As the U.S. and Israel fight a preemptive war to disarm and oust the terrorist-sponsoring regime of Iran, the need for prayer is being highlighted.

In response to a question from CBN News National Security Correspondent Caitlin Burke about U.S. troops on Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded, “I pray for them, my wife prays for them, our cabinet prays for them. None of this is done on a whim. Having been in their boots, I know we think about them with every decision/recommendation we make to the president.”

“When I pray every day, I pray simply for the biblical wisdom to see what is right and the courage to do it. We pray for that,” said Hegseth.

Meanwhile, Air Force veteran Jennifer-Ruth Green is calling on people to pray for the country’s leaders and U.S. troops.

“In my military capacity, I woke up on the west coast today to see the realities of America and Israel and the strikes in Iran,” Green posted on Instagram Saturday. 

American and Israeli forces launched the attack on Iran Saturday morning.  President Trump said the massive operation is designed to destroy the country’s military capabilities and eliminate the threat of it creating a nuclear weapon.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reports that four U.S. service members have been killed in action, and video was released on Monday morning of a U.S. fighter jet crashing after a friendly fire incident in Kuwait. Six pilots and crew members parachuted to safety. Identities of the four who perished in the Iranian retaliation are being withheld until 24 hours after notifying next of kin, according to CENTCOM.

Iran retaliated by targeting U.S. military installations in six Arab countries, rousing more hostility towards Iran and triggering Germany, France, and the U.K. to join the fray to protect their interests. That was followed by an Iranian missile strike early Sunday morning in the heart of Tel Aviv.

“Just asking anybody who sees this message for two things. Prayer and fasting,” Green said in a video which has received more than 20,000 views. “Prayer is so needful. And what are we praying for? We are praying for wisdom for decision makers. We are praying for the opportunity to have things done that are both right and correct. Correct means they’re legally sound. Right means they’re morally sound. And ideally, you want those decisions to be aligned in every single way. And when they’re not you have to make tough choices. And I pray for wisdom for our leadership who are making those tough choices.”

In addition to wisdom, Green is urging people to pray that members of the U.S. military would have courage.  

“Moral courage, physical courage just to be able to do what it takes in order to protect America and to protect our interests and responsibilities around the world and our allies,” she commented. “And so I think prayer is so needful.  And so, in light of that, I’m also asking for those who are able if you see this and you can exercise the discipline of fasting, would you take one meal today and pray? Just asking that the Lord would give us the opportunity to de-escalate if that is his will and ultimately praying for all those who took an oath to support and defend, and that everybody who is called forward would have the ability to be effective.”