The Chief of Staff for the Israel Defense Forces spoke to Israeli air force personnel at the Nevatim base in southern Israel on April 15, praising them for their defense against the attack by Iran. Israel is considering its options for responding to the Iranian attack. In addition, Israel’s Minister of Defense held discussions about upcoming operations in Rafah.
Bill is joined by LWJ’s Seth Frantzman just after the six-month mark of Israel’s defensive war in Gaza resulting from the October 7 attack by Hamas. They discuss Seth’s latest visit to border communities in Israel and whether there’s a realistic timeline for still-evacuated citizens to return, disturbing reports that Hamas has apparently lost track of which hostages are dead or alive, and Tehran’s possible response to Israel’s April 1 assassination of an IRGC-QF commander in Damascus as we enter day ~seven of bracing for an imminent Iranian attack against Israel within 24-48 hours.
Ukraine’s parliament finally passed a bill aimed at redressing its manpower shortage. But Kyiv’s lack of urgency has given Russia an opportunity to make gains.
The Israel Defense Forces carried out raids in Gaza into Nuseirat and Shujaiya. The new policy of precision raids reflects a developing phase of operations in Gaza which pairs pinpoint raids with increased humanitarian support for Gaza. The IDF is also constructing a new northern crossing into Gaza for aid to reach northern Gaza.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant noted Israel’s challenges in Gaza on the humanitarian front, saying that aid has increased in phases and he supports increasing the amount of aid and number of crossings into Gaza for the aid. In addition, he praised the US-Israel relationship and discussed how Hamas has ceased to exist as a military organization in many parts of Gaza.
Israel killed a senior IRGC officer in Syria. Iran, and possibly Hezbollah will avenge him – but without undermining their broader objective of rescuing Hamas and its partners in Gaza.
Tehran is threatening new attacks in the Middle East after the April 1 Israeli airstrike in Damascus that killed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander responsible for smuggling weapons to Lebanon. Analysis of Iranian-backed attacks and U.S. responses in recent months makes clear that a U.S. failure to hit back hard will simply invite more Iranian attacks and risk more American casualties.
The Israel Defense Forces conducted a training in the north that brought together an IDF division, police, search and rescue, navy and air force units. It focused on “multi-branch and multi-organizational cooperation.” In addition, Israel’s Minister of Defense spoke with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
The Israel Defense Forces withdrew the 98th division and the 7th armored brigade from Khan Younis after four months of battles in the city. Israel’s Defense Minister said “the withdrawal of troops from Khan Younis was carried out once Hamas ceased to exist as a military framework in the city.” The shift in forces is being watched closely across the region as Israel continues to say it will enter the southern Gaza city of Rafah in order to defeat Hamas.
Bill and Joe read between the lines and try to make sense of the IDF’s withdrawal from Khan Younis.
Bill, Behnam, and Joe discuss the Israeli airstrike in Damascus that took out a senior IRGC-QF commander, Israel on high-alert after Iran vows revenge, Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s statement about the slain leader, whether the Biden administration has finally turned on Israel, and today’s holiday: Quds Day.
In Mali and Mozambique, the Islamic State’s men are putting guns away and engaging with locals to help sensitize communities to its ideology and garner public support. In doing so, this highlights the extent of its control and/or influence.
Recent attacks by Jaish al-Adl and ISKP showcase Iran’s loosening grasp over its eastern borders. This trend also underscores the growing grievances of Iran’s ethnic minorities, exasperated by systemic neglect, mismanagement, and kleptocracy.
Rocket fire from Gaza targeted the Israeli cities of Netivot, Sderot and Ashkelon on April 4. Although rocket fire has increased in recent days, this is the first attack on Netivot since January. In Gaza, the IDF operated in Beit Hanoun, Khan Younis and other areas, and clarified that while it is generally on high alert due to the multi-front conflict, it has not changed home front guidelines amid increased Iranian threats.
Israel called up reservists for air defense units amid Iranian threats to respond to an airstrike in Damascus which killed IRGC leaders. After Hezbollah launched numerous rockets at northern Israel on the afternoon of April 3, Israel responded with artillery fire and airstrikes. Israel’s IDF also said it had determined the explosion that wounded several UN observers in Lebanon was the result of an explosive device planted by Hezbollah.
Bill and co-host Caleb catch up on the latest goings on related to the global jihad, including why the Islamic State’s Moscow attack should surprise no one; Shabaab’s rampage in Somalia and the prospect for the state’s survival; rumors that Saif al-Adel’s son has died; and fireworks on the Af-Pak border when the Pakistanis launched airstrikes apparently targeting members of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban.
Iran blamed Israel for an airstrike in Damascus that killed a senior IRGC Quds Force commander. Iranian-backed groups in Iraq targeted Eilat with a drone, while clashes in the West Bank between armed groups and the Palestinian Authority are increasing. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel is currently in a “multi-front war.”
Hezbollah Brigades commander Abu Al-Askari threatens to arm Jordanians with the goal of attacking Israel.
Bill and Joe are joined by their FDD colleagues Sinan Ciddi and Melissa Sacks to discuss Turkey’s status as a permissive jurisdiction for terrorist organizations, particularly Hamas — and why the outcome of yesterday’s elections in Turkey might signal that a change is coming.
Iran acknowledged the deaths of senior IRGC officers in a significant airstrike against its forces in the Syrian capital.
The Israel Defense Forces wrapped up a two-week operation at Shifa hospital in Gaza. The IDF said it detained more than 900 suspects during the raid, 513 of which were confirmed to be members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. That the IDF continued to face mortar threats throughout the duration of the raid on Shifa suggests that Hamas maintains cells in northern Gaza that still pose a threat.
IDF forces have been operating in the Amal and Qarara neighborhoods of Khan Younis for one week and have found weapons and ammunition in addition to carrying out numerous airstrikes and eliminating suspected terrorists. This is a contrast to the IDF’s ongoing operation in and around the Shifa hospital complex. The multi-pronged offensive here may pave the way for future IDF operations in Rafah.
Bill, co-host Behnam, and long-time friend of the show Edmund Fitton-Brown preview and share insights from a project they’ve been working on concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran’s axis of resistance. They discuss Tehran’s extensive track record of not playing by the rules — and not paying a price for it — as well as the origins of conflict between Iran and the West from before the 1979 revolution to tapping their regional proxies on and after October 7, 2023 to target Israeli and American interests in the Middle East — and everything in between.
The Israel Defense Forces conducted airstrikes inside Lebanon after Hezbollah carried out a rocket attack targeting Kiryat Shmona that killed one person. The IDF announced training for ground and air forces in northern Israel that will include “massive, long-range strikes, flying deep into enemy territory, and surprise exercises.”
Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant is on a multi-day visit to Washington, D.C, where he has met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Meanwhile, Israel conducted airstrikes deep in Lebanon in response to rocket fire from Hezbollah that targeted an IDF base on Mount Meron in northern Israel.
Hamas launches rockets at Ashdod and Ashkelon, two large Israeli coastal cities. The IDF says the rockets fired at Ashdod were fired from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. The IDF continued to operate at Shifa hospital, detaining more terrorist suspects. In southern Gaza, Israeli forces struck dozens of targets.
Bill and Joe catch up on a few important headlines related to Israel’s defensive war in Gaza, including U.S. claims that a senior leader of Hamas has been killed while Israel and Hamas have both remained mum; the Rafah operation hold-up; the ramifications of abstaining from the UN Security Council vote on a ceasefire and other recent actions by the U.S. that ultimately help Hamas.
The battle was generally favorable for Ukraine, as it destroyed a lot of Russian combat power. But Ukraine waited too long to withdraw and failed to prepare a solid second line of defense.
Flying solo for this episode, Bill shares his thoughts on yesterday’s House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing with Generals Milley and McKenzie — including the questions they *should* have asked (but failed to).
The Israel Defense Forces announced the creation of a new ‘mountain’ brigade that will focus on defending Israel’s Mount Dov and Mount Hermon on its northern border with Lebanon. The new unit is part of a reorganization in the IDF focused on bolstering defenses in the north amidst ongoing Hezbollah and other threats.