By HFI staff

This morning, everything changed.

A wave of Israeli Air Force jets took off before sunrise and hit dozens of targets across Iran. Nuclear facilities. Military bases. Strategic assets. The IDF called it a preemptive strike. But for most of us—scrolling through news apps, hearing the sirens, checking on family—it felt like history unfolding in real time.

So, what’s really going on? Why now? And how did we get here?

Let’s cut through the noise and break it down.

This Isn’t Just About the Middle East—It’s a Global Threat

Israel struck because Iran is on the edge of becoming a nuclear power.

Not years away. Not a hypothetical. According to Israeli intelligence, Iran has built up a secret, fast-moving nuclear weapons program—deep underground, heavily fortified, and dangerously close to completion. Nuclear material is being enriched to weapons-grade levels, and scientists are working on warhead-ready components behind closed doors.

This isn’t just Israel’s assessment, it’s the conclusion of the world’s nuclear watchdog. In a report released to member states on May 31, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declared that Iran is in breach of its obligations, citing years of deception and hidden nuclear activity. The IAEA found that Iran operated an undeclared nuclear program, using undeclared nuclear material at multiple covert sites, and had failed to provide any credible explanation for the traces of enriched uranium its inspectors discovered. The official IAEA language: 

"The Board of Governors... finds that Iran's many failures to uphold its obligations since 2019 to provide the Agency with full and timely cooperation regarding undeclared nuclear material and activities at multiple undeclared locations in Iran ... constitutes non-compliance with its obligations under its Safeguards Agreement with the Agency," 

This wasn’t speculation. This was the last warning.

This isn’t just an Israeli issue. If Iran gets the bomb, the entire world feels it.

We’re talking about a regime that funds terror across multiple countries, partners with extremist groups, and openly calls for the destruction of other nations. Nuclear weapons in those hands don’t bring balance—they bring instability, fear, and the potential for mass destruction beyond any border.

Iran’s Proxy Web of Influence

Iran doesn’t act alone—it operates through a network of armed groups that extend its reach:

• Hezbollah – Lebanon (tens of thousands of missiles)
• Hamas & Islamic Jihad – Gaza (behind Oct 7th attacks)
• Shiite Militias – Iraq & Syria (attacked U.S. and Israeli targets)
• Houthis – Yemen (firing missiles at Israeli territory)

Each of these groups is armed, trained, and funded by Iran—with the goal of weakening and eventually destroying Israel while destabilizing the region.

Israel Didn’t Wait—Because It Couldn’t

There’s no room for illusions anymore. Israel didn’t act because it wanted to. It acted because it had no choice.

Iran has directly attacked Israel with hundreds of missiles. Its proxies are active across four borders. And intelligence has revealed what Israeli officials call “The Destruction of Israel Plan”—a strategy combining nuclear weapons, mass missile deployment, and coordinated multi-front assaults.

The message is clear: Iran isn't preparing for peace. It's preparing for war.

No country can afford to wait for a second Holocaust—or another October 7th—before taking action.

What Is the ‘Point of No Return’?

In nuclear terms, this means Iran could assemble a bomb in weeks—even if it hasn’t tested one. At that stage, preventing a nuclear Iran becomes nearly impossible. That’s the threshold Israel says was fast approaching—and why they felt forced to act.

In Their Own Words: What Iranian Leaders Have Said

“Israel is a cancerous tumor that must be removed.”
— Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

“The Zionist regime will not see the next 25 years.”
— Khamenei, 2015

“We will not back down until the annihilation of Israel.”
— IRGC senior commander

These are not slogans. These are state policies stated publicly—often proudly—by the regime’s top leaders. For Israel, ignoring them isn’t an option.

Timeline: How We Got Here

• October 7, 2023: Hamas attacks southern Israel; over 1,200 killed.
• October–May: Iran escalates indirect attacks via Hezbollah, Houthis, militias.
• January–May 2025: Israeli intelligence uncovers rapid progress in Iran’s nuclear program.
• June 13, 2025: Israel launches preemptive strike on Iranian nuclear and military sites.

What Happens Next

The IDF says it's prepared for retaliation, escalation, and a long campaign if necessary. Iran may respond directly or through proxies. Civilians have been advised to follow emergency guidance. Israel's air defense and military units are on full alert.

This isn’t over—but it may have prevented something far worse.

Bottom Line

This wasn’t a power move. It was a last resort.

When your enemy is building nuclear weapons and promising your destruction, waiting is not an option. Israel struck now because tomorrow could have been too late.

And while the strike happened in the Middle East, the implications stretch far beyond it.

The world can’t afford to look away anymore.

In the midst of uncertainty, one thing is clear: the people of the region—on all sides—deserve a future without war. Please pray for peace.