The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

We're still sifting through the facts and figuring out the results of the 12-day Israel-Iran war. But after every earthquake, there are aftershocks. Today, we’ll look at how this war has far-reaching effects on countries such as Russia, China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

We begin the program by looking at China, which is hosting a gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a China- and Russia-led regional security grouping. In attendance is Iran’s defense minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh. The conference is an attempt to build alternative international blocs to those backed by the United States, according to reporting on CNN. So, how does China fit in with the 12-day war?

Our next stop is Russia. The world learned again that Russian military tech is no match for a first-class air force like the IDF after it failed to repel the Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. Berman weighs in on Russia's nuanced approach to the Israel-Iran war and its cautious moves to not upset the Trump administration.

Reports of Iranians fleeing to bordering Turkey during the conflict were unsurprising, said Berman, since the NATO nation is a gateway to Europe. We hear how Turkey responded to the war.

Looking towards Saudi Arabia, US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff reiterated Wednesday his belief that additional countries will join the Abraham Accords, which normalized ties between Israel and several Muslim nations. We learn what would have to happen for this to occur and how there may be a softening on Israel's part following the recent conflict with Iran.

Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: (L-R) India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Iran's Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, Kazakhstan's Defense Minister Dauren Kossanov, China's Defense Minister Dong Jun, Kyrgyzstan's Defense Minister Ruslan Mukambetov, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and Russia's Defense Minister Andrei Belousov gather for a group photo during the Defense Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States in Qingdao, in eastern China's Shandong province on June 26, 2025. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP) 

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday demanded the end of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing criminal trial. Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases, facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Among other comments, Trump wrote, “It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu. THIS TRAVESTY OF ‘JUSTICE’ CAN NOT BE ALLOWED!” Magid weighs in.

Yesterday, it was announced that US and Iranian officials will hold nuclear talks next week, even as Tehran insisted it will not give up its nuclear program and the US has claimed the program was "obliterated." Magid breaks down some of the conflicting information and offers insight into what kind of deal may take shape following the Israel-Iran war.

Israel reportedly halted aid deliveries into Gaza after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that he ordered the military to present a plan within the next two days on how to keep Hamas from stealing humanitarian assistance. Magid tries to makes sense of what is reportedly taking place on the ground.

Families of hostages held in Gaza hope the ceasefire with Iran, which went into effect on Tuesday will mark a turning point — one that could lead to a truce with Hamas and finally bring their loved ones home. “Those who are capable of reaching a ceasefire with Iran can also put an end to the war in Gaza,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement. “Ending the operation in Iran without using it to return all the hostages would be a grave diplomatic failure.” Magid has some optimism for more talks and explains why.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Trump demands end to Netanyahu’s graft trial: ‘US saved Israel, now it’s going to save Bibi’

Trump says US will meet with Iran next week, asserts nuke deal ‘no longer necessary’

Hostage families hope Iran truce yields Gaza deal: ‘Hamas is at its weakest point’

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 7, 2025. (SAUL LOEB / AFP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Over the 12 days of war, Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Israel claimed the lives of 28 people — all but one of them civilians — and wounded over 3,000 people.
More than 9,000 people in Israel have been displaced from their homes, dozens of which were damaged or destroyed by the Iranian attacks.
We begin the program by discussing the mood in the country, even as Israelis woke to the news of seven soldiers killed in Gaza.

A preliminary US intelligence assessment has determined that US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have set back Tehran’s program by only a matter of months. Rettig Gur sifts through the pieces and tries to discern, did Israel meet its goals? Was there a victor here? And if so, who?

In a video statement on Tuesday summing up the war against Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel “achieved a historic victory” that would “abide for generations” following the US-brokered ceasefire to end the 12-day conflict. Is this just pre-campaign-trail rhetoric?

And finally, we discuss why, in this potential window of opportunity, did the people of Iran not rise up and attempt to overthrow the oppressive regime.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

7 Israeli soldiers killed when armored vehicle hit by explosive in southern Gaza

American strikes only set Iran’s nuclear program back by months — US intel report

Netanyahu claims ‘historic victory,’ says ‘we sent Iran’s nuclear program down the drain’

Iran says 700 arrested for wartime ties with Israel; 3 alleged Mossad agents hanged

The Israel-Iran war by the numbers, after 12 days of fighting

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Iranians chant slogans and wave national flags as they celebrate a ceasefire between Iran and Israel at Enghlab Square in the capital Tehran on June 24, 2025. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Hours after Iran attempted to strike a US military base in Qatar in retaliation for the US strike on its nuclear sites, US President Donald Trump announced overnight Monday-Tuesday that Israel and Iran agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” which would bring about an end to the conflict. However, hours after both sides confirmed that the truce was taking effect, Iran shot another barrage at Israel -- the seventh of the morning. At recording time, Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered the IDF to retaliate with force. A pre-ceasefire attack earlier Tuesday hit a Beersheba apartment building, killing four people.

We delve into the Iranian missile attack on a major US airbase in Qatar on Monday evening. Qatari and US officials said no casualties or injuries were sustained in the attack, and Iran reportedly warned Doha in advance, signaling its likely intent to avoid a further escalation. Qatar said Iran fired 19 missiles at the base, one of which hit. Berman weighs in.

Earlier on Monday, Israeli airstrikes targeted key assets and symbols of the Iranian regime in Tehran, including facilities belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Evin Prison for political prisoners, and the “Destruction of Israel” countdown clock. What was Israel attempting to accomplish here?

As a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was coming into effect, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said “the IDF fully met all of [the] objectives” it had set ahead of the war. But did it?

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum released a statement saying that ending the military operation against Iran without taking the opportunity to secure the release of the hostages held in Gaza would be a “grave diplomatic failure.” Berman explains why linking the Iran ceasefire with a Gaza ceasefire is highly unlikely.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Trump says Israel and Iran agreed to ‘complete and total ceasefire,’ ending '12 Day War’

Iran fires missiles at American base in Qatar in retaliation for US strikes; none hurt

In Tehran, IDF strikes IRGC sites, gate of Evin Prison, ‘Destruction of Israel’ clock

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: The remains of a ballistic missile fired from Iran into the Golan Heights, northern Israel, June 23, 2025. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Horovitz notes that it isn't definitively clear how much damage has been wreaked on Iranian nuclear facilities by US and Israeli strikes in Iran. He refers to the term "obliteration," used by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, to describe the result of the American strikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities early on Sunday, but stresses that the US military has only publicized an initial damage assessment to date. He discusses Trump's late Sunday remark about potential regime change in Iran -- issued after all his key officials stressed this was not America's goal.

Horovitz also comments on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pre-recorded press conference on Sunday evening, in which he vowed that Iran's ongoing fire on Israel would not become a war of attrition. He also looks at the prime minister's cryptic comments regarding the relative failure of Iranian drone attacks and the whereabouts of Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium.

The conversation with Horovitz also touches on geopolitical dynamics, including Russia's relationship with Iran, and the routes followed by Israeli citizens trying to return home amidst the conflict.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

‘MIGA!’: Trump floats Tehran regime change as Iran’s proxies said prepping to hit US bases

Netanyahu: Israel very close to reaching goals in Iran, will avoid ‘war of attrition’

Iran, Russia set to hold talks as Tehran fumes at US over strikes

Aryeh Deri says October 7 ‘saved the nation of Israel,’ avoiding deadlier attack and exposing Iran

Despite travel warning, majority of returning Israelis do so via Jordan and Egypt

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: This handout satellite picture provided by Maxar Technologies and taken on June 22, 2025, shows Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), northeast of the city of Qom, after US strikes on the site. (Satellite image ©2025 Maxar Technologies / AFP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and US bureau chief Jacob Magid join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

US President Donald Trump announced early Sunday that the US had carried out a “successful attack” on the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites in Iran. We learn what was hit and Trump's warnings to Iran about either returning to the negotiating table, or else.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday morning, thanking Trump for bringing “peace through strength.” 

We discuss the options that are now on the table for Iran as well as the wider implications for the region as the Israel-Iran war continues.

Berman speaks about the potential realignment of regional axes with a severely weakened Iran. 

And finally, Magid weighs in on whether the broader US population is on board with these attacks on Iran -- and why some may hesitate.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

US joins Israel’s war in Iran, bombs fortified Fordo site and other nuclear facilities

Full text of Trump’s speech following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities

Netanyahu hails US strikes on Iran: ‘First comes strength, then comes peace’

What to know about the Iranian nuclear sites that were hit by US strikes

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Illustrative: A B-2 Stealth Bomber flies somewhere over the state of Missouri, October 30, 2002. (TIM SLOAN / AFP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Overnight, an Israeli airstrike in Iran killed Saeed Izadi, the head of the Palestine Corps in the IRGC Quds Force, who funded and armed Hamas ahead of the terror group’s October 7 onslaught as part of a multi-front plan to destroy Israel. Fabian describes who he was and how central he was in drafting Iran's ultimate strategy to eliminate Israel.

Also hit last night was Iran’s Isfahan nuclear site for the second time since the start of the conflict, as Iran fired an overnight volley of five ballistic missiles at central Israel. The strike on the first day of the conflict destroyed several critical sections, including uranium conversion infrastructure and labs. Last night's strikes were intended to cause further damage to Iran’s nuclear program.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told Israelis yesterday that they must prepare for a “prolonged campaign” against Iran to “eliminate a threat of this magnitude,” indicating that a quick end to the campaign was unlikely. We ask Fabian to decipher this cryptic message from the head of the IDF even as US President Donald Trump told reports that Israel appears to be "winning."

Also yesterday, reporters were told that Israel is not running low on air defense interceptors amid its conflict with Iran, denying reporting that the IDF’s stockpile of interceptor missiles is being depleted. Fabian explains why this may still be the case.

Iran is not only firing traditional ballistic missiles at Israel: At least one ballistic missile launched by Iran at Israel in a barrage on Thursday morning was carrying a cluster bomb warhead, marking a dangerous new development. We speak about this type of missile, as well as Iran's drips-and-drabs retaliation to the continued Israeli strikes.

To close out, we review the stunning operation to eliminate Iran’s top military commanders early June 13 was code-named “Red Wedding” after the infamous scene in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series and “Game of Thrones” TV show, due to the almost fantastical way it was carried out. Fabian explains why.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

IRGC Palestinian division chief, an architect of Oct. 7, killed in overnight strike in Iran

IDF hits Isfahan nuclear site for 2nd time; Iran fires 5 missiles in overnight barrage

IDF chief warns Israelis must brace for ‘prolonged campaign’ against Iran

Denying reports, IDF indicates that it’s not running low on missile interceptors

Iranian missile with cluster warhead scattered bombs in central Israel, IDF says

Inspired by brutal TV scene, first strikes on Iran said code-named ‘Red Wedding’

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Israeli soldiers and first responders check the damage caused to a building from an Iranian strike in Beit She'an on June 21, 2025. (Jalaa MAREY / AFP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

Israel has experience in attempting to stop a nuclear weapons program. Twice before striking Iran on June 13, 2025, Israel attempted to thwart two neighboring nations' nascent nuclear programs.

This week on the Friday Focus, we’re talking about the covert surprise 1981 Operation Opera in Iraq and the 2007 Israeli airstrike on Syria, called Operation Outside the Box or Operation Orchard.

Berman fills us in on the back story of both, and weighs in on how successful they were — of course, with an eye to the current Israel-Iran war and Israel’s goal to stop Iran from reaching a nuclear bomb.

We learn how Operation Opera, also known as Operation Babylon, took place under prime minister Menachem Begin on June 7, 1981, at 16:00 when 14 fighter jets departed from Etzion (Efrat) Airport in Israel. At approximately 17:30, they struck and destroyed the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq, and within about 90 seconds of bombing, they successfully completed their mission.

Berman speaks about the resultant "Begin Doctrine," which, since 1981, guides Israel in how it reacts to imminent threats of weapons of mass destruction.

We then turn to the second preemptive strike that Israel carried out to stop the bomb in 2007, under prime minister Ehud Olmert. Ten Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-15 fighter jets, along with F-16 fighters and electronic-warfare aircraft, bombed a Syrian radar site and took over Syrian air defenses, feeding them a false picture of empty skies.

We discuss the overriding themes of both operations and compare them with what is currently happening in the Israel-Iran war.

Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: The IDF pilots who participated in the Operation Opera bombing of Saddam Hussein's nuclear reactor at Osirak in 1981. (Israel Defense Force archive)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following the early morning Iranian rocket attack that directly hit Beersheba's Soroka Medical Center and buildings in Ramat Gan and Holon, Magid discusses the likelihood of the US getting involved in the Israel-Iran conflict. He notes that the stance of US President Donald Trump regarding US involvement has shifted dramatically in recent days, moving from very unlikely to highly possible.

Magid also discusses how Republican support for Israel is divided on the issue of the US intervention in the Iranian conflict, with some Republican politicians making it clear that they support the steps that Israel has taken, while others are against the US getting involved in a conflict far from US soil.

As 85 trucks of humanitarian aid entered Gaza on Wednesday, Magid discusses the ongoing challenges of aid distribution being handled by the Israeli-US Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

He also talks about the latest offer for hostage negotiations, as Egypt offers to host representatives of Israel and Hamas in Sharm el-Sheikh, which is accessible for the Israeli team, given the closure of Israel's airports during the Iran conflict.

Israel believes that its strikes against Iran will help in talks with Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal, says Magid.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

‘Nobody knows what I’m going to do’: Trump won’t say whether he’ll strike Iran

Trump speaks with Netanyahu and advisers as he weighs strike on Iran

Trump demands Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender,’ says US won’t kill Khamenei ‘for now’

Netanyahu says Israel won’t rule out killing Khamenei: It would ‘end the conflict’

US embassy working on plans to evacuate citizens seeking to leave Israel

Egypt pushing to host hostage talks, but Israel holding off for now

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Smoke rises from where a ballistic missile fired from Iran hit Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, June 19, 2025 (Credit: Dudu Greenspan/Flash90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The Israel-Iran war continues with fewer missile barrages from Iran even as Israel continues to use innovative ways of using its technology to destroy nuclear and military infrastructure in Iran. We begin the episode by speaking about how Israel has tweaked its aerial missile capabilities, specifically its standoff munitions, to turn them into far-flying, guided ballistic missiles.

Rettig Gur speaks about the many, deep reasons why Russia did not want this Israel-Iran war to take place, including the notion that Israel has shown the lack of capabilities of Russian anti-aircraft tech as the IAF sails through Tehran airspace. We hear what else had Russian President Vladimir Putin concerned.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed words of support yesterday for Israel’s war against Iran, saying, “This is the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us. We are also victims of this regime. This mullah regime has brought death and destruction to the world. As Merz appers to be urging the United States to enter the fray, we also hear about France's support for Israel's military operations in Iran.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Israel will achieve goals in Iran within a week or two, including in Fordo, IDF says

The US bunker-buster bomb that could destroy Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility

Germany’s Merz threatens destruction of Iran’s nuclear program if it bucks talks

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Portraits of Iranian military generals and nuclear scientists, killed in Israel's June 13 attack are displayed above a road, as a plume of heavy smoke rises from an oil refinery in southern Tehran, after it was hit in an overnight Israeli strike, on June 15, 2025. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)

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