GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 196

Israel Strikes

Israel Responds Against Iran

There is some divide on just what the Israel Defense Force (IDF) did early Friday when it did strike sites in Iran, Syria, and Iraq, especially one near an Iranian nuclear plant in Natanz. To some, it was a “lame” response and to some it was a calculated move to send a message. Is it just those or are there more things that happened. Let’s start with just the basics on the strike as read in a report from The Jerusalem Post:

Israel targeted the defense system of the Natanz nuclear facility in Iran during its strikes Friday morning, ABC quoted a senior American official as saying.

The Israelis were targeting an air defense radar site near Isfahan that’s part of the protection of the Natanz nuclear facility," ABC said, in the name of the official.

"The first assessment is that the strike took out the site, but assessment hasn’t been completed, the official said."

Later in the report we read this:

The official noted, however, that the strike was meant to send a signal to Iran about Israeli capabilities, but not to escalate the situation.

Iran, for its part made it sound like nothing real occurred:

The attack, which Israel has not claimed credit for, was launched in response to the aerial barrage of ballistic missiles and attack drones that Iran sent to Israel last Saturday night following an airstrike in Damascus, widely attributed to Israel, that killed a senior officer in Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

The officer was connected to Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy that has been attacking Israel almost daily since Hamas's attack on October 7.

In the hours since the strikes in Iran Friday morning, Iran has downplayed their effect and significance, declining to directly point the finger at Israel and announcing that no damage was done to any nuclear sites. The International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) also reported that no damage was done to nuclear sites, and there were no reported casualties.

Sending A Message

Leaning on articles from i24news.tv we read more details that seem to support the idea that the IDF could do more, but wanted Iran to know it can do whatever it wants, when it wants:

According to ABC News Chief Global Affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz, Israel's strikes have specifically targeted a site in Iran.

Videos circulating on social media purportedly show the aftermath of the strikes, with air defense systems engaging and air raid sirens blaring near the Shahid Salami military base in Isfahan, Iran.

Additionally, the attack reportedly extended to sites in southern Syria and Iraq.

Reports from Iraq suggest that airstrikes have targeted a building in Baghdad where a high-level meeting involving several Iran-supported groups and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was taking place. However, these reports remain unconfirmed at this time.

The precise details of the targets and the extent of the damage caused by the strikes remain unclear at this time.

Iranian officials told local outlets and Reuters that there was no successful missile strike and any explosions were the result of Iran’s missile defense operations.

The reports go on to suggest that there was more to this attack than just a random targeting inside Iran:

Citing "highly placed U.S. military sources," Fox News reports that the target of last night's alleged Israeli strike in Iran was a military base in Isfahan, near Natanz, and not the nuclear facilities themselves.

“The Israelis hit what they wanted to hit,” one of the sources tells Fox News, adding that a main target was hit several times and that the Russian-made Iranian air defense system was found to be ineffective.

Targets of the strike included the military base's air defense systems, used to protect nearby nuclear facilities, Fox reports.

The Israeli Defense Forces used missiles and drones in the strike, not manned aircraft, Fox said. Israel's message with the strike was to sell the Iranians the idea that "we can reach out and touch you," the source said.

In a post on X, an Israeli diplomat, Azi Pazner added this:

'It is a very sophisticated response: it is a limited answer but a very effective one. At the same time, we can preserve what is most important: the coalition that was built last Saturday night,'

Remember Iran’s Words

If I recall, Iran said even the tiniest of responses would trigger a massive response and now we have what some are calling “playing with the lion’s tail” as we read in a post on X

Iranian Lawmaker Mahmoud Abbaszadeh Meshkini on Friday warned Israel for having made “a very dangerous and strategic mistake by playing with the lion's tail".

Will Iran get the message that they can be attacked whenever or wherever the IDF desires? Here is more on the lawmaker’s comments found in an Iran International report:

In remarks to the semi-official ILNA news outlet, Meshkini, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, emphasized that Iran is equipped with "the most advanced military equipment and precision missiles."

Early Friday morning, explosions were reported near the airport and an army base in Isfahan province, located in the central part of the country. The attack prompted Iran's air defense systems to be activated at several sites, according to state media.

Officially Iran denies any IDF missiles ever got through:

Iranian state media, controlled by the regime, is downplaying the strike. An official stated that the country’s air defenses intercepted three drones and denied any impacts from missiles.

Iranian media also reported that their nuclear sites remained secure and showed calm scenes in areas where explosions were reportedly heard.

No counter strike is planned by Iran, but they reserve the right to do so:

Before the Friday attack on Iran, Esmail Kowsari, another parliamentarian on the national security commission, spoke about potential actions against Israeli nuclear facilities.

"If necessary, it will definitely be done," Kowsari told Jamaran news.

He emphasized that Iran does not seek conflict with any regional country, but that it will be considered if they act “maliciously”.

For now, no response appears to be coming as Iran is basically saying this was like swatting a fly. I think they are realizing that their vaunted defense systems are no match for Israel and need to hesitate if they do indeed want to act against Israel again. Here is how former IDF member, Amir Tsarfati summarizes things from his Telegram page:

The attacking side in Iran tonight managed to achieve higher damage than the one caused in the Iranian attack, with one tenth of the armaments. Now Iran realizes that if indeed Israel carried out the attack, it can attack nuclear facilities next time with relative ease. In addition, the move paves the way for military action in Rafah!

So What’s Next?

While I would have preferred that Israel directly hit Iran’s nuclear plants with this strike, I understand all the moving pieces involved on the chess board of fighting the war against terrorism. Prime Minister Netanyahu has both internal and external pressures to deal with and this counterattack was very effective on another front if the reported agreement with the United States rumored to have been brokered really happened. It was a scaled back offensive that sent a message to Iran that the next offensive can’t be stopped. And it gave Israel a chance to say that they did respond although with restraint. And now they have the green light to go into Rafah because they appeased the United State’s and really the international community’s desire to not hit Iran hard. In my mind, it was the best possible outcome for now even if it wasn’t the one I expected in light of prophecy. It does raise a few questions, though. Does this set up the war of Gog and Magog seen in Ezekiel 38? If Iran isn’t as powerful as we thought, they might just need to get the help of Turkey and Russia to form that coalition to annihilate Israel now. And what about myself and all the others who adhere to the Psalm 83 war prophecies as well as the Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49 prophecies? Are we getting closer to them as well? Those walls around Israel do need to come down if the conditions for the war of Gog and Magog are to be met. Regardless of all these questions, the one thing we can and must do is pray for the peace of Jerusalem.