The Associated Press (“AP News”) reports that Hezbollah launched a rocket strike at an Israeli soccer field today (7/27/2024) – killing at least 11 children and teens, and wounding many others. The attack was the deadliest along Israel’s northern border since Hamas’ attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. There is concern that today’s attack will result a larger regional war.
Israel has blamed Hezbollah for the missile strike, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning that Hezbollah “will pay a heavy price for this attack, one that it has not paid so far.”
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, told Israeli News Channel 12 “there is no doubt that Hezbollah has crossed all the red lines here, and the response will reflect that. We are nearing the moment in which we face an all-out war.”
The AP News report may be read in full HERE.
According to CBS News, Hezbollah’s Chief Spokesman, Mohammed Afif, told AP News that Hezbollah “categorically denies carrying out an attack on Majdal Shams.” Israel Defense Forces (“IDF”) Chief Spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, told journalists that Hezbollah was lying and that all 11 persons killed were aged 10 to 20, with more than 20 others wounded.
The CBS News report may be read in full HERE.
My brothers and sisters, the hatred against the Jewish people and Israel is beyond words.
If Iran and its proxies, Hezbollah (Lebanon) and Hamas, wanted to have peace and a conclusion to the Israel/Hamas War, they could begin by: 1) unconditionally returning all of the hostages (dead or alive); 2) assuring citizens receive all necessary humanitarian aid and relief without fear of attack or theft; 3) ceasing military integration within civilian structures and populations; 4) ceasing all missile, rocket and drone attacks against Israel; and 5) reaching out to Israel’s government, not to disingenuously piecemeal hostage returns (which is a war crime in-and-of-itself), but to seek an immediate resolution and initiate post-war governance discussions. Of course, this is clearly not the goal of Hezbollah or Hamas.
As this writer has stated before, Hamas, and now Hezbollah, break every known and internationally-accepted rule of warfare. They are terrorist organizations with the expressed goal of killing all Jews and removing the nation of Israel from the face of the earth.
It should come as no surprise that continued cajoling and handwringing by risk-averse nations, including the United States, persists in hopes that an acceptable ‘settlement’ would be obtained. This is simply not a reality. Sometimes evil understands only one thing, brute force.
As followers of Christ, let’s continue to pray for the protection of the Jewish people (God’s chosen people), the state of Israel, and all of the persons suffering and at mortal risk, whether they are abducted hostages, military members or displaced citizens (including those Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who are suffering greatly). Let’s also pray for a quick and just end to this war, without the need for further escalation against Hezbollah or Iran.
Let’s remember what the bible has to say about the Jewish people and Israel:
Deuteronomy 7:6 (NKJV)
“For you [the Jews] are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself [emphasis mine], a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.”
Zechariah 2:8 (Amplified Bible)
“For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘[a]fter glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you—for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.’”
And, as hard as it may be to accept, the bible says that there is a time when war becomes necessary:
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (Amplified Bible)
A Time for Everything
“There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven—[a] time to be born and a time to die; [a] time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; [a] time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; [a] time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones; [a] time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; [a] time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; [a] time to keep silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; [a] time for war and a time for peace [emphasis mine].”