VFI News Iran Sprays Missiles Across the Gulf as Trump Declares the Iran Deal 'Over'

Israel's deepest divide is threatening to tear the nation apart — and it all comes down to one controversial law. Here's what's really happening on the ground in Israel right now.

This week on VFI News, we're examining the Ultra-Orthodox draft exemption law — a proposed amendment that would make Yeshiva study equivalent to IDF service. This isn't just a policy debate; it's exposing fundamental fractures in Israeli society that go far deeper than most people realize.

After fifty years of living in this country, what we're seeing is a nation that is discouraged, deeply divided, and carrying an enormous burden — particularly among those who have given the most in IDF reserve service. The Finance Ministry has now weighed in with alarming economic figures, warning of tens of billions of shekels in annual costs, and the implications extend far beyond the budget.

We also break down the broader context: Defense Minister Israel Katz's declaration that the IDF must prepare for independent Israeli strikes on Iran — a sobering acknowledgement that even with Trump's reassurances, Israel cannot count on outside help. We connect this directly to the prophecies of Ezekiel 38-39 and ask you to pray urgently for the people of Israel during this critical moment.

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Tehran pulled its Persian Gulf neighbors back into the war on Thursday, July 9, 2026, firing a volley of drones and missiles at American partners across the region. The barrage struck at the heart of a peace process that had been inching forward for weeks. Jordan confirmed that its forces intercepted at least eight ballistic missiles fired into its airspace. Bahrain's military reported bringing down several rounds of drones and missiles over its own territory.

Kuwait faced three ballistic missiles, one cruise missile and ten drones. All were intercepted, though falling debris caused damage and left one person seriously injured. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility, saying it had targeted US military bases across the Gulf region in retaliation for President Donald Trump's latest round of strikes on Iranian targets. "The fighters of Islam will not leave the aggressions of the child-killing U.S. army unanswered," the IRGC declared in a statement carried by state-affiliated media.

Iran lashed out after American forces struck 170 targets inside the country over two days. Those strikes answered Iran's targeting of commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media claimed on Thursday, July 9, that damage to the Tehran-Mashhad railway bridge in northeastern Iran, hit in one of the American strikes, had already been repaired and that the bridge would carry passenger trains again. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spent the day telephoning counterparts in Oman, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to discuss the situation in the Middle East.

(WT/VFI News)

Dear Lord, we lift up the nations of the Gulf and every soul living beneath these skies. We thank You that the missiles were intercepted and that lives were spared, and we ask You to keep watch over the innocent who had no part in this quarrel. We pray in Yeshua's Name that You would break the spirit of vengeance that drives these attacks, restrain the hands of those who launch them, and grant wisdom to every leader now weighing his next move. Guard Israel, guard her defenders, and let Your peace rule where men have chosen war.

The US military unleashed a new wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, and revoked the license permitting Tehran to sell oil, after three tankers were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz. The dual blow landed on a ceasefire already showing deep cracks. It came at the close of a day in which enormous crowds mourned Iran's slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the holy city of Qom. US Central Command announced it had begun a series of "powerful" strikes intended to impose heavy costs for attacking commercial shipping.

CENTCOM called Iran's aggression unwarranted, dangerous and a clear violation of the ceasefire. Iranian outlets described explosions early Wednesday, July 8, in the southern port city of Sirik, on Qeshm Island, and in Bandar Abbas, where several fishing boats were set ablaze. A US official said the strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles and drone launch sites. Washington had revoked the oil waiver shortly before the strikes began, raising the pressure on Tehran as it negotiates a final settlement.

The US Treasury had issued a general license on June 22 permitting the sale of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products through August 21. In revoking that license on Tuesday, July 7, Washington gave Iran until July 17 to wind down any transactions. Iran's foreign ministry condemned the move as a breach of the framework agreement that ended the war and warned that it would take decisive measures to protect its interests and national security. Oil prices climbed more than three percent after the announcement. Qatar summoned Iran's deputy ambassador over the strike on its liquefied natural gas tanker, and Riyadh condemned the targeting of the Saudi supertanker Wedyan.

(TOI/VFI News)

"There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength." – Psalm 33:16

Mohsen Rezaee, a senior military advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, attacked the United States on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, accusing Washington of acting in ways that undermine the agreements now on the table. The US is seeking to pass its warships through the Strait of Hormuz, Rezaee charged, and in practice is working against the accords it signed. He then turned to address the hardliners inside Iran who oppose negotiating with Washington at all, urging them to hold their fire and wait.

"Those within Iran who oppose negotiations must be patient — the US will sabotage the talks themselves," Rezaee said, adding that it was clear Washington would cause the negotiations to fail. His remarks followed the American decision that same day to revoke the general license authorizing the sale of Iranian oil, a step taken after repeated Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States then launched strikes against Iran in answer to those attacks.

A senior American official called Iran's conduct in the strait wholly unacceptable and promised it would be met with consequences. The official reiterated that the memorandum of understanding in effect with Iran is entirely performance-based, and that Tehran will reap benefits only if it exhibits good behavior. Early on Tuesday, July 7, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting the strait; the vessels were hit and significantly damaged, though no casualties were reported. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi laid the blame for the attack on Washington.

(INN/VFI News)

"Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight." – Proverbs 12:22

US President Donald Trump declared the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran null and void on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, after a night of exchanged strikes between the two countries. "To me, I think it's over," he said. "I don't want to deal with them anymore. They're scum. They're sick people." NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, seated beside him, answered that he stood with the president on Iran.

Rutte had earlier called the American strikes "absolutely necessary," noting that Iran had violated the ceasefire signed three weeks before. When a ceasefire is being broken by Iran, he told reporters, a forceful American response becomes entirely crucial. On Tuesday night, July 7, US Central Command began a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed striking US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to the American strikes on southern Iran, which hit air defense systems, coastal surveillance, and missile and drone launch sites. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten stressed the importance of showing Iran that breaches of the fragile ceasefire will not be accepted, while applying maximum diplomatic pressure to keep talks alive. Anwar Gargash, senior diplomatic advisor to the president of the UAE, said the Iranian attacks on Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers show that Tehran remains unable to commit to de-escalation. Kuwait's foreign ministry issued its strongest denunciation of the repeated Iranian aggressions and affirmed its right to take all necessary measures to preserve its sovereignty.

(JPost/VFI News)

Our Heavenly Father, we bring before You the collapse of an agreement that many hoped would hold. We confess that no treaty, no summit and no signature can secure what only You can give, and we ask You to teach the nations that truth without further bloodshed. We pray in Yeshua's Name for President Trump and for every leader gathered in Ankara, that You would grant them clear eyes, steady nerve and an unshakable commitment to the safety of Israel. Where deception has poisoned these negotiations, bring it into the light; where genuine peace is possible, open the door.

Discover the profound beauty of 'Lecha Dodi,' a cherished Jewish tradition that invites us to embrace the sanctity of Shabbat. The refrain, 'Let us go, my beloved, to greet the bride/the Sabbath presence, let us welcome,' echoes the heartfelt request of Israel's 'beloved' (God) to unite in welcoming the 'bride' (the Sabbath). This poetic composition, originating in the 16th century by Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz, draws inspiration from the Song of Songs and the Prophets, symbolizing the relationship between the Jewish people and God. Join us on a journey that culminates in a powerful call for Messianic deliverance and the celebration of the great Shabbat.

President Donald Trump's potential offer of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey is fueling concern in Greece, where officials fear the move could undermine the military balance in the Aegean and reward Ankara despite years of tension with its NATO ally. Greece is scheduled to receive its first twenty F-35 aircraft between 2028 and the early 2030s, making the stealth jet the centerpiece of the country's future air force. Athens has repeatedly communicated its concerns to successive American administrations, though Greek officials have not commented publicly on the potential deal.

"The Hellenic Air Force wants to keep its air superiority over the Aegean," said Vassilis Nedos, a Greek diplomatic and defense correspondent. Greece cannot interfere directly in a discussion between two sovereign nations, he explained, but its position is thoroughly understood in Washington at the political, diplomatic and military staff levels. Before 2023, Turkish aircraft conducted daily overflights of Greek islands in the Aegean, with daily violations and dangerous dogfights. Nedos asked plainly why anyone would hand the Turkish Air Force a qualitative edge.

Greece is meanwhile pressing ahead with one of its largest defense modernization efforts in decades, resting on significant Israeli support. The Greek government is expected to move forward with approval of a newly integrated air defense network known as the Achilles Shield, built from systems supplied by a combination of Israeli defense companies. The €3.5 billion project will include anti-drone and anti-ballistic missile capabilities as well as broader air defenses. The security concern Turkey poses for both Israel and Greece solidifies the relationship between the two countries, Nedos said, though he believes ever-closer cooperation serves both nations regardless.

(JPost/VFI News)

"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." – Psalm 127:1

A former spokesman for Tel Aviv's Ichilov Hospital said on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, that Israel once helped save the life of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan by sending an Israeli physician to treat him. Speaking during a televised panel discussion, Avi Shoshan turned to Erdoğan's appearance at the NATO summit. "Do you know who looks unwell? Erdoğan," Shoshan said. "Because Israel saved him."

A senior physician from Ichilov, whose name Shoshan declined to reveal, was sent to treat Erdoğan after the Turkish leader developed cancer. An Ichilov doctor saved Erdoğan, Shoshan stressed — a doctor from Israel. The physician traveled as a doctor representing the State of Israel, he said, at the request of the Mossad and with the approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Shoshan recalled being chased for confirmation at the time and declining to give it.

Turning to Erdoğan's hostility toward the Jewish state, Shoshan drew the contrast sharply. This man who today threatens the Jews, he said, is alive and breathing thanks to a Jew, thanks to an Israeli, thanks to Benjamin Netanyahu, and thanks to former Mossad chief David Barnea. Several years ago, accounts surfaced in Israel that Erdoğan had for a period received medical advice from Israeli physician Prof. Itzhak Shapira, deputy director of Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, who was also responsible for the hospital's medical tourism program.

(INN/VFI News)

"If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink." – Proverbs 25:21

Haredi demonstrators burned trees and attempted to block traffic at Jerusalem's Bar-Ilan Intersection on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, protesting construction of the city's light rail. The demonstrations follow the emergence of figures showing that haredi protests have cumulatively caused over NIS 400 million in damage to the light rail's unfinished Green Line since construction began about six years ago. Bar-Ilan Street, one of several thoroughfares traversed by the new line, has been the scene of many of these protests.

Demonstrators damaged pipes that were set to be installed on the new line during an earlier protest. The vandalism has forced Kfir, the company that operates Jerusalem's light rail, to change opening dates and routing across several sections of the line. The stretch between Givat Shaul and Ammunition Hill was originally set to begin service by the end of 2025; severe vandalism has pushed that opening to 2027, with the potential for further delays.

The first section to open will instead be the run between the existing HaTurim Station and the Malha Mall area, already in advanced testing and slated to begin operations by the end of 2026. The protests have continued despite dozens of indictments filed against demonstrators over the past six years by the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office. Charges include disorderly conduct, rioting, unlawful assembly and criminal trespassing. Jerusalem's municipality has also filed civil lawsuits against demonstrators for the damages caused by vandalism and schedule delays.

(JPost/VFI News)

Dear God, we pray for the holy city of Jerusalem and for every community within her walls. We ask that You knit together those who have grown suspicious of one another, and that You grant the haredi families of Bar-Ilan Street and the officials who serve the city a way to speak honestly and hear one another. We pray in Yeshua's Name that You would turn hearts away from destruction and toward peaceable witness, and that what has been broken would be restored. Let the love of neighbor prevail among Your people, and let Jerusalem be a city at unity in itself.

Soccer fans around the world know the crest worn by Argentina and its star Lionel Messi: a vertical shield with laurel branches at the bottom symbolizing victory and glory, and three stars at the top representing the team's three World Cup titles. Far fewer know that the emblem has its roots in Argentina's close-knit world of Jewish sports clubs, where its designer first developed his affinity for the game. Norberto "Toto" Rud was in his late twenties and a member of Club Náutico Hacoaj, a Jewish club, when he proposed the crest in 1976.

Rud drew on the branding acumen and graphic design skills he would use throughout his career as a businessman and soccer aficionado in Buenos Aires. Watching international soccer in the era of black-and-white television, he noticed that supporters could instantly recognize teams such as West Germany by its eagle or the Soviet Union by its lettering, while Argentina could easily be confused with any club wearing similar striped shirts. He concluded that the national team needed a visual identity equal to its footballing tradition.

Rud prepared roughly twenty designs and submitted them to the Argentine Football Association in a proposal that reached its president and executive committee. The crest made its debut on November 28, 1976, just days after it was approved, in a scoreless friendly against the Soviet Union in Buenos Aires. Fifty years later, the design is basically unchanged and stands among the most widely worn team logos in the world, carried across the globe on Messi jerseys.

(TOI/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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