Today, June 16, 2025, is day four of Operation Rising Lion. According to i24NEWS, there have been at least 24 Israeli casualties as of midday. Today is also day 619 of Operation Iron Swords.[1] Operation Iron Swords began when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Last night, there were 4 people killed when an Iranian missile hit an apartment building in Petah Tikva, Central Israel. The total dead overnight is 9 nationwide. Iran threatens more intense missile attacks. Israel has destroyed about 1/3 of Iran’s rocket launchers so far.
Israel has concentrated on targeting
nuclear and military sites, while Iran has been targeting heavily populated
areas in Israel, like Tel Aviv. Iran has fired about 350 ballistic missiles
into Israel since the operation began. Israel has hit some state and military
sites located in the capital of Iran, Tehran. Tehran has suffered heavy losses
with more to come. Many of Iran’s senior generals in the Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC) have been killed. Also, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, an Air Force Commander,
has reportedly been killed.
Israel’s goal is to remove Iran’s
nuclear and ballistic missile threats. They want to move Iran to accept a
nuclear agreement. Israel’s military officials say it could take at least 3
more weeks to weaken Iran’s military operations completely.
Some independent news sites are
accusing Trump of giving in to the Washington Neocons, who are praising Israel
for attacking Iran. The Neocons want Trump to give the go-ahead and give the American
military the green light to strike Iran. Others wish Trump would stay out of
this conflict. Some say that Netanyahu attacked Iran on Friday to draw the
United States into war with Iran.
I understand why Americans do not
want to be drawn into this war. Just like they do not wish the United States to
be involved directly in the Ukraine/Russia war. But if the United States is to
be involved in protecting any nation besides its own, it has to be Israel. The
reason why America has the strength it has is because of their alliance with
Israel—God gives the USA its strength because it blesses Israel. If at any time
Israel needs help, it is when their cities are being attacked.
Those who bless Israel will be
blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed (Gen. 12:3; 27:29; Num. 24:9).
Jesus taught that when he comes at his 2nd coming to redeem Israel
(Matt. 24:27-31), he will judge the nations (Matt. 25:31-46). He taught that
the nations that bless Israel will be likened to sheep, which he will place on
his right. The nations that curse Israel will be likened to goats. He will put
the goat nations on his left. The sheep nations bless Israel when they need
help, but the goat nations curse Israel when they need help. The nations that
help Israel will enter into eternal life, but the nations that do not help
Israel will suffer forever torment.
Some may wonder why Israel’s Iron
Dome is not stopping all the Iranian missiles. Likewise, why are Israel’s other
defense systems not fully effective, like the Patriot, the Arrow, and David’s
Sling? Only God has the answer to these questions. Israel’s defense systems
have been effective before, but now Iran can get some of its ballistic missiles
through to cause destruction and many deaths. Why Lord?
Some think that if Israel suffers
many casualties, it will draw the United States into this war. But I do not believe
that Benjamin Netanyahu is allowing his people to be killed, or Israeli cities
suffer destruction, so that America will help him win his battle against the Ayatollah.
I do not believe that the PM stood back while the Palestinians murdered Israelis
on October 7, 2023, either, as some say he did.
Some Christians wonder if this
war against Iran has anything to do with the endtimes prophecy written in
Ezekiel 38:1-23. It is the Gog of Magog war. I wrote and posted an article
about Gog[2]
on July 19, 2018. There I wrote who could be Gog, the leader of Magog, the
chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, when this war begins (Ezek. 38:2)—the Gog,
chief prince of Meshech and Tubal in Ezekiel 39:1-21 is the Gog of Ezekiel 38. I also
wrote that Magog, Meshech, and Tubal are mentioned in Genesis 10:2. Today, the geographical
areas of Magog are Russia and parts of Central Asia. Meshech and Tubal are
possibly Turkey, Southern Russia, and Northwest Iran. The Ezekiel 38 war will
happen in this generation, soon. Some scholars believe it will happen after the
body of Christ is raptured into the eternal realm, and before the 70th
week of Israel/7-year Tribulation begins.
Modern-day Iran is ancient Persia
(Ezek. 38:5a). Persia changed its name to Iran in the mid-1930s. In the days of
Israel’s exile to Babylon, 605-536 BC, the Persian King, Cyrus, allowed Israel
to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Lord’s temple that was destroyed in 586
BC by the Babylonians (2 Chron. 36:22-23; Ez. 1:1-4). He is beloved by the Jews
for this liberation of their people, even today. Some say that when Israel
became a sovereign state again (1948), even though its surrounding Muslim nations
began to wage war against it, Iran extended friendship to Israel. But, in 1979,
when the Shah (king) of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (he reigned from 1941-1979),
was overthrown and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini took power, Iran became an enemy
of the state of Israel. Since then, Iran has been determined to wipe Israel off
the face of the map.
The beginning of Operation Rising
Lion is not the Gog of Magog war. Although Iran has bombed Israel with a
small measure of success, it will put Israel in a position of rebuilding parts
of their cities that have suffered destruction—Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon LeZion, Bat
Yam, and Petah Tikva. This war may be the catalyst for the Gog of Magog war.
Ezekiel prophesied that Gog and his allies would advance on the land like a
storm, that is being restored from war and where its people are experiencing a
sense of security (Ezek. 38:8-9). This land is the land of Israel. Israel may
be lulled into a fake sense of security when Iran capitulates to President
Trump’s demand that they sign a nuclear deal. Iran will capitulate and halt its
uranium enrichment program, because if they do not, the USA may threaten its destruction
in one way or another. Once Iran ceases its uranium enrichment program, Israel
will fall into a false sense of security. After this, the war of Gog of Magog
will happen. But it will not happen until the Church is raptured. God will annihilate
Gog and his allies because it will arouse his anger (Ezek. 38:18). God will
supernaturally destroy Gog and his allies in a way similar to how he did the
Assyrians (Ezek. 38:21; 2 Kgs. 19:35; 2 Chron. 32:20-23; Isaiah 37:36-37). The
angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night.
Picture:
“Damaged cars are seen at the
site where an Iranian missile struck in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, Israel,
Monday, June 16, 2025.”
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