How much closer to war can we be in the middle east? It is a breath away - in fact we are seeing the early stages now and things do not show any signs of reversal. Iran continues its military build-up and Israel continues targeted bombings. How much longer will Iran resist an invasion, along with Russia and Iran? It doesn't seem far away, therefore the wars described in Isaiah17 and Ezekiel 38-39 are very very close. Any student of prophecy knows the ramifications of these developments. We are right on the threshold:
An alleged Israeli strike on an air base in central Syria on April 9 targeted a soon-to-be-deployed Iranian advanced air defense system and a drone hangar, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
The article also confirmed that several days beforehand Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alerted the White House of the IDF’s plans to carry out the strike on the T-4 air base, which killed at least seven Iranian soldiers, including a senior officer, and sparked a near unprecedented level of public threats between Tehran and Jerusalem.
The target of the April strike was a Russian-made Tor missile defense system, which is designed to “destroy aircraft, helicopters, drones, guided missiles and other precision weapons flying at medium, low, and extremely low altitudes, in difficult air and jamming environments,” according to its manufacturer.
If deployed, this relatively modern air defense system, first purchased by Iran in 2007, could make it more difficult for Israel to conduct air raids in the areas where it is deployed.
The airstrike also destroyed a hangar that was being used for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’s drone program, according to the report.
Intelligence officials cited in the Wall Street Journal said that Iran sought the Tor missile defense system in response to an Israeli airstrike on the T-4 base earlier this year.
On February 10, the IRGC flew a drone carrying explosives on an attack mission into Israeli territory from Syria, according to Israel. An Israeli attack helicopter shot down the drone and the Israeli Air Force targeted the T-4 air base in central Syria from which the aircraft had been piloted remotely.
The April 9 strike — which has been widely attributed to, but not officially confirmed by, Israel — was meant to destroy the Tor system before it could be set up, according to the report.
Tensions rose again on Tuesday, as additional strikes were initially reported on two air bases in Syria, with the Syrian military claiming to have shot down incoming missiles. Later, the Syrian army clarified that no missiles had actually been fired, but claimed that its countermeasures were triggered by a joint Israeli-American cyberattack.
Israel’s defense establishment — the country’s various intelligence services and the military — believes an Iranian revenge attack would likely be carried out by the IRGC’s air force, with surface-to-surface missiles or armed drones, The Times of Israel has learned.
There was no indication of when such an attack might take place, though Independence Day festivities scheduled for Thursday may serve as a tempting target for Iran.
Five Palestinians were injured by Israeli artillery fire early Wednesday morning east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run health ministry said.
The Gaza health ministry said the Palestinian men were on a base belonging to the military wing of Hamas when they were struck.
The Israel Defense Forces, in a statement, confirmed it targeted a group of five Palestinians who approached the border fence.
At least one of the Gazans was armed, the army said.
The Hebrew-language Walla news website cited an unnamed army source as saying security forces had thwarted an attempt by the group to plant an explosive device along the border fence.
On Tuesday evening, the Israeli military said it fired tank shells at a Hamas post in the southern Gaza Strip, after gunmen opened fire at Israeli troops operating near the border. There were no Israeli casualties in that incident. A military spokeswoman noted that the clash occurred in an area which has seen recurrent violence during recent weeks’ protests near the border.
The incident came days after the IDF destroyed a Hamas attack tunnel dug under the border fence that reached dozens of meters into Israeli territory. It passed under the border in an area where Palestinian protesters have recently clashed with security forces, the army said Sunday, and was ready for use.
Tensions along the security fence have been rising in recent weeks with the Palestinians holding mass marches near the border, and in some cases rioting, for the last three consecutive weekends. Israel says the violence is being orchestrated by Hamas, which it accuses of trying to carry out border attacks under the cover of large protests.
On Friday, at least 10,000 Gazans took part in large-scale demonstrations, with the Israeli military saying protesters hurled an explosive device and firebombs at Israeli troops deployed at the border, as well as making “several attempts” to damage the fence between Israel and Gaza, and cross over into Israeli territory. A week earlier, about 20,000 Palestinians took part in the demonstrations, with the previous week attracting an estimated 30,000.
The Israeli military on Tuesday evening said it fired tank shells at a Hamas post in the southern Gaza Strip, after gunmen opened fire at Israeli troops operating near the border.
There were no Israeli casualties in the incident.
A military spokeswoman noted that the incident occurred in an area which has seen recurrent violence during recent weeks’ protests near the border.
The Israeli military regularly strikes Hamas positions in response to attacks emanating from Gaza, saying it holds the terror group that controls the Strip responsible for any violence.
Tensions have been high over recent weeks with thousands of Palestinians clashing with Israeli troops on the border for three consecutive Fridays.
Last Friday, at least 10,000 Gazans took part in large-scale demonstrations, with the Israeli military saying protesters hurled an explosive device and firebombs at Israeli troops deployed at the border, as well as making “several attempts” to damage the fence between Israel and Gaza and cross over into Israeli territory.
Protesters torched tires and burned large Israeli flags, as well as posters of Israel’s prime minister and defense minister. Large plumes of black smoke from burning tires rose into the sky. They also burned pictures of US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
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Live right now (1:13pm EST)...awesome Ceremony in Israel
"Watch the live broadcast of the torch-lighting ceremony at Mt. Herzl, celebrating 70 years of Israel's independence.
Happy Independence Day!"
https://www.facebook.com/IsraeliPM/videos/2082239895124078/?notif_id=1524069023816670¬if_t=live_video
This is SO awesome! Each one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel are speaking, torch lighting ceremony...wow
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