Global SITREP C3-24: SYRIA!

UPDATED 2 December 2024: The map above is current to the present date and represents the most current information on the advance of Islamist forces in northeastern Syria. The advance of the several allied Sunni Islamist militias southwards from the Idlib Governorate is encapsulated within the bold, red-colored borders. The military situation in this region is extremely fluid and will likely change rapidly in the coming hours and days. 

An Eschatology Today assessment of this map indicates the Sunni Islamist forces currently have two primary objectives in the wake of their blitzkrieg-like capture of Aleppo (further to the north or top of this map): 1.) The city of Hama. Islamist forces are within a very few miles of HAMA this morning, certainly within its northern suburbs. 

2.) The Russian military enclave at Khmeimim Air Base adjacent to the town of Jablah. Khmeimim AB is noted by the symbol of a black jet aircraft approximately 15 miles from the red-colored protrusion towards the Mediterranean Sea from the main axis of the Islamists southern advance.

This map also shows the main M5 north-south highway in western Syria, which runs straight from Aleppo to Hama, to Homs and south to Damascus. It is noted as the thin red line top to bottom within the red-bordered Islamist advance through newly captured territory.

Has covered the prophetic elements of the Syrian Civil War for a minimum of the past decade with the essential cores being Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49:23-27. Keep these two Scriptures close because they both clearly indicate near-future developments. The Syrian civil war is a key element in the end-times prophetic scenario, with Isaiah 18:3 as a particular standout. Jeremiah 49:23-27 brings in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the ancient region of Edom and Dedan (Arabia), Hamath (Hama), Arpad and finally Damascus.

ISW Critical Threats map of Syria 12/4/24

UPDATE 6 December 2024: Following their capture of Hama and the Hama military air base yesterday the Sunni Islamist forces continued their advance southward and toward the equally strategic city of Homs. The advance is along two axes of approach. The primary approach is via the north-south Highway 5, and the secondary is from Ismaili Shi'a town of As-Salamiye (Salamiyah) via the Raqqa-Homs Highway. 

This advance appears to be more rapid than previously seen as the local municipalities are negotiating surrender prior to the arrival of rebel troop columns. The Sunni Islamists promised no retribution against local populations and that they can continue their normal functioning. The Syrian army had all but disintegrated in front of the Sunni Islamist advance with only minor engagements or brief firefights. As of this date there are no Syrian army defensive positions along the approaches to Homs.

A potential death knell for the Al-Assad regime may be seen in Hezbollah declaring it will not send additional forces to defend Damascus as it is committed to "sheltering and rebuilding" in Lebanon; that it will abide by the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire agreement. 

Few, if any, take Hezbollah at its word. Israel this morning sent IAF strike aircraft to destroy new missile launch sites pointed at Israeli targets. Israel has greatly beefed up the IDF forces along the Syrian border as daily and even hourly IDF re-assessments of the situation in Syria are becoming the norm.

In this light the next best hope for the survival of the Syrian regime is for Russia to airlift its forces (numbering in the several thousands) in the African Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Central African Republic and Libya) to the Khmeimim Air Base in Latakia, Syria. It remains to be seen if this redeployment will take place.

Global SITREP B9-24: Striking the Bow and Bringing the Sword

IRGC Aerospace Shahab-3

UPDATED 16 October 2024: The IDF is actively shaping the battlefield, not only in Lebanon but also in the Golan Heights where since 1 October new forward positions have been created, and operation to remove landmines have been largely completed. Use the clickable map below for reference as we move forward.

UNDOF ZONE

Notice the direct connection the UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) Zone has between Lebanon's eastern border, Syria's southern border and a small section of Jordan's northern border. The western border of the zone is known as the A Line and it functions as Israel's de facto border with Syria; the eastern border is Syria's de facto border with Israel separated by UNDOF troop deployments along its entire length since its institution at the end of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The 1,080 international troops deployed in the zone, in order of contingent size, are Nepal, Uruguay, India, Fiji and Kazakhstan with a handful each from Ghana, Ireland, Bhutan and the Czech Republic.

It is important to note this as Jeremiah 49:26 foretells dire a result for men in general and soldiers ("all the men of war"). Eschatology Today is of the opinion that this verse dovetails with Isaiah 17:12-13. Even a cursory reading these prophetic Scriptures informs as to the reason for the coming dire circumstance which forces their hasty departure.

There is also, as we've noted previously, a reason for the forward push into the Golan, and that would be to flank Hezbollah from the east in southern Lebanon, possibly to in preempt or interdict a mass evacuation of their forces northward. Some reports indicate that Kata'ib Hezbollah (Iraqi Shi'a militia) may have been instructed to forgo engaging in combat with the IDF. This is likely a very temporary situation if accurate.

In the meantime, sand is rapidly falling into the bottom of the proverbial hourglass marking how soon Israel will pounce to strike the bow and bring its very capable sword upon the Iranian Twelver regime. A paradigm changing event to be sure.

IDF released image of KIA Yahya Sinwar

18 October 2024: An IDF armored reconnaissance unit engaged in a firefight with three HAMAS terrorists Wednesday, 16 October. The unit was unaware that one of the three combatants was Yahya Sinwar. Sinwar was attempting to flee from Rafah to the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone on the Mediterranean Sea when spotted by the IDF recon force. A Merkava IV MBT fired a single round into the impromptu hideaway (a house) which ultimately killed the HAMAS leader. He was also found to have bullet wounds to his head and chest.

Suspecting explosive charges in the immediate area the IDF waited until Thursday to search and clear the area before accessing the site. The image above was released by the IDF; it shows IDF troops standing over the deceased Sinwar. Sinwar's identity was confirmed by DNA testing. Subsequent searching of the immediate area did not locate any of the Israeli hostages nor any sign of their presence. Many media reports had long insisted the Israeli hostages were surrounding Sinwar as human shields. Islamic radicals will almost certainly hail Yahya Sinwar as a martyr who died in direct battle with the IDF. Sinwar is gone but the war is not over in Gaza.

Flight of two B-2 Spirit stealth bombers

In a direct warning to Iran the United States deployed long-range B2 Spirit stealth bombers to destroy five hardened weapons depots in a Houthi-controlled region of Yemen on October 17. The depots contained missiles and other weapons used by the Houthis to attack commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and missiles that targeted Israel. It is unknown if the Spirit's departed from CONUS or from a forward base of operations to conduct the strike. It is very likely the first American use of the B-2 in combat since 2017 and the first operational strike mission employing the GBU-57 MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator), a 27,125-pound weapon which can penetrate over 200 feet deep into earth and reinforced concrete bunkers. Each Spirit carries two MOPs. The Spirit's mission and weapon chosen were clearly a powerful message to the Islamic Republic of Iran which now understands that destruction of its Natanz nuclear site is clearly within the capability set of American B-2's armed either with the GBU-57 or newer GBU-57 F/B variants, or the newest GBU-72B, a 5,000-pound all-weather precision strike bunker buster weapon. It is no accident this strike on the Houthis and their Iranian-made weapons occurred as Israel is an advanced stage of their own and very imminent air assault on Iranian targets...

Israeli Air Force F-35i and F-15i Strike Package with airborne refueler

Moshiach Patch on IDF Uniform

UPDATE 22 October 2024: The Moshiach (Messiah) patch below the Israel 'Star of David' flag patch was taken off a soldiers arm by CoS Herzi HaLevi and placed in his pocket, close to his heart. 

This Messiah Crown patch has caused quite a stir in Israel, with some opining that to Christian and Jewish Messianic soldiers it honors Jesus Messiah, the King of Israel. 

To others it honors the Orthodox Moshiach; that it is a symbol of the IDF being the army of God (Ezekiel 37). 

Others opine that since the patch is officially non-approved it belongs in a pocket, close to the soldiers heart. 

And a very, very small minority of secular Israelis have nothing but disdain for the patch because they reject all messiahs at face value.

The wearing of non-approved uniform patches is widespread among virtually all of the world's armies; most commanders allow them as morale boosters. The US military is among them, particularly the DTOM and Punisher patches.

Global SITREP D2-23: A Greater MidEast War

Iran Surrounded

UPDATE 18 November 2023: The big Ohio-class nuclear-powered submarine in the Middle East is sailing with the Eisenhower CSG somewhere in the Arabian Sea. The converted boomer boat is the USS Florida (SSGN-728) and she's carrying 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles for delivery to Iranian military targets should either Hezbollah or Iran join the war against Israel as they've threatened. 

There may be a significant indication that this US power-play is not enough to deter Iran (and its proxies) from entering the war. On Wednesday, 15 November, the Twelver regime's Houthi proxy in Yemen launched an armed drone strike against one of the Eisenhower CSG combatant vessels in the Arabian Sea. That ship was the Arleigh-Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) as it was transiting in international waters in the Red Sea. The Houthi drone was shot down at distance by the ships air defense systems. 

This attack by Iran's regional proxy forces is in addition to the current total of 61 attacks on US troops in their bases in Iraq and Syria as of yesterday, 17 November. The Biden Administration is between Iraq and a hard place in that it must put brute, kinetic military force on the table if deterrence of the Iranian Twelver's is to have any change of success. Thus far, and according the the Pentagon, 60 American troops have sustained minor injuries in the proxy attacks in Iraq and Syria, but all have since returned to duty. 

And can be seen in the above collage image, the Islamic Republic of Iran is surrounded by a most impressive array of American military power in every direction on the compass. The USS Ford CSG to the west, B-1 Bombers to the north, the USS Bataan ARG to the south, and the USS Eisenhower CSG to the east, not to mention dozens of the world's best strike aircraft based throughout the region. As Israel presses on to the south of Gaza in its hunt to exterminate HAMAS, PIJ and other terrorists, push will come to shove at some point as almost no one believes Iran will back down at this point.

IDF in Northern Israel

13 November 2023: The prospect for a much greater war across the MidEast looms today as the deterrent warnings from both Israel and the United States appear to have fallen upon deaf Islamist ears. From Lebanon, through Syria and Iraq to the heartland of the Islamic Republic of Iran the rhetorical flames of a great war increase by the hour. IDF commanders in the north want to take the war of attrition with Hezbollah deep into Lebanon but are, for the moment at least, being held back by political decisions and international pressure. This pressure will likely evaporate should the IRGC-QF proxies invite a large U.S. retaliation. At that time the IDF will initially seek to drive to the Litani River in Lebanon, but DM Gallant is not bluffing when he recently stated that Beirut could become Gaza.

In Israel the prospect of full-scale war with Hezbollah in Lebanon is being discussed in terms of not if it will escalate, but when. At this time the when this war will escalate is regarded as imminent. Hence the need for this new SITREP. Israeli civilians living in eight villages, moshavim and kibbutzim located along Israel's northern border, just inside the so-called 2000 U.N. Blue Line and within the Ma'ale Yosef Regional Council and the Upper Galilee Regional Council, have been instructed by the Northern Command to enter protective spaces.

Within prophetic Scripture this larger war can be seen within the texts of Jeremiah 49:23-27, Isaiah 17 and Joshua 13:1-7 which have never previously found fulfillment. The death toll will be great.

Global SITREP D2-18: The End-Game in Syria (Part II)

Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city,
and it shall be a ruinous heap.

24 September 2018: The end-game in Syria is no longer about rebels. Now it's all about a big powers (i.e. nuclear powers) face-off: Russia, Syria and Iran versus Israel, the U.S. and our allies.

We've already addressed the details found in Jeremiah 49:23-27 and Isaiah 17 many times over. I went over all of that material again in recent hours, and then it hit me like a brick.

Consider this question: Is Israel alone capable of causing the destruction of Syria as a nation? If you think so, think it over again. Re-read the prophecies, pray over them, ask our Father about them. 

Having done that, and to that end, here's some key info I'm sure needs our re-consideration.

The prophetic text of Isaiah tells us clearly that many nations rush into the war in Syria. They are there today. Russia, Iran, USA, UK, France... and the list goes on. They rushed in and will soon make extremly hasty exits. Damscus destroyed, a ruinous heap of rubble; Syria no longer a nation among the nations of the world.

As important in the coming catastrophe is that Israel will take significant damage. Isaiah says so. Believe it. Why does this happen? Most likely because Israel is still in unbelief; they've not yet returned to Covenant relations with the Lord; He's not yet poured out His Spirit upon them.

[Side bar: It won't be like this for Israel during Ezekiel 38/39. That's when God will intervene directly to save Israel from physical destruction, pour out His Spirit upon them and the Covenant relationship is then rapidly restored. Let me cut this short before getting too far ahead.]

Remember, the Lord knows what is about to happen, and He makes use of this for His sovereign purposes - foremost among them is to bring Israel back into the Covenant relationship, and that leads Israel into eternal salvation in Christ Jesus.

[Another side bar: We just considered recently when the Lord will shake the heavens, thereby moving the earth and stars out of their places. We saw through that study of prophecy that this occurs in the beginning of the latter half of the 70th Week. The Temple is defiled via the Abomination of Desolation; Israel flees into the wilderness for safekeeping. So, there's no one counting the days, no Sanhedrin during those last 42 months sighting the new moon, quite simply because it won't be where it's supposed to be. Nothing will be in the heavens above, as we know them today, where they are supposed to be. There will no longer be any purpose for the sun, moon and stars as the Lord intended in Genesis 1:14 and as Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 24:29. Again, cutting this short.]

It is my belief that the pre-70th Week prophetic flood begins with the disaster in Syria foretold by Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49:23-27. We know it's all downhill from there, but an unbelieving world continues on marrying and giving in marriage. It is not far off, but very, very close at hand. I believe this because very serious ultimatums and threats - even as you read this - are being issued by both sides of this conflict. These are not easily walked back. Very suddenly all pretense of deconfliction of military forces in this arena will evaporate like dew in the morning sun.

Russia, in the aftermath of the IL-22M Coot-A shotdown, and for which it bears sole responsibility, has made blunder upon blunder. A cascade of blunders. Russia seeks to woo Turkey away from NATO as a strategic Russian ally. The Idlib invasion was called off for this reason; Trukey fighting Russia, Syria and Iran in Iblib was a non-starter in Russia's strategicm long-game view. Why would Russia need warm water ports and airfields in Syria when many more of the same might be found on Turkey's southern coastline on the Mediterranean Sea? It's a no-brainer. If it comes down to it Russia would jettison Syria like a bad habit if it could secure a strategic alliance with the Turks.

Push will eventually come to shove, possibly unintentionally, as the fiasco of the IL-22M shootdown has demonstrated. When this happens everything, and that means the billions upon billions of rubles that Russia has invested in Syria will literally go up in smoke and ash. Russia will then seek recompense against Israel in earnest. This will occur shortly after the Psalm 83, Isaiah 11, Ezekiel 28 conflict resolves into its ultimate fulfillment, and the enigmatic Gog has risen to power in Russia. This we know all so well according to the prophet Ezekiel. Consider also, as we have many times previously, there is no Syria in the Psalm 83, Isaiah 11 or Ezekiel 28 prophetic narratives. There's only Lebanon, Jordan, the Sinai, Gaza plus Judea and Samaria (including Jerusalem) involved.

Global SITREP D1-18: The End-Game in Syria?

Russian IL-22M Coot-A ELINT Aircraft (a/k/a IL-18D-36 Bizon)

18 September 2018:  At approximately 11 PM IDT a very large-scale Israeli missile attack from the Mediterranean Sea against Syrian-Iranian targets in the area of Latakia, Syria commenced. Huge fireballs erupted in the area around a technical facility linked to the production of missiles and chemical munitions and storage warehouses used by Iran to transfer war materiel to Lebanese Hezbollah. 

Iran uses this location adjacent to the Russian Hmeimim Air Base and its air defense system in an attempt to cover their preparations for war against Israel. Israel immediately recognized the critical and intolerable nature of what the Iranians were doing with Syrian government acquiescence in the area adjecent to Hmeimim Air Base.

As the IAF strike mission completed and the Israeli F16I Sufa's had recovered back into Israeli airspace, a Russian IL-22M Coot-A ELINT aircraft enroute to recover at Hmeimim Air Base following an intellgence collection mission over Idlib goverorate, was shotdown with 15 crew members on board by "excessive and inaccurate" Syrian air defense fire. 

Initial Russian comments made by Ministry of Defense personnel blamed Israel for the loss of their aircraft, stating that the IAF strike was an "irresponsible action" in that the IAF had deliberately used the IL-22M as cover against Syrian anti-air fire. The Russian MoD spokeperson, Igor Konashenkov, made a threat of retaliation against Israel in what he termed wered "irresponsible actions of the Israeli military," and a "hostile act."

A Russian MoD flight profile map as published by the BBC can be seen below. Subsequent reports say that Russian President Vladimir Putin has characterized the shhotdown as "a chain of tragic and chance circumstances." What it means is that the Syrian anti-aircrat system operators were completely spooked by the intense middile of the night IAF strike and continued to fire wildly at anything in the air off the Syrian coastline. In U.S. military parlance, this was a 'Murphy's Law" event. Tragic, completely avoidable, but the direct result of Iranian war preparations within Syrian territory for which the Syrian government bears full responsibility.

Also concurrent with the aftermath of the IAF strike the Russian media were also reporting that the recently commissioned French FREMM-class frigate, FF-D654 Auvergne, was also launching missiles into Syria. The French Ministry of defense has vehemently denied any role in the downing of the Russian aircraft or that their frigate launched missiles of any kind. The Russian reports have been characterized by the French Ambassador to the United States as Russia having gone mad with their "fake news" reports.

These are the type of events in northwestern Syria and off its coastline that Eschatology Today has for the past three years put forward as a strong potential leading edge in the fulfillment of Jeremiah 49:23-27, and Isaiah 17. From Global SITREP D6-15, posted on 15 September 2015, we have the following excerpt:

"15 September 2015: I believe it would serve us well to look closely at the passage below from Jeremiah 49. Verse 23 is referring directly to that swath of territory in northwestern Syria adjacent to the Eastern Mediterranean seacoast, from the Turkish border to the Lebanese border, and which is currently known as the Governorates of Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Latakia and Tartus. Hamath is the modern-day the city of Hama, and Arpad is located in the present day city of Tell Rifaat in Aleppo.

Jeremiah 49:23-27

 Against Damascus.

“Hamath and Arpad are shamed,
For they have heard bad news.
They are fainthearted;
There is trouble on the sea;
It cannot be quiet.
²⁴ Damascus has grown feeble;
She turns to flee,
And fear has seized her.
Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor.
²⁵ Why is the city of praise not deserted, the city of My joy?
²⁶ Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets,
And all the men of war shall be cut off in that day,” says the Lord of hosts.
²⁷ “I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus,
And it shall consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad.”"

By now virtually all regular readers here are very aware of this. The question now is, have we arrived at the point of no return; the point where the war in Syria, in which many nations are militarily directly involved, makes a turn from an active process to actual fulfillment? Based upon the final words of verse 23, there will be more to come in terms of "trouble on the sea" where two opposing naval armadas may find themselves in recept of legitimate or illegitimate orders to push buttons in hostile or pre-emptive strikes against the other. 

Final Word 19 September 2018: Russia will be looking for retribution. Despite the good cop (Putin) bad cop (Shoigu) PR act of yesterday, Russia will want retribution. Here's our link within this situation to Ezekiel 38/39. This will require a good amount of patience from fellow eschatologists. Several other prophetic events must take place first.

Global SITREP C10-18: The Final Battles for Syria - A Regional War

Screenshot: Syrian Mi-8 'Hip' dropping a barrel bomb on Al-Lataminah town.

UPDATE 10 September 2018: The Wall Street Journal, The Times of Israel and Market Watch are all reporting the same news this morning: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has ignored the US, UK and French warnings and has approved the use of WMD (Chlorine Gas) in offensive operations against Idlib Governorate. Also, Germany is now saying that it will likely join the Western Allies in punitive strikes against the Syrian regime. A third round of punitive strikes by the Western Allies will be a lot more severe than the last.

9 September 2018: The assault upon Idlib has been in full execution since yesterday morning. It began, as all previous pro-regime forces invasions of rebel held towns and cities have begun, with a sustained air assault on hospitals and humanitarian rescue facilities. Struck yesterday were an underground hospital in Hass, Idlib Governorate and the town of Al-Lataminah 20km to the south. 

The screenshot above is from a video recorded by the civilian-run Hala System (a/k/a Sentry Advance Warning System) taken during rebel surrveillance of the barrelbombing attack (object below the chopper) of al-Lataminah town. The Hala System provides early warning the moment any regime or its allies aircraft departs their respective airfields. Deliberately attacking hospitals and rescue centers (i.e. local ambulance and pararescue teams) is a war crime. Regime chemical weapons have long been delivered on civilian targets in Syria by Mi-8 choppers dropping such improvised barrel bombs.

In light of these attacks the U.S. Pentagon has prepared several potential military response options. These existence of these options was made public yesterday by Chairman-Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford. The UMSC has also deploYed OVER 100 additional troops to the CJTF-OIR base at At-Tanf. The Marine landed and immediately engaged in a live fire demonstration designed to give Russian, Syrian and Iranian forces a chance to reconsider striking the At-Tanf base or moving within its extended 35-mile forward perimeter.  The firepower available to CJTF-OIR far exceeds anything the combined Russian, Syrian and Iranian forces have available on land, sea or air.

Map of northwestern Syria 07SEP18

7 September 2018:  The map above shows the current situation in (south to north) Hama, Idlib and Aleppo governorates in northwestern Syria, and who controls what territory. Within Idlib there are a reported 2.9 million civilians, nearly 1 million of which are young children. 

There are also two new and highly critical developments to report in this update: 

1.) The US, UK and France have seen strong indications that the Syrian government has prepared chemical WMD for use in the coming battle. These allies continue to urgently warn the regime of Bashar al-Assad of a switft and appropriate military response if chemical weapons are used in battle.

2.) The Russians have warned the United States directly on two occasions in the past week that the U.S. CJTF-OIR base at At Tanf could be attacked by Russian forces due to the presence of "insurgent forces" there. Since there are no known Russian ground combat units or Wagner Group mercenaries in the area of At Tanf, such an attack would have to be made against the U.S. base using Kalibr cruise missiles launched by Russian naval combatant ships off the Syrian coast.

Lines of Control in Syria on 3 September 2018

5 September 2018: There are last ditch diplomatic carrot and stick entreaties to the al-Assad government in Damascus today, and they're being put forward under a nothing ventured/nothing gained mindset. Almost everyone involved actually believes the die has been cast for continued war and a humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib. 

The massive Russian investment of rubles in the form of a large military deployment into and off the coast of Syria would be for naught should the Idlib assault be called off. That object in motion will tend to stay in motion. The alleged Russian, Iranian and Turkish 'summit' scheduled for tomorrow in Tehran stands as a very high probability of becoming a grand disappontment for the Turkish government which hopes against hope for the Idlib operation to be called off. Turkey very much stands against the Russian, Iranian and Syrian plan of conquest of the Idlib Governorate. The Turks want a far more precise operation to rid the governorate of select jihadists, much as they accomplished in Afrin earlier this summer. The Russians and Iranians have already rubber-stamped and green-lighted the full-scale operation. That means an ethnic cleansing of Syrian and Turkmen Sunni's from Idlib is certain to inflame the Turkish government which are Sunni Turkmen themselves. Make no mistake, at this point Turkey is no military ally of Syria, Russia or Shi'a Iran. Turkey could well intervene against the Iranian and Syria ground forces in the days to come.

And then, as in Item 4 below, there is Israel. The IAF struck Iranian targets in the Hama and Tartus Governorates (see image above). Again, the IAF strike aircraft were flying high over Lebanon, and they had to have been detected by the Russian S-400 anti-air site just a few miles northwest from the targets in Masyaf that were struck. There isn't a single reliable report of anti-air fire going up against the Israeli jets - not Russian, not Syrian, not Iranian. The IAF struck with impunity. This strike reaffirms that Israel is actively at war against anything belonging to the Iranian military forces in Syria. This is a wild card in the ongoing war in Syria. Russia apparently has no qualms with Israel obliterating Iranian military hardware and facilities in Syria, even right under their own noses.

Even though covered multiple times this year in various SITREPs, a reminder of the prophetic picture would be in order at this point.

"Hamath and Arpad are shamed,
For they have heard bad news.
They are fainthearted;
There is trouble on the sea;
It cannot be quiet." - Jeremiah 49:23

"Woe to the multitude of many people
Who make a noise like the roar of the seas,
And to the rushing of nations
That make a rushing of mighty waters!
The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters;
But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away,
And be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind,
Like a rolling thing before the whirlwind." - Isaiah 17:12-13

This impending battle is located in northwestern Syria, between the same two ancient locations named by Jeremiah. There are gathered in the sea of the Syrian coast an array of warships from many nations involved in the conflict, and which stand ready to engage in combat. The literal word here is, well, very literal; it says what it says and it is unique in all of recorded history up to this point. The culmination found in both Jeremiah's and Isaiah's prophecies here is the destruction of Damascus, and of the nation we know as Syria.


4 September 2018: It appears the Idlib offensive has begun. Russian combat aircraft began the operation with airstrikes within the past two hours.  

3 September 2018: The final battles for Syria are a regional war already in-progress, albeit at a slow or no boil from time to time. The SITREP at present goes something like this: 

1.) There are  behind the scenes diplomatic efforts ongoing that have, more or less, postponed the Idlib (northwestern Syria) offensive operations. By the same token there are major powers maneuverings or exercises the Mediterranean Sea which are probably preludes to combat operations.

2.) Within Idlib there are multiple anti-regime forces, each within its own cantonment of influence or control. There are AQ terrorists, Free Syrian forces, Turkomen militias, Kurdish militias, and Turkish Army outposts as well. There are anti-regime forces from all over Syria which have come to Idlib via free passage; Idlib is a dumping ground of opposition forces from the rest of the country. They are not all currently presenting a united front, but will likely act as such when the hammer drops.

3.) The national interests of the Russian Federation (and its allies) and the United States (and its allies) are in conflict, although at present there are norms of communication which have thus far prevented hostile fire. Should Syrian forces use WMD in Idlib the spectre of a Russia-America confrontation in this arena is very real.

4.) And then there is Israel and the United States confrontation with Iran in Syria (and soon possibly in Iraq). This warfront has been smouldering of late with potential sparks (large air strikes) at al-Mazzeh Air Base near Damascus and at At-Tanf in southeastern Syria within the past 24 hours failing to ignite into a more widespread conflict. In both airstrikes it was Iranian proxy forces which were devastated, the former a warehouse, the latter an on-the-move military convoy. Israel has also revealed that it will strike Iranian targets in Syria, or in Iraq, as they present themselves.

Global SITREP C5-18: Idlib and Jermiah 49:23-27

IDLIB Governorate of Syria

3 August 2018: Above is an outline map of Syria. The IDLIB Governorate is highlighted in bright green. To the north of Iblib is the Turkish border and Hatay province. Idlib has been under Sunni rebel control since the start of the civil war and it has always enjoyed Turkish support, and Turkish military forces occupy observation posts throughout this region.

Idlib is the Syrian governorate to which the Assad regime has been allowing free passage to for rebel forces who have not surrendered in other battles all across Syria. There now are an estimated 100,000+ rebel troops awaiting a Syria-Iranian-Russian forces onslaught now that the southern Syria offensive appears to be winding down. The Iblib rebels have placed all of their various factions under a single command known as the National Front for Liberation, or Jabhat al-Tahrir al-Watanya (JTW).

Notice where Idlib is located within Syria. It is right in the middle of the two locations identified in Jeremiah 49:23. Eschatology Today has been consistent over many months in linking northwestern Syria as key to the literal fulfillment of Jeremiah's ancient prophecy (49:23-27) and Isaiah 17. 

The countryside to the immediate west of Hama is also still in the hands of rebel forces, as is the region west of Aleppo. In preparation for the final assault on Idlib this entire region is being pounded by Syrian and Iranian artillery; an ongoing rocket and artillery duel is ongoing as you read this. Again, those who say the Syrian war is over are incredibly premature with such pronouncements.

16 August 2018: The battle for Idlib (Idleb) has not been forgotten.  It's a final warzone in northwestern Syria pitting the Syrian regime and its Iranian allies (Shi'a) against Sunni jihadists (AQ and company) plus other Turkomen factions supported by Turkey. Because of the Turks the Russians trod lightly here. 

One Iranian general let slip recently that after Idlib is conquered Syria (and Iran) would move to recover all of the Golan from Israel. Problematic to that is the US-led CJTF-OIR coalition (mostly the SDF/SDC militias and US Special Forces are in a position to cut off the Iranians from their homeland base of support via Iraq. The Coalition still has military control over 30 percent of Syria east of the Euphrates River and several hundred square miles around Al-Tanf at the Syrian-Iraq-Jordan border region. Iran is on notice that US forces will remain in Syria until all Iranian forces have permanently departed the country. The SDF believes the US forces will go into battle against Iran in Syria shortly.

But watch Idlib, it's where everything could unravel for Syria.

25 August 2018: The predictive sentence directly above is looking more likely with each passing day.  Turkey is begging the Russians to prevent  Iran and Syria from launching the full-scale Idlib battle. But Russia is sending even more ground combat power and shipborne Kalibr cruise missiles into the war zone.  

U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton has expressly warned Syria against using chemical weapons (WMD) against the Idlib redoubt, promise a powerful US-UK-French response against the regime of Bashar al-Assad if they those weapons are deployed.  

The Russian media is issuing beau coup propaganda trying to cover the the regime, saying that the rebels are the side actually preparing to use chemical weapons. They've even gone so far to accuse British Special Forces of assisting the terrorists in Iblib governorate in launching a false flag chemical strike and the promised US-UK-French retaliatory counter-strike.

Again, notice where Idlib is located within Syria. It is right in the middle of the two locations identified in Jeremiah 49:23. Eschatology Today has been consistent over many months now in linking northwestern Syria as key to the literal fulfillment of Jeremiah's ancient prophecy (49:23-27) and Isaiah 17. 

The approaching Battle of Idlib will (according to the Isaiah and Jeremiah prophecies) be utterly catastropic for Syria, the foreign nations involved will flee from the catastrophe that occurs, and also result in great damage and loss of life occurring in northern Israel. Forewarned is fore-armed.

29 August 2018: The buildup of foreign military forces hardware into and along the periphery of Syria continues. Such buildups take time to complete. The daily intelligence collection/analysis is out in front of the deployed hardware. This is all part of an effort to forestall error or miscalculation, yet the bristling and sabre rattling are an intentional effort to cause the other side to blink (i.e. stand down). 

There is no way that a "false flag" chemical attack by Islamic jihadists against  the civilian population in Idlib governorate can succeed. By the same token and the same real-time intelligence collection being employed by the Western allies in Syria, there is no way a Syrian chemical attack against Idlib could succeed either - even if it is conducted as a mimic of a jihadist chemical attack. No amount of Iranian or Russian propaganda making the rounds in global media can obfuscate what will occur when WMD by either side occurs.

Nevertheless, the military situation continues to deteriorate and appears to be taking on the attributes of a runaway freight train, especially in Russian and Iranian words and deeds. The Western allies (US, UK and france) have warned via unambiguous language in the UN Security Council that they will execute an appropriate response to a Syrian chemical attack against Idlib governorate. 

The Pentagon, U.S. State Department, and Executive Office (i.e. NSA John Bolton) also issued similar warnings directly to the Russian and Syrian government officials within the past 24 hours. The U.S. appears to have taken the position that if Syria uses chemical weapons it is because the Russians did nothing to prevent it, and they will be held as culpable in the resultant WMD atrocity. Backing up the US, UK and French warnings, NATO as a whole also has given stern warning to the Russians of potential consequences should they fail to prevent Syrian use of WMD.

There are an estimated 2.1 million civilians in Idlib living in areas under the control of Islamist and jihadist forces. The humanitarian situation there is dire and a catastrophe in the making even before the expected large-scale Russian, Syrian and Iranian military operation commences. 

Global SITREP C3-18: Dara'a, Quneitra, the Israeli Golan and Damascus - Part II

AP Photo 16 JUL 18 of Bashar al-Assad "Victory" poster in Old Damascus

25 July 2018: This SITREP will serve as the continuation of SITREP B10-18 with Damascus as an additional point of eschatological focus. 

Contrary to what some prophecy teachers may be saying, as of this date Damascus, Syria has not yet seen the fulfillment of Isaiah 17:1 come to pass. The above Associated Press photo, taken a week ago Monday in the old city section of Damascus, is the entrance to a "Palestinian Arts" souvenir shop. To the entrance door is attached Bashar al-Assad's "victory" poster. He, and his Russian and Iranian allies want the people of Damascus, and the whole of Syria, to believe the war has been won and Bashar al-Assad is personally victorious.

Nothing could be be further from the soon to be manifest prophetic truth of Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49:23-27! The reality now is that Bashar al-Assad is essentially the titular vassal puppet king of Syria; his stature is maintained by Russian combat power, supported by Iranian Revolutionary Guards-Qods Force militia and Hezbollah of Lebanon. Syrian military forces are but a shell of what they were just 7 years ago. The Syrian Army's troops are mostly Hezbollah and Shi'a militia from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan under IRGC-QF General Qassem Soleimani's command. These troops man a front line in southern Syria from Dara'a, across the northern Golan to the slopes of Mount Hermon.

Another dose of reality was poured out on al-Assad, the Russians and Iranians a day ago when a Syrian attack jet moving at a very high velocity penetrated the 1974 Seperation of Forces Line B, and continued a little over a mile into Israel's airspace, when it was immediately shot down by a pair of the IDF's Patriot air defense missiles. The pilot of the Syrian SU-22 'Fitter' was killed; his body allegedly captured by Islamic State (IS) forces on the Syrian side of the southern Golan. 

Yarmouk River basin in tri-border region of Israel, Syria and Jordan.

Let's consider those IS forces in the triangle formed by the Israel, Syria and Jordanian border for a second. This is the Yarmouk River basin, and it is very rugged territory. Flushing IS forces out or killing them in place within this natural defensive redoubt will never be accomplished by any amount of Russian or Syrian airpower. Steep, sheer cliffs, deep ravines, near vertical inclines and destroyed bridges mark its entire length. Eschatology Today would speculate another crisis point will soon present itself when chemical weapons are used for the dislodging purpose by the Iranian militia commander. The Yarmouk River flows south and becomes the Jordan River. 

Soon, if not as soon as full "Syrian administrative control" is so to be restored over its part of the Golan, Israel will be free to begin a wholesale assault on the Iranian-led forces all along this frontier. The reason for this is as stated above and stands to be repeated for emphasis. Syrian administrative control in any part of Syria is a fantasy; it doesn't truly exist; it is an Iranian charade. It has been true for some time now that the Bashar al-Assad government has no real power and Syria as a country is a failed state. Also deserving of a repeat: Syria has no real, coherent army which it commands and controls as the rebel factions destroyed it some time ago. What was left fractionated, and any semblance of a cohesive force was due to the embedding of Iranian Shi'a proxies and Lebanese Hezbollah. These are the forces wearing Syrian uniforms in Quneitra and Dara'a running up to the Israeli and Jordanian borders. They are Iranian forces under Brigadier General Qassem Soleman's command.

Someone studying Isaiah 17, verse 3 in particular, might recognize that the proverbial stage is set for a very specific fulfilment: "The kingdom from Damascus, And the remnant of Syria."  

Global SITREP B7-18: Eschatology Today Ahead of the Curve

U.S. F-22 Raptors over Syria

UPDATE 22 June 2018:  The specific American and Israeli warnings notwithstanding regarding established de-confliction zones, Syrian and Iranian forces have begun their offensive drive to the Jordanian and Israeli borders (Deraa and Golan). At the moment the U.S. is attempting to halt the offensive through diplomatic means. When the diplomatic effort summarily face-plants itself, the only other option will take precedence in an entirely predictable and prejudicial manner. The U.S., Israel and Jordan are on the same page and will act accordingly.

26 May 2018: This entry is to note how far ahead of global corporate media are the readers of this blog. As of this morning, and with respect to certain events that have taken place in the ongoing war in Syria (Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49:23-27), the lead-time has been measured at 3 months and 9 days.

In Global SITREP A8-18, in the section dated 16 Frebruary 2018, the "Battle of al-Tabiyeh" near Dier-Ez-Zor which took place on 7 February is noted with some detail.

Just yesterday, Friday, 25 May 2018, the globalist media kigpin, a/k/a The New York Times, finally got around to reporting on this same battle.  There is considerable detail in the Times' version of the battle. 

However, the reason for this delay is simple, to alert the world to the probability of an impending clash of the same forces (i.e. Russians and Americans) that engaged at Dier-Ez-Zor. The difference is this time the battle will occur in the region we know from Isaiah 17 as the "cities of Aroer," that is, southern Syria and northwestern Jordan, from Israa, Deraa and As-Suwayda in Syria to Irbid, al-Mafraaq and Jerash in Jordan. All of this region is adjacent to Israel's Golan.

The importance here is obvious:

1. The entire region is a US, Israel and Jordanian controlled deconfliction zone agreed to between the U.S. amd Russia back in 2017.
2. The agreement includes a ceasefire among the locally warring parties, with Syrian government and Iranian military proxies to the north, and US-Jordanian trained and equipped rebel forces within the region.
3. This area has been a focus for Iranian forces as it is an obvious path to flanking Israel's forces deployed on the Golan. It is also the air corridor used by Iran for reconnaissance/attack drones like the one shot down by the IDF which sparked a fierce battle won by Israel.

For these reasons this past Friday the US warned both Russia and Syria plus its allies that any attack by their forces into this region will by met with "firm and appropriate measures" by US and allied military forces (i.e. Israel and Jordan). This would put US, Israeli and Jordanian forces in direct conflict with Russian, Syrian and Iranian forces. 

Looking Further Ahead

For his part, Israeli PM Netanyahu also just reiterated that the Israeli-Iran/Hezbollah conflict is not over, nor will it be as long as Iranian forces and the Shi'a proxies, like Hezbollah, remain in Syria. Israel is also targeting Iranian weapons manufacturing in Lebanon. This Israeli operation is more than sporadic attacks on Iranian targets in Syria and Lebanon; it is now a full-fledged campaign to drive Iran and its proxies out of Syria and to engage in a process of neutralizing Hezbollah's significant military capabilities in Lebanon. This campaign in part also dovetails with the strategic US campaign against Iranian nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

Update 31 May 2018: With Bashar al-Assad officially declaring there are no Iranian military forces in Syria, only advisors, the door has swung open for Israel to engage Hezbollah and IRGC-led Shi'a militias that have massed in southern Syria. We all know this powder keg could blow at any moment.

Update 4 June 2018: Of course neither Syria, Iran nor Hezbollah is fooling anyone by putting Syrian uniforms on Hezbollah or other Iranian proxy forces in Syria near Israel's northern border. And it is hoped that Israel is not being naive regarding the double and triple game Russia is playing against them in Syria. The Russians cannot be trusted, period. 

Additionally, the amount of Russian-generated disinformation being propagated over the past few weeks is simply staggering. When it comes to Information Warfare (IW), Russia has taken it to a whole new level, one which required the Israeli government to issue strongly worded denials as a counter-action to the Russian (and Iranian) disinformation that global media lapped up like starving dogs. Nevertheless, folks in Israel and in the West consummed the disinformation their media presented as fact and are now fully disinformed about what is occurring in this war zone. Events will have to overtake them for the truth to be revealed.

Global SITREP B1-18: Syria - Part V

Update 17 April 2018: Based upon various Indications and Warnings (I&W), and there are a great many of them, the likelihood of a regional war involving Israel is very high at present. 

Russia and its client-state Syria have denied access yesterday to the OPCW team of the specific site of the 7 April chlorine/sarin attack in Douma. Russia/Syria cite "safety concerns" as the reason access was been denied. This is an utterly false concern as there are video and still images of Russian and Syrain military personnel without chemwar masks or clothing crawling all over the attack site less than 48 hours after it occurred. This denial of access to Douma also puts the lie to claims by Russia that no chemical warfare attack occurred in Douma.

Images taken yesterday show Syrian civilians walking around the site without any protective apparel. It is much more likely that Russian/Syrian chemical santizing teams are still searching for and eliminating any persistent chemical traces from the site, turning over every brick or cenment rubble. The site will probably be declared "safe" later today which would be ten full days after the attack. Accordingly, the OPCW team will find a fully sanitized site when they are finally allowed access to it.

Iran continues a build-up of its forces in Syria and its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon in preparation for a promised retaliation for the IAF airstrike on an Iranian military facility at the T4 Air Base. At the same time there are conflicting Syrian goverment reports of new air strikes occurring this morning at Sharyat and Dumayr Air Bases. Syria earlier this morning claimed shooting down several incoming missiles; now they say it was all just a false alarm. Remember, in March Israel decimated Syrian air defenses around Damascus, so any reports of fending off air strikes are mere propaganda.

14 April 2018: The US, UK and French joint strike against Syrian WMD sites occurred last evening. As the strike was ongoing it was realized that waiting for the media was unnecessary as the Syria WMD targets which were struck were clearly identified in an Eschatology Today post prior to the  start of the Global SITREP series. Not four years ago as noted below, but even earlier in a very specific post of October 2012: Syria Crisis: Threat of WMD War Remains Very Real. 

I suspect that most folks have completely forgotten about these posts, so I would therefore strongly suggest a re-reading of the above linked post, which also contains a link to an even earlier post that dates to May 2010. These posts detail the background of what we're seeing in media reporting today. There are also critical items which will NOT be reported in media today, even in the aftermath of last night's strikes. The strikes of last night validate entirely the information these posts contain, and which came direct from a Syrian defector, Major General Sillu. 

The noted locations also pose a grave danger to Israel due to their close proximity to the border of Lebanon. That proximity belies the near certain clandestine transfer of these WMD in small quantities over time into Lebanon for Hezbollah's use in the coming war prophesied by Isaiah 17. You should also take careful note of the 2003 testimony of then-Undersecretary of State John Bolton; that testimony was blocked by an already politicized CIA.

Jobar neighborhood, Damascus, Syria

13 April 2018: Wars and rumors of wars. In a matter of days the U.S. is preparing to take on direct negotiations with North Korea, to get it to denuclearize itself. How many recognize this negotiation comes against the also current backdrop of the U.S. taking on Russia in a direct military confrontation over Syria's use of WMD against its own people. A confrontation which could go to tactical nuclear weapons usage pretty quickly. The message in all of this to Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang is pretty stark. 

This also comes at a time when the already powerful American warfighting capabilities are being upgraded to the tune of $1.7 Trillion dollars through September 2019. A military force more powerful than anything the world has ever seen. Sound familiar? It should as Eschatology Today has discussed this on occasion and in detail over the past four years, beginning with Global SITREP C3-14: The Current Global Military Situation. Hindsight is always 20/20, but what was posted here fours years ago wasn't hindsight, it was forward thinking and projection based upon what the Bible says about a final world empire, the fourth beast of Daniel 7:7. If you will notice the numbers cited in SITREP C3-14, then note also the numbers being cited here are $100 Billion more per year for the next two years, and more than double those four year old figures over the next two years. Staggering, even considering the projections made in 2014.

Another development that must be acknowledged is the bellicose throw-down that has developed between Israel and Russia. Russia telling Israel within the last 24 hours to stand down over striking Iranian military infrastructure building in Syria, and Israel basically repeating to the Russian's the American response to Nazi forces in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII: "Nuts!" This is very interesting, Russia defending Iranian military adventurism in Syria. It's just reeks of prophetic tones found in Ezekiel 38:7 (NKJV), which says "Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them."  Be a guard for them. Check. Russia is definitively attempting to guard Iranian military forces from an Israeli military onslaught. But that's all it is, an attempt to guard given Israel's response.

Meanwhile, America is not going it alone against Russia. France and the U.K. are pressing ahead with a joint response with the U.S. to the Syrian chlorine-sarin WMD attack in Douma last Saturday evening. British PM Theresa May received unanimous support from her "war council" cabinet to proceed with warning orders given to Her Majesty's ships off the southern coast of Cyprus. Media attention may wane, but the armada of ships enroute are not slowing down; "trouble on the sea" is coming.

Marana'tha!