I always enjoy getting updates from Baruch Maoz. Baruch, an Israeli, was converted to Christ while serving in the Israeli Army, worked with Christian Witness to Israel and pastored Grace and Truth Christian Congregation in Israel from its founding in 1976 until the age of retirement at the end of 2008. He has written numerous books and articles and is now based in the States and serves as Pastor at large at Reformed Baptist Network.

He writes comment posts, giving insights into the Israel – Gaza conflict, among other things, and addressing issues that the western anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian media choose to ignore. I have his permission to link and quote from fascinating and informative posts. Baruch’s website is here and his FaceBook page here.

His latest post is on the flare up between Israel and Iran.

June 12 2025

In the night between June 11-12, Israel attacked Iran’s military nuclear facilities and its military leadership, including Iran’s Chief of Staff, the Commander of Iran’s IRGC and leading nuclear scientists who lead the country’s nuclear weaponization program.

The reason for Israel’s action is plain: Iran, repeatedly and publicly committed to the destruction of Israel, under the presumed cover of renewed negotiations with the USA, accelerated the process to break through to a nuclear bomb and achieved significant progress. This left the Jewish state no other option but to act in self defense, much as did the US when Soviet Russia installed missions in Cuba.

President Trump gave Iran 60 days to agree to dismantling its nuclear are military  facilities and handing over its over-enriched uranium. Failing to come to an agreement but using the negotiations as a cloak for their enhanced military efforts at the full weaponization of its nuclear capabilities, Israel took action with the full support of the US. The extent to which the US and other countries will be involved and the nature of their involvement are yet to be seen. That is likewise true of Iran’s proxies, primarily in Yemen and Lebanon.

Bracing for expected the Iranian response, Israel took measures to limit civilian collateral damage in Iran and refrained from attacking civilian infrastructure. The targets were fourfold: Iran’s nuclear facilities; Iran’s senior nuclear weaponization scientists; Iran’s senior military echelon, and Iran’s ballistic missiles, missile launchers and drone facilities — all of long-term strategic importance.Extreme measure were taken to avoid civilian casualties.

Iran first responded with a swarm of some 100 attack drones, all of which were destroyed by the Israelis Air Force before the got so far as the Iranian border. Iran then responded with repeated barrages of ballistic missiles aimed primarily at densely populated civilian areas, the majority of which were intercepted. These resulted is limited damage to property, one death and scores injured. None of the ballistic missiles were more than limited tactical import. But they display the weakness of the Islamic regime:

1. As indicated, the majority targeted civilian targets, of no strategic value.
2. Void of any other means to attack Israel, Iran can only shoot missiles.
3. Because the Israeli Air Force destroyed most of Iran’s stationary missile launchers, Iran is limited to barrages of 100 or so missiles for which it can utilize its transportable launchers, which it then hastens to hide. For that reason, it is more difficult to overwhelm Israel’s defense.

Israel has made it clear: its war is not with the Iranian people; it is with a ready Al regime took the Iranian people captive and that not only threatens to destroy Israel, but that took practical steps toward achieving that goal.

Your prayers for all involved would be much appreciated.

Baruch Maoz