Agency. "The asylum of Bashar al-Assad and his family was issued based on the direct orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the decision in this regard will not change," Kutrashev added. 

President al-Sharaa reportedly asked Russia to hand over the former regime leader in February, Reuters reported, citing an informed Syrian source. "The only agreement reached between Damascus and Russia is to continue the review and talks," the source said. Reuters also quoted diplomatic sources as saying that the Syrian president to return funds deposited by Assad in Moscow. However, sources confirmed that Russia informed President al-Sharaa that Assad had not deposited any funds in Russia.  (Source)

IDF planning to restart aid to Gazans

The IDF is preparing to restart the provision of food, fuel, and medicines to Gaza - despite the lack of progress on negotiations to free the hostages or defeat the Hamas terror group, Yediot Aharonot reported. According to Yediot Aharonot, in recent days the military presented the "humanitarian dimmer," a measurement which shows how much time is left until the food and energy in Gaza run out. As of now, it is expected that Gaza still has enough supplies to last an entire month.  

At the same time, the IDF is preparing to launch a new pilot program, likely near Rafah, in which IDF soldiers will supervise the distribution of aid directly to Gazan civilians and in coordination with international aid organizations. The main reason for this process is the concern of violation of international law, which would try not only the political echelon but the military commanders who operate on the ground as well. During the last 43 days of the ceasefire, Israel brought 600 truckloads of aid into Gaza each day - three times the amount provided during the fighting. 

 The aid mostly goes to support Hamas and keep it in power: Less than half of the aid is received by Gazan civilians, while the rest is taken over by Hamas, which takes some for itself and sells the rest of what it takes over for a high price. Last month, Israel's notoriously left-wing Supreme Court unanimously rejected a petition by human rights groups that claimed that international and Israeli law requires Israel to ensure the supply of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip. Supreme Court Chief Justice Yitzhak Amit clarified in the ruling that the State of Israel itself, as a general rule, does not provide humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip, but rather would allow them to enter the Gaza Strip during the relevant time per the political echelon's instructions. Following the report, the IDF clarified that it acts "in accordance with the instructions of the political echelon.""No aid is transferred to Hamas' hands," the military stressed. (Source)

IDF establishes Morag Corridor amid Gaza offensive

The Israel Defense Forces recently escalated its ground operation in the Gaza Strip by assigning the 36th Division, aka the Rage Formation, to a new security area known as the Morag Corridor. This corridor now serves as a buffer between the Strip’s southernmost city of Rafah and central Gaza, forming part of a broader campaign to pressure Hamas into releasing Israeli hostages and dismantling its operational networks.

This escalation falls under the broader framework of “Operation Strength and Sword,” which was launched on March 18 after the breakdown of a ceasefire agreement. Since then, the IDF has intensified air and ground operations across Gaza, targeting infrastructure linked to Hamas. The stated objective remains the elimination of terrorist threats and the safe return of hostages.

Among the latest developments, Israeli forces recently uncovered and destroyed a one-kilometer-long tunnel in Beit Lahia, believed to have been constructed by Hamas for cross-border attacks. Simultaneously, the IDF has extended its reach in both the northern and southern sectors of Gaza, encircling key areas such as the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah and carrying out ground operations in Beit Hanun, in the northeastern Strip. The creation of the Morag Corridor mirrors an earlier initiative—the Netzarim Corridor—which cuts across Gaza from east to west. These controlled zones are part of a broader strategy aimed at limiting Hamas’s mobility, disrupting its communication lines and weakening its territorial control.   (Read More)

Netanyahu, Katz vow strong response after rocket attacks from Gaza

PM Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz pledge a forceful response after ten rockets fired from Gaza, damaging vehicles in Ashkelon. IDF strikes rocket launchers and vows continued action to eliminate threats from Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday evening spoke with Defense Minister Israel Katz from the Wing of Zion plane and was updated on the firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip. A statement from Netanyahu’s office said, “The Prime Minister instructed that a vigorous response be carried out and approved the continuation of the intensive IDF activity in the Strip against Hamas.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz later commented on the rocket fire from Gaza toward the Ashkelon area. "I have instructed the IDF to continue and expand Operation 'Might and Sword' and to deliver a very powerful blow against Hamas in Gaza in response to the firing. For every piece of shrapnel that hit an Ashkelon resident, Hamas murderers must pay the heaviest price. We will not tolerate missile fire toward Israel," Katz said.

The IDF later struck the rocket launchers in the Gaza Strip from which projectiles were launched earlier in the day toward Israeli territory. "The IDF will continue to operate to remove any threat to Israeli civilians," said the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. Earlier on Sunday evening, ten rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip, setting off sirens in Ashkelon, Ashdod, and the surrounding areas. The IDF said that approximately five projectiles were successfully intercepted by the IAF, adding, "Falls were identified in several areas. IDF Home Front Command soldiers are dispatched to the scenes and are operating in cooperation with Israeli security forces." Missile shrapnel landed in Ashkelon, damaging several vehicles. Security forces were deployed to the scenes.  (Source)

IAF pilot to 'Post': How Israel established air supremacy over Middle East

In December, the IDF’s F-16 squadrons, along with other combat aircraft, carried out devastating attacks against the Syrian military’s capabilities to threaten Israel, including flying low over the palace in Damascus, one of the pilots involved has told The Jerusalem Post in a recent interview. In fact, Lt. “Y.” has been involved in critical and historic airstrikes not only against Syria, but also against Lebanon and Gaza, and it can be assumed have been involved in the latest air force strikes against Israeli adversaries.

To complete the picture, the Post also interviewed Lt. “T.,” who piloted an F-16 in key strikes on Yemen and Lebanon, while in addition, the Post has spoken to IDF sources involved in striking Iran.Until 2017, the F-16 squadrons were Israel’s preeminent lead aircraft for all combat missions, though the F-15 fighter also often played an important component. Even since 2017, when the F-35 emerged as Israel’s most cutting-edge fighter jet, the F-16 remains extremely formidable and involved in just about every critical Israeli attack on all fronts.

In Jnuary, the Defense Ministry announced an $80 million purchase of more advanced self-protection systems for its fourth-generation F-16I fighter aircraft, just as top Israeli and IDF officials had increased in recent months their discussion of striking Iran’s nuclear program.  (Read more)

Two British MPs denied entry to Israel due to 'intention to spread hate speech'

Two British MPs, Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, were denied entrance to Israel on Saturday, after an investigation reportedly revealed that the two wished to enter the country to document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred, Israel's Population and Immigration Authority announced.

The two parliamentarians landed at Ben-Gurion Airport at 2:30 pm on Saturday after flying in from Luton with their two aides. At airport security, the passengers claimed to be part of an official delegation visiting Israel on behalf of the British parliament.

However, the Population and Immigration Authority claimed this was untrue as no official in Israel had approved the arrival of the delegation. During questioning, the passengers reportedly revealed that the purpose of their arrival was to "document security forces and spread hate speech against Israel." As a result, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel decided to refuse entry to the four and subsequently ordered their removal from Israel. However, on Saturday night, British foreign secretary David Lammy confirmed it was indeed a parliamentary delegation. "It is unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel have been detained and refused entry by the Israeli authorities."  (Read More)

Pay Attention When The Global Elites Practice For A 'Cyber Pandemic'

The COVID pandemic was, by many peoples' argument, an entirely manufactured crisis. While the disease was serious, the global response was completely over the top. "Every major element of the official COVID narrative has been proven false: The origins of the virus, the validity of PCR tests, the suppression of early treatments, the denial of natural immunity, the so-called 'safety and effectiveness' of vaccines, and the utility of masks, lockdowns, and vaccine passports. Yet those who questioned any part of it faced unprecedented ostracism and persecution," notes this article.   

"The manufactured panic ignored fundamental reality: COVID posed minimal risk to healthy people under 70, but was significantly more dangerous to the elderly and immuno-compromised. Rather than focusing resources on protecting vulnerable populations, we destroyed economies, stole childhoods, and enforced measures that made no epidemiological sense. This wasn't just about control - it was an engineered economic coup, the largest financial consolidation of power in modern history." The old expression "follow the money" is very apt when looking back at the whole dumpster-fire of 2020 and its aftermath.  

In retrospect, many speculate we were warned about the COVID pandemic long before it hit: "Just months before COVID, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in partnership with the World Economic Forum and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation hosted Event 201, a high-level pandemic exercise on October 18, 2019, in New York, N.Y.," reports the same article. "An examination of the event reveals that the priority of the exercise centered not on treatment protocols or protecting the vulnerable but rather on how information control could be used to manufacture mass compliance. Because this drill later became reality, many are now paying grim attention whenever the global elites decide to run another "exercise." (Ed note: this article was taken from The Prophecy News Watch, PNW.)  (Read More)

Israeli said to bombard 3 airbases in Syria where Turkey intended to deploy forces

Turkey scoped out at least three airbases in Syria where it could deploy forces as part of a planned joint defense pact before Israel hit the sites with airstrikes this week, four people familiar with the matter said. The bombardment signals the risks of a deepening rift between two powerful regional militaries over Syria, where Islamist rebels have installed a new government after toppling former leader Bashar al-Assad in December. 

 The Israeli strikes on the three sites Turkey was assessing, including a heavy barrage on Wednesday night, came despite Ankara’s efforts to reassure Washington that a deeper military presence in Syria was not intended to threaten Israel. The Islamists replacing Assad have alarmed Israel, which is wary of an Islamist presence on its border and has lobbied the United States to curb Turkey’s growing influence in the country. 

 Ankara, a longtime backer of opposition to Assad, is positioning to play a major role in the remade Syria, including with a possible joint defense pact that could see new Turkish bases in central Syria and use of Syria’s airspace. In preparation, Turkish military teams in recent weeks visited the T-4 and Palmyra airbases in Syria’s Homs province and the main airport in Hama province, according to a regional intelligence official, two Syrian military sources and another Syrian source familiar with the matter.  (Read more)

Syria may still house more than 100 chemical weapons sites

Chemical weapons inspectors working in post-Assad Syria expressed concern that there may still be more than 100 unsecured chemical weapons sites in the country. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons  (OPCW), which promotes and verifies adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), provided the estimate of undisclosed sites as it attempts to gain access to Syria to assess what remains of Bashar Assad’s military program, The New York Times reported on Sunday.  According to the Times, the figure of more than 100 chemical sites is “far higher than anything Assad ever acknowledged.”

The sites are suspected to have been involved in the research, manufacture and storage of chemical weapons. However, since Assad was toppled in December, it is not clear how many sites there are, nor whether the Sunni Islamist government led by the Turkish-backed Ahmed al-Sharaa has managed to secure them. The chemical weapons experts fear terrorists could get their hands on these deadly materials. According to the newspaper, the sites could produce sarin and chlorine gas, which Assad infamously used on rebel fighters and civilians during the civil war that began in 2011. Then-U.S. President Barack Obama described the attacks as a “red line” that must not be crossed. Despite this warning, there were no consequences for the Assad regime.

Officially, Damascus agreed to give up its chemical weapons stockpiles in 2013, shortly after the government was accused of carrying out an attack near that city, which left hundreds dead. However, the Assad regime was known to have used chemical weapons until at least 2018, and research showed it kept “importing essential precursor chemicals,” the Times reported.  (Ed note: This is serious. Could the occurrence of the prophecy in Isaiah 17 be due in part to the use of chemical weapons against israel?)  (Read More)

Report: More than 100 weapon sites remain in Syria

The figure is much higher than past estimates; experts say sarin, mustard gas, and chlorine could be not secured and lead to disaster. Experts warn of the presence of more than 100 chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria dating back to the Assad regime. According to a New York Times report, there is concern that reservoirs of sarin, mustard gas and chlorine could be not secured and lead to disaster. Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, many questions have been raised about the number of chemical weapons facilities in the country.

Sarin, a nerve agent, can kill in minutes, and chlorine and mustard gas have been known since World War I as a cruel weapon that "drowns people on land." Experts have warned that the reservoirs could fall into the hands of militant groups in Syria, as some facilities are not secured, or are not properly secured.

After the outbreak of the civil war in Syria, the Assad regime acknowledged the locations of 27 chemical weapons facilities and closed them down, but according to studies, it continued to import chemicals used in the manufacture of chemical weapons to the country.Some of the sites are probably hidden in caves or other places that are difficult to find using satellite imagery.  (Source)

Hamas says it won’t move hostages to safety, Israel responsible for their lives

The Hamas terror group said in a statement Friday that it will not move living Israeli hostages out of areas in the Gaza Strip that the IDF has ordered to be evacuated in recent days, saying the Israeli government will be at fault if captives are killed.

The IDF has issued evacuation orders for the entire Rafah area, Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood, and other areas in the Strip’s north, some two and a half weeks after resuming fighting amid the collapse of a hostage-truce deal.

“Half of the living Israeli prisoners are located in areas which the Israeli occupation army has requested to be evacuated in recent days,” claimed Hudhaifa Kahlout — known by the nom de guerre Abu Obeida — the spokesman for Hamas’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades. “We have decided not to transfer these prisoners from these areas, and to keep them under strict security measures, which are extremely dangerous to their lives,” Abu Obeida said in his statement, which was issued in Arabic, Hebrew, and English. He added that “if the enemy is concerned about the lives of these prisoners, they must immediately negotiate their evacuation or release.”  (Read More)

Iran threatens Middle Eastern countries over potential US strikes

Iranian official says regime has warned Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey and Bahrain that there will be "severe consequences" if their airspace is used for an American attack on Iran's nuclear program. Iran has threatened other nations in the Middle East over the potential for American military strikes against its nuclear weapons program, even as it continues to reject direct negotiations of said nuclear program with the US, Reuters reported. An Iranian official told Reuters that the regime would only accept indirect talks with the US at this time, stating, "Indirect talks offer a chance to evaluate Washington's seriousness about a political solution with Iran."

The official also stated that Iran has given warnings to Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey and Bahrain that it will consider any assistance given to an American strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, such as permitting the aircraft used in such an attack to use their airspace, an act of hostility against Iran that will "have severe consequences for them."

US President Donald Trump on Thursday told reporters aboard Air Force One that he believes Iran wants to hold direct talks with the US about the Iranian nuclear program.“It’s better if we have direct talks. I think it goes faster and you understand the other side a lot better than if you go through intermediators,” said Trump.   (Read More)

Trump After Bombing Houthis Gathering for Attack Instructions: ‘Oops, There Will Be No Attack’

President Donald Trump on Friday posted a video on his social media accounts of a U.S. military strike against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen who have been targeting American ships in the Red Sea.  “These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack. Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis! They will never sink our ships again!” he posted. Since 2023, the Houthis have shot at United States warships at least 174 times and commercial vessels at least 145 times in the Suez Canal, Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, according to the White House.

After a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas broke down last month, the Houthis threatened to resume striking at ships traversing the Suez Canal, Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. Trump then ordered the U.S. military to strike the Houthis until they stop firing missiles and drones at American ships. The campaign, called Operation Rough Rider, began on March 15.  

The U.S. military strikes have been conducted by the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, which is currently stationed in the Red Sea. The USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is headed from the Indo-Pacific to supplement the Truman in the Middle East. At the same time, Trump has been proposing talks with Iran over its nuclear program. The offers for direct talks have reportedly been turned down so far.  (Read More)

Netanyahu to meet Trump in White House, discuss tariffs

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington on Monday to meet with President Donald Trump, U.S. officials with knowledge about the visit said. This will be the premier’s fourth visit to the U.S. since the start of the war in Gaza 18 months ago, and his second meeting with Trump since the president’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

The two leaders are slated to discuss the latest developments in the Gaza Strip, as Israel stepped up its military operation since the ceasefire and hostage-terrorist swap agreements broke down in March, CBS News reported on Saturday.

Defense Minister Israel Katz, who was supposed to travel to the U.S. next week, has reportedly postponed his trip, as the prime minister and defense minister are prohibited from being abroad simultaneously during wartime. Netanyahu is furthermore projected to discuss the issue of tariffs with Trump, in the wake of the 17% tariff announced on Thursday by Washington on goods imported from the Jewish state—10% effective at 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 5, and an additional 7% at 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 9. (Read More)

IDF drone strikes Hezbollah terrorist near Tyre

The Israel Defense Forces attacked a Hezbollah terrorist operative in the southwestern Lebanon’s Tyre District on Thursday. An Israeli Air Force craft “recently struck a terrorist of the Hezbollah terrorist organization who was operating in the Alma al-Shaab area in Southern Lebanon,” the IDF confirmed in a Hebrew-language X post. Earlier on Thursday afternoon, Lebanon’s Al-Jadeed channel reported that a drone targeted a vehicle in Alma al-Shaab. According to the report, at least one person was wounded in the strike.

A truce brokered by the United States and France between Lebanon and Israel has been in place since Nov. 27, ending more than a year of cross-border fighting linked to the war in Gaza. Hezbollah has agreed under the truce to move north of the Litani River, with the Lebanese Armed Forces deploying to the south. Neither action has taken place in full.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday reiterated Jerusalem’s demand that the Lebanese government act against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Hamas terrorist organizations within its borders. He spoke shortly after the IDF struck a Hezbollah target in Beirut’s Dahieh area, reportedly disrupting a planned terrorist attack that could have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israeli civilians. Ed note: Psalm 83:7, "...with the inhabitants of Tyre.")   (Read more)

Report: Israeli strikes hit Syrian bases eyed by Turkey for potential deployment

Israeli airstrikes this week struck multiple military sites in Syria that Turkish teams had reportedly inspected in recent weeks as part of Ankara’s strategic evaluation for a potential defense initiative in the war-torn country, according to four sources with knowledge of the matter who spoke to the Reuters news agency. The targeted locations included the T4 and Palmyra air bases in Homs province, as well as the main airport in Hama province—sites Turkey had considered using under a proposed joint defense framework aimed at increasing its presence in central Syria, said the report.

The developments highlight escalating friction between Israel and Turkey as they navigate a complex post-Assad landscape in Syria. Islamist factions, long opposed to the previous regime, assumed control after Bashar Al-Assad was removed from power in December, raising concerns in Jerusalem over the potential implications for its security. Despite Turkish assurances to the United States that its increased involvement in Syria does not threaten Israel, Israel views Turkey’s deeper role with skepticism—particularly over fears of advanced military assets being positioned within striking distance.

One regional intelligence official quoted by Reuters described the Israeli strikes on Wednesday as “a tough message that Israel won’t accept the expanded Turkish presence.” The official added that T4 suffered heavy damage, rendering the site “totally unusable.” Another planned Turkish inspection of the base was aborted after the strike occurred.Turkish teams had previously assessed the condition of runways, hangars, and operational infrastructure at the targeted sites, according to the same official, two Syrian military sources, and another Syrian source familiar with the visits. All sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information.   (Read More)

Syria Suffers Nationwide Power Outage Due to ‘Technical Malfunction’

The Syrian energy ministry on Tuesday attributed a nationwide blackout to a “technical malfunction in the electrical system.” The lights went out on Tuesday evening, and by Wednesday morning power had been restored to only three provinces. Khaled Aboudi, director general of the Public Corporation for Electricity Transmission and Distribution, said power was restored to Homs, Hama, and Tartous provinces, and would “gradually return to the remaining provinces.” Power in Syria tends to be spotty at best, with perhaps three hours a day of reliable electricity in much of the country. The long and grueling civil war that began in 2011 damaged much of the country’s fragile power infrastructure.  

Another problem is that Syria relied heavily upon imported Iranian oil during the fifty-year Assad dynasty, because much of its own production capacity was destroyed during the civil war. Prior to 2011, Syria was pumping up to 400,000 barrels per day of crude oil, enough to meet domestic needs with a modest surplus for export.

When dictator Bashar Assad was overthrown by jihadi insurgents in December, the supply of Iranian oil was cut off. Qatar began pumping natural gas through Jordan in March to meet some of Syria’s energy demand, but those imports are only good for generating about 400 megawatts of the estimated 6,500 megawatts needed by Syria every day.The i nsurgent government in Damascus has pledged to restore Syria’s energy infrastructure and repair its power grid, but those efforts would cost more than $250 billion, and it will be difficult to raise such huge investments while sanctions imposed against the Assad regime remain in place.  (Read More)

International energy companies will be reluctant to invest in Syria as long as the free world has misgivings about the “interim government” that replaced Assad, and doubts about the ability of that government to provide a safe environment for industrial development.

Now is the time to destroy the Iranian threat

The Islamic Republic is actively working toward obtaining nuclear capability, Israel is planning an attack strategy, and the United States, finally, under President Donald Trump, is demonstrating it may be willing to use military force to stop the Iranian regime. This week, the head of U.S. Central Command, Gen. Michael Kurilla, visited Israel for talks with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on regional security issues, the U.S. military said in a statement on Thursday.

Blaise Misztal, vice president for policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), told JNS Iran “must not be allowed to possess the weapons with which to carry out its homicidal agenda: its terrorist proxies must be degraded; its influence around the region rolled back; its nuclear facilities and ballistic missile and drone factories either shuttered or destroyed.”

To this end, the U.S. has now taken the crucial step of placing the military option front and center to pressure Iran into folding. The Pentagon has reportedly ordered the relocation of at least two Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries and a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile defense system from Asia to the Middle East.  (Read More)

Iran scales back its support of proxies to focus on Trump's threat, Iranian officials say - report

Iran is scaling back its strategy of supporting its axis of proxies in the Middle East to focus on the United States’ direct threats, a senior Iranian official told the Telegraph on Thursday. How to deal with US President Donald Trump has become Tehran’s primary concern, the official continued. “Every meeting is dominated by discussions about him, and none of the regional groups we previously supported are being discussed,” the Telegraph quoted the official as saying.  

Iran reportedly ordered its military personnel to leave Yemen, leaving the Houthis to fend for themselves as the US continues attacking Houthi military assets. The reason behind the move was to avoid a direct confrontation with the US if an Iranian were killed in Yemen, the official stated.  

“The view here is that the Houthis will not be able to survive and are living their final months or even days, so there is no point in keeping them on our list,” the official continued, as reported by the British news site. “They were part of a chain that relied on [former Hezbollah chief Hassan] Nasrallah and [ousted Syrian president Bashar al] Assad, and keeping only one part of that chain for the future makes no sense.”   (Read More)

U.S. moves Patriot missile batteries from South Korea to Middle East

American Patriot missile defense batteries will be moved from South Korea to the Middle East, according to reports in Asian media on Friday, amid speculation over a potential military action against Iran's nuclear program and escalating bombardments of Iran-backed jihadists in Yemen. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program, and the United States has moved additional warplanes into the region.

Washington and Seoul have reportedly recently agreed on the "monthslong" partial deployment of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3, in what is understood to be the first known case involving the relocation of United States Forces Korea (USFK) assets to the Middle East.

Iran in recent years has largely dropped the pretense of enriching uranium for a civilian atomic energy program, as it's reportedly teetering on the nuclear precipice. Israel believes that a nuclear Iran represents a grave existential threat, consistent with the exterminationist antisemitism of the Islamic Republic's anti-Israel rhetoric. After the election of Trump, a known Iran hawk, the likelihood of an U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities has increased precipitously. (Source)

IDF kills Hamas commander Hassan Farhat in Lebanon strike

The IDF killed Hamas commander Hassan Farhat during a strike in Lebanon's Sidon, the military announced on Friday morning. Farhat was the commander of the western sector of Hamas in Lebanon, the IDF said. During the war, Farhat was responsible for numerous terrorist plots, including launching rockets into Safed, the military added.  

 

Addtionally, Farhat was responsible for launching the rocket fire that killed Staff-Sergeant Omer Sarah Benjo in February and wounded several others. Two additional people were also killed during Israel's strike in Lebanon that hit Farhat, the Hezbollah-affiliated news channel Al Mayadeen reported on Friday.  

In February, the IDF withdrew from southern Lebanon but erected and maintained five new outposts in Lebanese territory. Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed to The Jerusalem Post statements by IDF sources made on Wednesday that given the extensive destruction of villages in southern Lebanon, it could take three to five years of rebuilding before there is anything for Lebanese civilians to return to. With many observers concerned that Hezbollah would exploit this mass return of Lebanese civilians to return under the guise of being noncombatants, the realization of the extent of the destruction of Lebanese villages is expected to delay such a threat. (Ed note: Sidon, promised to Israel in Joshus 13:6)   (Source)

IDF expanding ground operations in northern Gaza

IDF troops on Friday morning began conducting ground activity in the area of Shejaiya in northern Gaza, in order to expand the security zone. As part of the activity, the troops eliminated numerous terrorists and dismantled Hamas terrorist infrastructure, including a command and control center that served Hamas terrorists to plan and execute terror attacks. During and prior to the activity, IDF troops are allowing the evacuation of civilians from the combat zone via organized routes for their safety. 

 Brigadier General Yehuda Vach, the division's commander, told his soldiers, "Just like the residents of Zikim and Netiv Ha'asara saw an Israeli flag in Beit Lahia and returned home, I want to see here, at the end of this operation, a huge flagpole with an Israeli flag - so that residents of Nahal Oz will return home, and see that the IDF is protecting them." The IDF stressed that together with the ISA, it "will continue to operate against terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip in order to protect the citizens of the State of Israel."  (Source)