JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – The Middle East is entering a critical moment as the United States and Iran trade sharp rhetoric over what comes next. At the same time, Israel is closing a chapter with the return of the last hostage remains from Gaza, and a new report reveals a surge in global antisemitism.
Reports on Thursday indicated that Iran’s failure to respond to President Trump’s calls to negotiate on limiting its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program has the president considering a military strike to create conditions for regime change in Iran.
President Trump has warned that time is running out as he escalates pressure on the Islamic Republic, shifting from talk of rescuing the Iranian people to a renewed focus on demanding a nuclear deal.
In a Truth Social post, Trump warned, “A massive armada is heading to Iran,” calling on Tehran to negotiate immediately. He urged Iran to “come to the table” and agree to “no nuclear weapons.”
Trump also issued a stark warning, saying that if Iran does not make a deal, the next strike would be far worse than Operation Midnight Hammer, the U.S. attack last year on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
In a post on social media, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi insisted that Iranian forces are prepared to immediately and powerfully respond.
A senior advisor to Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any U.S. military move would be met with an “immediate and unprecedented” response, including strikes on Tel Aviv.
The leader of the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon, Naim Kassem, claims the group is also preparing to retaliate in the event of a U.S.-Israel attack on Iran.
Kassem threatened, “When Trump, or anyone else, threatens to kill the leader (Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei), that means he’s threatening … tens of millions …We are committed to carrying out all the measures and preparations to confront this threat.”
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In Israel, the last hostage held in Gaza, police officer Ran Gvili, has now been laid to rest, and the clock in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square has been turned off. The time stopped at 843 days, 12 hours, 5 minutes, and 59 seconds since the Hamas attack of October 7th, 2023.
Gvili’s sister Shira described what the moment meant to her family.
“On October 7th, the clock didn’t stop. Our clock stopped,” she said. “Rani went out, fought, saved, kidnapped, and returned, and now we can really stop this clock for a moment, and we can move forward.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at Gvili’s funeral, saying the return of the last hostage marks a transition in Israel’s mission.
He stated, “We achieved what we had prepared for 843 days, to bring all our brothers and sisters home. We are also committed to our other goals: disarming Hamas, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, and we will achieve this as well.”
A new report from Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs warns of a sharp rise in antisemitism, recording 815 severe incidents in 2025, including the murder of 21 Jews, up from just one in 2024. The highest numbers were in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and Canada.
That growing threat may have been on display in New York, where authorities are investigating a possible hate crime on Wednesday after a man repeatedly rammed his car into the Chabad Lubavitch world headquarters while people were gathered for prayer. No one was injured, but a video shows the vehicle striking the building multiple times. Police say it is too early to determine motive, but the incident comes as Jewish communities worldwide face heightened fear and increasing threats.
At the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism in Jerusalem this week, Josh Reinstein of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus warned that antisemitism is rooted in the rejection of God.
He noted, “Of course, antisemitism is growing, antisemitism, the virus. And what it is really is the rejection of God. Now people can’t see God or touch God, so they reject His people. If you see who are on the other side of antisemitism, are people who don’t believe in God, don’t believe the Bible.”
