In this riveting episode of Washington Watch, host Tony Perkins takes us deep into the heart of the unfolding Middle East crisis, where Israel’s bold military maneuvers against Iran have grabbed global attention. With in-depth interviews featuring key political figures such as Senator Kevin Cramer and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, we explore the motivations and ramifications of Israel’s strategic decisions. From the concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions to the international community’s varied responses, Tony delves into the complex geopolitical landscape to offer listeners a comprehensive view of what’s at stake.
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from the heart of our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and soundbites into conversations with our nation’s leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.
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So we had to act. It was the 12th hour. We did act to save ourselves, but also, I think, to not only protect ourselves, but protect the world from the this incendiary regime. We can’t have the world’s most dangerous regime have the world’s most dangerous weapons.
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That was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday on Fox News. Welcome to this Monday, June 16th edition of Washington Watch. I’m your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks for tuning in. We’ll get an update from Jerusalem on the expanding conflict between Israel and Iran a little later in the program when we’re joined by CBN’s Chris Mitchell. And on Friday, Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Irvani, had this to say about the conflict.
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Israel has openly claimed responsibility, and it is done so with the active support of a permanent member of the Council, the United States. This aggression constitutes a declaration of war.
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A declaration of war. We’ll get reaction and analysis from North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer, who joins us momentarily. And the House is out this week back in their districts for District Work Week, but the Senate is in session. So we’ll check on the status of what President Trump has called that one big, beautiful bill. We’ll check in with Senator Cramer on the status of that. And continuing on the topic of Iran.
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The regime has the weapons. They have what they call the Basij. It’s their local law enforcement. They are brutal. But often these regimes fall in a moment just like this one. And I think what Israel has undertaken in these last 24 hours increases the likelihood that the Iranian people will see sunlight and goodness and not be covered in tyranny as they have been since 1979.
SPEAKER 14 :
That was former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. I’ll share more of a conversation I had with him over the weekend about what might lie ahead for Iran. And I’ll also share my thoughts on how we should be responding to what is unfolding in the Middle East. All of that and possibly a bit more on this Monday edition of Washington Watch. And by the way, Washington Watch is made possible by people like you who support the work of the Family Research Council. This program receives no government funding, only contributions from listeners like you. And right now, through June the 30th, your impact can actually be doubled thanks to a $1.5 million challenge match. Now, this limited time opportunity was made available by some generous supporters who want to encourage others to join in this effort to make sure that we can have news and commentary from a biblical perspective. So if you contribute between now and June 30th, your contribution will be doubled. So to partner with us, simply text the word FAMILY. That’s FAMILY to 67742. FAMILY to 67742. And we’ll send you a link to partner with Washington Watch. The Israeli military is advancing Operation Rising Lion. Earlier today, the IDF struck what is identified as a communications center used for military purposes by the Iranian armed forces. Reports indicate the target was an Iranian state broadcasting station that was live on air at the time of the strike. Not long afterward, Israel intercepted another barrage of Iranian missiles. Joining us now with insights on these developments is U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota. He serves on four Senate committees, including the Armed Services Committee. Senator Cramer, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. My pleasure. Thank you, Tony. Senator, I know you’re a strong supporter of Israel. We’ve talked about the situation in the Middle East multiple times. Your reaction to what has unfolded in the last few days?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, first of all, my reaction to Israel taking this step is you had to do it. They had to do it. Nobody is on the clock quite like Israel when it comes to the acquisition of nuclear weapons by Iran. So I don’t blame them a bit for doing it. I’m grateful to see President Trump’s strong support for it. I’m equally grateful, Tony, to see that we haven’t risked any human lives, American lives, in the effort. That said, Israel has to know that we have their backs. The other thing that’s, I think, I don’t want to say necessarily surprising, but the magnitude of it is, in that Israel has been immensely effective in their attacks, they had a very specific and have a very specific plan, a very specific strategy. They took out the ground-to-air missile system, the air defenses over Iran, and now they’re just flying wherever they want and have… have complete control of the skies over Iran. And it’s so impressive that I’ve got to believe that there are a lot of frenemies and enemies in the Middle East and throughout the world looking at that and knowing that those are F-16s, F-35s, F-15s, and other great American technology and thinking, these guys are better at this than we thought. So I think it’s good for peace throughout the world.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, I would agree with you. And I would add to that, Senator Kramer, that Israel did this and they initiated this on their own. I know that there was some hesitancy and they had been waiting because I think they wanted to do it in concert with the United States. The United States, you know, maybe doing some, well, it’s not clear what, if anything, the United States is doing yet. I know we have resources moving that way. And as you pointed out, it’s American equipment. But this was the Israeli defense system. the IDF, the Air Force, that did this. And the world has to be taking note of this.
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Well, I would sure think so. I know I am, and I think the United States is. But certainly the region is, Tony, and this is what’s so impressive to me. When you look back to when even Barack Obama, or even go all the way back to Jimmy Carter, when the back and forth between peace through strength policies of Republicans and acquiescence and… just sort of throwing up your hands, if you will, by Democrats going back to Jimmy Carter. We finally have a moment, I believe, when you’ve seen diplomacy work under President Trump’s first term sets the stage, granted with four years off, but then sets the stage for what’s happening now. And I just think that the freedom-loving, civilized Arab world is looking at this going, yep, we want to be with these guys over here, not those guys over there. And isolating Iran this way I think has tremendous benefit for peace in the region.
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So did the Israeli military intelligence suggest that the window of opportunity was closing and that’s why they had to move now?
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I think that’s really clear. When you had, of course, the 60-day negotiating period that Donald Trump had initiated and that ran out, when you had the International Atomic Energy Commission Council saying, wait a minute, these guys are out of compliance, and this is the United Nations saying this, as you know, and then Intel saying that they have as much as maybe nine bombs worth of enriched uranium, they clearly couldn’t wait any longer for their own good. While others were more patient, including the United States, Israel understandably had to take matters into their own hands and demonstrated that they’re more than capable of doing that.
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What would you say is victory coming out of this? What does that look like?
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Yeah, so that’s a really important question, Tony. I just don’t think you can leave the regime in place at this point. At this point, you’ve poked the bear so hard that if you leave the bear there, you’re probably always going to have to look over your shoulder. The other thing is, I think they have to take out Bordeaux. I just think whether it’s them or whether it’s the United States, and God knows the last thing the American people want is for us to engage in another war, but But I think you have to remove all capabilities, use of nuclear weapons capabilities. And the only way to do that is to take it all out literally, physically with bombs. Now, if in the short term here, the Iranian leadership says we give up, we’ll step down, and then we encourage and back the freedom-loving Iranian people, that would be great. I just don’t see that happening.
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I agree with you. I don’t see that happening either. President Trump saying that a deal is possible, you know, maybe a deal to dismantle what’s left of their nuclear system, but that would leave the regime in place just to fight another day.
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Yeah, and that really concerns me. I mean, given the history of that regime, I just think that would be discouraging to the Iranian people, most of whom, the vast majority of whom, are very pleased with what they’re seeing right now and hopeful. And, you know, we’ve led them to this point, not quite like this, but other times when they thought the United States had their back. I think of Barack Obama, who basically left the freedom-loving demonstrators of Iran just holding the bag. And I just think… At this point, you can’t leave the regime there.
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One final question on this before we move to issues taking place in the Senate. I know you agree with this, that peace through strength. And given what Israel has demonstrated in the last few days, of course, we’re not there to the final aspects of this yet. But I would think that this could bring peace in the Middle East by the sheer show of their strength.
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there’s no question it’s a deterrent. I mean, everybody in the region’s got to be thinking, oh my goodness, let’s not go up against these guys. The other thing that it does is it paves the way for the civilized Arab world to continue to come toward the values of the West. I don’t expect that there’s going to be, you know, evangelism is going to take Christian evangelism in the Arab world. However, I do think there are a lot of people in the region that are Grateful to see Iran being isolated like this. And I think their courage to join us and to join the Arab, the Abraham Accords and other more normalized relationships is really good for the country and for the world and certainly for that region.
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Yeah, and for the Iranian people. I mean, we’re praying for the success of Israel and for the freedom of the Iranian people that have been under the repression of this regime. Senator, I want to switch to the reconciliation bill, President Trump’s one big, beautiful bill. That’s now over in the Senate. The deadline that was set was the July 4th break. Are we going to make it? How’s it looking?
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Yeah, I think it’s possible, Tony. And of course, I’m eternally optimistic. But as you know, this week now, the entire first draft, if you will, of the bill, the entire text is pretty well done. And the Democrats are looking at it. The parliamentarians are going through it. They’re looking for… those birdable things that they’re scrubbing it through the birdbath to make sure that it’s not policy, but solely revenue and spending, as you know that we have these wonky rules in the Senate. So we’re going through that right now. I think probably the most encouraging thing is that Republican senators have been meeting together for hours every day, apart from everybody else, And including tonight, by the way, we have a vote here in a few minutes, and then we’re going to have dinner together as Republican senators for a couple of hours and go through the text and listen to particularly the tax piece of it, Tony. That’s really the heart of this whole thing. In fact, it was up to me. We would have done just the tax piece. a long time ago and it’d be law right now while we discuss other things, but that’s not the route that was chosen. So yeah, we’re rolling up our sleeves and working the long hours to fine tune it. We have to get something that 50 people will vote for, as you know, that’s the trickiest part. But I think if Speaker Johnson could get one more than a no out of as many as 430 some, we ought to be able to do that as senators by the 4th of July.
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Senator Cramer, you mentioned the speaker. He’s been very clear about warning about too many tweaks could create problems when it comes back over to the House. Do you foresee any sticking points at this time?
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Yeah, it’s a great question. I think we’re going to find more, frankly, more spending cuts. I know that won’t break your heart. And we have a rescissions package in front of us now that the House passed by one vote as well that I’m sure it really breaks your heart that we’re going to maybe defund NPR and public broadcasting. But having said that, I We’re gonna make it better. Plain and simple, we’re gonna make the tax cuts permanent. The SALT thing is probably one of the stickier things, but Tony, at the end of the day, this bill is gonna be good enough that where if you voted for it in the House before, there’s no reason for you not to vote for it this next time, because then you’re given a binary choice. Is it better to pass it or not? And at that point, I think that the House will pass it as well.
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Well, now is the time, if not now, when? When do we right this ship of state? Senator Kramer, always great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us. Appreciate your leadership on Capitol Hill.
SPEAKER 04 :
Thank you, Tony. My pleasure. And I appreciate your witness and your ministry there. Thank you very much.
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All right, folks, coming up next, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
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THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. THE MORNING AFTER ISRAEL LAUNCHED OPERATION RISING LION, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE I want to share a part of that interview in which we discussed what history shows us about the risk of regime changes, although that’s certainly something people would like to see in terms of Iran and the future is a change of this Islamic regime. We need to do so with our eyes wide open. How do we prepare for that? Well, here is that conversation. So let’s talk about what a regime change looks like, because history would tell us a vacuum is filled by something. And we’ve been a part of seeing regime changes before, only to end up with a situation that’s even worse.
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Tony, there’s definitely that risk. I think you started your segment in exactly the right place with prayer. We should pray that the Iranian people are able to overthrow this regime in a way that delivers them a good outcome, that it doesn’t just end up in the hands of the IRGC thugs or it doesn’t end up in the hands of someone who’s even worse. The Iranian people have a long history. This is an amazing nation with deep Persian culture and talented engineers and a school system that is quite capable. These are people who have the capacity to build out a society where people can worship in the way they want and with leadership that gives space and freedom for commerce and wealth creation and all the things that we want for them. We need to do all that we can to assist the Iranian people in achieving that objective. We know that this vacuum will get filled. We ought to do everything we can to work to make sure it’s filled by those who no longer want to threaten the destruction of the nation of Israel.
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You were very clear about this messaging when you were Secretary of State that our beef is not with the Iranian people. It is with the regime that is repressive. How volatile is the structure of Iran when it comes to the people? What would it take to see a regime change? Are we at that threshold level right now, given what Israel is doing?
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Tony, history would teach us that one of the things we can never predict is when regimes like this will fall. I was a young soldier in Germany in 1989, and one day everybody woke up and the Soviet Union had begun its collapse. So you don’t know when that moment will be. I must say, If you’re a parent of a young girl in Iran, and you see what happened overnight, and you see that the trillions of dollars in sanctions against the regime, the billions of dollars spent on weapons systems delivered literally nothing for you, and indeed, even worse, continued to oppress you, you must be thinking, can I find friends and partners? Can I find other citizens in my town, in my community, whether you’re in Ashfahan or Kermanshah or wherever you may be, and find a path forward that is fundamentally different? The challenge is that the regime has the weapons. They have what they call the Basij. It’s their local law enforcement. They are brutal. But often these regimes fall in a moment just like this one. And I think what Israel has undertaken in these last 24 hours increases the likelihood that the Iranian people will see sunlight and goodness and not be covered in tyranny as they have been since 1979.
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To facilitate this, what should be the next steps that the United States takes?
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Oh, really, three things. One, we’ve got to make sure we keep our folks safe. So the first step is to make sure we’ve got postured correctly. I think President Trump has done really good work these last days putting the weapons systems in the theater so that we can do just that. Second, I’ve heard some leaders in the United States Senate Democrats say that this attack was reckless. That’s a mistake. what would have been reckless is to allow iran to continue down the path towards a nuclear weapon and now that’s not going to happen and so the second piece of this is we should continue to support our ally israel and make sure that we provide at least the tacit support necessary so that they can do what’s needed there inside of iran for the days and weeks ahead the political pressure to stop israel will start today at the u.n and continue in the days ahead for sure And then finally, we should make very clear that when the moment is right, we will support the Iranian people in their effort. We will provide the tools and resources necessary so that Iranian regime that has fallen is followed by a set of leaders inside of Iran that the Iranian people actually desire and want. And that’ll be a really good outcome if we can assist in all three of those ways.
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You mentioned the United Nations, longtime critic of Israel. It seems to be they exist just to harass Israel almost. But timing is everything in an operation like this. And just watching the body language of the prime minister and others and seeing the shuttling back and forth, I knew the window they saw, as you made reference to earlier, was closing. But this week, the IAEA, for the first time in 20 years, finding and actually issuing a resolution that Iran was noncompliant in their nuclear program, their nonproliferation obligations. This should somewhat, I would think, muffle the international community because this is, I mean, this is certainly, the International Atomic Energy Agency is not a puppet of Israel. So I would think that this might help when we talk about that window of opportunity.
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It probably does help, Tony, but make no mistake about it. The UN has become anti-Israel, indeed anti-Semitic over the last decade in ways that it just simply was not before. Israel loses just about every vote at the UN General Assembly, and of course, on the UN Security Council, two of Iran’s partners, The Chinese Communist Party and Russia sit to veto anything that the United States might want to do at the Security Council level. So I agree. The wording from the sanctions from the IAEA was important. They are a neutral inspection body that does really good verification work. And they came to see that Iran was not complying with its obligations under international law. That is helpful. I doubt it changes many minds at the United Nations, Tony. It saddens me to say that, but I suspect it’s true.
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Final question for you, Mr. Secretary. I know we’re focused on Iran. We’re focused on Israel. Oftentimes, though, when you get tunnel vision into one area of the world, something else might happen. Where else should we be watching right now?
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We’ve had in the last weeks conflict in Pakistan and India, still very unsettled in other parts of the Middle East as well. We shouldn’t forget what’s happening in Gaza today. Trying to get humanitarian assistance in there has proven incredibly difficult. And then I’ll bet President Zelensky was watching last night as well. Both he and the Israelis were able to smuggle drones inside another sovereign nation and launch them with deep attacks in a clandestine way. The Russians and the Chinese are partners of Iran. Iran is clearly the loser here. And so I’m guessing that Xi Jinping is rethinking how deep a partnership to have with Iran. That is another good feature of what the Israelis have accomplished.
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Mike Pompeo, it’s always great to talk to you, my friend. I greatly appreciate your contribution to our country. And thank you for continuing to serve and provide insight and understanding. Thank you, Tony. Bless you. Have a great day. That was part of my conversation with former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on my weekend program this week on Capitol Hill. All right, stick with us. We’ll be back with more Washington Watch after this break.
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Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for tuning in. I’ve been asked repeatedly, how should we interpret and respond to the unfolding events in the Middle East, particularly in light of some high profile voices within so-called conservatism, encouraging President Trump to adopt a more isolationist stance? Let me say this. It is in America’s vital interest to stand with Israel, especially now, as the Middle East undergoes a tectonic shift which may alter the geopolitical landscape for generations to come. As a Marine veteran, I’m not a hawk. I don’t believe America should be the world’s policeman, nor do I support endless foreign wars. But retreating into isolation is not a strategy. It’s a gamble with consequences we cannot afford. A global leadership vacuum will not remain unfilled. It will be occupied by regimes hostile to freedom and democracy. To cede that space is not only naive, it is dangerously short-sighted. Now, I’m thankful that Israel did not wait on America before acting on their military intelligence that the window of opportunity to eliminate the existential threat poised by Iran’s nuclear program was closing. And so they acted. Tehran’s ambitions have never been hidden. For decades, the leaders of the Islamic Republic have vowed to eradicate the Jewish state. In December 2000, Iran’s supreme leader called Israel, quote, a cancerous tumor that should be removed. In August 2012, then President Ahmadinejad declared, quote, any freedom lover and justice seeker in the world must do its best for the annihilation of the Zionist regime, end quote. Now, that’s not rhetoric to be ignored. You know, Jesus said in Matthew 15, 18, those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart. You know, we would do well to take that admonition seriously. And history teaches this lesson. The world dismissed Adolf Hitler’s speeches as the ravings of a madman. The result, a global war that killed an estimated 70 to 85 million people. America didn’t enter that war until it was attacked at Pearl Harbor, yet our delay came at great cost. The Jewish people in particular have learned that when an ideologically driven regime threatens to destroy them, they cannot afford to wait. They must act or risk annihilation. I was present in the U.S. House chamber both in 2015 and 2024 when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed joint sessions of Congress. In both speeches, he warned not only of Iran’s threat to Israel, but of its broader threat to the United States and the entire free world. And he was right. Last week, Israel acted, reportedly with a tacit nod from Washington, to prevent Iran from reaching nuclear capability. The final outcome is yet to be seen, but I am confident in Israel’s ultimate success, not because of American weaponry or military aid, but because of Israel’s increasing reliance on God. That is a far more dependable ally than any modern nation. Now let’s be clear, America needs Israel more than Israel needs America. By standing with Israel, we unlock the blessings of God. As God promised Abraham in Genesis 12, three, I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you. And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. The prophet Joel says nations will be held to account by how they treat Israel. For behold, in those days and at that time, I will gather all the nations and I will enter into judgment with them there on the account of my people, my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations. They have also divided up my land. This is not just about ancient empires. This is a prophetic declaration that includes all modern nations, including the United States. That brings me back to why the isolationist sentiment gathering traction in some corners of the Republican Party is both misguided and dangerous. You know, when my children were young, one of them once asked me to buy something. I told him we didn’t have the money for it. And without hesitation, they responded, we’ll just drive to the bank and get some money out of that machine. Well, that moment became a teaching opportunity. Withdrawals require deposits. For decades, America has drawn on a global account filled by our leadership, our values, and yes, our engagement. And we’ve benefited immensely. Because of our strategic alliances and proactive leadership, the wars that we have fought have largely been overseas, sparing our own soil from the devastation experienced by many other nations. Our global posture has protected not just our interests, but our homeland. Leadership carries obligations, not to fight every war, but to shape the world in ways that protect freedom, promote stability for everyone, and ultimately benefit American citizens. This is not charity. It’s strategic stewardship. Now, some argue that global engagement is too expensive, but the truth is this. America’s privileged position in the world economy that has given us such a great standard of living is because we’re in part the issuer of the world’s primary reserve currency. And it’s enabled us to borrow and spend on a scale unmatched in history. Yet our ballooning national debt is not the result of foreign aid or military partnerships. Foreign aid represents less than 1% of our federal spending. In contrast, roughly 70% to 75% of our budget is consumed by domestic spending, with about 65% categorized as mandatory. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the interest on the debt. These are the primary drivers of our fiscal crisis, not our standing with allies. Now, let me be unequivocal. For those who say we cannot afford to support Israel, I say we cannot afford not to. If we abandon our support for Israel, we will soon discover that the account of God’s blessing on America is overdrawn. We have long benefited from the undeserved favor of God. This is more than geopolitical. It is about biblical truth. We are in a moment that demands moral clarity, not political convenience. Israel’s cause is just. Their restraint has been remarkable. Their enemies are emboldened. Their future is not guaranteed except by God. As Americans, we should not only recognize that truth, we should align ourselves with it. If we want to secure our future economically, politically, and spiritually, we must stand with the nation that God himself has called the apple of his eye.
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How should Christians think about the thorny issues shaping our culture? How should Christians address deceitful ideas like transgenderism, critical theory, or assisted suicide? How can Christians navigate raising children in a broken culture, the war on gender roles, or rebuilding our once great nation? Outstanding is a podcast from The Washington Stand dedicated to these critical conversations. Outstanding seeks to tear down what our corrupt culture lifts up with an aim to take every thought and every idea captive to the obedience of Christ. Whether policies or partisan politics, whether conflict in America or conflict abroad, join us and our guests as we examine the headlines through the lens of Scripture and explore how Christians can faithfully exalt Christ in all of life. Follow Outstanding on your favorite podcast app and look for new episodes each week.
SPEAKER 14 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us. The website, TonyPerkins.com. Better yet, get the Stand Firm app. Go to the App Store and get the Stand Firm app. Our word for today comes from Matthew chapters 8 and 9, where we read of 10 specific miracles Jesus performed. In Matthew 8, 16, it says that when evening had come, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. Matthew 9, 35 adds that then Jesus went about all the cities and villages teaching, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Now, these verses confirm that Jesus performed countless miracles, but Matthew highlights 10 in these two chapters. The leper who said, Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean. The centurion who believed only speak a word and my servant will be healed. Peter’s mother-in-law, the disciples in the storm who yelled out, Lord, save us. Two demon-possessed men, a paralytic lowered by friends, a synagogue ruler’s daughter, a woman with an issue of blood, two blind men, and a man who could not speak. What do they all share? Well, a real need, a measure of faith, and the undeniable power of God. Jesus still meets needs today. When faith reaches out, his power responds. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text BIBLE to 67742. That’s BIBLE to 67742. Well, Israel’s Operation Rising Lion has so far proven to be a major success in its fight against Iran with the intention of eliminating their nuclear threat. Israel has eliminated multiple Iranian officials and it has hit some of its nuclear sites, although the degree of damage to those sites is yet to be determined. Earlier today, the IDF even declared that it had gained air superiority over Iran. But all the while, Israel faces a continuous bombardment of Iranian missiles. So what’s the situation like in Israel right now? Joining us now from Jerusalem is Chris Mitchell, the Middle East bureau chief at CBN News. He is currently on the ground, as I mentioned, in Israel. Chris, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us late this evening on Monday.
SPEAKER 10 :
It’s great to be with you again, Tony.
SPEAKER 14 :
All right. Let’s talk about the situation there. And we’re in the evening. What has transpired so far? Any missiles over Jerusalem yet tonight?
SPEAKER 10 :
Not tonight. There was last night. There was a barrage of missiles that came literally right over the bureau where we are. You’ve been on our balcony before, Tony, and here in the studio. We could see some interceptions just above us, and we were filming that. Yesterday, we were actually down in Bat Yam. which is a coastal town not too far from Tel Aviv, not too far from the Mediterranean. You know, tragically, that would be, let’s see, that would be Saturday night. There was a direct hit on an apartment building there. Nine people were killed, three of them children. About 200 were wounded and injured, and it damaged about 75 buildings in the vicinity. You know, Tony, these ballistic missiles by Iran are about 1,000 pounds of explosives and far greater than anything Hezbollah or Hamas has fired into Israel during the wars there. And they can do quite a lot of damage. And I know… Prime Minister Netanyahu was down there visiting the site yesterday, and he was just making the point that Iran had a goal to continue to build maybe 20,000 ballistic missiles. And that represents not only just an existential threat to Israel, not just the nuclear program. You can see some of the damage right there in the rubble. Just an eyewitness account to share that, you know, what it’s like to one of these missiles lands. And tragically, there’s been a number, I think about 24 people have died so far, almost 600 injured. Israel has probably one of the best anti-missile defenses in the world, and yet it’s not 100% proof. So Israelis are still under threat. But I would say, Tony, resilient, resolute. I think if anything, these attacks are keeping Israelis united and unified in their attempt to make sure that Iran is finally defeated. And they’ll just continue, I think, until the job is done.
SPEAKER 14 :
Speaking of that, Chris, I want to play a clip from Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, who was at the location you were talking about and made this statement earlier today. Clip number seven, please.
SPEAKER 02 :
I have news for the Iranian regime. You think you’re going to tire us or make us fatigued. You’re absolutely wrong. We’re a very strong, resilient nation with very strong capabilities in all fields. I think you’re feeling it out there in Iran.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah. That is shared on the ground.
SPEAKER 10 :
Oh, totally. I would agree with that 100 percent. In fact, I’ll give you an example of what it was like on the ground there yesterday. There was a siren alert and most of the rescue workers that you saw there in that video just came around the corner. went to an underground parking lot. It was a building that was still not completed. That served as a bomb shelter while we were there. So we were there with maybe a couple of hundred rescue workers, media and local residents. And some people started singing, I’m Israel high, which is means in English, the people of Israel live. So I think if anything, this is brought the people of Israel together more resolute that they’re going to stand against Iran and its attempt to destroy the state of Israel and the Jewish people.
SPEAKER 14 :
Chris, over the weekend I was speaking to a couple of Israeli officials who had called, just kind of checking in, and they’re in Judea and Samaria, but there were reports that some of the sirens did not go off, alerting some of the people. Was that the case, or were people just kind of so accustomed to the sirens they were not seeking shelter?
SPEAKER 10 :
No, I think there were a couple of instances where the sirens did not go off, unfortunately and tragically. But they have a pretty good air defense system and then home command that really notifies people what to do and when to do it. There is actually an alert that comes on your phone. That gives you about 10 minutes to prepare, and then you get another alert, and then you finally get about a siren. It gives you 90 seconds to get into a shelter, and they tell people to stay in the shelter until they get the all clear. So unfortunately, there’s a few instances where the sirens didn’t go off, but for the most part, it works quite well.
SPEAKER 14 :
Chris, I want to play another clip. This is of the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, earlier today in an interview that aired on ABC. Play clip number eight.
SPEAKER 22 :
They want to continue to have these fake talks in which they lie, they cheat, they string the U.S. along. And, you know, we have very solid intel on that. But, of course, they want to keep on building their nuclear weapons and building their mass ballistic missile arsenal, which they’re firing at our people. They want to continue to create the two existential threats against Israel while they’re talking. That’s not going to happen.
SPEAKER 14 :
Chris, I read in there the urgency that we’ve seen over the last couple of months with Israeli officials coming to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Trump administration, trying to get kind of a green light to move during this window of opportunity to take out Iran’s nuclear facilities.
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, I think so. Right now, I think the urgency, Tony, is to make sure that they finish the work and the job that they’ve done. What they’ve done in the last days is just an extraordinary military achievement. This is an operation that’s been 20 years in the planning. I think Netanyahu said, you know, the elimination of most of the IRGC and the Iranian army commanders in the Air Force is the beeper operation against Hezbollah on steroids. So I think there is a sense that Israel needs to complete its job and finish the job. I talked to an Iranian-born expert earlier this evening, and she was just saying, you know, it’s very important that Israel can finish this and could A lot of people are hoping, praying, and thinking it might actually happen if there’s enough opposition that rises up within Iran that this could be the end of the Iranian regime. But I think it’s important that Israel continue its effort to eliminate most, if not all, of what they can of the nuclear program and the infrastructure of the regime itself.
SPEAKER 14 :
So let me be very clear. Let me ask you that question. What does finishing the job look like?
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, I think it means that Iran’s nuclear facilities are eliminated as a threat to Israel. And I think that what that means, in particular, it means Fordow, which is the main enrichment facility of Iran that is buried deep underground under a mountain. And I know that the key about that is that it could resume enrichment of military-grade uranium very fast. And that could complete, perhaps, the nuclear cycle where they would have enriched uranium to military grade, trying to put that in a device and then put that on a ballistic missile. So I think many people are pointing to Fordow as a very key element in this process. in this battle. And the key about that is the fact that it might need that bunker-busting bomb, maybe that 30,000-pound bomb that really only the U.S. has in its arsenal. So that’s one of the keys. And I think just eliminating as well the ballistic missiles. I know regime change isn’t the the stated goal, perhaps, but indirectly, certainly Netanyahu and other Israeli officials know that could be the consequence. We also interviewed former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin, sorry, Naftali Bennett yesterday, and he was calling on the Iranian people to rise up and take over this regime. The key, Tony, you know, the people have risen up a number of times. 2009 called the Green Revolution, 2022 and 23 when, you know, Masha Amini was killed by the Iranian police. They would protest all over the country. The point was at that time that the regime had the wherewithal to suppress that brutally. Now the ability of the country, of the regime, to suppress any protest is greatly reduced. and uh… the more it gets reduced the more uh… ability perhaps irani people themselves to to rise up in this one other thing you may have seen it is an amazing video of actually iranian state tv on the air is bombed by uh… by israel there was actually a female presenter who just was just terrified when it actually hit. Now that could be one other way when they take away the propaganda that the state has to actually undermine the regime in a way that hasn’t been done probably since 1979.
SPEAKER 14 :
But there’s right now there’s really no strong organized opposition politically within Iran to take over that regime. And I think that might be some of the hesitancy to take out the regime from the U.S. administration. An AP report said that President Trump had. actually rejected a plan that had been presented by Israel to eliminate Iran’s supreme leader, the Ayatollah. I think part of that’s driven by a fear of what a vacuum of leadership actually creates there in Iran. We’ve seen that story before.
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, we have. And that is a possibility. I don’t think Netanyahu has ruled out the elimination of the Ayatollah themselves. One other thing, I did talk earlier tonight with a colleague of ours, George Thomas, who’s reported extensively on Iran through the years, and especially on the underground church. And he was telling us that the underground church is very strong and it’s very widespread. And the prayer is, that they could rise up to, at least behind the scenes, in prayer. And I think maybe people may not realize how many Iranians have come to faith through many dreams and visions over the years. And it could be, some people believe it’s the fastest growing church in the world. And that could be sort of a… something unseen that maybe is not in the public attention, but something that the Lord would use for such a time as this, for the freedom of the Iranian people.
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, certainly the reports are very clear that the regime does not represent the vast majority of Iranians. So you’re right. It’ll be interesting to see what happens. I also agree with you that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going to do what’s in the best interest of Israel, and I would pray that he does as well for the long-term security of the nation. And that’s why there’s some concern And I would ask what you’re hearing there. We just have a couple minutes left. Is there concern that Iran might reenter into negotiations? I mean, you heard that clip earlier from Prime Minister Netanyahu that their intel says that the Iranians were basically playing the Americans.
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, I think the big concern over here is that the negotiations will go back, that the war would stop, and that Israel wouldn’t be able to actually finish the job and get all their military goals and maybe political goals completed. So I think that… would be just the way I think Iran is only asking for negotiations now because they realize how close they may be to actually the regime falling, whether internally because of pressure or externally because of what Israel is able to do militarily on the ground and destroy much of its military infrastructure and maybe its propaganda machine as well.
SPEAKER 14 :
Just about 20 seconds left. But isn’t that essentially what’s happened in Gaza, where every time they get on the verge of finishing the job, they’re pulled back?
SPEAKER 10 :
Many times, many times the people are saying, you know, don’t go, don’t finish the job. It seems like Israel isn’t able historically to be able to win a victory. And perhaps this would be a time like 1967 when they actually can, you know, go all the way to victory.
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, and we will pray to that end that God will protect the nation of Israel and that success and peace, at least for now, will be secure. Chris Mitchell, always great to see you. Thanks for joining us, folks. And I would encourage you to continue to pray. All right. That’s all we have for today. Keep standing.
SPEAKER 07 :
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