Shalom from London! Coronation fever is beginning to die down here in London. I must admit, it was quite a spectacular event. So much history. So much tradition. So much pomp. The world was drawn into this ceremony that placed a crown on the head of King Charles III. But as I watched, I couldn’t help but think of the future.
A day is soon coming when there will be another coronation. When the crown is placed on the King’s head, it will not just be the symbol of His authority over one nation. Instead, this person will be crowned as King of all kings. Think of the pageantry of Charles’s coronation. Now picture in your mind what we will see as we watch our King, Jesus, take His rightful seat on His throne in Jerusalem! I can barely imagine it. And I know that whatever I see in my mind will pale against the actual event. What a day that will be!
Israel Unleashes Operation Shield and Arrow
Tuesday morning, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) struck the leadership of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist group in Gaza. This action was in retaliation for the firing of 104 rockets at Israel on May 2. The bombs dropped from the fighter jets in Operation Shield and Arrow killed Khalil Bahtini, Tareq Izzeldeen, and Jehad Ghanam, three of the PIJ’s top commanders. Wednesday, the terrorists struck back firing over 350 rockets across the border from Gaza into Israel. Only three fell in populated areas and no casualties were reported.
The IAF immediately struck back at the launch sites of these rockets. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also destroyed the homes of ten PIJ operatives. In all, 27 Palestinians were killed during the operation and more than 76 were injured.
The first Israeli casualty came from a direct hit by a rocket to a building in the City of Rehovot. 1,100 rockets have been launched from Gaza towards Israel since the beginning of the operation.
For more information, watch my Special Middle East Update: Shield and Arrow Operation In Gaza.
A Little Israeli Subterfuge Goes a Long Way
According to the Islamic Jihad, Israel does not play fair. Their claim is that their leaders were told that Israel was prepared to enter into peace talks with them in Cairo. So, these leaders, who had been in hiding for years, came out of their little cubbyholes to say goodbye to their families before leaving for Egypt. Once they were exposed, the IDF killed them. If that is what happened, then kudos to the IDF. As the old saying goes, “All is fair in love and war, especially when you fire 104 rockets at our cities.”
Talks are underway now for another ceasefire, but they are unlikely to be fruitful. The PIJ is making two demands: 1. No more targeted assassinations. 2. Cancel the annual Jerusalem Day Flag March scheduled for May 18. Israel will not agree to these conditions. What the PIJ doesn’t understand is that when you are losing badly, it is not time to make demands.
More Comes Out on Jordan’s Smuggling MP
Two weeks ago, I let you know about a Jordanian member of parliament (MP), Emad Zidan AKA Hamid Eladwan, who was arrested for smuggling weapons and gold across the border to terrorist groups in the West Bank. At the time, another MP angrily chided Israel for including “gold” in their report, because it made the “heroic act” seem like common smuggling. It now turns out that it was, in fact, just common smuggling.
Since February 2022, Emad has illegally brought across the border gold, guns, birds, electronic cigarettes, and people. And these actions were in no way altruistic. Emad was in it purely for the money. Other Jordanian officials have now been arrested in Jordan, and Emad is being sent back for prosecution.
Jordanian Jets Join Fight Against Drugs
Jordan’s air force went into action Monday, taking out a Syrian drug factory with ties to Iran-backed Hezbollah. A second target was the home of Marie al-Ramthan, Syrian drug kingpin. Al-Rathman and his family were killed, and the house was left in ruins.
Last Thursday, Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, told CNN in an interview, “We are not taking the threat of drug smuggling lightly. If we do not see effective measures to curb that threat, we will do what it takes to counter that threat, including taking military action inside Syria.” It appears that was not an empty threat.
Synagogue Attacked in Tunis
Tuesday, after first killing a colleague, a member of the Tunisian National Guard travelled to an ancient synagogue. He rolled up on a quad bike and opened fire. Two Jewish cousins who were making a pilgrimage to the site were killed, along with two police officers and a security guard. Four more police officers were wounded in the attack. The shooter was shot dead on the scene. The synagogue, located on the island of Djerba, is Africa’s oldest.
Meeting of the Axis of Resistance
Leaders in the Axis of Resistance gathered on Tuesday. At the meeting were commanders from Iran’s Quds Force, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Syria’s Fourth Division, and Gaza’s Islamic Jihad and Hamas. Also represented were numbers of Iran’s other proxy militias and Hezbollah operatives in Syria. Word is they had tea and finger sandwiches before discussing fund-raising ideas for a new water feature at the Qasem Soleimani Memorial site.
Syria Allowed Back into the Arab League
In 2011, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad came down extremely hard on street protesters. This led to the onset of a decade-long civil war. Due to Assad’s actions, the Arab League suspended Syria’s membership in their organization. On Sunday, the member states voted to allow the war-torn nation back into the fold.
The move, criticized by the U.S. and others, is intended to help normalize relationships between Syria and some League members, and provide stability for the broken country. Not surprisingly, Russia hails this “long-awaited step” of returning their minion state to the “Arab family.”
Russia Unleashes Devastating Air Attack on Ukraine
Sunday saw a massive missile and drone attack by Russia against Ukrainian targets. This was followed by a major attack by the mercenary Wagner group against the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. But after vowing to take the city that has become a symbol of Ukraine’s resistance, Yevgeny Prigozhin, owner of the Wagner group, began to threaten withdrawal.
In an expletive-laden rant, he lamented his heavy losses and accused Moscow of withholding ammunition. If Bakhmut stands, it will be a huge morale booster for the Ukrainian military.
