Will this start nuclear war? The world is asking that question today after India launched missile strikes against Pakistan last night and today. India says its strikes were a “focused, measured and non-escalatory” retaliation against a Pakistani terror attack from two weeks ago. Islamabad called it an act of war and started military reprisals.

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These two archrivals have been at war many times previously, but since both now possess significant arsenals of nuclear weapons, the stakes are infinitely higher. Nations worldwide are urging them to calm down. Of particular concern:

• One target in India’s strikes was reportedly part of a Pakistani dam. Islamabad has said in the past that, in response to any serious disruption to its water supply, it reserves the right to respond with nuclear weapons.
• Eleven days ago, Pakistani Minister Hanif Abbasi explicitly threatened that Pakistan’s 130 nuclear weapons were “targeted” at India and would be used if India halted Pakistan’s water supply. He emphasized that these weapons were “not for display” and were hidden across the country.

Our feature story this morning, from Jeremiah Jacques, puts this latest conflict in its prophetic context. This is an example where the ultimate outcome foretold in Scripture is very different from what current events would suggest.

Another Trump peace deal … and something’s amiss: President Trump yesterday announced a peace deal between the United States and Yemen’s Houthi terror group. President Trump has stopped the air strikes on Houthi rebels after they promised not to attack any more ships, our In Brief reports. But there is a major problem.

Since 2023, the Houthis have been disrupting maritime traffic in the Red Sea in solidarity with Hamas’s war on Israel. The Houthis haven’t been actively targeting merchant shipping since November, but the U.S. in March began an intensified bombing campaign against them to secure a guarantee they will leave international shipping alone. This deal is apparently the guarantee.

However, it looks like with this agreement—another product of efforts by special envoy Steve Witkoff—America is abandoning Israel. Though the Houthis agreed to stop attacking American ships, they have vowed to continue attacking the Jewish state. The deal says nothing about these attacks. The Israelis were caught off guard by the agreement.

Meanwhile, President Trump plans to make his first official overseas trip next week (aside from the pope’s funeral), and it’s to the Middle East. He’ll visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. But he is not planning to stop in Israel. He also put smiles on many Arab faces by indicating that he plans to start calling the Persian Gulf, officially, the Gulf of Arabia.

Perplexing. Signs keep popping up of the flaw in President Trump’s foreign policy.

Ouch—Merz severely weakened: All Europe wanted Germany to get a strong chancellor in hopes he would help lead the whole European Union. These hopes were dashed yesterday. A survey of the press gives you an idea of just how damaging it was that it took two votes in parliament yesterday to confirm Friedrich Merz:

• El País (Spain): Characterized the vote as sparking a “beispiellose politische Krise” (unprecedented political crisis)
• Guardian (UK): a “humiliating setback”
• Der Standard (Austria): a “komplettes Debakel” (complete debacle)
• Telegraph (UK): “Germany’s Mr. Tough has become Mr. Trousers-round-his-ankles.”
• Politico (U.S.): “Merz is weakened from Day 1. Europe will pay the price.” It quoted Katja Hoyer saying, “This is not the start of a confident, stable government, but a sign of how deep the fissures of the German center ground run.”

Germany’s leadership crisis—and Europe’s—remains. Josué Michels wrote about this in last night’s Trumpet Brief. In light of today’s reports, he revised it a bit this morning. Take a look at his analysis “Why Friedrich Merz Can’t Rule Europe.”

IN OTHER NEWS

No new pope today: The papal conclave to elect the successor to Pope Francis began today, with 133 cardinals from 70 countries gathering in the Sistine Chapel. The first vote took place this afternoon, but no white smoke—indicating a new pope—was reported. Voting will continue tomorrow with up to four rounds daily (two morning, two evening) until a new pontiff emerges. Watch that chimney.

New Chinese missiles could destroy U.S. fleet in 20 minutes: America’s aircraft carriers are threatened by China’s arsenal of hypersonic missiles, Peter van Halteren reports.

The “kings of the east” continue to coalesce: Signs keep mounting of the consolidation of what biblical prophecy describes as a massive Asian alliance. We have an In Brief about China’s Xi Jinping visiting Russia this week for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and to strengthen ties. These two nations are at the heart of this prophesied alliance. And we have another In Brief about Japan and India coming together: The defense ministers of these two nations announced Monday their intention to deepen defense cooperation. This is in response to China’s growing belligerence and America’s shrinking dependability. But Bible prophecy shows these two nations will soon align with China.

Russia’s propaganda war on children: Russia is increasing its efforts to turn Ukrainian children against their homeland, our In Brief reports.

Supreme Court agrees—no transgender soldiers: Yesterday the court, in a 6-3 decision, allowed President Trump’s ban on transgender military service to take effect, lifting a lower court’s injunction that had blocked the policy. The order permits the Pentagon to discharge transgender troops and bar new enlistments.