Chance (26 Mar 2026)
"Will Israel Use a Nuclear Weapon?  Interviews with Colonel Wilkerson and Lt. Colonel Patterson"


 
Hello John and Doves,
 
I've written about Iran using their nukes...but what about Israel?
 
In this letter I wrote about the total annihilation of Damascus prophesied in Isaiah 17:1  - someone/something takes that city out leaving it a ruinous heap.
 
And I looked at the Isaiah 17:2 and 3 - in case there is more info there for us.
 
Also, I wrote a little about Damascus itself and a little bit about her history.
 
And I added a very interesting interview that Mario Nawfal did on his You Tube channel with Colonel (ret.) Larry Wilkerson concerning the Israeli leadership (Bibi or someone else) ordering the use of tactical nukes during this present war with Iran.
 
And Iran recently targeted Israel's nuclear facility, Dimona - so I added Mario Nawfal's interview with Lt. Colonel Buzz Patterson. Don't miss this interview - as he talks about Israel's nukes and the U.S. "nuclear football".
 
In the 'Conclusion' section I wrote about how the Israelis 'stole' highly enriched uranium from a plant in Pennsylvania decades ago...so they could make their nuclear weapons.  I did not know that.  And today, March 21, Iran targeted the town where Israel's Dimona nuclear site is located. - the ICBM penetrated air defenses.  Will Israel respond this in a further escalation?  
 
Things are at a very dangerous level over there.
 
The Prophecies in Isaiah 17:1 - 3:
 
That question is coming up more and more....will Israel use nuclear weapons?  I am reminded of Isaiah 17:1.  I added the following two verses (Isaiah 17:2 and 3) for any context that might apply.
 
"The burden (prophecy) of Damascus.  Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap."  ("The phrase "no longer a city" suggests complete desolation....The imagery of a "heap of ruins" conveys utter destruction....Historically, "This prophecy may have been partially fulfilled in various historical invasions and destructions of Damascus, such as those by the Assyrians.")
 
So, Damascus, historically, has never been a "ruinous heap."  Never completely desolated.
 
As for the following two verses - it looks like they were already fulfilled...
 
Isaiah 17:2 - 3:  The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down  and none shall make them afraid.  The fortress shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria:  they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the Lord of hosts."  (Historically this was fulfilled when "the Assyrian Empire conquered the northern kingdom in 722 BC.  And "the Assyrians captured Damascus in 732 BC.")
 
"The forsaking of Aroer signifies a desolation that has come upon the land, likely due to divine judgment.  This reflects the broader theme of judgment against nations that oppose God's people, as seen throughout the prophetic books.  The abandonment of cities is a common motif of prophetic literature, symbolizing the removal of human presence and the cessation of normal life."
 
"Cities, once bustling with human activity now so desolate that they become pastures for animals.  This reflects the totality of the judgment and the extent of the desolation ."

Isaiah 17:2 Study Bible: Her cities will be abandoned forever. They will be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
 
"Aroer is a place mentioned in the Bible, specifically in the Old Testament.  The name "Aroer" is derived from the Hebrew word meaning "ruins" or "heap of ruins".  It is believed to have been a prominent city in ancient times, located in the region of Moab.  Aroer is located on the eastern side of the Jordan River....it is generally believed to have been in modern-day Jordan."
 
"The city serves as a symbolic representation of the destruction and desolation that befell the enemies of Israel.

Aroer in the Bible - Places In The Bible - Detailed Explanation - Bible Glossary - Christ Hold Fast
 
So, it looks like Isaiah 17:1 is what's left for prophetic fulfillment.
 
"The use of "burden" indicates a heavy message, often of impending doom or divine judgment...The phrase "no longer a city" suggests complete desolation.  Historically, Damascus was one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, known for its strategic location and trade routes.  The prophecy indicates a dramatic change in its status, emphasizing the totality of coming judgment."  Damascus "will be completely devastated and uninhabitable."

Isaiah 17:1 Study Bible: The burden of Damascus: "Look, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap.
 
Is this total devastation of Damascus caused by tactical nuclear weapons?  This would certainly make it 'uninhabitable' for decades.  
 
The City of Damascus:
 
Damascus: It is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.  It was founded in the 3rd Millennium B.C.  It is the capital of Syria.  The current population is about 2 million people (municipality).  About 90% of the people are Arabs who are predominantly Sunni Muslim.  It is located approximately 133 miles NNE of Jerusalem and 50 miles E of the Mediterranean.  The city area is about 17 square miles (43 square km)
 
Historically, Damascus fell to Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian Empire around 572 B.C.E.  And then King Cyrus of the Persian Empire captured the city around 538 B.C.E.  Later it came under Roman rule. Then the city was conquered by the Caliph Umar I in 636 A.D.  Later it came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire.  The city continued to be taken, and passed around...and in WWII, 1941 the allies took Damascus.  In 1946 Syria was fully independent and Damascus remained the capital.  
 
"The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Grand Mosque of Damascus, is one of the largest mosques in the world, and one of the oldest sites of continuous prayer since the rise of Islam.  A shrine in the mosque is said to contain the head of John the Baptist."
 
Damascus - New World Encyclopedia
 
Will The Israeli Government Use Nuclear Weapons? - Interview with Colonel Wilkerson:
 
In this You Tube video, Mario Nawfal interviewed Colonel (ret) Larry Wilkerson (this is one of several recent interviews):
 
(my notes)
 
Wilkerson said, that Bibi would use 15 - 16 nuclear weapons - "one nuke wouldn't do any good, one would send a signal"...Iran is just too big; it's as big as Western Europe, with 93 million people.  It has huge mountainous areas.  Bibi will use a lot of nuclear weapons, if he is still alive, if he is not impaired - the person replacing him would probably be the same way.  And if Iran hasn't done anything to impede Bibi's ability to move those weapons.
 
In 1973, Wilkerson knew Israel moved nuclear weapons with regard to the Egyptian army.  Golda Meir said to a BBC reporter that she would use nuclear weapons...maybe this was just a threat, but she let the Russians and US know...think Israel would use a nuclear weapon.  A deal was worked out.  And Israel ended up flanking the Egyptian 3rd Army and the threat was over.  So we didn't have to worry about it.
 
"Now we have a set of circumstances where we could see multiple use of nuclear weapons and that's very dangerous...extremely dangerous.  We already have a group of people in this country in our labs and elsewhere who are salivating over this $2 some odd trillion dollars that is coming to them to build a new class of nuclear weapons - to "securitize, modernize, and insuritize" the current weapons..and there is absolutely no need for that other than you think one day you might want to strike first, initiate a nuclear war, and some of the developments they are working on right now really reflect that or you want to be able to fight one you think is coming, and of course that would be China.  Every wargame I have ever participated in, over 30, always ended with both of us looking at one another having heavily attritted each air force and navy on both sides.  We wouldn't dare put forces on the ground in China.    You come to that point in the war game and then the civilians who are playing the President and Secretary of Defense..they stop you because they don't want to go nuclear.  That's the only choice you have at that point.  You are standing there looking at each other; you've knocked out a third of each other's navy and air force..nobody is fighting on the ground.  So you start talking about I think I'll put a nuclear weapon on China...and the Chinese says the same thing about you.  Then the game stops."  It always winds up as 'the elephant and the shark' - the elephant on the shore and the shark in the ocean; the shark can't come ashore and the elephant can't swim very far.  So you use nukes.  That's what we're building now...that's what the labs out West are working right now...they want a first strike capability - that's the only way you can explain the warhead work they are doing .  And they also want to have enough missiles to ride out a first strike.
 
"The first strike business is what truly troubles me.  I know there are people  I have met who have made comments like this:  "If we've got them, and we've paid so much money for them, how come we never use them?"  And they've also made comments about how nice it would be to have a first strike capability.  And we have never, and there is a reason for this, we have never publicly denounced a first strike as Russia has done and China has done."
 
Mario noted that as scary as it is, it is foolish not to have this discussion on possible nuclear war.  He showed a video of Qatar, Saudi, Dubai, Oman...how numerous sites are on fire.  He would not have believe Iran would strike Gulf states.  He noted that President Trump said Israel would not use nukes.  
'Israel will not use nuclear weapons in this war', says Trump; claims Iran’s navy and air force are 'completely destroyed'
 
Wilkerson said that Israel is powerful enough and willing enough to make this decision for herself.  He doesn't doubt that for a minute.
 
Mario noted the cluster munitions being used by Iran on Israel now; and Hezbollah has now joined Iran and has launched barrages of rockets against Israel.   Iran might continue the war with the support of Russia and China, and along with Hezbollah...and force Israel to use a tactical nuke to force an end to the war...
 
(end notes - more at the video)

ISRAEL WONT JUST USE ONE NUKE - Col. Larry Wilkerson On Iran War - YouTube
run time 7:06
 
"Israel Targets Israeli Dimona Nuclear Plant - Interview with Lt. Colonel Patterson:
 
(my notes)
 
A leak in Dimona could be catastrophic.  Mario asked Lt. Col (ret.) Patterson where we are in this war.
 
Patterson fought in that region for some 20 years.  He said we need to neutralize Iran.  Iran's life blood is oil...IF the U.S. and allies could control the St of Hormuz this could cause Iran to concede.  This might involve ground troops.  He prays it doesn't.  But conceivably it will.  We have an educated guess on the number of Iranian missiles - we may have taken out 80%.  The rest are hidden, moving, etc.  That's probably why we are using bunker busting bombs now.
 
Mario says we are seeing new warfare with drones.  The U.S. doesn't seem really prepared for this. 
 
Patterson said drones are economically efficient and hard to see.  And we are using expensive missiles to shoot them down.  90% of oil production comes from Kharg Island.  And Qeshm Island has drone production - deep underneath the island.  He can see ground troops consisting of special ops troops of some 2,000 to 3,000 - they'll go in first; then roll in with the Marines or 82 Airborne that are on their way now.  It will take time to preposition these assets...so maybe in a week or two.  He's expecting more drone attacks on Gulf states like Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, UAE along with attacks on U.S. bases.  The Gulf States are in the fight now.  Iran made a huge miscalculation attacking their neighbors.  And Iran sent two ICMs at Diego Garcia.  Iran fires missiles toward Diego Garcia
 
Patterson thinks Iran meant to hit the Dimona nuclear facility - he thinks they were 'going for the jugular'.  He thinks Trump is right now trying to restrain Israel from responding to this.  Radiation into the atmosphere is a loose-loose for everybody.  The winds will push radiation to the East - China. etc.  That's why Trump will tell Israel to not respond to this in kind.  Because we don't want China directly involved.  China would do a lot more than just provide arms if nuclear fallout came their way.
 
He hopes we do what is necessary.  He has a lot of faith in today's leadership.  
 
Mario wonders about 'ground troops' being sitting ducks with Iranian artillery, drones, etc.  He asks if the U.S. military can protect these troops. 
 
Patterson doesn't see 'mass casualties' with boots on the ground in Qeshm or Kharg.  At some point, Iran must realize they are being strangled.  If they don't have oil, they must realize they have no reason to exist.  He said we have the ability and assets in place to protect any ground troops.
 
Mario asked about China getting more involved. 
 
Patterson said China gets 90% of their oil through the St of Hormuz.  China won't stand for this.  Maybe China will help protect the St. of Hormuz 
 
Mario asked if Iran could strike Dimona.
 
Patterson said, yes with drone or missile.  Some of these get through...if Iran was serious about targeting this...they will 'throw the kitchen sink at it'.  Iran is not rational actors - it's hard to know who is in charge in Iran.  Is there are command control center?  Who's in charge of Iran?  Even Trump can't answer that.
 
Mario asked about a nuclear strike.  Does Trump have leverage on Israel on this?
 
Patterson said Israel knows we are our their only real ally.  He's been worried about this scenario for thirty years.  Israel has tactical nukes.  If Israel was threatened with extinction - yes, they would do it.

Mario asked about when would the "nuclear football" be used?
 
Patterson said there is a military aid with the President with the satchel called the "nuclear football".  This has everything the President needs to prosecute nuclear war or retaliate with nuclear weapons.  The scenarios are from a single tactical nuke all the way to full blown Armageddon.  The President will look at the options after consultation with the military, etc.  Patterson was the military aid for President Clinton - this job kept him awake at night.  He prayed about it alot.  He studied the protocols - so that if it happened he knew exactly what he had to do and how to advise the President.  He doesn't want to scare people or put the fear of God in people...he said nuclear weapons are the the biggest evil on the face of the planet...they are a necessary evil for the U.S., Israel, the U.K. - if you didn't have them, you wouldn't exist.  The potential impact of a nuclear devise being exploded somewhere in the world will affect the rest of humanity.  This is very sobering.  Something like this in the Middle East could precipitate this.
 
Mario asked what would push Israel to use a nuke?  This could backfire.
 
Patterson said if you are going to use a tactical nuke - it's for 'show and tell' - just a warning that doesn't hurt anyone.  Showing we have this capability.  Or, there is Israel has their back to the wall - under serious threat of being eliminated.   Israel would go all out.  He can see the 'show and tell' before the all out attack.  The alternative is full blown..and who ever survives on the other side is in charge.
 
Patterson said there are time constraints for responding to nuclear missile attack.  In the U.K. you'd have about 8 minutes to respond.  We do not use 'tech' for the "nuclear football" - the President almost has to make a call 'on a dime' - we have about 5 to 10 minutes to get our stuff in order or it's too late.
 
Mario said the St. of Hormuz is the 'golden goose'.  Expensive oil isn't helping President Trump.  Iran has never struck the U.S. mainland.  They have proxies.  And Iran has a Fatwah not to develop nuclear weapons.  What is the main reason for the war?  What is the real threat?
 
Patterson said Trump understands the political stakes - he thinks Trump will declare a victory and come home.  This is the largest US deployment since the start of the first Gulf War.  Trump is not bluffing with Iran...but he can't afford a long quagmire.  He believes it's about the Iranian nukes and missiles.  You don't enrich uranium to that grade if you don't have nuclear weapons in mind.  And why build/develop ICBMs.  And Russia and Iran are attached at the hip.  And Russia and China are attached at the hip.  Russia needs Iran...Iran processes a lot of their crude in Russia.   And Russia sells a lot of weapons to Iran.  
 
He doesn't believe the war will last much longer as it will be a blood bath if this drags on to the mid-terms.
 
(end notes)
 
run time 35:16
"Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons":
 
"The United States no longer uses the term "tactical nuclear weapons" because the United States does not envision any use of nuclear weapons to be tactical in character or effects."  The term "nonstrategic" is the term used most often now.
2023 - Report on the Status of Tactical (Nonstrategic) Nuclear Weapons Negotiations - United States Department of State
 
Conclusion:
 
Recently I heard that Israel 'somehow' acquired highly enriched uranium from the U.S.  "Between 1958 and 1978, more than 300 kilograms of uranium-235 a critical material for nuclear arms production, disappeared from the Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corporation (NUMEC) plant in Pennsylvania.  An investigation into the missing uranium, which was launched after the inventory check in 1965, would eventually trace the stolen uranium to Israel."...In 1968, the CIA reportedly found highly enriched uranium near Israel's Dimona nuclear complex, directly linking the theft of U.S. uranium to Israel's nuclear program.  By the time declassified CIA documents were released in 2015, it was confirmed that uranium from the NUMEC plant had indeed been diverted to Israel."
 
"Despite these revelations, the United States and its allies continued to maintain a polity of ambiguity regarding Israel's nuclear capabilites.  The global community largely turned a blind eye to Israel's nuclear program, preferring to avoid open confrontation over the issue...Israel has never officially confirmed or denied possessing nuclear weapons."
How Israel Stole U.S. Uranium and Defied Kennedy’s Anti-Nuclear Stance – Sri Lanka Guardian
 
And in this article dated March 22, 2026 - 
 
Iran hit the town of Dimona, Israel, that houses Israel's nuclear facility.  The IDF detected missiles, but they were not all intercepted.  Some 33 people were injured.
 
"Iran used hypersonic missiles in a retaliatory strike near Dimona, the location of Israel's primary nuclear-related facility..."  Iran is promising retaliation strikes on Israel's 'most sensitive strategic sites' for strikes on Iran's nuclear program.
 
The UN nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi called again for military restraint "to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident."

Iran Hits Near Dimona With Hypersonic Missile After Natanz and Bushehr Strikes — Middle East Faces Nuclear Escalation Scenario - Defence Security Asia
 
There has been some 'talk' about all the AI videos of Netanyahu that the Israeli news/government has released recently....contributing to the question - is Bibi dead/injured?  That's why Col. Wilkerson noted 'IF Bibi is still alive'.
 
"Somebody" takes out Damascus.  The U.S.?  Israel?
 
Israel might possibly drop several tactical nukes on Damascus...It depends on what kiloton bombs they have.  I would think to push them into doing this, the Israelis would know that something was going on there that was an immediate existential threat to Israel...I don't think Israel would nuke Damascus as a 'warning'....I suspect maybe Mossad may find something terrible was being planned there...or there were certain weapons being deployed there ......??  Back in 2025, Israel did bomb parts of Damascus:  
Israel bombs Damascus, stoking conflict with Syria’s new government
 
And the prophet Zechariah wrote about what some believe is a nuclear bomb/nuclear warhead on an ICBM.  His 'flying scroll' that is called 'wickedness'.  
 
Will this war continue to escalate?  Will someone resort to the use of nuclear weapons?  We have two enemies in the Middle East going at each other...nothing will happen outside of God's will.
 
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
 
Maranatha!
 
Chance