Israel attacks Iran–might Iran retaliate and cause ‘great damage’ to Jerusalem as prophesied in Isaiah 22:6-8?

Explosions in Iran from Israeli attack
(MEHR News Agency via Wikipedia)

Israel attacked Iran and Iran began to retaliate:

June 13, 2025

In the early hours of Friday morning, Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion,” a massive preemptive strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, military installations, and senior leadership. The operation began at 3:00 AM Israel time on Thursday night, marking a dramatic escalation in the conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.

Over 200 Israeli Air Force fighter jets participated in the opening strikes, dropping more than 330 munitions on approximately 100 targets across Iran. The operation was guided by precise intelligence from Israel’s Intelligence Directorate, which had identified an imminent nuclear threat from the Islamic Republic. …

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel had “no choice but to attack Iran,” emphasizing the existential nature of the threat. In a video statement released in both Hebrew and English, Netanyahu warned that Iran had enriched enough uranium to build fifteen nuclear bombs and was taking unprecedented steps toward weaponization.

“We can’t leave these threats for the next generation, because if we don’t act now, there will not be another generation,” Netanyahu stated. “If we don’t act now, we simply won’t be here.”

The operation successfully eliminated key Iranian leadership, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Hossein Salami and Iran’s military chief Mohammad Bagheri. Six nuclear scientists were also confirmed killed, dealing a severe blow to Iran’s nuclear program infrastructure.

Israeli officials indicated that the operation was expected to last several days, with the military preparing for heavy retaliatory fire from Iran. https://israel365news.com/409593/israel-launches-major-preemptive-strike-against-irans-nuclear-program/

13 June 2025

Iran vowed to avenge the attack on its nuclear sites and the assassination in Tehran of its senior military leadership, saying it would respond forcefully and that the “end of this story will be written by Iran’s hand”.

In the first signs of a counterstrike, Israel said Iran had launched 100 drones towards Israel and that its air defences were intercepting them outside Israeli territory. Iraq said more than 100 Iranian drones had crossed its airspace, and, soon after, neighbouring Jordan said its air force and defence systems had intercepted several missiles and drones that had entered its airspace, for fear they would fall in its territory.

Responding to what amounted to the most serious and largest ever attack by Israel, the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, threatened “severe punishment” and claimed residential areas had been targeted. …

In a furious statement, the Iranian government accused Israel of terrorism and insisted the attack demonstrated it “does not adhere to any international rules or laws and, like a drunkard, openly and brazenly engages in terror and ignites the flames of war before the eyes of the world, including westerners who claim to uphold human rights and international law”.

“Starting a war with Iran is playing with the lion’s tail,” the statement added.

In a telling warning that the Iranian regime, if it survives, may now indeed feel the need to try to assemble a nuclear bomb in the face of Israel’s attacks, the statement further said: “The world now better understands Iran’s insistence on the right to enrichment, nuclear technology and missile power, and the enemy has made it possible to prove our injustice and righteousness, who is the aggressor and which regime is threatening the security of the region.” …

Iran, aware that the savage blow to its prestige may lead to some form of uprising, urged its citizens only to listen to official channels, and ignore rumours. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/13/iran-vows-revenge-for-israeli-strikes-saying-it-will-write-end-of-this-story

June 13, 2025

Iran has said it is preparing a “harsh response” – with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warning that Israel faces a “bitter and painful” fate. “By God’s will, the powerful hand of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic will not let it [Israel] go unpunished,” he said Friday. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/over-200-israeli-warplanes-used-against-iran-trump-warns-even-more-brutal-attacks

June 13, 2025

President Donald Trump on Friday said the Israeli attack on Iran has been “excellent” and warned there was much more to come, according to an interview with ABC News.

“I think it’s been excellent. We gave them a chance and they didn’t take it. They got hit hard, very hard. They got hit about as hard as you’re going to get hit. And there’s more to come. A lot more,” Trump was quoted as saying by an ABC reporter on X. https://www.newsmax.com/politics/trump-israel-iran/2025/06/13/id/1214805/

Thus far, the Iranian drone response has not seemed to have significantly changed the situation to deter or highly damage Israel. That does not appear to be the “harsh response” Iran has pledged.

But, Iran is not finished.

The Book of Isaiah points to an Iranian confederation causing great damage to Jerusalem (Isaiah 22:6-9) and we are getting closer to the fulfillment of that prophecy. Israel’s attacking Iran may lead to the fulfillment of that prophecy, as well as lead to the deal of Daniel 9:26-27 and the countdown for the return of Jesus this year (with Jesus’ return being as early as 2032).

As far as Iran and prophecy go, notice something from my January 2025 book available at Amazon Kindle: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? as well as Amazon print Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

Iran and Prophecy

Prior to his first election, Donald Trump stated that he wants to eliminate or at least change the “nuclear deal” with Iran. [i]

And that he did.[ii]

However, the Biden-Harris Administration tried to revive it, though never fully did. However, the Biden-Harris Administration did release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets back to Iran[iii] as well as it, apparently intentionally, did not enforce sanctions which allowed Iran to nearly triple its oil revenues 3 years after Donald Trump left office.[iv]

In the June 27, 2024 debate with Joe Biden, Donald Trump then blamed the Biden-Harris Administration for assisting in Iran’s ability to provide more funding to proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah.[v] It is believed that Donald Trump will likely use some type of “maximum pressure” strategy again against Iran during his next Administration.[vi]

Because Bible prophecy indicates that it will be primarily Arabic nations that support the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8), though with some support (probably temporary per Daniel 11:25-26) from Turkey (and possibly Pakistan), it is not biblically possible that Iran can truly be the leader of the Islamic world as it seems to want to be. Also, because it is basically due east of Jerusalem, Iran should not be considered to be a candidate to be the final ‘King of the South’ of biblical prophecy.

Despite its posturing and relative military strength, Iran will be somehow effectively neutralized (cf. Ezekiel 32:24). This could perhaps be from an attack involving Israel and/or internal civil unrest — this could also include electromagnetic (EMP) or similar weapons used against Iran (Jeremiah 49:34-39).

It is of prophetic interest to note that the small nation of Israel is prophesied to one day be attacked by some that seem to have a connection to Iran (Isaiah 22:1-14).

Iran may decide to strike out against Israel, and possibly Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 22:7-8) if a Trump Administration and/or Israel takes actions it does not like.

Iran has weapons that can cause damage. Furthermore, the USA itself (as well as is the State of Israel) is vulnerable to EMP type attacks and items such as biological weapons, chemical weapons, terrorism, nuclear weapons, dirty bombs, etc. because of a conflict involving Iran, Syria, and/or others.

But should this occur, this would NOT be the final destruction of the USA. Prophetically, Iran would not end up faring well (cf. Ezekiel 32:24-25).

[i] Wilkinson T. Trump’s plans to scuttle or amend the Iran nuclear deal remain a work in progress. Los Angeles Times, November 14, 2016

[ii]^{Trump DJ. President Donald J. Trump is Ending United States Participation in an Unacceptable Iran Deal. White House Fact Sheet, May 8, 2018}

[iii]^{Knickmeyer E, et al. Americans released by Iran arrive home, tearfully embrace their loved ones and declare: ‘Freedom!’ Associated Press, September 19, 2023}

[iv]^{Steil B. Biden is Giving Up Powerful U.S. Financial Sanctions on Iran | Opinion. Newsweek, August 13, 2021; Cohen A. Joe Biden’s Iran Oil Sanctions Failure. National Interest, November 2, 2024}

[v] ^{READ: Biden-Trump debate transcript. CNN, June 28, 2024}

[vi] ^{What is Trump’s ‘maximum pressure policy’ that could drive up costs for China’s Iranian oil imports? Times of India, November 6, 2024; Strobel WP, et al. Trump to Renew ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign Against Iran. Wall Stree Journal, November 8, 2024}

Here are also some statements from my list of 25 items to prophetically watch in 2025:

We expect to see more wars, rumors of war, and civil unrest.

WATCH IRAN AND ISRAEL as we seem to be very close to the time that Isaiah 22:5-11 is about to be fulfilled. Here is what the Bible says:

5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord God of hosts In the Valley of Vision — Breaking down the walls And of crying to the mountain.

6 Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield. 7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots, And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate. 8 He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall.

11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago. (Isaiah 22:5-11)

Iran (Elam), Syria (Kir), Hezbollah (armor of the House of the Forest) and Israel (Judah) are to be engaged in major conflict. …

Donald Trump, leaders in the Middle East, and leaders in Europe have all discussed various peace deals. Essentially, they tend to be advocating one similar to the deal in Daniel 9:27. …

What appears most likely at this stage is the the Trump-Vance Administration will try to work with the Palestinians and Europeans to come up with something they will find acceptable and then attempt to pressure Israel to take it.

Though it likely will take a regional war involving Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, and Israel, with the prophesied destruction coming to Jerusalem. This is something we may see in 2025.

Once the deal is made, it will at some point be confirmed for one prophetic week (which could happen some time AFTER a deal is made) by the “prince,” the seven-year countdown for the return of Jesus occurs.

Yes, it looks we may be seeing a major war and possibly a prophesied peace deal in 2025. And yes, that will essentially begin the countdown to the Apocalypse (meaning, in this case, the Great Tribulation). That said, a while back, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following Bible News Prophecy video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to Iran and Israel:

15:03

Iran and Israel Conflict

European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrel, has been brokering the nuclear negotiations involving Iran and said that he thinks the deal is “in danger.” Iran blames the United States, whereas the USA says they are not delaying it. Israeli sources stated that Israel will stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Joe Biden says the USA would use its own military power to prevent Iran from getting such a bomb if need be. In 2021, Iranian lawmakers have submitted a bill seeking the government by law to commit to Israel’s destruction by the year 2040. Does the 22nd chapter of Isaiah point to damage coming to Israel from Iran and possibly Syria? Might Iran be concerned enough about limited progress with the USA to launch some type of attack? Is Iran the prophesied ‘King of the South’? Is it reasonable to think that the prophesied peace deal of Daniel 9:27 will not happen until after a military conflict. like a regional war? Should Christians watch the Middle East? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.