News Alert: Israel Assault on Iran

Israel Launches Strike on Iran

Early this morning, Israel carried out a retaliatory military strike on Iran, widening the conflict in the Middle East despite its allies calls for de-escalation. The United States has confirmed the strike, but so far Israel has not commented on it.

Explosions were reported in Ishafan near a military base and Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, and Iran says its air defenses intercepted three drones in the air. But both countries appear to be playing down the incident. Iran says its nuclear sites are secure and undamaged, according to this report:

A loud blast near Isfahan city was caused by “air defense firing at a suspicious object,” a senior Iranian military commander said, adding there was no “damage or incident,” according to the state-aligned Tasnim news agency.

All facilities around Isfahan were secure, including significant nuclear sites, Iranian media reported. The United Nations nuclear watchdog confirmed no Iranian nuclear sites were damaged.

Senior U.S. officials are saying that, while they didn’t endorse or approve an Israeli response, they had been given last-minute notification yesterday that an Israeli strike would happen in the coming days. This notification came with the expectation that civilians or nuclear facilities would not be targeted:

“We’re committed to Israel’s security. We’re also committed to de-escalating -- to trying to bring this tension to a close,” [US Secretary of State Antony] Blinken said during a news conference at the conclusion of the G7 group’s meeting in Capri, Italy, hours after a US official told CNN that Israel had launched a military strike on Iran.

He also said the countries shared “a commitment to hold Iran to account.”

Even Russia is urging restraint right now, with a Kremlin spokesman saying “we continue to advocate restraint on the part of the parties and refusal of actions that could provoke a further escalation of tension in such a difficult region.” Of course, Russia has a strategic alignment with Iran.

Fox News reports that “Iran has no plans to immediately respond to the Israeli strike.”

In Israel, some far-right leaders are mocking Benjamin Netanyahu for what they are calling an underwhelming response to Iran’s attack last weekend. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted a single Hebrew slang word on X that means “lame” or “weak” after this morning’s attack. He had previously insisted Israel needed to “go crazy” in its response to Iran. A few days ago, Israel’s finance minister said Israel needed to “rock Tehran” with a retaliatory bombing.

Oil and gold prices jumped after the attack based on worries it will turn into a larger crisis.

World leaders have asked Iran and Israel to ratchet down the tension and de-escalate the conflict between them, before a much larger, more destructive war develops. Neither country has listened. And as the Bible predicts, the eyes of the world are on Israel and aligning against God’s chosen nation:

“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. 3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.”—Zechariah 12:1-2 (NKJV)

The world wants de-escalation, but I suspect this is not over.

I have made this post available for all subscribers to Tipping Point. The long-simmering shadow war between Israel and Iran has emerged into the light—and a potential crisis for the world. The prophetic impact is significant. If you haven’t yet subscribed, I hope you will.