Battle Lines: Israel-Gaza

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump delivered extraordinary speeches to top military generals this week, declaring a war on the "enemy within" and signaling a radical transformation of the US armed forces.To decode what it all means, Roland Oliphant speaks with Mark Cancian, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former Marine Corps colonel. Are American soldiers lazier than before? Is there any chance the US Navy will start building battleships again? And how significant is Trump's call for cities to be used as "training grounds"?They also discuss the ongoing redrafting of the National Defense Strategy and what it means for America's allies and enemies.https://linktr.ee/BattleLines Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss bringing an end to the conflict in Gaza. Last week, he was giving a fiery speech at the UN General Assembly denying the accusation of genocide levelled at Israel following a UN report. In response to an earlier Battle Lines interview with one of the report's authors, Venetia gets the other side of the argument with Dr. Eran Shamir-Borer, a former head of the International Law Department in the Israel Defense Forces and part of Israel's team at the International Court of Justice defending the country's against a genocide case there. He is now director of the Center for Security and Democracy at the Israel Democracy Institute and shares his legal perspective on why the UN Commission of Inquiry's report was wrong and Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza. Plus he discusses how Hamas' operating tactics makes the Gaza war one of the most morally and legally complex in modern history.https://linktr.ee/BattleLines Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the darling's of the global populist movement, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, has recently been sentenced to over 27 years in prison in his native country. So what does that tell us about the possible fortunes for other political leaders of the same ilk across the globe, and where does the South American country go from here?Roland hears from the Telegraph's senior foreign correspondent Adrian Blomfield, who has just returned from Brazil, about his meeting with Bolsonaro's wife and the extraordinary phenomenon of one of the world's largest Catholic majority countries being set to become majority Evangelical Christian in the coming years.Also in the programme, Roland speaks to Moldovan policy analyst Andrei Curăraru about the country's historic parliamentary elections this Sunday, and how Russia is trying to influence the result.Read Adrian Blomfield's interview with Mrs Bolsonaro: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/24/michelle-bolsonaro-rise-like-lioness-husband-languish-jail/https://linktr.ee/BattleLines Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphantSign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the UN still relevant? The organisation faces numerous unresolved conflicts, a cash crisis, deep polarisation among its members, a bloated bureaucracy and the waning interest of its biggest backer, the US.Venetia Rainey speaks to Richard Gowan, veteran UN watcher and UN director for the US think tank International Crisis Group. He says the body is “rotting from the top” and questions if parts of it will survive another 10 years.Plus, a wave of Western countries including the UK, Canada, France and Australia have recognised the state of Palestine in the hope of preserving the two-state solution. But that option is long dead, according to The Telegraph's chief foreign affairs commentator, David Blair.Read David Blair's analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/20/starmers-middle-east-madness-in-recognising-palestine/https://linktr.ee/BattleLines Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What links Elon Musk, Steve Bannon and Tommy Robinson? They all believe England is on the cusp of civil war. As US President Donald Trump wraps up his second state visit to the UK, hosts Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant examine the darker side of the transatlantic “special relationship” — from American support for the British far-right to the spread of populist extremism across borders.They're joined by Rob Crilly, The Telegraph's chief US correspondent, who explains MAGA-world's obsession with the idea of British decline, Trump's surprisingly friendly ties with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and what the president's visit means for US-UK relations and the defence industry.They also discuss Musk's speech at Robinson's "free speech" rally in London, Steve Bannon's influence, and the rise of political violence in America following the assassination of Charlie Kirk.Read Roland's analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/17/conservative-america-turn-britain-musk-vance-charlie-kirk/Read Rob's analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/09/18/trump-inspects-troops-war-brewing-at-home/Credits: X/@TRobinsonNewEra; National Conservatism via YouTube; Charlie Kirk via YouTube; White House via YouTubehttps://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a bombshell report, the UN has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza for the first time. Chris Sidoti, one of the report's authors and a human rights law expert, explains why on this bonus episode of Battle Lines. Speaking to host Venetia Rainey and Telegraph reporter Lilia Sebouai, he delves into the report's findings, how his team reached their conclusions, and concrete examples of Israeli genocidal acts and genocidal intent in Gaza. They also discuss criticisms of the report, its authors and the UN at large - including Israel's allegations of anti-Semitism. https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The assassination of Charlie Kirk marks more than a shocking act of political violence - it is a symptom of America's accelerating era of violent populism, and it will continue to escalate without intervention. That's according to Robert Pape, one of the world's foremost experts on political violence, terrorism, and national security and director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats.Roland speaks to Pape about what next after Kirk's murder, the deeper forces driving America's unrest and what lessons other countries in the West should take from it. Plus, Venetia speaks to The Telegraph's Samaan Lateef about the historic protests in Nepal and how Gen Z demonstrators overturned a government by using new online technology such as Discord and Chat GPT.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a week of big developments, with Nato planes scrambled after Russia sent more than a dozen drones into Polish airspace, and Qatar on high alert after Israel bombed a Hamas negotiating team in the centre of Doha. Roland and Venetia unpack the significance of the events and what might happen next. Plus, the team spends a day at DSEI, one of the world's largest arms fairs, to look at how the UK is getting its armed forces ready for the next war. They catch up with a veteran British tank commander on the pros and cons of the upcoming Challenger 3, the managing director of Ukrspecsystems, Ukraine's largest drone manufacturer, on why they're investing in the UK, and Hamish de Bretton-Gordon on chemical warfare and the importance of good defensive kit.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphantImage: Petty Officer Joel Rouse © Crown copyright 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For three generations the Kim dynasty has ruled North Korea with ruthless precision. Now Kim Jong Un appears to be grooming his 12-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his heir—a bold move in a country where women have never held power. At the same time, reports surface of a disastrous US Navy SEALs mission to bug Kim's communications, ending in civilian deaths. So what does all this tell us about the Hermit Kingdom's future, its ties to China and Russia, and the grip of one family dynasty? We are joined by leading North Korea analyst Rachel Minyoung Lee to cut through the mystery, the propaganda, and the paranoia.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphanthttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/04/kim-jong-un-daughter-kim-ju-ae/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew and Jihi Bustamante aren't your average married couple — they met inside the CIA and their romance played out under the shadow of espionage. In this gripping conversation, they reveal how they fell in love during training, the reality of life inside America's most secretive agency, and how a mole within the CIA blew their cover. Love, lies, and life on the frontline of the new spy war.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphantAndrew's CIA book ‘Shadow Cell': https://geni.us/ShadowCellBookIf you want to hear more from Andrew, you can follow him on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Andrew-Bustamante Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China's biggest ever military parade boasted sophisticated new weapons, thousands of goose-stepping troops, and a guest list designed to put the West on notice. The footage of Chinese President Xi Jinping walking in between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in particular was a clear message to the US, Europe and its democratic allies: Beijing now officially heads up a new world order of authoritarian states. Venetia is joined by former Russia correspondent Roland Oliphant and former China correspondent Sophia Yan to explain everything you need to know about the new weapons unveiled, the leaders who were and weren't there, and what it means for the West.Read Sophia's exclusive drone investigation: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/03/how-china-is-secretly-arming-russia/Read Sophia's analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/03/china-parade-xi-putin-kim/Listen to our mini series on the rise of China's military: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/08/battle-lines-podcast-inside-the-rise-of-chinas-military/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the war for Sudan's Darfur region heats up, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are stepping up their brutal siege on the last remaining army stronghold of El Fasher, with new satellite pictures showing a wall being built around the northern city.The RSF have been accused of genocide for conducting a campaign of violence, rape and murder against Darfur's non-Arab communities. Famine has been declared in the region and millions have been displaced.To understand what is going on in El Fasher, Venetia speaks to the head of the Darfur Human Rights Network, Mohammed Adam Hassan, who is Darfurian and in contact with people on the ground.Plus Amnesty's head of crisis research, explosives expert Brian Castner, explains why he believes the UAE is arming the RSF, including with sophisticated Chinese weapons.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the old cliché goes, the first casualty when war comes is truth.In the past week, Israel has denied that it has caused a famine in Gaza, accusing the UN-backed body behind the report of a “blood libel”, and killed five more journalists in a widely condemned double-tap attack on a hospital. It is part of a wider trend that has made getting to the facts of the war in Gaza difficult. To understand how a war on truth is being waged in Israel, Venetia speaks to UNICEF's Tess Ingram in Gaza City, Phil Chetwynd, global news director of news agency AFP, and Israeli information warfare specialist Tal Hagin.READ MORE:What really happened with Israel's ‘double-tap' strike on Gaza hospital? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/27/what-really-happened-with-israel-double-tap-gaza-hospital/Seven common tropes used to deny Gaza's famine: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/seven-common-tropes-used-to-deny-gazas-famine-debunked/Listen to our mini series on the rise of China's military: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/08/battle-lines-podcast-inside-the-rise-of-chinas-military/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can Nato make itself future-ready? What are the biggest threats facing Western democracy? And what black swan event helped change the course of the First World War?To find out, Venetia chats to Dr Gabriele Rizzo, a defence futurist and foresight strategist whose job is to imagine different possibilities and help his clients prepare for them. He has years of experience working with the US Space Force, NATO, the Italian Government, the European Defense Agency, and the United Nations.In 2022, UNESCO elected Dr. Rizzo as a UNESCO Chair in Futures Studies and Foresight, making him the youngest recipient ever. He is also in the process of writing the Handbook of Foresight, Strategy, and Futures Studies for Defense and Security, which looks at how foresight strategies can be used in government and policy.Listen to our mini series on the rise of China's military: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/08/battle-lines-podcast-inside-the-rise-of-chinas-military/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his desperate attempt to win the Nobel Peace Prize, President Trump claims to have ended at least six wars around the world. But how does that stack up in reality? In this episode Roland Oliphant hears from Telegraph correspondents Adrian Blomfield and Sarah Newey alongside Caucasus expert James Kilner about Trump's actual involvement, or not, in halting these conflicts and how likely it is that he'll win the prize he seemingly covets above any other…Listen to our mini series on the rise of China's military: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/08/battle-lines-podcast-inside-the-rise-of-chinas-military/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eighty years on from Victory over Japan day in 1945, the contribution of British and Commonwealth soldiers in a brutal battle against the Imperial Japanese armed forces is often overlooked. The fact that the dropping of two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki saved the lives of many in prisoner of war camps is even less discussed. Featuring voicenotes from readers whose family fought in Asia and the Pacific, Venetia and Roland dive into this tangled history and reflect on the legacy they have left behind. Plus, The Telegraph's Gareth Corfield gives the inside scoop on the story behind the biggest British data leak in history - the Ministry of Defence's Afghan list - and how Iran is using it to hunt for MI6 spies. Read David Blair's piece: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/06/the-bombing-of-hiroshima-saved-my-grandfather/Read more VJ Day veteran accounts: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/15/vj-day-80th-anniversary-veterans-who-were-there/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin get ready to meet in Alaska, there has been lots of talk about what Washington, Moscow and even Europe want from the historic summit.But what about Ukrainians? What do they want? To find out, Roland speaks to former Ukrainian defence minister and chairman of the Center for Defence Strategies Andriy Zagorodnyuk and veteran frontline soldier Max Kuzmenko.Plus, Ukraine: The Latest host Dominic Nicholls and acting deputy US editor Connor Stringer dial in from Anchorage to talk about international expectations ahead of the meeting. Read Roland's analysis about the options available on the table in Alaska: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/14/ukraine-russia-alaska-summit-donald-trump-putin-zelensky/Listen to our sister podcast Ukraine: The Latest for a special bonus episode on Friday after the Trump-Putin summit: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/03/02/russia-ukraine-war-listen-daily-podcast/Listen to our mini series on the rise of China's military: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/08/battle-lines-podcast-inside-the-rise-of-chinas-military/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia holds a unique position in global geopolitics - on the other side of the world but still very much a 'Western' country.To that end, Roland Oliphant speaks with former Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne about the delicate balancing act his country faces in dealing with an increasingly sharp-elbowed China; and whether President Trump will stand by the AUKUS nuclear submarine pact with Australia.Also in this episode, Roland looks at developments in Gaza. Nearly 200 journalists have been killed while reporting in the strip, but for the first time, Israel has publicly stated that the death of one on Sunday - Al Jazeera's Anas al-Sharif - was an assassination by its own forces...The Telegraph's Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin discusses why the strike happened now and what it means for journalists either already in Gaza and those still trying to enter.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nuclear weapons are back. This week, Moscow announced that it would no longer abide by the once hugely significant Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Last week, President Donald Trump announced that he had moved nuclear submarines towards Russia.From growing stockpiles in China and North Korea, to growing cooperation between the UK and France, the direction of travel is clear. As Japan marks the 80th anniversary of the devastating atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Venetia talks to Dr Sidharth Kaushal, a senior fellow in military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute in London.What's driving this new nuclear arms race? Which country will be the next to go nuclear? And is there an argument that it actually makes the world safer? https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amid growing international outrage over an unfolding famine in Gaza, lack of aid supplies and the high death toll in the ongoing war, Israel is increasingly isolated on the world stage. Last week, several of Israel's major Western allies - the UK, France and Canada - set out a timetable for recognising a Palestinian state. In the following days, an apparently emboldened Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad both released fresh videos of hostages they kidnapped on October 7th, showing the two men in shocking conditions. Venetia speaks to Gili Roman, brother of a released hostage and brother-in-law of a murdered hostage, about the pain of the videos and the mood on the ground in Israel amid fresh anti-government protests. Plus, The Telegraph's chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair looks at whether recognising a Palestinian state is the right move and what other options were available to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will China invade Taiwan? If so, when and what signs should we look for that will show it is imminent? How exactly could Beijing seize the island? And what would the US do in response? These questions have been at the core of Indo-Pacific security concerns for decades, but in recent years, the threat has become more tangible - and the questions more urgent. In the final episode of this three-part series on China's military, Venetia Rainey looks at different analyses of whether Beijing is getting ready to invade the self-ruled island it claims as its own. Plus, she examines the different scenarios that could unfold and crucially, what that would mean for a conflict with the US and a potential Third World War. This series dives into the strengths and weaknesses of China's military and its remarkable transformation over the last few decades from obsolete to world-class.How significant is China's military buildup? What does Xi Jinping's ongoing purge mean for the People's Liberation Army? And how likely is an invasion of Taiwan in the next few years? As the US pivots to the Indo-Pacific and the threat of a truly global war looms, understanding the evolving role of China's military on the world stage has never been more important.With thanks to Dr Phillip Saunders and Joel Wuthnow from the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs at the Institute for National Strategic Studies, Oriana Skylar Mastro from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, Meia Nouwens from the China Programme at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Timothy Heath at RAND, Amanda Hsiao at Eurasia Group, and The Telegraph's Asia Correspondent Allegra Mendelson. Archive used: WION, SBS News, PBS News Hour, Channel 4, NATO, DRM News, CCTV, Weibo/social mediaFind episodes one and two of the series here: https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China's military is not a real army - it's the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party. Ideology is paramount and corruption is endemic. Plus, the People's Liberation Army hasn't fought a war since 1979. Xi Jinping calls it “the peace disease”. In episode two of this three-part series, Venetia Rainey looks at the PLA's weaknesses and how the Chinese president Xi is trying to fix them, from endless purges of top generals to a specially built training centre in Mongolia and live-fire drills around Taiwan. This series on China's military dives into the strengths and weaknesses of China's military and its remarkable transformation over the last few decades from obsolete to world-class.How significant is China's military buildup? What does Xi Jinping's ongoing purge mean for the People's Liberation Army? And how likely is an invasion of Taiwan in the next few years? As the US pivots to the Indo-Pacific and the threat of a truly global war looms, understanding the evolving role of China's military on the world stage has never been more important.Listen to episode one of this series on China's military here. With thanks to Dr Phillip Saunders and Joel Wuthnow from the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs at the Institute for National Strategic Studies, Oriana Skylar Mastro from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, Meia Nouwens from the China Programme at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Timothy Heath at RAND,  and Amanda Hsiao at Eurasia Group. Archive used: WION, SBS News, PBS News Hour, Channel 4, NATO, DRM News, Shortwave Radio Audio Archive, Reuters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dive into the strengths and weaknesses of China's military and its remarkable transformation over the last few decades from obsolete to world-class in a new special series on Battle Lines.How significant is China's military buildup? What does Xi Jinping's ongoing purge mean for the People's Liberation Army? And how likely is an invasion of Taiwan in the next few years? As the US pivots to the Indo-Pacific and the threat of a truly global war looms, understanding the evolving role of China's military on the world stage has never been more important.In episode one of this three-part series, Venetia Rainey uncovers the strengths that define the PLA today, from its vastly modernised Navy, now the largest globally, to its Air Force equipped with stealth fighters and advanced drones.Plus, a look at China's potent non-conventional forces, such as its highly sophisticated cyber warfare units, its independent aerospace and counter-space capabilities, and the secretive Rocket Force, responsible for a fast-expanding nuclear arsenal.With thanks to Dr Phillip Saunders and Joel Wuthnow from the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs at the Institute for National Strategic Studies, and Oriana Skylar Mastro from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University.Archive used: WION, SBS News, PBS News Hour, Channel 4, NATO, DRM News, CGTN, GettyEpisode two out on Wednesday, 30/07/25.Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What exactly is going on inside the Gaza strip? Amid growing reports of children starving to death and fears of full-blown famine, the international community appears to be becoming more critical of Israel. Roland Oliphant hears from a UNICEF staffer with recent on the ground experience in Gaza about why mass starvation is setting in - but is still avoidable. Tess Ingram shares the latest from the area and how it is now nothing short of a ‘hellscape'.Plus, in a dramatic escalation of tensions, Thailand bombed its neighbour Cambodia on Thursday with F16 fighter jets. But how did it come to this and why now?Roland speaks to the Telegraph's Bangkok-based correspondent Sarah Newey to get the latest from the region.Exclusive footage showing acute malnutrition in Gaza: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/gaza-starvation-child-malnutrition-israel-hamas-war/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amid growing speculation around China's invasion of Taiwan, the island nation has held its largest ever military exercises. Fresh from reporting on live fire drills off the Taiwanese coast, The Telegraph's Asia correspondent Allegra Mendelson shares the latest on Indo-Pacific tensions with Roland Oliphant.Also, Roland speaks to Neal Urwitz, close friend of the US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy - Elbridge A. Colby - to discuss the latter's push to dramatically refocus America's military might purely on Taiwan.Read Allegra's dispatch here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/14/taiwan-forgotten-front-line-defensive-drills-may-not-matter/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphantRead Allegra's dispatch here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/14/taiwan-forgotten-front-line-defensive-drills-may-not-matter/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump—never one to shy away from controversy—has done another dramatic U-turn. After flatly refusing to send any more Patriot missiles to Ukraine, he's now decided to send them anyway. So what's changed? And why do these missiles matter so much?Let's cut through the noise. Are Patriot missiles genuinely game-changers on the battlefield, or are they just a powerful symbol in modern warfare? To get to the truth, we're speaking to someone who's actually been there—Air Marshal Edward Stringer. He spent 39 years in the RAF, flew combat missions over Iraq, and went up against anti-aircraft systems himself. If anyone knows what Patriot missiles can really do, it's him. https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

General Sir Patrick Sanders has a stark warning: Britain must prepare for war with Russia within five years and start building bunkers and better air defences.Speaking exclusively to our Defence Editor Danielle Sheridan, the former head of the British army points to the Nordic countries and says we need to start taking a leaf out of their book.He also discusses why an Iron Dome couldn't work in the UK, his thoughts on the recent Israel-Iran war, and why he didn't encourage his son to join the army.General Sanders stood down as head of the British army last summer. The former rifleman had been tipped to be the next Chief of the Defence Staff but fell out of favour with the Government for being too outspoken about the extent of troop cuts.Our defence editor Danielle interviewed him in his garden at his home in rural Wiltshire, with his blonde Labrador Fargo by his side.You can read her write-up and see some pretty extraordinary photos of General Sanders here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/11/britain-must-prepare-for-war-with-russia-next-five-years/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump has called out Vladimir Putin's "bullshit" and appears to be getting ready to back major US sanctions against Russia. Could this be the end of Trump's soft spot for the Russian dictator? Venetia chats to veteran army officer and chemical and nuclear weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon about what might happen next and why we can't trust either Trump or Putin. They also discuss Russia's campaign of chemical weapons in Ukraine, the dangers of not supporting Syria's new Islamist government, and the significance of the new French-British nuclear weapons deal. https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets American President Donald Trump to try to hash out a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, a new Middle East is emerging from the ashes of years of war. Iran's nuclear programme has been bombed, Syria's new leader is re-establishing diplomatic relations with the West, and the Gulf is considering normalising relations with Israel. Roland talks to journalist Adrian Blomfield about how people across the region feel about these tectonic shifts and why Israel is emerging as the winner. Plus, veteran interviewer Mick Brown reflects on the significance of the Dalai Lama's recent announcement on his reincarnation and why Beijing is furious. https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, the Pentagon unveiled a jaw-dropping $47.3 billion plan to supercharge its fleet with 19 brand-new battleships. That's right—nineteen. Up from a paltry five last year. And let's not kid ourselves: this isn't just about flexing maritime muscle, it's a direct message to China—loud and clear.Enter Commander Tom Sharpe, a man who's not only been there and done it, but practically wrote the manual. A retired Royal Navy heavyweight who's commanded four warships and earned an OBE for saving HMS Endurance from a catastrophic flood, Sharpe joins us to tear into what this seismic shift really means.Are we gearing up for World War Sea? Has the age of battleship brinkmanship returned? Expect sharp analysis, no-nonsense truth bombs, and a few jaw-dropping tales from the frontlines of naval warfare.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode, something a bit different: a special dispatch from the Swedish island that has become a Nato bulwark against Russian aggression in the Baltic Sea. Although all troops were removed in 2005, Gotland Island has since been remilitarised and is now home to the Swedish Armed Forces' newest outfit: the Gotland Regiment.The troops are charged with protecting this hugely strategic Baltic outpost from Russia - and they are clear-eyed about the threat Moscow once again poses in northern Europe.Venetia Rainey takes us inside some of Sweden's trademark CV90s, chats to the regiment's commander about the challenges of defending the island, and embeds with elite British paratroopers practicing recapturing the territory from Moscow.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For several weeks, two Chinese aircraft carrier battle groups have been conducting unprecedented drills in the Western Pacific, sailing further from Beijing than ever before.What message is China trying to send to the world and what can we learn about its Navy's capabilities? Venetia chats to RUSI's Philip Shetler‑Jones, who specialises in Indo-Pacific security.Plus, a rare journey through Gaza with UNICEF's chief spokesman James Elder and a look at an explosive story accusing Israeli soldiers of firing on unarmed Gazan civilians at aid sites they describe as "killing fields".https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week in Trumpland: Trump bombed Iran on Saturday, declared its nuclear programme "obliterated" by Sunday, shrugged off Iranian missile strikes on Monday, and by Tuesday had single-handedly forced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel—only for it to nearly collapse hours later. Then, as if that wasn't enough, he turned up at the NATO summit in The Hague and strong-armed allies into a staggering 5% defence spending target, all while barely mentioning Ukraine.Was this the art of the deal or the brink of disaster? Venetia Rainey speaks to Brussels correspondent Joe Barnes for the inside track on NATO, and we ask KT McFarland, former Deputy National Security Advisor, the question gripping America: are we safer today, or just one bad call away from another endless war?https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States has just pulled off one of the most audacious bombing campaigns of the 21st century — attacking Iran's nuclear sites in a stunning show of military might. The Pentagon is calling it a surgical strike. Donald Trump? He's calling it a “obliteration.” Either way, it's one hell of a moment in global history.But this didn't come out of nowhere. This is part of a full-blown war that started just ten days ago, when Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran. Since then, it's been chaos. Missiles flying back and forth, and now — the world's most powerful military dropping bunker-busting bombs with chilling precision. And while Israeli officials are tight-lipped about regime change, Trump certainly isn't. Last night on Truth Social he posted: “If the current Iranian regime is unable to make Iran great again, why wouldn't there be regime change?” Then he added “MIGA” — yes, Make Iran Great Again. Subtle, it is not.To cut through the spin and propaganda, Venetia speaks with Dr Shany Mor a Senior Research Fellow at the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre, Darya Dolzikova from RUSI and co-host Roland Oliphant.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/20/replace-khamenei-leader-of-iran/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/22/trump-stealth-bombers-mission-obliterate-iran-nuclear/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel and Iran are trading missiles. A hospital's been hit. Thirty injured. Israel's fired back — hard — targeting Iran's nuclear sites. Inside Iran? Chaos. Power's out. Hackers hijack state TV, urging revolt. And Donald Trump? He's green-lit Pentagon war plans — but is holding fire. For now.We've got The Telegraph's best on the ground: Sophia Yan in Beirut, Paul Nuki in Tel Aviv, and David Blair in the studio. Lebanon's on edge. Israel's braced. And the big question — will Trump strike? Or let Israel go it alone? The team also debates the broader stakes: Can Israel halt Iran's nuclear ambitions without American help? Could the regime in Tehran collapse? And what happens if Hezbollah stays silent? With so many moving parts, this episode dives deep into the decisions and dangers shaping what may become the defining war of the decade.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a bumper, bonus edition of Battle Lines, we are talking to Iranians themselves, those both inside and outside the country, pro and anti regime, to get a sense of how the nation is responding to these missile strikes, what the war could mean for both the regime and ordinary people, and what comes next.Emotions on the ground and among the diaspora are running high, and the stakes are even higher. Israeli strikes have hit targets across the country, in populated parts of Tehran and other cities. Huge traffic jams have formed as people have tried to flee the capitol. There are petrol shortages and shops are closed. Iran hasn't seen this kind of attack since the war with Iraq in the 1980s.Fereshteh Sadeghi is a freelance Iranian journalist based in Tehran, who considers herself a supporter of the regime. She shares the conversations she's had on the streets of her city about this war. Giving a very different perspective, we hear from Holly Dagres, author of The Iranist, a foreign policy newsletter for Iran watchers.Plus we hear from Ali Vaez, the Iranian born Director of the Iran programme at Crisis Group,who tells us why the diplomacy had fallen apart so suddenly and dramatically, and whether there is any hope it could restart. And author of What Iranians Want, historian Arash Azizi, joins us to attempt to explain exactly that; what do the Iranian people want?https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphanthttps://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's day four of Israel's relentless bombing campaign against Iran, and the death toll is spiralling. Iran says 224 of its citizens are dead. Israel reports 24 lives lost and over 500 injured in a barrage of Iranian retaliatory strikes. And this war is only just getting started. The Israeli airstrikes have gone far beyond nuclear sites. Government buildings, intelligence headquarters, the ministries of justice and foreign affairs—obliterated. Tehran is being shaken to its core. Is this really just about nukes? Or are we watching an attempt to bring the regime to its knees?On the streets of Israel, the mood is grim but defiant. Iranian missiles have struck Tel Aviv and other cities hard. So how much more can Israel's famed Iron Dome take? We speak to The Telegraph's man in Jerusalem, Henry Bodkin, who's been reporting from the sites of the Iranian attacks. His frontline insights give us a chilling look at the damage—and the determination of a country under fire.Then we hear from two men who know what they're talking about. David Albright has spent years analysing Iran's nuclear ambitions. He tells us how close they really are to the bomb—and whether Israeli jets can stop it. And Frank Ledwidge, former intelligence officer and expert on air campaigns, tells us why this war will drag on, and what Israel's real endgame might be. https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was recorded before the strikes on Iran — a major development we'll be discussing in detail in Monday's episode.Los Angeles has descended into chaos. A wave of ICE immigration raids has sparked mass protests, violent clashes with police, and nights of looting, fires, and fear. Now, President Trump has overridden Governor Gavin Newsom using a little-known legal loophole to send in the National Guard — and Marines are on the way.The move has ignited a fierce political battle between California and the White House, raising questions about federal power, state rights, and the limits of presidential authority.The Telegraph's U.S. correspondent Susie Coen has spent the week in LA, documenting the unrest and capturing the mood of a city on the edge. And LA author Ryan Gattis joins us to reflect on how today's turmoil compares to the 1992 riots — and what history tells us about what comes next.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, we confront the brutal realities of two of the world's most controversial flashpoints.First, our man on the ground, Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin, joins Israeli troops in Gaza for a rare and eye-opening embed. He takes us inside the tunnel where Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar was allegedly hiding before an Israeli airstrike on May 13th — one that struck the entrance of the European Hospital, sparking outrage and headlines around the world. We cut through the noise and get straight to what really happened.Then, we turn to the pariah state of North Korea. Despite suffocating sanctions, Pyongyang is now in its strongest strategic position in decades, doubling its nuclear arsenal and quietly amassing the world's fourth largest military. How did that happen — and why isn't the West doing more about it? Our new Asia correspondent Allegra Mendelson explains all.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/08/inside-khan-younis-tunnel-gaza-european-hospital-sinwar/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/08/hamas-last-man-standing-faces-fight-keep-control-gaza/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/07/west-tried-make-north-korea-pariah-but-now-never-stronger/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lord George Robertson, former Nato Secretary General and lead author of the UK's new Strategic Defence Review, talks to Roland about what it will take for Britain to be warfighting ready. His message is a vital clarion call for the British government and general public to wake up to the very real threat posed by Russia and the scale of change that needs to be undertaken: "This is not business as usual."But with President Donald Trump's call for spending 5% of GDP on defence likely to be adopted by Nato later this month, is a commitment of 2.5% and an ambition of 3% by 2034 enough? And are ordinary British people ready for the sacrifices involved in creating a credible deterrence to protect the UK?https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After nearly a year of waiting, the UK's Strategic Defence Review has been published. If that means nothing to you - don't worry, we explain it all on today's show. The SDR was intended to be a root-and-branch review of the UK Armed Forces that would provide a road map to keep the country safe for decades to come - especially in the face of the growing threat of Russia.But already there are questions over funding and how to boost recruitment. Venetia chats to Lord Richard Dannatt, former chief of the army, about what the review is missing, and Alistair Carns, minister for people and veterans at the Ministry of Defence. Plus Roland Oliphant goes through the report's highlights and the outstanding questions. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/02/strategic-defence-review-royal-navy/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/01/strategic-defence-review-lord-robertson-fiona-hill-barrons/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode has it all — political drama, military build-ups, and yes, Elon Musk with a chainsaw.We kick off with Musk's big exit from his headline-hogging political role. He endorsed Trump, handed out millions to get out the vote, ran DOGE and even made time for a little on-stage lumberjacking. But now? He's out. We're playing some of his highlights.Then we're off to Washington, where things are heating up in more serious ways. Fiona Hill, Russia expert and former Trump adviser, gives US reporter Cameron Henderson a rare glimpse into how Putin plays the game — and why a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine still feels a long way off.And if that's not enough international intrigue for you, we're off to Poland, where the country's been rearming at a record pace. Why? Our Berlin correspondent James Rothwell is in Warsaw and will explain all. Plus, Trump's making waves again — this time in Poland's crucial presidential election runoff.Read Cameron Henderson's full interview with Fiona Hill: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/05/25/fiona-hill-interview-trump-terrified-putin-seen-firsthand/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.