IDF pushes north of Lebanon security zone; Netanyahu says Israel seizing ‘strategic positions’

IDF pushes north of Lebanon security zone; Netanyahu says Israel seizing ‘strategic positions’

Stav Levaton

Nava Freiberg

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday that Israel is “intensifying operations” in Lebanon by taking strategic positions and reinforcing the security buffer zone as the IDF pushed past the lines it held as it seeks to counter the recent surge in drone attacks by Hezbollah.

The announcement, which the premier made during a full security cabinet session Tuesday evening, came as the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that it has expanded ground operations beyond the designated security zone in parts of southern Lebanon in recent days, in an effort to push Hezbollah operatives farther north and reduce the threat of explosive drone attacks on northern Israeli communities.

It also came as the Israeli Air Force escalated its fire against Hezbollah, carrying out over 100 strikes in the Beqaa Valley in eastern Lebanon and across the country’s south overnight and throughout Tuesday.

“We are intensifying our operations in Lebanon. The IDF is operating with significant forces on the ground and taking control of strategically dominant positions. We are reinforcing the security buffer zone in order to protect the communities of northern Israel,” Netanyahu said in a video released by his office.

“At the same time, we are carrying out a major national effort to advance creative and innovative solutions against explosive drones,” he added, after meeting with Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

A day earlier, Netanyahu ordered the IDF to “intensify blows” against the Iran-backed group amid incessant Hezbollah attacks despite the US-brokered ceasefire that is still officially in place.

Channel 12 reported that Zamir had been pressing forcefully to be allowed to take the fight to Hezbollah. Over the past two days, Katz had pushed his message with Netanyahu, who eventually gave the go-ahead.

Israel had been exercising restraint amid pressure from the US, which is trying to finalize a deal with Iran.

Washington approved Israeli plans to expand fighting against Hezbollah in the coming days, but warned Jerusalem against striking in Beirut amid concerns of hurting US talks with Iran on a deal, multiple Hebrew outlets reported Tuesday evening, citing Israeli officials.

US Ambassador Mike Huckabee updated the White House on Monday night on Israel’s intention to expand operations in Lebanon, and the American message in turn was “not to bring down buildings in Beirut,” according to a Channel 12 report.

A senior Israeli official told the network that “There is approval for targeted assassinations in Beirut if an operational opportunity presents itself.”

Senior Israeli officials similarly acknowledged to Channel 13: “We have freedom of action in southern Lebanon – less so in Beirut. We do not want to be perceived as undermining President Donald Trump’s agreement with Iran.”

However, an Israeli security official was cited by the Kan public broadcaster as saying that if operation plans remain limited to southern Lebanon, the IDF “will hurt Hezbollah – but it will not stop the explosive drones” attacks that were the cause for the planned intensification of fighting.

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Khamenei: US will no longer have a safe haven in the region

Khamenei: US will no longer have a safe haven in the region

Neta Bar

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a written statement marking the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, lashing out at the United States and Israel as his officials hold talks on a deal with Washington.

"The regional powers will no longer serve as a shield for American bases. The US will no longer have a safe haven in the region. The armed forces of Islamic Iran, prepared to sacrifice their lives, together with the fighters of the resistance front, particularly beloved Lebanon, have achieved astonishing victories against two terrorist armies, the American and Zionist armies, in the third imposed war. With trust in God, and by means of their missiles and UAVs on land, in the air and at sea, they struck the Zionist regime and the American beast, and saw with their own eyes the divine promise of assistance to those fighting in the path of God," Khamenei wrote in the statement.

Khamenei also addressed Israel, writing: "The feeble Zionist regime and the cancerous tumor of Israel have approached the final stages of their cursed lives. As the great leader, the martyr of Quds, predicted 10 years earlier in his decisive words: 'God willing, the Zionist regime will not see the next 25 years.'"

Alongside Khamenei's threats, the Iranian leader has not been seen in public since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion, other Iranian officials issued threats regarding the possibility of a return to fighting. The spokesman for Iran's armed forces said that in the event of a new attack by the United States and Israel, Iran's response would differ from the past and would be accompanied by harder and more powerful blows.

According to ISNA, Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for Iran's armed forces, said in an interview with Al Jazeera that Iran was ready for war and that, in the event of a new attack by the United States and the Zionist regime, it had set a new bank of targets.

He said the response to any new aggression would be different from what had happened in the past, and that the enemies would face surprises and new tactics. The commander stated: "If a new round of war begins, Iran's blows will be harsher, heavier, more violent and far more powerful than in the two previous wars."

Shekarchi stressed that in the event of a new war, Iran's response would not merely repeat past experiences. The spokesman for Iran's armed forces also said: "If the war starts again, its scope will extend beyond the region." He also noted: "If Iran's oil exports are blocked, Iran will not allow oil to leave the region."

Trump summons Cabinet to Camp David as Iran talks near crunch point

Trump summons Cabinet to Camp David as Iran talks near crunch point

Lior Ben Ari

U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to convene his Cabinet on Wednesday at Camp David, an unusual setting for a president who has rarely used the Maryland retreat.

Camp David has historically been reserved for major national security discussions. Trump has visited 

only 16 times across his two terms, far less frequently than many of his predecessors.

All members of Trump’s Cabinet are expected to attend, including outgoing intelligence chief Tulsi 

Gabbard, according to U.S. reports. The White House told the New York Post that the meeting will focus 

on economic achievements, the administration’s anti-fraud task force and foreign policy updates, which 

could include Iran.

The meeting comes as Trump weighs his next steps in negotiations with Tehran. In recent days, he 

said he was giving his envoys time to negotiate with Iran but would not sign a “bad deal.”

Overnight, however, Trump appeared to shift his position. After weeks of saying Iran’s enriched uranium 

must be removed from the country, he did not rule out another option: destroying it inside Iran under the 

supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog.

It remains unclear what Trump plans to do at Camp David. U.S. reports have not indicated that he intends

to present an agreement or announce a breakdown in talks. The New York Post, which first reported the 

Camp David Cabinet meeting, cited the Iran backdrop but offered few details. Fox News also said the 

gathering comes as the administration considers its next moves on Iran, foremost among them a possible 

agreement.

Iranian media, meanwhile, reported possible progress on one of the main sticking points in the talks: 

frozen Iranian funds.

Iran’s Fars news agency, citing a source close to the negotiating team, said the “last serious dispute” 

between the sides — access to frozen funds — was “on the way to being resolved” through Qatari

mediation.

According to Fars, Tehran has insisted that “no agreement is possible until the agreed-upon money is 

deposited.” The report said progress had been made, but the source added that given what Iran views as a 

history of broken U.S. promises, Iranian negotiators do not consider the understandings final and “are 

prepared for every possibility.”

Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the regime, earlier reported that under a draft 

understanding, Iran’s frozen funds, estimated at $23 billion, would be released during the negotiations. 

A source familiar with the talks said Iran was demanding that half the money be released after the 

understandings are announced and the other half after 60 days.

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A Light Shining In A Dark Place:

A Light Shining In A Dark Place: Why Anticipation Of The Rapture Changes Our Understanding Of World Events

Jonathan Brentner

Since I was ten years old, a very long time ago, I have believed in a pre-Tribulation Rapture. Even though I didn’t grasp its significance and had much to learn about it, I sensed that it aligned with the words of Scripture.

Even after my seminary studies solidified this conviction, it took a long time for me to fully appreciate all that makes our blessed hope so wonderful. I’m still growing in my gratitude for this precious hope revealed on the pages of God’s Word.

Our adversary has a very different attitude toward it. Over the past few decades, he has greatly intensified his attacks on our anticipation of meeting Jesus in the air to the point where the word “rapture” has become taboo in many churches, even those that claim to believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. As a result, much of the mocking of our hope comes from those professing faith in the Lord Jesus.

Rather than dwell any further with the scoffers, I want to emphasize what makes our blessed hope so wonderful and thus a target for our adversary.

A Light Shining in a Dark Place

The world is a very dark place as lawlessness and violence continue to grow mostly unchecked. As I have often stated, I couldn’t cope with the headlines of our day apart from the biblical perspective of prophecy. Peter referred to its illuminating qualities in 2 Peter 1:19, “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”

Scripture illuminates what’s happening in our world as nothing else can. It explains why Satan has ratcheted up his vehement and deadly opposition to the Jewish people. He knows that Israel’s existence signifies his eventual doom and is doing all he can to prevent the fulfillment of what the Bible says will happen when Jesus returns to a repentant Jewish remnant.

What does that have to do with the Rapture? The majority of pastors who say the Rapture is the same event as the Second Coming, or that there’s no such thing, believe that the church is the new Israel and there’s no seven-year Tribulation. They regard the biblical texts that illuminate our way through this dark and murky world as either allegorical of the distant past or descriptive of the last 2,000 years.

In other words, there’s no near-term intervention of the Lord in our world to deal with the wickedness of our day and inaugurate His kingdom. Such teaching reinforces the normalcy bias, the vain hope that things will get better; they always have. Such is the empty expectation of those who don’t recognize that we live in biblical times.

I remember the pastor of an Evangelical Free Church mocking the relevance of Bible prophecy to our day. He accused us of reading the Bible in one hand with a newspaper in the other. It was his way of claiming that we interpreted Scripture based on current events. He didn’t understand what the apostle wrote in 2 Peter 1:19; it’s Bible prophecy that shines the light on the darkness of all that we read about in our violent, corrupt, and lawless world and gives us hope in Jesus’ soon appearing.

An Escape from the Delusions of Life

The second benefit of anticipating Jesus’ soon appearing is that it enables us to escape the delusion that we can find hope in the things of this life. This is something I wish I had learned long ago.

It’s what Paul wrote about in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

It’s not that we forgo our aspirations for this life, but it’s a matter of realizing the relative value of temporal things versus eternal realities. Though others might also possess this same perspective, more often than not, it’s an eager anticipation of Jesus’ appearing that produces this eternal outlook. Over time, it’s our focus on our blessed hope that provides us with greater clarity as to what ultimately matters.

I believe this is also what Paul wrote about in Colossians 3:1-4: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

All four verses speak to how the saving message of the cross changes us (see also Romans 6:5-9). Because of the new life we have in Christ, we learn to “seek the things that are above” and set our “minds on things that are above.” Our anticipation of appearing with Jesus in glory when He comes for us is not an afterthought that Paul tacks on to show the Gospel renews our mind; it’s foundational to developing an eternal perspective.

The practice of “waiting for our blessed hope” (Titus 2:13) teaches us how to place a greater importance on eternal realities versus the fleeting aspirations of this life. The silence in so many churches today, regarding the Rapture and eternal life, subtly exalts this life or what lies ahead and focuses the minds of those in the pews on the things of this life.

I have discovered that there’s great freedom in focusing on my hope in Jesus’ soon appearing. That’s why I have learned to cherish the Scriptures that promise a glorious future to all who are in Christ. The long wait for the Rapture has resulted in a greater appreciation for it.

Iran threatens to retaliate after US strikes; Khamenei said to declare ‘Death to Israel’ as ‘slogan of the Islamic nation’

Iran threatens to retaliate after US strikes; Khamenei said to declare ‘Death to Israel’ as ‘slogan of the Islamic nation’

REUTERS

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they reserve the right to retaliate, after Tehran accused the United States of violating the ceasefire with strikes in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province.

The US military has carried out strikes in southern Iran against targets including boats attempting to lay mines and missile launch sites, in what it described as defensive actions. Iranian media reported early this morning that sounds of explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas in the province.

The IRGC also says air defense units have downed a US drone and fired at another drone and a fighter jet, which they say had entered Iranian airspace over the Gulf region.

In comments posted on his Telegram channel on the occasion of the annual hajj pilgrimage, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei purportedly says: “The clock cannot be turned back, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer be a shield for American bases.”

“From now on, the slogans ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel’ will be the slogans of the Islamic nation and the oppressed people of the world, especially the youth,” the statement adds.