Burragorang Lookout, Nattai, NSW, AustraliaThe Captor Who Fell Silent
How faith disarmed terror in a Hamas tunnel.
https://spectator.org/the-captor-who-fell-silent/
Excerpt:
Many news organizations carried the story of the release of Bar Kuperstein two years after he had been kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. Kuperstein was a young security guard at the Nova Festival, the music festival targeted by Hamas for its fat genocidal possibilities, with sides of rape, torture, and kidnapping. After taking some time to begin to reacclimate to freedom and family, Kuperstein began to share his and his family’s experiences.
Hamas’ strategy to destroy Israel has been based on the perceived weakness of the West for enduring the discomfort of war. As is well attested by their own words, they wish to win by grinding down the political support for the fight against them, both in Israel and in Israel’s supporters in the rest of the world. Protests from the West, and even better, from within Israel itself, are demoralizing to the fighting spirit. In particular, when despairing hostage families protest, demanding that their government capitulate to the demands of the hostage takers, this is prime click bait and especially demoralizing to their hated opponents.
Kuperstein explained to the press how Hamas tried to get his family to publicly denounce Israel’s fight to rescue the hostages and end the rule of the hostage-takers. They pushed the despair button — we have your beloved son, and no one can stop us from doing to him whatever we want if you don’t comply. Kuperstein said:
During the period I was held captive, one of the terrorists called my mother and told her she was not doing enough to free me and that if she wanted to see me again, she needed to go out, file complaints at The Hague, and really fight.
Kuperstein’s captor said to his mother that she had no choice, because her son was in their hands. Kuperstein continued: “She simply told him the following: ‘My son is not in your hands but always in the hands of the Creator — and you are too in the hands of the Creator.”
This was not the expected answer. In Kuperstein’s words: “There was a moment of silence because the terrorist did not know what to answer and then he replied, “All honor to you, madam.”
Kuperstein showed his interviewer the bracelet his mother had worn all the days of his captivity. On it were inscribed the words: “My son is always in the hands of the Creator.”
Kuperstein added: “Since then, we carry that motto with us all the time.”
What is most striking about this story is its redemptive core. Redemption is the great theme of the biblical tradition.
Burragorang Lookout, Nattai, NSW, AustraliaLove this.
Beautiful story.
Iran: IRGC Commanders Assassinated; U.S., Israeli Help Expected UPDATED
https://www.battleswarmblog.com/?p=69527
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Friday we reported the assassination of IRCG commander Mahmoud Haqiqat in Iranshahr.
Now, in a Livestream, TousiTV is reporting the assassination of other IRCG officials:
“Reza Kasab, head of a ballistic missile unit in Kashan, this was a professional hit. He was assassinated by a suicide drone attack.”
“There are a lot of operatives on the ground carrying out these attacks.”
“Multiple generals have been killed in Iran.”
He notes that Israel’s strikes last year killed multiple senior IRGC officials, so now the replacement leaders are being killed.
“Islamic State TV in Iran have confirmed that IRCG have lost hundreds of their personnel in leadership.” My suspicion is that the IRCG have lost hundreds, but not all in leadership.
Reports of Mossad agents on the ground helping the revolution. This is the sort of thing that both sides in the conflict would say to help shore up resolve in their respective bases, but the drone attack suggests it’s true.(Could also be IDF special forces, CIA, or U.S. special forces.)
But it carries more weight when it comes from Mossad’s official Farsi Twitter account. “Go out together into the streets. The time has come. We are with you. Not only from a distance and verbally. We are with you in the field.”
“There is someone professional carrying out these attacks against the Islamic occupation in Iran.”
“Reza Pahlavi has called for a general strike.” But everybody’s already on strike.
Reports of atrocities committed by the regime against the people (of course). “Over 2,000 people have been killed.”
Israel’s military is on full alert, and Iran is threatening to launch “over 500” missiles at them.
American strike against the regime expected on Tuesday?
“Trump has been doubling down every single day.” And indeed, Tuesday seems to have a scheduled meeting for Trump to go over military options in Iran.
Caveats: Tousi TV is run by Mahyar Tousi, a fierce critic of Iran’s Islamist regime, so he’s more cheerleader for the revolution than a neutral observer. So am I, but I always council caution on believing good news you want to believe. But several elements of what Tousi has stated here appear to check out.
Those are just a few early highlights of a livestream that’s still ongoing.
There are already rumors circulating that the regime is flying gold to Russia in advance of Ali Khamenei bugging out to Moscow.
Things in Iran moving very fast indeed.
Update 2:
From that Livestream: “President Trump confirms he will be sending help to the Iranian people.”
Iranian people continue to occupy the streets of Tehran in defiance of the regime’s armed threats.
“There is a President in the White House who supports them.”
“They’re not going back to work. There’s no work. There’s no money. There’s no light. There’s no water.”
IDF hitting Hezbollah in Lebanon.
U.S.: “Multiple military options.” Including cybersupport.
Heh: “Lindsey Graham doing Lindsey Graham things.”
“Reza Pahlavi is coming.”
Protesters are disarming regime forces on the street.
Now the regime is trying to jam Starlink.
U.S. forces have been hitting Islamic State targets in Syria. (Not sure how relevant this is to Iran. The Islamic State considers shiia heretical so, unlike Hamas or Hezbollah, are unlikely to help the regime.)
Reports of regime forces seizing satellite dishes.