Are Israel, Syria and Iran headed for all-out war?
by Michael G. Mickey
(7-30-06)
Are Israel, Syria and Iran headed for all-out war? I don't know, but there seems a strong possibility that something is about to take place, if we are to believe news sources working on the ground in the Middle East. For example, a Fox News story on the Israeli strike on Qana indicates the following:
In Beirut, some 5,000 protesters gathered in downtown Beirut, at one point attacking a U.N. building and burning American flags, shouting, "Destroy Tel Aviv, destroy Tel Aviv" and chanting for Hezbollah's ally Syria to hit Israel. Another protest by about 50 people on a road leading to the U.S. Embassy forced security forces to close the road there.
Recently, I wrote a commentary concerning alleged statements made by Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah to the effect that 500 missiles were potentially going to be launched against Israel, in response to which Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman said such a move would not represent an escalation of the conflict but "doomsday."
Not only does the Hezbollah threat against Tel Aviv remain a possibility, the Lebanese, in what must sound very tempting to Damascus, are asking Syria to hit Israel. This comes as the Telegraph is reporting that Israel and Syria are edging closer to war after "tit-for-tat attacks around the Lebanese border and the revelation that a new type of long-range missile fired into Israel by Hezbollah was built in Syria."
The Telegraph article contains the following information, lending credence to the possibility Hezbollah's Nasrallah and Syria's Assad could indeed bring about a doomsday-like scenario, if Israeli Ambassador Gillerman's warning is sincere:
Tension between the two countries over the war in Lebanon was growing as both Tel Aviv and Damascus readied their forces for the possibility of a direct clash. Israeli intelligence reported that Syrian forces had been put onto their highest state of alert, while Israel has called up 15,000 reservists who many believe will be despatched as reinforcements to the disputed Golan Heights, between the two countries.
Last night an explosives expert with the Israeli police concluded that the "unknown" missile fired by the pro-Syrian Hezbollah at the town of Afula on Friday, 30 miles inside the Israeli border, was Syrian-made, and was capable of reaching Tel Aviv, the country's largest city.
So now we know. Yes, Hezbollah, using Syrian-made and supplied rocketry, can strike Tel Aviv. Not only is Damascus supplying rocketry to Hezbollah, a Middle East Newsline article suggests strongly that Hezbollah is using Syrian-provided Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles. As we look at the prophet Isaiah's words recorded in Isaiah 17:1, we know Syria had better be very careful in this deadly game of cat-and-mouse lest Damascus be taken from being a city and be left a ruinous heap! And then there's Amos 1 to consider.
Amos 1:3: Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:
Interestingly, since Israel became a nation in 1948, Damascus has had three "transgressions" against Israel. They have taken place as follows:
1.
1948 - Israel's War of Independence
2.
1967 - Six Day War
3.
1973 - Yom Kippur War
As such, if the Lord is yet holding Damascus to the standard of behavior referred to in Amos 1:3, one mistake on the part of Syria's Assad-led government could bring disaster to Damascus. As we look at Amos 1:3, just for information purposes, Gilead is now referred to as Salt, which is located about 15km northwest of Amman, in the general vicinity of both the West Bank and the disputed Golan Heights.
Am I being overly dramatic in questioning whether Israel, Iran and Syria are headed for all-out war? I don't think so at all. As a matter of fact, it may well be that the United States and Israel are both headed for an all-out war with these two rogue nations and their terrorist allies!
Yahoo News is presently reporting that Iranian forces are being urged to prepare to hit Israel, as well as the United States. The article opens as follows:
Iran's hardline forces should get ready to take revenge on Israel and the United States for the offensive on Lebanon, the head of the Revolutionary Guards was quoted as saying on Sunday.
It isn't the first time I've read of Iran considering an escalation of the present conflict. On July 26th, the New York Sun ran an article suggestive that the present conflict in the Middle East was about to be taken to a higher level of intensity, reporting the following, in part:
Secretary Rice's mission to the Middle East has already failed because Syria has issued an ultimatum that augurs a world war soon enough.
The Syrian ultimatum is meant to provoke Israel and to pull America directly into the fighting. The ultimatum threatens that the attacks by Hezbollah — trained, supplied and commanded by Iranian Revolutionary Guards — will increase in intensity unless America negotiates directly with Hezbollah, Syria and Iran. The ultimatum demands that America force Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, to cease tactical strikes on Hezbollah bases and weaponry in Lebanon, to cease tactical strikes on Hamas in Gaza, and to make territorial concessions that would mean that Israel could no longer defend either Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
Knowing that America cannot agree to such an unprecedented surrender, Syria and its sponsor, Iran, are preparing for the next stage of the escalation, which is meant to draw the American military directly into the shooting war.
Additionally, on July 28th, the New York Sun reported that Syria and Iran reached a mutual defense pact before the latest hostilities broke out. Within that article, the following is written:
The prospect that Iran would come to Syria's defense should Israel bomb Damascus in retaliation for Hezbollah strikes came into focus this week after Iran's ambassador in Beirut promised to counter an Israeli attack on Syria with "full power."
What is going to take place next is anyone's guess, but the immediate future doesn't look good. Truly, these are perilous times!
2nd Timothy 3:1: This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
Keep looking up!
Are Israel, Syria and Iran headed for all-out war?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Being a Christian, I already know this is true. I am posting this for, our guest on the forum. That they may see the truth.
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