Category Archives: Long War Journal


Generation Jihad Ep. 188 — Hostage diplomacy with terrorists

Bill and Joe catch up on headlines related to the war in Gaza and the additional Iranian-backed conflicts at Israeli borders, including a status update on the latest round of hostage negotiations, action in the West Bank, and how Israel should handle Tehran’s noose-tightening. They also discuss the recent sighting of a top Hezbollah military official and specially designated global terrorist at the funeral of a Hezbollah commander.


Gallant visits Mount Hermon

Hezbollah rocket barrage on Israel wounds several, including a US citizen

Hezbollah launched several barrages of rockets and anti-tank missiles at Israel on July 7. The attacks injured several people, including an IDF soldier, an Israeli civilian farmer, and a US citizen. Israel’s Minister of Defense visited Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights and said Hezbollah has lost 15 senior commanders, including three division commanders, in fighting over the last nine months.



Makkawi reward poster

Jihadi archives: Islamic State’s eulogy of Sudanese jihadist Mohamad Makkawi Ibrahim

In May 2016, the Islamic State (IS) issued a eulogy for the infamous Sudanese jihadist Mohamad Makkawi Ibrahim through its weekly Al-Naba newsletter. The eulogy flew under the radar at the time but offers an interesting look into the career of one of the Islamic State’s first so-called “martyrs” in Somalia. It also provides an early chronicle of the Islamic State’s history in the Horn of Africa.


IDF Mountain Brigade training

Hezbollah fires rockets at northern Israel after senior commander killed

The IDF eliminated Muhammad Nimah Nasser, the commander of Hezbollah’s Aziz Unit, the second senior Hezbollah commander eliminated in the last month. The IDF stated Nasser commanded a unit responsible for firing rockets and anti-tank missiles from southwestern Lebanon toward Israeli civilians. A new Israeli Mountain Brigade also completed a training in northern Israel.


Generation Jihad Ep. 186 — A conversation with Lieutenant General Sami Sadat

Bill and Will Selber are joined by Lieutenant General Sami Sadat who among many other roles served as deputy commander of the Afghan ground forces and later the deputy chief of staff of the Afghan National Army. Now, he leads the Afghan United Front. They discuss America’s role in giving the Taliban the upper-hand that ultimately led to the collapse of Kabul; the vital role of morale during war; just how established Al Qaeda is inside Afghanistan and whether the Taliban-Al Qaeda relationship got stronger after U.S. withdrawal; and more.


IDF soldiers central Gaza

Tunnel destroyed and 100 terrorists eliminated in central Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces found a long tunnel in central Gaza and have eliminated around 100 terrorists in recent operations, the IDF said on July 1. On June 30, Israel also told civilians to evacuate Khan Younis after rocket fire, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted meetings with IDF commanders to discuss the war in Gaza.



Israel Defense Forces soldiers train in northern Israel

Hezbollah drone attack injures 18 IDF soldiers

Hezbollah increased its attacks on northern Israel with barrages on June 27 and June 28. It also carried out a series of drone attacks on June 30, injuring 18 IDF soldiers, one of them severely. The IDF responded to the attacks with a series of airstrikes on half a dozen locations in southern Lebanon.


Generation Jihad Ep. 185 — Cognitive Combat

Bill is joined by his colleague Bradley Bowman to talk about a new FDD monograph edited by Brad, “Cognitive Combat: China, Russia, and Iran’s Information War Against Americans.” They discuss ways in which America’s adversaries are waging information warfare against it, how the U.S. can defend itself in the information domain — and how it can go on the offensive.



Chasiv Yar Ukraine

Key Russian division gets new commander amid stalled offensive at Chasiv Yar

A June 22 message on a Telegram channel affiliated with the Russian 98th Guards Airborne Division seems to indicate Major General Yevgeny N. Tonkikh has been replaced as the division’s commander. The reason for the change is unclear, though it could be tied to stalled Russian progress in the city of Chasiv Yar, among other possible reasons.



Generation Jihad Ep. 184 — PSA for Israel: take our weapons, not our advice

Bill and Wednesday co-host Will Selber explain why Israel is not fighting an insurgency in Gaza as they unpack (and dismantle) a recent Foreign Affairs article authored by David Petraeus et al: “Israel’s War of Regime Change Is Repeating America’s Mistakes: But Israel Can Still Learn From America’s Successes” — wait, what successes? Israel should learn from our mistakes by repeating our mistakes?


Israeli troops conduct exercise in northern Israel

IDF trains for war in the north as Iranian proxies threaten attacks from Iraq and Yemen

Israeli IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited northern Israel on June 25 and June 26 as Israel prepares for a possible war with Hezbollah. An Iranian-backed militia in Iraq launched a drone targeting Israel’s southern city of Eilat, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant continued his trip to Washington to shore up support and discuss the Iranian threat.



IDF Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi

Israel’s operations in Gaza are headed for a new phase

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant traveled to Washington, DC, where he discussed the next phase in Israel’s operations in Gaza. Separately, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi praised the IDF for its progress in defeating Hamas in Rafah and uncovering tunnels in the area.



Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi

Ukraine’s new Unmanned Systems Forces takes shape

Ukraine announced the commander of its nascent Unmanned Systems Forces (USF), Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi. Sukharevskyi detailed various plans for the USF and how Ukraine plans to continue leveraging unmanned technology in its conflict with Russia.




Lieutenant General Herzi HaLevi

Hezbollah publishes drone footage of Israel as Nasrallah issues new warnings

Israel-Hezbollah tensions increased on June 18 and June 19. Hezbollah released drone footage showing sites in northern Israel, and the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, threatened Cyprus and warned it against letting the IDF use its bases. IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi HaLevi and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held discussions with Israel’s Northern Command to discuss the situation.


Taliban flag

Turkish charity leaders meet with Taliban officials

A recent meeting between Turkish aid organization representatives and the Taliban’s deputy prime minister highlights renewed economic and investment interest by Turkish entities in Afghanistan. The Taliban’s growing ties with Turkey are a worrying development as Afghanistan remains a haven for terrorists and narco-state.




Generation Jihad Ep. 181 — Al Qaeda’s leader has a new rallying cry. We should listen.

The (still technically unofficial) leader of Al Qaeda, Saif al-Adel, wrote an article under a pseudonym calling for people around the world to flock to Afghanistan for training to conduct attacks against “the Zionists.” Clear efforts by Al Qaeda to capitalize on the conflict in Gaza — but is the threat credible? Does al Qaeda in Afghanistan even have the means? Yes and yes, say Bill and Will Selber, LWJ contributor and retired Middle East Foreign Area Officer. They discuss how we give an enemy time and space to innovate and then ignore their threats at our own peril.


INS Komemiyut

IDF increases naval strength with new logistics support vessel

The Israeli Navy took delivery of the INS Komemiyut, a new logistics support vessel (LSV), on June 16, the second of these new landing craft in the past year. The vessels are capable of transporting troops and large vehicles, expanding Israel’s operational range and joint-operations capability.


Generation Jihad Ep. 180 — Meanwhile in the West Bank…

The Islamic Republic of Iran tightening its noose around Israel can be evidenced by activity from the Houthis and in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and — lest we forget — the West Bank. How does the West Bank threat compare to the Gaza threat? Who holds power in the West Bank, and which terrorist groups are active there? Top of the list? Islamic Jihad. They discuss Joe’s recent research on the senior members of Islamic Jihad that were killed in a counterterrorism operation in the West Bank and losses suffered by the group’s Syria branch in Lebanon. 


IDF soldiers in southern Gaza

IDF presses forward in Rafah after recent losses

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) lost 11 soldiers in several days of fighting in Gaza. In one of the deadliest incidents since the IDF’s ground operation began, eight soldiers were killed by an explosion targeting their armored personnel carrier on June 15. The IDF continues operations in Rafah against Hamas and other terrorist groups.