Iran Threatens Israel Not to Go After the Terrorists

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) slammed Hamas terrorists for blocking Gazan civilians from evacuating south as the IDF readies expanded operations in the strip, calling the move both “sinister and vile.”

As Israel prepares to annihilate the Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip, Iran, the puppeteer of the region's terrorists, is warning Israel if they do, in fact, go into Gaza, "Iran will intervene."

Amir-Abdollahian, who earlier met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, said in a briefing with reporters in Beirut on Saturday that Israel must "stop the crimes against civilians in Gaza — because it might be too late in a few hours."

The Wall Street Journal published an excellent article Saturday, outlining exactly who is committing crimes against civilians. 

These are perilous times---"fragile and complicated, sinister and vile."

While the world is waiting to exhale, Israel is preparing to act in a just war to defend their country and their people---Iran is promising retaliation. 

Be informed, not misled.

Egypt has closed the entrance to those from Gaza seeking asylum in Egypt. They don't want them in their country. 

While Israel is telling the people of Gaza to evacuate, the terrorist group Hamas is telling them not to evacuate.

“Hamas has both issued warnings to their civilians not to evacuate, and when people didn’t listen to those warnings of Hamas, they have actually stopped civilians, and have stopped convoys of Gazan civilians trying to flee from the situation,” IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus explained in a daily briefing shared to social media.

He said, “If that isn’t the most sinister and vile use of civilians during war, I don’t know what is, but it again goes to show the lack of any value for human life from the terrorist organization, Hamas.” 

Hamas is known to hide themselves and their military assets using civilians as human shields. In fact, they once head-quartered in the basement of a children's hospital.

Israel has told residents of northern Gaza to evacuate south as the IDF prepares for a ground invasion in response to the Hamas-led terror attack.

CBS reports that over 1,300 people have been killed and 3,200 more wounded, and at least 27 Americans are believed to be dead. 

 Israel estimates that 150 people are being held hostage in Gaza.

The IDF has already conducted “localized raids” into Gaza and has deemed them successful. The IDF is finalizing plans for a “significant ground operation” in the strip, which it said will include a “joint and coordinated attack from the air, sea and land.”

Behind the scenes

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met with the UN envoy to the Middle East, Tor Wennesland, on Saturday in Beirut.   

Wennesland urged Amir-Abdollahian to help prevent a spillover of the conflict in Gaza and Israel to the wider region in the Middle East.

The Iranian foreign minister replied that Iran doesn't want the conflict to turn into a regional war and wants to help release civilians who are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

But Amir-Abdollahian stressed that Iran has its red lines. He said that if the Israeli military operation continues — and especially if Israel follows through on its promise of a ground offensive in Gaza — Iran will have to respond. 

Wennesland called Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and other officials and conveyed Iran's message.

Wennesland's office confirmed he met with Amir-Abdollahian on Saturday, saying they discussed "diplomatic efforts to release hostages, de-escalate and prevent a spillover of the conflict to the wider region."

Most observers say the fighting between Hamas and Israel will become a regional war if Iran gets involved directly or indirectly, such as through a militant group in Syria or by backing any Hezbollah decision to fully join the fighting.

Will Israel blink?

I don't think so.

The Biden administration has been trying to deter Iran and Lebanon-backed Hezbollah, supported by Iran, from joining the war. This week, the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier group and fighter jets to the region.

Whether or not Biden's effort cools  Iran, I don't expect Israel to back off.

We'll see.

Amir-Abdollahian, who earlier met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, said in a briefing with reporters in Beirut on Saturday that Israel must "stop the crimes against civilians in Gaza — because it might be too late in a few hours."

"I know about the scenarios that Hezbollah has put in place," Amir-Abdollahian said. "Any step the resistance will take will cause a huge earthquake" for Israel.

Reuters reports, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened Israel's expanded emergency cabinet for the first time on Sunday, saying the national unity on display sent a message at home and abroad as the country gears up to 'demolish Hamas' in Gaza."

"The meeting, held in military headquarters in Tel Aviv, began with ministers standing for a moment's silence in memory of the 1,300 Israelis killed in Hamas' shock attack on Oct. 7."

Welcoming former opposition lawmaker Benny Gantz, who joined the government along with several members of his party last week, Netanyahu said all ministers were "working around the clock, with a united front."

"Hamas thought we would be demolished. It is we who will demolish Hamas," Netanyahu said, adding that the show of unity "sends a clear message to the nation, the enemy, and the world."

Takeaway

Many in the world, including the US and foreign press, are pivoting and now preparing to label Israel as the "oppressor" as they move forward to destroy the terrorists and their military equipment. 

If you're conflicted about who's who in this Middle East time bomb, I strongly encourage you to read the article published by the Wall Street Journal on Saturday.

It begins with:

Written orders carried by Hamas fighters sent to attack Israeli towns and settlements last weekend contained the same chilling command: Kill as many people as possible.

Documents recovered from the bodies of dead militants at the sites of attacks that killed more than 1,300 Israelis point to a deliberate strategy to massacre civilians. 

The similarity of the orders given to attack teams, along with videos posted by the attackers themselves, eyewitness testimony, and the scale of civilian killings in multiple locations—at least 1,000 in total—suggest that the massacre wasn’t a byproduct of the attack but a central objective.

A Hamas squad that attacked the farming community of Alumim in southern Israel, was directed to “achieve the highest level of human losses” and then take hostages, according to documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal and which an Israeli official said were authentic.

Orders carried by militants sent to attack Sa’ad, a 670-person collective farming community, instructed them to “to take control of the kibbutz, kill as many individuals as possible, and capture hostages until receiving further instructions.”

The documents are at odds with assertions by Hamas officials that militants had been told not to kill women and children.

“Hamas’s strategy behind this attack was very clear: they were on a mission to hurt and murder as many innocent civilians as possible.” 

Pray for the peace of  Jerusalem.

Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.