Update (Day 877) Swords of Iron/Roaring Lion – “Tragedy in the Triumph”

The sea is behind me in northern Israel, and rockets are hitting all over. Not far from Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh was struck directly—a large public bomb shelter hit. As I speak, explosions echo. Since the United States and Israel carried out a joint preemptive strike to halt Iran’s nuclear program and dismantle its ballistic missile capabilities, the region has shifted dramatically.

President Donald Trump, after exhausting efforts to secure a deal, called it what it is: an existential threat to Israel that would eventually reach America. He gave the green light. This moment underscores a hard truth—decisiveness matters. Not rhetoric, but action.

Nearly 20 years ago, Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stood publicly calling for Israel’s destruction. I made Aliyah almost 30 years ago; I remember those threats clearly. Today, key figures of this regime are being eliminated. They have a choice: lay down their arms and surrender, or continue and face destruction. The message has been clear—and enforced.

Military factories, weapons depots, and strategic facilities, including gas refineries, are being struck. Most incoming missiles have been intercepted, but some have penetrated defenses. Just today, they launched a barrage of 37 missiles. Beyond Israel, Iranian strikes have targeted areas near U.S. bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Though Tehran claims it is targeting only military assets, regional leaders are not taking it lightly. Casualties have been reported. The regime’s standing in the region is collapsing.

Official figures say 32,000 Iranians have been killed by their own regime; contacts inside Iran suggest the number may be closer to 80,000. As Purim begins, the story of Esther and Mordechai feels immediate—deliverance in the face of annihilation. In the past 24 hours alone, over 1,200 Israeli munitions were deployed against Iranian military infrastructure, including IRGC targets and high-level leadership compounds.

This week’s Torah portion recalls Amalek—an enduring physical and spiritual opposition to Israel’s survival. What we are witnessing is larger than geopolitics. It is ideological, even spiritual. Others might have taken a deal. This regime chose confrontation.

There are signals that regional powers, including Saudi leadership, may align against Tehran. Whether this operation—known as Roaring Lion—lasts days or weeks remains uncertain.

But one thing is clear: Israel will not live under the shadow of nuclear annihilation.

As Isaiah 41:10 declares, “Fear not, for I am with you… I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you.”