As the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran made passage through the Strait of Hormuz tremendously difficult, tremendous economic disruptions connected with oil shipments negatively impacted economies around the world. For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the only long-term solution to the Hormuz crisis is the rerouting of pipes westward across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said that a long-term solution to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz would include the construction of pipelines that would carry the Gulf state’s oil and gas to the Mediterranean.
“Long-term solutions include rerouting energy pipelines westward, across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea and Mediterranean, bypassing Iran’s geographic choke point,” Netanyahu explained in an interview with conservative US media outlet Newsmax.
Currently, the Strait is one of the main chokepoints in the energy market, with 20% of global oil exports passing through it.
While Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman have territorial waters in the Strait, the presence of Iran on the other side of Hormuz has made it vulnerable, with the Islamic regime having the capabilities of threatening global energy markets by attacking ships that go through the Strait.
This has been Iran’s main strategy during the current war, alongside its missile attacks towards Israel and the Gulf States. Netanyahu noted that, while a military solution might offer short-term stability, a deal that eliminates the strategic importance of the Strait might be the best route long-term.
‘Beyond halfway point’: Netanyahu avoids giving precise end date to war – Netanyahu also said in the interview with Newsmax that the war with Iran is “beyond its halfway point,” although he avoided giving a precise end date for the war.
“We’re beyond the halfway point in terms of mission success,” Netanyahu said, adding that the IDF’s current focus is on destroying the remaining nuclear capabilities of the Iranian regime.
“We’ve already degraded their missile capabilities, destroyed factories, and eliminated key nuclear scientists,” he explained, warning that Iran is “pursuing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them to American cities. That’s what this war is about, preventing that outcome.”
Netanyahu also pointed out that the regime was able to attack the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, with this being Iran’s longest strike and a demonstration that their missiles could reach almost any country in the region, including most of Europe.
“It wasn’t an intercontinental missile, but it’s getting there, about 4,000 km. That puts much of Europe within range,” Netanyahu pointed out.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you agree with Prime Minister Netanyahu about rerouting pipes westward to the Mediterranean as the main solution to the choke point of the Strait of Hormuz?
As the joint military operations against the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran continues, the Trump administration is considering a possible military operation to seize Iranian uranium and prevent the regime from developing nuclear weapons, according to a news report by Newsmax. Keep in mind that the Trump administration is having negotiations with Iran.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Newsmax. Some parts in boldface…
President Donald Trump is weighing a potential military operation to seize nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran, a high-risk mission that could place U.S. troops in the country for an extended period, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
U.S. officials told the Journal that Trump has not made a final decision but remains open to the idea as part of his broader goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The proposed operation would be complex and dangerous, potentially requiring American forces to operate on the ground in Iran for days or longer. Officials said Trump is considering the risks to U.S. personnel before moving forward.
At the same time, the president is pushing for a diplomatic solution, urging advisers to press Iran to hand over the uranium as a condition for ending the conflict.
According to the report, Trump has made clear in private discussions that Iran cannot retain the material and has raised the possibility of taking it by force if negotiations fail.
Regional powers, including Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt, have been acting as intermediaries between Washington and Tehran. However, direct negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have not taken place.
“It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the commander-in-chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the president has made a decision,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
The Pentagon declined to comment, and U.S. Central Command did not provide a statement.
Before U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last June, Iran was believed to possess more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, and nearly 200 kilograms enriched to 20% — material that can be further refined into weapons-grade fuel.
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi has indicated that much of the uranium is likely stored at key sites, including an underground tunnel at the Isfahan nuclear complex and another cache at Natanz.
For other updates about what has been going lately in the Middle East, watch the YouTube news videos below.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think President Trump will decide to start a military operation to seize Iranian uranium very soon? Do you think the United States can compel Iran to surrender the uranium they have? Do you think NATO has any concerns about Iran having the capability of developing nuclear weapons?
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined and what happened during my free time. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, readers and fellow followers of the Lord! This is the 11th chapter of my ongoing series of articles about the holy nation of Israel with recollections about the experiences and discoveries I had during the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church (hosted by strategic partner Behold Israel) in 2023. To see my previous Israel tour articles, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. No matter what happens in this unpredictable and chaotic world we live in, I will always stand with Israel and my faith in the Lord remains uncompromising!
In this latest edition of my Israel 2023 series, I share with you what I experienced when I visited Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem not once but twice. Also referred to as the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall is a very holy site and is one of the most definitive places to be in with regards to worshiping the Lord.
For starters, I share with you the very video I recorded about my first time ever to arrive at the Western Wall Plaza (note: I was with my pilgrimage tour group companions, our pastors and our hard-working local tour guide) as well as my first-ever approach (starts at 2:01 in the video) to the Western Wall itself. It’s a video of more than three minutes and it’s available for public viewing via YouTube. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details closely.
As you can see in the above video, I stopped recording before entering the perimeter to get closer to the Western Wall. What happened after was my personal discovery and my personal sensing of the Lord’s presence.
About The Western Wall
To put things in perspective, the Western Wall is a retaining wall which was part of the Temple Mount expansion that King Herod (Herod the Great) did in around 19 BC. It is one of the four supporting walls of the Temple Mount which remained intact after the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple many decades later. Above it is the Temple Mount already.
Historically, the First Jewish Temple was built on the top of Mount Moriah during the time of King Solomon. The temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. In 19 BC, King Herod started rebuilding a new temple and this includes enlarging the Temple Mount platform a lot which made it 1,575 feet long and 985 feet wide. Herod had ten thousand men working and trained a thousand priests to work on the most sacred parts of the Second Jewish Temple.
The construction was done after several years but the decoration was completed in 64 AD. Six years after the Second Jewish Temple was fully completed, the Romans destroyed it but the western side of the Temple Mount survived. This happened in 70 AD, long after Lord Jesus conquered death and ascended to Heaven.
At the part of the Western Wall near the corner of the Southern Wall is this area that was massively damaged when the Romans destroyed the Second Jewish Temple. Several huge rocks that fell from above during the 70 AD destruction have remained.
The Western Wall faces westward and it is the closest in proximity to the site of the Holy of Holies, the most sacred location in the Temple for the Jewish people. Be aware that Mount Moriah is the same exact mountain where Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac before God sent the angel to intervene and provided the ram as the sacrifice.
For centuries, the Western Wall became a great source of influence and inspiration. It became the focus of yearning and prayer for the Jewish people for countless generations. The open-air section of the Western Wall serves as a place of worshipping the Lord and it is officially a synagogue. Apart from worship, the Western Wall keeps the memory of the Jewish Temples alive and it has also been used by the State of Israel for formal ceremonies. For centuries, pilgrims from around world came to the wall to pray and leave written noted in its ancient stones.
Physically, the Western Wall is 488 meters long and the height of the exposed section reaches a height of 40 meters above the bedrock of the eastern hill of Jerusalem (Mount Moriah). The open-air section of the wall (visible to the Prayer Plaza) is comprised of 46 layers of stone and the very large stones (that many are able to touch) were put in place during the time of King Herod (Second Jewish Temple period).
My First Visit – February 13, 2023
The widest shot of the Western Wall I managed to take during my first-ever visit.
After recording the video, I placed my smartphone into my pocket, entered the worship area and gradually made my way to the wall.
With my Holy Bible in my left hand, I touched the Western Wall with my right hand and started spending quality timewith the Lord God, praying to Him. With all my heart, I expressed my thanks and dedication to Lord Jesus there at the wall. I also prayed in support of Israel and the peace of Jerusalem.
Each moment I had there, I truly felt God’s presence and I did not confuse it with the wall’s visual magnificence. As I prayed, I felt the unction from the Lord to open my eyes and look straight up at the blue sky above knowing that He is spiritual, and He is in Heaven. The Lord is not inside the stones of the wall but in His Kingdom. That said, I did not worship the stones (reminder: idolatry is foolish and unholy) as I directed my worship directly to the Lord knowing He is in Heaven.
Many people praying at the wall touching it. There were others who did the same while standing or seating on a chair. In the lower-left corner of the picture is Wilson’s Arch which leads into the indoor synagogue.
Partly seen in the background is the fence that separates the men from the women. Above everyone at the right is the platform leading to Temple Mount.
The men’s side on the left and women’s side on the right. More of the high platform leading to the Temple Mount.
Because we only had fifteen minutes to spend as our tour group had a schedule to follow, I wisely spent time to praising and honoring the Lord. Let me remind you all that Lord Jesus will someday return and He will fulfill His promise. He will return in Israel and Jerusalem will be His destination.
After praying to Him, I spent the remaining minutes looking around and observing. I was surrounded by Ultra-Orthodox Jews, National Religious Jews, rabbis, tourists and Christians. I witnessed the religious rituals and practices of the Jewish people and I know deep inside that the ties between Jews and Christians are biblical.
As I walked out to rejoin my pilgrimage tour group, I took shot of the women’s area of the Western Wall.
The whole area is indeed sacred and that means visitors should be respectful and should practice decency near the Western Wall. People praying to God are to be respected and when there are many others praying while touching the wall, you will really have to wait for your turn. Be mindful that the Lord is always watching you as there is simply no reason to cause disrespect, playing around and causing trouble at the Western Wall.
When my fifteen minutes ran out, I went to the exit to rejoin my tour group.
My Second Visit – February 15, 2023
I took this shot of the Western Wall after making my way through from the Temple Mount.
Two days later, it was our tour group’s one and only rest day. After having a really early breakfast at our hotel, I marched to the Old City of Jerusalem and visited the Temple Mount for the first time ever. After spending time up there, I took the exit and made my way down to return to the Western Wall.
Once again I took time touching the wall and praying to the Lord and expressing my thanks to Him with a lot of heart. After several minutes, I took a seat to pray to Him while resting my legs. Then I noticed a North American man (who looked so much like Hillsong Church’s Phil Dooley) with the Holy Bible at one end of the fence (separating the men and the women) by the wall facing at the other direction (his back on the wall). He preached the Word of God and asked the Lord to save everyone. What he said reminded me that God has a plan for everyone, including the Jews (His chosen people) and there is still time for the lost and unsaved to realize Jesus as the Lord and the Savior of all.
My hand touching the Western Wall. I spent much more time praying to the Lord during my 2nd visit there.
After I was done praying by the wall, I decided to visit Wilson’s Arch as I was so curious why a lot of people had been entering and exiting it. It turned out to be Western Wall tunnel (with an arch area) and inside was a synagogue where there lots of Jews read the Old Testament, the Torah and pray. At the entrance/exit, a Jewish rabbi invited me in and assured me that foreigners and non-Jews were welcome. So I went in and he showed some parts of the indoor synagogue.
As it was a place of worship by the Jews, I was cautious moving inside and spending time observing. Carefully I only took a few photos for this feature article and it was astonishing to see more of the Western Wall indoors. Not only that, it was impressive to see the arches – including those huge stones above our heads – and it turns out they were constructed during Herod’s time and without any cement at all. There were also lots of shelves of books on both sides.
I took this shot during my short visit inside the Western Wall tunnel.
See those huge stones above everyone? Those were put into place during the time of King Herod and no cement was ever used. It is amazing to see as it was constructed without any of the modern construction technologies of today.
The Western Wall tunnel synagogue is one of the holiest synagogues in Israel due to its proximity to where the First Jewish Temple was wherein the Holy of Holies resided.
The indoor synagogue is one of the holiest synagogues in Israel due to its proximity to where the original Jewish Temple was wherein the Holy of Holies resided. Since it was my plan to revisit the Upper Room and visit both King David’s Tomb and Oskar Schindler’s grave, I eventually left the Western Wall tunnel. Before tracing my way back to the Jewish Quarter (where we visited two days prior), I took one last look back at the Western Wall. I intend to revisit it and spend quality time with the Lord there again in the future.
Biblical Significance
While it is a fact that the Western Wall was not explicitly mentioned in the Holy Bible, it has always been part of the Temple Mount since Herod’s time. To put things in perspective, we need to go back to the time when King Solomon dedicated the First Temple asking God to hear the prayers made toward it. Learn from the holy scriptures below.
that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.
1 Kings 8:29-30 (NKJV)
“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.
1 Kings 8:41-43 (NKJV)
The First Jewish Temple eventually got destroyed by the Babylonians. Centuries later, Herod executed the massive rebuilding of the Temple (Second Jewish Temple) in Jerusalem as well as the expansion of the Temple Mount itself. What was achieved drew reactions from many people who saw it and there were references of such reactions in the New Testament. For insight, read the scriptures below.
Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”
Mark 13:1 (NKJV)
Then the Jews replied, It took forty-six years to build this temple (sanctuary), and will You raise it up in three days?
John 2:20 (AMPC)
To be clear, the forty-six years mentioned in John 2:20 refers to the massive renovation and the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple.
Long before the Second Temple got destroyed, Lord Jesus prophesied its destruction. By the time Lord Jesus made the prophesy, He was already rejected by the religious Jews. Those people refused to accept Him as their Messiah and they had disobeyed God as a result. Lord Jesus wept for Jerusalem knowing that suffering and destruction would come and it happened in 70 AD. Learn from the scriptures below.
Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying,
“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Luke 19:41-44 (NKJV)
Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them,
“Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
Matthew 24:1-2 (NKJV)
As it is very clear that God always has a plan for the faithful and His chosen people, it was prophesied that He would bring the Jews (scattered around the world) back to Israel in the last days. This prophecy was fulfilled in May 1948 when the modern State of Israel was formally established and a lot of Jews returned or settled in since then. Lord Jesus will return to us some time in the future and there is time for the Jews to accept Him as their Messiah, to repent and submit to Him. The other lost and unsaved people of the world still have opportunities to realize Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Very clearly, Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations! Learn from the scriptures below.
If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.
Deuteronomy 30:4-5 (NKJV)
Jesus answered him,
“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3 (AMP)
Beloved ones, let me repeat emphatically that the gospel entrusted to me was not given to me by any man. No one taught me this revelation, for it was given to me directly by the unveiling of Jesus Christ.
By now you have heard stories of how severely I harassed and persecuted Christians and how systematically I endeavored to destroy God’s church, all because of my radical devotion to the Jewish religion. My zeal and passion for the doctrines of Judaism distinguished me among my people, for I was far more advanced in my religious instruction than others my age.
But then God called me by his grace, and chose me from my birth to be his. He was pleased to unveil his Son in me so that I would proclaim him to the peoples of the world. After I had this encounter, I kept it a secret for some time, sharing it with no one. And I had no desire to run to Jerusalem and try to impress those who had become apostles before me. Instead, I withdrew into the Arabian Desert. Then I returned to Damascus, where I had first encountered Jesus.
Galatians 1:11-17 (TPT)
For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us,
By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace.
And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end.
And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off and [peace] to those who were near.
For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him].
Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God’s own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God’s [own] household.
You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone.
In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].
In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:14-22 (AMPC)
Conclusion
This was me during my first-ever Western Wall visit on February 13, 2023. I had The Passion Translation (TPT) Holy Bible with me. My thanks to the guy who took this picture for me.
My two visits to the Western Wall were very significant to me personally. As seen above, each visit has been different, new discoveries happened and I spent quality time with Lord. The place is holy and it is a must-visit for anyone going to Israel. If I ever visit Israel again, I would return to the Western Wall to praise, thank and honor the Lord. If you are a person of faith who is about to visit Israel for the first time, I urge you to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Learn from my experiences. I also encourage you all to stand united in support of Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people, help the lost and unsaved come to Lord Jesus and always pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you [the Holy City]!
May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your palaces!
For my brethren and companions’ sake, I will now say, Peace be within you!
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek, inquire for, and require your good.
Psalm 122:6-9 (AMPC)
Israel is the holiest place to visit in the whole world! Visit Israel with the Holy Bible! Pray to the Lord wholeheartedly and reveal to Him your heart’s desire to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Him. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Follow the light of Lord Jesus, keep on praying to support Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel articles here. There is more to come! Thank you for reading.
While Israel has been working alongside Trump’s America in the military operations against the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran, it also has been fighting the Hezbollah terrorists north of Israel. One of the Hezbollah terrorists that Israel eliminated recently in Lebanon had also worked as an journalist who abused his media resources to expose presence of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) by the Israel-Lebanon border, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post. Apart from the terrorist-journalist, Israel also eliminated two senior commanders of Hezbollah.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…
The IDF killed a Hezbollah terrorist who also worked for Lebanese news outlet Al Manar in an airstrike on Saturday morning.
Ali Hassan Shaib, a terrorist in the intelligence unit of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, also worked for Al Manar, where he used his position as a journalist to expose IDF positions in southern Lebanon and along the border.
The IDF asserted that he maintained contact with terrorists within the Radwan Force and across the broader Hezbollah terrorist organization.
Notably, Al Manar is a Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese news outlet and is used by the terror organization to disseminate propaganda.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the incident, claiming that the strike “violates the most basic principles of international law, international humanitarian law, and the laws of war.”
“This is a blatant crime that violates all norms and conventions under which journalists are protected. We call on all international bodies to take action to stop what is happening on our soil,” Aoun added.
IDF kills senior Hezbollah commanders in overnight strikes – Additionally, the IDF carried out overnight strikes in Lebanon that killed two senior Hezbollah commanders and damaged dozens of terror sites across the country.
In a targeted strike in Beirut on Friday, the IDF said it eliminated Ayyoub Hussein Yaacoub, a senior figure in Hezbollah’s communications unit who previously held a key role in the organization’s rocket unit and was involved in directing launches toward Israel.
Yasser Mohammad Mubarak, another senior operative in the group’s communications unit, who also held a position in the rocket unit, was also killed, according to the IDF.
Separately, Israeli forces struck dozens of Hezbollah sites across southern Lebanon throughout the weekend, the military said, targeting weapons depots, launchers, and military infrastructure as part of ongoing efforts to degrade the group’s operational capabilities. The attacks were conducted from both air and sea in support of ground troops operating in the area.
On Saturday afternoon, the IDF issued an evacuation warning to several villages in southern Lebanon and urged residents to relocate north of the Zahrani River. The directive, announced by the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Col. Avichay Adraee, seems to apply to multiple areas, including Rashidieh, al-Bas, and Wadi Jilo.
I am not surprised at all that another Islamic terrorist did additional duty as a so-called journalist. Remember the Palestinian terrorists in Gaza who posed as journalists with those “Press” or “Media” signs on their front? Those guys and the Hezbollah terrorist-journalist are nothing more than Islamic terrorist propagandists pretending to be journalists. In short, they were blatant liars who spread misinformation, fear and genocidal content through traditional media channels and social media. They were trained to lie to the world and manipulate many to hate Israel while supporting Islamic terrorists. The sad fact is that corrupt mainstream news media outlets like CNN, Agence France-Presse (AFP), Reuters, the Associated Press (AP), The Washington Post, The New York Times and many others amplified the lies of the Islamic terrorist propagandists.
For other updates about what has been going lately in the Middle East, watch the YouTube news videos below.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the successful strikes by Israel’s Air Force made the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran less capable of developing nuclear material for its weapons? How long do you think the war against Iran will last? What do you think America and Israel should do to find the launchers of Iran’s heavy missiles?
Even as Trump’s America and the Islamic terrorist state of Iran are negotiating, Israel’s Air Force jets successfully struck the uranium enrichment facility as well as the heavy water reactor in different locations of Iran, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post. The operation only shows Iran getting weaker in the war.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…
Israel attacked Iran’s Khandab heavy water reactor in Arak, as well as a uranium enrichment facility in Ardakan, on Friday, the IDF confirmed.
Over 50 Israel Air Force (IAF) fighter jets, guided by IDF intelligence, completed strikes targeting the Iranian terror regime’s infrastructure across three areas simultaneously, the IDF said.
Earlier Iranian state media reports noted that the enrichment facility in Ardakan produced yellowcake, a concentrated uranium powder used in the early stages of nuclear fuel production.
Later on Friday, a missile struck the Bushehr nuclear plant in Iran, according to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, with no casualties, material damage, or technical disruptions being reported.
Heavy water is a unique material used to operate nuclear reactors – A government official told the Islamic Republic’s semi-official Fars News Agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), that no casualties occurred in the reported attack on the heavy water reactor, and that there is no danger to the local population. Fars reported that the facility was struck twice.
“Heavy water is a unique material used to operate nuclear reactors, such as the inactive Arak reactor, which was originally designed to have weapons-grade plutonium production capabilities,” the IDF said. “These materials can also be used as a neutron source for nuclear weapons.“
The military added that the facility, which was hit during the June 2025 war between Israel and Iran, was also a “significant economic asset” for the Iranian regime and generated tens of millions of dollars for the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization.
According to the military, Iran worked to rebuild the facility after it was struck nine months ago. It added that the Islamic Republic deliberately avoided a mandate to convert the reactor so that it would not be capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium.
In a statement issued later by the IDF, the military said Friday’s attacks across Iran also targeted a military industry facility used for the production of a variety of weapons, an Iranian Ministry of Defense site used for the development and production of advanced explosive devices, and a site used for the production of components for ballistic missiles and anti-aircraft missiles.
Attacks follow call for evacuation – The attack comes after the IDF called for residents of the northwestern Iranian city of Arak to evacuate ahead of imminent strikes on nearby regime military infrastructure.
The heavy water reactor is located a short distance northwest of the municipality of Arak. The call for evacuation was posted on the IDF’s Persian-language X/Twitter account, and included graphics illustrating the targeted areas and evacuation routes.
The post further called for those in the nearby Khairabad industrial zone to evacuate.
Soon thereafter, the IDF announced that it had begun simultaneous attacks on regime infrastructure in three areas of Iran. It did not specify further on the targets of the attacks.
Iranian media claims strikes on Ardakan yellowcake production facility – Shortly after the strikes on the heavy water research reactor, Iranian state media outlets reported attacks on the yellowcake production facility in Ardakan. The IDF later confirmed it struck the site.
Ardakan is a city in Iran’s Yazd province, which the IDF had struck previously. targeting a central site for producing missiles and sea mines.
For other updates about what has been going lately in the Middle East, watch the YouTube news videos below.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the successful strikes by Israel’s Air Force made the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran less capable of developing nuclear material for its weapons? How long do you think the war against Iran will last? What do you think America and Israel should do to find the launchers of Iran’s heavy missiles?
Since the joint Israel-US military operations stated on February 28, the United States successfully hit more than ten thousand against the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran which is a military milestone, according to a Newsmax report. Clearly by this point in time, Iran’s military has been decimated although the wicked regime still has missile launchers that have yet to be destroyed.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Newsmax. Some parts in boldface…
The U.S. military marked a major milestone Wednesday, almost four weeks into Operation Epic Fury, recording its 10,000th strike on an Iranian target, U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, said in an operational update on X.
Cooper said U.S. forces have now carried out more than 10,000 strikes since the campaign began on Feb. 28 and remain “on plan or ahead of plan” in achieving objectives to eliminate Iran’s ability to project power beyond its borders.
He described U.S. precision strikes as having “overwhelmed Iranian air defenses,” producing “tangible effects,” and said U.S. combat flights over Iran are degrading Tehran’s ability to attack U.S. forces and regional allies.
Cooper added that U.S. strikes have destroyed the vast majority of Iran’s largest naval vessels, claiming that 92 % are no longer able to sail, and that Iran’s drone and missile launch rates are down by more than 90 % as a result of U.S. and allied operations.
He also said more than two‑thirds of Iran’s missile, drone, and naval production facilities and shipyards have been damaged or destroyed, and that U.S. forces have maintained air superiority and flown over 10,000 combat sorties in the campaign.
Cooper called the performance of long‑range B‑52 bombers and the more than 50,000 U.S. troops involved “embody the courage and resilience” of service members.
Iran has mounted a sustained response with missiles and drones that have struck Israeli territory and U.S. and allied facilities across the Middle East since the conflict began.
Multiple Iranian retaliatory missile barrages have hit locations across Israel, with documented impacts including residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure, and one strike on March 1 killed at least nine Israeli civilians.
Iranian missiles and drones have injured thousands of people in Israel, with more than 4,000 reported injured in total.
Iran’s retaliatory strikes have also affected U.S. bases and allied facilities in Gulf states, with missiles flying through regional airspace and causing infrastructure damage, and incidents of drone strikes hitting U.S. Embassy buildings resulting in minor damage.
As of mid‑March, U.S. authorities reported at least 13 U.S. service members killed in the conflict and roughly 232 wounded, with more than 200 of the wounded returning to duty.
For other updates about what has been going lately in the Middle East, watch the YouTube news videos below.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Considering what the US military has achieved against Iran, do you think they still have sufficient ammunition to hit several thousands more? Do you think the Islamic terrorist regime will eventually break down and surrender? Considering what happened so far, do you think NATO can still come in and be helpful towards the US?
Even as the fighting against the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran continues, a major proposal to build a permanent United States embassy in the eternal capital of Jerusalem was approved by Israel, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…
Israel approved a proposal to allocate land at the Allenby Complex in Jerusalem for the construction of a permanent United States Embassy on Tuesday.
The approval was announced in a joint statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar, and Construction and Housing Minister Haim Katz.
Netanyahu, Sa’ar, and Katz described the building of the embassy as a “major diplomatic move” originally set in motion by US President Donald Trump’s “courageous and historic decision during his first term to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate the US Embassy there.”
The establishment of the permanent embassy will serve as a “tangible, central, and long-term expression of the US’ commitment to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the resilience of the special relationship between the two countries,” the announcement statement continued.
Netanyahu, Sa’ar, and Katz additionally thanked US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee for his cooperation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for working to finalize the decision.
For additional insight, posted below are YouTube videos about the 2018 opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem.
Still in relation with the recent breakthrough, I share with the holy scripture below and I encourage you to pray to the Lord for the peace of Jerusalem.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you [the Holy City]!
May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your palaces!
For my brethren and companions’ sake, I will now say, Peace be within you!
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek, inquire for, and require your good.
Psalm 122:6-9 (AMPC)
For other updates about what has been going lately in the Middle East, watch the YouTube news videos below.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you supportive of Israel’s approval of allocating land in Jerusalem and building a permanent US Embassy on it?
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 Resident Evil Bonanza (1996 Original and 2002 Remake) – Thirty years ago this month, the original Resident Evil video game was released on PlayStation and it impacted console gaming by moving towards an adulterated direction with zombie horror and mad science as core elements. The 1996 game led Capcom to making Resident Evil sequels and spin-offs in the years that followed. Then in 2002, an ambitious remake of Resident Evil was released on the Nintendo GameCube and it became the definitive version RE creator Shinji Mikami and his team came up with. To explore Resident Evil in its original version and the remake, watch the videos below.
#2 Living In Las Vegas –For decades, Las Vegas in Nevada has always been known as a major tourist destination with lots of hotels, casinos and other entertainment joints clustered together. There is also the perception that a lively city like it means there are lots of job opportunities and business or investment options to pursue there. What most people do not realize is that Las Vegas is not exactly the ideal city to move into and live in due to many factors that can be challenging and stressful to deal with. To discover why, watch the videos below.
#3 Popcorn In Bed Reacts To Logan’s Run – It has always been argued that science fiction movies released before Star Wars were not too exciting to watch. One of them was Logan’s Run which continues to have a divisive reception among movie buffs both young and old. There are some who liked its concept and execution, while others dismissed it for being corny or even being symbolic about the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. If you want to discover the film without spending money on it, watch Popcorn in Bed’s reaction video below. Observe how the movie impacts her.
#4 The History Of Atari Arcade Games – I was fortunate enough to have played games in video arcades in the 1980s. In the old days, Atari was a major arcade industry player apart from being big on console gaming. Atari was also responsible in bringing its arcade games to Japan (with Namco as its partner) and also brought some of Namco’s games into American arcades. If you love Atari, arcade games and retro gaming in general, watch the video documentaries below.
#5 Ranting For Vengeance Demolishes Woke Nuts’ Take On Resident Evil’s Chris Redfield – Going back to Resident Evil, it is not surprising that the mob of woke zealots, LGBTQ activists and other Leftists keep on creeping in on existing entertainment franchises to deform them and make it fit their wicked ideology. Recently there were woke nuts online who targeted the Resident Evil icon Chris Redfield and perceive him as gay. Ranting For Vengeance posted a video to demolish the woke mob’s take on Redfield and he explains in detail why the iconic hero has always been straight since the very beginning. Watch the video below and share it with all Resident Evil fans out there.
#6 Forgotten Video Games Based On Movies – Remember back in the old days when there were a lot of video games based on movies released? Back then, there was money to be made on licensing and merchandising. As a gamer and movie buff since youth, there definitely was excitement whenever I learned a game about a film I enjoyed was made available. Of course, there were games that turned out fun and others ended up being disappointing or even very poor in quality. Check out the video below about the forgotten movie-based games.
#7 How Hollywood Killed The Oscars – Avoiding the Academy Awards (AKA Oscars) is absolutely fine. It no longer celebrates the best of filmmaking and it has been overwhelmed by woke activists, Satanic Leftists, modern day Commies and the like. Communist Hollywood (Commiewood) has been using the Academy Awards to amplify its wicked agenda for a long time now. The old glory and the celebration of the best of filmmaking are truly gone. Watch the video below.
#8 National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani And Basij Commander Of Iran Eliminated By Israel – I recently blogged about the eliminations of two high-ranking officials of the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran as the conflict in the Middle East went on. It was Israel which successfully killed Ali Larijani and a Basij commander and it was the most significant achievement since the elimination of the demon Ali Khamenei. Right now, it is not clear who is really leading the remaining wicked regime and Iran’s military has been decimated by America and Israel. Keep in mind that the military operations against Iran is all about bringing down the Islamic terrorist regime and liberating the oppressed Iranians so they can take their country back after 47 years. For insight about what happened, watch the videos below.
#9 The Revival Of A Japanese Sake Brewery – It is always depressing to see your own business get destroyed because of a natural disaster. In Japan, a certain brewery that produced sake got ruined when a huge earthquake struck. Since then, the owner started hard efforts to revive the business. To discover what happened, watch the Nippon TV video below.
An unexpected turn of events just happened as US President Donald Trump announced that America and the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran had very good and productive conversations and already he instructed the Department of War to postpone all military strikes against the Iranian power plants for a period of five days, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…
US President Donald Trump asserted on Monday that the US and Iran have had “very good and productive” discussions over the last two days regarding a permanent end to the war.
“I am pleased to report that the United States of America, and the country of Iran, have had, over the last two days, very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf is leading the talks with the United States, a source told The Jerusalem Post.
Trump added that, based on the “tenor and tone” of the discussions, which he described as “in depth, detailed, and constructive,” he had instructed the Department of Defense to postpone planned military strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure.
According to the president, the delay will span a five-day period, “subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.“
Trump’s post contradicts a statement he published on the social media platform the day prior, when the president vowed the US would destroy Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not fully opened within 48 hours.
Iran reportedly denies talks to end war – An Iranian source later denied that the US and Iran were holding talks about ending the war.
“There is no direct contact with Trump, not even through intermediaries. Trump retreated after hearing that our targets would be all power plants in West Asia,” the unnamed source told the Iranian state-affiliated Fars News Agency.
For additional insight, watch the YouTube news videos below.
I am surprised by this newest development. Trump previously announced that America would strike the power plants of the terrorist regime if Iran does not fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. One has to wonder which Iranians has America been conversing with lately because the Islamic terrorist regime denied such talks happened. Could it be that Trump and his team have some sort of strategic surprise to unleash in due time? Remember that this is clearly not a ceasefire. The operations against the military sites, government sites and missile launchers of Iran were never halted. The clock is ticking and the pressure is only rising.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Were you surprised by Trump’s latest announcement? Do you think that America and Iran could be communicating with each other via back channels? What do you think Israel will do now that this development happened? Do you think it is possible for the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran to surrender unconditionally?
With the joint Israel-US military operations against the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran still going on, the tourism authority of Thailand announced it is preparing measures to ease the effects of the conflict on its tourism sector, according to a news report of VnExpress. Already the conflict caused a series of economic disruptions affecting air travel and the prices of services and products offered to tourists.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is preparing measures to mitigate the impact of tensions in the Middle East on the country’s tourism sector, including proposals to stimulate domestic travel and short-haul flights.
Following consultations with private operators, TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said the agency is promoting Thailand as a safe destination and plans to suggest the establishment of a strategic operations unit to monitor flight capacity, load factors, oil prices and travel costs.
TAT also plans to use the remaining central budget under the Thailand Summer Blast scheme, which supports inbound flights to Thailand, to back airlines and promote both major and secondary cities.
It is considering adjustments to an existing subsidy program for charter flights to cover long-haul markets, as well as incentives such as free domestic flights for international visitors and co-payment schemes to boost local tourism.
Thailand aims to capitalize on the situation by positioning itself as an aviation hub linking Europe with Asia and Australia, while adjusting flight schedules to attract more direct long-haul services. At the same time, efforts will be made to rebalance international tourism markets by focusing on China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Southeast Asia.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you intend to visit Thailand over the next six months? Does the war against Iran discourage you from traveling overseas?
Author Carlo Carrasco 