GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 305

Russia In The Mix

Not Many Options

News that the elusive Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar will replace assassinated Ismail Haniyeh is not unexpected but shows that Hamas has few leaders left as we read in an article from The Jerusalem Post:

Yahya Sinwar will replace Ismail Haniyeh in Hamas' operations, following his assassination in Tehran, the terror group announced in a statement on Tuesday night.

"The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas announces the selection of Commander Yahya Sinwar as the head of the political bureau of the movement, succeeding the martyr Commander Ismail Haniyeh, may Allah have mercy on him," the movement said in a brief statement.

Sinwar is the last man standing since all of those in his close circle of leaders are dead:

Sinwar spent half his adult life in Israeli prisons and was the most powerful Hamas leader left alive following the assassination of Haniyeh.

The IDF still hasn’t claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s killing, but they have for others:

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the assassination of Haniyeh, but it has said it killed other senior leaders, including Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri, who was killed in Beirut, and Mohammed Deif, the terror group's military commander.

As the last leader still alive, the target on Sinwar’s back is getting bigger. He’s proved hard to track down from the start of the war:

Sinwar has remained an elusive figure since the onset of the October 7 massacre, of which he was the primary mastermind and the ensuing Israel-Hamas war. He is reported to be hiding in tunnels in the Gaza Strip. In February, the IDF released footage of Sinwar walking through a tunnel in Khan Yunis.

Haniyeh’s replacement was uncertain:

Previous reports emerged of the chaos in Hamas due to questions over who would succeed Haniyeh, including speculations that Khaled Mashal could be his replacement, Ynet reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, a senior Hamas official denied reports that a replacement for the former Hams leader was chosen, KAN reported.

Another candidate was thought to be the person until now:

An Arab report from earlier on Tuesday stated that Mohammed Ismail Darwish was chosen to replace former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh as the head of the terror group's political bureau.

The IDF however know exactly what position Sinwar will be taking:

Following the announcement, KAN quoted IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari, who reportedly said, "There is one place we are assigning him [Yahya Sinwar] - next to Mohammed Deif."

US Wants Restraint

We read in an article from CBN.com that the United States wants all sides to dial things back:

From Tehran to Tel Aviv, the Middle East is anticipating an attack on Israel by Iran and its proxies. It's expected Israel's response will be much bigger than it has been in the past.

The US will only help by defending Israel:

U.S. Centcom Commander General Michael Kurilla met in Tel Aviv on Monday with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Kurilla came to oversee the coalition to defend Israel from the expected attack from Iran and its proxies.

Russia is in Iran ahead of the planned attack:

Meanwhile, in Tehran, Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Russia's Security Council, met with President Masoud Pezeshkian. Iran's president described Russia as one of its "key and strategic allies," and said improving relations with Russia is among Iran's top foreign policy priorities.

The Iranian President didn’t mince words when he talked about their plans:

He also warned Israel would receive a response to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani also blamed the U.S. for supporting Israel's war against Hamas. He stated, "Moreover, the U.S. should not provide Israel with arms or weapons of mass destruction. We believe that had it not been for the U.S. government's assistance, Israel would have never taken such a risk."

Iran also sent a message to the US by hitting one their bases:

Iranian-backed militias attacked the U.S. al-Asad Airbase in Iraq on Monday. Several military personnel were wounded in the attack. The strike raises the possibility that U.S. forces in the region may be further targeted by Iran and its proxies.

The US wants Iran to scale back any attacks:

The U.S. State Department is urging Iran to de-escalate.

“We have been sending consistent messages, through our diplomatic engagements, encouraging people to communicate to the government of Iran, that escalation is not in their interest and that we will defend Israel from attacks and that, escalation does not serve Iran's interests," said spokesman Matthew Miller.

Israelis are concerned:

Alex Traiman, Jerusalem bureau chief of JNS.ORG tells CBN News it's a stressful time for Israelis. "Most of Israel right now is anxiously awaiting whether or not there will be an attack, what it will be like, and whether the IDF has the capacity to defend it," Traiman explained.

He thinks the United States is only helping partly and should be all in:

He contends the U.S. is sending the wrong signal to Iran.

“It seems clear that the United States wants to help Israel to defend itself," Traiman said. "It doesn't want Israel to absorb large attacks on its home front. But at the same time, they are willing to let Israel fight, but not win, the war, and it's giving Iran the sense that they maybe don't have a green light – but they at least have a yellow light – to go ahead and attack Israel.”

“What they should be saying is you will not attack, because if you attack, we will consider it like an attack on the United States, and we will punish you severely. Right now, there is not a very credible military threat, so there is no deterrence against Iran.”

Spiritual support is coming from an unusual source, though:

In light of the peril Israel is facing now, 300 Christians from Indonesia came to pray in Jerusalem's Garden Tomb. They're here during a time when flights are being canceled and visitors are a rarity, to intercede for the protection of the Jewish state.

Russia Is Helping Iran

Make no mistake, Russia may tell Iran to not target civilians, but they are also providing air defense equipment to them as we learn from a report from the Jerusalem News Syndicate:

Iran has requested advanced Russian air-defense and radar systems following a visit to the Islamic Republic by a top Moscow official and shipments are already on their way, The New York Times reported on Monday.

Two Iranian officials confirmed that Iran made the request and Russia has started delivering radars and air-defense equipment, according to the Times, citing Iranian media.

The request came following a day-long visit to Tehran by head of the Russian Security Council and former Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, on Monday.

Israel showed Iran that they could just waltz in to their territory in their response to Iran’s previous attack, so Iran asked for help:

Iran wants the air-defense systems in preparation for its promised revenge strike against Israel over the killing of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last Wednesday.

Russia considers Iran to be an important ally:

Curing a meeting with Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, Shoigu described Iran as a key strategic ally of Russia’s in the region, according to Iran’s Press TV.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is in no way seeking to expand the scope of war and crisis in the region, but certainly this [Zionist] regime will receive a response for its crimes and audacity,” Pezeshkian said, calling the assassination of Haniyeh a violation of international law.

The Russian official met with Iran’s military leader and assured them of their support as well:

Shoigu also met with Iranian armed forces commander, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, who is reportedly planning the military strikes on Israel.

Bagheri told Shoigu that Russian-Iranian ties were “deep, long term and strategic” and would only expand under Iran’s new government, according to the Times, citing Iranian media.

Shoigu assured Iran they have Russia’s full support:

Shoigu also met with Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Akbar Ahmadian.

“We are ready for full cooperation with Iran on regional issues,” Shoigu said.

Their cozy relationship echoes a close history:

Iran and Russia have grown closer since the start of the Ukraine war, with Moscow turning to Tehran to provide it with military drones. Russia has launched more than 4,000 Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones against Ukraine, according to The Wall Street Journal in May.

Moscow now manufactures Iranian-designed drones within its borders at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in the Russian steppes.

Russia is walking a fine line with their Iranian support and eventually it will sever their ties to Israel:

“If Iranians are asking Russians for air defense, they are cashing in their chips,” Colin Clarke, director of policy and research at Soufan Group, an intelligence consulting firm, told the Times.

“The question is how do Russians assuage Tehran without ruining their relationship with Israel,” he said.

From a Bible prophecy standpoint this closeness fits right in with the coalition of nations listed in Ezekiel 38 for the War of Gog and Magog as Russia and Iran are in that group along with Turkey.