NEWS FROM ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Top US general: Iran has 3,000 ballistic missiles that can hit Tel Aviv
March 16, 2022 — Israel National News reports: “US Central Command’s General Kenneth McKenzie warned on Tuesday that Iran’s ballistic missiles pose a great threat to the Middle East.
Speaking to US lawmakers, McKenzie said that Iran now has about 3,000 ballistic missiles, some of which are capable of hitting Tel Aviv.
‘None of them can reach Europe yet, but over the last five to seven years … they have invested heavily in their ballistic missile program,’ he said, according to Voice of America.
‘Their missiles have significantly greater range and significantly enhanced accuracy,’ added McKenzie, describing the advancement of Iran’s missile program as ‘remarkable.’
He further warned that Tehran has made major progress in developing increasingly capable long-range drones, and with its efforts to develop land-attack cruise missiles, designed to hit predetermined fixed or mobile ground-based targets.
The warning comes just days after dozens of Iranian ballistic missiles hit the northern Iraqi city of Erbil near the US consulate complex, destroying some residential structures…” (Though Satan has always stood against Israel — I Chronicles 21:1 – Yahweh God will …send a fire against Magog [Russia] and her Arabic allies –Daniel 11:40; Isaiah 17:1; Ezekiel 38:5-7 and Psalms 83:5-7. In the heat of the battle to destroy Israel – Psalms 83:4 – the enemies of God will be crushed as Jesus, the Son of God sets up His kingdom. Isaiah 59:20 states: …the Redeemer shall come to Zion [Jerusalem], sent by His Father – Psalms 2:6 – to reign over the world from Jerusalem forever – Luke 1:32 – 33. See the next report.)
‘Iran’s missiles are an existential threat to the whole region,’ U.S. official says
March 17, 2022 — YnetNews.com reports: “A U.S. general said on Tuesday that Iran possesses advanced missiles, and poses the biggest threat to the region.
During a Senate hearing, General Kenneth McKenzie explained that the Iranian missiles are still unable to reach Europe, but noted that in the past five to seven years Iran has invested many resources in its rocket program to increase its range and improve its accuracy.
‘We have seen their capabilities in the attack on the American base in Ein al-Asad in Iraq back in January 2020, when the Iranian missiles hit with a great precision,’ he said.
McKenzie claimed that Iran continues to be the biggest threat to the American interests and the security of the Middle East. ‘Iranian ballistics is an existential threat to the security of every country in the region, including our closest partners.’…”
Netanyahu: Iran deal endangers not just Israel, but also the US
March 14, 2022 — Israel National News reports: “Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday urged world powers to end nuclear negotiations with Iran following an Iranian missile attack on the US consulate in the Iraqi city of Erbil.
In a video posted to his social media accounts and directed at US citizens, Netanyahu said, ‘The desperate rush to sign this flawed nuclear agreement with Iran is not only absurd, it’s downright dangerous.’
‘Yesterday, Iran fired missiles in the vicinity of the American consulate in Iraq, and the US continues to charge ahead with the other powers to sign a nuclear agreement that will give the Ayatollahs a nuclear arsenal.’
The agreement, Netanyahu continued, ‘would also relieve sanctions and give them hundreds of billions of dollars in order to continue the terror that they waged yesterday and wage every day throughout the Middle East and the world.’
He warned, ‘This agreement is even worse than its predecessor, because in three years’ time, under this agreement, Iran will be a threshold nuclear state. It will have enough enriched uranium to create dozens and dozens of nuclear bombs, and it will have the ICBMs to deliver them to any place in the United States. That is unbelievable.’
This agreement ‘endangers not only my country Israel, but your country, the United States and the entire world,’ Netanyahu stated…” (Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Psalm 2:1-12.)
Netanyahu warns a nuclear Iran ‘can take the entire world hostage’
March 23, 2022 — YnetNews.com reports: “Iran ‘can take the entire world hostage’ if it attains nuclear weapons, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned as the Biden administration appears to be at the tail end of negotiations to revive the defunct nuclear deal with Tehran.
Speaking to Fox News host Mark Levin on Sunday evening, Netanyahu explained that ‘once you have a predatory, and especially in a rogue theocratic regime like this, have nuclear weapons, they can use them in two ways: One, they can threaten you directly with atomic bombs. Secondly, they have a nuclear umbrella, which is … to threaten you with conventional weapons like regular missiles or terrorists or anything else.’
A nuclear Iran ‘changes history. And that’s why I took the unusual step of coming to the Congress, speaking there — something that was not easy to do,’ he said.
Netanyahu addressed the U.S. Congress in 2015 about the threat posed by a nuclear Iran, against the wishes of the Obama administration…” (Even if Iran does not develop nuclear weapons, there are enough remaining in the world to create havoc. Nuclear war is part of the battle of the ages – see Revelation 9:18. Other prophesied texts are predicted in Psalm 97:3; Isaiah 66:15; Ezekiel 20:47: …Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched… Study also Zephaniah 1:8; Malachi 4:1; and Revelation 8:7. See the next report.)
Report: Israel will try to thwart proposed Iran Nuclear Deal
March 21, 2022 — Israel National News reports: “Israel is expected to continue exerting pressure on members of Congress to turn down the Biden administration’s attempts to remove Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) from the national list of terrorist organizations, according to a report in Israel Hayom.
The report states that Israel will continue to publicly oppose the nuclear deal in hopes of bringing about its failure in Congress.
Unlike the Netanyahu regime, however, Bennett and Lapid are not expected to campaign against the renewed deal directly with members of Congress. Whenever asked for their input, however, Israel’s political and military experts will disclose their opposition, stressing the high price that the Biden administration is willing to pay for a return to the deal.
Last Friday, the Israeli government released a scathing response to reports that the U.S. was preparing to remove Iran’s Revolutionary Guards from the US terror blacklist following an article in Axios citing a source familiar with Biden administrations’ plans regarding Iran who claimed that the US was considering dropping the Revolutionary Guards from the list.
In a joint statement Friday morning, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said they ‘refused to believe’ the US would take such a step…”
Defense Minister: ‘World must mobilize to stop Iranian aggression’
March 7, 2022 — Israel National News reports: “Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue and White) on Monday reiterated his call to the international community to put an end to Iranian aggression.
‘Iranian aggression is currently conducted without a ‘nuclear canopy,’’ Gantz said. ‘The world must mobilize to stop Iranian aggression.’
In a post on his social media platforms, Gantz detailed a series of Iranian activities that he exposed over the past year and said, ‘Today, we must reiterate the warning that Iranian aggression, whether it emanates from Iranian territory or through Iranian proxies – is a threat to global peace and to regional stability, as well as a threat to the State of Israel.’
‘Over the past year, I have revealed the names of those behind the ‘Mercer Street’ attack – Commander of the IRGC’s Air Force, General Amir Ali Hajizadeh and Head of the IRGC’s UAV Command, Saeed Ara Jani. At a later date, I also revealed the base where Iran trains its proxies in ‘Kashan’. I also exposed the fact that missiles are launched from bases located in the Chabahar and Qeshem regions of Iran…” (Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth Psalm 83:1-18. See the next two reports.)
Khamenei hints he supports nuclear negotiations
March 22, 2022 — Israel National News reports: “Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Monday signaled support for Tehran’s nuclear negotiations to secure sanctions relief, The Associated Press reported.
Khamenei stressed the importance of Iranian economic self-sufficiency during a lengthy televised speech on the occasion of Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
At the same time, he added, ‘I do not say that you should not seek to lift the sanctions. Those who are trying and working in that field, there is no problem.’
Khamenei has remained largely silent on the negotiations to restore Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. His vague but supportive comments on Monday signaled that Iranian negotiators retained political space and flexibility, noted AP.
Iran has gradually scaled back its compliance with the 2015 deal it signed with world powers, in response to former US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement in May of 2018, but has held several rounds of indirect talks with the US on a return to the agreement…”
PM, Lapid urge US not to delist IRGC as terror group: ‘Don’t abandon closest allies’
March 18, 2022 — The Times of Israel reports: “Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid urged the United States not to delist Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror organization in a joint statement on Friday, as Washington moves closer to reviving the nuclear agreement with Tehran.
‘The Revolutionary Guards are a terrorist organization that has murdered thousands of people, including Americans. We have a hard time believing that the United States will remove it from the definition of a terrorist organization,’ Bennett and Lapid said.
The two ministers said that the fight against terror was a global mission: ‘We believe that the United States will not abandon its closest allies in exchange for empty promises from terrorists.’
‘The Iranian Revolutionary Guards are Hezbollah in Lebanon, they are Islamic Jihad in Gaza, they are the Houthis in Yemen, they are the militias in Iraq,’ the statement read. ‘The Revolutionary Guards are behind the attacks on American civilians and soldiers throughout the Middle East, including in the past year. They are the ones behind the plans to assassinate senior American government officials.’…”