After another night of attacks, there was a lot of rhetoric on Wednesday evening through Thursday morning and afternoon in the Middle East.
President Donald Trump announced a potential deal for a civilian nuclear partnership with Saudi Arabia, and then followed it up with clarification a few hours later. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he wrote that the civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia is contingent on its consent to normalization with Israel and joining the Abraham Accords. Trump wrote, “The Civilian Nuclear Agreement (there will be NO enriched material!) is totally contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the successful and respected Abraham Accords.” Netanyahu’s office received the news warmly and hopefully, and most of Israel is cautiously optimistic about Saudi Arabia.
With the Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia over the past days, Trump threatened he would “punish” Iran for renewed Houthi attacks. He wrote on Truth Social: “A year ago, the U.S. struck the Houthis very hard because they disrupted trade. Now they fired on two Saudi ships. If they do it again, the U.S. will punish Iran with a strong military blow, and the Houthis themselves. I’m disappointed in them, until now they behaved in a professional and very smart manner.”
On Wednesday, the U.S. started utilizing B1 bombers against Iran, the first time in over a year, as well as according to the Wall Street Journal, deploying special forces to the region. Bombers and fighter jets at bases in the UK and U.S. are on high alert.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf said, “The equation of this war is clear: either all or none! In a region where we do not sell oil, no one will sell oil. If our security is not ensured, no infrastructure will be safe, and the security of the strait is in the absence of American forces. We have repeatedly said that the situation of the strait will not return to pre-war conditions.”
The Iranian Embassy in Spain addressed the U.S. with the threat: “Prepare as many coffins as possible.”
The Iranian rhetoric is only one of the reasons that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is not negotiating with Iran at this time; the other main reason is their consistency in lying and not abiding by any agreement. Addressing Iran’s negotiating position, Rubio said, “Iran is begging us, both directly and indirectly, let’s do a deal, let’s talk. The problem with Iran is every time they make a deal, the people that are in charge there either break it or want to change it. It looks like they’re not ready to make a deal. So they’re going to continue to pay a price. Every night the price gets higher and higher, and that’s what’s happening now.”
Today is Tisha b’Av, a day of mourning in our calendar for many of the great tragedies that have happened to our people throughout history. But we are guaranteed that it will not always be a day of mourning! Zechariah 8:19 promises us that it “shall become an occasion for joy and gladness, a happy festival for the House of Judah; but you must love honesty and integrity.”
And that is our job today, even more than fasting. We must truly feel and show a love of honesty and integrity in every action and word.
On this day especially, may we each make decisions that are overly conscious of integrity in every aspect of our lives. And in so doing, may we find this day, and all days, transformed into a day of joy and gladness, safety and peace.
Chazak u’Baruch
Rabbi Michael Barclay
July 23, 2026
9th of Av, 5786
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy PJ Media’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
