In the news: Updates

In today's news we see several updates to earlier stories:

First, we see that the IDF retaliated against the rockets which had been sent into Israel from Gaza:

"IDF bombs targets in Gaza"

Palestinian sources reported that Israel carried out airstrikes in Gaza Tuesday, after two soldiers were injured by mortars that exploded near the border fence earlier in the day.

The strikes targeted tunnels in the southern Strip as well as open spaces near Khan Younis, from whence rockets have been fired towards Israel.

"IAF Strikes Gaza Weapons Factory, Tunnels in Response to Terror"

Israel Air Force fighter pilots destroyed a variety of carefully selected terrorist targets in Gaza overnight in retaliation for a spate of terror attacks on Jewish communities in the western Negev, including two mortars fired at Israel from the region earlier in the day, and two Kassam rockets fired Monday.

In response to the attack, the IAF carried out air strikes on a weapons factory in central Gaza, two smuggler tunnels, and a terrorist tunnel in the southern part of the region.

On Monday, Gaza terrorists launched a Kassam rocket barrage that struck Jewish communities in the Eshkol Regional Council district.

“The IDF remains committed to protecting the citizens of Israel and will continue to act against terror,” said the IDF Spokesman in a statement. “The IDF holds Hamas solely responsible for terror emanating from the Gaza Strip.”

More than 115 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israel from Gaza since January. Over 420 rockets were launched from the region at the Jewish State since the end of Israel's three-week counter-terrorist war, in the winter of 2008-2009, Operation Cast Lead.

Now we turn to updates on the Iran vs Israel story:

"Focus U.S.A./ Will Israel really attack Iran within a year?

After interviewing dozens of Israeli, American and Arab officials, Atlantic Magazine correspondent concludes Israel may not even ask for American 'green light' to attack Iran nuclear sites.

Based on dozens of interviews the Atlantic correspondent conducted in recent months with Israeli, American and Arab officials, Goldberg came to the conclusion that the likelihood of an Israeli strike has crossed the 50 percent mark.

The repercussions of such a strike, which could include the bombing of the Iranian facilities in Natanz, Qom, Esfahan, and maybe even the Russian-built reactor in Bushehr, are less than clear, despite the endless discussions and several simulations.

The results might be dire: It's likely that the Israeli air force won't have much time to waste in Iran, as Hezbollah will probably retaliate against Israel in the North and the fighter jets will be needed there. The unilateral operation might throw relations between Jerusalem and Washington into an unprecedented crisis, and might even unleash full-scale regional war with possible economic repercussions for the whole world, not to mention the cost of human lives.

According to Goldberg, for Israel the red lines are clear. The end of December is Netanyahu's deadline to estimate the success of "non-military methods to stop Iran."

"Bolton: Israel has few days to strike Iran"

Israel has days to launch a military strike against Iran's Bushehr nuclear facility and stop Tehran from acquiring a functioning atomic plant, a former US envoy to the UN has said.

Iran is to bring online its first nuclear power reactor, built with Russia's help, on August 21, when a shipment of nuclear fuel will be loaded into the plant's core.

"Absent an Israeli strike, Bolton said, "Iran will achieve something that no other opponent of Israel, no other enemy of the United States in the Middle East really has and that is a functioning nuclear reactor."

The controversial former envoy to the United Nations criticized Russia's role in the development of the plant, saying "the Russians are, as they often do, playing both sides against the middle"

Unlike most countries during war preparations, Israeli citizens must take drastic action:

"Israel's 'Judgement Day' shelters"

The new railway station being built at the entrance to Jerusalem will turn in times of emergency into an underground bomb shelter which would be able to protest 5,000 people against a chemical or biological attack.

"The State of Israel is preparing to build additional large underground spaces which would be able to absorb tens of thousands of people and protect them from non-conventional weapons for a long period of time," Major-General Ronny Seri, head of the Home Front Command's fortification department told Yedioth Ahronoth on Tuesday.

The Israel Defense Forces is currently engaged in mapping additional underground spaces for the installment of filters in order to protest thousands of people for long periods of time.

The Home Front Command is still searching for additional places which could be used as shelters against non-conventional weapons. In Tel Aviv, for example, the shelter of the renovated Habima Theater is slated to absorb thousands of people in times of emergency.

Rumors of war. War preparations. War rhetoric. Anticipation of chemical weapons. Anticipation of nuclear weapons. All part of daily life in the Middle East. And all revolving around a tiny country - a country that represents just a tiny fraction of land mass in the region - a region that is dominated by Islam. But that isn't enough - Israel, in their eyes MUST be destroyed. There is no other option.

So what we are really watching, are their ongoing preparations to destroy Israel, and we also watch Israel's process of defending themselves against total destruction.

The rest of the world ignores this rather obvious fact - and continues to attempt to forge a peace-plan. Good luck with that.

Soon, the world (aka "The Nations") will get their wish. A leader will emerge who will appear to have a peace agreement and a leader who will appear to have the world's problems solved. Everyone will be celebrating and the words "Peace and safety" will roll off of their tongues.

And that will make the beginning of the end - as the scriptures tell us that soon after, "sudden destruction" will ensue and the judgments of the Tribulation will begin.

Fortunately, the Bride of Christ will have a different perspective - after all - we have a wedding to attend, and it will take place in a far far better place than this fallen earth.