Israel’s Growing Impatience With Syria and Iran, Plus Benjamin Netanyahu’s Trip to Russia

This week we have three news items from Israel and the Middle East.

First, there has been an increase in military activity between Israel and Syria.

Both Syria’s military and Iran-backed forces are now operating very close to the buffer zone separating Syria and Israel. And Israel is taking this threat very seriously. Israel cannot allow either Iranian proxies or Syria’s military—and Syria’s military is, in many respects, an Iranian proxy—to become entrenched near the Golan Heights.

On Wednesday, Israel shot down a Syrian drone that entered Israeli airspace. On Sunday morning, thousands of Israel Defense Forces reservists were ordered to report immediately for surprise military exercises in the Golan Heights. The reservists were told to come directly from their homes and workplaces, and to show up in full gear—this led many to think that the call was more than just a surprise drill.

Meanwhile, Iran-backed forces in southwestern Syria appear ready to attack Israel at any moment. A key figure in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated last month that the organization had created an “Islamic army” near the Golan Heights and was waiting on orders to attack.

This ties in with the second item of news: On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This was actually Netanyahu’s ninth visit to Russia since 2015, and his third this year. This shows who the controlling influence is in Syria right now.

The main topic of discussion was Syria, specifically Iran’s presence and role in Syria.

Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly told Putin that Israel must see Iran expelled from Syria. He also explained that Israel expects Syria to respect the buffer zone between the two nations. It’s important to note that Netanyahu appears to have the support of the Trump administration.

Israel and America understand that the only reason the Assad regime remains in control, and the only reason the Syria-Iran axis continues to exist, is because it has the Kremlin’s backing.

Israel and America are trying to convince Russia to, at the very least, sever Syria’s relationship with Iran, thereby diminishing Iran’s presence and influence in Syria.

Here at the Trumpet, we consider these developments in the context of Bible prophecy. And Bible prophecy indicates that America and Israel might be successful in severing the Syria-Iran axis.

Prophecy shows that the Middle East in the end time will be divided into two general categories. The first is an Iran-led radical Islamist bloc of nations; the second is an Arab bloc of nations that allies with Germany and Europe. According to prophecy, Syria will not be part of the Iran-led alliance of radical Islamist states.

Finally, don’t miss Brent Nagtegaal’s interview with American archaeologist Dr. Scott Stripling. Stripling is currently digging in Shiloh, the city in which the tabernacle stood before it was moved to Solomon’s temple. It’s a fascinating interview about an important excavation. You can find this interview on watchjerusalem.co.il.