JD Farag
(video)
Pastor JD explains why so many are writing off the writing of Bible prophecy specific to the sound doctrine of the pretribulation rapture ultimately though not surprisingly fulfilling this very prophecy at this the very end.
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Iran War Takes a Dangerous Turn as Fighting Erupts in Hormuz
The U.S. and Iran are teetering on the brink of a dangerous new phase of the war, as both turn to military force to break a standoff in the Strait of Hormuz that has paralyzed shipping and imposed costs on both sides.
Fighting flared for the first time in about a month Monday, with the U.S. Navy trying to open the waterway and Iran hitting commercial ships to keep it closed.
The U.S. said it used Apache helicopters to sink Iranian speedboats harassing traffic in the strait. Iran hit a critical oil port in the United Arab Emirates and several vessels around the strategic waterway.
The return to a more openly violent chapter will test both sides. Each has reason to try to force an end to the current paralysis in the strait. But they also face substantial risks if the skirmishing escalates out of control—for Iran, greater damage to its economy and leadership, and for President Trump, deeper involvement in a war that is unpopular at home.
Bryan Clark, a former senior U.S. Navy official now a senior fellow with the Hudson Institute, said the new phase of the conflict is likely to play out at sea in a fight that could resemble the Tanker War that Iran and Iraq fought over control of the waterway in the 1980s.
That sets the stage for what could be a long and slow-burning contest—less intense than the broad air campaign of the first five weeks, but marked by periodic violence that could escalate if either side miscalculates.
“They’re trying to basically pressure the Iranians to capitulate and restore access,” Clark said of the U.S. “And since that didn’t happen, they’re now forced to try to escort ships.”
The flare-up on Monday, the worst since President Trump declared a cease-fire in early April, came hours after Trump announced a new initiative to get ships that have been bottled up in the Persian Gulf out through the crucial waterway.
Iran’s constriction of the strait and an American blockade of Iranian ports have deprived global markets of millions of barrels of oil, pushing up the price of gasoline and jet fuel and piling up pressure on Iran’s economy.
Trump told a Fox News reporter that Iran would be “blown off the face of the earth” if it targeted U.S. ships.
The U.A.E., which has backed tougher action against Iran, repeatedly sounded alerts Monday for the first time since early April, saying it was targeted by four missiles and a number of drones. Students were told they would go back to online schooling, and a number of flights were canceled amid the threats.
Oman said a company’s housing complex was hit.
Monday, May 4, 2026
Trump threatens to 'blow Iran off face of the Earth' if US vessels attacked
Jerusalem Post
Trump threatens to 'blow Iran off face of the Earth' if US vessels attacked
“We have more weapons and ammunition at a much higher grade than we had before," Trump said. “We have the best equipment."
US President Donald Trump threatened that Iran would be "blown off the face of the Earth" if US vessels were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz during an interview with FOX News on Monday.
“We have more weapons and ammunition at a much higher grade than we had before," Trump said. “We have the best equipment. We have stuff all over the world. We have these bases all over the world. They’re all stocked up with equipment. We can use all of that stuff, and we will, if we need it.”
Trump's comments came just after several missiles were launched from Iran at the UAE, and the head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, said the US had destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones fired by Tehran.
Cooper said he "strongly advised" Iranian forces to remain clear of US military assets as it launches the operation. He said a US blockade of Iran, which prevents ships from going to Iran or departing Iranian territory, also remains in effect and is exceeding expectations.
Earlier on Monday, a South Korean ship sailing near the Strait of Hormuz was attacked, according to the Korean media outlet Chosun Daily, citing a government official.
Trump acknowledged the attack in his FOX News interview, emphasizing that no other damage had been reported in the Strait.
Iran's Araqchi says no military solution in Hormuz, warns US and UAE against 'quagmire'
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said events in the Strait of Hormuz showed there was no military solution to the crisis, adding that talks were making progress with Pakistan's mediation while warning the US and the UAE against being drawn into a "quagmire by ill-wishers."
Iran threatens UAE, warns it not to become 'Israel's toy' - Tasnim
Iran warned the United Arab Emirates on Monday not to become "Israel's toy," threatening to treat the country as "part of the Zionist regime" if it takes "unwise" action, according to a report by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated Tasnim News Agency.
US destroys six Iranian small boats, shoots down missiles, drones, US admiral says
The US military has destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones fired by Tehran as the US launches an operation to free up shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, US Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of Central Command, said on Monday.
Cooper said he "strongly advised" Iranian forces to remain clear of US military assets as it launches the operation. He said a US blockade of Iran, which prevents ships from going to Iran or departing Iranian territory, also remains in effect and was exceeding expectations.
Iran has denied that any boats were sunk.
US Strikes Seven Iranian Boats: Tensions Spike in Strait of Hormuz
BBC News
President Donald Trump says the US struck seven Iranian "fast boats" after vowing to help stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz
A shipping company says a commercial vessel has now left the strait, accompanied by the US military
Meanwhile, Iran's military says it has fired warning shots at American warships. US Central Command denies a claim in Iranian state media that Iranian missiles hit a US destroyer - here's what we've heard:
Tensions spike in the Strait of Hormuz - what's the latest?
It's been a day of back-and-forth claims and denials between the US and Iran over action in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions have reignited in the vital waterway.
It can be difficult to track vessels' movement in the key shipping route - our colleagues at BBC Verify explain why.
We've taken a brief look back at what we've heard about incidents in the strait today:
Fast boats sunk: Trump has said the US struck seven Iranian "small boats" in the Strait of Hormuz - Iran is yet to respond.
Crossing the strait: Earlier, the US Central Command claimed US-flagged merchant ships and US navy destroyers had crossed the strait. Iran called this claim "entirely false".
Warning shots: The Iranian Army Navy said it fired warning shots at US destroyers. Separately, Iranian media reported Iran had hit one US warship - a claim Washington denies.
A serious warning: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has, according to Iranian state media, shared a warning with vessels in the strait that any who pass through the "closed" waterway will be "struck and destroyed".
UAE vessel reportedly hit: The United Arab Emirates reported a tanker affiliated with its state-owned oil company Adnoc has been hit. Iran has not commented.
'Suspected strike': Meanwhile, South Korea said it is investigating a "suspected strike" on a cargo vessel anchored in the strait after a reported explosion in the vessel's engine room. In his latest Truth Social, Trump blames Iran. Tehran has not commented.
Elsewhere, the UAE says it is defending itself against "missile and drone attacks originating from Iran" - Tehran has not yet officially commented
Officials say a drone attack has sparked a large fire at the UAE's biggest oil port
US-flagged commercial vessel exits Strait of Hormuz 'accompanied by US military' - shipperBREAKING
Shipping company Maersk has told the BBC that one of its US-flagged commercial vessels has successfully exited the Strait of Hormuz under US military protection.
Maersk says the transit was "completed without incident, and all crew members are safe and unharmed".
The Alliance Fairfax, it says, had been unable to leave the Gulf since February 2026, when conflict between Iran and the US began.
Maersk says it was contacted by the US military and offered support. After the "development of a comprehensive security plan", the vessel was cleared to leave, according to the statement.
The shipping company says the ship then exited the Gulf "accompanied by US military assets" and thanks them for their "professionalism and effective coordination" in making the operation possible.
Earlier, US Central Command said two US-flagged merchant vessels had “successfully transited through the Strait of Hormuz”. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has called the US claim “outright lies”.
US used helicopters to destroy Iranian small boats - Centcom
US Central Command (Centcom) says it has used helicopters to destroy Iranian small boats.
It follows US President Donald Trump's suggestion that the US has struck seven Iranian small boats as it works to open the Strait of Hormuz.
"Earlier today, Sea Hawk and U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopters were used to eliminate Iranian small boats threatening commercial shipping", Centcom writes in a social media update.
Iran is yet to respond to the claims.
UAE says defences engaged 15 Iranian missiles and four drones on Monday
The United Arab Emirates has published a summary of its defence actions today.
The Ministry of Defense says its air defence systems have engaged "12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 4 UAVs launched from Iran, resulting in 3 moderate injuries".
This follows several reports of attacks in the UAE earlier today, including a reported drone strike in Fujairah, where three Indian nationals are said to be injured.
The ministry says this brings the total number of people injured in the country since the start of the conflict to 227, with three killed.
Iranian state TV has quoted an unnamed "senior military official" saying that "Iran has had no plans to target the UAE". No officials have responded further.
Logged And Tracked: How License Plate Readers Could Map Your Entire Life
PNW STAFF
What began as a tool to catch criminals is quietly becoming something far more powerful-and far more dangerous. Across the United States, more than 80,000 automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras-many deployed by Flock Safety--are scanning, recording, and storing the movements of millions of vehicles every single day.
These systems promise safety. But increasingly, they are revealing something else: how easily surveillance infrastructure can be turned inward on the very people it was meant to protect.
A recent report highlighted a disturbing reality--law enforcement officers have used these systems not just for investigations, but to track romantic partners, exes, and even strangers. At least 14 documented cases uncovered by the Institute for Justice show officers allegedly abusing access to track individuals for personal reasons. In nearly every case, consequences followed. But the deeper issue remains: if individuals with limited authority can misuse such tools, what happens when institutions decide to use them systematically?
This is where the conversation shifts from misconduct... to potential.
Because ALPR systems don't just capture license plates--they capture patterns, routines, and lives.
License plate readers don't just see individuals--they see gatherings.
Protests, political rallies, community meetings--all of them generate traffic patterns that are easily captured. A few cameras placed strategically can log nearly every vehicle attending an event. Over time, that data can identify repeat participants.
This raises a critical question: what happens when dissent becomes trackable?
Even if never acted upon, the mere existence of such a capability can have a chilling effect. People may begin to ask themselves: Is attending this event worth being tracked?
Freedom doesn't always disappear with force. Sometimes it erodes quietly, through awareness that someone is watching.
It would not take sophisticated artificial intelligence to build a database of regular churchgoers. Patterns would emerge almost instantly: who attends weekly, who comes occasionally, who stopped coming altogether. Cross-reference that with other data--home addresses, workplaces--and suddenly, you don't just have a list of cars. You have a map of religious life.
Today, that may sound hypothetical. But the underlying capability already exists.
And history offers a sobering reminder: governments have not always treated religious populations with neutrality. In less stable times, such data could be used to monitor, pressure, or even target communities of faith. What begins as passive observation can become active scrutiny.
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