Hassan Nasrallah, the late leader of Hezbollah, articulated a theological rationale for the creation of Israel long before his passing last week. In a recorded speech from 2002, he stated, “The Jews will gather from all parts of the world into occupied Palestine… not to bring about the Antichrist and the end of the world, but rather that Allah the glorified and most high wants to save you from having to go to the ends of the world, for they have gathered in one place — and there the final and decisive battle will take place.” This sentiment suggested that Israel was a focal point for a catastrophic confrontation.
These remarks resurfaced in my mind as I viewed footage of Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Israel this past Tuesday. Fortunately, the attacks resulted in minimal damage, largely due to the effectiveness of Israeli and American air defense systems. However, the prospect of one of those missiles being armed with a nuclear warhead becomes increasingly concerning, especially if such a warhead were to go undetected by Western intelligence, including Mossad. This scenario would align with Nasrallah’s predictions and aspirations.
The threat of Iran developing nuclear capabilities is no longer a distant concern. Recently, Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated that Iran could potentially produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear bomb within a week or two. While developing a nuclear weapon, particularly one suitable for missile delivery, requires time and expertise, the resources and technological assistance from Iran’s allies—namely Russia, China, and North Korea—are alarmingly within reach.