Escalation

Monday marked the deadliest day of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in decades.

Missiles targeting Hezbollah weapons hidden in residential areas of southern Lebanon killed more than 550 people, including dozens of women and children. Ahead of the barrage, Israel reportedly sent warnings through phone calls, texts, and hacked radio stations, urging people to evacuate. The IDF struck 300 Hezbollah targets and said, “Every house that we strike contains weapons…intended to kill Israeli citizens.” Then, yesterday, Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander in an airstrike on Beirut. 

Israel faces continuing fire from Hezbollah, but interceptions have kept damage comparatively minor; Hezbollah says it’s targeting Israeli military facilities.

The U.N. said it’s “extremely alarmed” by escalations, and the Pentagon is adding to the 40,000 American troops already present in the Middle East.

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RADIATE HOPE
While mourning with victims and praying for our enemies, Christians have hope in the face of a violent world. The servant of God, who himself did no violence, has been afflicted by his Father on our behalf so that we can live in his peaceful presence forever. 

“Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds.”
Isaiah 53:4-5 (CSB) (read full passage)