JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T
MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE
MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET
SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO
OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST
FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of
the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
WAR WITH IRAN - DAY 21 - WILL TRUMP GO AFTER IRANS KHARG OIL REFINERIES?.
THE
NEXT US-ISRAEL HIT ON IRAN SHOULD BE VERSE 37. ALL OFFENSIVE NUKE SITES
MISSLES,DRONES,AND OF COURSE KHEMENI AND THE IRGC GUARDS.THEN AFTER
IRANS REGIME CHANGE. MUSLIMS COME TO JESUS BY THE MILLIONS.
JEREMEIAH 49:32-39 (IN IRAN AT THE BUSHEHR OR ARAK NUKE SITES AND ALL OFENSIVE WEAPONS DESTROYED IN IRAN)
Jeremiah 49:32-39
32
Their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a
spoil: and I will scatter to all winds those who have the corners [of
their hair] cut off; and I will bring their calamity from every side of
them, says Yahweh.
33 Hazor shall be a dwelling-place of jackals, a
desolation forever: no man shall dwell there, neither shall any son of
man sojourn therein.(Location & Size: It was strategically located
along the Via Maris (Way of the Sea), a major trade route connecting
Egypt with Syria and Mesopotamia.)
34 The word of Yahweh that came to
Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam,(IRAN) in the beginning of the
reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
35 Thus says Yahweh of
Hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,(IRANS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS)
the chief of their might.(MISSLES AND NUKE SITES)
36 On Elam (IRAN)
will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of the sky, and will
scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation where
the outcasts of Elam shall not come.(SINCE 1979 IRANIANS HAVE GOTTIN OUT
OF IRAN BECAUSE OF KHEMENI AND HIS APOCOPOLIPTIC DEATH CULT
BELIEF-BLACK HATER 12ERS)
37 I will cause Elam (IRAN) to be dismayed
before their enemies, and before those who seek their life;(ISRAEL THE
LITTLE SATAN AND THE U.S THE BIG SATAN) and I will bring evil on them,
(MISSLES) even my fierce anger,(FIRE) says Yahweh; and I will send the
sword after them,(IRANS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS) until I have consumed them;
(DESTROYED THEM ALL NUKE SITES,MISSLES ETC)
38 and I will set my
throne in Elam,(IRAN WILL BECOME A CHRISTIAN NATION) and will destroy
from there king (KHEMENI, ISLAM) and princes, says Yahweh.(IRANIAN ARMY
GUARDS)
39 But it shall happen in the latter days, that I will bring
back the captivity of Elam,(IRAN) says Yahweh.(WERE IN THE LATTER DAYS
NOW)
WHEN ARE THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS IN ISRAEL IN THE SPRING TIME.(GET READY ISLAM TO BE BIRD SEED FOR THESE BIRDS)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m0bXU5Xqc5M
The
500 million migratory birds in Israel during the spring arrive from
Africa and head toward Europe and Asia, with the peak migration
occurring in March and April. While migration starts in late February,
the most intense movements, particularly of birds of prey, storks, and
pelicans, occur during the third week of March and continue into April.
Key Details on the Spring Migration
Peak Period: Mid-March through April.
Main
Migration Route: The birds use the Great Rift Valley, which includes
the Hula Valley and Eilat, acting as a "bottleneck" where millions of
birds fly through the narrow land bridge.
Best Spots: The Hula Lake
Park (Northern Israel) and the Eilat Birding Center (Southern Israel)
are primary locations for observing the migration.
Key Species:
Hundreds of thousands of white storks, along with black kites, raptors,
and pelicans, pass through over these months.
uration: The spring migration runs from late February and continues into June, though the heaviest traffic is in March/April.
The
500 million migratory birds fly over Israel in the fall between late
August and mid-December. The peak migration period for the autumn, when
the highest volume of bird traffic occurs, is typically October and
November.
Key Fall Migration Details
Location: The Hula Valley (Agamon Hula Park) in northern Israel is the premier spot to witness this phenomenon.
Timing: Migration starts as early as late June with some waders, but intensifies from mid-August through November.
Peak Festival: The "Annual Hula Valley Bird Festival" is usually held in November to align with the peak migration traffic.
Key
Species: Many birds of prey (raptors), including honey buzzards and
steppe eagles, cross during this time, along with massive flocks of
storks and cranes.
While roughly 500 million birds pass through in
the autumn on their way to Africa, the same number crosses again in the
spring (mid-February to May) on their way back to Europe and Asia.
JEREMEIAH 49:23-27
23
Concerning Damascus.(SYRIA) Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they
have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the
sea;(WAR SHIPS WITH NUKES COMING ON SYRIA) it cannot be quiet.
24
Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath
seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in
travail.
25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26
Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of
war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
27 And I
will kindle a fire (NUKES OR BOMBS) in the wall of Damascus, and it
shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(ASSADS PALACES POSSIBLY IN
DAMASCUS)
Why does the US have Iran's Kharg Island in its sights?
Robert Greenall,Alys Daviesand-Frank Gardner,security correspondent, in
Riyadh-MAR 20,26
Donald Trump has warned of possible further US
action against a small island off the coast of Iran - home to a major
oil terminal that is considered the country's economic lifeline.It was
reported on 13 March that the US military had bombed Kharg Island. Trump
said at the time that its military facilities were "totally
obliterated" but that US forces had held off targeting its oil
infrastructure.On Friday US news outlet Axios, quoting four sources with
knowledge of the issue, said that the administration was considering
plans to occupy or blockade the island to pressure Iran to reopen the
Strait of Hormuz - one of the world's most important shipping channels,
located south of Iran's coast.Trump had previously warned that he would
reconsider the decision not to target oil facilities on the island
should Iran or others "do anything to interfere" with the safe passage
of ships through the strait. Since then, Iran has continued threatening
to attack some ships that attempt to pass through Hormuz.Aaron Maclean,
the host of the School of War podcast and a CBS national security
analyst, said that the US thinking was likely that the island could be
seized and "used as leverage" to compel the Iranians to keep the strait
open.Iran's military said oil and energy infrastructure belonging to
firms working with the US would "immediately be destroyed" should
Kharg's oil infrastructure be attacked.Will the US try to seize the
island? There has been speculation for some time about whether US forces
would at some point attempt to take over Kharg Island.Its seizure would
not only choke off Iran's oil exports but could also provide a platform
from which to carry out attacks against the mainland.Axios sources said
an occupation by ground forces was now under serious consideration but
that another option was to impose a naval blockade to prevent tankers
from reaching the island.Media reports last week suggested that
amphibious ships carrying up to 5,000 Marines and sailors were being
sent to the Gulf, adding to that speculation.Both the Pentagon and the
White House have declined to offer comments on specific troop
deployments or potential plans - but have repeatedly made clear that the
option is available."President Trump wisely keeps all options at his
disposal," a White House official told the BBC earlier this week.Taking
the island would effectively cut off the IRGC's economic lifeline,
impacting its ability to be able to conduct war, security analyst Mikey
Kay, from the BBC's Security Brief, says.According to Maclean, any US
operation to seize the island would be relatively small in size, but
challenging. A US landing force would have to be moved considerable
distances, either through naval vessels or as part of an airborne
landing force.Why is Kharg Island important to Iran? A map of Iran
showing the locations of major oil and gas facilities. Black squares
mark oil refineries, including one near Tehran. Blue circles mark oil
terminals along Iran’s southern coastline on the Gulf, with a label
identifying Kharg Island as Iran’s largest oil terminal. Neighbouring
countries such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE are shown west of
Iran, with the Caspian Sea to the north. A small inset map highlights
Iran’s position on a world map.Kharg Island is a small rocky outcrop
just 15 nautical miles (24km) off the coast of Iran.Despite its size, it
is one of the most critical pieces of Iran's energy infrastructure.The
US striking this small but vital island in the northern Gulf is like
going for Iran's economic jugular vein.Ninety percent of Iran's crude
oil comes through a terminal on the island - transported through pipes
from the mainland.Trump has specifically mentioned the potential of
targeting these pipelines, but said he had so far held off to avoid
long-term damage to Iran's economy."We can do that on five minutes'
notice. It'll be over," Trump said on 16 March. "Just one simple word,
and the pipes will be gone too. But it'll take a long time to rebuild
that."Very large tankers - capable of carrying up to 85 million gallons
of oil - are able to come up to the island's long jetties to pick up the
oil. The island's coast is close enough to deep waters, unlike the
shallower coast of the mainland.The tankers then come back down the Gulf
and out of the Strait of Hormuz, to China - the main buyer of Iranian
oil.A terminal for the export of Iranian oil, the island provides a
major source of revenue for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC).What did the US and Iran say about the 13 March attack? Trump
said on 13 March that the US Central Command (Centcom) had "executed one
of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East
and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran's crown jewel,
Kharg Island".He added that "for reasons of decency" he had "chosen NOT
to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island".Centcom said US forces
had struck "more than 90 Iranian military targets on Kharg Island,
while preserving the oil infrastructure".The regional military command
unit said it had destroyed naval mine storage facilities, missile
storage bunkers and numerous other military sites.Iranian state media
reported that no damage was done to the island's oil facilities. The
semi-official Fars news agency said US attacks targeted air defences, a
naval base, airport control tower and a helicopter hangar.Ehsan
Jahanian, political deputy to the governor of Bushehr province in
southern Iran, said "no military personnel, oil company employees, or
island residents suffered casualties in the attack, and all sectors are
continuing their routine activities".Jahanian said the process of
exporting oil from Kharg was "fully under way", and the "activities of
companies based on the island are continuing without interruption",
according to a report by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news
agency.Following the strikes, the country's military warned that oil and
energy infrastructure belonging to firms working with the US would
"immediately be destroyed and turned into a pile of ashes" if its energy
facilities were attacked.Why didn't the US target the island's oil
facilities? Military action to destroy the island's infrastructure would
be hugely damaging to Iran.It would also present a significant
escalation to the conflict.It would likely send global oil prices
soaring even higher and could also lead to Iran targeting more oil
infrastructure across the Middle East.Two weeks into the war, Iran still
has the capacity to launch large numbers of low-cost, high-explosive
drones at its Gulf Arab neighbours as well as at shipping vessels.It
could, potentially, expand those targets to include vital infrastructure
like desalination plants that provide drinking water for
millions.Follow updates on the Iran war-Justin Crump, a military analyst
and former British Army officer, said the 13 March bombing was an
attempt by Trump to deter Iran from escalating the conflict
further."He's showing it as being merciful but saying he could be more
punishing to the IRGC" by targeting the oil facilities, Crump, who is
also CEO of intelligence consultancy Sibylline, told BBC Radio 4's Today
programme the following day.Trump previously stated that the aim of the
war was so that Iran's people could rise up and overthrow the Islamic
Republic's regime.While he has since expressed other motivations for the
war, Crump said targeting the island's oil infrastructure was
"difficult" as it would destroy the country's economic lifeline for a
long period of time."That doesn't really say much for their [the Iranian
people's] future," he said, adding that, when the island's oil
infrastructure was destroyed during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, it
took a long time to rebuild.
More Marines head to Mideast as US threatens key-MAR 20,26
US
President Donald Trump on Friday ruled out a ceasefire with Iran, as
American officials said more US Marines were headed to the Middle East
in a possible sign of a coming ground operation three weeks into the
war.A possible target for the troops could be Iran’s Kharg Island, with
the White House telling AFP the United States could “take out” the vital
oil hub at any time if Trump chose.The Axios news outlet reported that
Trump was considering an occupation or blockade of the island to
pressure Tehran to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Trump said “I
may have a plan I may not” but refused to tell reporters one way or the
other, while describing Kharg as “certainly a place that people are
talking about. But I can’t tell you that.”“We can have dialogue, but I
don’t want to do a ceasefire. You don’t do a ceasefire when you’re
literally obliterating the other side,” Trump told reporters outside the
White House.Asked if Israel will agree to end the war when the US
decides to do so, Trump responded, “I think so, yeah.”“The relationship
is a very good one. We want more or less similar things. You know what
we want? We want victory — both of us — and that’s what we’ve got,”
Trump said.He also doubled down on his criticism of the NATO military
alliance for not heeding his demand for help in securing the narrow
waterway, as he blamed Iran’s stranglehold over the strait for the spike
in global oil prices.“So easy for them to do, with so little risk.
COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!” Trump posted on his Truth Social
network, accusing NATO of failing to join the “fight to stop a Nuclear
Powered Iran.”“Without the USA, NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!”Six key powers,
including Britain, France, Germany and Japan — whose premier met Trump
at the White House on Thursday — say they are ready to “contribute to
appropriate efforts” but have not made any commitment. Trump said
Friday, “It would be nice” if the countries that rely on the Strait of
Hormuz would get involved in helping to keep it open, which he asserted
would be a “simple military maneuver” but requires help with “ships” and
“volume.”The strait has “to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by
other nations who use it,” he added in further comments on the matter.
“The United States does not! If asked, we will help these countries in
their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat
is eradicated. Importantly, it will be an easy military operation for
them.”The 79-year-old Republican — who rose to power on a promise to end
America’s long Middle Eastern wars — nevertheless insisted the joint
US-Israeli operation was going “extremely well.”“It’s not even a
contest,” Trump said earlier as he presented naval cadets with an
American football trophy at the White House.Trump added of Iran that “we
want to talk to them, and there’s nobody to talk to,” because of the
killing of Iran’s former supreme leader and a host of other top
officials. “And you know what? We like it that way.”The surging oil
prices have put pressure on Trump to bring the war to an end, amid
Republican fears the economic shock could hurt the party in November’s
US midterm elections.In a later Truth Social post, Trump declared, “We
are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding
down our great military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the
terrorist regime of Iran.” He proceeded to list what he said were the US
military objectives.“(1) Completely degrading Iranian missile
capability, launchers and everything else pertaining to them. (2)
Destroying Iran’s defense industrial base. (3) Eliminating their navy
and air force, including anti-aircraft weaponry. (4) Never allowing Iran
to get even close to nuclear capability, and always being in a position
where the USA can quickly and powerfully react to such a situation,
should it take place. (5) Protecting, at the highest level, our Middle
Eastern allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab
Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and others.”Destroying Iran’s defense
industrial base, eliminating Iran’s air force and anti-aircraft weaponry
and protecting US allies in the Middle East were not among the
objectives that US officials had given for the war to date.While the
list has fluctuated, US officials have generally stuck to the
destruction of Iran’s missile program, the destruction of Iran’s navy,
the ending of Iran’s support for armed proxies and ensuring that Iran
can never obtain a nuclear weapon.More US Marines-Trump has said he does
not plan to put boots on the ground in Iran. According to three US
officials who spoke with Reuters, the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault
ship, along with its Marine Expeditionary Unit of about 2,500 Marines
and accompanying warships, would deploy to the region, although they did
not say what their role would be.Two officials said there still was no
decision on whether to send troops into Iran itself.The Marine Corps
said in response that the two groups are “deployed at sea,” while the US
3rd Fleet said they are “conducting routine operations.”A week ago, US
media reported a separate deployment to the Middle East of some 2,500
Marines aboard as many as three ships.A possible mission for the Marines
could be an operation against Kharg Island, which handles almost all of
Iran’s crude exports.“We need about a month to weaken the Iranians with
aerial attacks, take over the island, catch them by the balls and use
this in negotiations,” an unnamed American source told Axios.“The United
States Military can take out Kharg Island at any time if the President
gives the order,” White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna
Kelly told AFP when asked about the Axios report.“Thanks to a detailed
planning process, the entire administration is and was prepared for any
potential action taken by the terrorist Iranian regime.”Kelly added that
Trump “knew full well that Iran would try to stop the freedom of
navigation and free flow of energy, and he has already taken action to
destroy over 40 minelaying vessels.”US forces hit Kharg on Friday in
strikes that Trump said had “totally obliterated” all military targets
on the island.Trump has said the United States has so far held off
striking the island’s infrastructure, but has threatened to do so if
Iran keeps blocking the Strait of Hormuz.Times of Israel staff
contributed to this report.
UK okays US use of its bases to
strike Iranian threats to shipping in Strait of Hormuz-Britain
authorizes American military to launch operations from UK aimed at
‘degrading’ Iran’s capabilities to hit ships, after Trump criticizes
Starmer for not doing more to help By Reuters Today, 9:44 pm-MAR 20,26
LONDON
— The British government gave authorization on Friday for the United
States to use military bases in Britain to carry out strikes on Iranian
missile sites that are attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.British
ministers met on Friday to discuss the war with Iran and Iran’s blocking
of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Downing Street statement.“They
confirmed that the agreement for the US to use UK bases in the
collective self-defense of the region includes US defensive operations
to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships
in the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement said.UK Prime Minister Keir
Starmer said this week Britain would not be drawn into a war over Iran.
He initially rejected a US request to use British bases for the strikes
on Iran, saying he needed to be satisfied that any military action was
legal.But Starmer modified his stance after Iran conducted strikes on
British allies across the Middle East, saying that the United States
could use RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia, a joint US-UK base in the
Indian Ocean.US President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked Starmer
since the conflict started, complaining he was not doing enough to help
him.On Monday, Trump said there were “some countries that greatly
disappointed me” before he singled out Britain, which he said had once
been considered “the Rolls-Royce of allies.”The Downing Street statement
on Friday called for “urgent deescalation and a swift resolution to the
war.”Opinion polls in Britain suggest widespread skepticism about the
war, with 59% of those surveyed by YouGov saying that they were opposed
to the US-Israeli attacks.
Cops forcefully clear Eid prayers
outside Jerusalem’s Old City amid Iran war closure-Muslim worshipers
clash with police as holy sites, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque and
Western Wall, are off limits to most while wartime restrictions on
gatherings remain in effect-By Charlie Summers-and AFP Today, 7:20
pm-MAR 20,26
Hundreds of Muslim worshipers clashed with police
while holding Eid al-Fitr prayers at the gates of Jerusalem’s Old City
Friday, as the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Western Wall and other holy sites remain
closed amid the war with Iran.A few hours later, a fragment from an
intercepted Iranian ballistic missile struck some 400 meters from the
Western Wall and Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the Temple Mount, causing
damage at a parking lot in the Old City’s Jewish Quarter but no
injuries.Since the start of the US-Israel war against Iran on February
28, Israeli authorities have, for security reasons, barred access to the
Old City for anyone other than residents or shop owners. The
restrictions extend to all holy sites, including the Western Wall,
Al-Aqsa Mosque and Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which have been closed
since March 6. Gatherings nationwide remain limited to 100 people
indoors and 50 people outdoors, provided a shelter can be reached in
time.For Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, Muslim worshipers
denied access to the Old City arrived with prayer mats under their arms
at dawn Friday under the watchful supervision of Israeli police.Shouting
“Allahu akbar” (“God is the greatest”) or chanting the shahada (the
Muslim declaration of faith), the crowd tried to push through the city
gates.Police forcefully dispersed hundreds of worshipers, with footage
showing officers using tear gas and batons against the crowd of
Palestinians, running after individuals who gathered to pray outside
Herod’s Gate.At least one individual was arrested, Haaretz
reported.Eventually, the worshipers managed to take up a position next
to Herod’s Gate as the police relented for a few minutes and allowed the
street prayers to take place.An imam standing on a plastic stool
delivered a short sermon.“Pray, invoke Almighty God and hope that your
prayers will be answered,” he told the worshipers. “O God, grant victory
to the oppressed.”The Israel Police then pushed back the worshipers,
who dispersed without resistance into the narrow streets, buying
still-warm bread from street stalls as they went.‘Broken heart’The
gathering of just a few hundred worshipers was a far cry from the
typical way Eid is usually marked in Jerusalem, when some 100,000 people
flock to the Temple Mount compound.The Temple Mount is the holiest site
in Judaism and was home to the ancient biblical temples. Muslims call
the site the Noble Sanctuary. It is home to Al-Aqsa Mosque, the
third-holiest site in Islam, and the iconic Dome of the Rock
shrine.Researchers say this is the first time the site was closed during
the last 10 days of Ramadan and for Eid al-Fitr since Israel captured
East Jerusalem and the Old City from Jordan during the 1967 Six Day War
and later annexed them in a move not recognized internationally.“Today,
Al-Aqsa has been taken from us. It’s a sad and painful Ramadan,” Wajdi
Mohammed Shweiki, a silver-haired Palestinian man in his 60s, told
AFP.“It’s a catastrophic situation for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for
Palestinians in general and for all Muslims across the globe,” he
added.The Israel Police said that “despite the high-alert status, police
allowed prayers to be conducted on the street outside the Old City of
Jerusalem without intervention.”“However, officers were required to
enforce… life-saving guidelines when crowds later exceeded authorized
capacity and seemingly attempted to breach security perimeters into the
Old City,” they said.Authorities maintain that they are solely concerned
with enforcing Home Front Command wartime guidelines, but critics have
accused law enforcement of operating on a double standard when it comes
to Jewish versus Arab public gatherings.Earlier this week, the Foreign
Press Association lambasted police for what it called an “unprovoked
assault” on journalists covering evening prayers outside the walls of
the Old City, which left a CNN producer with a fractured wrist.Officers
detained several reporters, damaged photographic equipment and
confiscated memory cards, the statement read.There is also fear among
some Palestinians that it could be part of efforts to rewrite the strict
rules governing access to Jerusalem’s holy sites.The Temple Mount has
seen violence, particularly with large crowds gathering during Ramadan,
and has seen clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces
over the years, with Hamas using its religious symbolism as a means of
rallying support.“The occupier, under the pretext of security and for
its own interests, has closed the mosque,” said cleric Ayman Abu Najm,
who had come from Beit Hanina, a Palestinian neighborhood in East
Jerusalem.“In the history of the occupation, this is the longest period
during which the Al-Aqsa Mosque has been closed.”Israel says it is
committed to upholding this status quo, though Palestinians fear it is
being eroded.While politics and faith are always closely tied in this
flashpoint city, for some Muslims the inability to access Al-Aqsa this
year was felt as a deep personal loss.“Ramadan without the Al-Aqsa
Mosque is a very sad feeling, a feeling of having a broken heart,” said
worshiper Zeyad Mona.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Khamenei,
who remains unseen, claims 'enemy has been defeated'Iran threatens to
target tourist, recreational sites worldwide as it keeps up attacks on
Gulf-In first remarks of war, Iranian Quds Force chief hails Tehran-led
‘resistance front’ for fighting Israel and US; American military to
deploy some 2,500 more Marines to the Mideast By Agencies and ToI Staff
Today, 5:53 pm-MAR 20,26
Iran on Friday threatened to target
recreational and tourist sites worldwide and insisted it was still
building missiles, striking a defiant tone nearly three weeks after the
start of US-Israeli strikes that have killed a slew of Tehran’s top
leaders and hammered its weapons and energy industries.Iran fired on
Israel and energy sites in neighboring Gulf Arab states as many in the
region marked one of the holiest days on the Muslim calendar. Iranians
were also celebrating the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally
festive holiday that is more subdued this year.The US military was
meanwhile deploying three more warships and roughly 2,500 more Marines
to the Middle East, an official said. One US official confirmed Friday
that the USS Boxer and two other amphibious assault ships, along with
roughly 2,500 Marines of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, have
deployed from their home port of San Diego and are bound for the Middle
East.Two other US officials confirmed that the ships were deploying,
without saying where they were headed. All three officials spoke on
condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.With
little information coming out of Iran, it was not clear how much damage
its arms, nuclear, or energy facilities have sustained since the war
began on February 28, or even who was truly in charge of the country.
But Iran has shown it is still capable of attacks that are choking off
oil supplies and denting the global economy, raising food and fuel
prices far beyond the Middle East.The US and Israel have offered
shifting rationales for the war, from hoping to foment an uprising that
topples Iran’s leadership to eliminating its nuclear and missile
programs. There have been no public signs of any such uprising, and no
end in sight to the war.Iran threatens worldwide tourist sites-Iran’s
top military spokesman warned Friday that “parks, recreational areas and
tourist destinations” worldwide won’t be safe for Tehran’s enemies.The
threat from Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi renewed concerns that Iran may
revert to using terrorist attacks beyond the Middle East as a pressure
tactic.“We are watching your cowardly officials and commanders, pilots
and wicked soldiers,” added Shekarchi.The Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, meanwhile, praised Tehran’s
“resistance front” regional allies for fighting the US and Israel in the
current conflict, Iranian media reported on Friday, in his first
remarks amid the war.US and Israeli leaders have said that weeks of
strikes have decimated Iran’s military. Airstrikes have also killed its
supreme leader, the head of its Supreme National Security Council, and a
raft of other top-ranking military and political leaders.The Israeli
military said Friday that Ismail Ahmadi, head of intelligence for the
Basij, an internal security force, had been killed by a strike earlier
in the week that hit other Basij leaders.On Thursday, Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Iran’s navy was sunk and its air force in
tatters, while adding that its ability to produce ballistic missiles had
been taken out. The IRGC disputed the missile claim on Friday.“We are
producing missiles even during war conditions, which is amazing, and
there is no particular problem in stockpiling,” spokesman Gen. Ali
Mohammad Naeini was quoted as saying in Iran’s state-run IRAN
newspaper.A short time after the statement was released, Iranian state
television said Naeini was killed in an airstrike.A rare statement for
Nowruz attributed to the country’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba
Khamenei was also released Friday, saying Iran’s enemies need to have
their “security” taken away.Khamenei hasn’t been seen since he succeeded
his father, the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in
an Israeli airstrike on the first day of the war.“At the moment, due to
the particular unity that has been created between you, our compatriots —
despite all the differences in religious, intellectual, cultural and
political origins — the enemy has been defeated,” declared the younger
Khamenei in his statement.He also named the Persian New Year as the year
of a “resistance economy under national unity and national security,”
while claiming attacks against Turkey and Oman were not carried out by
Iran or its allied forces.A Kuwait refinery comes under attack and
explosions shake Dubai-Iran has stepped up its attacks on energy sites
in Gulf Arab states after Israel bombed Iran’s massive South Pars
offshore natural gas field earlier in the week.Two waves of Iranian
drones attacked a Kuwaiti oil refinery early Friday, sparking a fire.
The Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, which can process some 730,000 barrels of
oil per day, is one of the largest in the Middle East. It was damaged
Thursday in another Iranian attack.Bahrain said a fire broke out after
shrapnel from an intercepted projectile landed on a warehouse, and Saudi
Arabia reported shooting down multiple drones targeting its oil-rich
Eastern Province.Heavy explosions shook Dubai as air defenses
intercepted incoming fire over the city, where many were observing Eid
al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.In Iran,
meanwhile, many were marking Nowruz even as Israel said it had launched
new strikes, and explosions were heard over Tehran. The Persian New
Year, which coincides with the spring equinox, is a tradition observed
across southwestern Asia that dates back thousands of years.Loud
explosions could also be heard in Jerusalem after the Israel Defense
Forces warned of incoming Iranian missiles. First responders said they
treated two people around 70 years old who were lightly wounded.In
addition to steadily striking Iran, Israel has regularly hit Lebanon,
targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists who have been firing rockets
and drones into Israel.On Friday, Israel broadened its attacks to Syria,
saying it hit infrastructure there in response to what it described as
attacks on the Druze minority. Syria’s state-run SANA news agency did
not immediately acknowledge the attack.More than 1,300 people have been
killed in Iran during the war. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have displaced
more than 1 million people, according to the Lebanese government, which
says more than 1,000 people have been killed. Israel says it has killed
more than 500 Hezbollah operatives.In Israel, 15 people have been
killed by Iranian missile fire. Four people were also killed in the West
Bank by an Iranian missile strike.At least 13 US military members have
been killed.The war is raising risks to the world economy-Iran’s attacks
on energy infrastructure in the Gulf, combined with its stranglehold on
shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a
fifth of the world’s oil and other critical goods are transported, have
raised concerns of a global energy crisis.US President Donald Trump
lobbed fresh insults at NATO allies who have spurned his call for help
protecting the strait. US allies have refused to join the war, saying
they weren’t consulted before the US and Israel launched it. Trump
called NATO members “COWARDS” in a social media post, saying: “NATO IS A
PAPER TIGER.”Brent crude oil, the international standard, has soared
during the fighting and was around $108 per barrel Friday, up from
roughly $70 per barrel before the war began.Surging fuel prices come at a
moment when many world leaders were already struggling to bring down
the high prices of food and many consumer goods. Asia is getting hit
hard as most of the oil and gas exiting the Strait of Hormuz is
transported there.But the price shocks are reverberating throughout the
world economy. Key raw materials — like helium used in making computer
chips, and sulfur, a raw material in fertilizer — have been obstructed
and could be in short supply soon, raising the prices of goods all the
way down the supply chain.
UK cops arrest suspected Iranian spies
for trying to enter nuclear submarine base-Arrests at base housing
Britain’s nuclear-armed submarine fleet come amid rising Iran-linked
threats in Britain, three weeks into the US-Israel war against the
Islamic Republic By Agencies Today, 4:41 pm-MAR 20,26
Scottish
police on Friday said they arrested two people attempting to enter a
Royal Navy base in the northwest where Britain’s nuclear submarines are
based, including a man identified by UK media as Iranian.“Around 5 p.m.
on Thursday, 19 March, 2026, we were made aware of two people attempting
to enter HM Naval Base Clyde,” Police Scotland said in a statement sent
to AFP.“A 34-year-old man and 31-year-old woman have been arrested in
connection and inquiries are ongoing,” the police added, without
providing additional details.The Royal Navy confirmed the arrests but
said that “as the matter is subject to an ongoing investigation, we will
not comment further.”The Clyde base, known as Faslane, is located on
the west coast of Scotland and is key to Britain’s security, hosting the
country’s nuclear-armed submarine fleet, as well as its attack
submarines.The arrests come three weeks into the US-Israel war on Iran.
While Britain has not taken part in the attacks on Iran, the country’s
forces have downed Iranian missiles and drones in the Gulf region.The UK
has allowed the United States to use two of its military bases — in
Fairford in southwest England and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean — for
operations in Washington’s war against Iran, which the British
government insists are purely “defensive.”The threat posed to Britain
from Iran has been the subject of repeated warnings from the UK’s
domestic spy agency MI5, with accusations that Tehran was behind more
than 20 suspected kidnap and assassination plots in the country.There
have been several cases of suspected Iranian spies being arrested in the
UK over the last year. Iran has repeatedly denied allegations of
spying, saying it is part of a campaign against it by hostile Western
powers.Two men appeared in a London court on Thursday, accused of being
tasked by Iran to carry out hostile surveillance on Jewish people and
sites in London.Britain has been a nuclear power since the 1950s. Since
the 1990s, its nuclear deterrent has consisted of four Royal Navy
submarines armed with Trident ballistic missiles.Earlier in March, the
Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament organized a demonstration
outside the Clyde base, which regularly attracts protests.
Mossad
chief told PM before war that he thought Iran’s regime could be toppled
– report-Barnea said to have presented assessment that if the Iranian
government were decapitated, and its institutions and means of
repression seriously weakened, system could fall By ToI Staff Today,
4:23 pm-MAR 20,26
Mossad head David Barnea, in meetings with
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government prior to the
US-Israeli attack that started the ongoing war with Iran, assessed that
it would be possible to topple the Iranian regime, Channel 12 reported
Thursday.The TV network, citing multiple unnamed sources, said that
Barnea told the political echelon that if the military goals of the
operation were achieved – decapitation of the leadership, as well as
serious harm to regime institutions and its capacity to repress its own
citizens – then the Mossad and the CIA would know how to ensure that
Iranians would again take to the streets, and to find an alternative to
the regime.The report stressed that the Mossad chief provided
disclaimers and qualifications, and noted both that the situation was
developing and that achieving the desired ends could take a long
time.Both Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump addressed the Iranian
people when announcing the start of the military campaign, and indicated
that the operation could set the conditions for the fall of the
regime.Both said, however, that it would be incumbent upon the Iranians
themselves to seize the opportunity.In the subsequent three weeks, the
US and Israel have avoided committing to regime change, focusing instead
on the security threat posed by the Islamic Republic’s military
capabilities, particularly its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.On
Thursday, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the
US intelligence community “assesses that the regime in Iran appears to
be intact, but largely degraded.” She also assessed that if the regime
survives, it will likely try to rebuild its military capabilities.Also
Thursday, in his first English-language press conference since the start
of the war, Netanyahu defined the war’s three goals as ending the
nuclear threat, ending the ballistic missile threat, and “creating the
conditions for the Iranian people to grasp their freedom, to control
their destiny.”Later, responding to a question, the premier said there
were “a lot of signs” that the regime was “cracking,” but declined to
assert it would collapse“I can tell you that we’re working to create the
conditions for it to collapse, but it may survive, it may not. If it
survives, it’ll be a lot weaker,” he said.The premier also said that
while a regime cannot be toppled only from the air, without a ground
component, “There are many possibilities for this ground component, and I
take the liberty of not sharing with you all those
possibilities.”Netanyahu also praised the Iranian people for their
bravery.Tehran has acknowledged that more than 3,000 people died during
the anti-regime unrest in December and January.The US-based Human Rights
Activists News Agency (HRANA), however, has recorded more than 7,000
killings, the vast majority of them protesters, while warning the toll
could be far higher. Trump has claimed the number is more than 35,000.
Despite
IDF strikes, Iran’s feared Basij security forces still patrol Tehran’s
streets-Regime-loyal volunteers for highly decentralized force man
dozens of checkpoints; over 100 Iranians arrested for alleged ties to
enemy states, some for holding Starlink internet dishes By Sarah El Deeb
Today, 3:29 pm-MAR 20,26
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Hours after
Israel killed the top commander of Iran’s Basij this week, it struck
again — this time at the rank and file of the feared force that helped
crush widespread protests this year. A drone blasted one of the Basij’s
many temporary roadblocks erected around the capital, Tehran.Israel and
the US say they aim to break the Islamic Republic’s tools of domestic
control in their campaign of bombardment, now nearly three weeks old.
Since the war began, monitors estimate that up to a third of strikes
have targeted the top echelons and major bases of the paramilitary
Revolutionary Guard and its Basij volunteers tasked with enforcing
loyalty to Iran’s theocratic rulers.Last week, Israel began striking
Basij checkpoints, extending the threat to low-ranking members. But the
Basij, police and Revolutionary Guard have maintained their grip, and
there has been no sign yet of Iranians heeding US and Israeli calls to
rise up, as many seek refuge from the airstrikes and
uncertainty.Residents say security forces still have an intimidating
presence in Tehran. War monitors say an intensified crackdown that began
with the crushing of January’s nationwide protests continues, often
targeting those who take videos of strikes or try to get around a
weekslong internet blackout to contact the outside world.Israel’s
campaign may aim to undermine the morale of Basijis and prompt
defections or refusals to serve. It could also encourage the many
Iranians who remain furious over the thousands killed in January’s
crackdown. In early March, Israel’s military issued a Farsi-language
message urging the mothers of Basijis to “save their children” by
encouraging them to put down their arms.But the Basijis are highly
ideological and “the most decentralized force within an already highly
decentralized system,” said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert on Iran’s
security and foreign policy.Israel’s killing of its top commander, Gen.
Gholam Reza Soleimani, early Tuesday, is unlikely to disrupt it, Azizi
said. The Basij chief is chosen not for expertise but for “ideological
rigidity and demonstrated loyalty to the supreme leader,” playing a more
symbolic role.“In most cases, Basij units operate autonomously or
semiautonomously, particularly in operational matters,” Azizi said.Basij
checkpoints have proliferated across Tehran, often just a line of
traffic cones and a few vehicles.One resident said there were five or
six new checkpoints in his upscale neighborhood alone. They search
vehicles for weapons, examine documents and sometimes demand to look at
people’s phones, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity for his
safety.Israel strikes Basij checkpoints across Tehran-The strikes on
checkpoints began on March 11, with at least 15 incidents on a single
day documented by Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a US-based
monitoring group.“We are landing crushing blows on the Revolutionary
Guards and the Basij, both in the streets and at checkpoints,” Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the next day, adding that the aim was
to create the conditions for Iranians to overthrow their government.On
Tuesday, the Israeli military said it struck more than 10 Basij
positions across the capital. A video posted online and verified by the
AP showed two vehicles burning near traffic cones on a multilane
boulevard in central Tehran. The location matched that shown in aerial
footage released by the Israeli military of a Tuesday strike hitting a
checkpoint as a bus and cars passed.Moments after an Israeli airstrike
hit a Basij checkpoint in Tehran. https://t.co/rddOnhdqMf
pic.twitter.com/OIl5iLRoDk— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran)
March 17, 2026-Iranians have been spreading videos and posts on social
media showing locations of checkpoints, often tagging the Farsi account
of the Israeli military and urging it to strike, sometimes in the name
of protesters who were killed in the area. Others trade news about
checkpoints to alert commuters to traffic.Several videos show
checkpoints set up under bridges, apparently as cover from strikes.Basij
providing manpower as police engaged amid war-The Basij, Farsi for
“mobilization,” has tens of thousands of volunteers under the command of
the Revolutionary Guard. Most are unarmed, engaged in “ideological and
political activities,” said Azizi, a visiting fellow at the German
Institute for International and Security Affairs.They function like the
Communist Party did in the Soviet Union, with branches in schools,
universities, government institutions and other organizations, he
said.Volunteers, both men and women, work to ensure loyalty to the
Islamic Republic. That might mean holding religious lectures or
harassing those who flout social restrictions. They can also be
mobilized for state-organized events, including counterprotests, Azizi
said.District-level paramilitary units deploy in times of domestic
unrest — like the January protests — armed with everything from batons
and electroshock devices to live ammunition.Since those protests and
into the current war, the Basij’s role has been to provide manpower,
said Azizi.“The state’s security apparatus has been continuously
engaged, leaving many of its core forces both deeply entrenched and
likely fatigued,” he said. By manning checkpoints, the Basij helps
security agencies to focus on information gathering and arrests.100+
arrested in one week, accused of ‘conspiring’ with enemyIranians
describe mass text messages warning against protests and aggressive
Basij patrols in Tehran. On Thursday, Iran announced the execution of
three men detained in the January protests, the first such sentences
known to have been carried out.In the last week, semiofficial news
outlets have reported the arrest of more than 100 people across Iran,
most accused of conspiring with enemy states or sharing media reports
with foreign entities. At least 14 were accused of possessing Starlink
internet dishes or planning to sell them or virtual private network
cards. Starlink has been one of the only ways to access the global
internet since the unprecedented blackout began on January 8.The
government has also reportedly shut down parts of Iran’s internal
internet and revoked some VPN cards given to people with specialized
jobs.The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, a US-based group, said
people have been rounded up for taking pictures identifying the location
of checkpoints, bases and military installations. Authorities are also
still detaining people linked to the January protests, former political
prisoners, or members of minorities.The rights group said it had reports
of security forces opening fire at checkpoints. In one incident, two
teenage brothers were shot and killed after honking their car horn in
celebration of the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in
the war’s opening salvo.
Haifa refinery says more missile attack
damage found near site, but most production online-Facility will take
‘few days’ to restore after Thursday Iran strike; Haifa’s deputy mayor
urges government to close refineries as soon as possible: ‘Playing
Russian roulette with residents’ lives’By Sue Surkes-Today, 3:05 pm-MAR
20,26
The Bazan oil refinery in Haifa said Friday it discovered
additional damage to its site overnight following an Iranian missile
attack a day earlier, which will take “a few days” to restore.The
refinery said in a regulatory filing to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange that
damage was caused to “exterior infrastructure belonging to a third
party, which is essential to the [refinery’s] activities, located
outside the refinery site.”It said most production is active and the
rest is on its way to being restarted.Energy Minister Eli Cohen said
Thursday that “no significant damage to infrastructure sites” had been
caused in the attack after fragments from a missile interception hit the
facility.According to the filing, the company initially believed the
impact had been limited to power lines and an open area next to a
management building. There were no injuries in the attack.Responding to
the filing, Avihu Han, Haifa’s Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Haifa
Bay Cities Association for Environmental Protection, urged the
government to shutter the refineries as soon as possible, in line with
its own decision to transition to importing and safely storing petroleum
distillates in different locations.“We can’t continue playing Russian
roulette with the lives and security of the residents of the Haifa
metropolis and the energy security of the citizens of the State of
Israel,” he said.“Yesterday’s incident and today’s announcement about
the shutdown of the facilities are further proof that refineries in the
heart of a civilian metropolis represent a failure of energy (policy)
and security,” he said.During the June 2025 war with Iran, three Bazan
workers were killed in a fire after an Iranian missile strike.Twelve
fire and rescue teams were sent to the facility after it was hit by
fragments from an Iranian missile interception on Thursday.Firefighters
carried out extensive scans of the area and extinguished a blaze at the
site. They also disconnected the sources of power supply to the
facility, the fire service said, adding that they carried out operations
to cool the facility and check for any hazardous materials.Iran has
been targeting energy infrastructure in Israel and the Gulf since the
start of the current conflict.On Wednesday, Israel attacked Iran’s
massive offshore South Pars natural gas field, located in the Bushehr
Province, in strikes coordinated with the US.The Bazan facility, home to
a distinctive cooling tower that looms over the densely populated Haifa
Bay, has for years been threatened with attack by Israel’s adversaries,
including from Lebanon by Iranian terror proxy Hezbollah.Residents,
environmental activists and others have long lobbied for the Bazan
facility to be shuttered and moved elsewhere, due to both the heavy
pollution it causes to the area and fears of disastrous consequences
should it be struck.In 2022, the government voted to relocate the
facility by 2030. Work on the removal of an array of large oil tanks
adjacent to the site was set to begin this year.Joshua Davidovich and
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Board of Peace
envoy: Gaza mediators have ‘framework’ to rebuild, but Hamas must
disarm-Mladenov says reconstruction requires ‘full decommissioning by
Hamas’; terror group says won’t respond to proposal until it sees
outcome of Israeli-US war on Iranian regime-By Jacob Magid-and ToI Staff
Today, 12:52 pm-MAR 20,26
Nickolay Mladenov, the former UN
diplomat charged with implementing US President Donald Trump’s plan for a
postwar Gaza Strip, said on Thursday that the ceasefire’s mediating
countries have agreed on a “framework” to see Gaza rebuilt, but that
Hamas must be disarmed.Mladenov wrote on X that the US, Qatar, and Egypt
have all agreed on a “framework” that “can unlock reconstruction,
breathe life into communities, and bring closer to unity and a
negotiated resolution of the Palestinian question. It is now on the
table.”He said, however, that executing on the framework “requires one
clear choice: full decommissioning by Hamas and every armed group, with
no exceptions and no carve-outs.”A senior US official told NPR that the
mediators gave Hamas – which remains the de facto government of roughly
half the Strip, even after two years of war sparked by the terror
group’s October 7 onslaught – a formal proposal to this effect in Cairo
last week.The terror group was asked to provide its response to the
proposal in about a week, the report said.However, a Hamas official told
the US public broadcaster that the group would wait to see the outcome
of the ongoing US-Israeli war against the Iranian regime, which has been
a major backer of the terror group and its allies, before responding.A
report earlier this month said negotiations around disarmament, amnesty,
and other issues had been put on hold with the outbreak of the war.The
optimism expressed by Mladenov – whose formal title on Trump’s Board of
Peace is high representative for Gaza – came despite Hamas’s security
forces stepping up their control of the territory in recent weeks.The
October 2025 ceasefire deal mostly ended two years of fighting triggered
by Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel, and the first phase secured the
release of all remaining hostages taken by the terror group, in exchange
for Israel’s release of thousands of Palestinian security prisoners and
detainees.Gazans who spoke with The Times of Israel in recent days
testified to the terror regime’s increased presence in the Strip in
recent weeks, enforcing price controls, managing the distribution of
goods arriving from outside the Strip, and seeming to intimidate some
residents who’d previously spoken to international media by name, but
now insist upon anonymity.Under the ceasefire, Hamas’s civil governance
of Gaza is supposed to be replaced by a committee of Palestinian
technocrats operating under Trump’s Board of Peace.However, the members
of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) have yet
to enter the Strip, holding fort in Cairo since being formed and
refraining from returning to the enclave until better conditions are in
place for them to govern.Under the Trump plan, the NGAG would be
supported by a temporary International Stabilization Force that would
work alongside a “newly trained and vetted Palestinian police force.”The
technocratic body announced last month that it was opening applications
for “qualified candidates” seeking to serve in a “transitional police
force” to be deployed in the Strip, but no such force has been set up as
yet.Nurit Yohanan contributed to this report.
