The intensifying situation with Iran and warning against obliviousness
The situation with Iran continues and even intensifies. Suffice it to say, there is a lot happening in the Middle East. Meanwhile, people generally are preoccupied with entertainment, sports, politics, careers, investing in retirement, and so forth. While the Bible emphasizes Israel in these times referred to as the latter days, the situation extends beyond the nation of Israel directly to the broader Middle East, consistent with Luke 21:29 “the fig tree and all the trees”, indicating Israel and other nations in relation to Israel. Iranian decision-making is evidently being controlled by the IRGC [1]. This likely is a worse scenario because any relatively moderate factions or pragmatists there may be in Iran’s political system are subordinated.
Warfare at Hormuz
On August 30th, US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers being prepared to deploy sea mines [2]. These were likely Fajr-5 mobile rocket launchers, which each have 4 rocket tubes, and each rocket can carry one relatively small sea mine [3]. In response, Iran launched eight ballistic missiles at US bases in Jordan [4], which is the typical eye-for-an-eye doctrine of Iran. It is likely that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has targeted Jordan because US forces in the region have had to be repositioned there from bases in the Arab Gulf nations [5]. On September 5th, US forces struck three tanker ships linked to the IRGC, disabling two of them and destroying one, which according to the US military was in response to the IRGC firing at two US warships [6]. In turn, the IRGC claimed to have targeted three tanker ships on “unauthorized routes” [7]. There was a coinciding report of several merchant ships subjected to disabling fire [8]. On September 8th, U.S. forces attacked and destroyed five IRGC crude oil tankers, in response to two attempted ballistic missile attacks on a U.S. warship which evaded the attacks [9]. Ships out at sea typically are not stationary targets, and therefore anti-ship ballistic missiles with specialized guidance technology are typically used for the purpose of attacking ships [10]; it was not specified whether or not these were anti-ship ballistic missiles [9]. In response, Iran fired 20 ballistic missiles at Jordan, 18 of which were intercepted and with two falling in open areas [11]. However, there was some damage to U.S. aircraft [12], apparently not from a direct hit, but possibly from falling shrapnel from interceptions, or submunitions if a cluster warhead was used. Also in response, the IRGC claimed to attack 2 US ships and 8 oil tankers [13]. The attacks on tankers seemed to be corroborated by a report on September 9th of several merchant ships subjected to disabling fire [14]. Also reported was a vessel apparently taking on water while at anchor near the United Arab Emirates [15]. This may have been the Hercules Star, of which the charterer reported an incident to the vessel while anchored off Dubai, and was presumably hit by a drone [16].
Unprincipled Attacks
The ship that was destroyed in the September 5th U.S. strikes was the M/T Kylo, which was in the Gulf of Oman and was unladen [17], and it later sank [18]. In the September 8th U.S. strikes, the M/T Riesco, which was in the Gulf of Oman and apparently unladen as seen in unclassified footage, also later sank [19]. These tankers were defenseless [9], and there is no strategic purpose for the elimination of these ships, especially with the blockade in effect. These retaliatory attacks were spiteful and unprincipled.
Warfare in Yemen
Developments in and around Yemen certainly are connected to the situation with Iran. The Houthis are a fellow Shiite proxy of Iran, implying a strong connection, suffice it to say. The Houthis have taken control of the port city of Mocha in Yemen [20], which is closer to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait where the Houthis have sought to disrupt shipping much like Iran at the Strait of Hormuz, and which served as a port for supplying the Republic of Yemen including militarily by Saudi Arabia [21]. In support of the Republic of Yemen Government forces, Saudi Arabia has carried out several airstrikes on the Houthis. It is reported that there are U.S. personnel in Saudi Arabia providing assistance to the Saudis for airstrikes on the Houthis [22]. It is also reported that the US president has declined requests from the Saudi crown prince for US airstrikes on the Houthis [23]. As of early September 11th, the Houthis have captured the island of Perim (also known as Mayyun Island) in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait [23].
Recent Statements
The president of the United States said that Iran is totally defeated militarily [24]. Regarding this statement, consider how to give the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps the president has been misinformed by his advisors, or perhaps the president was using hyperbole. In his book The Art of the Deal, the use of hyperbole is rationalized. But in the context of serious matters there is no excuse for hyperbole and it is indeed disingenuous. Or maybe he meant that Iran has been defeated in the conventional sense. In that regard, they don’t have a conventional air force, and they may not have a conventional navy. However, Iran’s military has been and continues to be characterized by asymmetrical warfare. Total defeat militarily is when there is either no more capability to attack or no more willingness to attack. Separately, the U.S. vice president said about the conflict with Iran that he wouldn’t call it a war [25]. To give the benefit of the doubt, perhaps this is a matter of semantics. Since World War II, the United States has been at war several times without a formal declaration of war from Congress [26]. With regards to the situation with Iran, indeed, blockading is an act or war [27]. There is no need for a formal declaration of war if the executive branch can authorize acts of war without it.
Do not be oblivious
These days most people are characterized by obliviousness. Matthew 24:37-39 says, “As in the days of Noah…they knew not”. In that passage, “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage”, are descriptive of affairs of this world, in which people are preoccupied. These preoccupations are equivalent to the cares of this world (Mark 4:19) and the pleasures of this life (Luke 8:14). To withstand these tendencies, we are told by the Lord Jesus to “keep watch”. It is articles like this one that can provide news/analysis without political bias and with a Biblical perspective.
[1] Wells, K., B. Pasternak, B. Rezaei, W. Doran, P. Hempel, C. Moorman, and A. Ganzeveld. Iran Update, September 4, 2026. Institute for the Study of War.
[2] AP and Reuters. 2026, August 30. Live Update: US forces strike 2 launchers on Iran’s Larak Island preparing to fire rockets. The Times of Israel.
[3] The Maritime Executive. 2026, August 31. US Pre-empts Iranian Rocket Deployment of Sea Mines in Strait of Hormuz.
[4] Agencies and TOI Staff. 2026, August 31. US hits Iranian launchers preparing to fire in Hormuz; IRFC targets Jordan, UAE in response. The Times of Israel.
[5] Cicurel, A., S. Elyaszadeh, and Y. Lichtblau. Keep U.S. Forces in the Middle East but Move Them to Israel. The Jewish Institute for National Security of America.
[6] U.S. Central Command. 2026, September 05. Press Release: CENTCOM Destroys 3 IRGC Oil Tankers After Iran Targets 2 U.S. Navy Warships.
[7] Reuters. 2026, September 05. Live Update: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they targeted oil tankers, US ships after American strikes. The Times of Israel.
[8] Advisory UKMTO #127. 2026, September 05. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
[9] U.S. Central Command. 2026, September 08. Press Release: U.S. Destroys 5 IRGC Tankers After Iran Targets Another American Warship.
[10] Paes, W-C, E. Beales, F. Hinz, A. Vidal. 2024, December. Navigating Troubled Waters: The Houthis’ Campaign in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. International Institute for Strategic Studies.
[11] Reuters. 2026, September 09. Live Update: Jordan reports no casualties after Iranian missile attack, says most projectiles were downed. The Times of Israel.
[12] Reuters. 2026, September 11. Live Update: Contradicting Trump, US official says Iran attack on base in Jordan damaged military aircraft. The Times of Israel.
[13] Reuters. 2026, September 09. Live Update: Iranian Guards say they attacked 2 US ships, 8 oil tankers in Hormuz after latest US strikes. The Times of Israel.
[14] Advisory UKMTO #129. 2026, September 09. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
[15] Advisory UKMTO #130. 2026, September 09. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
[16] Saul, J. and A. Heavens. 2026, September 09. Seafarer from oil products tanker killed in incident off Dubai, Peninsula says. Reuters.
[17] U.S. Central Command. 2026, September 05. Press Release: CENTCOM Destroys 3 IRGC Oil Tankers After Iran Targets 2 U.S. Navy Warships.
[18] Gordon, C. 2026, September 05. US Fighters, Drones Strike 3 Iranian Oil Tankers After Iran Fires on Navy Ships. Air & Space Forces Magazine.
[19] U.S. Central Command. 2026, September 09. Official social media post: M/T Riesco sinks in the Gulf of Oman, Sept. 08, after being destroyed by CENTCOM forces in response to attempted IRGC attacks on a U.S. Navy warship.
[20] Reuters. 2026, September 10. Yemen’s Houthis seize port city of Mocha, closing in on strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Times of Israel.
[21] Fattah, A., C. Moorman, N. Morrison, B. Schmida, and A. Ganzeveld. Iran Update Special Report, August 10, 2026. Institute for the Study of War.
[22] 2026, September 10. Live Update: Report: US troops are in Saudi Arabia providing intel for strikes on Houthis. The Times of Israel.
[23] TOI Staff and Agencies. Trump said to reject Saudi request for strikes on Houthis, as rebels seize Red Sea island. The Times of Israel.
[24] Magid, J. 2026, August 31. Live Update: ‘What a stupid question’: Trump rules out idea of nuking Iran. The Times of Israel.
[25] Magid, J. 2026, September 03. Live Update: Vance: Washington will only resume talks with Iran when it stops targeting ships in Hormuz. The Times of Israel.
[26] Mulligan, S. P. 2024. The Declare War Clause, Part 1: Overview and Introduction, Document LSB11230. U.S. Congressional Research Service.
[27] Whiteman, M. M. 1968. Digest of International Law, Volume 10. US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.
