I am shocked and I am broken. Charlie Kirk, leader of a generation of young adults, has been assassinated in a purposely public manner.
I knew Charlie. He was a young man whom I respected greatly. His heart was with his God first, with his family second, and with his generation third. His voice was one that spoke to millions of people, giving them powerful arguments to defend their beliefs, the ability to articulate what it is they believe. I pray for his wife, Erika, and their two little children. I pray for Turning Point as they grieve, then figure out how to carry on their mission without their leader. I pray for the young adults who will have to process this senseless act of tragic violence.
Before you begin to look at the stories below, however, I would ask that you stop and pray for those Charlie leaves behind. Charlie, himself, doesn’t need our prayers. We know where he is. He has heard his Savior tell him, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” It is those who remain who will need us on our knees in the days and weeks to come.
Deadly Bus Attack in Israel
More senseless violence struck Israel on Monday. Two Palestinians snuck through a hole in the fence from the West Bank. They were picked up by an accomplice and driven to a bus stop where they boarded a bus and opened fire, executing six innocent people and wounding 12 more. Armed bystanders killed the gunmen. Slaughtered in the attack were Levi Yitzhak Pash, 57; Yaakov Pinto, 25; Yisrael Matzner, 28; Rabbi Yosef David, 43; Rabbi Mordechai Steintzag, 79; and Sarah Mendelson, 60.
Israel Hits Hamas in Qatar
Israel’s Operation Summit of Fire is committed to ensuring that every person responsible for the massacre of October 7, 2023, will pay with their lives. This is true no matter who they are or where they may be. That includes if that “where” is in Qatar. On Tuesday morning, the IDF launched an attack on a luxurious villa in Doha that Hamas leaders use to relax, recreate, and plan their next slaughter. At first, it appeared that all the intended targets, most of whom were what remained of Hamas’s top echelon, were present and eliminated. But in the aftermath, the jury is still out. There are reports that Turkish intelligence warned Hamas to get out, while others say that the Qataris were tipped off by the U.S. and subsequently warned the leadership to flee. More information will surface as time passes.
Israel Hits Back on the Houthis
Days after a Houthi drone hit Eilat’s Ramon Airport, injuring five people, Israel struck back with a vengeance. In the longest flight carried out since the beginning of the war, Israel’s Air Force flew 10 jets more than 2,350 kilometers in order to fire over 30 munitions against 15 targets. This particular mission of Operation Ringing Bells hit military camps, a fuel storage facility, and most importantly the Houthi Military Media Department headquarters, which is responsible for disseminating incitement and propaganda messages.
The IDF Warns Civilians to Flee Prior to Dismantling Gaza City
Using voice messages, leaflets, text messages, and phone calls, the IDF is doing all it can to evacuate Gaza City’s civilians to the safety of a new humanitarian area in Hamad City, north of Khan Younis. Meanwhile, the military is bringing down towers (anything over eight stories) one by one to prevent their continued use by Hamas as lookout stations, terrorist residences, and entry points for the underground tunnel system.
Four IDF Soldiers Killed in Gaza City
A terrorist climbed onto a tank from the 401st Brigade on Monday and threw an explosive device into the open hatch. The resultant blast took the lives of four IDF soldiers. Killed were Staff Sgt. Uri Lamed, 20; Sgt. Gadi Cotal, 20; Sgt. Amit Arye Regev, 19; and a fourth soldier yet to be identified. It is heartbreak upon heartbreak.
Will Lebanon’s Talk Turn into Action?
Following the vote by Lebanon’s government to disarm Hezbollah, the military has presented a plan to do just that. They have divided Hezbollah’s strongholds into five zones. The southernmost zone is already being dealt with by Israel out of necessity. It remains to be seen whether Lebanon will turn their own plans into action.
Iraq Hostage is Free
Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli Princeton student working on her PhD dissertation in Iraq, was abducted in March 2023 by Kata’ib Hezbollah. Charged with working for the Mossad, she was subjected to torture and deprivation. What caused the Iran-tied terrorist organization to suddenly let her go with no ransom? Threats by President Donald Trump, a leader they knew would follow through with his promises of their imminent harm. Thank you, Mr. President.
Russian UAVs Cross Polish Airspace
In a moment that led Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk to assert, “We are in the closest situation to an armed confrontation since World War II,” Russian drones crossed into Poland’s airspace with some actually causing damage. On Tuesday, Russia launched a massive UAV attack. Four hundred drones flew from Belarus toward Ukraine. However, 100 of them crossed into Polish airspace. The Polish PM subsequently activated Article 4 of the NATO treaty which requires urgent security consultations among member countries if one of them feels threatened. Currently, it appears that the situation may be calming down. However, there is no doubt that Russian President Putin just tested the NATO alliance and has found it lacking.
Chaos in France
Thousands of protesters are flooding the streets in France, clashing with police and rioting in opposition to the government’s economic policies. The loss of the people’s confidence in Emmanuel Macron’s leadership spilled over to the loss of confidence the government had in François Bayrou’s prime minister role. He was ousted in a vote on September 8, causing Macron to shift minister of Defense Sébastian Lecornu into Bayrou’s vacancy, making him the seventh prime minister in Macron’s eight-year tenure. France is descending into chaos, and their overwhelmingly large population of Muslim radicals is only going to make it worse.
Ethiopia Inaugurates Controversial Dam
The largest hydroelectric dam on the continent of Africa was inaugurated. Tuesday by Ethiopia. While a huge boon to the country and its surrounding neighbors, the Grand Renaissance Dam is not without detractors. From the beginning, there has been constant drama with Egypt, which says that the dam will cause critical harm to the Nile River and will threaten regional stability. Ethiopia says, “Sure, but we have lights now, so….”
Civil Unrest in Nepal
The politics of Nepal have been sketchy ever since the 2001 incident in which the crown prince shot dead the king, the queen, and seven other members of the royal family before killing himself. Now a parliamentary republic, the political problems continue. The younger generation began protesting against government corruption and economic problems. In response, the government shut down social media, which was a big mistake. Rioting exploded across the country and was way too far gone for the rescinding of the shutdown to matter. Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli has resigned, and minister of finance, Bishnu Paudel, was seen fleeing through the streets of Kathmandu as he was beaten by protesters. The residence of the prime minister has been burned, as have other buildings. The government’s response has led to the killing of at least 20 rioters. It will be interesting to see what happens in this powder keg country.
