On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran. Over 100 aircraft dropped bombs on strategic targets throughout the country, and more than 850 Tomahawk missiles were launched from U.S. Navy destroyers and submarines in the opening attacks. About 40 top Iranian military commanders were killed in the opening attack, along with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran's response was immediate.
Hundreds of missiles and thousands of drones were launched in retaliation. The Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed, causing a shipping bottleneck that sent shockwaves around the world. What's behind the current conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel? Where does Iran fit in Bible prophecy? And how will it affect you and me? We'll address these questions today on Tomorrow's World.
But before we do, be sure to get a pen and paper to order your free copy of the study guide, The Middle East in Prophecy . I'll give you the information for ordering later in the program. So what does the Bible say about Iran in prophecy? I'll be right back with the answer. ♪ Welcome to Tomorrow's World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. On Friday, February 28, 2026, the world was shocked to learn that the United States, Israel, and Iran were at war.
In a complex coordinated attack that included cyber and missile attacks and airstrikes, America and Israel struck at the very heart of Iran. In the opening salvos, around 40 key military leaders were killed. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Kamenei, was killed in the attack as well. As of this recording, negotiations and peace talks have not ended the conflict, although a tenuous ceasefire is in effect. It's easy to lose perspective when nations go to war.
We can forget all that went before to bring us to this point. Back in 2025, following two years of war between Israel Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, Israel struck Iranian nuclear facilities. American B-2s dropped bunker-buster bombs on nuclear sites at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. Those limited strikes were aimed at endng Iran's not-so-secret nuclear and ballistic missile programs. For years, Iran was suspected of working secretly to build nuclear weapons.
Consider this report from CBS News back in 2013. But when did these uranium enrichment programs begin? The answer was relayed by a former high ranking Israeli military officer, Major General Yaakov Amidroor. His comments were recorded in a round table discussion in 2008. He said this. You see, this is not a new issue. This conflict has been building up for a whole generation, but it actually goes back even further to the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Many older Americans will remember the events of November 4th, 1979 when radical Iranian students stormed the American Embassy in Tehran. They took more than 50 American citizens hostage who were staff members at the embassy. They held them for 444 days. 1979 was also a year of dramatic change for Iran in its relationship with the state of Israel. You see, Israel had for years enjoyed a friendly relationship with Iran.
During the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the Shah of Iran, the ruling monarchy of that country, sought to build and strengthen ties with Israel and the United States. As the Encyclopedia Iranica Online website notes: In an address to the United Nations General Assembly in 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also explained the close relationship between Iran and Israel and how it dramatically changed after the 1979 revolution.
But perhaps it's worth our time to investigate a little bit into that history of friendship between Iran, formerly known as Persia, and the Jews. We'll dive into that when we return. But first let me offer you our free study guide, The Middle East in Prophecy . Written by the the late Evangelist Richard Ames, he gives hope and comfort about this volatile region in seemingly constant turmoil.
In it, he talks about Jerusalem, holy city for three religions, discusses the Middle East as the hotbed of terror and asks, "What lies ahead?" If you wanna know why events are happening as they are in this tumultuous region, request your free booklet today. Call, write, or order online. Order now. This clear and straightforward resource will help you understand this vital truth straight from the pages of the Bible. Call now or go to TWTV.org/East.
In the previous segment of our program, we saw that the armed conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran took decades in the making. And frankly, the Jewish people in Iran have a long history of friendship and cooperation. To get a little history on that, we've got to go back even further, about 2,500 years further. As mentioned before, Iran's former name was Persia. The government of this country only changed its name to Iran in 1935.
Before that, it was known as Persia, for millennia. And the Jews and the Persians have generally had good relations through the years. Again, speaking in 2013 at the General Assembly of the United Nations, Prime Minister Netanyahu said this. In spite of the religious toleration of the Persians, the Jews were not without their enemies.
During the reign of Ahazuerus, most likely Xerxes, one of his high-ranking ministers tricked the king into signing a decree, authorizing the destruction of the Jewish people. That high-ranking minister's name was Haman. But God saved the Jews from annihilation, and he worked through a courageous young Jewish woman, Queen Esther, to accomplish that. The yearly celebration of Purim by the Jews commemorates their victory over their enemies.
There are some fascinating parallels between the story of Haman and the 2026 war in Iran. More than a few Jews have noted the timing of the attacks and the similarity of circumstances. Among them is Prime Minister Netanyahu himself. Note this article from the Jewish Standard Times of Israel website. Haman exercised great influence on the king in setting policy. He almost succeeded in having the Jews annihilated.
Today, modern Persia, Iran, is ruled by leaders who also have the aim of the destruction of Israel as well. But what about Bible prophecy? What does it say about Persia in the end time? Will modern day Persia invade Israel? Some students of the Bible have noted that Ezekiel 38 Prophesies of an attack on Israel by a group of nations, including Persia.
They assume that Persia, Russia and other Asian nations, will invade the Holy Land as a part of the Great tribulation leading up to Christ's return. But that's simply not what the Bible says. Ezekiel 38 does speak of a massive army swooping down into the land of Israel, but it's during the millennium after Jesus Christ has returned to earth. Let's notice that in Ezekiel 38 and verse 1.
These countries are identified as Asian nations led by Russia, but notice that Persia is included among them, and Ezekiel prophesies of a massive military operation by these nations. Reading on in Ezekiel 38. It speaks of Israel being a land where people dwell safely. And a little later in the chapter, it says Israel is a "land of unwalled villages." Could this possibly be speaking of the modern state of Israel today? Absolutely not.
The state of Israel is one of the most heavily defended countries on earth, and by necessity. It's surrounded by enemies dedicated to its destruction. So the only possible answer is this prophecy in Ezekiel 38 is speaking of the future during the millennium after Christ has returned. And that's an important distinction. And Ezekiel finishes by explaining how the reigning Jesus Christ will supernaturally defend the nation of Israel at that time.
In the end, this rebellion by Gog, including the nation of Persia, will fail, and those countries will learn a valuable lesson, and that is that God rules supreme. Ultimately, all nations of the earth will learn and submit and obey his voice, and reap the benefits of living God's way of life in peace and prosperity. And those nations, including Persia, will enjoy the fruits of Christ's rule on Earth for a thousand years. But will Persia have any role in the Holy Land before Christ's return?
Yes, it will. And we'll discuss that when I come back. But before that, let me take a moment to again offer you our free study guide, The Middle East in Prophecy . In it, Richard Ames asked the question, "Will Russia control the Middle East?" Many people assume so, but it's based on a misunderstanding of Ezekiel 38. He goes into much more detail than we can possibly do in this short program. You need to understand what the future holds for the Middle East and the entire world.
So call, click, or write today. Order now. For today's free offer, call... Or go to TWTV.org/East. This clear and straightforward resource will help you understand this vital truth straight from the pages of the Bible. If you're calling for the first time, you will also receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's World magazine. six inspiring issues discussing news, science, and modern culture will help you make sense of your world from a biblical perspective.
Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times. Call now or go to TWTV.org/East. Welcome back. In the previous segments of our program, we saw that Ezekiel 38 speaks of an attack on Israel by a group of nations including Persia. At that time, Israel will be described as a land of unwalled villages. This will happen during the millennium, when Christ is reigning on earth, not during the end times.
But what about in our time now? Will Persia have any role in the Holy Land before Christ's return? Yes, it will. And we'll explain that in a moment. When the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, 2026, Iran didn't just fire back at the nation of Israel and at American ships. Over the next few weeks, they also aimed missiles and drones at Arab nations all over the Middle East.
Through the first 41 days of the conflict, at least 6413 missiles and drones were launched against Iran's neighbors. The UAE recorded the highest number of tax on its territory, followed by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan, while Oman recorded the lowest. Interestingly, most of those nations have majority populations subscribing to a different branch of Islam than Iran.
Iran is predominantly Shiite, whereas the Gulf states and most other Arab nations are predominantly Sunni Muslims. The Shia-Sunni split occurred back in 632 AD after the death of Muhammad. And that deep rift has separated Shia's and Sunnis for centuries. The other thing to recognize is Iran is a Muslim nation but not an Arab nation. It's Persian. And that makes it very different from the Arab nations of the Middle East ethnically.
Interestingly, Psalm 83 identifies many Arab nations and their conflict with Israel during the time of the end. Notice Psalm 83 and verse 1. And there are nations that will attempt to destroy Israel before the end of the age, they are even named. Notice who they are, going on in Psalm 83 and verse 5. So who are these people? Notice what Evangelist Richard Ames says about this verse. So watch the Arab nations, not Persia, to turn on Israel as the end of the age draws near.
And as he mentioned, watch for Germany, the modern descendants of Assyria, to get involved as well. Let's turn to Daniel 11 to get a clearer picture of what happens, Daniel 11 and verse 40. The "him" is the king of the North. The king of the North originally was identified as the the Seleucid Empire in Syria, north of Israel. But Rome inherited that role when it conquered Syria in 64 BC. So the king of the North in the end-times is the revived Roman Empire.
It's a European power that rises to prominence with breathtaking speed in the last days. The king of the South is a confederation of Arab nations So the king of the North will be attacked by the king of the South. Watch for world events to cause Arab nations to join together. Perhaps even the conflict with Iran could cause predominantly Sunni Arab nations to coalesce, taking one step closer to a confederated union.
And watch, ultimately, for a conflict between the Muslim-Arab world and the European beast power. Reading on in Daniel 11 and verse 40. So watch for Europe to take a strong hand in the Middle East, centering in Jerusalem. Watch for a conflict between a German-led beast power and an Arab confederation. Let's read on in Daniel chapter 11 in verse 44: What nations are located east and north of Jerusalem? Here's where Persia and other countries east and north enter the picture.
Look at a map of the Middle East and Asia. East and north of Jerusalem is the same group of nations we read about in Ezekial 38. But in this case, not attacking Israel, but rather confronting the European beast power. This is also known as the sixth trumpet plague. Notice in Revelation 9, verse 13. This corresponds to Daniel 11:44, which we just read. This massive 200 million man army will be representing the lands north and east of Jerusalem.
This powerful army will converge on the beast power and cross the Euphrates River, which will by then be dried up. And this will lead to the sixth bowl of the seven last plagues. Notice in Revelation 16 and verse 12: This leads to the so-called Battle of Armageddon, or in Hebrew, Har Megiddo, or the hill of Megiddo. This is located north of Jerusalem.
So these armies of the east, most likely including Persia, will converge on the beast, and unless Christ would return, this battle would lead to all life being wiped off the face of the earth. The events of the Middle East will affect everyone living on this planet. And that's why you need this free study guide, the Middle East in Prophecy . In it, Evangelist Richard Ames explains the bitter family rivalry that is behind so much conflict in the Middle East.
He also explains Daniel's famous prophecy and asks the question, "Who will control Jerusalem?" This booklet is packed with vital information about prophecies affecting our modern world today. So don't delay, write, call, or order online. Order now. This clear and straightforward resource will help you understand this vital truth straight from the pages of the Bible. Call now or go to TWTV.org/East.
In today's program, we've discussed the conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran. But what's been left out of our discussion? Who's not been mentioned? Well, we've seen where Persia, modern Iran, will play a part in the final battle between the kings of the east and the beast power. But notice, by then, there is no mention of end-time Israel.
And if you are a regular viewer of Tomorrow's World, you know that the modern tribes of Israel today include the United States, the British-descended nations, and other countries of northwest Europe. The sobering truth is, by the time these confrontations take place that we've discussed, the Israel-descended nations will have already been vanquished, defeated, and even taken into slavery.
If you live in one of these modern nations of Israel, don't think these conflicts won't ever come to your shores. These were not just nice sounding words, he was giving them a warning. The missile attacks and aircraft strikes we watch today on television or on our smartphones will someday be turned on our nations. And that will usher in the Great Tribulation. God help all of us to seek Him now, to repent of our individual and national sins, and cry out to Him for mercy and forgiveness and help.
As Christ said in Luke 21 verse 34: Watch and pray always, to be ready for Christ's return, and pray for the day when all nations will worship and submit to His reign as a loving Savior, when He will set up His throne in Jerusalem, and when eventually people all over the earth, including the people of Persia, will learn to really know God.
God made them in His image, and Jesus Christ died for them, and He will give all mankind a wonderful new way of life, full of happiness, hope, and prosperity for a thousand years. God speed that day. Thank you for watching, and be sure to request your free study guide, The Middle East in Prophecy . And be sure to join us next time as Gerald Weston, Wallace Smith and I explain the good news of tomorrow's world and the truth, comfort and hope it can bring to you and your family.
For today's free offer, call... The Proceeding Program is produced by the Living Church of God. ♪ Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to tomorrow's world for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times. ♪ The preceding program is produced by the Living Church of God. ♪