END TIMES WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

Juniper Oak 23 involves thousands of troops practicing land, sea, air, cyber and space drills in Israel in an implied warning to Iran. by Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

The American military and the IDF began a week-long series of joint exercises in Israel involving thousands of troops in every sphere of combat.

“Juniper Oak is a Combined Joint All-Domain exercise which improves our interoperability on land, in the air, at sea, in space, and in cyberspace with our partners, enhances our ability to respond to contingencies, and underscores our commitment to the Middle East,” said Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command (CentCom).

Some 6,400 American personnel are practicing military scenarios with about 1,100 Israeli soldiers. Most of the Americans are at sea with the participating U.S. carrier strike group, which will go on joint maneuvers against simulated maritime threats with six Israeli missile ships and a submarine.

In the air, over 140 planes, including the most advanced F-35 Stealth jets, B-52 bombers, F-15, F-16 and F-18 fighters, unmanned aerial vehicles and refueling aircraft will fly “missions” together.

Electronic warfare exercises will test the joint abilities of the “armchair warriors” – one of the most important fronts in any future war.

The drills will end with an extensive live-fire exercise simulating the overpowering of enemy air defenses both on the ground and in the sky, as well as ground forces’ use of both U.S. HIMARs long-range rockets and Israeli missile systems, and American laser-guided bombs.

The IDF spokesman made a point of noting that during the exercise there will be a considerable amount of military traffic throughout the country, and echoes of explosions will be heard in the South.

U.S. and Israeli spokespersons have said the simulations are “relevant to a whole range” of scenarios or regional threats, although a senior U.S. defense official acknowledged that “Iran may draw certain inferences from that. It’s really meant mostly to kick the tires on our ability to do things at this scale with the Israelis against a whole range of different threats.

“But, you know, it would not surprise me if Iran sees the scale and the nature of these activities and understands what the two of us are capable of doing.”

The 23rd rendition of Juniper Oak is “the most significant exercise between the United States and Israel to date,” the official said.

There is a second American message behind the massive exercise, according to a statement the official made to NBC News – this one directed to other parts of the world.

“What we think this exercise demonstrates is our ability in being able to flex to another high priority area of responsibility and conduct an exercise on this scale in the Middle East” while still being highly occupied with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and concerned over the growing threat perceived from China, the official said.

PROPHESIED WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

Dmitry Medvedev, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s strongest allies, threatened the West with nuclear war if his country loses the war with Ukraine.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council and former Russian president and prime minister

In reaction to those who support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s position that the only way the war with Russia can end is with the total withdrawal of all Russian forces from all Ukrainian territory, including the regions Moscow has unilaterally annexed, the current deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council wrote on Telegram, “The defeat of a nuclear power in a conventional war can provoke the outbreak a nuclear war.”

“Nuclear powers have never lost major conflicts on which their fate depends,” he continued, stressing these words in italics.

He then added, “But this should be obvious to anyone. Even to a Western politician who has retained at least some trace of intelligence.”

This could have been an oblique snipe at German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who said during a speech on the eve of this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos that “to achieve peace, Russia must lose.”

His warning also came in the context of noting that “great military leaders” of NATO will be meeting Friday in Germany to discuss what new military supplies its member states will send to Kyiv.

Look at the detail Jesus gave us so that we will be prepared for the coming tribulation. Note, Jesus says, “you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.”

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places (Luke adds pestilences Luke 21:11). All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:6-14

PROPHESIED WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

The Israel Air Force and the United States Air Force held the largest joint aerial exercise in years, simulating strikes against Iran’s nuclear program and mid-flight refueling.

The two-day drill took place over the Mediterranean Sea and Israel. Fighter jets from both countries simulated long-range flights and striking distant targets, increasing readiness for combat scenarios with Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces and the American military’s Central Command have conducted several joint drills over recent years.

Two Israeli and one American F-16 fighter jets fly alongside one another during a joint exercise in southern Israel in January 2022.

(Israel Defense Forces) In July of 2022, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed a Joint Declaration on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership – also known as the Jerusalem Declaration.

The declaration stresses the U.S. commitment “never to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, and that it is prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome.”

The joint drill was the subject of meetings in Washington last week between IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi and U.S. officials, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, and CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla.

While there, Kochavi was awarded the Legion of Merit by the U.S. Armed Forces in recognition of his achievements in “establishing Israel’s position as a leader of groundbreaking operational capabilities in the Middle East,” and strengthening the Israeli-American strategic alliance, a statement from the military said.

Kochavi was also recognized for stewarding the U.S.-Israeli military-to-military relationship through a transition period, as U.S. European Command handed over its geographic combatant command responsibility for Israel to U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations and regional cooperation in the Middle East.

Some NIS 3.5 billion ($1 billion) has been earmarked from the IDF’s NIS 58 billion ($17 billion) defense budget for the next year military activity relating to combating Iran.

Outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz earlier this month warned Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu to think “very carefully” before striking Iran.

“Israel has the ability to act in Iran. We have the readiness, development capabilities, and long-term plans we are managing. We need to prepare for this possibility, and we will also need to consider this issue very carefully before carrying it out,” he said.

God has warned us of exactly what will unfold in the end times that precede Jesus’ return to restore righteousness to His world so we should not be taken by surprise God is in control.

And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.Mark 13:7-8

PROPHESIED WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

The push to ramp up joint training with US forces in Australia is consistent with America’s shift in force posture, which aims to build more nimble and geographically distributed capabilities across the Indo-Pacific in preparation for a potential conflict with China. It comes as nearly 17,000 Australian and US personnel participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre – the allies’ biggest bilateral training mission – at Defence ­facilities across Queensland.

And when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.Luke 13:7-8

US High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems launch rockets during a firepower demonstration held at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland. Picture: Defence Department

This year’s exercise, which also involves contingents from Japan, Canada, Britain and New Zealand, is being closely watched by two Chinese spy ships, reflecting Beijing’s growing interest in how the nations’ militaries work together.

People’s Liberation Army (Navy) General Intelligence Ship Tianwangxing (AGI-797) transits through the Arafura Sea, approximately 40 nautical miles north of the Tiwi Islands on July 10, 2021. (Australian Department of Defence)

The Morrison and Biden ­administrations are also in the midst of delicate negotiations to build guided missiles in Australia using top-secret US technology, and store US weapons and equipment at Top End bases (Norther Territory)

Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings said practical military co-operation with the US was Australia’s best immediate option to deter would-be adversaries.

“I think what you are seeing is the fulfilment of a strategy that was really set down by Jim Mattis when he was secretary of defence, to give the US military more ­options to disperse its forces in the event of an attack from China,” Mr Jennings said.

“Australia plays, potentially, a really important part of that because we are sufficiently far enough away, we have infrastructure that can be used, and we are an alliance partner. The benefit for Australia is a larger more regular American military presence here is the best deterrence that we can buy in the short term.”

He said joint training exercises kept the US engaged in Australia’s immediate region, and ­required it to have a working military strategy in which Australia could assist.