Sending Mixed Signals

Tonight US President Donald Trump is set to address the nation about the war against Iran with many thinking he will give a timeline for the end of the war, something Americans want. At the same time that Trump is saying Iran wants a truce, the Iranian military is still hitting Israel over and over again seemingly daring both the US and Israel to expand the fighting. But there is another factor, one that is frankly telling as we see in an article from the Jewish News Syndicate:

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf allies are privately pressing U.S. President Donald Trump to keep prosecuting the war against Iran, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

These regional leaders are concerned that Iran can build back:

They argue that a month of U.S.-led strikes has not weakened Tehran enough, according to U.S., Gulf and Israeli officials.

With that in mind, two nations are wanting increased military power while two, supporters of the terrorists wanting diplomacy to lead the way:

The officials told the news agency that Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading calls to intensify military pressure—with the Emirates favoring a ground invasion—while Oman and Qatar push for a diplomatic end to the conflict.

This makes sense since Iran is already hitting them with more attacks threatened:

Gulf leaders want any eventual deal to force major changes in Iran’s behavior, including curbing its nuclear and missile programs and stopping support for terrorist proxy groups, even as Tehran warns it could target neighbors’ critical infrastructure if the war escalates.

While surrounding nations push for ending the war, Trump is asking them to help pay for it:

Meanwhile, Trump is weighing a push for Arab countries to help pay for the U.S.-Israeli war against the Iranian regime, the White House said on Monday. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Trump “would be quite interested” in calling on Gulf states to share the costs, recalling how Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates bankrolled much of the 1990-91 Gulf War.

Building Coalitions

In anticipation of regime change in Iran, Prime Minister Netanyahu is reaching out to Arab nations to help in the fighting as we read in an article from World Israel News:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers at a Cabinet meeting this week that Israel is building alliances with Arab countries to confront Iran, signaling expanded regional coordination as the conflict continues. Netanyahu described the outreach as part of a broader regional shift, saying countries that once dismissed Israeli warnings about Iran are now reassessing the threat.

These leaders haven’t always been open to the notion of opposing Iran, but now they are:

According to remarks cited by Maariv, Netanyahu said past discussions with Arab leaders did not resonate at the time.

“In the past, I had secret conversations with Arab leaders,” Netanyahu reportedly said. “I told them, ‘As soon as Iran can, it will conquer you and overthrow your kingdoms.’ Back then, they didn’t really internalize things. Today they understand.”

Current talks are making headway:

He said Israel is now advancing ties with “important countries in the region,” without naming them, and indicated that additional agreements could soon be made public. “We are creating new alliances with important countries in the region,” he said. “Soon, I will be able to tell you more about these important pacts.”

Obviously naming names now isn’t wise since Iran is ready to attack anyone who opposes them. Still the momentum to support Israel in the fight is growing:

Separately, Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter described increased engagement with Gulf states. Speaking Monday on the “What the Hell is Going On” podcast, he said multiple countries have sought closer coordination with Israel.

“Some of our allies have become even greater allies over the past month,” Leiter said. “Whether it’s UAE, Bahrain, I think we’ve become closer to the Saudis, closer to the Omanis. Closer to the Kuwaitis, for crying out loud. They’ve asked us for assistance.”

Weakening Iran is helping the talks:

Netanyahu linked the diplomatic activity to recent military developments, saying Israeli operations have reduced Iran’s capabilities. He said Israel had eliminated immediate threats tied to Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile arsenal and had also damaged its ability to produce such weapons. “We brought a complementary achievement by smashing the industrial capability of the regime to produce these tools of destruction,” he said.

Netanyahu also mentions the weakening of Iran’s chief proxy as another sign of regime change there:

He also pointed to changes in the regional balance, stating that Hezbollah no longer poses “a strategic threat” to Israel. Netanyahu added that pressure on Tehran could lead to broader change, saying, “Sooner or later, the Iranian regime will fall.”

Prophetically a weakened Iran will help end the ring of fire of terrorism surrounding Israel and creating the environment described in Ezekiel 38:11:

…and you will say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates… (NASB1995)

That hardly the world Israel lives in now with apps on their phones warning them of attacks on a daily basis. The have four walls surrounding them to keep terrorists out. As we pray for the peace of Jerusalem we need to pray that they will eventually get to the place detailed in that verse. That will mean an Iran that needs help to attack Israel one last time. The US is helping to make that happen as well. In any event, we’re seeing prophecy unfold right before our eyes and that is a wonder to behold.