ONE YEAR ON - DAY 367 OF THE WAR

  " When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies ".

Numbers 10:9

Today is the 7th of October 2024, one year on since the terrible massacre of October 7th, 2023. One year of sorrow, war and suffering for so many people. Each morning, I am a little surprised that I have made it through another night, and my heart sinks with the realization that I must face another day during which the war is still ongoing. 

It has been quite a while since I wrote on this blog. The months seem to be passing in a blur of motion. It is quite impossible to report on everything that has happened in the intervening months.

Today the IDF published the following statistics:

• On 7 October 2023 1,200 Israelis, civilians and security personnel, were killed, and 251 abducted into Gaza. 101 of those abducted are still in the hands of Hamas in the tunnels of Gaza but it is estimated that between 50-70 of those have been killed or died. 
• On the same day 07/10/23 Hamas fired about 5,000 rockets and missiles into Israel. Around 6,000 Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel and about 1000 of these were killed, the remainder were captured, or managed to escape back into the Strip,
• Since that day, 26,000 rockets, missiles and explosive drones have been launched at Israel, including a total of 13,000 from Gaza, 12,000 from Lebanon, 60 from Syria, 180 from Yemen, 400 from Iran (their figures did not include those fired from Iraq). These figures do not include hundreds of rockets that misfired or landed in the Gaza Strip or in Lebanon. 
• Since 07/10/23, 728 Israeli soldiers and local security officers have been killed and 4,576 wounded, including 56 killed by 'friendly fire'.  
• Since 08/10/24, 885 Israeli civilians have been killed including 53 children, and 923 children made orphans. 
• According to unverified, and probably exaggerated, Hamas figures, around 40,000 Gazans have been killed, including terrorists and civilians, and those who have died from natural causes. (Even the pro-Palestinian UN had to admit that that figures received from Hamas were inflated, and they halved them). The IDF estimates that around 17,000 Hamas terrorists have been killed.
• The IDF has struck 40,000 targets in Gaza and located 4,700 tunnel shafts. 
• In Lebanon, the IDF has struck 11,000 Hezbollah positions, and killed around 800 Hezbollah operatives, including 90 Commanders. 

Of course the cold statistics do not do justice to the loss and pain felt by all the  victims of this war on both sides. Israel is a small country, with large extended families, and vast social networks. Everyone knows someone who has been killed or wounded, or is being held captive. We mourn together. Today there are gatherings all over the Land to commemorate the lost and to grieve together. 

After 12 months of war in Gaza, during which the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) have largely destroyed Hamas' military capability, and has been engaged in a slowly escalating 'tit for tat' war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, the war has now entered a new phase. It began on September 17th with the audacious and brilliantly executed simultaneous explosions of thousands of pager devices carried by mid- to high-level Hezbollah operatives, followed the next day by the explosions of walkie-talkie radios. In the two attacks tens of Hezbollah operatives were killed and thousands injured, many maimed for life, losing hands, eyes and suffering groin injuries (since they had their devices in their pockets or in their hands).   

Ten days later, on Friday 27th September, a massive, targeted airstrike on the main Hezbollah command center in Beirut killed the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and a number of other Hezbollah leaders. As of today, all of the 18 most senior leaders of the Hezbollah terror army have been assassinated by Israel.

As the focus of fighting has shifted away from Gaza and turned upon Hezbollah, more and more rockets, RPG's, missiles and explosive drones have been fired from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq into Israeli towns along the northern border and throughout the Galilee, the Jezreel Valley, Haifa and even further south - up to 200 per day. The IDF has been constantly hammering Hezbollah operatives and military infrastructure in southern Lebanon, destroying thousands of rocket launchers, missiles and other weapons, military installations and tunnels. 

A few days ago, on 1st October, Iran fired a massive barrage of at least 181 ballistic missiles at Israel, though Iran claims it fired 400.  Ballistic missiles fly high up into space and then fall towards their target. It takes about 12 minutes for a ballistic missile to fly from Iran to Israel, as opposed to 2 hours for cruise missiles and 9 hours for an armed drone. For this reason, only ballistic missiles were used this time, unlike in the April attack when cruise missiles and drones were also fired. Ballistic missiles are massive, around 20 m long, and carry an explosive payload of 500-800 kg. They can cause a great deal of damage and many casualties. Most of the missiles in this attack either fell short or were shot down by US, Jordanian and Israeli anti- missile defense systems, but approximately 20 hit Israeli soil, causing some damage to homes and other buildings.

 About 15 minutes before the attack began sirens sounded all over Israel, sending most of Israel's 10 million residents into shelters and 'safe spaces', though of course many were caught out on the roads or far from a safe space. There was only one fatality, a Gazan man illegally present in Jericho. No Israelis were killed and there were no serious injuries. This is truly miraculous and once again evidence of God's supernatural protection over Israel.

Just minutes before the Iranian attack began, news had started coming in of a serious terror attack on the light rail commuter train in Jaffa, Tel Aviv. Two terrorists opened fire on passengers and killed 7, wounding several more, before they were neutralized by a security guard and an armed civilian who were in the vicinity.

Since the Iranian attack Israeli leaders have made it crystal clear that we will retaliate and are currently coordinating with the US in order to carry out a direct attack on Iran. The only question remaining is how hard we will hit them, what we will hit and when. We will only know after it has begun, but sources predict it will happen in the next hours or days. Polls show that about 80% of Israelis support such an attack, even though it is likely to result in a severe retaliation by Iran. We all understand that this is the right time to 'cut off the head of the octopus'. We have never had such a good opportunity, nor may we get another. 

In addition to this direct confrontation with Iran, Israel has in the last few days been openly sending ground troops into Lebanese territory in order to clear out the Hezbollah infestation so that residents of the northern Israeli towns and cities can return to their homes, farms and businesses.

Bizarrely, here in the center of Israel life has continued more or less normally - we are going to work and school, shopping and eating in restaurants and cafes, going to the beach and the pool as if there was no war. Outwardly all looks normal, but we all know that at any moment everything could change, and below the smiles lie hearts full of sadness, anxiety and downright fear. Any minute, the sirens could go off, the missiles start falling and all hell break loose (literally). 

For all that, many of us here in the relatively 'safe' center are suffering a kind of survivors' guilt, as we think of our friends and loved ones who are living through the constant missile fire from Gaza and Lebanon, evacuated from their homes for a year now, or not evacuated and trying to exist while under constant rocket fire, many without any adequate shelters. We also have the hostages and their families very much on our hearts and in our prayers, together with the bereaved families and friends of the soldiers and civilians who have been killed, neither do we forget the thousands of wounded soldiers, whose lives will never be the same.  It's a lot of sorrow to carry in our hearts. 

For me it is a challenge to deal with all this emotion. I am now working for All Israel News as a proof editor, so I have to read and correct nearly all the articles coming in. I am enjoying this job but it does make it difficult to turn off from the war. I, like all Israelis, are deep down weary of it all. This war is a marathon, not a sprint, and I fear the highest hill is still before us, while the finish line is nowhere in sight. Still, I feel we have passed a turning point with the pager attack. The stalemate is broken and we can see victory ahead, albeit yet far off in the distance.

Meanwhile life has to go on. I cannot complain since I have not suffered personally either physically or in the loss of any very close friends.  I still have food on the table, water in the tap, a roof over my head and electricity in the mains. We cannot take any of these things for granted, and I am deeply grateful for them. All the trials and difficulties of regular life continue unabated, however. Dealing with the bureaucracy and the health system is even more challenging than normal since a large portion of the work force has been called up for army service. 

This video shows life in Jerusalem in the midst of the war : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbY9xuX72oM

I am also still writing the occasional article published in All Israel News. Here is the link to the latest one: https://allisrael.com/blog/israel-he-who-contends-with-god

This link will take you to all the articles I have published so far:

 https://allisrael.com/search?addsearch=talia%20voice

I know I am a bit biased, but I recommend All Israel News for factual, up-to-date reporting of developments in Israel. It is written by Israeli believers for the evangelical audience. The news section gives only the news without commentary and it is gleaned from reliable sources, updated several times a day. Opinion articles and blogs are in a separate section. 

I feel this is an important ministry and contribution to the war effort in disseminating trustworthy information to the evangelical world so that you can pray with understanding, and in the Spirit. The prayers of believers all over the world are essential and I believe they are having great effect in the heavenly places. I believe that Israel's astounding successes in recent weeks are directly due to the prayers of believers here and around the world. It is also deeply encouraging for those of us living here and a powerful witness to all Israelis, Jew and Arab alike. I sense a change in the spiritual atmosphere here as more people are beginning to acknowledge God and seek him. Please keep praying that more and more people, Jew, Arab and Gentile will repent and call upon God in these days. 

The link below explains why the support of Christians, especially those who come to visit or volunteer, is so appreciated by Israelis at this time: https://allisrael.com/running-into-the-fire-israeli-tour-guide-explains-why-christians-still-come-to-israel

We have just finished the Biblical Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah. Little is said in the Bible about how this feast should be celebrated, except by the blowing of trumpets or the shofar (a ram's horn). This morning a friend sent me this Instagram video of Israeli soldiers praying and blowing the shofar before entering the battle in Lebanon (see the Bible verse at the top). 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAm0aCwNLFV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link  

 Here is a prayer request I just received, 

The parents of the late X (murdered in the attack in Jaffa) are both Greek doctors, Christian believers. They have been in Israel for over 35 years out of a desire to bless the Jewish people, and work at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. They occasionally come to the meetings of the Messianic community in Jerusalem.

The son X just finished architecture studies and returned to the Lord with all his heart, 26 years old. He is their only son, and was murdered in an attack in Jaffa last week. Pray for them at this time with this huge loss.  

(I have removed the names to protect their identity- God knows who they are)

With this I will close and please keep praying - your prayers matter more than you can know. 

APOCALYPSE NOW?

Apocalypse is one of those words that has changed its meaning in modern times due to its usage in popular films, books and in the media. It has come to mean a total, devastating, world destroying war such as those prophesied in the Bible, especially in the Book of Revelation (which in Greek is the Book of the Apocalypse). The meaning of 'apocalypse' in Greek however is simply 'revelation' or 'unveiling'.  The Book of Revelation is the prophetic account of the end-times revelation of Yeshua (Jesus) culminating in his second coming as conquering king. 

Joel Rosenberg, in a recent interview with Janet Parshall on Moody Radio, claimed that "we are facing an apocalyptic war" and said that God is "shaking Israel" (1). 

Rosenberg was referring to the current situation Israel is facing in the north in which Hezbollah is firing rockets, missiles and suicide drones into Israeli territory and communities, a situation that is escalating daily. Since Hezbollah began attacking Israel on 8th of October it has fired at least 5,000 rockets, missiles and armed drones into Israel forcing the evacuation of around 80,000 of the inhabitants of the border regions. These people have left their homes, farms and businesses and have been living for over 8 months now in hotels or rented apartments at the government's expense, and they have no idea when they will be able to return. At least 1000 homes have been destroyed or seriously damaged.

                                https://allisrael.com/

Although most residents have left these northern settlements there remain two groups of people. The police, first responders, fire fighters, volunteer 'home guards', and those maintaining essential infrastructure and services are one group, but the other comprises many elderly who prefer to 'die in their own homes' and those families whose financial resources are insufficient to enable them to relocate (even with government help). Most of these are living in bomb shelters and surviving on food brought in by various volunteer organizations. 

THE MINISTRY OF THE KIRYAT SHMONA CONGREGATION

One of those volunteer organizations is the Messianic Congregation of Kiryat Shmona. Most of the 23,000 residents of this northern city were evacuated and the members of the congregation relocated to Poriya, near Tiberias. Some however remained, or travel each day, to cook between 500 -1250 hot meals every day for soldiers and others who are still in the area. 

On the 24th of May, a rocket fired by Hezbollah in Lebanon landed just outside their newly acquired premises, causing considerable damage. All the workers had already gone home for the day, and there were no injuries. Straight away these brave people began to clear up the mess, and even before repairs were begun, they were back in production.  You can see and hear more about this amazing ministry in the video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0omb6UzBCcQ

THE NORTH IS BURNING

 We are experiencing a hotter than normal summer this year. In the intense summer heat the vegetation is tinder dry and even a small, red-hot piece of shrapnel from an intercepted rocket can ignite a fire. Many fires are burning every day, and an estimated 20,000 acres of beautiful oak forest and Mediterranean shrubland, much of it in national parks, have already burned. Orchards and farmland have also been burned and homes threatened by fire.  One farmer lost his entire summer grazing land for his 1000 head of cattle. Another lost thousands of chickens when his farm was hit by a missile this week. Yesterday (29/06) a missile killed a horse and its foal belonging to a 14-yr-old girl. This situation cannot continue, and no nation should have to tolerate it. 

Until now both Hezbollah and Israel have been operating on a kind of 'tit for tat' policy, but the kind and intensity of attacks is escalating daily. Israel has been trying to keep the north 'on hold' while it concentrates its efforts in Gaza. 

THE IDF CONTINUES TO FIGHT IN GAZA

Yesterday (24 June) the IDF announced that its operation in Rafiah (in southern Gaza) was essentially complete and the remaining Hamas militants there can no longer operate as a coordinated army.  This means that Israel can now scale down the fighting in Gaza, but it does not yet mean the end of the war there. There are still many groups of Hamas fighters continuing a guerilla-type war, popping up from hiding places and attacking Israeli forces, and booby trapping roads and buildings. Hamas operatives are still managing from time to time to fire rockets and missiles into Israeli territory from Gaza. The IDF is continuing to search for and destroy these isolated groups of fighters and the tunnels and ordnance remaining. This process will probably continue for some months. 

There are even reports (2) that Hamas is attempting to recruit and train 16-18 year old boys to replace the approximately 14,000 terrorists that Israel has eliminated so far, the 4000 captives and the many more who have been wounded. 

120 HOSTAGES REMAIN IN GAZA

We are all hoping and praying that the remaining 120 Israeli hostages held in Gaza can be rescued somehow. It is estimated that only around 50-60 of these remain alive, but it is important for the families, and for national conscience, to rescue all the living hostages and return the dead bodies for proper burial. The fear is that, as the IDF closes in, Hamas may simply kill the remaining hostages, or that they will be accidentally killed by our forces.  

As each day passes, the physical and mental condition of the hostages is deteriorating. They are being held in inhumane conditions, with little food, no medicine, poor hygiene, and no access to fresh air and sunshine. As we have learned from those hostages rescued they are being  physically, sexually and emotionally abused, and some are being held in family homes where they are essentially treated as slaves. It is believed that some of the women, raped by Hamas terrorists, are now pregnant, and as we approach the 9th month since they were captured, their babies may be born soon. 

HEZBOLLAH AND THE NORTH

As things are 'winding down' in Gaza our attention is shifting to the northern border situation which is reaching flashpoint. A full scale war with Hezbollah seems imminent. Months of negotiations have failed. Hezbollah is scaling up the number, kind and sophistication of weapons being used against us. It is also attacking deeper and deeper into Israeli territory. 

One day last week they published drone footage demonstrating that they know the location of sensitive military bases and sites, and civilian infrastructure such as power stations, desalination plants, factories etc. They threaten to attack Israel's ports and airports, our offshore gas rig, the Dimona nuclear plant, the ammonia storage plant near Haifa,  and other critical military and civilian installations. They boast that they have 150,000 missiles that can reach any target in Israel, even as far as Eilat, with pinpoint accuracy.  

 A few days ago Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivered his first public speech since October 7. I have not been able to find a full translation of his speech but he devoted a large part of his one and a half hour speech to warning Israel of the consequences should we attack. He also for the first time threatened another country, Cyprus, should Israeli military forces to use the British Airforce bases on that island. Cyprus is an EU member and any attack on it would therefore draw the entire European Union into the war. 

The Iranian delegation to the United Nations threatened Israel with a "war of annihilation" if it attacked Lebanon, and stated that "Despite the fact that Iran sees Israel's propaganda about its intention to attack Lebanon as psychological warfare, if it launches a full-scale military attack, a war of annihilation will begin. All options, including the full involvement of all resistance fronts, are on the table.” The 'resistance fronts' referred to here include not only Hamas and Hezbollah but the Houthis in Yemen, the Iranian backed militias in Iraq and Syria, and of course Iran itself. I have also seen videos of Afghani and Pakistani fighters arriving in Lebanon to booster the Hezbollah forces, but Hezbollah denies this. 

It is believed that Hezbollah can muster around 100,000 ground troops and has a massive arsenal of at least 150,000 rockets, missiles and unmanned aircraft all aimed at Israel. In addition Iran has cruise and ballistic missiles, and possibly even some nuclear warheads. 

Today, Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz responded by saying, "Iran threatens to destroy Israel if we fully respond to Hezbollah's attacks from Lebanon. My response to Iran is clear:

1. If Hezbollah does not cease fire and withdraw from southern Lebanon, we will act with full force until security is restored and residents can return home.

2. A regime that threatens destruction deserves to be destroyed."

As the rhetoric heats up and last minute attempts at negotiation are held, many governments are advising their citizens to leave Lebanon. France has already begun evacuating their citizens and it is estimated that there are around 23,000 French citizens in Lebanon. Canada has 45,000 citizens in Lebanon and the USA at least 5,000.  These figures include bi-nationals, not all of whom will wish to leave, but even so, the evacuation of those who do is a massive undertaking. The US has already chartered a Greek cruise liner to evacuate its citizens.

Here in Israel war preparations are well advanced. Soldiers are training to fight on the very rugged and heavily wooded terrain of the northern border area, a very different situation to the mainly, flat, barren landscape of Gaza. On the Home Front we are being told to prepare our shelters, our 'grab bags' and our emergency supplies. 

In the opening days of all out war with Hezbollah we can expect to be hit with thousands of missiles every day. This will overwhelm our defense systems and we can expect extensive damage to infrastructure (especially to electricity and water). Hospitals are preparing to receive thousands of both military and civilian casualties. The food industry is stocking up massive food warehouses and fortifying some supermarkets which will remain open 24/7 if needed. They are also checking the 'combat ration' packs which contain enough for a family for 3 days, and will be distributed to households if needed. 

 We ordinary inhabitants of Israel are all waiting with baited breath to see what will happen. Although we hope for a negotiated settlement, few believe it can happen. All sides claim they don't want a war, but Hezbollah also doesn't want to stop firing missiles at us, and Israel can no longer tolerate the situation in which 80,000 of its citizens cannot return to their homes. Something has to be done. There is no doubt that Iran means what it says and a war with Hezbollah may well escalate to a regional, if not world-wide, war of apocalyptic scale. 

Israel however has a secret weapon. We are backed by the LORD God of Israel, and He has promised that no weapon formed against us will prosper (Isaiah 54:17), and the prophet Micah said,

But now many nations

    are gathered against you.

They say, “Let her be defiled,

    let our eyes gloat over Zion!”

12 

But they do not know

    the thoughts of the Lord;

they do not understand his plan,

    that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

13 

“Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,

    for I will give you horns of iron;

I will give you hooves of bronze,

    and you will break to pieces many nations.”

Micah 4 : 11-13

Below are some video links I would recommend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss3LQFM8F6U  situation in north

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QZ-R_g_M6o&rco=1 How Hamas is abusing the Gazan  people  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcfHJ-yeaDY

https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/Data/pdf/PDF_06_032_2.pdf

history of Israel  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Uqy2elngA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBwA4k6qvdY  Alon Levy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzAzJHbjSe0   Melanie Phillips

References:

1. Joel Rosenberg tells Janet Parshall, ‘We are facing an apocalyptic war’ and says God is ‘shaking Israel’ | All Israel News

2. https://allisrael.com/hamas-attempts-to-rehabilitate-itself-in-gaza-recruiting-teenage-boys-for-money

 IRAN ATTACKS ISRAEL

Though the mountains be shaken

    and the hills be removed,

yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken

    nor my covenant of peace be removed,”

    says the Lord, who has compassion on you...

If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;

    whoever attacks you will surrender to you...

 

    no weapon forged against you will prevail,

    and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

    and this is their vindication from me,”

declares the Lord.

Isaiah 54: 10,15, 17

On Saturday night (13/04/24), at  11:23 PM Israel time, we received this message:

🔅ATTACK ALERT -

🚨DRONE LAUNCH IRAN - Multiple sources state from US officials, “dozens of suicide drone launches from Iran headed towards Israel”.  50-100+ drones depending on report.  IDF confirms.

Continued launching - may be more.

🚨DRONE LAUNCH YEMEN - Unofficial at the moment. 

⚠️ TIMING from Iran - Early morning

Hypersonic Cruise missile - 10 minutes

Cruise missile - < 1 hour

Ballistic missile - 4 hours

Suicide Drone/UAV - 6-9+ hours

The different types will be launched to arrive together.

On the way, they have to pass at least 4 defense systems, starting with warships, Patriot systems stationed in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and American bases in the Middle East, Israeli defense systems and Israeli fighter jets.

BUT, expect to hear about additional launches from Syria and Yemen, and Lebanon.

⚠️EL AL THAILAND FIGHTS - returning to Thailand due to Jordan airspace closure.

⚠️GPS JAMMING - expect nationwide GPS jamming immediately.

⚠️AIRSPACE YEMEN - closed.

At around 2:00 AM, Sunday morning, the first drones and missiles began arriving in Israel. Sirens sounded throughout the country and citizens headed for shelter, if they hadn't already done so. 

The sirens did not go off in my town, but I had my alert set for Jerusalem too, and therefore I heard the sirens and the sound of distant booms of exploding ordnance. I turned on the TV to see drones passing over the Temple Mount and the interceptions. You can see the video of this on X with this link: https://twitter.com/i/status/1779292077886460213  

or on this link: https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-launches-wave-of-drones-at-israel-in-first-ever-direct-attack-idf-braces-to-intercept/

I followed events on the TV until about 3:30 AM when things seemed to have settled down. I managed a few hours sleep after that. 

The next morning, Sunday, at 9:08 AM we received the following situational update.

OPERATIONAL UPDATE BY IDF SPOKESPERSON, REAR ADMIRAL DANIEL HAGARI, REGARDING THE SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE OF ISRAEL'S AIRSPACE OVERNIGHT

Last night, Iran initiated an attack against Israel, launching over 300 threats of various types. The Iranian threat met the aerial and technological superiority of the IDF, along with a strong fighting coalition - which together intercepted the overwhelming majority of the threats. 99% of the threats launched towards Israeli territory were intercepted - a very significant strategic achievement.

Of approximately 170 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that Iran launched, zero crossed into Israeli territory. Dozens of them were intercepted by Israeli Air Force fighter jets, our Aerial Defense Array, and the aerial defense systems and aircraft of our partners.

From the more than 30 cruise missiles Iran launched, none crossed into Israeli territory. 25 of them were intercepted by IAF fighter jets outside the country’s borders. Out of over 120 ballistic missiles, only a few crossed into Israeli territory, with the rest being intercepted. These fell at the Nevatim Air Force Base, causing only minor damage to infrastructure. As you can see, the base is operational and continues to carry out its missions....

Iran hoped to incapacitate the base and thus impair our aerial capabilities, but it failed. IAF aircraft continue to take off and land from the base and depart for offensive and defensive missions. This includes the ‘Adir’ fighter jets, which are now returning to the base from an aerial defense mission...

In addition to the launches from Iran, several launches were made from the territories of Iraq and Yemen. None of them crossed into Israeli territory. In recent hours, dozens of rockets were fired from Lebanese territory toward the north (of Israel); there were no casualties. Fighter jets struck Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, including Radwan targets. All this while additional aircraft continue their defense missions.

Over the past six months, we have been operating in close coordination with our partners, led by US CENTCOM, the UK, France, and other countries (Jordan, UAE, and Saudi Arabia!)that operated last night. This partnership has always been robust, but last night it was exceptionally evident. Last night we conducted a complex defensive air battle, with excellent performance by the IAF and the Intelligence Directorate. The battle was directed under the command of the Chief of the General Staff from the Israeli Air Force Operations Center.

The interception capabilities of the Aerial Defense Array and the defensive abilities of the IAF aircraft, demonstrated exceptional professionalism as well as the IDF’s military and technological superiority. Thanks to all of this, the attack by Iran - was thwarted.

Unfortunately, a ten-year-old girl (actually a 7-yr old, Israeli Bedouin Arab) was severely injured by shrapnel. We wish her a speedy recovery. Other than her, as far as we know, there are no additional casualties.

However, it is important to say - the event is not over....

(Note: my parentheses)

Amina al-Hassouni (Photo: Muhammad al-Hassouni)

https://allisrael.com/7-year-old-bedouin-girl-wounded-in-iranian-missile-strike-still-in-serious-condition

 Now two days later, the enormity of what happened in the early hours of Sunday are just beginning to sink in. I believe we saw a miracle of God's protection, equivalent to the parting of the Red Sea. Israel and its allies, the US, UK, France, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, shot down 99% of the 300 or so UAVs, Ballistic Missiles and Cruise Missiles fired at Israel. Such a high success rate is unheard of. In past conflicts we have seen at best only about an 85% success. When you consider all the things that can go wrong, a 99% success rate is close to impossible. A Professor in the Defense Industry made this claim (even he compared it to the dividing of the Red Sea!):

"I wanted to share something that is much more than a feeling.  Something that comes from a real calculation:  What happened in Israel on last Motzai Shabbat (Sat/Sun night) was not less than the scale of the splitting of the Red Sea.

I am a Professor of physics and I worked for several years in the defense industry in Israel, in projects that are still the cutting edge technologies of the defense of the State of Israel. When I look at what happened on Motzai Shabbat, on a scientific level - it simply cannot happen!! Statistically.

The likelihood that everything, but really Everything works out, does not exist in complex systems  Like the defense systems that were used to defend Israel from the massive Iranian attack.

These systems have never, but never, not only in the State of Israel, been tried in real time!!

I took a pencil and dived into the calculations to check the statistic probability that such a result would materialize.  

The large number of events that had to be handled, when each missile or UAV is handled independently (that is, human error or some deviation of one operation, is not offset by other successful operations), compounds the chance of making a mistake. 

With all the high technologies, a breach was expected  In the defense of the skies of the State of Israel.

Even if we got 90% protection it would have been a miracle!! 

What happened is that everyone, but everyone - the pilots, the systems operators and the technology operators acted as one man, at one moment in total unity.  If this is not an act of G-d, then I no longer know what a miracle is.

It is Greater than the victory of the Six Day War or the War of Independence.  Those wars can also be explained through natural events.

BUT

The rescue that took place for the people of Israel on Motzai Shabbat  is simply impossible naturally.  I believe that this miracle saved the lives of many people from Israel.

If the defense system had failed to intercept a number of cruise missiles, the result would have dragged us into a very complex war. 

I wouldn't bet that next time it will work like this without Divine supervision.

The simple proof of what I said is that the managers of the defense industries, who develop and manufacture these systems guarantee no more than 90% success!

And we all saw, with our own eyes  99.9% !!!"

MAY THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL BE BLESSED!!!

Not only were 99% of the missiles intercepted but of the few that did penetrate Israeli airspace, they were either shot down or landed harmlessly in open spaces. Had even one of the big ballistic missiles, for example, hit a residential area there would have been massive casualties. Around 120 ballistic missiles were fired at Israel. Each one carries a 750 kg  warhead which when it explodes, would fully destroy any structure and kill every person in a 22 meter radius, badly damage structures and cause major injuries in a radius of 75 m.  Imagine if these 120 missiles had hit an Israeli city! 

When these missiles are intercepted all the shrapnel from the missile and interceptor must fall to the ground. It can take up to 10 minutes for this to happen. Some of the shrapnel and remains are very large. The photo below shows just the fuel tank (about 70% of length of the missile) of a ballistic missile that landed on the shores of the Dead Sea. The fuel tanks detach from the warhead in the latter stages of its flight.  This is not a fake photo- it gives you some idea of the size of these things! 

https://res.cloudinary.com/hb0stl6qx/image/upload/w_900,c_scale,q_auto,f_auto,dpr_auto/v1713339319/3_gsqd2w.jpg

https://allisrael.com/at-first-i-thought-they-were-fake-idf-presents-enormous-remains-of-intercepted-iranian-rockets

It is now Tuesday and as I am writing this, it all seems a bit surreal - as if it  happened long ago or in some movie. On Sunday, just hours after the attack,  I went to the supermarket and it was 'business as usual'. Later,  I went to the Garden Center and it was busier than normal. I guess gardening is good therapy, and of course, it is Spring and the weather is glorious. Yesterday, Monday, I went to Ein Kerem (the town where John the Baptist lived), ate at a restaurant and took a walk down the lovely wooded valley. Busloads of tourists were wandering the streets and groups of Israeli hikers passed us by. Life appeared totally normal. 

A stroll in Ein Kerem

The Israeli Home Front has been just amazing. I have seen no evidence of panic. Schools were closed for just one day but are now open again - at least those not shut down for the Passover holiday. Life continues somehow in spite of 6 months of war. I was feeling guilty about just continuing on as normal, even eating in restaurants and going for walks in nature, until my pastor, a soldier recently returned from duty, pointed out to me that "that is what we are fighting for". Our brave and selfless men and women soldiers are fighting, risking their lives and futures, so that the rest of us can have a life, even a good life. I no longer feel guilty, just deeply grateful.

Of course the war isn't over yet, and may just be beginning. 

We are all wondering what will happen next. Will Israel attack Iran? Will Iran try to attack Israel again? No one knows, There is a lot of speculation, much being driven by a mountain of fake news and propaganda. On Monday night the IDF spokesman quoted the Chief of Staff as saying that Israel will respond to missiles fired into its territory, but he did not say when or in what manner. Iran continues to threaten dire consequences if we do. 

I feel that we have never had a better opportunity to deal with the threat of the Iranian regime once and for all. Sadly however, the USA and other western nations have said they will not support an Israeli attack on Iran. This is very short sighted. Do they not understand that Jihadist Iran is not just a threat to Israel but to the whole of western civilization? Why do they persist in thinking they can deal with the problem of Iran diplomatically? Why do they not take seriously the Iranian threats to destroy Israel (which they call the little Satan), then the USA (the big Satan) and then all of Europe. This is not just empty rhetoric. They mean it quite literally. It seems that the Western leaders have no understanding of the mentality of the followers of Jihadist Islam. The Ayatollahs of Iran and their supporters have only one goal - world domination. The Western leaders say they do not want this war to escalate into a regional, or even potentially world-wide war, but they do not realize that it is already a regional war. What will it take for them to wake up?

I think that Iran got a shock on Sunday morning.  Is Iran a paper tiger, or is it part of their strategy to send off their old, unreliable missiles to give the impression of weakness, and to put us off guard, before they send in their newer, more reliable weapons? It is important that we do not underestimate their abilities nor let our guard down.  They and their proxies, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis, still have thousands of missiles they could use against us, and they have powerful allies in Russia and China. Those allies may even have supplied them with nuclear warheads, not to mention that they are very close to producing their own.

It seems that whenever Israel is being attacked in an obvious way, the Western nations are all on our side, but whenever we go onto the offensive in order to protect ourselves (and them!) they turn against us. 

U.S. President Biden is spinning so fast back and forth, for and against Israel, he is dizzy and seems barely able to function.  He is playing right into the hands of our enemies, by making us look weak and indecisive. He would do well to take note of his forerunner, George Washington, who wrote, in 1799, "...offensive operations, often times, is the surest, if not the only (in some cases) means of defense". Right now Biden is saying to Israel "Don't" attack Iran. But if Israel would attack, would the US stand by or would it rise up and help? It's anyone's guess. 

For a clear and Biblical analysis of the situation today I would recommend this video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P3f0oZDeUI

ON THE NORTHERN FRONT. 

In the meantime, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria continue to fire a steady stream of rockets and UAVs into Israel's northern settlements and military posts. For the last 6 months they have fired an average of 20-30 missiles every day. Around 80,000 residents of the northern border communities have been evacuated and have spent the last 6 months 'camping out' in hotel rooms or with family and friends. Hotels are fun when you are on holiday, but the novelty quickly wears off. Not only is it very stressful having whole families crammed into one room and living shoulder to shoulder with that annoying family next door, these families have lost their means of support. Farms and businesses have had to be abandoned.  Many homes, farms and businesses have been destroyed. 

News is now coming in of a Hezbollah attack on a northern Bedouin Arab town, Arab el-Aramshe, in which 18 people were wounded, 4 seriously. This is not the first time Arab towns and villages have been attacked. The Iranian Regime hates Sunni Muslims almost as much as Jews. 

https://allisrael.com/6-people-wounded-in-hezbollah-attack-on-arab-village-in-the-galilee

ON THE SOUTHERN FRONT

In spite of 6 months of war, and the destruction of 16 of its 24 battalions, Hamas still has the capacity to fire rockets into Israeli territory, although these have decreased to a trickle. Fighting continues in the Strip as Israel mops up the terror cells still operating in the northern and central sector, and prepares to tackle the last bastion of Hamas in, and under, the southern city of Rafah. As preparations are taking place, so are negotiations for the release of the remaining 133 Israeli hostages. 

Hamas is making outrageous demands in the negotiations that Israel cannot accept. If we were to do so, it would be tantamount to defeat and surrender. Hamas has no incentive to hand over the hostages, since it is only the presence of the hostages as human shields that is preventing their annihilation at this time. It is also by no means clear how many of the hostages remain alive after 6 months of starvation, torture, sexual abuse and the lack of medical treatment in the dark, dank, filthy underground tunnels. 

The US continues to play into the hands of our enemies by telling us not to go into Rafah so as 'to prevent a humanitarian disaster'. Israel has solid, workable plans, supported by the UAE, to evacuate civilians as necessary as our forces move into the city. We don't need the patronizing, not to mention hypocritical, USA telling us how to run this war. 

A few days ago, Israel called up two reserve brigades for a renewed Gaza incursion and today there are, as yet unconfirmed, reports that tanks are moving back into the Strip. 

Here is a video about the current state of the negotiations. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwjpCjqmcWg

THE SOUTHEASTERN FRONT

The Houthis of Yemen, another Iranian proxy, joined in the missile attack on Israel on Sunday morning,  and also continue to attack shipping in the Gulf and passing through the Suez Canal. 

THE TRUTH ABOUT PALESTINIAN REFUGEES

There is much more I could write about but I will save that for another time. I will however close by recommending you watch this video

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M06S7R6vfVs

T

 

TAKE UP YOUR WEAPONS

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Ephesians 6: 10-18

Last evening I watched this video of a dear sister in the Lord who, with her whole family, was miraculously saved from the massacre of October 7 in Kibbutz Nahal Oz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEut_Udik_c . I recommend you watch her testimony for it is both uplifting and encouraging, but also contains a somber and challenging message for us all.  I was touched and not a little convicted by her following words,

 " The spiritual army of the LORD, here in the Land and all around the world, they just got up and began to (make) war. That's His army. And the Lord told me later on, "To all my children, I am drafting them into my army. There is no more time to sleep. You need to take up your weapon and fight over Israel, over my nation. You all need to fight. You need to stay alert." We are very much in the end times. We are in very special days. He wants to awaken his people throughout the entire world..."

Today, 27th February, we are in Day 144 of the Israel - Hamas War.  As the IDF prepares to move into the last phase of its ground incursion into Gaza, the entry to Hamas' last stronghold, Rafah, the battle against Hamas may be nearing victory, but the war is very, very far from over. It is just beginning. 

To call this war the Israel-Hamas war is misleading. We are fighting a world war, even if most of the world has not yet woken up to the fact. We are not fighting against a terror organization, we are fighting against a terror ideology, and a false Satanic religion, which is using every evil tactic it can to turn the world against Israel, and it is succeeding. Israel is finding herself more and more criticized, blamed and accused even by those we call our 'friends'.  

Over the last few days, for example, over 40 nations have made oral presentations to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) supporting the Palestinian claim condemning Israel for "gross violations of international law", and asking the Court to demand an immediate, unconditional, and total Israeli withdrawal from the “occupied territories”. Only the US, UK, Hungary and Fiji pushed back against this absurd demand.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil,

who put darkness for light

    and light for darkness,

who put bitter for sweet

    and sweet for bitter.

Isaiah 5:20

Israel has made every effort to refrain from violating International Law, even at the risk of our own soldiers lives. Even the ratio of civilian to military casualties at 2:1 is far below the average for urban warfare of 9:1 that has occurred in other conflicts. This attests to the extreme measures that Israel has taken to avoid civilian losses in an impossible densely populated situation where Hamas is using them as human shields and fodder for their propaganda machine. The IDF has found weapons, tunnel entrances and other military paraphernalia in nearly every home, school, mosque and hospital they have entered in Gaza.  Where is the outcry against Hamas for these humanitarian atrocities and its violations of International Law?

On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. 

Zechariah 12: 2-3

Many voices around the world are pressuring Israel to stop the war in Gaza. If Israel were to do so, it would unequivocally give victory to Hamas, rewarding them for the grossly barbaric act, the slaughter, torture, rape and the taking of hostages, that occurred on October 7th. If given this victory it would embolden Hamas to carry out more such atrocities, as it has openly and repeatedly threatened, and lead to the potential genocide of all Israelis - Jews, Arabs and others alike- from the "River (Jordan)to the Sea (Mediterranean)". All the efforts of Israel to destroy this Hamas cancer in Gaza would be lost. A surgeon does not leave part of a cancerous tumor inside his patient, if there is a chance of taking it all. If even part of the tumor is spared it will stimulate all its related abnormal cells to spread far beyond its original site, Gaza, and reach to the very ends of the earth. 

And what are these "occupied territories" they are talking about? The last Israeli soldier and civilian left Gaza in 2008. Furthermore, Judah, Samaria, East Jerusalem and Gaza are all legitimate war 'spoils' according to International Law, since they were won from the nations that attacked Israel in 1948 and consequent wars. Then again, whose Land is it anyway? It is the LORD'S and he unequivocally gave it to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as an everlasting inheritance, a promise he reiterated many times in the Bible.  

Hamas and its supporters are crying for an independent Palestinian state. For the last 15 years Gaza had self-rule. What did they do with that opportunity? Did they rebuild homes, build hospitals, schools, roads, water and electricity supply capacity to improve the lives of the Gazan people? No, they built hundreds of kilometers of tunnels, underground bunkers, factories, storage facilities and bought billions of dollars worth of weapons, all intended for the destruction of Israel. They did not even make use of the established and lucrative industries and farms the Israelis left behind for their benefit. 

Israel is at a great disadvantage in this battle of the minds. We are constrained by the facts, truth and rationality. The enemy has no such scruples and the Western world is so incredibly gullible it is falling for their propaganda. Nearly every post-Christian nation has be infiltrated and seduced by the lies of the radical Islamic elements, energized by the Enemy, Satan. Having abandoned the Lord of all Truth, these nations, and the individuals in them, are easy-prey for the Father of Lies. They may well find themselves on the wrong side of the fence come Judgement Day. 

The other day the cat of one of my friends brought home a mangled dove (as they do- don't you love them?). My friend took up the dove and treated its wounds. It survived. My friend saw this incident as a metaphor for the condition of Israel today. Doves are the symbol of peace. Israel has never initiated an attack against her neighbors. We want to live in peace and have many times offered an olive branch to those who will receive it. But today a 'cat' has got us in its jaws and we are broken and injured, but not dead.  Our Father in heaven will take us in gentle hands and heal us in due course. 

Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,

    how foolish people have reviled your name.

19 

Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts;

    do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.

Psalm 74: 18-19

There are many things I could write about but I will just finish with some prayer points, as I exhort all you who call upon the Name of the LORD, to take up your spiritual weapons and stand with Israel in this war. 

1. Pray that the Lord's army all over the world will wake up and take up our spiritual weapons against the Father of Lies, Satan, and all who are promoting his evil plans against God's people. 

2. Pray against the propaganda and lies, the old blood libels and  the antisemitic tropes that are gaining expression, acceptance and power all over the world. 

3. Pray that the believers in Yeshua all over the world will understand the true issues at stake and be found to stand on God's side, praying and when possible speaking out against the Enemy and his evil plans.

4. Pray that the leaders of your nations will support Israel and not be deceived by the lies of Hamas and its supporters, so that your nation will not be cursed by God as it is written in Genesis 12:3.  

5. Pray that Israel's leaders will stand firm, act responsibly and not give in to the pressures from the world, against God's will. 

6. Pray that the people of Israel will stand united, even as much controversy threatens to divide us at a time when unity is absolutely necessary

7. Pray for repentance. Israel has sinned in so many ways and though we call upon God to help us in this time, there are few voices calling the people to repent and little sign of an understanding of the need. God is 'flogging' us as punishment for our sins as a nation, trying to bring us back from our wicked ways, because he loves us enough to discipline us as a good father will do to his wayward child. God has not abandoned us or lost his love for us, but he is calling us to repentance and to return to Him. We, as a nation, have not got this message yet and I fear for what it will take to get through to us. 

   “If his sons forsake my law

    and do not follow my statutes,

31 

if they violate my decrees

    and fail to keep my commands,

32 

I will punish their sin with the rod,

    their iniquity with flogging;

33 

but I will not take my love from him,

    nor will I ever betray my faithfulness

Psalm 89: 30-33

8. Pray for the release of the hostages. It will take a miracle for that to happen. There are many rumors and 'leaks' about potential deals but I find it hard to believe any deal can be reached in time. The clock is ticking for these 134 souls who are being kept in inhumane, unhealthy conditions and who are being denied adequate food and the medicines they need. We believe about 50 of them may already be dead, but there is no confirmation of that. Pray for the families and friends of the hostages, who are waiting and waiting and waiting....

9. Pray for the people of Gaza, who are also suffering severe deprivation in the midst of winter. Most of the aid that has reached Gaza has been hijacked by Hamas operatives for their own use, or to sell at inflated prices to the populace. Pray too for their liberation from the bondage and oppression of the Hamas regime. Pray that the Holy Spirit will expose the lies of Islamic fanaticism and draw many to the true God and salvation in Yeshua. Pray especially that the brainwashing of a whole generation (at least) into a culture of hatred, violence and death can be undone and a culture of peace, and coexistence instilled in its place.

A recent poll showed that over 90 percent of Palestinians

 falsely believe that Hamas did not attack civilians on October 7. 

https://www.timesofisrael.com/jordanian-school-textbook-said-to-paint-october-7-atrocities-in-positive-light/ 

Pray too for the Christians in Gaza (about 1000 people). I don't know if they are still there or if efforts of believers here to rescue them were successful. 

Where the aid money goes!!!  This cache totaled around 3 million shekels and was found in a Hamas leader's private home. This is only one of many such hordes the IDF has found. 

10. Pray for our soldiers many of whom have been fighting on the front lines for 4 months now, with only a day of home leave sporadically in that time.  Most of the reserve soldiers have now been released for rest, but they may be called up again if/when a major confrontation with Hezbollah kicks off. Pray for their re-entry to 'normal' society and their readjustment to family life. Many have seen and experienced terrible things and are suffering various degrees of PTSD. Wives and husbands have had very different experiences, emotions and needs during this time, and this can put a big stress on relationships.

There are so many more prayer needs but I need to stop so I can get this out today. Today is the last day of a 3 day call to prayer and fasting being held by the local congregations all over Israel. Please join us in fervent prayer for the situation. Pray in the Spirit and with the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

I want to encourage you to be careful about sourcing and disseminating information. There is so much disinformation, misinformation and fake news. All news outlets (including my blogs) have their biases and none are infallible, but here are some I can recommend:

All Israel News   - aimed at Evangelical believers and written by local believers  -  https://allisrael.com/

IsraelRealtime - a news feed updated several times a day via WhatsApp or Telegram - just click on the link you prefer and you are in. 

Telegram https://t.me/Israel_Realtime_Updates

WhatsApp  https://chat.whatsapp.com/IDuXiB9W2YKEGQciw2Ajd3

  I have recently published three articles in All Israel News. Here are the links: 

•  Where was God on October 7?   https://allisrael.com/where-was-god-on-october-7
• Genocide?  https://allisrael.com/blog/genocide
• Balance or Truth?  https://allisrael.com/blog/balance-or-truth

Below are some YouTube videos I have seen recently that I can recommend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_MfnpuafBg  Arab woman speaks up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jNABVSm6jM   about Uriya Bayer, a believer who was killed in the war

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFspUWn_GVo  Caroline Glick on Hostage Deal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiVHuLpvHG8   Hope song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbCuOSSc9j0   

Arab Palestinian Warns the World about Hamas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA5iFyjOrU8  Hamas' strategy of psychological warfare

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://youtu.be/m2bYcAMuwVk?si=Tws3cJdq3VOHftlq   Nate and Eylon interview - excellent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LIcd7wHlCE  Israeli Arab women