(Day 846) Swords of Iron – “86,677 Protesters Murdered?”

Everyone is preparing for what’s about to happen, it feels imminent. Battleships, armadas, missile defense systems—Iron Fist, Iron Beam, A3—everything is moving into place. Even diplomatically, lines are being drawn. Israel and South Africa have expelled each other’s diplomats, a clear signal that in times of war, nations choose who truly stands with them.

On the ground, Israel is ready to move to the next phase in Gaza, including opening the Rafah crossing in coordination with the EU, Egypt, and Israeli authorities, following the return of the last hostage. At the same time, rumors swirl that Iranian officials have fled to Moscow, fearing an impending confrontation.

Whether speculation or not, the signs are unmistakable.

US air defense systems are arriving in Israel. A US Navy guided-missile destroyer has docked in Eilat on the Red Sea. Iran, meanwhile, is conducting live-fire exercises, declaring full war readiness against Israel, America, and anyone threatening the regime. GPS jamming has been reported over Lebanon and Syria, and cyberattacks have begun targeting Iranian banking systems.

There is discussion that the US may favor limited strikes focused on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile facilities rather than a broader campaign.

Whatever the scope, the moment feels historic. People ask: how soon will this happen? How large will it be? Could this spiral into something far greater?

If there has ever been a time to pray, it is now—to pray for strength, wisdom, and a swift victory that does not reward evil. Leaders like Trump and Netanyahu have said to stand up to the regime, and those who value freedom must stand together.

This is not Iraq or Afghanistan. More than 90% of Iranians despise the regime and want freedom. I’ve heard firsthand accounts of families shot, tens of thousands of protesters killed, bodies everywhere. People arrested and even killed in hospitals for seeking treatment. This regime survives through fear, and it must end.

Command centers are moving underground. Parking structures are being turned into shelters. Yet imagine a different more peaceful future—one where Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Islamic Jihad, and other proxies can no longer rearm. Imagine the “head of the octopus” disarmed, replaced by a regime that values life over death.

The sense here is that this is very near. Please keep us in prayer.

As Ezekiel 33:7 says: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel.”

At the end of today’s video update I’ve added a clip someone filmed of the car ramming attack on the synagogue in New York this week.

It’s shocking and brings shivers to the spine.