By Chris Schang
The Rapture Report
The Israel National News is currently quoting an "Aviation Week" publication as saying that the Iranian terrorist proxy groups Hamas and Hizbollah may end up pushing Israel to war in the near future. The article gives a likely war timeframe of this year or 2011. The report cited increased arms buildups of weapons past 2006 levels. The INN news article reports:
Worrisome escalations in arms stockpiling by Hamas and Hizbullah have convinced defense analysts that another war with Israel is on the horizon this year or in 2011, according to the highly respected Aviation Week.Further:
The publication relied on intelligence estimates that the two terrorist organizations, sponsored by Iran and Syria, have armed themselves far beyond their stockpiles of 2006, when both Hamas and Hizbullah kidnapped Israeli soldiers within a three-week period.
Aviation Week noted that while Hamas and Hizbullah probably do not want an all-out war now, the current relative calm “may be illusory - Tehran and Damascus could encourage Hamas and Hizbullah to attack Israel in furtherance of their regional aims." The journal added that "Iran has also threatened retaliation if Israel attacks its nuclear program; and with popular unrest a constant threat to the leadership in Tehran, a war with Israel, fought through Hamas or Hezbollah, could be one way of diverting Iranian public attention away from the regime.”The "Aviation Week" article makes excellent points because many analysts have speculated that as Iran drives to the finish line on their nuclear program, it is likely that Iran will have their proxy terrorist organizations divert attention away with a very serious armed conflict.
The Iranians are gambling that by arming the terrorist organizations to the teeth, Israel will focus more on the immediate threat on the borders than the long term threat of a nuclear bomb being built in Iran. Iran has made sure that if and when a conflict arises, the terrorists have plenty of ammunition to keep Israel busy. With reports claiming that new missiles and longer range rockets are in the terrorists arsenal, it is expected that in any future conflict the whole state of Israel will take a beating as Hamas and Hizbollah rain down rockets on Israeli towns and citizens.
To confirm this, the INN article went on to further state:
In the south, Hamas has smuggled in and assembled weapons far more destructive than those they possessed in the past, including advanced anti-aircraft missiles that can down Israeli planes. “Restoring Hamas’s arsenal with advanced ordnance is a major part of Iran’s strategy of targeting Israel from Lebanon and Gaza,” according to Aviation Week.With the threat of advanced weapons and rockets being fired down onto Israel, it would be hard to imagine that the Israelis will sit still long while the threat continues to grow. At the same time, Israel must decide which threat they are going to tackle first, Iran or the terrorist proxies on their border.
Hamas also has apparently acquired the same type of advanced anti-tank missiles that Hizbullah used against advance Israeli tanks in the Second Lebanon War. Another factor in the war scenario is the international al-Qaeda global jihad terror organization, whose influence is spreading in Gaza.
I would imagine that if Iran has any say so in the matter, Israel will end up facing the "new and improved" terrorist capabilities while they try to fend off an attack on their nuclear facilities. With Iran about to reach the threshold of "no return" when it comes to their nuclear program, it is likely that Israel will end up fighting both Iran and their proxy terrorists.
It is quite possible that the Israel and terrorist showdown could fulfill the prophecies of Psalm 83 and perhaps even Isaiah 17 if Syria makes good on their defense pacts and threatens to fight with the terrorists. With Syria having moved the state archives out of Damascus, we could be on the verge of seeing something major happen in the Middle East.
Iran on the other hand is likely to be involved in the still future Ezekiel 38-39 war where Russia leads a moslem coalition against Israel. This Gog/Magog coalition gets the surprise of their life when the God of Israel decides to supernaturally intervene and destroy the invading forces.
Whenever and whatever the timing maybe, it looks like we might not have much time left to wait. The Bible tells us that when we see the signs of the end times, to look up, that our redemption is drawing nigh.
God bless.
Related Links
Aviation Week: Hamas, Hizbullah May Push Israel to War - INN
Gates in Saudi Arabia for Talks Focused on Iran - Voice of America
IDF Chief of Staff: All options on Iran should remain open - Ha'aretz
Israeli housing push hits peace moves - Financial Times
Isralestine: The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East - Bill Salus (Book)