The London-based Al-Quds al-Arabi on Wednesday quoted Syrian officials as saying Damascus was bracing for an Israeli attack by deploying three armored divisions and nine infantry brigades near Lebanon's Bekaa Valley and they have summoned up reserve forces.

Another London-based daily, Ash-Sharq al-Awsat, on Thursday quoted the chairman of the Syrian parliament's Syrian-Iranian relations committee, Muhammad Habash, as confirming Israeli reports that Tehran had set up sophisticated surveillance stations in recent months to spy on Israeli military communications.

Haaretz is reporting the Israeli Security Cabinet has approved an emergency drill that will involve tens of thousands going through the motions of responding to a massive attack being directed at Israel. The story states, in part:

The drill will simulate a war-time attack on civilians. It will be the largest drill in the past few years and ten of thousands of people are expected to participate, whether in the field or in special war rooms.

The drill will begin on Sunday with a special government meeting. On Monday, a cabinet meeting will simulate a situation in which Israel is at war. On Tuesday, an emergency siren will be heard all over the country as local authorities and the Home Front Command will simulate missile strikes through out the nation.

The drill will be run by Rachel - the national emergency authority -which was formed following the second Lebanon war and is in charge of preparing civilians for emergency situations during war.

Israel Today is reporting the following, in part:

Israel on Thursday was abuzz with talk of possible armed confrontation with Lebanon's Hizballah terrorist militia and the group's Syrian allies.

Arab media reports earlier in the week stated that Syria had mobilized its forces, including calling up reserve troops, in anticipation of an imminent Israeli attack. That news was accompanied by an Israeli army revelation that Hizballah had redeployed most of its missile arsenal within range of the Jewish state and could be planning to attack in the near future.

Hizballah blames Israel for the recent assassination of its co-founder and operations commander Imad Mughniyeh, and has vowed a painful response.

Israeli defense officials suggested that Syria's preparedness for war may be based on knowledge of a forthcoming Hizballah attack, which would presumably precipitate a severe Israeli response.

Fear of an escalation along the northern border increased on Thursday when Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak abruptly canceled a planned trip to Germany.

DDolan.com is reporting the following, in part (emphasis added mine):

Widespread media reports of possible imminent war with Syria—probably initiated by an attack upon Israel by its puppet Hizbullah militia force in Lebanon, supported by Palestinian Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip, and possibly by Iran itself—have increased significantly in recent days here in Israel. Military analysts say this indicates something is indeed occurring on the ground to raise the war alert, as confirmed by army sources.

On Wednesday, Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Harel warned that Israel will respond “with a heavy hand” against anyone trying to target the country. Israel TV newscasts this evening are all featuring reports and analysis of the tense situation along the northern borders with Syria and Lebanon. Analysts are saying that while neither side probably wants war, the current tense situation could easily spiral out of control, given the heightened military alerts on both sides.

Long ago, the Prophet Isaiah looked into the future and saw Damascus left in ruins - to the extent it would cease to be a city.

As we look at the news of our world today, we see Israel preparing for a massive attack it fears is someday going to be carried out against its civilian population. Should an attack of this nature occur and see Syria and Iran become active participants, it is possible that the situation could quickly spiral out of control as implied above.

Damascus' last dance?

If a military crisis of epic proportions is in the making in the Middle East as feared, what is being documented by a wide variety of sources may prove to be a prelude to the prophesied destruction of Damascus foretold by Isaiah. Would anyone be surprised at this point, in light of everything going on in the world around us pointing to the soon-coming return of Jesus Christ, if that should prove to be the case?

While I would be grieved by the scale of human life lost as a result of Damascus being destroyed, I can't say a mushroom cloud appearing over Damascus would take me by surprise as it is a notorious safe haven for some of the most wicked terrorists and terrorist organizations in the world.

We know the Lord despises hands that shed innocent blood, particularly when the ultimate goal of those who do so is to destroy Israel, the apple of His eye, from the face of the earth.

The countdown to Damascus' destruction continues. The question is for how much longer.

Time will tell.