In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Dr Jonathan Spyer about the aftermath of Iran’s regional setbacks and the evolving security picture in the Middle East. Dr Spyer offers first-hand insights from his recent trip to Yemen, assesses the trajectory of Iran’s proxy network post-Operation Rising Lion, and examines the implications of the Assad regime’s collapse in Syria.

Jonathan Spyer is a British-Israeli analyst, writer, and journalist of Middle Eastern affairs. He is director of research at the Middle East Forum and editor of Middle East Quarterly magazine.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Oz Noy, a former senior security official, about Israel’s current strategy in Gaza and the prospects for a ceasefire with Hamas.

In the conversation – recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM – Oz Noy unpacks the tension between Israel’s declared objective of dismantling Hamas and the parallel goal of returning the remaining hostages. He assesses the security risks of a potential prisoner release, the strategic leverage of hostage diplomacy, and the role of Egypt and other regional powers.

Oz Noy served as a divisional head in Shin Bet (ISA – Israel Security Agency), equivalent in rank to a Major General in the IDF, before retiring in 2020. He now lectures at Reichman University in Tel Aviv.

In this episode, Richard Pater speak with Professor Kobi Michael about the trajectory of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. In the conversation, recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM, Professor Michael outlines the emerging trilateral cooperation between Israel, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority, reflects on Qatari involvement, and discusses the prospects for further hostage releases.

Prof. Kobi Michael is a senior researcher at INSS and a visiting professor at the International Centre for Policing and Security at the University of South Wales. He served as the Deputy Director-General at Israel’s Ministry for Strategic Affairs and as the Head of the Palestinian division at Israel's National Security Council.

Please note that this episode was recorded before the Twelve-Day War with Iran.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Professor Amichai Cohen about the IDF’s conduct in the war against Hamas. They explore Israel’s approach to the rules of engagement, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and how Israel’s accountability mechanisms compare internationally.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Behnam Ben Taleblu about the impact of Israel’s and the US’s recent strike on Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities. In this conversation – recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM – Ben Taleblu assesses the scale of the damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and explains why the strike may have lasting psychological and operational effects on the Iranian regime’s strategic planning.

Behnam Ben Taleblu is senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he oversees the organisation’s work on Iranian political and security affairs. He specialises in nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missiles, the IRGC and its proxies, and internal Iranian dynamics. He has testified before the US Congress, the Canadian Parliament, and the UK House of Commons.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Helit Barel about Israel’s recent strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. In this conversation – recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM – Barel explains the objectives and scope of the strike, how Israeli intelligence and Mossad operated with extraordinary precision on the ground in Iran, and the technical vulnerabilities Israel aimed to exploit within Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Helit served as a Director at the Israel National Security Council, heading the U.S.-Israeli bilateral desk and is a former Managing Director of the Council for Peace and Security. She also worked at the Congressional Research Service in Washington DC authoring several reports for Congress on issues related to weapons of mass destruction.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Edmund Fitton-Brown, former UK Ambassador to Yemen, about the evolving Houthi threat and its implications for Israel, the Gulf states, and the broader regional balance of power. They explore the role of the Houthis in Iran’s attempts to project power in the region and in ongoing talks about the Iranian nuclear programme.

Edmund Fitton-Brown is a veteran British diplomat who served as the UK’s Ambassador to Yemen from 2015 to 2017 and later coordinated UN expert panels on ISIL, Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban. He holds advisory or fellowship positions with the Counter Extremism Project, the Middle East Institute, The Soufan Center and New America.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Dr Lynette Nusbacher about the future of UK–Israel relations, as viewed from a British strategic perspective. They explore how the Labour government’s evolving stance – including threats of sanctions and the suspension of trade talks – is reshaping bilateral ties, and what this means for defence, intelligence and cyber cooperation.

Dr Lynette Nusbacher is a strategic consultant and former British Army intelligence officer who was Head of the Strategic Horizons Unit in the UK Cabinet Office and Senior Lecturer in War Studies, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. She was part of Britain’s National Security Secretariat working on UK’s national security strategy.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with veteran journalist and Middle East expert Henrique Cymerman about his extraordinary 12-year relationship with Pope Francis. They discuss Cymerman’s unique role as an emissary between the Vatican and the Middle East, including organising the Pope’s historic visit to Israel, brokering interfaith peace initiatives, and advocating for Israeli hostages in Gaza.

Henrique Cymerman is a multi-award-winning journalist, fluent in five languages, with over 30 years’ experience covering the Middle East. He is also President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry between Israel and the Gulf States and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize at the initiative of Pope Francis.

In this episode, Daniel Levy hosts Professor Chuck Freilich for a discussion on the current state of US-Iran nuclear negotiations and the broader strategic implications for Israel and the region. They explore how Donald Trump’s diplomatic posture shapes the unfolding talks and whether a viable deal is within reach.

Professor Chuck Freilich is a former Israeli deputy national security advisor and currently a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. He is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a leading voice on Israeli national security strategy.