About It
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About It
The Israel-Iran Crisis: Be About It - Courage and Compassion
The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran has transformed from covert operations to open warfare, leaving devastation in its wake. What started with targeted strikes has evolved into a regional crisis that threatens to engulf the Middle East in flames. With over 230 lives lost and countless more disrupted, the human toll continues to mount as missiles rain down on civilian areas in both nations.
As we unpack this complex situation, we examine how a series of provocations—from the April 2024 Damascus consulate strike to the surprise attacks of June 2025—created the perfect storm for what analysts now call the Falskir War. Hospitals overflow with the wounded while ordinary citizens huddle in bomb shelters, their daily lives shattered by air raid sirens and the constant threat of death from above.
Beyond the geopolitical analysis, this episode explores the spiritual dimension of conflict. Drawing from biblical wisdom, we navigate the tension between pursuing peace and standing against evil. Scripture offers a nuanced perspective that neither glorifies war nor demands passive acceptance of injustice. Instead, it challenges us to seek both peace and righteousness—to love our enemies while protecting the vulnerable.
For people of faith caught in this moral dilemma, the path forward requires wisdom and courage. We must pray for reconciliation while acknowledging that genuine peace cannot come through violence alone. It demands justice, repentance, and ultimately, trust in God's sovereignty even in our darkest hours. As missiles continue to fly and leaders double down on rhetoric, may we remember the words of Romans 12:21: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Follow the About it Podcast for more thoughtful discussions on today's most challenging issues. Share your perspectives on finding balance between strength and peace in a world that desperately needs both.
Conflict rapidly moved from the shadows into the daylight, making it a crisis for local borders.
Speaker 1:Us and European diplomats are urgently calling for de-escalation, while the region leaders of an all-size-justify military action is necessary for self-defense. Welcome to the show. Talk about it or be about it. It's the About it Podcast. Here we go. I'm your host, bradley Marlowe. That's your C-Cell. Hey, everyone. So this episode is going to be about strength and peace.
Speaker 1:The situation in the Middle East, the conflict between Israel and Iran, has surged into a regional war. In April 2024, israeli airstrikes hit an Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing several senior Iranian officials. Iran and its allies responded by seizing an Israeli-linked cargo ship and firing missiles into Israel, to which Israel launched retaliatory strikes. In Iran and Syria Over the summer, tit-for-tat violence escalated. On the 31st of July, a Hamas leader was killed in Tehran, blamed on Israel. Shortly after, israel assassinated a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon. Then, on the 1st of October 2024, iran launched missiles at Israel. Israel struck back on the 26th of October and in mid-June 2025, the crisis exploded. On the 13th of June 2025, israel carried out a surprise attack on key Iranian military and nuclear sites and Iran immediately retaliated with missile barrages, of course, against military and civilian targets in Israel. The US, which had helped intercept Iranian missiles, then struck Iranian nuclear facilities. On the 22nd of June, iran's proxy forces, including the Houthi militia in Yemen, fired rockets at Israel in response, calling the US strikes a declaration of war. These exchanges have continued day after day, with neither side relenting and no ceasefire in place. According to emergency officials, by mid-June the toll was already staggering More than 230 people reported dead across Israel and Iran since the fighting began. Timeline of recent escalation Israel-Iran hostilities flared in April of 2024, attacks and counterattacks.
Speaker 1:They flared again after Hamas leaders' death in July, and yet again in October. The Falskir War broke out on the 13th of June 2025, when Israel struck Iran. Each new round of strikes missiles, drones, air attacks have been met with a direct response pulling in the US and regional proxies. There is a human toll in all this. Even in this fast-changing war, the cost is clear. Iranian missiles hit central Israel and northern cities, shattering windows and setting fires. Israeli rescue teams recovered bodies and treated dozens of wounded after strikes on towns and high-rise apartments. On one day alone, israeli medical services reported five people killed and 92 wounded by Iranian barrages. Iran's health ministry likewise reported dozens killed and hundreds wounded by Israeli raids. In total, more than 230 people are reported dead across Israel and Iran since the latest fighting began. Hospitals in both countries are overwhelmed, normal life has been shattered. Tel Aviv and Tehran residents scrambled for cover under air raid. Sirens Schools closed and Israel even in its main international airport was shut down after missile strikes.
Speaker 1:The scale of destruction and suffering underscores the urgency for peace. Yet at the same time, nations and leaders on both sides are speaking of strength and defense. Israeli officials have vowed to strike Iran's military capability. Iranian leaders have vowed to retaliate for every attack. Conflict rapidly moved from the shadows into daylight, making it a crisis far beyond local borders. Us and European diplomats are urgently calling for de-escalation, while the region leaders on all sides justify military action as necessary for self-defense.
Speaker 1:Some voices and perspectives in interviews, regional analysis emphasize how quickly proxies clashes can spiral into all-out war. A Middle East security expert told Reuters the situation, and I quote a situation turned into a full-blown confrontation in a matter of weeks. Both sides have removed their umbrellas of all ambiguity. Some observers note that public opinion in Israel, still reeling from a long war in Gaza, is hardening in favor of deterrence. People say they prefer strength now to waiting for a war surprise later, one Israeli citizen commented on the local news. In Iran, state media and leaders frame the war as defending Iran's security and honoring allies. Iranian officials blame Israel for escalation, even as the US admits its warplanes covered Israeli jets on the initial strikes. Conflicting narratives show how each side views itself as responding to aggression. These conflicting narratives show how each side views itself as responding to aggression. Despite these tensions, many civilians on both sides are afraid and pray for peace. A volunteer medic in northern Israel said something like we just wanted this to stop. You grow up learning never to forget, but now we just hope to survive the next hour. A mother in Tehran told reporters she grieves every child's death. These personal stories remind us that real people, families and neighbors, are the ones caught between demands for strength and desires for peace.
Speaker 1:There is a biblical perspective on peace and justice. As a person of faith reflecting on these events, I took to scripture for guidance on this war and peace. The Bible emphasizes peace as God's ideal, but it also acknowledges that violence may occur in a fallen world. Many verses urge believers to actively seek peace and righteousness. For example, psalms 34 14 says depart from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. Prophet Isaiah envisions a world where they shall beat their swords into plowspheres. Nations shall not lift up sword against nation. In the New Testament, jesus calls peacemakers blessed. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. A radical prescription for peace. A radical prescription for peace in the face of conflict. At the same time, scripture calls Christians to justice and to care for the vulnerable.
Speaker 1:Psalms urges us to defend the weak and the fatherless, uphold the causes of the poor and oppressed. It suggests that blind pacifism isn't always possible. We may need the courage to protect the innocent and stand up against evil. The Apostle Paul instructs believers if it is possible, so as far as it depends on you, live peacefully with all and overcome evil with good. These verses imply our primary mission is peace. They do not forbid taking up arms in legitimate defense or enforcing justice. In summary, the biblical view is nuanced. We should yearn and work for peace, pray for love, even of enemies, and trust in God's ultimate justice. Yet we must also stand up against oppression. The ideal is peace, but the Bible recognizes that there may be a time for war. When innocent lives are at stake and evil is on the march, there is a balance Strength and peace.
Speaker 1:For me personally, the tension between strength and peace is deeply real. I value peace above all. I want no part of more bloodshed. I remember those words, make every effort to live in peace with everyone, but I also know that sometimes peace has to be defended. The Bible's commands to help the oppressed and to redeem the time give me conviction that we cannot be cowardly. In practical terms, I believe in pursuing two paths together. We must pray and advocate for peace.
Speaker 1:Echoing Psalms 34, 14, I ask God and fellow leaders to seek and end the violence. I urge fellow believers to comfort the hurting and to promote reconciliation. Stay strong for righteousness, as Psalms 82, 3-4 encourage. I must never ignore injustice. That might mean supporting humanitarian aid to victims on both sides against extremist rhetoric. If fighting continues, I hope it will be restrained and ethical, protecting civilians while targeting only military threats. I've also found encouragement in James 3.18, which says the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace.
Speaker 1:In my heart, I know that genuine peace cannot come by violence alone. It requires justice, repentance and trust in God's mercy. In conclusion, offer a prayer for peace and strength, lord God, our refuge and our strength. We look to you in times of war and conflict. Help us to turn our swords into plowshares and to live in unity with one another, seeking justice through our words and actions. I truly believe God can guide our hearts on both sides towards peace. We can hope and pray and, yes, even work for a moment, when these sufferings cease and neighbors once again live without fear. In the meantime, we hold on to the promise that God is the Lord of peace, who can even use hardships to bring understanding.
Speaker 1:On this episode of About it, we've seen that valuing peace does not mean ignoring evil or weakness. Rather, it means loving our enemy, caring for the innocent and yet having the courage to stand firm. May we all remember do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good, and may that be the way forward in these troubled times. Hey guys, I just wanted to thank you for joining me. If you enjoyed this episode, gained something from it, I hope it did add value to you. Please follow me, please subscribe, look me up on Facebook and YouTube the About it podcast and I look forward to talking to you guys soon.
