#ourCOG Daily Brief [March 1, 2026]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for March 1, 2026.

In today’s top stories, the Middle East is facing a new conflict as the U.S. and Israel have launched strikes on Iran. These actions led to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Saturday, ending nearly four decades of his iron-fisted rule. In retaliation, Iran has sent hundreds of missiles and drones across the region this weekend, claiming to target U.S. military sites, though strikes have been more widespread. Israelis, accustomed to conflict, are now bracing for an emergency their leaders warn is far more severe than previous encounters. Back home, President Trump is pursuing an untested strategy in Iran: calling on the Iranian people to rise up and finish the job of regime change, a move that comes with political risks given Congress didn’t authorize the strikes and public opinion has been opposed. In domestic news, a contentious Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in Texas is going down to the wire, highlighting deep tensions within the GOP, with some national Republicans concerned the seat could be at risk. And for those on the Northeast coast, much of the region is digging out from a major blizzard. Our reporter in Boston hiked seven miles through the city to discover the impressive efforts behind snow removal.

For our latest video content, we have “Prayer And Worship Night Live At Free Chapel,” “Sunday Service | Sundays at 9:30AM & 11:30AM EST | citylife church,” and the “Dallas Church of God Livestream.”

From our FaithNews feed, we’re tracking a “Church Planting Intensive Set for March 11-13,” news that a “Church Files Emergency Appeal to Resume Worship,” an update that “‘The Bible Recap’ has Hit Top 100 on Apple Podcasts,” and an exciting announcement about a “Multi Million Dollar Gift Launching a New Era for SMCH.”

In prophecy news, tensions in the Middle East continue to dominate headlines. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated today that the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, which have included Israel’s largest airstrike to date hitting around 500 targets, will ultimately lead to peace. This follows Saturday’s confirmation from the U.S. and Israel that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint Israeli strike. As the situation escalated, the U.S. had warned embassy staff to leave Israel on Friday after talks with Iran failed, and earlier this week, a convergence of a blood moon, planetary parade, and solar eclipse around Purim, coinciding with Trump’s deadline for Iran to reach a nuclear deal, sparked discussions about the proximity of the Messianic era.

Finally, looking back in Jewish history, on this day, March 1st, in 286, Roman Emperor Diocletian elevated Maximian to the rank of Caesar. Diocletian was famously focused on restoring stability to the Roman Empire and was notably more concerned with Christians, whom he viewed as a threat to the empire’s dissolution, than with Jews. When he mandated that all under his reign accept his divinity and offer sacrifices to his cult, he specifically exempted the Jewish people. The only notable negative incident involving Diocletian and his Jewish subjects was an accusation that they had mocked him due to his humble beginnings as a swineherd.