Hot on the Border
Sometimes we get too caught up in worrying about what might happen to Israel. I’m serious.
Now, look, the Russian presence in Syria is a real problem. So is the Iranian presence. Both are propping-up that scumbag, Assad, and countless innocents have been slaughtered in the process. The Left doesn’t really care about people, or that situation would be front-and-center on the news. But that’s a topic for another time.
What we don’t focus on enough is Israeli resolve and capability. I’ve said many times that the Lord is literally protecting Israel. But let’s do look at things simply from a strategic, geopolitical standpoint for a minute.
Last weekend, the Iranians sent an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) into Israeli airspace. The UAV was launched from the T-4 base at Palmyra, Syria. The IDF blew it out of the sky. Then, according to a report from the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center:
“In response to the breach by the UAV, IDF struck targets in Syria, including the Iranian control center that had launched the drone. During the retaliatory strikes by Israel, the Syrian military fired anti-aircraft missiles, which resulted in the downing of an F-16 jet over Israeli territory. In response to the downing of the jet, the IDF carried out an extensive air campaign against Syrian air defense bases and Iranian targets in Syria. According the IDF’s statement, the Israeli military bombed 12 targets, including three Syrian air defense batteries and four Iranian targets.”
Netanyahu takes considerable heat from all sides. To some he isn’t conservative and tough enough. To others he’s a warmonger. But rest assured, he will do what is necessary to protect Israel.
In today’s upside-down world, political spin has become the Theatre of the Absurd. Notice that Iran sounds like a collective Baghdad Bob in their description of events:
“Iranian officials denied Israel’s claims regarding Iranian involvement in the events in northern Israel and cast the blame on Israel for the escalation. Bahram Qasemi, the Spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, rejected Israel’s claims regarding the breach by the Iranian UAV and reports about Iran’s involvement in downing the Israeli jet, labeling these claims as ‘ridiculous.’ He mentioned that Iran assists Syria only through military advisors in accordance with the request of the legitimate government in Damascus. Qasemi insisted on Syria’s right to protect its territorial integrity and respond to any foreign aggression against it. According to him, the ‘Zionist regime’ can not hide its aggressiveness and its crimes against the people of the region through lies.”
The Iranians claim that the rules of engagement have changed and that Israel will “not be allowed to” enter Syrian airspace anymore for raids.
As if.
Notice that the Russians are not engaging Israel directly, other than to put some window dressing on public statements. But we can be pretty confident that in their several meetings in the last year, Netanyahu has made it very clear to Putin that Israel will defend itself. Should the Iranians flex their muscles even more, expect a withering Israeli response.
And, this should remind all of us how strategic the Golan Heights are for Israel. You can sit at a restaurant near the Sea of Galilee and look up and see where Syrian shells have landed periodically for years on Israeli farms, as harassment. Can you imagine what would happen if Syria was in possession of the Heights?
The Meir Amit report emphasizes what Iran hopes to achieve through a presence in Syria:
- Stabilizing and shaping the Syrian regime while enhancing Iran’s political, economic, religious and cultural clout in Syria.[1] The preservation of the Syrian regime is critical for Tehran as it is a strategic partner for Iran in the Arab world. The downfall of the Assad regime may result in negative ramifications for Hezbollah, as a result of losing its logistic support base in Syria (which is crucial for transferring Iranian assistance to the organization).
- Establishing an Iranian-Shi’ite sphere of influence, stretching from Iran through Iraq and Syria, all the way to Lebanon and the Mediterranean.
- Augmenting pressure levers and threats against Israel so as to create deterrence vis-à-vis Jerusalem.
- Expelling the United States from Syria and the region as a whole. The United States is perceived by Iran as a central threat to its national security and its vital interests.
Notice those last two points: Jerusalem and the re-emergence of American power. Both are significant prophetically, for they signal that while the coming epic battle for Jerusalem is on the horizon, the Trump Era keeps our enemies at bay. It is only when a weak or removed America emerges that Israel will be alone.
The escalations in Syria are serious, and a new thing. They bear watching. Let us continue to pray for Israel and for the peace of Jerusalem!
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