VFI News Iran's IRGC Threatens 'Heavy Attack' on US; IDF Strikes 85 Hezbollah Sites

Iran's IRGC Threatens 'Heavy Attack' on US; IDF Strikes 85 Hezbollah Sites . . . https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JayRlQBXmtA

Iran's IRGC vowed a "heavy attack" on American military assets after US forces disabled Iranian tankers — and IDF simultaneously struck over 85 Hezbollah sites in 24 hours. Here's what's happening.

This Monday update covers three major fronts developing simultaneously across the Middle East.

On the maritime front, the IRGC Navy has issued explicit threats against US military installations and naval assets, warning that any further action against Iranian tankers will trigger devastating retaliatory strikes. This follows US forces disabling multiple Iranian-flagged vessels under the ongoing naval blockade — a crisis that traces back to February 28. Indirect diplomacy continues, with Secretary of State Rubio confirming Washington is awaiting Tehran's response to its latest proposal.

Iran's IRGC-affiliated media then escalated further, calling for "protection fees" on the fiber optic cables running through the Strait of Hormuz — cables that reportedly carry over $10 trillion in daily American financial transactions.

On Israel's northern border, one IDF reservist was severely wounded and two moderately injured by Hezbollah explosive drones near Lebanon. The IDF struck over 85 Hezbollah infrastructure sites in the preceding 24 hours, including an underground weapons production facility in the Beqaa Valley. A second round of Israel-Lebanon talks is scheduled in Washington on May 14–15.

We also cover a Channel 12 poll showing 42% of Likud voters considering switching parties ahead of the fall Knesset elections.

As always, prayer points are included throughout — we believe intercession matters as much as information.

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#Israel #Iran #Hezbollah #MiddleEast #WarUpdate

#Israel #Iran #Hezbollah #MiddleEast #WarUpdate

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a warning on Saturday, May 9, vowing devastating strikes against American military installations and naval assets across the Middle East if its tankers come under fire. The threat was published by the IRGC Navy Command in a post on X, declaring that any aggression against Iranian oil tankers and commercial vessels would result in a heavy attack on one of the American centers in the region and enemy ships. The warning came a day after US forces disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

Iranian Army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia added that vessels from countries complying with US sanctions against Iran will face immediate difficulties crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Brigadier General Seyyed Majid Mousavi, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, said in a separate statement that Iranian missiles and drones are already locked onto American targets in the region and aggressor enemy ships, and are awaiting the order to fire. The escalation followed a week of sporadic clashes between Iranian and US naval forces in the strategic waterway.

The current crisis traces back to February 28, when Iran initiated a restrictive transit policy in retaliation for joint US-Israeli strikes on its territory. Since then, the United States has imposed a comprehensive naval blockade, severing maritime access to and from Iranian ports, while engaging and disabling multiple Iranian-flagged tankers and cargo ships. Despite the threats, Washington and Tehran remain engaged in indirect talks, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming on Friday, May 8, that the United States is awaiting Iran's response to its latest proposal aimed at ending more than two months of war.

(TOI/VFI News)

Dear Lord, we lift up our brothers and sisters in the United States and in Israel, facing escalating threats from Iran. We pray in Yeshua's Name that You shield American military personnel and Israeli citizens from any aggression by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, restraining its missiles and drones and frustrating every plan to harm Your people. Please grant wisdom to leaders pursuing diplomacy, and bring an end to this war that honors Your Name and brings true peace to the region. We trust that no weapon formed against Your people shall prosper.

Iranian media outlets affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have called for imposing "protection" payments on the undersea fiber optic cables that pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Tasnim news agency claimed that the cables carry more than $10 trillion in American financial transactions every day, including SWIFT system orders, stock market transactions, and money transfers. Tehran asserts that any disruption to the cables could cause widespread paralysis of the internet and the global digital economy.

The proposal emerged on Sunday, May 10, following days of escalating maritime confrontation between Iranian and United States forces in the strategic waterway. The naval arm of the IRGC declared on Saturday, May 9, that any aggression directed against Iranian oil tankers or commercial shipping would trigger a massive retaliatory strike, explicitly targeting US regional military centers and what Tehran characterizes as "enemy" vessels. Recent days have seen US forces engaging and disabling multiple Iranian-flagged tankers and cargo ships attempting to bypass the American naval blockade.

The current crisis traces back to February 28, when Iran initiated a restrictive transit policy in the waterway in retaliation for joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Since that time, the United States has countered with a comprehensive naval blockade, effectively severing maritime access to and from Iranian ports. The IRGC Aerospace Division simultaneously announced that its arsenal of missiles and drones has locked onto US regional targets and the "aggressive enemy" fleet operating in the Persian Gulf and is "awaiting the order to fire." Despite the open threats, indirect talks between the two governments remain ongoing.

(INN/VFI News)

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” – Psalm 20:7

One IDF reservist was severely injured, and two reservists were moderately wounded on Saturday, May 9, after explosive drones launched by Hezbollah terrorists fell within Israeli territory near the Lebanese border. The soldiers were evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, and their families were notified of the incident. Hezbollah launched additional explosive drones at Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon, with one striking an unmanned IDF engineering vehicle and damaging it, but causing no further injuries.

The Israeli Air Force intercepted several Hezbollah projectiles fired at Israeli troops throughout the day. In response, IDF forces struck a Hezbollah drone launch site, a weapons storage facility, and two loaded and ready-to-use launchers. Earlier Saturday, the military announced that it had struck over 85 infrastructure sites belonging to Hezbollah over the previous 24 hours, hitting weapon storage facilities, launchers, and structures used by the terror group to advance attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers.

In the Beqaa Valley, the IDF targeted an underground site utilized by Hezbollah for the production of advanced weaponry intended to harm IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians on the border and deeper inside Israel. Hezbollah operatives directly involved in advancing terrorist actions against troops in southern Lebanon were also struck. The clashes mark some of the most intense exchanges since a three-week-old ceasefire took effect on April 17, with a second round of direct Israel-Lebanon talks scheduled to be held in Washington on May 14 and 15.

(JPost/VFI News)

Heavenly Father, we pray for the IDF reservists wounded by Hezbollah drone attacks on Saturday and ask for their full and swift recovery. Strengthen and comfort their families during this anxious time, and grant Your peace to all troops serving along the northern border. We ask in Yeshua's Name that You frustrate every plan of Hezbollah to harm Israel, expose its hidden weapons facilities, and bring this conflict to a just resolution. Be a shield around Your land and over its defenders, day and night.

Forty-two percent of Israelis who voted for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party in the previous election are either considering or have decided to vote for a different party in the fall Knesset elections, a Channel 12 poll released on Friday, May 8, revealed. Fifty-eight percent of Likud's 2022 voters said they will support the party again at the ballot box. Among those defecting or undecided, 37% cited the failure to prevent Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack as the chief reason.

An additional 23% pointed to legislation the government is trying to pass, granting blanket exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students. Fourteen percent named Netanyahu's personal conduct, while 13% cited divisions in Israeli society, and another 13% said they were unsure. The poll showed that 10% of former Likud voters will support the Together slate that former prime minister Naftali Bennett formed with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid; 6% will vote for former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot's centrist Yashar party; and 4% will back Avigdor Liberman's secular right-wing Yisrael Beytenu.

Asked whether Netanyahu should run in the next election, 64% of those who voted Likud previously said yes, while 30% said he should retire. Looking ahead to a post-Netanyahu Likud, 10% pointed to former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, 9% favored Economy Minister Nir Barkat, and 8% Defense Minister Israel Katz; 45% chose none of the above. Sixty-seven percent said Netanyahu's son Yair should not be on the Likud electoral slate. Israeli parliamentary elections are set to be held in October at the latest.

(TOI/VFI News)

“There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the counsel of the Lord—that will stand.” – Proverbs 19:21

Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of Jerusalem through captivating footage capturing the modern splendor and historical significance of this ancient city. Discover the divine promises and prophetic scriptures that highlight God's eternal plan for Jerusalem. Don't miss this enlightening tribute to Jerusalem Day, celebrating the reunification of the Holy City.

Chile's newly elected president, José Antonio Kast, told President Isaac Herzog during a meeting in Costa Rica on Thursday, May 7, that he intends to return his country's ambassador to Israel within the coming weeks. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the presidential inauguration of Costa Rica's new head of state, Laura Fernández Delgado. Kast also conveyed that Chile wants to increase cooperation with Israel across agriculture, health, AI, technology, and security, and that his government is currently working against terrorism and antisemitism in Chile.

Chile recalled its ambassador less than a month after the October 7, 2023 Hamas invasion of Israel under Kast's leftist predecessor, Gabriel Boric, who accused the Jewish state of "unacceptable" human rights violations in the war against the terror group. Boric had previously refused to accept the credentials of Israel's ambassador to Chile, Gil Artzyeli, and had labeled Israel a "murderous" state. In January 2025, Chile joined calls for an investigation by the International Criminal Court into possible Israeli war crimes.

Kast was elected in a landslide victory in December 2025, becoming Chile's most right-wing president in 35 years of democracy. He told Herzog that he faced demands from the Chilean population to address the Palestinian issue, but clarified that he intends to focus on Israel-Chile diplomatic relations. Herzog responded that there are many issues of bilateral interest. Kast's election follows a wave of right-wing victories across Latin America in Argentina, Bolivia, Honduras, El Salvador, and Ecuador.

(TOI/VFI News)

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” – Psalm 133:1

Less than five months into 2026, Canada's Jewish community has already experienced more violent antisemitic attacks than during all of 2025, putting it on track to be the most violent year for the Jewish community in recent memory, B'nai Brith Canada warned on Friday, May 8. The organization's League for Human Rights has recorded 11 violent antisemitic incidents nationwide since January 1, surpassing the ten violent incidents documented during the entirety of 2025.

On Thursday night, May 7, three Jewish people were shot at with a replica firearm from a passing vehicle as they exited the Chasidei Bobov synagogue on Bathurst Street in Toronto. The attack followed numerous other synagogue incidents recorded in recent months. "These brazen attacks on Jewish Canadians are a sign of a crisis of antisemitism that has spiraled out of control," said Simon Wolle, chief executive officer of B'nai Brith Canada. The organization is calling on the federal government to establish an emergency task force to combat antisemitism.

B'nai Brith took the unprecedented step of releasing preliminary 2026 figures because of the rapid escalation in violent acts, said Richard Robertson, the organization's director of research and advocacy, warning that "Jewish Canadians are being terrorized." Last year Canada recorded a record 6,800 antisemitic incidents—the highest since the organization began tracking in 1982—translating to an average of 18.6 daily incidents and a 9.3% increase over 2024's previous record. The 400,000-strong Canadian Jewish community has been among the hardest hit by antisemitism since the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023.

(TOI/VFI News)

Our Heavenly Father, we cry out to You on behalf of the Jewish community in Canada, which is enduring an unprecedented surge of violent antisemitism. We pray in Yeshua's Name that You protect every Jewish family, synagogue, school, and institution from harm, and that You frustrate the plans of those who would do violence against Your covenant people. Move the hearts of Canadian leaders to act decisively against this hatred, and pour out Your Spirit of comfort upon all who feel terrorized. May Your love and truth dispel every lie that fuels antisemitism.

Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji, 53, an anti-Israel community college professor, pled guilty on Tuesday, May 5, to involuntary manslaughter and felony battery in the November 2023 death of pro-Israel protester Paul Kessler, 69. The Ventura County Superior Court indicated that it will likely place Alnaji on formal probation with up to 365 days in jail. Alnaji had originally been facing up to four years in state prison for hitting Kessler in the head with a megaphone during dueling protests in Thousand Oaks, California.

Kessler was struck while standing across the street from Alnaji during a confrontation between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators amid the early days of the Israel-Hamas war. He fell backwards to the pavement, was hospitalized, and died shortly thereafter from blunt force trauma. Ventura County Superior Court Judge Derek Malan, who privately offered Alnaji the plea deal after multiple meetings with the defense, likened the altercation to "two old guys had a dispute and an accident happened." Both prosecutors and Kessler's family had requested the maximum four-year sentence.

"Alnaji should be sentenced to prison for his violent behavior, and our office strongly objects to any lesser sentence," Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko stated. "While no amount of punishment will ever fully account for the Kessler family loss, a prison commitment underscores the severity of this crime and will deter others from committing similar acts of violence." Sentencing is scheduled for June 25. A friend of Kessler's who had been at the rally with him called the news "deeply frustrating," saying it "sends a troubling message about accountability."

(FOX/VFI News)

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” – Micah 6:8

WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum, the Jewish-Ukrainian billionaire and philanthropist, has donated $200 million to Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center, marking the largest dollar donation in the history of Israel's healthcare system. The Jerusalem hospital announced the contribution on Friday, May 8, made through The Koum Family Foundation, and said it will be officially renamed the Koum Shaare Zedek Medical Center in honor of the gift.

The funding will go primarily toward the construction of a 24-story medical tower covering more than 1.5 million square feet, with expanded surgical and emergency care facilities, significant underground protected spaces, and a rooftop helipad for direct helicopter access. The expansion is expected to triple the size of the hospital, which currently operates roughly 1,000 beds and treats more than one million patients each year. The project is in advanced planning stages and has been approved by both the Israeli government and the Jerusalem Municipality.

"This is truly a special moment in Shaare Zedek Medical Center's 124-year-old history," said hospital president Prof. Jonathan Halevy. "This record donation by The Koum Family Foundation reflects remarkable confidence in our hospital, our staff, the city of Jerusalem, the nation of Israel, and a heartfelt embrace of Zionism." Koum, 50, was born into a Jewish family in Kyiv and immigrated to the United States as a teenager before co-founding WhatsApp in 2009 and selling it to Meta for $19 billion in 2014. The foundation previously donated $50 million to Soroka Medical Center after that hospital sustained a direct hit from an Iranian ballistic missile in June 2025.

(JPost/VFI News)

The suggestions, opinions, and scripture references made by VFI News writers and editors are based on the best information received.

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