IDF Shuts Down Major Hezbollah Command Center
 
Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF has cleared out a major underground bunker that served as a Hezbollah stronghold on the Ali al-Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon, which stands about 2,000 feet above the surrounding area.
 
This bunker served as a command center or underground fortress for Hezbollah’s operations in southern Lebanon, with extensive and deep tunnel networks in which terrorist fighters lived and stored their weapons. It is reported that with Iran’s help, Hezbollah spent 20 years building the complex.
 
The IDF has worked continuously since June to take possession of the ridge. The facility has now been fully captured, and the Hezbollah fighters within have either been killed, taken captive, or have fled. 
 
Netanyahu said, “We instructed the IDF to clear it. I congratulate the chief of staff, the Northern Command commander and our heroic soldiers. They did tremendous work there. Today we can say it: the Ali Taher ridge no longer threatens us.”
 
According to an X post by Decode Conflict, “The battle for the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon is not a minor contest over another piece of territory. It is a struggle over the geography Hezbollah needs to survive as a military organization…
 
“Whoever controls this elevation gains more than a defensive position. The ridge offers surveillance over roads, villages and suspected supply routes. From there, forces can monitor movement, direct artillery, identify launch preparations and restrict Hezbollah’s ability to move weapons toward the Israeli border…
 
“The future of southern Lebanon will not be decided by speeches in Beirut. It will be decided by who controls the terrain from which Hezbollah could rebuild.”

Words of Encouragement
“Christian! There is no sweeter pillow than [God’s] providence; and when providence seems adverse, believe it still, lay it under your head, for depend upon it there is comfort in its bosom. There is hope for you, child of God! The great trouble which is to come in your way in the early part of your pilgrimage, is planned by love, the same love which will interpose as your protector.”
 
C.H. Spurgeon, “Israel at the Red Sea,” sermon preached at New Park Street Chapel, March 30, 1856
 

Scripture: Our Sure Foundation and Hope
 
In Psalm 2 is a prophecy about the futility of opposing God and the certainty of Christ’s future rule on Earth. Verse 2 speaks of how “the kings of the earth set themselves…against the Lord and against his Anointed.” Then in verse 4, we see a colorful description of God’s response to those who plot against Him: “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.”
 
Worldly authorities have long deceived themselves into thinking they will prevail against God. But they are no match for Him. In verses 5-6, God proclaims a warning and a promise: “Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’”
 
Here, God warns earthly rulers and kingdoms that their defeat is sure. When Christ returns and sets up His throne in Zion, or Jerusalem, He will triumph and rule as the supreme authority over all.  
 
It is frustrating to see the wicked flourish as they do today. In this moment, evil seems to be winning over good. But Psalm 2 is one of many guarantees given in Scripture of this marvelous truth: There is coming a day when evil will be wiped out and never again exist on Earth, and righteousness will reign forever.
 
Psalm 2 closes with this reassuring promise: “Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (verse 12). We who have taken shelter in Christ—who have put our trust in Him—have the promise of eternal blessings. That is why we can join the psalmist and say to God, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
 

Protests Beginning to Emerge in Iran as Economy Continues to Implode
 
Both Operation Economic Outcast and the US naval blockade on Iranian ships are continuing to take a toll on Iran’s financial condition.
 
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, there are some small protests cropping up in various Iranian cities, including Tehran.
 
So far, the demonstrations are primarily by retired teachers and telecommunications workers, as well as by unemployed Iranians desperate for work, and are focused on cost-of-living increases and rising medical expenses.
 
Last week, Ben Sabti, an expert at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies, told The Jerusalem Post that the protests could grow in size because the “Iranian people don’t have many options to survive.”

Turkey to Increase Defense Spending
 
Yesterday, Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz of Turkey said the country is “increasing defense spending by 229%.”
 
The increase is intended for expenditure during 2027-2029 and will emphasize the development of technologies within Turkey itself. Yilmaz said, “In the defense industry, we aim for a Turkey that develops its own technology and produces high value.”
 
This isn’t a random decision on Turkey’s part. Recently, Israel and Greece have committed to increasing their military partnership with an eye toward protecting themselves from an increasingly aggressive Turkish military presence in the Mediterranean.
 
Turkey—an avowed enemy of Israel—is watching this development closely. In addition, Turkey’s Defense Ministry recently sent a letter to one of the lawmakers in the Turkish parliament, saying, “Studies regarding all kinds of developments, including possible crisis, tension, and war, that may occur in our region…continue meticulously in full coordination with all units of our state.”
 
In plain language, that’s another way of saying Turkey is increasingly moving toward a war footing.
 
The letter also addresses what Turkey believes are violations of Turkey’s “rights, interests and concerns” in the region. In relation to Israel, the letter said the new agreement between Israel and Greece is being “closely monitored.”
 
All of this points toward heightened tensions between Turkey and Israel—tensions that keep Turkey moving more and more toward the Ezekiel 38 War prophesied in Ezekiel 38–39.

Qatar Seeks China’s Help for Continuation of US-Iran Talks
 
Both the prime minister and the minister of foreign affairs for Qatar are currently in Beijing, and have said they are seeking China’s help in getting the US and Iran to resume talks. 
 
Both Qatar and China are strongly pro-Iran, so we know they will do what they can to get an outcome that is more favorable to Iran than to the US.

Houthis Attack Saudi Oil Industry
 
Houthi terrorists in Yemen—who are sponsored by Iran—have reportedly attacked Saudi energy infrastructure, causing disruptions to Saudi Arabia’s oil industry.
 
The Houthis targeted multiple Saudi energy facilities and also carried out attacks on civilians in several Saudi cities.
 
Saudi Arabia condemned the Houthis’ actions and has warned it will retaliate. 

Settler Violence in Judea and Samaria Leads to UK Action Against Israel
 
Today, the UK government will impose an import ban on goods that come from Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria. The action is being taken in response to ongoing Israeli settler violence against Palestinians who live in the region.
 
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said that at the same time the import ban and sanctions are in place against businesses and individuals in Judea and Samaria, the UK will continue to carry on trade with Israel inside the Green Line—that is, the part of Israel that doesn’t include Judea and Samaria.
 
The UK isn’t alone in this effort—Canada and France have said they will implement similar bans, and several European nations have said they plan to take action as well.
 
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has said that the Israeli settler violence against Palestinians fits the definition of terror, and he has condemned what is taking place.
 

Were You Aware that the Most Popular Baby Name in Israel for Males is Mohammad?
 
Every year, Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority reports on the most popular boy and girl names for that year. It so happens that for several years now, Mohammad has been the #1 boys’ name.
 
How is that the case in a Jewish nation?
 
Here’s the explanation as given by i24 News:
 
“It simply comes down to concentration, not spread. Israel's Arab-Muslim community numbers around 1.7 million people, roughly 18 percent of the population, and naming a son after the Prophet Muhammad is a deep-rooted tradition within it.
 
“Jewish parents, by contrast, spread their choices across dozens of biblical and modern Hebrew names, none of which gets anywhere close to a similar share. So one name concentrated heavily in one community can outrank any single name drawn from a much more fragmented pool, and Mohammad ends up on top of the national registry almost every year.”
 
For those who accuse Israel of genocide—Israel isn’t doing a very good job, is it? The fast-growing Arab-Muslim population in Israel testifies to the fact Israelis have permitted Muslims to live within their midst, whereas for a Jewish person to enter certain Muslim countries or regions would mean sure death.
 

US CENTCOM Sinks Iranian Tankers
 
After Iran lashed out by attacking a US base in Jordan and targeting multiple commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command went into action and destroyed 5 Iranian tankers, bringing this week’s total to 10 Iranian vessels destroyed or sunk.
 
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that it had struck two US Navy destroyers, but US Central Command refuted that, saying, “This is completely FALSE. No U.S. Navy warship has been struck.”
 
This recent US strategy of striking Iranian tankers is a significant new development—one that could help strengthen the US’s effort to economically isolate Iran. It is through Iran’s shadow network of tankers that it has still been able to obtain financial support from China.
 
In the meantime, there is word that small-scale protests are continuing to take place across Iran.
 

Houthis Advance, Take Control of Important Strait Port
 
Houthi terrorists have taken more ground in Yemen, securing control of the city of Mocha, Yemen, which is at a key location along the Red Sea. Their presence poses a significant threat to the Red Sea passageway.
 
As they took over the city, eyewitnesses say they were chanting, “Death to America, death to Israel.”

US Forces Carry Out Strikes Near Kharg Island
 
Recently, US Central Command has attacked Iranian assets near Kharg Island, the location from which Iran ships nearly 90 percent of its oil. In the past, Trump has threatened to take the island or destroy it, but hasn’t followed through.

With these new attacks, some are now wondering if, in some way, attacks upon the island are part of the US strategy to continue increasing the economic pressure on Iran.

25 Years Since 9/11
 
The sad truth about 9/11 is that a tragic event we should never forget is slowly being forgotten.
 
For a full generation of young people, 9/11 is not a vivid memory but an event that took place in the past. They never experienced the emotional impact of the horror inflicted upon the nearly 3,000 people killed that day, the exceptional heroism displayed by first responders, and the unsettling yet unifying effect all this had on America.
 
And since 9/11, more and more voices have risen that blame the victims, who “had it coming to them,” and who sympathize with the Islamist terrorists who carried out the attacks. Those who dare to identify America’s enemy that day are accused of Islamophobia.
 
Less than 25 years later, the residents of New York City—ground zero—voted a Muslim mayor into office, Zohran Mamdani.
 
A petition was signed by nearly 110,000 people who demanded that Mamdani not attend this year’s 9/11 ceremony. The controversy over his attendance was inflamed by the fact that recently, Mamdani handed a ceremonial pen used to sign 9/11-related executive orders to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and asked her to pass it to his chief counsel Ramzi Kassem, an attorney who defended a close associate of Osama bin Laden, convicted terrorist Ahmed al-Darbi.
 
May we who love the country God has given us—and who love the truth—commit to this: Truly never forgetting what happened that day, and never forgetting who made it happen.
 

Words of Encouragement

“Every time you open your Bible, you hold Israel’s gift in your hands. Every time you pray in Jesus’ Name, you access the Father through Israel’s Messiah. Every time you gather with fellow believers, you are carrying on a story that began in Israel. Every promise in the covenant pointed toward this one supreme gift. Every patriarch and prophet, every priest and king, every sacrifice and feast day was preparing the way for Him. And now He has come. Israel has delivered the Messiah to the world.
 
Israel gave us Jesus.”

 
David Jeremiah, “Why Israel Should Have a Place in Every Christian’s Heart,” David Jeremiah Blog
 

Scripture: Our Sure Foundation and Hope
 
In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, our Lord wrote letters to seven churches in Asia Minor—letters meant not only for them, but for every church all through history, including today. Every message ended with an exhortation for believers to live as overcomers.
 
Scripture gives us multiple reminders of what it means to live as overcomers. Here are a few of them. As you read these passages, think about what it would look like to apply them in the face of life’s challenges and the spiritual darkness around us:
 
John 15:5—“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
 
Romans 12:1-2—“Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”
 
Ephesians 4:22-24—“Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
 
Colossians 3:2—“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
 
Colossians 3:16—“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”
 
Surrender, holiness, an eternal perspective, and a love for God’s Word are all crucial aspects of living as overcomers, which is made possible by Christ alone, the Great Overcomer.

While it is difficult to live accordingly in this fallen world, the rewards of doing so are deeply satisfying and eternal.

Palestinian Jihad Against Israel Never Stops
 
The Israel Foreign Ministry released a new set of statistics that reveal just how determined Palestinian terrorists are in their efforts to destroy the Jewish nation.
 
The IFM reported that from January 1 to July 31 of 2026, a total of 2,335 terrorist attacks were carried out by Palestinian terrorists against Israelis. An additional 2,289 attacks were stopped.
 
With regard to the attacks alone, that breaks down to more than 10 terror attacks a day over the past 7 months.
 
Just because there is supposedly a ceasefire in Gaza doesn’t mean the situation in the region is anywhere near peaceful. The violence and hatred continue.

Turkey Accuses Israel of Bringing Instability to Syria
 
Last month, Israel carried out airstrikes at Syria’s Abu Duhur air base in an effort to prevent Turkish troops from being deployed at the base and posing a danger to Israel.
 
During a recent visit to Damascus, Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused Israel of attempting to weaken Syria.
 
At a press conference, Fidan said, “Just as Syria offers so much hope to the region and the world, there is suddenly an actor striving to destabilize the country. You know the name of that actor: Israel…the policies Israel pursues constitute the most serious obstacle to this positive trajectory. The attack carried out against the Abu Duhur military air base is one of the latest examples.”
 
The reality is that Turkey is eager to build up its military presence in Syria in its effort to becoming a major power broker in the region. Turkey’s support for Syria continues to grow, and President Erdogan of Turkey is expected to visit soon.
 
And given Erdogan’s fierce animosity toward Israel, that makes it necessary for Israel to exercise tremendous caution in response to Turkey’s growing presence in Syria.

The Ongoing Houthis Threat in Yemen and the Red Sea Region
 
Houthis terrorists in Yemen—who are backed by Iran—have captured additional territory that places them at a strategic international shipping chokepoint in the Red Sea region.
 
In addition to capturing the port cities of Mocha and Dhubab, the Houthis have seized the islands of Mayun and Perim at the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The terrorists fought against official Yemeni government troops, who conceded defeat and surrendered the port cities and islands to the Houthis.
 
While the terrorist fighters now occupy the middle of the narrow strait—and can block the passage of ships—they’ve also made themselves vulnerable to US firepower.

Former Navy captain Morgan Murphy, in a Fox News interview, said the Houthis “have gained what we could call the cork in the Red Sea bottle. But they’ve put themselves into a kill box…If [Trump] so chooses, he can wipe them off the face of that rock pretty easily…The Houthis have just massed their troops on that rock. So what that is, what we would call that in the Navy, is a kill box.”
 

Israel Helps Saudi Arabia
 
Houthis terrorists are continuing to gain ground near the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea region and have attacked Saudi towns near the Saudi-Yemen border. The Houthis have also done damage to Saudi oil pipelines and infrastructure, diminishing the nation’s ability to ship oil.
 
This has led the Saudi government to ask Israel to provide intelligence that will enable Saudi Arabia to defend itself and fight against the Houthis.
 
The talks between Saudi Arabia and Israel were mediated by US Central Command, and the intelligence will make it possible for Saudi Arabia to track the movements of the terrorist forces.
 
While Israel’s assistance won’t improve the chances that the Saudi government would join the Abraham Accords, Israel benefits from providing the intelligence because any deterrence efforts carried out against the Iranian-backed Houthis is a plus for Israel.

Hezbollah Appears to Be Planning New Attack Against Israel
 
IDF surveillance and intelligence has provided indicators that Hezbollah terrorist forces in southern Lebanon are gearing up to carry out a major attack on northern Israel sometime in the future.
 
There is evidence that Hezbollah is tracking the IDF’s activities and attempting to sustain covert operations in an effort to remain undetected.
 
The IDF Northern Command has warned that Hezbollah is likely preparing for a major fight and is awaiting orders from Iran. The Northern Command has said the Israeli government cannot afford to be complacent, and that diligence is still needed even as Hezbollah has been relatively quieter as of late.

Seven Truths to Remember in Times of Great Uncertainty
 
Today, we’re replaying a very popular episode of the Foreshadows Report podcast, titled “Seven Truths to Remember in Times of Great Uncertainty.”

As we enter the fall season with a lot of unknowns about what might happen next in the Iran war and the US and Israeli elections, the content of this podcast reminds us of how we can know peace in the midst of strife. May you find yourself encouraged!
 
https://stevemillerresources.com/podcast/