Iran/Syria (MNN) — Recent reports show that Iran used earthquake relief flights to secretly deliver weapons and military equipment to Syria — weapons that would be used to attack Israel. Most of the shipments were brought in through Syria’s northern Aleppo airport, according to an Israeli defense official.
Iran and Syria have been scratching each other’s backs for decades. Iranian support for Syria in its conflict with Israel is primarily based on shared political and ideological interests.
Aleppo, Syria. (Photo courtesy of aladdin hammami/Unsplash)
Syria helps Iran advance Shiite Muslim influence in the region, and Iran provides support to Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad with military and financial aid to help it withstand the ongoing civil war. And they both have Israel as a common enemy.
Iran’s support of the Assad regime is also driven by a desire to counter the influence of its regional rival, Saudi Arabia.
However, Samuel* with Redemptive Stories says, “As Iran is trying to bring in weapons, Saudi may actually support that because they’re trying to target Israel.”
Rather than sitting on defense, Israel proactively responded to this move arming political opponents.
Samuel says, “We’ve seen within maybe the last month, in particular, that there have been Israeli strikes into Syria particularly at targets that they suspect are bringing weapons in from Iran under the guise of earthquake aid.”
Despite significant political players on the stage of conflict in the Middle East, God is still on the throne and working through His Church.
Pray for Christians throughout Iran, Syria, and Israel working to advance the Gospel – the only thing that changes hearts.
“As we look at this situation, we don’t perceive or desire to have any sort of political power to make transformation happen on a scale that large,” says Samuel. “But we do have an amazing power through the Holy Spirit to be able to pray with and pray for our brothers and sisters who are responding.”
Header photo courtesy of Benjamin Rascoe/Unsplash.
*Psuedonym
