Startling footage of crimson-coloured water flooding the Persian Gulf has ignited online speculation about the fulfilment of apocalyptic biblical prophecies.
The 'End Times' Phenomenon Captured on Camera
Viral videos emerging from Iran's Hormuz Island on Tuesday, December 18, 2025, captured a dramatic scene. Heavy rainfall hit the island's distinctive red sandy soil, creating rivulets of deep reddish liquid that cascaded over cliffs and into the ocean, turning the seawater a vivid, blood-like hue.
Onlookers were seen walking along the shore as the strangely coloured tide washed over their feet, with some watching from under umbrellas. The event followed an intense downpour of around 100mm of rain in a single night, a deluge equivalent to five times Iran's monthly average for precipitation.
Biblical Echoes and Geological Reality
The images bore an uncanny resemblance to descriptions of divine judgement in scripture. In the Book of Exodus, the Nile River turning to blood was the first of ten plagues inflicted upon Egypt. The Book of Revelation also describes seas turning to blood as a sign of the End Times.
However, scientists and geologists were quick to offer a far more earthly explanation. The dramatic colouration is a regular natural occurrence on Hormuz Island, nicknamed 'Rainbow Island' for its multicoloured mineral soils.
The dominant deep red colour comes from iron oxide, or hematite, which is abundant in the island's soil. During heavy rain, water interacts with this iron-rich earth, washing the pigment into surrounding water bodies and creating the startling 'flowing blood' effect.
A Region Prone to Crimson Waters
Hormuz Island is not the only location in the Middle East to recently experience such events. In August 2025, Israel's Sea of Galilee also transformed into a vivid blood red, alarming locals who saw it as a potential bad omen.
Israeli environmental authorities confirmed that incident was caused by a bloom of green algae, whose natural red pigment became concentrated under intense sunlight. Officials assured the public the water was safe despite its alarming appearance.
Throughout history, various natural phenomena have been misinterpreted as divine signs. These include:
- Eclipses: Once seen as bad omens, now understood as celestial alignments.
- Comets: Historically viewed as 'heralds of Heaven's wrath'.
- Lightning: Considered 'divine fire' before the science of electricity was understood.
- Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions: Frequently interpreted as acts of divine judgement.
The island of Hormuz itself, while not directly named in the Bible, sits in a region—ancient Persia, modern Iran—that features in scripture. Notably, Revelation 16:12 references the drying of the Euphrates River, which lies on the opposite side of the Persian Gulf.
The island's unique geology, formed over millions of years, includes layers of shale, clay, volcanic rocks, and more than 70 different minerals, making these colourful displays a recurring natural spectacle rather than a supernatural portent.
