Iranian Navy destroyer Jamaran seized two of the United States Navy’s sea drones on September 1. The Navy responded by sending two of its guided-missile destroyers, uss Nitze and uss Delbert D. Black, to retrieve the stolen drones. The Iranians attempted to hide the large drones under tarps but ultimately cast them overboard as the U.S. destroyers approached.

Following the failed theft, Iranian state television claimed the Jamaran found the drones abandoned and endangering shipping traffic. “After two warnings to an American destroyer to prevent possible incidents, Jamaran seized the two vessels [and] released the vessels in a safe area.”

The 5th Fleet said the unarmed, commercially available Saildrone Explorers were “taking unclassified photos of the surrounding environment while loitering in an assigned patrol area at least 4 nautical miles from the nearest maritime traffic lane. The vessels posed no risk to naval traffic and had been operating in the general vicinity of the Southern Red Sea for more than 200 consecutive days without incident.”

The drones didn’t escape unscathed as the Iranians removed several cameras before releasing the drones. This is the second recent attempt by Iran to steal one of the Navy’s sea drones.

Why is Iran so interested in stirring up trouble in the Red Sea? With negotiations over its nuclear program still ongoing, why risk such a provocative action?

The Red Sea is one of the biggest trade routes in the world, especially for Middle East oil flowing into Europe. Iran could do incredible economic damage if it threatened those shipping lanes. And as Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry writes in Germany’s Secret Strategy to Destroy Iran, “It is not farfetched to see Iran using its power to control the flow of oil out of the Middle East. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has threatened as much.”

“Today, all the arteries of oil transport—from Bab el-Mandeb strait to Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz—are under Iranian control, by means of Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, and within range of Iranian missiles,” declared Iran’s state-sponsored Tasnim News Agency.

Realistically, Iran’s navy couldn’t take on the United States and win. But Iran doesn’t need to blockade the Red Sea or contest the Suez Canal. By using piracy, underwater mines, drones and missiles, it could endanger any ships attempting to navigate the Red Sea. Create enough risk, and shipping companies will decide the Red Sea is too dangerous and reroute their vessels. Should this happen, oil prices around the world would take a hit. But it is Europe that would truly get sucker punched.

To reach Europe, ships would have to sail around the southern tip of Africa, doubling or even tripling the time it takes to reach European shores. Such a blow to Europe’s already struggling energy supply would be catastrophic. This kind of violent and aggressive push against Europe is exactly what we at the Trumpet expect will happen. Why would Iran commit what amounts to an act of war against Europe? Because your Bible says it will.

“And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over” (Daniel 11:40). As Mr. Flurry explains, the king of the south is radical Islam, led by Iran, and the king of the north is a united Europe, led by Germany. Not only is Iran’s Red Sea strategy prophesied, but it will lead to war. That is why the Trumpet highlights Iran’s pushy, aggressive, warlike actions, especially when it threatens Europe.

Although the book of Daniel contains alarming prophecies, it also contains the hope-filled solution to mankind’s problems. To learn these prophecies, please request a free copy of Mr. Flurry’s booklet The King of the South. And to learn more about Iran’s Red Sea strategy, request a free copy of Germany’s Secret Strategy to Destroy Iran.