Multiple brain surgeries in a matter of hours are never a good thing.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a massive, life-threatening stroke Wednesday and underwent lengthy surgery to drain blood from his brain after falling ill at his ranch. Powers were transferred to his deputy, Ehud Olmert.

Doctors stopped the bleeding after more than six hours of surgery ended Thursday morning, but he was sent back to the operating room when a CT scan revealed that he required more treatment, said Hadassah Hospital Director Shlomo Mor-Yosef.

Calling Sharon's condition "serious," he said the operation was expected to last several more hours. Mor-Yosef said the prime minister was still on a respirator.

Pray for Ariel Sharon. Pray for his family and his nation. And pray for a true peace in that troubled region of the world.