A fierce battle of worldviews is playing out on the global stage. On one side stands the West, grounded in shared values of freedom, prosperity, and biblical morality. On the other, we see a radical regime determined to obliterate those values and readily willing to sacrifice innocent lives in the process.
Iran’s aggression and hate are aimed not only at Israel but at Western civilization at large. Worldviews have gone to war, and the outcome of this conflict may shape the world order for decades to come.
October 7, 2023 brought a sudden and violent escalation, forever changing the course of this conflict. When Hamas terrorists crossed the Israel-Gaza border and launched a brutal massacre against innocent civilians, what began as localized attacks cascaded into a regional war involving other Iranian-backed proxies such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and increasingly, Iran itself.
Yet Iran’s involvement did not begin that day. For decades, it has worked in the shadows—arming, funding, and directing terrorist groups across the Middle East.
The CIA first raised concerns of Iran’s nuclear ambitions in the early 1990s. By 2002, an Iranian dissident group exposed secret nuclear sites in Natanz and Arak, triggering global alarm. Since then, Iran’s nuclear program has been central to U.S. foreign policy in the region. Meanwhile, Iran has backed proxy conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, all of which were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American service members and countless others in the region.
After decades of mounting danger, the situation reached a tipping point on June 13, 2025, with Israel’s launch of Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iran’s nuclear sites. Once the dust settled, three major nuclear sites remained, and only one nation had the military capability to finish the job.
On Saturday night, six B-2 stealth bombers launched from Missouri on a 37-hour mission to Iran, dropping 12 bunker buster bombs, each weighing 30,000 pounds, deep into Iranian soil. Within minutes, the U.S. demolished Iran’s nuclear capabilities, paving the way for peace in the region.
Joel Rosenberg—Middle East analyst, longtime Israel resident, and editor-in-chief of All Israel News—spoke with the NRB team just days after the strike. Earlier that week, he had also met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to discuss the unfolding situation.
“Israel estimates two-thirds of [Iran’s] missiles and launchers have been destroyed on the ground,” Rosenberg said. He also reported that the strikes killed 40 Iranian military leaders and 14 of Iran’s top nuclear scientists and engineers.
“Because of that damage, … there wasn’t much left,” he said.
In remarks following the strike, President Donald J. Trump said Iran could choose between peace or tragedy. A ceasefire agreement was quickly forged between Israel and Iran, and after a contentious few hours of retaliatory strikes continuing from both sides, the fighting came to a formal end.
Rosenberg said Supreme Leader Khamenei was “begging for a ceasefire,” driven by two motivations: “He wants to save his own life, and he wants to save his regime.”
As a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, Rosenberg has spent nearly two decades building strong relationships with Israeli, Arab, and American leaders. In his analysis, he challenges recent reports that downplay the impact of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear program. Rosenberg points to Israel’s 1981 strike on Iraq’s nuclear reactor, which was widely criticized at the time but ultimately delayed Iraq’s nuclear ambitions.
“That one attack turned out to be a 40-year gain,” Rosenberg said.
While every president in recent memory has made promises to curb Iran’s nuclear capabilities, President Trump became the first to act decisively to ensure it. His administration’s swift measures have resulted in his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Some political voices—on both the left and the right—have downplayed the religious and ideological dimensions of this war, framing it only as a geopolitical conflict over land and influence. They paint a picture of a war that has nothing to do with the U.S., while Iranian leaders chant, “Death to Israel, and death to America.” The Iranian regime seeks to spread militant Islam worldwide through terror and stands fundamentally opposed to any nation built on the foundation of scriptural, Western values.
The fundamental struggle is not between religions, but between radical terrorism and the principles of freedom and peace. As Rosenberg notes, many Muslim-majority nations in the Abraham Accords align with Israel—a remarkable regional shift that reflects a shared commitment to security and coexistence beyond historical divides.
Throughout the war, many NRB members have heroically stepped up to provide life-saving aid to those caught in the conflict. International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) provided portable bomb shelters to protect civilians from enemy missiles. Samaritan’s Purse sent many armored ambulances to Israel. Vision for Israel delivered emergency and medical relief, and Jewish Voice Ministries gave emergency medical care, food, and other vital resources to those in need.
Now is the time for moral leadership rooted in Biblical truth. As Christian communicators, we must continue praying for peace in the Middle East and standing boldly for Western values both at home and abroad. NRB remains steadfast in its work to support Israel, to strengthen the biblical foundations that unite us, and to extend those freedoms around the world.