(Day 806) Swords of Iron – “Lebanon War 4 On The Horizon?”

Chaim starts by saying that the history of modern Israel has been marked by struggle but it’s been worth it, and there are many more challenges ahead. Meanwhile, he says that if US President Donald Trump wants his vision of the “Gaza Riviera” with skyscrapers and casinos to come about, the terrorist infrastructure that currently exists in Gaza will have to be eliminated for good.

Chaim says that a big question here is whether Israel will have to strike at “the head of the Octopus” in Iran, before they make yet another dash for nuclear weapons.

Even before it comes to that, Iran is continuing to support terrorism around the world, both directly and ideologically. Chaim mentions the Bondi Beach massacre in Sydney, Australia, saying that this event really put a cloud over Hanukkah celebrations this year, saying that Iran bears some responsibility for that. But there was also an ISIS-inspired plot recently broken up in Toronto, Canada.

Chaim laments that there are some who are trying to blame “guns” for all this, saying that this completely misses the point and it’s dangerous because it means wasted effort on something that won’t address the real problem. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was booed when he visited the Bondi Beach recently, because so many people think he is not doing enough to protect Australia from terrorism and not putting the right emphasis on the right priorities.

Chaim uses this to ask a rhetorical question about whether any of us are doing enough, or putting the emphasis in the right places?

He says the IDF is trying to do the right things and put the emphasis in the right places, and it’s getting pressure from a lot of unexpected places. One place it’s getting pressure from is Turkey, which is one of the only countries with serious military forces that is willing to commit to the stabilization force in Gaza. But Israel is not happy about that idea because Turkey hosts Hamas leaders and in many other ways it supports Hamas and jihadist terrorism more generally.

Meanwhile, Israel is also keeping an eye on Iraq, where Iranian-backed SHi’ite militias are making threats to join in attacking Israel. But the biggest threat is coming from Hezbollah in Lebanon. Although they got hammered pretty hard in the last round of hostilities, Iran is re-arming and re-equipping them for another one and the Lebanese National Army is powerless to do anything about it.

Chaim says there is a real risk of another conflict between Israel and Lebanon, but he believes Israel will prevail. In this context, he quotes Isaiah 60:1; Arise, shine; For your light has come!

And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.