Though the fighting is paused, Israel’s defensive war against Hamas continues. FDD Chief Executive Mark Dubowitz and former Israeli National Security Advisor Eyal Hulata — now a senior international fellow at FDD — just returned from Israel. Host Cliff May asks them what they saw, heard, and learned about Israel's ongoing war against Hamas, about Hamas’s allies – in particular Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah – and of course about the wizard behind the curtain: Iran’s rulers.

They discuss known details of the ceasefire agreement and hostage exchange — including why calling it a "hostage exchange" is inaccurate, given the imbalance between the innocent civilians being held hostage in Gaza and those imprisoned in Israel for acts of terror; how the delivery of fuel into Gaza during the pause in fighting will likely be exploited by and used to the benefit of Hamas; whether other Iran-backed terrorist groups inside Gaza like Islamic Jihad will also put their weapons down; Qatar's role of both arsonist and firefighter; the sturdiness of President Biden's support for Israel amidst increasing pressure from some inside his camp; and why anticipated IDF operations in southern Gaza will be more difficult and complex than what we've seen in the north.

Dispatches from the Ongoing 10/7 War

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In the aftermath of World War II, the establishment of the United Nations seemed like a promising idea: global unity in resolving conflicts peacefully while promoting human rights. Surely everyone in the new international community will support such efforts, right? Wrong.

U.N. corruption is obvious to anyone willing to look, but most Americans and Europeans in positions of authority don’t look.

And the problem has reached alarming new lows since the October 7 invasion of and attack on Israel by Hamas.

Luckily, some experts are paying attention. A report fittingly titled, “The Urgent Need for U.N. Reform,” was published last month by Alan Goldsmith of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and the Counter Extremism Project. The report’s foreword was written by former Representative Iliana Ros-Lehtinen and FDD Senior Advisor Richard Golberg.

Alan and Rich join host Cliff May to discuss the U.N.'s dangerous fall from grace as well as if — and how — the failed organization might be rehabilitated.

Turtle Baywatch

Ali Khamenei, Iran’s longtime ruler, saw the possibility of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia as a threat to his hegemonic ambitions. On Oct. 7, Hamas, one of Tehran’s proxies, invaded Israel and committed multiple acts of barbarism. That sparked a war and froze prospects for a new Saudi-Israeli relationship.  

However, The Wall Street Journal reports that Washington is pushing for a “long-shot diplomatic deal” – one in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would “accept a new commitment to Palestinian statehood” in exchange for diplomatic recognition of Israel by Saudi Arabia. 

What else would have to be in such a deal? Can it happen while the war in Gaza is ongoing? Do the Saudis secretly want Israel to enter Rafah and finish off Hamas? 

To discuss the current state of diplomatic and kinetic play, host Cliff May is joined by Mark Dubowitz, FDD's Chief Executive; and Bernard Haykel, Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University and a leading expert on Saudi Arabia.

The Road From Riyadh to Jerusalem

Last weekend, Iran’s rulers launched a massive missile and drone assault on Israel.

Though the attack was thwarted, it should be obvious that the Islamic Republic is willing to pursue its goal of “Death to Israel!” — not just by utilizing Arab proxies and pawns, but now also directly from within its own territory. We must assume that Iran’s rulers are also now adjusting their strategies for the jihad they are waging and the genocide they vow to carry out.

A reminder: If Iran’s rulers acquire nuclear weapons and missiles capable of delivering them to targets anywhere in the world that would be a game-changer. 

Israel’s leaders must now think harder than ever about how to fight this long war.  

To explore such questions, host Cliff May is joined by his FDD colleagues Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD Senior Fellow; Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power; and retired Admiral Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.

Editor's note: We are releasing this episode ahead of schedule. We recorded it late afternoon (ET) on Thursday, April 18. Hours later the same evening, explosions have been reported in Isfahan, Iran, and Iranian airspace has been closed. Although Israel has yet to claim any involvement in or responsibility for these explosions, we are releasing this episode early due to the discussion's timeliness and relevance to these unfolding events.

Jerusalem and Tehran Consider Their Options

Six months after Iranian-backed terrorists perpetrated the largest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust, Israel’s ground war against Hamas in Gaza, its conflict with Lebanon-based Hezbollah in Israel’s north, and Tehran’s multi-front shadow war against the Jewish state continue. 
 
For a status update, host Cliff May is joined by his FDD colleagues Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power, and Brigadier General (Res.) Jacob Nagel, a visiting fellow at FDD and former Israeli national security advisor under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
 
They discuss Israel’s withdrawal of most troops from Gaza; the necessity of closing the tunnels from Egypt through which Hamas has received huge quantities of arms and ammunition; the difficulties of providing aid to Gazans while Hamas holds hostages and kills Israelis whenever possible; where Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif are likely hiding; and the strategic imperative of defeating the remaining Hamas battalions in Rafah.
 
They also discuss President Biden’s wavering support for Israel; Israel’s April 1 assassination of an IRGC-QF commander in Damascus; and Tehran’s threat to take revenge.

The Thickening Fog of War

The Israeli airstrike next to Iran’s embassy in Damascus on April 1 targeted several high-ranking members of Iran’s Quds Force — an elite division of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, which is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization. Among those killed: top IRGC-QF commander in Syria and Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Zahedi. 

The regime in Tehran has vowed revenge, and Israel is on high-alert for escalation by Iran’s proxies on seven possible fronts.

To discuss the strategic thinking behind Israel’s strike and possible Iranian responses, host Cliff May is joined by FDD experts Behnam Ben Taleblu and Hussain Abdul Hussain. 

They explain why diplomatic immunity was not in play in Damascus, and revisit Iran’s history of not respecting such diplomatic niceties and protocols; analyze reactions from the Biden administration and “international community” — including at the United Nations where the Russian Federation protects and defends Tehran, where Security Council resolutions beneficial to Israel are not enforced, and where“international law” seems to only apply to Israel and the U.S.

Dispatches from the Ongoing 10/7 War

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