The Roar of the Lion

What a powerful expression — one that perfectly captures the extraordinary offensive carried out by the Israeli army: “Operation Lion’s Roar.”

With the last hostages now returned from Gaza, Israel may finally be in a position to bring an end to a regime that has long acted like the head of a vast, tentacled octopus. Once again, this tiny country stands against a giant — the mullahs’ Iran — a power that has projected its influence around the world through networks of international terrorism.
In many ways, the scene feels like a modern echo of the ancient battle of David and Goliath.

The Battle for Al-Quds

The establishment of the Islamic regime in Iran in 1979 marked the emergence of a central pillar in Iranian strategy: the “defense of Al-Quds (Jerusalem).” After the revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini — and we should not forget the role France played in granting him asylum before his return to Iran — the new regime sought a unifying theme that could mobilize the Muslim world. Khomeini chose Jerusalem.

He instituted Al-Quds Day, observed on the last Friday of Ramadan, and proclaimed that Jerusalem was an Islamic cause. Israel, he declared, represented an illegitimate occupation, and the Muslim world had the duty to liberate Al-Quds. From that moment on, the “defense of Al-Quds” became far more than a slogan. It evolved into a political strategy and a geopolitical doctrine, giving birth to a global Islamic mobilization centered on Jerusalem.

But what does the Bible say? “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness unto all the surrounding peoples … In that day will I make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who burden themselves with it shall be grievously hurt.” (Zechariah 12:2–3)
We are clearly living in biblical and prophetic times.

The theme of the “liberation of Al-Quds” first emerged in the twentieth century. The Palestinian leader Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, had already promoted the claim that the Al-Aqsa Mosque was under threat, calling on Muslims to rise in defense of Jerusalem. Over time, this narrative became a powerful force of mobilization throughout the Muslim world. After the Islamic Revolution, Khomeini — and later Khamenei — adopted and expanded this theme, giving it a truly global dimension.

October 7, 2023

This tragic date for the State of Israel ultimately revealed the forces arrayed against it. It marked the beginning of a broader confrontation with the Iranian-backed axis.
In this sense, October 7 can be seen as the spark that ignited a wider regional conflict. The current war with Iran is directly connected to that moment.

From this perspective, October 7 becomes a moment of unveiling — a moment when where the nations stand is revealed. God acts within history as the Judge of nations.

Purim Before Our Eyes

For those who read history through the lens of Scripture, it is difficult not to notice a striking parallel between today’s events and the story recorded in the Book of Esther, written some 2,400 years ago.

At the very moment when Israel struck the meeting place of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council — where Khamenei and his ministers were gathered — synagogues around the world were reading the Torah passage: “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt… When the LORD your God gives you rest in the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget.” (Deuteronomy 25:17–19)

Some will see this as coincidence. Others will discern the invisible hand of God at work in the history of nations.

A New Era

A new era may be opening in the Middle East. For decades, the Iran of the mullahs has sought to encircle Israel through a network of proxy militias and terrorist organizations, turning the region into a permanent battlefield. Yet recent events show that the balance of power can shift. More than ever, Israel appears as a central and indispensable player in the future of the Middle East.

And the Lion that roars is not only the lion of Israel’s army. It is also the Lion of Judah, watching over His people and guiding history toward the fulfillment of His promises.