OPINION:
The recent attacks on the Holy Land have provided Israeli leaders the internal support to destroy their enemies, namely Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.
Israel said rockets from “deep inside Lebanese territory” exploded on a soccer field July 28 in a village in the Golan Heights, which killed 12 children and wounded 44.
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Only two days later, Israel counterattacked and killed Hezbollah’s top commander. The Israeli Defense Force said Fu’ad Shukr had “planned Hezbollah terrorist attacks for 30 years and has Israeli, American, French and other civilians’ blood on his hands.”
Then on July 31, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in the Iranian capital of Tehran.
The Jerusalem Post called these “serious blows to Iran’s axis of terrorist groups.”
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Wednesday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed his nation and said, “We’ll settle the score with anyone who harms us, anyone who massacres our children, anyone who murders our citizens, anyone who hurts our nation.”
Now, the New York Times reported that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued an order for Iran to “strike Israel directly.”
Israel is prepared and has a right to self-defense.
On Thursday, Mr. Netanyahu said, “Israel is in a state of very high readiness for any scenario – on both defense and offense. We will exact a very high price for any act of aggression against us from any quarter whatsoever.”
That is understandable. Innocent Israelis were slaughtered, raped and kidnapped during the brutal blindside attack on Oct. 7. The issue for Israel is bigger than just responding to a one-time attack. This is an ongoing attack and threat. People in Israel live in a perpetual state of fear. Any day and at any time, hundreds of rockets could be flying into their cities from Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen and even Iran. So one may not agree with Israel’s robust national security policies, but it is understandable that Israel wants to address threats from Hamas and Hezbollah once and for all. They believe the least they can do is to assassinate their top political and military leaders.
Israel will destroy Hamas. After that, they will take care of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and finally, they will confront Iran.
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Why am I confident in this prediction? Because I believe the Bible prophesied these events in Ezekiel 38. This passage of Scripture shares that Israel will be attacked when it is safe and is prosperous.
About Iran, I believe Israel has a different plan. Let me explain.
Having an existential threat outside Israel has helped Mr. Netanyahu and his administration remain in power. As you know, Mr. Netanyahu is not very popular in the U.S. Inside his country, while most Israelis do not like his national policies and blame the turmoil inside Israel on him, most agree his strong foreign policy stance is exactly what Israel needs.
What will happen in the short term?
Iran will retaliate in response to Khamenei’s order but will be careful to not enter a full-fledged war. The Islamic Republic of Iran will use its proxies around the world to retaliate because the Supreme Leader does not have the support of the Iranian people nor the resources to commit to a war. We may expect that Israeli embassies to be attacked around the world. And we may see some Israeli businessmen and tourists assassinated and synagogues attacked around the world.
What will happen over the long term?
Israel will annihilate Hamas and annex Palestine as a part of Israel and will rule it. Israel will then annihilate Hezbollah in Lebanon, destroying that threat once and for all. Then I believe Israel will attack Iran’s bases of power, such as their nuclear enrichment facilities and missile sites and possibly limited attacks on their oil production plants.
Israel has proven they have the capability to pinpoint and assassinate high-level leaders anywhere, even in high security safe houses like they did with Ismail Haniyeh.
They have killed the Ayatollah’s right hand, Qasem Soleimani, as well as Mohammed Deif, Hamas’ military leader and mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attacks. Now, they’ve eliminated Shukar, Haniyeh and even nuclear scientists inside Iran in other surgical strikes.
The question no one can answer is this: Why has Israel not assassinated even one of the top Ayatollah’s in Iran over the last 40 years?
The only reasonable answer is that Israel wants the Islamic regime to remain in power in order to keep other regional extremist groups in check.
Throughout the coming weeks and months, the United States must continue to support Israel, and I am hopeful this support will continue despite differences with President Joe Biden in the past, such as his refusal to visit with Mr. Netanyahu in 2021.
Last week, Mr. Netanyahu had a great welcome in the U.S. When he spoke at a joint session of Congress, the Israeli prime minister received bipartisan support with numerous standing ovations.
In his address, Mr. Netanyahu said, “All our enemies should know this. Those who attack Israel will pay a very heavy price. And as we defend ourselves on all fronts, I know that America has our back.”
Iran and its proxies are not just the enemies of Israel but also the U.S.
In Iran’s eyes, the United States is the “Great Satan,” and Israel is the “Little Satan.” Iran wants to destroy us both. That is why Mr. Netanyahu emphasized that Israel is fighting Hamas, Hezbollah and Iranian regime not just to protect Israel but the U.S. also.
Now is the time for Americas to continue being a force for good in a dark and dangerous world. Now is the time to pray for our longtime allies to vanquish the tyrants and terrorists who threaten us both.
Dr. Hormoz Shariat joined The Washington Times’ Higher Ground Billy Hallowell to discuss Bible prophecy in the Middle East following the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.
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Dr. Hormoz Shariat is the founder of Iran Alive Ministries, which uses Satellite TV to reach the millions of lost and broken people in Iran and the rest of the Middle East. He is the author of “Iran’s Great Awakening.”
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