eNEWS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 07, 2013
End Time Bible Prophecy Written Circa B.C. 726
The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. ~ Isaiah 17:1
K-House eNews — For many years now, the Islamic Republic of Iran conducted an organized campaign to keep President Bashar al-Assad in power for as long as possible. The purpose of keeping Assad in power was to assure access to Syrian airspace, utilize Syrian naval ports and preserve a buffer zone between Iran and Turkey and the European Powers.Now that the Assad regime is floundering, Iran hopes to at least set the conditions to retain its ability to use Syrian territory and assets so that it may continue to pursue its regional interests should Assad fall.
Iran is working toward this goal by assisting the Assad regime in attempting to hold on to power. Iranian military is leading the effort by the using Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) intelligence services and law enforcement agencies.
The deployment of IRGC Ground Forces to conflict abroad is not only an expansion of Iran’s willingness and ability to project military force beyond its borders, but it is also a visible manifestation of Iran’s military gaining power in Iran over the clerics and civilian forces.
Iran has been largely frustrated in providing military aid to Assad via ground resupply routes between Baghdad and Damascus, and the small number of Syrian port utilization by Iran would suggest that sea transport is really not feasible.
That leaves the air corridor between the two countries. This also is their key vulnerability. Resupply of military units by air are always problematic and the relatively small size of the Iranian Air Force makes any resupply effort problematic at best.
Even the current level of support would be cut off should a no-fly zone be declared over the country. Even if the air corridors remain open, Iran may find that supporting the Assad regime may come at a higher cost than they imagined.
Evidence is coming to the surface showing that Syria is now using chemical weapons on their own citizens.
In response to this newest escalation and Iran’s increasing involvement in the conflict, Israel has launched airstrikes into Syria for the second time in three days, raising concerns of the spread of the Syrian conflict.
Israeli jets reportedly hit several critical military facilities near Damascus, killing dozens of troops near Assad’s palace, according to a Syrian military official. Opposition activists and fighters, as well as residents, said the airstrikes hit Republican Guard bases and long-range missile storehouses, as well as a military research center at Jamraya, which U.S. officials have said is Syria’s main chemical weapons facility.
The attacks came after a strike on a weapons facility at Damascus International Airport, which security sources said had Iranian missiles that were to be transferred to Hezbollah in Lebanon. An anonymous senior Israeli government official said, “If we don’t take action now, we will be on the receiving end of those missiles.”
Israel hasn’t confirmed the attacks, and the Obama Administration declined to say if it believed Israel was responsible for the airstrikes. Syria condemned the strikes as a “declaration of war” and threatened retaliation, saying it was open to “all the options.”
While some analysts believe Syrian retaliation is unlikely, as a precaution, Israel deployed two of its Iron Dome missile defense batteries to its northern border and closed civilian flights to the northern Israeli city of Haifa.
Meanwhile, with the increased speculation that chemical weapons have been used in the Syrian conflict, the head of the U.N. Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria said there is “strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof” that opposition fighters have also used sarin gas.
Free Syrian Army spokesman Louay Almokadad dismissed the statement, insisting the opposition fighters do not have nor want chemical weapons, and “don’t have the mechanism to launch these kinds of weapons.”
Israeli defense officials have made it clear that Israel would also stop “game-changing” weapons from making their way to Hezbollah. The Israeli airstrikes, according to Western Intelligence sources, around Damascus over the weekend “were proof that Israel means business,” writes Ben Caspit for al-Monitor.
“Hezbollah’s operations against Israel have nothing to do with protecting Lebanon and defending Palestine. Hezbollah is merely an Iranian brigade which has been founded for more than 30 years to serve the aims of the Ayatollah’s regime in Tehran,” writes Abdulrahman al-Rashed for al-Arabiya.
“Israel did not seek permission from the United States before launching two missile strikes this weekend hitting targets inside Syria—but the strikes were part of a policy that Washington had already signaled its acquiescence to,” writes Eli Lake for the Daily Beast.
These latest moves by the principals highlight several things:
1. The Assad Regime is growing ever weaker.
2. The Syrian rebels are gaining strength and becoming better armed though the assistance of Iran.
3. Iran’s military is taking the lead in their country’s foreign affairs at the expense of the cleric’s power.
4. Syria is moving closer to becoming another client state, in many respects as Iraq had previously.
5. Israel will not tolerate the direction the conflict is taking place and will act with or without the assistance of an increasing hostile U.S. Government.
As we watch events unfold in Syria, one can only wonder if this latest round of conflict will result in a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of Damascus becoming a “ruinous heap.” (Isaiah 17:1–3).
» Full Article
Related:
» Israeli Airstrikes on Syria Prompt Threats, Anger
» Israeli Airstrikes in Syria Send Broader Message To Iran
» Syria Accuses Israel of Declaring War After Further Air Strikes
» Syria Threat Over Israel Air Strike Risks Wider Conflict
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About Dr. Chuck Missler & K-House
“Koinonia” is a New Testament word which is most often translated to mean “communication”, “fellowship”, or “communion”. Koinonia House, or K-House as we are affectionately called, is dedicated to the development and distribution of materials for encouraging and facilitating serious study of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God.K-House was founded by Chuck and Nancy Missler. Chuck, a Naval academy graduate and former Branch Chief of the Dept. of Guided Missiles, had a remarkable 30-year executive career. He served on the Board of Directors of 12 public companies and was CEO of 6 of them. For twenty years Chuck balanced his high-profile corporate career with his teaching commitment to a weekly Bible study at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in Southern California. Nancy, while raising their four children, has touched the lives of thousands through her in-depth teaching of Biblical discoveries in her “Way of Agape” and “Be Ye Transformed” books and tape series. » Full Bio