Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant spoke with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the evening of May 1. Israel’s Chief of Staff went to northern Israel to meet commanders on the northern front facing Hezbollah. Israel announced several wartime promotions for commanders amid ongoing political discussions surrounding the Rafah offensive.
Escalating attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi on ships highlights the challenges in deterring their aggression and the need to safeguard maritime security in the Red Sea.
Saraya al-Ashtar, an Iranian proxy in Bahrain, claims it has now joined the fighting against Israel. This claim is unconfirmed.
Bill is joined again by his FDD colleague and show regular David Daoud to unpack issues raised in David’s latest piece for The Wall Street Journal, “Hezbollah Stumbles Into a War of Attrition.” They also catch up on adjacent matters concerning Israel’s ground war in Gaza and the dumpster fire engulfing American “institutions of higher education.”
Israel Defense Forces recruitment data for March and April 2024 showed high levels of men and women seeking enlistment to combat roles. Women sought out positions in the artillery and border protection units in numbers almost double those sought and expected. Men also sought recruitment to a variety of infantry units at higher than expected numbers, continuing a trend that began after the Hamas attack on October 7.