Turkey shot down a Syrian warplane on March 24 that it claims was violating Turkish airspace. The action enraged the Syrian government and put an additional strain on relations between Turkey and one of Syria’s main supporters—Iran.

While not the first time tensions have boiled over between Turkey and Syria, the latest attack certainly shows that Turkey’s hard-line approach to Syria has not diminished as the civil war has dragged on. Six months ago Turkey shot down a Syrian helicopter, and in 2012, Turkey lost a warplane of its own to Syrian fire.

The tit-for-tat cross-border fighting is interspersed with Turkish forces shelling Syrian positions and the occasional return fire from Syria. These artillery battles, as well as the downing of enemy aircraft, are signs that the relationship between Ankara and Damascus is worsening. Military aggression has been present along the border for years, and Turkey has remained relatively detached from the goings-on in Syria. However, the longer the civil war lasts, the more opportunity for Turkey to be sucked in.

In an interview with afp following the downing of the Syrian jet, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoglu said, “Any group in Syria, or the regime, should not test Turkey’s determination.” Davutoglu went on to warn, “Turkey is ready to take any legitimate step under international law if its national security … is threatened.”

Another way Turkey has been working against Iranian and Syrian interests is by aiding the rebels. Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan has supplied the Free Syria Army with weapons throughout most of the civil war, but plays a even more important role in being a safe haven for rebels wanting to enter or exit Syria. Many of the crossings into Turkey from Syria are out of Assad’s control, and they allow rebels to have easy access into and out of the fighting.

Turkey’s porous border and its willingness to support the more “moderate” of the rebel factions are in direct opposition to Iran’s interests. Iran is supporting Syria with military training, leadership and weapons in an effort to overcome rebel forces and keep Syrian President Bashar Assad in power. Turkey’s ability to directly intervene in Syria is a thorn in the side of the Assad regime, which wants to shake the rebels from their northern strongholds.

With Turkey dealing with border security so decisively, the rebels can take some solace in the fact that Assad will be more careful when attacking rebel positions along the border region. While this is still ultimately Turkey looking out for what is best for Turkey, the rebels will continue to utilize the Turks to maintain a grip on northern Syria.

The Turks’ intervention in Syria is just one reason Turkey’s relationship with Iran is deteriorating. Ankara is currently allowing the Kurds of northern Iraq—who run their own semi-autonomous region—to sell oil through Turkey. The Iraqi government sees this as the Kurds “smuggling” oil out of Iraq, and has promised to punish both Kurds and Turks for agreeing to the deal. Iran is a strong supporter of the current Iraqi government, which is led by Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki. A senior Iraqi official told Reuters, “Unfortunately, facts on the ground show that Ankara eventually will go ahead with their deals with the Kurds at the expense of their relations with Bagdad.”

As is the case with Syria, the Turks are unlikely to endear themselves to Iran by aggravating one of Tehran’s closest Middle East allies. Turkey’s actions are uncharacteristically bold, considering how heavily it relies on Iran for oil—it imports at least 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day. For a decade, the relationship between Turkey and Iran has been based on strengthening trade and energy ties. Today it appears as if Turkey is willing to shake the foundations of that relationship.

Since the Arab Spring, relations between Ankara and Tehran have gradually wilted. This trend plays directly into a specific prophecy in the Bible. Psalm 83 explains in intricate detail an alliance of nations that will form in the Middle East. Turkey is in this alliance, Iran and Iraq are not. For years the Trumpet has forecast the inevitable breakdown in relations between Turkey and Iran.

In an article titled “A Mysterious Prophecy,” Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry identifies Turkey as the modern descendants of the Edomites. This article also identifies the other characters in this alliance and why the alliance is prophesied to form.

We know that Psalm 83 has to be an end-time prophecy. No such alliance has ever formed throughout history. And as Mr. Flurry wrote, “Remember this: God inspired these names to be included in the Bible so we could know who they are and how this prophecy would unfold today!”

Turkey’s breaking alliance with Iran is an early sign of the coming Psalm 83 alliance. You need to pay attention, because when it is formed, it will be tied to an even more powerful and domineering force that will change the world as we know it.

Read “A Mysterious Prophecy,” because as each day passes, the mystery surrounding this alliance is being removed.