Tens of thousands of weapons—seemingly about 160,000 per year—are smuggled into Israel across Egyptian and Jordanian borders by terrorist smuggling networks and Bedouin-organized crime gangs using drones. These weapons first enter Israeli space through Jewish-Arab mixed cities, then filter into Judea and Samaria. What was once an occasional occurrence has grown into a significant threat to Israel for two reasons.
First, not only do the drones carry up to 330 pounds of weapons, but they are also bought by terror and criminal groups within Israel and flown into Gaza, some carrying contraband. Hamas is stockpiling the drones, seemingly for another assault on Israel.
Second, Israel’s military is not yet prepared to address this problem. By the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF’s) own assessment, there are 10 to 100 drone smuggling attempts every single day across some 249 miles of Israeli border, specifically along Gaza, Sinai, and the Jordan Valley. The IDF has successfully exposed 15 smuggling cells and seized 300 drones over the past six months, mostly to or from Gaza. However, only 15 drone smugglers are currently in Israeli jails, and most of them are minors who will be swiftly released. Israel presently lacks the technology and necessary operational bandwidth to surveil and tactically prohibit drone flights and penetrate these organized crime syndicates.
“Imagine an attack, God forbid, along the lines of the massive and ruinous drone war underway between Russia and Ukraine, where an estimated 70% of the one-to-two million casualties over the past five years have been wrought by drone attacks,” warns David Weinberg of the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy.
Pray for wisdom, intentional collaboration, and strategic action for all levels of the IDF, and that technology professionals, lawmakers, and government agencies would address and resolve the looming threat of drone terrorism. Pray that drone smugglers would be caught, and that the people of Israel would be protected from intended harm.
A leading U.S. institute that monitors Iran’s nuclear activities has warned that work appears to be continuing at an uninspected underground complex buried within the Zagros Mountains. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have not been granted access to the site, known as “Pickaxe Mountain,” fueling concerns that the Iranian regime may not be complying with the terms of the memorandum of understanding reached with the Trump administration.
The memorandum clearly specifies “The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that it will not seek or develop nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic of Iran will maintain the current status quo of its nuclear program.” Those commitments are central to the document signed by Iran and the United States. But newly released satellite images of a secret underground facility are raising fresh questions about whether Tehran intends to honor the agreement.
The Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) released an analysis of satellite imagery captured in late June 2026 that showed construction and fortification activity at the nuclear site remains underway. According to the Institute, “Vehicle traffic can be seen on roads leading to the western tunnel entrances, indicating that work inside the tunnel complex, as well as reinforcement of the entrances, is still ongoing.”
Under the agreement in the memorandum of understanding, Iran is required to maintain the status quo of its nuclear program. In other words, construction, fortification, or development of any nuclear-related facility or technology is prohibited. The Pickaxe Mountain complex is part of Iran’s nuclear program, so continued construction is inconsistent with the agreement.
Spencer Faragasso, a senior fellow at the institute, expressed concern in a post on X: “The continued work at the mountain is deeply troubling. It has been ongoing consistently since at least 2020. In my assessment, this is an insurance policy by Iran in case negotiations fail, so it will already have a nuclear facility in an advanced stage of construction. We assessed that the mountain complex is large enough to contain a uranium enrichment facility. If Iran is serious about negotiations, it should stop construction at the mountain as a gesture of goodwill. But what can one expect from such a cruel and cunning regime?”
Pray for clarity about the details of this nuclear site. Pray for government and military leaders in the U.S. and Israel to have the wisdom and courage to deal with Iran. Pray for the permanent collapse of the evil the Iranian regime plans against its own people and the people of Israel. Pray for the world to see the truth about what is happening in Iran, Israel, and the Middle East. Pray for people in Iran and Israel to come to know Jesus.
Just a few months ago, Hezbollah terrorists launched hundreds of rockets, and many missiles and drones, against Israeli troops and civilians in northern Israel from a strategic stronghold: the Beaufort Castle. This impressive stone fortress originally built by Crusader armies lies atop a steep bluff in a tactically-perfect position, commanding panoramic views of the Galilee in northern Israel and the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon.
Yet here, an even more strategic position was discovered recently. After the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recaptured Beaufort Castle and Beaufort Ridge in late May, soldiers began to search for, capture, and demolish nearby Hezbollah terror sites. Under the castle, they found an underground tunnel network planned and funded by the Iranian terror regime.
Troops reported finding “an exceptional quantity” of arms inside the tunnels, including “unique and highly valuable” weapons such as anti-aircraft systems and Iranian-made anti-helicopter mines, as well as previously unfamiliar Iranian weapons.
The tunnel had infrastructure for water and electricity, as well as numerous rooms and several living quarters—complete with showers, toilets, and kitchenettes. Hezbollah operatives could spend many months within the tunnel, with no need to leave. There was also what officers described as a fully equipped operating room for medical procedures.
“This operating room is at the highest level you can imagine, completely sterile, with machines and equipment—everything needed to perform a procedure right here inside this tunnel,” the Yahalom officer said.
The multi-level, highly functional underground tunnel network likely took between 10–15 years to build with funding from Iran. The army plans on destroying the facility.
Pray for IDF troops working in all areas of danger, and especially in southern Lebanon.
Recently, our Chosen People Ministries staff in Israel has had the joyous opportunity to disciple and walk alongside a number of new believers, as well as people who desire to dive deeper into their walk with the Lord. The questions, the conversations, and the time spent in God’s Word and prayer are priceless.
There have also been a few Israelis returning from abroad—places like New Zealand, Australia, and Japan—who have recently become believers. Our global network has connected us with the returning Israeli travelers to continue the dialogue about Jesus.
Please pray for these connections between our staff and those being discipled, and for their quality time while sitting together, talking about Jesus the Messiah, studying the Word, and applying it to our lives. It is a tremendous gift to walk with someone as they are being discipled! Pray for their walk with the Lord to deepen and for their love for the Lord to increase (including for the staff who are doing the discipling).
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N Cooke2022-02-17 14:55:552026-03-20 17:04:22Reaching the Hard-to-Reach
Satellite imagery of the Natanz Nuclear Complex. (Photo: X/Institute for Science)
Lessons in Thanksgiving from the Hebrew Bible