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)
TRUMP LIMITED STRIKE ON IRAN FOR NOW.TRUMP IS BEING LEAD ASTRAY.YOU GOTTA CRUSH IRANS LEADER AND ARMY.
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)
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)
US refuelers, cargo planes seen at Ben Gurion Airport amid Iran tensionsBy Emanuel Fabian-FEB 23,26
As part of the United States’s massive buildup of military forces in the Middle East, American refueler and cargo planes are spotted at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.The tankers and cargo planes arrived at Ben Gurion in the past day.There is no comment from Israeli authorities regarding the American military deployment at Israel’s main civilian airport, and it is unclear if the planes are here temporarily as part of a stopover.According to the Military Air Tracking Alliance, a team of about 30 open-source analysts that routinely analyzes military and government flight activity, more than 85 fuel tankers and over 170 cargo planes have headed into the region since mid-February, as US President Donald Trump considers whether to take possible military action against Iran.
Netanyahu: An attack on Israel would be Iran’s ‘most serious mistake’ in its history-By Lazar Berman-FEB 23,26
Israel has never been stronger than it is now, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a speech to the Knesset plenum.“The pact with the United States has never been closer,” declares Netanyahu, speaking at a “40-signatures” debate in the Knesset.In a possible message to Iran, he stresses that the personal ties between himself and US President Donald Trump, and between the IDF and the US military, have also never been better.At the same time, he says, “we are in very complex and challenging times.”If the Iranian regime “makes perhaps the most serious mistake in its history,” he warns, “and attacks Israel, we will respond with strength that it can’t even imagine.”
Ministers reportedly told Trump aiming for deal in stages-Trump mulling limited Iran strike, could try for regime change later – report-US president said considering initial attack to pressure Tehran into agreement; Iran warns any action will be met with ‘ferocious’ response-By Agencies and ToI Staff Today, 4:19 pm-FEB 23,26
US President Donald Trump is considering launching a limited strike on Iran in the immediate future to pressure Tehran to agree to his nuclear demands, The New York Times reported Sunday. If the Islamic Republic continues to hold out, that strike could be followed by a far larger campaign later this year targeting regime change, the report said.The report came as the two sides are expected to meet again in Geneva on Thursday, and as the US continues to amass forces in the Middle East for a possible strike.Iran warned that even a limited US strike would draw a strong military response.The Times cited officials and other sources familiar with Trump administration discussions, who all spoke on condition of anonymity. It said the initial strike could target command centers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, ballistic missile sites, or nuclear infrastructure.It said that if these strikes do not yield results, a much larger offensive could come later this year with the goal of toppling the regime, though some in the administration doubt whether airstrikes would be enough.The report said that Trump has not yet made a decision on a strike, but is favoring a limited attack option in the coming days as a warning shot to the Iranians that they must abandon their efforts to make a nuclear weapon.The Wall Street Journal reported similar thinking in the White House on Thursday.Amid speculation that Trump could order a limited attack, Iran said Monday that a US strike of any scale would spur the Islamic Republic to respond “ferociously.”Iran has said that if the US attacks, it will respond with strikes on US military interests in the region and on Israel.Trump had initially threatened military action over the violent Iranian crackdown on the protests that rights groups say saw thousands of people killed by security forces, but his attention soon shifted to Iran’s nuclear program.Scattered anti-government protests have picked up again in recent days in the country, despite the threat of suppression and arrests, with students rallying to commemorate the dead.The US has also been maintaining a diplomatic track in an effort to reach an agreement with Iran. The US and Iran concluded a second round of indirect talks in Switzerland on Tuesday under Omani mediation, and further talks, confirmed by Iran and Oman but not by the US, are scheduled for Thursday.Both the US and the Iranians are looking at a new proposal that would allow Tehran to maintain its nuclear program — which it considers a source of national pride — but only to produce low-level enriched uranium for medical purposes.Iran, which frequently threatens to destroy Israel and urges “death to America,” has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. However, it has enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities, and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities.Iran has insisted that only discussions on its nuclear program are on the table at mediated talks. The US — backed by Israel — wants any agreement to also include limits on Iran’s ballistic missile program and its military support for regional proxies.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is leading the negotiations for Iran, while the United States is represented by envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.Witkoff said in an interview with Fox News broadcast over the weekend that Trump has been wondering why Iran has not “capitulated” in the face of Washington’s military deployment.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei responded Monday by saying that Iranians had never capitulated at any point in their history.The European Union, which has been sidelined in mediation on Iran, called for a diplomatic solution ahead of the talks.“We don’t need another war in this region. We already have a lot,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers. “It is true that Iran is at its weakest point that they have been. We should be really using this time to find a diplomatic solution.”Israeli ministers said told of a deal in stages-Meanwhile, Israel’s security cabinet was reportedly told that Trump is pushing for an Iran deal in stages.Sunday night’s security cabinet meeting in Jerusalem dealt at length with the direction of ongoing talks between Iran and the US, according to the Maariv daily.Ministers were told that Trump is pursuing a staged deal, as he has done in Gaza and elsewhere, with the most pressing issue — Iran’s nuclear program — being handled in the first stage. The issues of Iran’s ballistic missiles and support for armed terror groups will be handled in subsequent stages according to the Trump vision, the report said.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was convening another security discussion with close aides and top ministers on Monday in Jerusalem, according to the offices of one of the attendees.The saber-rattling has put the entire region on edge, sparking concerns that a clash between the US and Iran would rapidly spread.Lebanese broadcaster LBCI said the US embassy in Beirut has evacuated dozens of staffers via the city’s Rafik Hariri International Airport “as a precautionary measure amid anticipated regional developments.”The embassy may issue a statement on the matter later, the broadcaster said.The report came amid growing speculation that Hezbollah will intervene against Israel in case of a war sparked by a US strike on Iran, the Lebanese terror group’s benefactor.India orders citizens out of Iran-India on Monday joined Sweden, Serbia, Poland, and Australia in calling for its citizens — estimated at 10,000 in the country by the foreign ministry — to leave Iran.“In view of the evolving situation in Iran, Indian nationals who are currently in Iran… are advised to leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights,” the Indian Embassy in Tehran said in a post on social media.The warning came ahead of a planned visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel on Wednesday.Netanyahu on Sunday said Modi’s visit would help forge a new alliance to counter what he described as “radical” adversaries.
US military begins withdrawing from main base in northeast Syria, Syrian sources say-Dozens of trucks, some carrying armored vehicles, depart base in Hasakah province; last US troops expected to leave country within 20 days, ending 12-year presence-By Agencies Today, 2:44 pm-FEB 23,26
DAMASCUS — US forces began pulling out of their largest base in northeastern Syria on Monday, two Syrian military and security sources said, part of a wider departure as the US-allied government in Damascus consolidates control.Dozens of trucks, some carrying armored vehicles, departed the base at Qasrak in Hasakah province on Monday morning, witnesses said. Reuters footage later showed the trucks moving along a highway on the outskirts of the city of Qamishli.The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.A full withdrawal from Qasrak would still leave the US-led coalition with a base in Rmelan, also known as Kharab al-Jir, near the Iraqi border.Qasrak has been a main hub for the US-led global coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria, where US troops deployed over a decade ago, partnering with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against the jihadist group.Kurdish forces agreed last month to integrate their institutions with Damascus.Neither the Syrian defense ministry nor the SDF responded to requests for comment.More than 100 trucks loaded with equipment used by U.S. forces withdrew this morning from Qasrak base to the Kurdistan region.U.S. have begun evacuating the base and withdrawing from northeastern Syria. According to my sources, the process is expected to take about a month. pic.twitter.com/jt6lk8Cs3L— Hoshang Hasan (@HoshangHesen) February 23, 2026-US forces will complete their withdrawal from Syria within a month, three sources told AFP on Monday.The withdrawal comes as Syria’s government expanded its control to the country’s northeast, previously controlled by US-allied Kurdish forces, and formally joined the coalition against ISIS.American forces have already withdrawn from two other bases in the past two weeks, Al-Tanf in the southeast and Shadadi in the northeast.“Within a month, they will have withdrawn from Syria and there will no longer be any military presence in the bases,” a Syrian government official said, with a Kurdish source confirming the timeline.The officials who spoke to AFP for this story all requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to media.The United States has about 1,000 troops still deployed in Syria.It had intervened in the country in 2014 to fight ISIS, which had taken over swathes of Syria and Iraq in a lightning offensive.With Kurdish forces at the forefront, ISIS was territorially defeated in 2019 but retains sleeper cells and called on jihadists on Saturday to fight Syrian authorities.‘End their presence’A diplomat from a country allied with both the United States and Syria said the withdrawal should be completed within 20 days.The US may still carry out airstrikes in Syria from other bases in the region, he said.The Kurdish source said “the international coalition forces will end their presence, which has lasted for about 12 years, in northern and eastern Syria within a period of three to five weeks.”“Over the coming days, successive military convoys will transport logistical supplies, military equipment, radar systems, and missiles from the two remaining bases,” he added, referring to Qasrak and Kharab al-Jir, also in Hasakeh province.The withdrawal comes as the US, which long backed the Kurds, considered their mission against ISIS to be “largely” over, as Syria joined the international coalition against the terror group.After the Syrian authorities’ deployment in the northeast last month, the US military said it transferred thousands of ISIS suspects, including many Syrians but also Westerners, to Iraq, after they were held in Kurdish-run prisons for years.Syrian authorities had transferred remaining families in Al-Hol, the largest camp housing relatives of suspected ISIS fighters, to another site in the north.Thousands of family members of foreign jihadists had previously fled the camp and they remain unaccounted for.
Facing US warnings, Iran defends right to nuclear enrichment-by AFP Staff Writers.
Paris, France (AFP) Feb 19, 2026-Iran's atomic energy chief on Thursday said "no country can deprive Iran of the right" to nuclear enrichment, following fresh US warning that there were "many reasons" to strike the Islamic republic.The two foes recently resumed indirect talks, after US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened military action against Iran, at first over a deadly crackdown on protesters last month then more recently over its nuclear programme."Iran's nuclear programme is proceeding according to the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and no country can deprive Iran of the right to peacefully benefit from this technology," said Iran's atomic energy chief Mohammad Eslami, in a video published in Iranian media.It came after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned on Wednesday there were "many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran"."Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump."A previous attempt at negotiations collapsed when Israel launched surprise strikes on Iran last June, beginning a 12-day war that Washington briefly joined to bomb Iranian nuclear sites.On Wednesday, Trump again suggested the United States might strike Iran in a post on his Truth Social site, with a US military buildup underway in the Middle East.He warned Britain against giving up sovereignty over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, saying the archipelago's Diego Garcia airbase might be needed were Iran not to agree a deal, "in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous regime."- 'Do not want war' -CNN and CBS reported Wednesday that the US military would be ready to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, though Trump has reportedly not made a final decision yet.The Wall Street Journal meanwhile reported that Trump has been briefed on his military options with "all of them designed to maximize damage", including a campaign to "kill scores of Iranian political and military leaders, with the goal of overthrowing the government", unnamed US officials told the newspaper.Iran and the US held a second round of Oman-mediated negotiations on Tuesday in Geneva.Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said at the time that Tehran had agreed with Washington on "guiding principles", but US Vice President JD Vance said Iran had not yet acknowledged all of Washington's red lines.Speaking on Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted "We do not want war" but suggested Tehran could not give in to US demands."From the day I took office, I have believed that war must be set aside. But if they are going to try to impose their will on us, humiliate us and demand that we bow our heads at any cost, should we accept that?"Meanwhile, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright warned that Washington would deter Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons "one way or the other".Amid the escalating warnings, Poland on Thursday ordered all its citizens in Iran to "leave immediately".- Displays of military might -The Omani-mediated talks were aimed at averting the possibility of US military action, while Tehran is demanding the lifting of US sanctions that are crippling its economy.Iran has insisted that the discussions be limited to the nuclear issue, though Washington has previously pushed for Tehran's ballistic missiles programme and support for armed groups in the region to be on the table.The US has meanwhile been building up its military forces near Iran, including warships, fighter jets, and refuelling aircraft, laying the foundation for a potentially sustained campaign against Iran -- should Trump give the order.Washington has ordered a second aircraft carrier to the region, with the first, the USS Abraham Lincoln and its nearly 80 aircraft, positioned about 700 kilometres (435 miles) from the Iranian coast as of Sunday, satellite images showed.Iran has sought to display its own military might, with its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps holding war games earlier this week in the Strait of Hormuz.Iranian politicians have repeatedly threatened to block the strait, a major global conduit for oil and gas.Separately, the Iranian and Russian navies were conducting joint drills in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean on Thursday.
Iraq-based Kurdish Iranian parties unite to defy the Islamic republic.
Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, Feb 22 (AFP) Feb 22, 2026-Several Iraq-based Kurdish-Iranian groups announced on Sunday a political coalition to seek the overthrow of Iran's Islamic republic and ultimately to secure Kurdish self-determination.Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region hosts camps and rear bases operated by several Iranian Kurdish factions, which have repeatedly faced cross-border strikes from Iran.Five exiled groups said they had formed a coalition to "assert our presence in Iran's current political situation, where the Islamic republic regime has lost all political legitimacy but unfortunately remains in power".The "Coalition of Political Forces in Iran Kurdistan" includes the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), and the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK).The main goals of the alliance are, the joint statement said, "the struggle to overthrow the Islamic republic of Iran, and to achieve self-determination for the Kurds".They added that they support anti-government protests in Iran and stressed the need for "coordinated, joint political and on-the-ground efforts" between Kurdish parties and civil society and opposition groups across Iran.In late December, economic hardship sparked protests in sanctions-hit Iran, before expanding into nationwide anti-government demonstrations that left thousands dead.Last month, the Kurdish exiled groups in Iraq called for a general strike in support for the anti-government protests.In 2022, Iran launched deadly military strikes on exiled Kurdish-Iranian militants, accusing them of instigating protests sparked by the death in custody of Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini.Iranian Kurdish groups, which are mostly armed, have long been in Tehran's sights, and many follow a socialist doctrine.Although they have largely refrained from armed activity in recent years, they continue to actively campaign from exile.Kurds, often described as belonging to one of the world's largest stateless peoples, make up one of Iran's most important non-Persian ethnic minority groups.
Iran vows to defend itself but sees diplomatic solution to US standoff.
Paris, France, Feb 22 (AFP) Feb 22, 2026-Iran's top diplomat said Sunday that his country would strike back at US interests in the Middle East in the event of an attack, though he still saw a chance for a diplomatic resolution.Speaking to US broadcaster CBS, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he expected new talks on the details of a deal, "probably" Thursday, as fears loomed of renewed conflict after Washington carried out a major redeployment of military assets to the region.US threats of military action have multiplied since a nationwide protest movement sparked a major crackdown that rights groups say killed thousands of people.On Sunday, Iranian students held competing pro- and anti-government protests at several universities, with critics of the clerical leadership risking arrest or worse if they are caught."If the US attacks us, then we have every right to defend ourselves," Araghchi said, alluding to American interests in the region as potential targets.Still, he said, "there is a good chance to have a diplomatic solution".After a recent round of talks in Geneva, Iran said it was preparing a draft proposal for an agreement that would avert military action."I believe that when we meet, probably this Thursday in Geneva again, we can work on those elements and prepare a good text and come to a fast deal," Araghchi told CBS.Axios had earlier reported, citing an unnamed senior US official, that if Iran submitted its proposal in the next 48 hours, Washington was ready to meet again later in the week "to start detailed negotiations".The US has sent two aircraft carriers to the Middle East in recent weeks, along with other jets and ships, and has also shored up its air defences in the region to back up its threats of military intervention.US President Donald Trump's chief Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff said Saturday in a Fox News interview that the president was questioning why Iran had not yet given in to US pressure."He's curious as to why they haven't... I don't want to use the word 'capitulated', but why they haven't capitulated," he said."Why, under this pressure, with the amount of seapower and naval power over there, why haven't they come to us and said, 'We profess we don't want a weapon, so here's what we're prepared to do'?"Western governments fear Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at developing a bomb, which Tehran has long denied, though it insists on its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes.On the subject of enrichment, Araghchi said Sunday: "As a sovereign country, we have every right to decide for ourselves, by ourselves."- Fears of war -A previous round of diplomacy last year was interrupted by Israel's bombing campaign against the Islamic republic.That sparked a 12-day conflict in June that the US briefly joined with strikes on nuclear facilities.Despite the recent Oman-mediated talks, Iranians' fears of a new conflict have grown."I don't sleep well at night even while taking pills," Tehran resident Hamid told AFP, saying he worried for his "family's health... my kids and grandchildren".IT technician Mina Ahmadvand, 46, believes that "at this stage, war between Iran and the US as well as Israel is inevitable and I've prepared myself for that eventuality"."I don't want war to happen, but one should not fool around with the realities on the ground."The concerns have prompted several foreign countries to urge their citizens to leave Iran, including Sweden, Serbia, Poland and Australia, which warned "commercial flights are currently available but this could change quickly".- Protests -Iran has previously said that quickly striking a deal is in its interests if means relief from sanctions that have hamstrung its economy, which contributed to protests late last year over the high cost of living.Those demonstrations quickly expanded into mass anti-government protests that marked one of the largest challenges to the Islamic republic's leadership in years, prompting a deadly crackdown by authorities that saw thousands killed, according to rights groups.On Sunday, Iranian students gathered for fresh pro- and anti-government rallies commemorating those killed following similar gatherings the day before.Local and diaspora media outlets reported demonstrations at multiple Tehran universities, with some participants waving the flag of Iran's deposed monarchy, and others chanting "death to the shah", who was toppled by the 1979 Islamic revolution.Trump had initially cheered on the protesters, threatening to intervene on their behalf amid the crackdown, but his threats soon shifted to Iran's nuclear programme.
Iranian students rally for second day as fears of war with US mount.
Paris, France, Feb 22 (AFP) Feb 22, 2026-Iranian students gathered for fresh pro- and anti-government rallies Sunday commemorating those killed in recent protests, as fears loomed of renewed conflict with the United States over the country's nuclear programme.The initial demonstrations were sparked in December by economic hardship in the sanctions-hit country, but quickly expanded into mass anti-government protests that marked one of the largest challenges to the Islamic republic's clerical leadership in years.US President Donald Trump had initially cheered on the protesters, threatening to intervene on their behalf as authorities launched a deadly crackdown, but his threats soon shifted to Iran's nuclear programme, which the West believes is aimed at developing atomic weapons.Washington and Tehran have since returned to the negotiating table, but Trump has simultaneously pursued a major military build-up in the Middle East aimed at pressuring Iran to cut a deal.Following campus rallies commemorating the protest dead on Saturday, the Fars news agency on Sunday published videos of fresh crowds of dozens of people waving Iranian flags and carrying memorial photographs at universities in the capital Tehran.One showed a rowdy gathering at Sharif University of Technology shouting "death to the shah" -- a reference to the monarchy ousted by the 1979 Islamic revolution -- as they faced off with another group, with men in uniforms between them.Fars said there had been "tensions" at at least three universities in Tehran where some students chanted "anti-establishment" slogans.Iran International, a media outlet based outside the country and branded a "terrorist" organisation by Tehran, shared a video on social media of students holding up the pre-revolution flag at Sharif University, as well as videos of rallies at other institutions of higher learning.A video geolocated by AFP of what appeared to be the demonstration at Sharif University showed a large crowd chanting anti-government slogans as they thronged around students waving the flag of the toppled monarchy.The authorities acknowledge more than 3,000 deaths in the unrest, including members of the security forces and bystanders, but say the violence was caused by "terrorist acts" fuelled by Iran's enemies.The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), however, has recorded more than 7,000 killings in the crackdown, the vast majority protesters, though the toll may be far higher.- Negotiations -Representatives of the US and Iran recently met in Geneva for a second round of Oman-mediated nuclear talks, with Iran promising to send a draft proposal for a deal to avert military action in the coming days.Axios reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed senior US official, that if Iran submitted its proposal in the next 48 hours, Washington was ready to meet again "in Geneva on Friday in order to start detailed negotiations to see if we can get a nuclear deal".The US has dispatched two aircraft carriers to the region, along with other jets and ships, and has also shored up its air defences in the Middle East.Trump's chief Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff said Saturday in a Fox News interview that the president was questioning why Iran had not yet given in to US pressure."He's curious as to why they haven't... I don't want to use the word 'capitulated', but why they haven't capitulated," he said."Why, under this pressure, with the amount of seapower and naval power over there, why haven't they come to us and said, 'We profess we don't want a weapon, so here's what we're prepared to do'?"Iran has long denied it is trying to produce nuclear weapons, but insists on its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes.- Fears of war -A previous round of nuclear diplomacy last year was interrupted by Israel's surprise bombing campaign against the Islamic republic.That sparked a 12-day conflict in June that the US briefly joined with strikes on nuclear facilitiesIran has maintained that it will defend itself in the event of any new attack.Despite the latest talks, Iranians' fears of a new conflict have grown."I don't sleep well at night even while taking pills," Tehran resident Hamid told AFP, saying he worried for his "family's health... my kids and grandchildren".IT technician Mina Ahmadvand, 46, believes that "at this stage, war between Iran and the US as well as Israel is inevitable and I've prepared myself for that eventuality"."I don't want war to happen, but one should not fool around with the realities on the ground."The concerns have prompted several foreign countries to urge their citizens to leave Iran, including Sweden, Serbia, Poland and Australia, which warned "commercial flights are currently available but this could change quickly".
Stocks drop, oil rises after Trump Iran threat.
Hong Kong, Feb 20 (AFP) Feb 20, 2026-Most Asia equities fell and oil prices rose on Friday after Donald Trump ratcheted up Middle East tensions by hinting at possible military strikes on Iran if it did not make a "meaningful deal" in nuclear talks.The remarks fanned geopolitical concerns and cast a pall over a tentative rebound in markets following an AI-fuelled sell-off this month.Traders are also looking ahead to the release of US data later in the day that will provide a fresh snapshot of the world's top economy.A slew of forecast-beating figures over the past few days have lifted optimism about the outlook but tempered expectations for more interest rate cuts.The US president told the inaugural meeting of the "Board of Peace", his initiative to secure stability in Gaza, that Tehran should make a deal."It's proven to be over the years not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran. We have to make a meaningful deal otherwise bad things happen," he said, as he deployed warships, fighter jets and other military hardware to the region.He warned that Washington "may have to take it a step further" without any agreement, adding: "You're going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days."Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier warned: "If the ayatollahs make a mistake and attack us, they will receive a response they cannot even imagine."The threats come days after the United States and Iran held a second round of Omani-mediated talks in Geneva as Washington looks to prevent the country from getting a nuclear bomb, which Tehran says it is not pursuing.The prospect of a conflict in the crude-rich Middle East has sent oil prices surging this week, and they extended the gains Friday to sit at their highest levels since June.Equity traders were also spooked.Hong Kong fell as it reopened from a three-day break, while Tokyo, Sydney, Wellington and Bangkok were also down. However, Seoul continued to rally to a fresh record thanks to more tech buying, with Singapore, Manila and Mumbai also up.City Index market analyst Matt Simpson said a strike was not certain."At its core, this looks like pressure and leverage rather than a prelude to invasion," he wrote."The US is pairing military readiness with stalled nuclear negotiations, signalling it has credible strike options if talks fail. That doesn't automatically translate into boots on the ground or a regime-change campaign."While military assets dominate headlines, diplomacy is still in motion. The fact talks are continuing at all suggests both sides are still probing for a diplomatic off-ramp before tensions harden further."Shares in Jakarta slipped even after Trump and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto reached a trade deal after months of wrangling.The accord sets a 19 percent tariff on Indonesian goods entering the United States. The Southeast Asian country had been threatened with a potential 32 percent levy before the pact.Jakarta also agreed to $33 billion in purchases of US energy commodities, agricultural products and aviation-related goods, including Boeing aircraft.- Key figures at around 0700 GMT -Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.1 percent at 56,825.70 (close)-Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.7 percent at 26,508.98-Shanghai - Composite: Closed for holiday-West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.9 percent at $67.05 per barrel-Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.9 percent at $72.27 per barrel-Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1756 from $1.1767 on Thursday-Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3448 from $1.3458-Euro/pound: DOWN at 87.42 pence from 87.43 pence-Dollar/yen: UP at 155.17 yen from 155.07 yen-New York - Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 49,395.16 (close)-London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.6 percent at 10,627.04 (close)-dan/pbt
Knesset panel flags national security fears over Zim’s sale to German shipping rival-Lawmakers caution that Zim played a vital role for Israel’s economy and security during the war, including with emergency logistics and national military and security planning-By Sharon Wrobel-Today, 9:17 pm-FEB 2,26
The Knesset Economic Affairs Committee on Sunday conducted a heated discussion questioning whether Israel’s national strategic interests will be served if the government agrees to a proposed sale of local Zim Integrated Shipping Services to German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd.The discussion comes a week after Hapag-Lloyd signed an agreement, alongside Israeli private equity fund FIMI Opportunity Funds, to buy the Haifa-based shipping rival, Zim, in a deal worth $4.2 billion. As part of the deal, FIMI will take ownership of a portion of Zim’s business related to the shipping firm’s Israel operations and form “New Zim.”With a fleet of 16 vessels, the Israeli container shipping company will be created to serve global trade routes into Israel, mainly between the Eastern Mediterranean and the US. Hapag-Lloyd will take control of Zim’s international operations, including shipping routes between East Asia and the Americas, and between Asian ports.During the discussion, MK Oded Forer, who initiated the committee meeting, and other participants raised concerns about Israel’s dependence on foreign-owned shipping for critical trade routes, especially during emergencies. Among Hapag-Lloyd’s shareholders are Qatar Holding, a subsidiary of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, which owns a 12.3 percent stake, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has a 10.2% stake.Forer said that the structure of the deal raises serious questions about whether a slim and small new Zim will be able to fulfill the national responsibility of an Israeli shipping company.“Zim is not an ordinary commercial company,” said Zim workers’ committee chairman Oren Caspi. “During wartime, Zim’s vessels served as a vital channel for supplying ammunition, food, and medicine to the State of Israel.”“If we need to bring containers from Korea, or from India, to Israel, we will still be dependent on Hapag-Lloyd, which means that selling Zim to a foreign shipping company would seriously compromise the state’s ability to act independently in times of emergency,” Caspi warned.Zim is a strategic national asset, and therefore the Israeli government holds a special state share, also known as a “golden share,” in the shipping company, which, if the transaction is approved by Israeli officials, will be transferred to a FIMI subsidiary. The golden share requires Zim to maintain a presence in Israel, including 11 vessels that must remain Israeli-owned.Also speaking at the committee meeting, Defense Ministry representative Shai Halperin cautioned that since the Hamas-led invasion and massacre that sparked the war on October 7, 2023, Israel has been facing de facto and silent arms embargoes by European countries, making shipments of military cargo at ports more challenging.“Since October 7, we are in a security crisis, and Zim has provided a response where needed,” said Halperin. “It is important that we can continue doing this; otherwise, we will not be able to bring here what the IDF and the defense establishment need.”“Wars no longer end in six days, and therefore it is very important that the State of Israel safeguards its vital security interests,” Halperin emphasized.When asked by Knesset Economic Affairs Committee Chairman David Bitan whether New Zim will be a lifeline in the next war and will be able to provide for all of the state’s needs, FIMI founder and CEO Ishay Davidi replied: “Yes.”“Zim has twice been on the brink of bankruptcy in the past and did not meet the conditions of the golden share, while the New Zim company will make money from day one,” said Davidi. “We will not allow for a situation where New Zim would not meet the requirements of the State of Israel.”“New Zim will meet maritime and economic security needs and will be built as a very strong company with equity of $700 million and no debt at all,” Davidi added.Bitan concluded the discussion by asking the Israel Companies Authority to conduct a preliminary review with FIMI to verify that New Zim will be able to meet golden share conditions and what guarantees it will provide.“We would not have entered into the deal if we had not met all the conditions that the state requested,” said Davidi.
Iran-US talks expected Thursday despite fears of strikes.
Paris, France, Feb 22 (AFP) Feb 22, 2026-Iranian officials held out hope for progress towards a deal to forestall fresh conflict when talks with US negotiators resume on Thursday, despite a huge build-up of American military might in the Middle East.Speaking to CBS News on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said details of a possible deal were being drawn up ahead of the renewed talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, after Washington's envoy Steve Witkoff had publicly wondered why Tehran had not yet "capitulated".Badr Albusaidi, foreign minister of regional mediator Oman, said talks would resume on Thursday in Geneva "with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalising the deal".US threats of military action have multiplied since a nationwide protest movement in Iran sparked a crackdown that rights groups say killed thousands. On Sunday, Iranian students held competing pro- and anti-government protests, with critics of the clerical leadership risking arrest or worse if they are caught."If the US attacks us, then we have every right to defend ourselves," Araghchi said, alluding to American interests in the region as potential targets.Still, he said, "there is a good chance to have a diplomatic solution".In a social media post, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian likewise said previous talks "yielded encouraging signals".After a recent round of discussions in Geneva, Iran said it was preparing a draft proposal for an agreement that would avert military action."I believe that when we meet, probably this Thursday in Geneva again, we can work on those elements and prepare a good text and come to a fast deal," Araghchi told CBS.Axios had earlier reported, citing an unnamed senior US official, that if Iran submitted its proposal in the next 48 hours, Washington was ready to meet again later in the week "to start detailed negotiations".The US has sent two aircraft carriers to the Middle East in recent weeks, along with other jets and ships, and has also shored up its air defences in the region to back up its threats of military intervention.US President Donald Trump's chief Middle East negotiator Witkoff said in a Fox News interview broadcast Saturday that the president was questioning why Iran had not yet given in to the pressure."He's curious as to why they haven't... I don't want to use the word 'capitulated', but why they haven't capitulated," he said."Why haven't they come to us and said, 'We profess we don't want a weapon, so here's what we're prepared to do'?"Western governments fear Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at developing a bomb, which Tehran has long denied, though it insists on its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes.On the subject of uranium enrichment, Araghchi said Sunday that Iran had "every right to decide for ourselves".- Fears of war -A previous round of diplomacy last year was interrupted by Israel's bombing campaign against the Islamic republic.That sparked a 12-day conflict in June that the US briefly joined with strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.Despite the recent Oman-mediated talks, Iranians' fears of a new conflict have grown."I don't sleep well at night even while taking pills," Tehran resident Hamid told AFP.IT technician Mina Ahmadvand, 46, believes that "at this stage, war between Iran and the US as well as Israel is inevitable"."I don't want war to happen, but one should not fool around with the realities on the ground."The concerns have prompted several foreign countries to urge their citizens to leave Iran, including Sweden, Serbia, Poland and Australia.- Protests -Iran has previously said that quickly striking a deal is in its interests if it means relief from sanctions that have hamstrung its economy, which contributed to protests late last year over the high cost of living.Those demonstrations quickly expanded into mass anti-government protests that marked one of the largest challenges to the Islamic republic's leadership in years, prompting a deadly crackdown by authorities that saw thousands killed, according to rights groups.On Sunday, Iranian students gathered for fresh pro- and anti-government rallies commemorating those killed following similar gatherings the day before.Local and diaspora media outlets reported demonstrations at multiple Tehran universities, with some participants waving the flag of Iran's deposed monarchy, and others chanting "death to the shah", who was toppled by the 1979 Islamic revolution.Trump had initially cheered on the protesters, threatening to intervene on their behalf amid the crackdown, but his threats soon shifted to Iran's nuclear programme.Voicing their support for the protests, several Iraq-based Kurdish-Iranian groups announced on Sunday that they were forming a political coalition to unite against Iran's Islamic system.The main goals of the alliance, a joint statement said, are "the struggle to overthrow the Islamic republic of Iran, and to achieve self-determination for the Kurds".
Major US naval, air buildup sets stage for potential Iran war By W.G. DUNLOP.
Washington, United States (AFP) Feb 19, 2026-The massive US military buildup in the Middle East, including warships, fighter jets, and refueling aircraft, lays the foundation for a potentially sustained campaign against Iran -- should President Donald Trump give the order.Trump -- who ordered strikes on Iran last year -- has repeatedly threatened Tehran with further military action if ongoing talks do not reach a replacement for the nuclear deal the US president tore up in 2018, during his first term in office.CNN and CBS reported Wednesday that the US military will be ready to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, though Trump has reportedly not made a final decision yet.The presence of "so much firepower...in the region creates a momentum of its own," said Susan Ziadeh, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies."Sometimes that momentum is a little hard to just put the brakes on and say, that's it, we're not doing anything," Ziadeh said during a panel discussion Wednesday.- Ships -Washington currently has 13 warships in the Middle East: one aircraft carrier -- the USS Abraham Lincoln -- nine destroyers and three littoral combat ships, with more on the way, according to a US official.The USS Gerald R. Ford -- the world's largest aircraft carrier -- is currently in the Atlantic Ocean en route from the Caribbean to the Middle East, after being ordered there by Trump earlier this month. It is accompanied by three destroyers.It is rare for there to be two US aircraft carriers -- which carry dozens of warplanes and are crewed by thousands of sailors -- in the Middle East.The United States had two of the massive warships in the region in June last year when it targeted three Iranian nuclear sites during Israel's 12-day campaign of strikes on Iran.- Aircraft -The United States has also sent a large fleet of aircraft to the Middle East, according to open-source intelligence accounts on X and flight-tracking website Flightradar24.These include F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets, F-15 and F-16 warplanes, and the KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft that are needed to sustain their operations.On Wednesday, Flightradar24 showed multiple KC-135s flying near or in the Middle East, as well as E3 Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft and cargo planes operating in the region.- Protests, threats, talks -Trump ordered the Lincoln to the Middle East as Iran cracked down on protests that were initially driven by economic grievances, but which turned into a mass movement against the Islamic republic.The clerical leadership that took power after the 1979 Islamic revolution responded to the demonstrations with deadly force and has held onto power, with many opponents of the system looking to outside intervention as the most likely driver of change.Trump had repeatedly warned Iran that if it killed protesters, the United States would intervene militarily, and also encouraged Iranians to take over state institutions, saying "help is on the way."He pulled back from ordering strikes last month, saying Tehran had halted more than 800 executions under pressure from Washington, but has since renewed threats against Iran.US and Iranian officials held talks in Geneva on Tuesday aimed at averting US military intervention, with Iran saying afterward that they had agreed on "guiding principles" for a deal.But White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that while there was "a little bit of progress made," the two sides are "still very far apart on some issues."Leavitt also told journalists there are "many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran," adding: "Iran would be very wise to make a deal."
Supreme leader says Iran can sink US warship as Geneva talks concludeBy Robin MILLARD.
Geneva (AFP) Feb 17, 2026-Iran's supreme leader warned on Tuesday that the country had the ability to sink a US warship deployed to the Gulf, as fresh talks between the two sides concluded in Switzerland.The threat by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei follows a military build-up by the United States in the region as President Donald Trump piles pressure on Iran to make a deal over its nuclear programme.The Omani-mediated talks were aimed at averting the possibility of US military action, while Tehran is demanding the lifting of US sanctions that are crippling its economy.An AFP journalist saw the delegations of both countries leave the location of the talks at the residence of the Omani ambassador on Tuesday afternoon.Trump had warned of consequences ahead of the talks should Tehran fail to strike a deal.He has repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily, first over Iran's deadly crackdown on protesters last month and then more recently over its nuclear programme.Washington has ordered two aircraft carriers to the region, with the first, the USS Abraham Lincoln with nearly 80 aircraft, positioned about 700 kilometres (435 miles) from the Iranian coast as of Sunday, satellite images showed.Its location puts at least a dozen US F?35s and F?18 fighter jets within striking distance. A second carrier was dispatched at the weekend as Trump ratcheted up pressure."I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal," he told reporters ahead of the talks.But Khamenei followed up with tough rhetoric of his own after the talks began, saying Iran possessed weapons able to sink an American warship."We constantly hear that they have sent a warship towards Iran. A warship is certainly a dangerous weapon, but even more dangerous is the weapon capable of sinking it," he said in a speech.He added that Trump would not succeed in destroying the Islamic republic.Iran has insisted the talks be limited to the nuclear issue, though Washington has previously pushed for other topics to be discussed, including Tehran's ballistic missiles programme and support for armed groups in the region.Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei on Tuesday said the lifting of sanctions must be an integral part of any deal.- War games -Iran has also sought to display its military might, with its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps beginning a series of war games on Monday in the Strait of Hormuz to prepare for "potential security and military threats", Iranian state TV said.Iranian politicians have repeatedly threatened to block the strait, a strategic route for oil and gas.On Tuesday state TV reported that Tehran would close parts of the waterway for "safety" measures during the drills.A previous attempt at diplomacy collapsed last year when Israel launched surprise strikes on Iran in June, beginning a 12-day war that Washington briefly joined to bomb Iranian nuclear sites.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday: "We're hopeful there's a deal.""The president always prefers peaceful outcomes and negotiated outcomes to things," he added.Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, said on X that he too had come to "Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal", but added there would be no "submission before threats".The foreign minister met in Geneva on Monday with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, "for deep technical discussion".The West fears Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at making a bomb, which Tehran denies.Washington has dispatched Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner to Geneva, the White House confirmed on Sunday.On Friday, Trump said a change of government in Iran would be the "best thing that could happen".Ali Fathollah-Nejad, director of the Berlin-based Centre for Middle East and Global Order, said Iran was faced with an "existential dilemma"."Giving in to US demands could bring sanctions relief that it would desperately need to stabilise the regime and fund its repressive apparatus," he told AFP."However, any significant concessions on the nuclear, ballistic missile and regional proxies issues would sensitively undermine its ideological and military standing.
"Khamenei says US 'will not succeed' in destroying Iran.
Tehran (AFP) Feb 17, 2026 - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday that US President Donald Trump would not succeed in destroying the Islamic republic, as talks between the two countries took place in Geneva."In one of his recent speeches, the US president said that for 47 years America has not succeeded in destroying the Islamic republic... I tell you: you will not succeed either," Khamenei said in a speech.The remarks came as Tehran and Washington engaged in a second round of talks on Tuesday.The first round was held earlier in February, after previous talks collapsed during last year's Iran-Israel war.The latest discussions come after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier group to the Gulf following Iran's deadly crackdown last month on anti-government protests, which were triggered by economic hardship.During his speech, Khamenei warned that the US warship deployed in the Gulf could be sunk."We constantly hear that they have sent a warship towards Iran. A warship is certainly a dangerous weapon, but even more dangerous is the weapon capable of sinking it," he said.Khamenei expressed scepticism over the outcome of the negotiations with the US."If there are to be negotiations -- because there is no real room for negotiation -- determining the outcome of the negotiations in advance is a mistake and madness," he said, referring to US calls for Iran to abandon its nuclear programme.During Iran's 12-day war with Israel in June, the United States joined briefly with strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, which had reached 60 percent purity before the war, remains among the key sticking points between Tehran and Washington.The US has repeatedly called for zero enrichment, but has also sought to address Iran's ballistic missile programme and its support for militant groups in the region -- issues which Israel has pushed to include in the talks.On Tuesday, the Fars news agency quoted Khamenei as saying that the issue of Iran's missile programme "does not concern it (the US) at all".Iran has insisted the talks be focused only on the nuclear issue and says its right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable."The statements of the American president, at times threatening and at times dictating what should and should not be done, reveal a desire to dominate the Iranian nation," Khamenei said.
PROOF HALF ON EARTH DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD (8 BILLION ON EARTH)
REVELATION 6:7-8 (8 BILLION- 2 BILLION = 6 BILLION)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2 BILLION) to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
REVELATION 9:15,18 (6 BILLION - 2 BILLION = 4 BILLION)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,
18 By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMBS)
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE 17:34-37 (8 TOTAL BILLION - 4 BILLION DEAD IN TRIB = 4 BILLION TO JESUS KINGDOM) (HALF DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD JUST LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS)(GOD DOES NOT LIE)(AND NOTICE MOST DIE IN WAR AND DISEASES-NOT COMETS-ASTEROIDS-QUAKES OR TSUNAMIS)
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other shall be left.(half earths population 4 billion die in the 7 yr trib)
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES.BECAUSE NOT HALF OF PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE CHRISTIANS.AND THE CONTEXT IN LUKE 17 IS THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION OR 7 YR TREATY PERIOD.WHICH IS JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH.NOT 50% RAPTURED TO HEAVEN.
MATTHEW 24:37-42 (THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-SURE NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
42 Watch therefore:(FOR THE LAST DAYS SIGNS HAPPENING) for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
North Korea touts nuclear advances as Kim re-chosen to lead ruling party.
Seoul, Feb 23 (AFP) Feb 23, 2026-North Korea's ruling party touted nuclear advances as it re-elected Kim Jong Un to the top post of general secretary, state media said Monday, during a rare national congress.Thousands of party elites have packed the capital Pyongyang for a once-in-five-years summit of the ruling Workers' Party, a gathering that directs state efforts on everything from diplomacy to war planning.The congress offers a rare glimpse into the political workings of reclusive North Korea, and is widely seen as a forum for Kim to flex his grip on power.Military top brass made a "pledge of loyalty" to Kim as delegates rubber-stamped his re-election as general secretary on Sunday, the Korean Central News Agency said.The congress singled out Kim's efforts to keep unnamed foes at bay by "radically" improving its "nuclear forces"."He has energetically led the work to turn the Korean People's Army, the pivot of national defence and pillar of safeguarding peace, into an elite and powerful army," read a party statement."And thus (he has) built the revolutionary armed forces capable of coping with any threat of aggression on their own initiative and fully prepared for any form of war."China's President Xi Jinping hailed a "new chapter" in relations with North Korea after Kim's re-election.In a striking display of his elevated status on the world stage, Kim appeared alongside Xi and Russia's Vladimir Putin at a military parade in Beijing last year.Kim is expected to unveil the next phase in North Korea's nuclear weapons programme later in the days-long congress.Under Kim, North Korea's nuclear arsenal has been transformed from a source of mild global concern to something treated as a genuine threat.It has been more than eight years since North Korea's last nuclear test triggered a man-made earthquake underneath the northern Hamyong mountains.Pyongyang's atomic scientists have worked since then to harness this power in portable warheads that can be attached to long-range missiles.Kim unveiled a battery of huge nuclear-capable rocket launchers just days before the congress opened.- Friend or foe -Photos released by state media showed dozens of launch vehicles parked in neat rows on the plaza of Pyongyang's House of Culture.It is just the ninth time the Workers' Party congress has convened under North Korea's decades-spanning Kim rule.The meeting was shelved for decades under Kim's father Kim Jong Il, but was revived in 2016.Analysts will scour photographs to see which officials are seated closest to Kim, and who is banished to the back row.Particular attention will be placed on the whereabouts of Kim's teenage daughter Ju Ae, who has emerged as North Korea's heir apparent according to Seoul's national intelligence service.At the previous congress five years ago, Kim declared that the United States was his nation's "biggest enemy".There is keen interest in whether Kim might use the congress to soften this stance, or double down.US President Donald Trump stepped up his courtship of Kim during a tour of Asia last year, saying he was "100 percent" open to a meeting.Kim has so far largely shunned efforts to resume top-level diplomatic dialogue.
US says China 'massively expanded' nuclear arsenal.
Geneva, Feb 23 (AFP) Feb 23, 2026-Washington on Monday accused China of dramatically swelling its nuclear arsenal, and doubled down on claims that Beijing has conducted secret nuclear tests, demanding again it be part of any future arms control treaty.Washington said the lapsing earlier this month of New START -- the last treaty between top nuclear powers the United States and Russia -- presented the possibility to achieve a "better agreement" including Beijing.China has publicly rejected calls to enter negotiations on a new three-way treaty.Christopher Yeaw, the US assistant secretary of state for arms control and nonproliferation, told the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva that New START had been seriously flawed and "did not account for the unprecedented, deliberate, rapid and opaque nuclear weapons build-up by China"."Despite its claims to the contrary, China has deliberately and without constraint, massively expanded its nuclear arsenal without transparency or any indication of China's intent or end point," he charged.He added that US government officials "believe China may achieve parity within the next four or five years", without elaborating on what he meant by parity.Both Russia and the United States have more than 5,000 nuclear weapons, according to the Nobel Peace Prize-winning campaign group ICAN.But New START, which expired on February 5, restricted the United States and Russia to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads each -- a number Washington says China is fast approaching."Beijing is on track to have the fissile material necessary for more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030," Yeaw said.- 'No longer relevant' -The expiration of New START marks the first time in decades that there is no treaty to curtail the positioning of the planet's most destructive weapons, sparking fears of a fresh arms race.Yeaw welcomed the lapsing of the treaty, insisting its numerical limits on warheads and launchers were "no longer relevant", given Russia's alleged violation of the treaty.He also accused Moscow of helping "boost Beijing's capacity to increase its arsenal size"."The expiration arrived at a fortuitous time", he said, insisting it would allow US President Donald Trump to push towards his "ultimate goal of a better agreement"."The treaty's expiration and the absence of any nuclear arms control treaty right now does not mean the United States is walking away from or ignoring arms control," he said, insisting: "Quite the opposite is true.""Our goal, is a better agreement toward a world with fewer nuclear weapons."Yeaw indicated last week that Trump was serious when he said in October, without giving details, that the United States would resume nuclear testing.The United States last test detonated a nuclear bomb in 1992.He doubled down Monday on US accusations that China carried out a low-yield nuclear test in 2020 and of preparing more explosions with larger yields.China has said the allegations were "outright lies" and a pretext for the United States to resume nuclear testing.The State Department in 2024 also alleged low-yield tests by Russia, which has issued veiled threats of using nuclear weapons in its invasion of Ukraine.Yeaw told the conference Monday that data gathered in nearby Kazakhstan showed China conducted a 2.75-magnitude explosion underground on June 22, 2020 at 0918 GMT."It was a probable explosion. Based on comparisons between historic explosions and earthquakes, the seismic signals were indicative of a single fire explosion, not typical of mining explosions," he said."The estimated yield of the event was a 10 tonne nuclear explosion, or five tonnes conventional equivalent, which assumes the explosion was fully coupled in hard rock below the water table," he said.In a recent report, the Center for Strategic and International Studies did not find conclusive evidence of an explosion, saying satellite imagery did not show unusual activity at Lop Nur, China's historic testing site in the western region of Xinjiang.
Putin says developing Russia's nuclear forces 'absolute priority'
Moscow, Feb 22 (AFP) Feb 22, 2026-President Vladimir Putin said Sunday that developing Russia's nuclear forces was now an "absolute priority" following the expiry of its last remaining nuclear treaty with the US."The development of the nuclear triad, which guarantees Russia's security and ensures effective strategic deterrence and a balance of forces in the world, remains an absolute priority," Putin said in a video message.His speech came on Russia's "Defender of the Fatherland Day", a holiday that is an occasion for military pomp and Kremlin-sponsored patriotism.Putin vowed to keep "strengthening the army and navy" and draw on military experience from the nearly four-year conflict in Ukraine.All branches of the armed forces would be improved, he said, including their "combat readiness, their mobility, and their ability to operate in all conditions, even the most difficult".Putin's remarks came just two days before the fourth anniversary of Russia's assault on Ukraine that sparked a war that has shattered towns, uprooted millions and killed large numbers on both sides.Moscow and Washington -- the world's two main nuclear powers -- are no longer bound by any arms control pact since the New START agreement expired earlier this month.But Russia said it would continue taking a "responsible" approach to strategic nuclear capability and respecting the limits set on its arsenal.
China retrieves Long March 10 booster from South China Sea after test flight-by Riko Seibo.
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Feb 16, 2026-China has carried out its first maritime recovery of a rocket first-stage booster, retrieving the main stage of a Long March 10 heavy-lift carrier rocket from the South China Sea following a key test flight earlier this week.The China Manned Space Agency reported that the booster was recovered on Friday morning from a designated splashdown zone, marking the first time China has recovered major rocket components from the ocean. A crane lifted the stage from the water and placed it on a recovery vessel for transport and subsequent analysis.Officials have not yet disclosed how engineers plan to process or reuse the recovered hardware, nor have they released detailed information about the recovery sequence and post-flight inspection campaign. The operation nonetheless represents a major step in China's effort to introduce reusable launch systems into its human spaceflight program.The maritime recovery followed a critical flight test on Wednesday involving the Long March 10 first-stage booster integrated with the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft, the combination intended for China's planned crewed lunar missions around 2030. During the test, the booster conducted a controlled return using its engines and grid fins before performing a gentle splashdown in the preselected area in the South China Sea.According to the agency, the flight marked the first successful attempt by a Chinese rocket stage to return safely to Earth for possible reuse, an achievement that aligns China's human spaceflight ambitions more closely with launch-reuse practices already demonstrated by the United States. At present, the United States is the only nation operating reusable orbital-class rockets.Both the Long March 10 rocket and the Mengzhou spacecraft are in the final stages of research and development at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the country's main state-owned space contractor. Engineers view these systems as core elements in China's roadmap to land astronauts on the moon before the end of the decade.The Long March 10 is a new-generation launch vehicle designed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The standard lunar-mission configuration consists of a central core booster flanked by multiple side boosters. Standing 92.5 meters tall and measuring 5 meters in diameter, the rocket has a liftoff mass of 2,189 metric tons and a liftoff thrust of 2,678 tons.In this configuration, the Long March 10 can send at least 27 tons of payload onto an Earth-moon transfer trajectory, a performance level required for crewed lunar missions and associated cargo flights. Designers note that this capability will support not only initial lunar landing attempts but also the buildup of larger mission architectures.A shorter variant of the Long March 10 without side boosters is also under development. This version will be 67 meters tall with a liftoff mass of about 740 tons and will be capable of carrying 14 tons to low Earth orbit. Plans call for this configuration to support crew and cargo transportation to the Tiangong space station once it enters operational service.Engineers state that the first two stages of the core booster are essentially common to both the lunar and the shorter space-station variants, simplifying development and production. In both cases, the first-stage booster is intended to be reusable, enabling it to perform controlled returns after launch.For lunar missions, the Long March 10 will employ an additional third stage on top of the reusable first and expendable second stage to inject payloads into the Earth-moon transfer trajectory. The shorter configuration for Tiangong resupply flights will omit this third stage, optimizing the vehicle strictly for low Earth orbit operations.
Analysis'PIJ is much more useful moving forward as an Iranian proxy'With Hamas focused on Gaza, Islamic Jihad seen filling vacuum in West Bank-Iran-backed PIJ terror group’s flexible command structure and unfettered emphasis on armed conflict has helped it expand influence in the territory, deepening the challenge for Israel-Nava Freiberg By Nava Freiberg and Noam Lehmann Today, 4:16 pm-FEB 23,26
With Hamas constrained by a host of political and military factors, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the most prominent Palestinian terror group after Hamas, has upped its recruitment and propaganda efforts in the West Bank, analysts and former officials told The Times of Israel.Filling a vacuum created by Hamas — which has faced grinding IDF pressure while its Gaza leadership deprioritizes the West Bank — Islamic Jihad has increasingly asserted itself in the northern West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority’s grasp is more tenuous than the rest of the territory.With Islamic Jihad more closely supported by Iran than Hamas, more decentralized than Hamas and unencumbered by any pretense toward governance, any move the group makes toward West Bank dominance could prove more of an insidious challenge to Israel.According to experts, the group will likely be harder to deter or decapitate, prolonging instability, further weakening the PA’s hold on the territory and raising difficult questions about the long-term effectiveness of Israel’s counterterrorism strategy, which may require a shift to more sustained military operations beyond the army’s already robust efforts in dangerous Palestinian urban settings.The rise of PIJ, as the group is often referred to, could also give Iran a deeper foothold in the West Bank, analysts say.Because Hamas has been constrained in the past by the need to maintain a veneer of legitimacy, balancing its terrorist activity with its political and governing goals, Tehran has historically been a more staunch backer of PIJ, which is fully dedicated to armed confrontation and has never claimed any mantle of being a legitimate political representative.PIJ’s brand of “total, violent, uncompromising” resistance appeals to many young Palestinians, “especially when it’s also financially supported,” said David Koren, a former National Security Council official. “You can’t measure this electorally — they’re not running for parliament — but at the level of popular terror, they enjoy considerable sympathy.”Effect of counterterrorism operations ‘waning’Following the Hamas-led invasion and massacre on October 7, 2023, that sparked the war in Gaza, Israel took steps to ramp up anti-terror efforts in the West Bank, where Hamas had hoped to inspire copycat attacks.These moves included heavy restrictions on Palestinian movement in the territory and assassinations of Hamas officials involved in West Bank terrorism.In the northern West Bank, which has been a particular trouble spot for Israeli forces over the last decade due to the PA’s inability to tamp down terror activity, the army has also carried out large-scale counterterror operations, some of which lasted days or weeks and involve mass displacement of Palestinian civilians. The operations have typically centered around Nablus; Tulkarem, where a major raid was launched in early 2025; and Jenin and Tubas, which also saw large operations toward the end of the year.But the effect of Israel’s counterterrorism measures “is waning, and these groups are resurging — especially Islamic Jihad,” said Joe Truzman, a research analyst at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies who focuses on Palestinian terror groups.PIJ was already showing signs of strength in the West Bank before October 7. The group led much of the uptick in violence and terrorism that began in the West Bank in the summer of 2021, said Truzman, adding that PIJ had more fighters on the ground in the northern West Bank at the time, though it remains difficult to pinpoint how many fighters belong to each terror group.Israel has had some success in countering PIJ, but keeping the situation in the West Bank contained will require sustained focus given continued military activity elsewhere since October 7.“Things are manageable right now. They’re not out of control like they were several years ago,” Truzman said, adding that in light of recent trends, “people should keep an eye on it.”Much of PIJ’s activity lately has been focused less on terrorism and more on growing its popularity, including building up its ranks.Some of PIJ’s most effective recruitment methods in the West Bank include delivering sermons in mosques and distributing posters glorifying “martyrs” killed in battle with Israel, said Truzman, adding that Palestinian youth are especially exposed to these practices in Jenin.He also noted that PIJ’s designated social media accounts for the West Bank have been much more active than Hamas’s, bolstering PIJ’s perceived presence among Palestinians.PIJ operates in a different fashion than Hamas, enabling it to create alliances on the ground that Hamas hasn’t managed to form.Koren, who now leads the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research, said PIJ has also “grown stronger as the actor that provides sponsorship and protection to armed gangs” such as Jenin’s so-called Brigade 313, an Iran-backed outfit established in 2021.“PIJ often breaks through organizational barriers to create very pragmatic cooperation with local gangs and armed groups operating on the ground,” he said. “Groups responsible for very serious terrorist attacks at junctions, against settlers, and others. It shelters militias and armed groups, and its cooperation with them has become more natural.”Such decentralized cooperation can make terrorist networks harder to dismantle, potentially requiring more frequent Israeli military operations in areas like Jenin and Tulkarem.Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington, stressed that PIJ’s success in recruitment in the West Bank cannot be divorced from the territory’s dire economic straits. Prior to October 7, Israel gave hundreds of thousands of Palestinians work permits, allowing them to earn higher wages, but following the attack, almost all of these were frozen due to heightened security, harming the financial outlook of many in the West Bank.While recruitment methods were historically more based in ideology, “nowadays, you can’t really recruit anyone without a financial incentive,” he said. “You have something like half a million unemployed laborers in the West Bank who can’t get work permits in Israel anymore. And so mass unemployment provides a significant opening for exploitation.”Alkhatib noted that just because PIJ had an increased presence, it did not mean there was specific support for its brand of extremist ideology.“There is support for anybody who fights Israel, the resistance, et cetera, broadly speaking,” he said.Polling has consistently shown West Bank Palestinians, as opposed to their Gaza counterparts, favoring ‘armed struggle’ against Israel as ‘the best means of achieving Palestinian goals.’Polling by the independent Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research has consistently shown “armed struggle” against Israel as the most popular option for “achieving Palestinian goals” toward statehood among West Bank Palestinians, though a survey published in May 2025 showed that less than 50% support the option for the first time since September 2022.In Gaza, negotiations have been more popular than armed struggle since September 2024, the pollster has found.According to Alkhatib, one factor that put a dent in West Bank support for armed conflict with Israel was the IDF’s extended counterterrorism campaign Operation Iron Wall from early to mid 2025, which began in Jenin and spread to other areas in the territory, displacing some 40,000 Palestinians in the process.The mass displacement was “a cautionary tale for a lot of people in the West Bank who realized that we really don’t want to turn our territories, our area, into another Gaza,” he said.No political program ‘other than chaos’Yet heedless aggression against Israel regardless of the consequences seems to be PIJ’s modus operandi.“They don’t have a particular program other than chaos and resistance,” said Alkhatib.Unlike Hamas, PIJ has no desire to lead the Palestinian people. Truzman, the FDD analyst, said PIJ “mingles in politics” but has no political wing.Meanwhile, Hamas’s capacity to assert itself in the West Bank has been curtailed by its need to preserve its rule in Gaza, which has been devastated following the October 7 attack, said Koren.“From the moment Hamas became heavily bogged down in Gaza — and also wanted to preserve its governing control there while absorbing severe blows, both military and economic — its ability to operate in Judea and Samaria diminished, especially financially and in terms of leadership coordination,” he said, using the Hebrew name for the West Bank.At the same time, Israel has cut Hamas down in the West Bank and elsewhere by killing its senior leaders, including those involved in directing the terror group’s West Bank activity, said Koren.Most prominent among these was reportedly Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’s veteran West Bank chief, who was killed in Beirut in January 2024.Arouri was considered a key link to Iran and Lebanese terror group Hezbollah. He was replaced by his lesser-known deputy Zaher Jabarin, who analysts say is viewed as less charismatic or effective than Arouri.Jabarin, based out of Turkey, was seen as the mastermind of a string of botched bombing attempts that succeeded only in killing a single Palestinian attacker.Citing associates of Gaza’s Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya, Saudi outlet Al-Hadath reported in May that Hayya had accused Jabarin of “failing to complete the work” left behind by Arouri.With Hamas itself split between pro-Qatari and pro-Iranian camps, the episode demonstrated the existence of possible deeper fractures within Hamas.PIJ-Iran ties ‘more comfortable for both sides’The financial and political constraints on Hamas have provided a space for PIJ, “which identifies an opportunity and seeks to exploit” the vacuum with help from Iran, Koren said.Because PIJ’s “focus is narrower and purely military, it can allocate its resources more easily and carry out terrorism in Judea and Samaria,” he added.From the outset, Iran’s ties to PIJ have been “more natural and more comfortable for both sides” than its ties to Hamas, according to Koren.Hamas’s ties with Iran have known ups and downs, such as during the Syrian civil war, when Hamas allied itself with the predominantly Sunni rebel forces fighting Syria’s Iran-backed president Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled in late 2024. PIJ continued to support Assad, who had hosted the terror group’s leadership in Damascus for years.“Unlike Hamas — which has significant constraints when it comes to deepening Iranian influence because of the Sunni–Shiite divide — Islamic Jihad, from its inception, has viewed the Iranian Islamic Revolution as a source of inspiration,” he said.That means a continued rise in PIJ prominence could deepen Iran’s influence in the West Bank, making the territory into another battleground for the Islamic Republic to challenge Israel.Like Hamas, PIJ is Sunni, but its affinity with Shiite Iran is alluded to in the name of Jenin’s Brigade 313, which derives from the number of people set to accompany the second coming of Imam Mahdi, a messianic figure in Shiite Islam.Awdah TV, an outlet belonging to the PA’s dominant faction, Fatah, has said the number is commonly used by pro-Iran forces in the Middle East and shows the Jenin Brigade is itself an Iranian proxy. While the brigade also includes members of Hamas and other armed groups, it has been described in Arabic media as an affiliate of al-Quds Brigades, PIJ’s armed wing.Among the terror attacks claimed by Brigade 313 was a shooting near the northern West Bank village al-Funduq that killed three Israelis and wounded eight in January 2025, as the brigade was being targeted by PA and then IDF forces in Jenin.Speaking to UK-based Arabic newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed in December 2024, during the PA operation, Jenin Brigade commander Nour al-Bittar dismissed PA accusations that his group was backed by Iran.“If they claim that we have Iranian funding, then what about their funding, which comes from the United States?” he said. “Our support for resistance is not contingent on money or interests — it’s a patriotic and religious duty toward our nation.”Alkhatib has written that Brigade 313 represents an Iranian attempt in the West Bank to “bring about the collapse of the PA and trigger a massive Israeli counterattack” in the hope that the violence would help salvage Iran’s regional terror proxy network, which has taken a blow since the October 7 attack.Alkhatib told The Times of Israel that constraints facing Hamas amid the war in Gaza meant that PIJ was “much more useful moving forward as an Iranian proxy than Hamas.”“Iran is looking at this… and thinking Hamas is constrained by a whole host of limitations, whereas PIJ is the only group that remains politically free,” he said.
