A journalist acquaintance of mine in NYC was in touch with the orthodox community there, who were somehow associated with the Temple Institute, the organization working together with American evangelicals to breed a red heifer. According to scripture, sacrificing a red heifer at the Temple in Jerusalem would herald the coming of the messiah. So the plan (as I understand it) is to breed the heifer, demolish Al-Aqsa Mosque, rebuild the temple there, sacrifice said heifer, and Bob's your uncle, here comes the messiah.

If this is all the actual case (I'm going on his word, since I wasn't the one in touch with these individuals), it represents a real attempt to bring about the apocalypse -- at least according to scripture. It would certainly cause an enormous amount of turmoil around the world, especially the Middle East.

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immanentize_the_eschaton