Trump drove Iranian leaders to their knees: 7 reasons we should be very happy about US-Israeli successes and this ceasefire — if it’s strongly enforced

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — Americans and Israelis should be very happy about U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s decision to agree to a two-week ceasefire in Iran if it’s very strongly and meticulously enforced.

Here’s why.

1. Operation Epic Fury has shrewdly proven to be a massive and historic success.

• We’ve assassinated the self-proclaimed Supreme Leader, his entire inner circle, and hundreds of other senior generals, commanders, and intelligence officers.

• We’ve obliterated the remainder of Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities, the vast majority of their missiles, launchers, drones, and factories that produce all of those.

• We’ve shot down more than 90% of the missiles and drones they’ve fired at American, Israeli, and Arab targets.

• We’ve destroyed a great deal of their economic infrastructure that generates income for the regime and cash for their terror proxies.

• And we’ve proven that we can inflict far more devastation if they don’t surrender to President Trump’s demands.

2. What’s left of the Iranian regime is begging for a ceasefire because it is systematically being blown to smithereens.

• President Trump has driven Iranian leaders to their knees – the first American leader to do so in 47 years.

• Tehran wasn’t serious about making sweeping concessions before the 12-Day War last January.

• Tehran wasn’t serious about making sweeping concessions before Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28.

• Now they say they are serious. Let’s see. If they’re lying, Trump can resume the massive attacks.

3. The stock market immediately surged by 1,200 points, and oil prices dropped immediately by almost 20%.

“Stocks jumped Wednesday after President Donald Trump said he was suspending Iran attacks for two weeks, pausing a five-week conflict that closed a crucial waterway for global energy supply and sent equity prices reeling,” CNBC reported.

“The Dow Jones Industrial Average ripped 1,200 points higher, or 2.6%. The S&P 500 popped 2.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite surged 2.8%.”

“West Texas Intermediate crude futures tumbled more than 17% to $93.42 a barrel following Trump’s declaration. International benchmark Brent for June delivery lost more than 16% to $91.65 per barrel.”

4. The Iranians have agreed to stop threatening oil tankers and other commercial shipping that want to move through the Strait of Hormuz.

President Trump said on social media that the ceasefire will lead to "the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz."

That’s a big deal.

Some 20% of the world’s oil and gas reserves are shipped through that passageway.

So, its reopening will help stabilize oil and gas prices and calm international markets.

5. Millions of Israelis and Gulf Arabs – including many families with children – will now have two weeks of quiet and rest after a traumatic five weeks of missile and drone attacks.

This is also a big deal.

Yes, the U.S. and Israel are winning – and winning big – but war is exhausting and takes a heavy emotional and physical toll on innocent civilians as well as war fighters.

6. Israeli forces can now focus their attention exclusively for the next two weeks on destroying more of Hezbollah’s missiles, launchers, and terrorist forces in Lebanon.

Yes, this is very painful for innocent Lebanese civilians.

But breaking the back of Hezbollah – and giving the Lebanese government and military a fighting chance to rise up and cast off the yoke of Iranian and Hezbollah slavery once and for all – is critically important.

7. The Iranian people will also now have a much-needed respite – hopefully they will gather the courage and resolve to rise up against what’s left of the shattered and shell-shocked regime.

At the same time, the persecuted yet growing Church in Iran can also have a chance to catch its breath.

And serious followers of Jesus can meet for fellowship and prayer – and once again continue sharing the good news of Christ’s love and forgiveness, and offer of eternal life with their Muslim neighbors.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

Yes, it’s possible that this ceasefire will lead to the end of hostilities and what’s left of the regime will become more dangerous toward the Iranian people.

Let’s pray that doesn’t happen, but it certainly could.

Yes, striking a deal – especially if it’s a bad deal – could legitimize and embolden what’s left of the regime.

Again, let’s pray that doesn’t happen, but let’s be clear-eyed and know that it certainly could.

At the same time, let me repeat my prediction before this war began.

Six weeks ago, President Trump had three options.

OPTION #1: Talk tough but do nothing.

OPTION #2: Launch a large and devastating but ultimately limited attack that punished the regime and destroyed much of its offensive military capabilities, but didn’t explicitly set regime change as its goal.

OPTION #3: Go all in and continue attacking until the regime is completely vanquished and can be definitively replaced by moderates who liberated the people and wanted to be friends with the West.

I predicted that Trump would go with Option #3.

That is, I believed he would keep his word to prevent the regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon (which they were very close to), keep his word to neutralize the missile threat, and keep his word to come to the rescue and punish the regime for murdering 45,000 innocent civilian protestors.

But he would also understand the limits of air and naval power and be careful not to overreach.

This is exactly what he has done.

And we should be grateful.

Iran is certainly not about to become a Jeffersonian democracy.

But it is certainly not an imminent and existential threat.

We may wish for more – but let’s not kid ourselves: this is a huge win.