By any measure, it was an astonishing sight:
The Israeli attacks on Iran had just begun on June 13 and the six Israeli Channel 12 co-anchors interrupted their non-stop TV news reportage…for prayer. One of them, a black kippah on his head, spoke a prayer for the safety of Israel–its leaders, soldiers and all its residents. At the end, the anchors responded “Amen” and the reporting resumed.
Tel Aviv, where most of the large studios are located, is known as a secular city, so asking for God’s blessing and protection on live TV was momentous.
For 46 years, since Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile in France, Iran had been Israel’s scourge, funding terror that took the lives of thousands of Israelis. Iran had fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in April and October 2024. Now that Israel was finally taking on the regime’s leadership and infrastructure on a major scale, Israelis had reason to fear Iran’s counterattack…and seek the Lord’s help.
Was this prayer (and the millions more spoken worldwide) answered?
Iran fired 590 missiles and 1,090 drones at Israel; 87 percent of the missiles and 99 percent of the drones were destroyed. (Another 500 missiles and 950 drones were destroyed by Israel before they were launched.)
In all, there were only 31 impacts in populated areas of Israel. Though few, they caused 30 deaths and thousands of injuries. (Israel had expected 400 to 800 civilian deaths from Iranian missiles, and 4,000 had the war continued.) Hundreds of homes were destroyed and thousands of people were left homeless. Hospitals and a university were hit (including labs with decades of irreplaceable cancer research), also a power station and an oil refinery.
Israel struck 900 military and regime targets in Iran, including nine nuclear sites, 35 missile-manufacturing facilities, and six airbases and airports. Israeli agents rendered numerous Iranian weapons systems, warplanes and radars useless. Thirty senior military commanders and 15 nuclear scientists, masterminds of horrific crimes against Jews and others worldwide, were eliminated.
Not one Israeli soldier or jet was lost. Militarily, that is fantasy, impossible. Even Israel’s interception rates of enemy missiles were unheard of. Either Israeli capabilities are beyond amazing or there is another factor.
In the months since October 7, 2023, there was the victory over Hizbullah (recall the pager incident) and the removal of its leadership. There was the destruction of Hamas and daring hostage rescues. Then there was Israel’s defense against Iranian missile barrages in 2024 and the elimination of Iran’s air defenses in October 2024. Each was spectacular.
Omer Shem Tov was a hostage in Gazan tunnels for 505 days. His captors gave him a Hebrew pamphlet they had found above ground, which Israeli soldiers had left behind. The terrorists thought it might contain military information. It was a Bible commentary on the weekly reading in the synagogue about Joseph being thrown into an Egyptian jail and ultimately released. Shem Tov, a secular Jew who had been at the Nova Music Festival, knew it was a message from God. He found faith and knew he would be set free.
God does not move in mysterious ways. He keeps His Word, His promises to His people. His protective hand can be seen in it all. He even answers the prayer of TV anchors.