This Week: Five Events You Need to Know (August 18)

Here are five of the most important news stories this week, as well as relevant links to the full articles and videos here on theTrumpet.com.

Iran Claims Responsibility for Saudi Tanker Attack

Iran has claimed responsibility for a July 25 attack on two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the Middle East Media Research Institute reported August 7. According to the institute, Iran’s news agency Fars quoted Iranian Gen. Naser Sha’bani, a top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps official, as saying, “We told the Yemenis to attack the two Saudi tankers, and they attacked. Hezbollah in Lebanon and [the Houthis] in Yemen are our homeland depth. The enemy is so vulnerable that we can entangle it from across the border.”

“The Houthi takeover in Yemen proves that Iran is implementing a bold strategy to control the vital sea-lane from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea,” warned Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry back in 2015. “We need to understand the gravity of this new situation in Yemen!”

Israel and Hamas Negotiate Peace (Again)

According to news reports, Israel has been negotiating with Hamas through Egyptian mediation for the past few weeks, and they are close to a long-term deal. These reports came amidst last week’s massive barrage of rockets and mortars fired at Israel by Hamas.

“We have not learned from the past,” wrote Israeli commentator Isi Leibler. “We are again acting with restraint as the terrorists gauge our response and resolve.”

“A little psychology ought to convince any honest person that a peace pact will never work! But the Jews cling to their illusions because of weakness,” writes Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry in Jerusalem in Prophecy . Write for your free copy of this booklet to understand the prophesied future of the Israeli-Palestinian “peace process.”

The End of the United States-Turkey Alliance?

This week, the United States doubled down on its demand that the Turkish regime release Christian missionary Andrew Brunson by stalling the sale of 100 state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey would double, and after sanctioning two members of the Turkish cabinet.

In retaliation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on Wednesday that his country would increase tariffs on some U.S. imports, including alcohol, tobacco and cars. And he still refuses to release Brunson.

Relations between Turkey and the U.S. are at a nadir. Whether or not Brunson is eventually released, this quarrel is exposing a giant riftbetween the supposed nato allies—a rift prophesied in the pages of the Bible!

Austria’s Imperial Presidency

One of the EU’s rotating presidencies is currently controlled by the country that was once the heart of the Holy Roman Empire: Austria.

Until December 31, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz will hold the European Council presidency. Kurz’s main goal for his time as Council president is summarized by his motto for the presidency: “a Europe that protects.” Kurz wants a Europe that protects (mainly against a large influx of refugees) and builds bridges (between Eastern and Western Europe).

What Kurz is promising is not revolutionary. In fact, he is just trying to resurrect the role Austria played for centuries in the Holy Roman Empire.

Australia Suffers Through Worst Drought in 400 Years

The Australian state of New South Wales has just endured its fifth-driest July in history. It has marked seven consecutive months of below-average rainfall, and 100 percent of the state is now in drought.

New South Wales is an apt microcosm of Australia—the world’s second-driest continent, after Antarctica.

The current drought in Australia the worst in 400 years. The Bible explains why that is so. And it also explains how that drought will soon be a thing of the past.

“This Week” appears every weekend. To receive an update on our latest stories in your inbox ahead of time every Friday afternoon, subscribe to the Trumpet Brief daily e-mail. Sign up by clicking here or by visiting theTrumpet.com home page. ▪