In a region of the world where one mistake could escalate into a world war, Iran is pressing it to the limit. In recent weeks, Iran and its proxies have begun operating under a new directive best described as a policy of controlled escalation.
Responding to the choke-hold of U.S. sanctions put in place by the Trump administration, Tehran, together with its non-state militias and terrorist entities, initiated a series of aggressive acts throughout the Middle East.
These include the targeting of oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman with mines by a naval Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) squad, and last month, the targeting of oil tankers docked at a United Arab Emirates' port in the Strait of Hormuz.
This morning, it was reported that Iran shot down a U.S. Navy high-altitude drone was shot down Thursday by an Iranian surface-to-air missile over the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian-backed forces also fired cruise missiles Wednesday night into Saudi Arabia hitting a power plant. This added to last week’s attacks on two oil tankers are a clear threat aimed at showing off Iran's ability to disrupt international oil-shipping traffic.
In the meantime, the Iranians are preparing the option of leaving the nuclear agreement and restarting its nuclear program.
On Monday, Iran warned that it could begin enriching uranium to 20 percent, significantly higher than the 3 percent it is allowed under the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal. Tehran also increased the rate of uranium enrichment and stopped shipping excess uranium abroad, as it is obligated to do.
Israel, for its part, has made it clear that it will not tolerate a situation in which Iran restarts its nuclear program. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said should that happen, the international community will have to immediately activate snap-back sanctions, and “in any case, Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.”
As tensions in the Persian Gulf rise, they also distend outwards to other areas of the Middle East. Iran controls powerful, heavily armed proxies, and it could activate any number of them as part of a new escalation.
Last month, the Trump Administration announced plans to send the USS Arlington and the Patriot missile battery to the Middle East. This was in addition to the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region, which includes the Middle East.
What is Iran’s intent in a “controlled escalation?” Iran's warning seems to stem from a position that if a strained economy causes instability at home, the Islamic Republic could prefer plunging the region into war in order to save itself, and in doing so rally Iranians around the flag.
The drumbeats of war are getting louder. Senator Lindsey Graham stated in response to Iran’s attack on shipping, “He [Trump] should put the oil refineries on the target list and look at sinking the Iranian Navy if they attack shipping again.”
The Bible clearly speaks of specific wars that will take place in The Last Days. Psalms 83, Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38 are prophetic events that will take place in the day ahead.
Could these actions by Iran be the staging for one of these End Time wars? Only time will tell but you can be sure of this: they will take place one day!
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