GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 405

A City Destroyed

Cutting Off Weapons

We learn in a report from The Jerusalem Post that the IDF will stop any weapons coming into Hezbollah from Syria:

Israel will attack any attempt to bring weapons to Hezbollah from Syria, IDF chief spokesperson R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Thursday.

Hagari stated this about the weapons Hezbollah is using:

“We are identifying rockets and other weapons that Hezbollah is launching at Israeli territory that were manufactured in Syria,” R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters. “We will attack every attempt to bring weapons from Syria to Hezbollah. And we will attack all infrastructure we identify in Syria whose purpose is to produce weapons for Hezbollah.”

He added that the military has been carrying out airstrikes from Beirut suburb and Hezbollah stronghold Dahiyeh to Damascus.

His statements were given after an Israeli strikes in Syria:

He was speaking shortly after Syria’s state news agency reported what it said was an Israeli airstrike that hit a bridge in Syria in the area of Qusayr near the border with northern Lebanon.

The IDF said earlier that it struck military sites and command centers belonging to Palestinian Islamic Jihad – located in Syria. “Alongside Hamas… PIJ directed by its leaders outside the Gaza Strip, participated in the murderous attack on October 7th,” said the military, adding that PIJ has been actively assisting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Predictably Syria tried to make Israel look bad by hitting innocent people in their homes:

Syrian state media reported that 15 people were killed in Israeli strikes on residential buildings in Damascus. A Syrian military source said that the buildings targeted were located in the suburbs of Mazzeh and Qudsaya, both in the west of the Syrian capital, according to SANA.

The IDF sees all of these areas and activities as being directed by Iran:

“The terrorist organization is an additional Iranian proxy acting under the direct instruction of Iran. Moreover, the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization operates in Syria under the cover of the Syrian Regime,” said the IDF.

Hagari and the IDF overall did take a moment to note their military accomplishments stopping weapons in Lebanon:

Hundreds of Hezbollah terror compounds have been destroyed since the beginning of Operation Northern Arrows in September, Hagari said, and many weapons have been seized and destroyed.

“We have destroyed most of Hezbollah's production sites and weapons warehouses in Beirut,” he announced.

Early Thursday morning, the IDF confirmed that it downed a drone under the Syrian skies that was launched from the east. It was enroute to Israel and was shot down before it crossed into Israeli territory. It was also the second such drone to be downed by Israeli defense systems.

But if the IDF wants to stop weapons coming in from Iran to Hezbollah or any other Iranian proxies they’ll need to take care of the Damascus pipeline.

And Another Prophecy Makes Sense

In the previous podcast we talked about Turkey in Bible prophecy and now I see how current news stories are making the destruction of the city of Damascus logical when before it was hard to figure out why Israel needed to do it. Here is the portion of the Bible that mentions this:

The special word about Damascus: “See, Damascus will no longer be a city. It will be destroyed and laid waste. 2 The cities of Aroer are left empty. They will be for the flocks to lie down in, and no one will make them afraid. 3 The strong city will be gone from Ephraim. Damascus will no longer rule. And those of Syria who are left alive will be like the shining-greatness of the sons of Israel,” says the Lord of All. (Isa 17:1-3, NLV)

We read in an article from charsimanews.com that Damascus is a prime target if the IDF wants to defeat the terrorist threat all around them. They were interviewing Bible scholar L.A. Marzulli:

“When you look at the prophetic pulse of what’s going on in the Middle East, the possibility of Psalm 83, the destruction of Damascus, you know if Israel goes up and destroys Damascus, all hell’s going to break loose,” says Marzulli.

Marzulli then told us why he thinks the IDF will target the old city:

Why would Israel have a reason to attack Damascus, Syria when it is fighting a war against Hamas, Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed proxy groups, and let’s face it, with Iran, just not in conventional terms?

Because, as the Al-Jazeera network reports, there is a heavy presence of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps concentrated in the city.

There are troops in Damascus, there are weapons stored, and there is an airport where weapons can come into the area from Iran. It all makes sense now when even 20-30 years ago or longer it didn’t. Marzulli rightly points out that attacking the city and leaving it in ruins won’t make a lot people happy in the area. It could be the catalyst for the Psalm 83 war or it could be part of that war. We simply don’t know, but we do know that it is strategic right now. And when you are in a fight with another nation or group of nations, cutting off their supply of weapons is a common military strategy. Israel is already doing this with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran as they strike places where weapons are stored and even made. It’s logical and, as we see Biblical. We really are living in Biblical times and certainly prophetic days. I like how an article from israelhq.com

The prophecy of Isaiah 17 about the Damascus destruction grabs the interest of many. It includes biblical scholars, prophecy fans, and Christians looking into end-times events. Whether it’s happening now or later, its big impact on prophecy is clear.

The Isaiah 17 prophecy reminds us of God’s control over nations and His promise to His people. The history of destructions and the Middle East’s ongoing tensions show its importance. This prophecy could be key for the end times.

The Isaiah 17 prophecy about Damascus destruction calls us to be careful and humble in reading the Bible. It shows God’s power over empires. As we think about this prophecy, let it grow our faith, sharpen our insight, and boost our hope in God’s plan.