A World in Turmoil: Israel, Iran, the Middle East, and the Battle for Truth
Shalom, everyone. I’m Monte Judah and welcome to another edition of Messianic World Update. Today’s date is Friday, September 25th, of the year 2026. This week, world leaders gathered at the United Nations in New York, Iran appears to be facing growing internal unrest, Saudi Arabia is struggling with attacks from the Houthis, and Israel is preparing for another election amid increasing violence and political uncertainty.
There is a lot happening in the world right now, and much of it directly affects Israel, the Jewish people, and believers around the world. Let’s take a closer look at some of the major developments.
Trump and Netanyahu Address the United Nations
President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations this week and spoke about his administration’s actions concerning Iran and other international issues.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the General Assembly, but as he rose to speak, a number of delegates walked out of the chamber. Netanyahu called those delegates “moral cowards” and then strongly challenged the United Nations, Qatar, Turkey, Hamas, Iran, and others he believes are working against Israel.
A major focus of his remarks was the accusation that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. I strongly reject that accusation. Israel continues to argue that its military operations are directed against Hamas and other terrorist organizations rather than the Palestinian population as a whole.
Netanyahu also addressed the growing hostility toward Jewish people around the world, including in New York. Whatever political disagreements people may have regarding Israel, the increasing threats and violence directed toward Jewish individuals and communities should concern all of us.
Is Iran Facing an Internal Uprising?
Some of the most significant reports this week are coming from inside Iran.
Videos and other reports describe severe internal unrest, including attacks against government officials and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. There are also reports of shortages involving food, gasoline, and electricity.
According to the reports I have been following, the Iranian government has called for a major military mobilization. Armored and infantry units have reportedly been moved toward Iran’s borders with Iraq and areas near the Strait of Hormuz.
This does not necessarily mean that Iran expects a conventional ground invasion. One possibility is that Iran’s leadership wants its military forces occupied and deployed rather than allowing dissatisfaction within the armed forces to contribute to an internal revolt.
At the same time, the United States maintains a significant military presence throughout the Arabian Peninsula, giving Washington another means of applying pressure alongside economic sanctions.
I believe we should continue watching Iran very carefully. What happens internally could have enormous consequences for Israel and the entire Middle East.
Israel Continues Operations Against October 7 Terrorists
Inside Gaza, the IDF continues searching for individuals believed responsible for participating in the October 7 attacks, including those accused of kidnapping or killing Israelis.
Israeli forces continue locating and targeting suspected terrorists connected with those attacks. More than anything, this demonstrates that October 7 has not simply disappeared from Israel’s national consciousness. The country continues to pursue those it holds responsible while dealing with the broader war against Hamas.
For Israelis who lost family members or whose loved ones were taken hostage, October 7 is not ancient history. Its consequences continue every day.
The White House and the American Media
Another controversy erupted this week when the Trump administration removed White House access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. Those news organizations challenged the decision in court, arguing that they had been unfairly targeted. A judge subsequently ruled against the administration’s process and temporarily restored their access.
Freedom of the press protects the ability of journalists and organizations to report and comment, but the dispute centers on whether particular news organizations may be excluded from White House access and what process must be followed before doing so. For the moment, the court has given the White House an opportunity to establish a clearer process while the affected organizations regain temporary access.
Saudi Arabia Turns to the UK for Help Against the Houthis
Saudi Arabia is also facing increasing pressure from Houthi attacks originating in Yemen. Drones have reportedly targeted areas around the Saudi capital and airport, including fuel infrastructure. The United Kingdom has agreed to provide limited defensive assistance, including refueling support for Saudi aircraft involved in responding to the attacks.
This situation is particularly interesting because the Houthis are closely aligned with Iran. Saudi Arabia has historically been cautious about supporting military action against Iran because of fears that Tehran or its proxies might retaliate. Now Saudi Arabia finds itself facing exactly that kind of threat.
There have even been discussions about possible cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Whether anything substantial develops from those discussions remains to be seen.
Israel’s Political Landscape Is Shifting
Israel’s upcoming election is also becoming increasingly interesting.
Recent polling discussed on the program indicates that the advantage previously held by Netanyahu’s Likud has narrowed significantly, with opposition parties attempting to consolidate enough support to challenge him. Several political leaders opposed to Netanyahu may agree that they want a change in leadership, but agreeing on who should lead that alternative coalition is another matter entirely. The difficulty, as always in Israeli politics, is forming a coalition.
The election could therefore produce another complicated period of negotiations before anyone is able to assemble a governing majority.
Rising Violence Against Jews and Christians
Beyond politics, I am increasingly concerned about the violence and hostility we are witnessing against Jewish and Christian communities. Israelis have faced terrorist attacks during this holiday season. Jewish people have been threatened or attacked in cities outside Israel, and synagogues continue to face security concerns.
At the same time, Christians in places such as Nigeria continue to face attacks from Islamist extremist organizations.
This past week, a school established by our friend Brad Brandon of Across Nigeria was attacked, resulting in casualties. Brad will be joining me on an upcoming episode of The Lion’s Share to discuss what Christians in Nigeria are facing and what is being done to protect vulnerable communities.
We should be careful not to treat every Muslim as responsible for the actions of terrorists or extremist organizations. At the same time, we cannot ignore the reality of radical Islamist groups that openly target Jews, Christians, Israelis, and others who reject their ideology.
We need wisdom to distinguish between people while still having the courage to confront violent extremism wherever it appears.
A Time to Watch and Pray
There is tremendous instability in the world right now. For believers, our response cannot simply be fear or frustration.
We need to continue to watch, understand what is happening, and pray.
Pray for Israel. Pray for the Jewish people. Pray for Christians facing persecution. Pray for innocent civilians caught in conflicts they did not create. And pray for wisdom for the leaders making decisions that could affect millions of lives.
As we enter the biblical fall festival season, I encourage you to keep your attention on the Lord and remember that no matter how unstable the nations may become, our faith and hope remain firmly established in Him.
There will be no Messianic World Update next week, as we will be preparing for and celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles.
Until next time,
Shabbat Shalom.