One of the world’s most crucial shipping lanes has become the battleground of an intensifying war! Houthi terrorists backed by Iran are terrorizing commercial ships transiting the Red Sea.

This crisis has worsened considerably since I wrote “The Battle for the Red Sea” in our February issue (theTrumpet.com/28737). Europe is most affected and has sent warships into the area. This brings them into direct confrontation with Iran—which, incidentally, is on the cusp of producing multiple nuclear bombs.

This could lead to the fulfillment of a Bible prophecy I have drawn attention to for decades: “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).

Note: This prophecy is for “the time of the end.” The context of Daniel 11 revolves around Jerusalem. The Jewish people currently rule over this city, but others want control of it.

Since the 1990s, I have identified the king of the south as radical Islam, led by Iran. This prophecy reveals that radical Islam will push at the king of the north—a German-led European empire—and that the Europeans will counterattack, destroy Iran, and take their allies captive. (Read more about this in my booklet The King of the South.)

No one else has made such a forecast based on this passage. And to most observers, a clash between Iran and Germany seemed doubtful—until now.

Europe’s Response

A March research paper from the European Parliament, “Maritime Security: Situation in the Red Sea and EU Response,” clearly identifies Iran as the power behind the terrorists and outlines the risks to Europe.

“The Houthis, who are a part of Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ (a network of Iranian proxies and allies in the Middle East coordinated by the Iranian Quds Force), have vowed to continue attacks on commercial ships ‘with Israeli interests’ until the war in Gaza ends,” the paper says. “Iran has deployed a warship to the Red Sea, praised the Houthis for ‘supporting Palestinians and standing up to Israel,’ and is allegedly aiding them by providing intelligence and weapons.”

This is one of the world’s most important shipping lanes, the report notes: A fifth of global container traffic and 40 percent of Asia-Europe trade transit the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

The report continues: “On 12 January 2024, the [United States] and [United Kingdom], supported by other allied nations, started direct strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, which failed to reduce Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. On 18 February 2024, Houthi missiles struck a UK-owned cargo ship, which became the first ship to be sunk by Houthi attacks.”

Europe does not trust the U.S. and the UK to handle the problem. On February 19, it launched its own mission: eunavfor Operation aspides.

The mission’s area of operations covers a large part of the northwestern Indian Ocean, specifically the stretch of sea between the Bab el-Mandeb strait and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as international waters in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. Italian, German, Belgian, French and Greek navies are taking part in the mission.

Germany in particular is upset and angry over the economic loss caused by Iran. All its commercial ships have had to detour around South Africa. For this reason alone, this could become the big push of Daniel 11:40. We don’t know yet, but this certainly looks like it could fit that prophetic description in a spectacular way. We need to watch the situation closely.

And there is another trend that could suddenly, drastically intensify this crisis: Iran is expected at virtually any moment to attain nuclear capability and finish production of seven nuclear bombs!

Nuclear Weapons

Many analysts have warned that Iran as a nuclear power poses a signal danger. In the mullahs’ religious view, their version of the Messiah will hasten his return in the event of a catastrophic war, even if Iran provokes it.

This ideology has inspired suicide bombers around the world. This is a most unusual zeal for violence, unknown to most other cultures. Consider: These people are willing to kill themselves even if their death only takes a few other lives. Don’t you think they would much rather use nuclear bombs and cause far greater havoc?

No nation on Earth thinks like Iran and would be so eager to use nuclear bombs!

Europe is well acquainted with terrorism, and its nations are within range of Iranian missiles. When Iran is ready to unleash nuclear weapons on Israel, it could also fire them at Europe.

You can understand the alarmingly high stakes of Europe’s mission in the Middle East!

Humanity’s number one problem today is human survival! Yet almost none of the leaders in the Western world even talk about this horrific probability. This is a problem we must confront—and, though very few people are willing to consider it honestly, there is a solution.

German Ambition

The real power in the European Union is Germany. Frankly, Germany is using the EU as a cloak for its own ambitions. If the Red Sea crisis escalates into a war, it will effectively pit Germany against Iran.

Before the EU approved its naval mission, Germany had already sent a frigate to the Mediterranean near the Red Sea to await deployment. Vice Adm. Jan Christian Kaack explained, “As we are going into a fierce battle, only a ship that can assert itself with its weaponry comes into question, one whose crew is 100 percent trained to deal with the threat. The Hessen frigate we have selected is prepared for this. It is our gold standard, so to speak.” Kaack called this “the most serious deployment of a German naval unit for many decades.”

The frigate has 240 sailors, and they are now operating in the Red Sea, defending commercial ships against the Houthis—proxies of Iran. In the first few days, the frigate made news for misfiring missiles. Still, the specialist journal MarineForum noted that the Hessen is “one of the best we have in our inventory—fully equipped, ammunitioned and manned at the highest possible level of training. What the ship and crew lack is war experience.”

Though it has a high-class military industry, Germany lacks war experience. But don’t be fooled: It is gaining more and more such experience and is learning quickly.

Germany led the way into the Red Sea, and Europe followed. Germany is preparing for war!

Granted, one frigate certainly cannot take on Iran alone. Yet that is just one piece in Germany’s and Europe’s growing military arsenal.

Consider that this year’s “Steadfast Noon” exercises were held over Italy, Croatia and the Mediterranean Sea—away from Russia but closer to the Middle East. Thirteen nato members participated, including Germany. These exercises were preparation for using American nuclear weapons! If the threat of nuclear war rises, Germany and Italy could use these bombs against Iran.

Germany and Iran are both preparing for nuclear war.

Iran is pushing. Remember, the Houthi puppets are directed by Iran, and Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons! Will this be the big push that triggers far greater wars? It certainly could be. Right now, it looks to me like it is. We will have to see.

Rising Provocations

When Europe moved into the Red Sea, the Houthis responded boldly. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, from Yemen’s Supreme Political Council, posted on social media on February 20: “Europeans, do not play with fire. Take a lesson from Britain.” He warned the EU against “supporting the American devil.”

Clearly the Houthis are speaking for Iran!

Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon says the word “push” in Daniel 11 means to strike, or to wage war. This is a violent word. Could the Houthi attacks be part of that push?

Iran is increasingly violent. Ultimately, Germany’s response will be even more violent: It will take out Iran completely! This will shock the world! But when people finally wake up to the danger, it will be too late for most of humanity physically. They will be caught in the most violent war in history!

We could be about to see the trigger that starts this war. This should make us extremely urgent.

Notice where the conflict leads. After conquering the king of the south, this European power “shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown …. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps” (Daniel 11:41-43).

Those nations allied with Iran will fall with it. This prophecy shows that Libya, Ethiopia and Egypt will ally with Iran, and we expect that to happen shortly. Ethiopia is right on the southern part of the Red Sea; you can see why Iran would want to add it into its alliance to gain greater control over that area. Iran also tried to get Sudan to give it a naval base, but it wouldn’t comply. Still, the move made even more clear exactly what Iran is attempting to do: Sudan is also right there alongside the Red Sea.

You see how serious this situation is growing. It certainly could grow into that big push, and it could come soon. The threat of nuclear war makes it all the more important to take this seriously.

If Iran isn’t stopped, this world is about to become far more dangerous. And this prophecy shows that they will be stopped—but even that will not turn out well because the power that is taking over has its own deadly ambitions!

Secretly Rising Superpower

This European mission wants to be independent of the U.S. and nato. They claim to fear that the U.S. mission could escalate the situation. But that is not their real motivation.

Europe is acting alone because it does not want to act with America and Britain. Europeans don’t want to be restrained by American leadership.

Don’t think Europe is unable to act on its own. All of Europe is undertaking a massive arming spree!

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Euronews in February that since the invasion of Ukraine, EU member states have increased their military spending: in 2022, a total of €240 billion; in 2023, €280 billion; and this year, an expected €350 billion (us$377 billion).

Those are some astonishing increases!

By comparison, China’s draft budget revealed that funding for national defense will reach $233 billion this year. The United States military budget is about $825 billion for 2024. But unlike China, Europe has a world-class military industry and can buy from the best in the world. And unlike the U.S., Europe is able to drastically increase its military budget.

Reuters wrote on March 11: “Biden’s Meager 1 Percent U.S. Defense Budget Increase Buys Fewer Ships, Jets.” This supposed increase doesn’t even cover inflation, nor is it enough to restock supplies sent to Ukraine.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported on March 11 that European states almost doubled imports of major arms (up 94 percent) between the periods of 2014–2018 and 2019–2023. The same report notes that France just overtook Russia as the second-largest military exporter. On one of its websites, the EU shows that its member states issued over 31,000 licenses for arms sales in 2022 for a combined value of over €176 billion. “With that, the EU remains an important exporter of military equipment and technology,” it states, “sharing about a quarter of global international trade in arms.”

About a quarter of the world’s international arms trade is made by the EU. How much power will this institution have if it concentrates its efforts on a single target?

Europe is in prime position to become a military superpower, buying the latest and the best weaponry. And leading these efforts is Germany—the power that started two world wars!

The U.S. remains militarily dominant. Aside from its huge military budget, it accounts for 42 percent of international arms trade. But when you consider the nation’s astronomical debt, its high expenditure in merely maintaining military bases, personnel and equipment—you see a superpower in decline. Also keep in mind the deep political and social divide this nation is plagued with, as well as the fact that it is unwilling to use its power (article, page 20). The U.S. didn’t stop the Taliban from taking over Afghanistan; it will be even more unwilling and incapable of stopping Germany from taking control of the Middle East.

How has Germany gotten all this power? Didn’t the Allies pledge that this nation would never again rise militarily after World War ii? Remember, Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt said, “It is our inflexible purpose to destroy German militarism and Nazism and to ensure that Germany will never again be able to disturb the peace of the world”?

Events have changed dramatically since then! Read my article in last month’s issue, “Germany’s Astonishing Military Rise” (theTrumpet.com/29110).

“We Germans have to get involved,” Bild chief reporter Peter Tiede wrote. “Thirty-four years after the unification, it is time to behave as what we are: a power” (emphasis mine). They are vaulting themselves right back into becoming a war-making power! Shouldn’t the history of two bloody world wars concern us more? It certainly ought to!

Germany has a long history of war, even back to ancient times. The Germans are a great people, but they have repeatedly instigated horrendous wars.

The only thing Germany and Europe now need, truly, is political will. With the right leadership, the situation in the Continent can change rapidly and drastically.

‘War Economy’

Do we really know what’s going on in Germany? I don’t think we do. Many people in the West think Germany is our close friend, but it is not. We have said that for some 75 years.

What we are seeing today is exactly what the late Herbert W. Armstrong foretold. In May 1953, he warned that “10 powerful European nations will combine their forces,” referring to the 10 kings prophesied in Daniel 2 and Revelation 17! The European Union currently has 27 nations, but it will pare down to 10 kings, led by Germany.

In August 1978, Mr. Armstrong warned, “The Europeans are far more disturbed about their safety and relying on the United States’ military power to protect them than Americans realize!” If that was true then, how much worse is it today?

European industry commissioner Thierry Breton said, “We need to change the paradigm and move into war economy mode.” War economy. They are preparing for war! They are about to become far more powerful under German leadership.

European weapons manufacturers prioritize European orders in times of crisis. But right now, any proposals need approval not only from the European Parliament but also from all 27 national governments, and these have often been reluctant to cede power on defense and military matters. You can understand why it must be reduced down to 10 nations, with one in charge! Germany wants 10 nations that are absolutely committed to following its lead.

In the days of King Solomon, Israel ruled over the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. It amassed tremendous wealth and built an astonishing empire that safeguarded global trade and sustained peace. Israel imported goods from far and wide, and sold chariots, horses and other exports. Solomon knew he had to control the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea (1 Kings 9:26-28).

Germany already virtually controls the Mediterranean, and now it wants to control the Red Sea, and it will! But Germany’s rule will not lead to prosperity, because its people have not yet learned to submit to God. Even the Israelites fell into misery after they rejected God. Without God, no world ruler can bring peace—they will always bring evil.

Given what is happening in the world, we ought to recognize that man cannot solve his problems. Only God can. Jesus Christ will have to intervene, or no flesh would be saved alive! (Matthew 24:21-22). If we do not heed God right now, destruction is coming. Thankfully, God will intervene, bring an end to the German war machine, put down all rebellion, and establish a truly just worldwide government.