I apologize, but by the time you read this, the news may have radically shifted, and this will be true at least for the next few days. Tensions are high between the U.S. and Iran, rhetoric and threats are intense, and there could be a true peace (doubtful but always possible), a full military conflict, or anything in between at any moment.
But as of right now, Iran spent Monday and Tuesday attacking both with words and militarily. It attacked the UAE with three cruise missiles, 12 ballistic missiles, and 4 drones, fired “warning shots” (and possibly more) at a U.S. warship, and attacked a UAE tanker in Hormuz. Their rhetoric was repeated by many Iranian leaders, and is exemplified by Monday’s words by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who wrote, “there is no military solution to the crisis’ in the region,” that the Strait if Hormuz is and always will be Iranian, and threatened the United Arab Emirates and the United States: “Don’t get dragged into the swamp again by ill-wishers.”
The U.S. spent the same time responding with its own actions and rhetoric. CENTCOM announced that naval guided missile destroyers were in the Gulf by Monday morning, escorting tankers and ships, writing on X that “Two merchant vessels flying the American flag have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz and are continuing on their way.” Admiral Brad Cooper of CENTCOM said on Monday that he “strongly advised” Iranian forces to remain clear of U.S. military assets as it launches the operation. He said a U.S. blockade of Iran, which prevents ships from going to Iran or departing Iranian territory, also remains in effect and was “exceeding expectations,” and that the U.S. destroyed six Iranian small boats.
And President Donald Trump threw down his own rhetoric on Monday with Fox News, as well as other outlets. “Iran will be wiped off the face of the Earth if it attacks American vessels.” “We cannot let Iran obtain nuclear weapons,” he said at a White House event, continuing, “They don’t have a navy, they don’t have an air force, they don’t have air defense systems. They don’t have radar, they don’t have anything, they don’t have leaders.”
Reuters reported on Tuesday that U.S. intelligence assesses that, despite the recent war, the time required for Iran to build a nuclear bomb has not changed since last summer, and it is still up to about a year. This does not take into account what may be happening during this “ceasefire,” nor what, if anything, China has sent to Iran.
But today is still the holiday of Lag b’Omer, and a time for joy, faith, and a celebration of God’s miracles and Presence in the physical world. And His holy Presence is everywhere, if we only look. We miss His miracles in life, not because they are not there (or as some feel, that He is like an absentee landlord). Rather, we miss them because we don’t pause, listen, see, and receive the miracles that are always happening around us. As said in Peaceful Warrior (a great movie with Nick Nolte), “There is never nothing going on.”
May we all be blessed to receive and appreciate the miracles of this world,to feel gratitude in every moment, and to always choose faith over fear.
Chazak u’Baruch
Rabbi Michael Barclay
May 5, 2026
18th of Iyyar, 5786
33rd day of the Omer
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