Middle East Escalations

Three high-profile assassinations were announced in rapid succession this week. 

Israel claimed responsibility for killing Hamas’ military leader in a Gaza airstrike last month. Later, it said it killed Hezbollah’s most senior military commander in an airstrike on Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday in retaliation for the July 27 strike on The Golan Heights. 

Iran then announced that Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran’s capital, Tehran, on Wednesday. The NYT reported that Haniyeh was killed by a remote-controlled bomb hidden months ago. Though Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility, Iran, who backs both Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, ordered a direct retaliatory strike on Israel.

Meanwhile, reacting to an “imminent threat” to U.S. forces, the U.S. conducted an airstrike on the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, killing four militants.

__

CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Christians don’t need to gloss over evil to maintain our joy and hope. Our Savior Jesus confronted darkness directly and overcame it through his death and resurrection. Pray for the Middle East with renewed thankfulness for eternal hope in our dark world. 

“So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you. In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.… I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
John 16:22–23, 33 (CSB) (read full passage)