Current Events Push Russia And Iran Together As Ezekiel 38 Approaches

The President Has A Limited Window Of Time To Act Against Iran Before Facing Major Resistance From Congress

Mark Hitchcock

The resumption of the Iran conflict is being called “the third war,” but it’s really just a third wave of one great conflict. The first major wave happened in June of 2025 with the “12 Day War” or “Operation Rising Lion.” The escalation began on June 13th when Israel decapitated the Iranian leadership and hit its nuclear facilities. The United States intervened on June 22nd, bombing the Iranian nuclear sites with huge bunker-buster bombs.

The second wave arrived several months later, on February 28th of 2026, opening with the elimination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. For 40 days, the US military was locked arm in arm with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), striking across Iran. During that time, Israel dropped 18,000 bombs.

There was no real end in sight until, suddenly, a calm emerged as the US and Israel decided to stop direct military action. We are still in that interim.

The world is now waiting for the third wave of this war.

PBS News reported that “the Middle East is bracing for a possible return to all-out war amid concerns that the United States and Israel could strike Iran shortly after U.S. midterm elections.”

The main target appears to be Pickaxe Mountain, where it’s believed Iran has a nuclear facility and may be hiding the remnants of its nuclear material. Due to the extraordinary depth of the facility, taking it out poses a significant challenge. Complete elimination appears out of reach. At minimum, it is believed that bombs can be used to block the way to the facility, containing it for a period of time.

According to the Jerusalem Post, plans for a third wave of the Iran war have “already taken shape.”

“Foreign sources have reported that the Israeli Air Force flew through Syria and Iraq up to the Iranian border to rehearse its strikes on the Islamic Republic,” the report noted. “Israel has already used its F-35s to outwit and eliminate Iran’s radar four times dating back to April 2024, followed by using its F-15s and F-16s to carry out massive bombing raids.”

While Israel is rehearsing simulations for the third phase of the war, the entire Middle East is on edge. A New York Times headline reads, “America’s Arab Allies Brace for War as Trump’s Midterm Deadline Looms.”

“American and Israeli military officials have drawn up an extended list of targets to strike, including energy infrastructure and other sites vital to the Iranian economy,” the report highlighted. “Iran has warned that it would retaliate fiercely, targeting critical infrastructure and underwater communication cables in the region.”

Iran International reported that “internet disruptions” are hitting Iran as the next wave of the war looms.

If you recall, during previous US-Israeli strikes, Iran shut down the internet for 88 days to stop its citizens from finding out what was going on and communicating with the outside world. The news that Iran has once again commenced an internet blackout could be a sign that the Islamic Republic is bracing for a resumption of American strikes.

One thing is sure… time is of the essence for this war. The midterm elections totally changed the calculus. The stalemate can’t last forever, and the American people object to a drawn-out conflict.

The New York Post cited experts who believe “Trump has only a few weeks to restart the Iran war.”

“President Trump has a narrow window of a few weeks after the midterm elections to launch a renewed war on Iran before a new Congress is likely to rein in his war powers,” The Post detailed. “While Trump is pushing renewed negotiations with Iran, he has warned that he would ‘finish the job’ in Iran if the Islamic Republic fails to submit to his demands.”

The midterm election results mean that the President has until January before facing major resistance from Congress, the New York Post stated.

“There is a 6-8 week window for freedom of action to continue the war in Iran,” Jonathan Schanzer, executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told The Post.

“Iran appears keenly aware of this as the regime continues to push for diplomacy—while also ramping up threats across the region in an attempt to run out the clock,” the article described.

That’s a good way to put it. They are simply trying to run out the clock.They realize President Trump has a limited window of time before he is pressured into some kind of a diplomatic solution that may not be to his liking.

We also have to ask, what role is Israel going to play?

The results of Israel’s elections last week are not yet settled, with neither major bloc garnering enough seats to immediately form a majority government in the Knesset. Will that affect Israel’s involvement? Most people believe that it won’t. Israel still stands ready to hit Iran if needed, and may even jump at the chance, considering the plethora of new US senators elected who want to cut off US funds to Israel. Israel, too, appears to have a window to act to cripple Iran indefinitely before funds and military help are greatly reduced or cut off.

One final issue that is closely related to this Iran war—and Biblical prophecy—is Iran’s strengthening ties to Russia. This is a major prophetic development.

According to Chatham House, “the war is pushing Iran closer to Russia.”

“A flurry of diplomatic meetings and positive statements suggest Tehran sees closer cooperation with Moscow as key to its short-term survival and long-term deterrence,” they explained. “Russia is now increasingly seen as an important partner to ensure Iran’s military survival, post-war reconstruction and long-term deterrence.”

“In October alone, senior Iranian and Russian officials held three high-level meetings, reflecting the growing importance both governments attach to the partnership,” the article described. “After the meetings, [Iran’s Foreign Minister] Araghchi stated: ‘never in our history have Iran and Russia worked as closely as now.’”

All these developments point to the future Gog-Magog War, an attempted invasion of Israel led by Russia, Iran, and Turkey, detailed in Ezekiel 38. While Israel will stand alone on the world scene during this attack, the Gulf states are part of a chorus objecting to this invasion in the end times.

Iran is front and center in world geopolitics, just as we should expect if the Gog-Magog war is near. US support for Israel could be on the chopping block. Israel has a sense of urgency. Russia and Iran are close allies and are tightening ranks with one another.

We need to keep this in mind as the world awaits the third war in Iran: We are waiting for the sound of the trumpet, and all the signs indicate that it could be very soon.

Expanding on naval blockade, US military looks to restrict Iranian land commerce

Expanding on naval blockade, US military looks to restrict Iranian land commerce

Reuters

After a months-long naval blockade on Iran, the US military is setting up a task force to bolster Washington’s efforts to restrict Tehran’s movement of advanced weapons systems and other sanctioned material across its land borders and the ⁠Caspian Sea.

The announcement ⁠of the task force, which has not been previously reported, will be made later on Saturday by the US Central Command, according to a ⁠statement seen by Reuters ahead of its release.

Task Force Iron Gate, as it will be called, will be based in Tampa, Florida, and will coordinate with other US government agencies. Beyond movement of weapons, it will also focus on dual-use and illegal revenue streams.

“Strengthening CENTCOM’s ⁠collaboration ⁠with US interagency partners will further constrain Iran’s ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapons factories, and replenish their military,” Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of Central Command, said in a statement.

Central Command estimated that its naval blockade has prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil.

At least 22 hurt after 5.5 magnitude earthquake strikes central Japan

At least 22 hurt after 5.5 magnitude earthquake strikes central Japan

By AP

 A strong earthquake shakes central Japan, shattering store windows, causing people to flee buildings and leaving at least 22 people injured, according to local media.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency puts the quake’s magnitude at 5.7, while the US Geological Survey reported it at magnitude 5.5. Smaller aftershocks are reported.

A wide area near Aichi Prefecture is affected, including the city of Hamamatsu, the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara, and nearby prefectures of Yamanashi, where Mount Fuji is located, as well as Gifu

Japanese TV footage shows shattered store windows and scattered shards of glass on the streets. A bookstore is left with mounds of books that had flown off the shelves. The injuries include people who fell down stairs while they were trying to flee.

The quake, which struck at 1:04 a.m., was located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) below the earth’s surface in Shizuoka Prefecture. Aichi and Shizuoka are neighboring regions. They are far enough from Tokyo that the quake was not felt there. The most violent shaking was felt in Aichi, according to official seismic assessments.

The Shinkansen bullet trains were running at slower speeds in the affected areas as a precautionary measure. Sometimes quakes can damage the railways the trains run on.

US Military STRIKES St. Kitts-Flagged Cargo Vessel in Gulf of Oman After Crew Repeatedly DEFIES Trump’s Naval Blockade Against Iran

US Military STRIKES St. Kitts-Flagged Cargo Vessel in Gulf of Oman After Crew Repeatedly DEFIES Trump’s Naval Blockade Against Iran — CENTCOM Warns More Vessels to Comply

Jim Hᴏft

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces took decisive action in the Gulf of Oman on November 7, disabling the St. Kitts-flagged commercial cargo vessel M/V Huda after its civilian crew repeatedly ignored warnings and attempted to violate America’s naval blockade against Iran multiple times.

According to CENTCOM, the ship’s crew received repeated warnings but continued attempting to violate the blockade.

American forces ultimately responded with military force.

A U.S. military aircraft launched precision-guided munitions into the stern of the vessel, disabling the ship and bringing its attempted departure to an abrupt halt.

Before the strike, U.S. forces instructed the civilian crew to evacuate the sections of the vessel that would be targeted.

As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, this is far from the first time American forces have used precision strikes to stop vessels attempting to challenge Trump’s blockade.

On October 10, The Gateway Pundit’s Cristina Laila reported that a U.S. fighter jet struck the Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun, after its crew ignored repeated warnings while attempting to transit the Gulf of Oman.

The precision strike disabled the ship’s propulsion system. CENTCOM reported that no crew members were harmed.

In September, The Gateway Pundit reported that American forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the IRGC allegedly launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. Navy warship.

The targeted tankers were identified as the M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, M/T Riesco, and M/T Derya.

CENTCOM said crews were directed to abandon those vessels before American forces attacked.

And in April, The Gateway Pundit reported that the U.S. Navy intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship M/V Touska after it attempted to challenge the blockade.

The USS Spruance disabled the vessel’s propulsion system after its crew refused repeated warnings. U.S. Marines subsequently boarded the ship.

President Trump personally announced the operation, describing how American forces had stopped the vessel by striking its engine room.

Paris agitators defy police orders, renew nationwide protests centered in Paris

Paris agitators defy police orders, renew nationwide protests centered in Paris

Robert McGreevy

Protesters in France are continuing to demonstrate in Paris and across the nation despite police prohibitions on gatherings in the capital.

The Paris Police Prefecture denied numerous formal requests for permits allowing protests in various areas of the city, citing October riots that led to thousands of arrests and violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement.

"These events demonstrated the intention of certain individuals to target the institutions of the Republic, specifically through actions directed against public buildings and State services in order to undermine the foundations of the Republic," the police wrote, according to a Fox News Digital translation of a police order.

"That these elements characterize a particular and serious risk to public institutions, agent safety, and the normal functioning of public services during such demonstrations," the statement continued.

Police also prohibited a rally of France's popular Yellow Vest protest movement scheduled for Place de la Concorde, citing security concerns.

Despite the ban, prominent Yellow Vest members attended and were arrested at the National Assembly in front of Place de la Concorde.

Benjamin Ball, a member of the Yellow Vests coordination group, and spokesperson Azelma Sigaux, were both arrested early in the afternoon Saturday, according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).

France's Interior Ministry anticipated 170,000 people to protest nationwide Saturday, a day marking the fourth straight week of protests.

The country deployed 70,000 security forces to quell the demonstrations, according to the AFP.

"The risk is exactly the same as on previous Saturdays," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, instructing authorities "not to lower their guard," AFP reported.

Videos and photos showed French authorities deploying tear gas and detaining rioters while fires burned throughout Paris.

French authorities also report that protesters have lobbed projectiles at police.

Demonstrators are protesting high costs of living, among other things, as student and teacher unions join Yellow Vests at the mass rallies.

On Monday, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is due to meet with leaders from the unions to discuss wages and purchasing power, AFP reported.

Despite the planned tête-à-tête, union leaders are calling for fresh strikes on Tuesday to keep the pressure on the government, claiming the unions are "in a position of strength (and) the government in a position of weakness and starting to yield."