As you know, on June 13, Israel launched a military operation against Iran. I don’t want to dwell on why it started or how it was planned, but rather touch on a few points regarding why the operation was named “The Nation of the Lion” (Am Kelavi).

Axar.az reports that theologian Elshad Miri commented on the Israel-Iran tension:

“In fact, the name of the operation in Hebrew is Mitva Am ke-Lavi, which literally means ‘Operation of a People Like a Lion.’ However, in English, it was translated as ‘Operation Rising Lion.’

This operation name is derived from the Book of Numbers (ba-Midbar), the fourth book of the Tanakh (called the Torah by Muslims and the Old Testament by Christians). It says:

‘This nation rises like a lion, stands like a lion; it does not rest until it has devoured its prey and drunk the blood of the slain.’ (Tanakh, Numbers 23:24)

Additionally, the Jewish people are likened to a lion in two places in the Tanakh (Torah). One is the verse I mentioned, and the other is in the first book of the Tanakh — Genesis (Bereishit) — where Judah, the fourth son of the prophet Jacob (Yaqub), from whom the Israelites trace their lineage, is compared to a lion (Genesis 49:9).

In Tanakh (Torah) interpretations, the lion devouring its prey symbolizes Israel destroying its enemies, and drinking their blood is symbolic of seizing their wealth and possessions. (Saadya Gaon, Tafsir al-Tawrat in Arabic = Torah Commentary, II, 1472),” the theologian explained.