US and Israel frame Middle East conflict as sectarian struggle

US Troops Reportedly Told War with Iran is Intended to Bring About Biblical End Times

The conflict between the US and Iran has entered its fifth day, with American and Israeli officials using rhetoric suggesting that the campaign against Iran is a religious war. On Tuesday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned the Pentagon’s use of this rhetoric, stating it was “dangerous” and “anti-Muslim”.

The United States and Israel began their attack on Iran on Saturday, with continued strikes on Iranian targets since then. In retaliation, Iran has hit back at targets in Israel, as well as US military assets in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Cyprus.

A US watchdog, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), reported that US troops have been told the war with Iran is meant to “induce the biblical end of times”. An unnamed non-commissioned officer wrote an email to MRFF stating that a commander had urged officers to tell their troops that this was “all part of God’s divine plan”.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also used religious rhetoric, stating that Iran is run by “religious fanatic lunatics”. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently referred to “crazy regimes like Iran” and described their ambitions as “prophetic Islamic delusions”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also referenced the Torah, comparing Iran with an ancient biblical enemy. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned this rhetoric, stating that it was being used to justify mass murder of civilians in Iran.

The MRFF is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to upholding religious freedom for US service members. The group has received complaints from troops about the use of religious rhetoric in the war with Iran.

Source: Al Jazeera