Israel (MNN) – Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel to “deliver a message of solidarity and support” following the worst attack on Israeli soil in decades.
The top U.S. official will also “talk about what additional resources we can give them,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters traveling with him in Brussels, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that a “small group” of U.S. special operations forces are helping their Israeli counterparts with planning and intelligence in operations against Hamas.
On Sunday, a retired four-star U.S. Army general told MSNBC’s “Weekends With Alex Witt” that the U.S. would likely come to Israel’s defense if the conflict escalated beyond proxy fighting to involve countries like Iran or Syria.
According to The Institute for the Study of War, Israeli forces currently face a triple threat from Islamic militants supported by Iran. Military analysts describe the dangers posed by Hamas in the south, Hezbollah in the north, and Hamas allies in the West Bank.
Uncharted Ministries’ Tom Doyle adds militants in neighboring Syria as another possible threat.
“The terrorism there’s [on] all sides [from militants] that are possibly going to attack Israel. If that happens, it goes from a war to a regional war,” Doyle explains.
“That’s a big step because when a regional war happens, the big nations start lining up, and we already know who will line up with whom.”
Uncharted Ministries partners with believers inside Israel and the Gaza Strip. More about that here.
No matter what happens next in the Israel-Hamas war, “Jesus is still on the throne, and we’re hearing miracle stories already about divine interventions,” Doyle says.
“When the dust settles, we’ll be able to bring forth all the stories about what Jesus did.”
Missile explosion in the Gaza Strip in conflict between Israel and Hamas.
(Wikimedia Commons)
For example, Doyle describes how one young woman trapped in a Palestinian area found freedom. “She was by herself, hiding under a bed for two days,” he says.
“Terrorists beat on the door several times looking for people, and miraculously, God orchestrated [a way] for her to get out of that area into Jerusalem.”
Some Muslim-background believers in Gaza tell the Uncharted team, “Even though the fighting was in their apartment buildings, they’ve survived!”
To protect the individuals involved, we cannot describe every detail. However, there’s enough information to reflect the faithfulness of our Lord.
Consider sharing these hope stories the next time you discuss current events with a neighbor.
“We, as believers, need to be the salt and light of Jesus because we have a chance to set the tone right now,” Doyle says.
“Talk about the miracles that are happening today, and bring the light of Christ to the conversation. Don’t get political on all this; be the body of Christ and reach out to people.”
Header image depicts the territory involved in the current Israel-Hamas war. (Wikimedia Commons)
