Tensions in the Middle East ratcheted even higher Tuesday after Iran launched 180 missiles at Israel.

Israel neutralized the worst of the barrage with the help of twelve American interceptor planes. Falling shrapnel still killed one man in the West Bank and damaged hundreds of homes and businesses in and around Tel Aviv.

This attack is not the first of its kind. Iran launched 300 missiles and drones at Israel earlier this year after Israel assassinated an Iranian General. This time, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims Israel’s assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, the elusive leader of the terrorist group Hezbollah, and Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, prompted the assault.

Iran and Hezbollah play increasingly direct roles in the Israel-Hamas war, which will have raged on for one year this coming Monday.

On October 7, 2023, the Gaza-based terror group Hamas invaded Israel, killing 1,200 people and brutalizing countless others. Of the 250 people Hamas kidnapped that day, an estimated 97 remain in captivity. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) believe only 64 to be alive.

Until recently, Israel worked to vanquish Hamas. But early last month, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallan indicated the focus of the war had shifted.

“Hamas as a military organization no longer exists,” he told reporters, referencing the IDF’s destruction of Hamas’s many weapons stockpiles. Gallan subsequently told troops in northern Israel, “We are nearing the completion of our missions in the south, but we have a task here that has not been carried out, and this mission is to change the security situation and return residents to their homes.”

Hezbollah is the security situation. The now-leaderless terrorist organization has been bombing northern Israel almost constantly since the war began. With Hamas left weakened and weaponless in Gaza, the IDF has increased its engagement with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The common thread between Hezbollah and Hamas is — you guessed it — Iran. It supplies both groups with the money, weapons and military training to defeat their common enemy, Israel.

Iran’s support of Hamas came to the forefront last year, but Hezbollah swears allegiance to Iran in its founding charter. For more than forty years, the paramilitary force has protected and served Iran’s political and military objectives in the Middle East and abroad.

Hezbollah has tens of thousands of soldiers and enough weapons to arm mid-size country’s army, according to the IDF. It has orchestrated multiple horrific attacks on Israel and its western allies. The IDF notes:

Hassan Nasrallah played an integral role in making Hezbollah strong. Under his 32-year reign, the group gained political legitimacy that gave them extensive political and civil power, as well as military might. Nasrallah’s seniority and status makes his assassination a huge blow against Hezbollah and Iran.

Expect to hear more about both Hezbollah and Iran as Israel continues moving into Lebanon. Iran’s direct involvement in the Israel-Hamas war could become more common as Israel threatens its power and influence.

God has shielded Israel from grave damage in both of Iran’s missile strikes. Please pray for the continued protection of Israel and the innocent lives still caught in the Israel-Hamas war being driven by Iran.

Additional Articles and Resources

Iran’s Failed Attack on Israel—What Happened and Why It’s Important

Antisemitism — What It Is and Its Connection to the Israel-Hamas War

Israel is Under Attack—Here’s Why Christians Should Support Its Defense

Israel-Hamas War—How Does Iran Fit In?

Double Standard? Calls for Israeli Ceasefire Could Conceal Antisemitism