Podcasts about Quds Force

For review:1.  Syrian state media reported Wednesday that statements on signing a peace deal with Israel were “premature.”2.   The IDF carried out an airstrike Thursday in the Lebanese village of Sil, near Beirut, targeting an operative for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to the IDF, the target was involved in smuggling weapons and advancing terror plots, acting on behalf of the Quds Force, the IRGC's foreign arm.3.  Iran on Wednesday formally suspended its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog- the International Atomic Energy Agency.  Following a parliament vote on the matter last week, the bill was approved by the Guardian Council, a body tasked with vetting legislation, before it received a final ratification from the presidency. 4. Axios Report: US & Iran to Resume Nuclear Talks in Oslo. There is not yet a final date for the talks in the Norwegian capital. Neither Washington nor Tehran has publicly confirmed the meeting.5. Hostage & Ceasefire Efforts Between Israel and Hamas Advancing.6.  US President Trump said on Thursday that a phone call earlier in the day with Russian President Putin resulted in no progress at all on efforts to end the war in Ukraine. 7. Pentagon Reviews US Military Support to Foreign Countries.  The Trump administration is pausing some weapons shipments to Ukraine, including air defense missiles, following a review of military spending and American support to foreign countries, a senior White House official told CNN. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed off on the review, which the official noted had been underway for months. 8.  The House has passed President Trump's “One Big Beautiful Bill,” sending the bill with $150 billion for defense to the President's desk ahead of his 04 July deadline. 

John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at West Point, joins guest host Casey Kustin, AJC's Chief Impact and Operations Officer, to break down Israel's high-stakes strike on Iran's nuclear infrastructure and the U.S. decision to enter the fight. With Iran's terror proxy network reportedly dismantled and its nuclear program set back by years, Spencer explains how Israel achieved total air superiority, why a wider regional war never materialized, and whether the fragile ceasefire will hold. He also critiques the international media's coverage and warns of the global consequences if Iran's ambitions are left unchecked. Take Action: Take 15 seconds and urge your elected leaders to send a clear, united message: We stand with Israel. Take action now. Resources and Analysis: Israel, Iran, and a Reshaped Middle East: AJC Global Experts on What Comes Next AJC Advocacy Anywhere - U.S. Strikes in Iran and What Comes Next  Iranian Regime's War on America: Four Decades of Targeting U.S. Forces and Citizens AJC Global Forum 2025: John Spencer Breaks Down Israel's War and Media Misinformation Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the Pod:  Latest Episodes:  Iran's Secret Nuclear Program and What Comes Next in the Iranian Regime vs. Israel War Why Israel Had No Choice: Inside the Defensive Strike That Shook Iran's Nuclear Program Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: Casey Kustin:   Hi, I'm Casey Kustin, AJC's Chief Impact and Operations Officer, and I have the pleasure of guest hosting this week's episode. As of the start of this recording on Wednesday, June 25, it's been 13 days since Israel launched precision airstrikes aimed at dismantling the Iranian regime's nuclear infrastructure and degrading its ballistic missile capabilities to help us understand what transpired and where we are now, I'm here with John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point, co-director of the Urban Warfare Project and Executive Director of the Urban Warfare Institute.  John, welcome to People of the Pod. John Spencer:   Hey, Casey, it's good to see you again.  Casey Kustin:   Thanks so much for joining us. John, you described Israel's campaign as one of the most sophisticated preemptive strike campaigns in modern history, and certainly the scope and precision was impressive. What specific operational capabilities enabled Israel to dominate the Iranian airspace so completely? John Spencer:   Yeah, that's a great question, and I do believe it basically rewrote the book, much like after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, where Israel did the unthinkable, the United States military conducted 27 different studies, and it fundamentally changed the way we fight warfare. It's called Air-Land Battle. I think similarly with Operation Rising Lion, just the opening campaign rewrote what we would call, you know, Shock and Awe, Joint Forcible Entry, things like that. And the capabilities that enabled it, of course, were years of planning and preparation. Just the deep intelligence infiltration that Israel did before the first round was dropped. The Mossad agents texting the high command of the IRGC to have a meeting, all of them believing the texts. And it was a meeting about Israel. They all coming together. And then Israel blew up that meeting and killed, you know, in the opening 72 hours, killed over 25 senior commanders, nine nuclear scientists, all of that before the first bomb was dropped.  But even in the opening campaign, Israel put up over 200 aircrafts, almost the entire Israeli air force in the sky over Iran, dominating and immediately achieving what we call air supremacy. Again, through years of work, almost like a science fiction story, infiltrating drone parts and short range missiles into Iran, then having agents put those next to air defense radars and ballistic air defense missile systems. So that as soon as this was about to begin, those drones lost low cost drones and short range missiles attacked Iranian air defense capabilities to give the window for all of the Israeli F-35 Eyes that they've improved for the US military since October 7 and other aircraft.  Doing one of the longest operations, seconded only to one other mission that Israel has done in their history, to do this just paralyzing operation in the opening moment, and then they didn't stop. So it was a combination of the infiltration intelligence, the low-tech, like the drones, high-tech, advanced radar, missiles, things like that. And it was all put together and synchronized, right? So this is the really important thing that people kind of miss in military operations, is how hard it is to synchronize every bit of that, right? So the attack on the generals, the attack on the air defenses, all of that synchronized. Hundreds of assets in a matter of minutes, all working together. There's so much chance for error, but this was perfection. Casey Kustin:   So this wasn't just an operational success, it was really strategic dominance, and given that Iran failed to down a single Israeli Aircraft or cause any significant damage to any of Israel's assets. What does that tell us about the effectiveness of Iran's military capabilities, their Russian built air defenses that they have touted for so long? John Spencer:   Absolutely. And some people say, I over emphasize tactics. But of course, there's some famous sayings about this. At the strategic level, Israel, one, demonstrated their military superiority. A small nation going against a Goliath, a David against a Goliath. It penetrated the Iranian myth of invincibility. And I also failed to mention about how Israel, during this opening of the campaign, weakened Iran's ability to respond. So they targeted ballistic missile launchers and ballistic missile storages, so Iran was really weakened Iran's ability to respond. But you're right, this sent a signal around the Middle East that this paper tiger could be, not just hit, it could be dominated. And from the opening moments of the operation until the ceasefire was agreed to, Israel eventually achieved air supremacy and could dominate the skies, like you said, without losing a single aircraft, with his really historic as well. And hit what they wanted with what they wanted, all the military infrastructure, all the senior leaders. I mean, eventually they assigned a new commander of the IRGC, and Israel found that guy, despite him running around in caves and things.  It definitely had a strategic impact on the signal to the world on Israel's capabilities. And this isn't just about aircraft and airstrikes. Israel's complete dominance of Iran and the weakness, like you said. Although Israel also taught the world back when they responded to Iran's attack in April of last year, and in October of last year, is that you probably shouldn't be buying Russian air defense systems like S-300s. But Iran still, that was the backbone of their air defense capabilities, and Israel showed that that's a really bad idea. Casey Kustin:   You mentioned the component of this that was not just about going after infrastructure sites, but targeting Iranian military leadership and over 20 senior military and nuclear figures, according to public reporting. This was really a central part of this campaign as well. How does this kind of decapitation strategy alter the regime's military capability now, both in this immediate short term, but also in the long term, when you take out that kind of leadership? John Spencer:   Yeah, absolutely. I mean, much like when the United States took out Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Quds Force, who had been decades of leadership of the Quds Force, the terror proxies, which I'm sure we'll talk about, overseeing those to include the ones in Iraq, killing my soldiers. It had a ripple effect that was, it's hard to measure, but that's decades of relationships and leadership, and people following them. So there is that aspect of all of these. Now we know over 25 senior IRGC and Iranian basically leadership, because they killed a police chief in Tehran and others. Yet that, of course, will ripple across.  It paralyzed the leadership in many ways during the operation, which is the psychological element of this, right? The psychological warfare, to do that on the opening day and then keep it up. That no general could trust, much like Hezbollah, like nobody's volunteering to be the next guy, because Israel finds him and kills him. On the nuclear though, right, which all wars the pursuit of political goals. We can never forget what Israel said the political goals were – to roll back Iran's imminent breakout of a nuclear weapon, which would not only serve to destroy Israel, because that's what they said they wanted to do with it, but it also gives a nuclear umbrella, which is what they want, to their exporting of terrorism, and the Ring of Fire, the proxy networks that have all been defanged thanks to Israel. That's the reason they wanted. So in taking out these scientists.So now it's up to 15 named nuclear scientists. On top of the nuclear infrastructure and all the weaponization components. So it's not just about the three nuclear enrichment sites that we all talked about in the news, you know, Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. It's about that complete, decades-long architecture of the scientists, the senior scientists at each of the factories and things like that, that does send about, and I know we're in right now, as we're talking, they're debating about how far the program was set back. It holistically sets back that definitely the timeline.  Just like they destroyed the Tehran clock. I'm sure you've heard this, which was the doomsday clock that Iran had in Tehran, which is the countdown to the destruction of Israel. Israel stopped that clock, both literally and figuratively. Could they find another clock and restart it? Absolutely. But for now, that damage to all those personnel sets everything back. Of course, they'll find new commanders. I argue that you can't find those same level of you know, an Oppenheimer or the Kahn guy in Pakistan. Like some of those guys are irreplaceable. Casey Kustin:   So a hallmark of Israeli defense policy has always been that Israel will take care of itself by itself. It never asks the United States to get involved on its behalf. And before President Trump decided to undertake US strikes, there was considerable public discussion, debate as to whether the US should transfer B2s or 30,000 pound bunker busters to Israel. From purely a military perspective, can you help us understand the calculus that would go into why the US would decide to take the action itself, rather than, say, transfer these assets to Israel to take the action? John Spencer:   Sure. It's a complex political question, but actually, from the military perspective, it's very straightforward. The B2 stealth fire fighter, one of our most advanced, only long range bomber that can do this mission right, safely under radar, all this stuff. Nobody else has it. Nobody else has a pilot that could do it. So you couldn't just loan this to Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East, and let them do the operation. As well as the bomb. This is the only aircraft with the fuselage capable of carrying this side. Even the B-52 stratomaster doesn't have the ability to carry this one, although it can push big things out the back of it. So just from a logistics perspective, it wouldn't work.  And then there's the classification. And there's many issues with, like, the somebody thinking that would have been the easiest, and even if it was possible, there's no way to train an Israeli pilot, all the logistics to it, to do it. The Israel Begin Doctrine about, you know, taking into their own hands like they did in Iraq in 1981 and Syria in 2007, is still in full effect, and was shown to be literally, a part of Israel's survival is this ability to, look, I understand that allies are important. And I argue strongly that Israel can never go at it alone, and we should never want it to. The strength of any nation is its allies.  And the fact that even during this operation, you saw immense amounts of American military resources pushed into the Middle East to help defend Israel and US bases but Patriot systems on the ground before this operation, THAAD systems on the ground before the system. These are the advanced US army air defense systems that can take down ballistic missiles. You had Jordan knocking down drones. You had the new Assad replacement guy, it's complex, agreeing to shoot things down over their airspace. That is part of Israel's strength, is its allies.  I mean, the fact that you have, you know, all the Arab nations that have been helping and defending Israel is, I think, can't be underscored under Israel doesn't, shouldn't need to go it alone, and it will act. And that's the Begin Doctrine like this case. And I do believe that the United States had the only weapon, the only capability to deliver something that the entire world can get behind, which is nuclear proliferation, not, you know, stopping it.  So we don't want a terror regime like the Islamic regime, for so many different reasons, to have a nuclear weapon close to breakout. So United States, even the G7, the United Nations, all agree, like, you can't have a nuclear weapon. So the United States doing that limited strike and midnight hammer, I think, was more than just about capabilities. It was about leadership in saying, look, Iran's double play that the economic sanctions, or whatever, the JCPOA agreement, like all these things, have failed. Conclusively, not just the IAEA statement that they're 20 years that now they're in violation of enrichment to all the different intelligence sources. It was not working. So this operation was vital to Israel's survival, but also vital for the world and that too, really won in this operation. Casey Kustin:   Vital both in this operation, in the defense of Israel, back in April 2024 when Iran was firing missiles and we saw other countries in the region assist in shooting them down. How vital is Israel's integration into CENTCOM to making that all work? John Spencer:   Oh, I mean, it's life saving. And General Carrillo, the CENTCOM Commander, has visited Israel so much in. The last 20 months, you might as well have an apartment in Tel Aviv. It's vital, because, again, Israel is a small nation that does spend exponential amounts of its GDP in its defense. But Iran, you know this, 90 million much greater resources, just with the ballistic missile program. Why that, and why that was so critical to set that back, could overwhelm Israel's air defense systems. Could. There's so much to this, but that coordination. And from a military to military perspective, and this is where I come and get involved, like I know, it's decades long, it's very strong. It's apolitical on purpose. It's hidden. Most people don't know it, but it's vital to the survival of our greatest ally in the Middle East. So it meets American interest, and, of course, meets Israel's interest. Casey Kustin:   Can you help us understand the Iranian response targeting Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, because this seemed like a very deliberate way for the regime to save face and then de-escalate. But if the ceasefire falls apart, what are the vulnerabilities for us, troops and assets in the region. How well positioned are our bases in Qatar, Al Dhafra in the UAE, our naval assets in Bahrain, our bases in Iraq? How well positioned are we to absorb and deter a real retaliatory response? John Spencer:   Yeah, it's a great question. I mean, first and foremost, you know, there is a bit of active defense. So, of course, all of our US bases are heavily defended. A lot of times, you can see things are about to happen, and you can, just like they did, they moved to naval aircraft that would have been even vulnerable in some of these locations, out to sea, so they can't be touched. Heavily defended. But really, active defense is absolutely important, but really deterrence is the greatest protection. So that has to be demonstrated by the capability, right? So the capability to defend, but also the capability to attack and the willingness to use it.  This is why I think that supposedly symbolic to the 14 bunker busters that the United States dropped during Operation Midnight Hammer. Iran sent 14 missiles. President Trump says, thanks for the heads up. You know, all of it was evacuated, very symbolic, clearly, to save face and they had a parade, I guess, to say they won something. It's ludicrous, but sometimes you can't get inside the heads of irrational actors who are just doing things for their own population.  Our bases, the force protection is heavy. I mean, there's never 100% just like we saw with all the air defenses of Israel, still about 5% or if not less, of the ballistic missiles got through one one drone out of 1000 got through. You can never be 100% but it is the deterrence, and I think that's what people miss in this operation. It set a new doctrine for everyone, for the United States, that we will use force with limited objectives, to send an immense amount of strength.  And when somebody says there's a red line now that you should believe that, like if you would have injured a single American in the Middle East, Iran would have felt immense amount of American power against that, and they were very careful not to so clearly, they're deterred. This also sent a new red line for Israel, like Israel will act just like it did in other cases against even Iran, if they start to rebuild the program. War is the pursuit of political objectives, but you always have to look at the strategic on down. Casey Kustin:   On that last point, do you think we have entered a new phase in Israeli military doctrine, where, instead of sort of a more covert shadow war with Iran, we will now see open confrontation going forward, if necessary? John Spencer:   Well, you always hope that it will not be necessary, but absolutely this event will create, creates a new doctrine. You can see, see almost everything since October 7, and really there were just things that were unconceivable. Having studied and talked to Israeil senior leaders from the beginning of this. Everybody thought, if you attacked Hezbollah, Iran, was going to attack and cause immense amounts of destruction in Israel. Even when Israel started this operation, their estimates of what the damage they would incur was immense. And that it didn't is a miracle, but it's a miracle built in alliances and friendships with the United States and capabilities built in Israel.  Of course, Israel has learned a lot since October 7 that will fundamentally change everything about not just the military doctrine, but also intelligence services and many aspects that are still happening as they're fighting, still to this day in Gaza to achieve the realistic, measurable goal there. Yes, it absolutely has set forth that the old ways of doing things are gone, the you know, having these terror armies, the ring of fire that Israel has defanged, if not for Hamas dismantled and destroyed.  It sets a new complete peace in the Middle East. But also a doctrine of, Israel is adapting. I mean, there's still some elements about the reserve forces, the reigning doctrine, that are evolving based on the magnitude of the war since October 7. But absolutely you're right about they will, which has been the doctrine, but now they've demonstrated the capability to do it to any threat, to include the great, you know, myth of Iran. Casey Kustin:   So when you talk about this defanging of the Iranian proxy network obviously, Israel undertook significant operations against Hezbollah. Over the last year, they've been in active conflict with the Houthis. How does this operation now alter the way that Iran interacts with those proxies and its capacity to wage war against Israel through these proxies? John Spencer:   Yeah, cripples it, right? So Iran's nuclear ambition and its terror campaign are literally in ruins right now, both literally and figuratively. Hezbollah was defanged, the leadership, even taking out Nasrallah was believed to have caused catastrophic consequences, and it didn't. So, absolutely for Iran, also during this operation, is sniffing because all of his proxies were silent. I think the Houthis launched two missiles because thanks to Israel and the United States, the Houthi capabilities that should never have been allowed to amass, you know, this pirate terror empire. They didn't make those greatest shore to sea arsenal out of falafels. It got it straight from Iran, and that pipeline has already been cut off, let alone the capabilities.  Same thing with Hezbollah, which relied heavily on pipelines and infrastructure of missiles and everything being fed to it by Iran. That's been cut. The Assad regime being the drug empire, support of Hezbollah to rule basically, in Lebanon, has been cut. Hezbollah couldn't come to the aid of Assad. All of these variables. And of course, Hamas will never be able to do anything again, period. It all causes Iran to have to rethink everything. From, you know, not only their own national defense, right air defense capabilities and all this, but their terror campaign, it isn't just in ruins. There's a new doctrine, like it's not acceptable.  Now, of course, that's going to be hard to fully reign in. You have Shia backed groups in Iraq, you have a lot of bad things going on, but the Quds Force, which is its job, it's all shattered. Of course, they'll try to rebuild it. But the fact that these terror proxies were already so weakened by Israel that they couldn't do anything and remain silent. Hezbollah just was silent basically during this, is very significant to the peace going forward. I mean, there, there's still a lot of war here, but Israel and the United States have rewritten the map of the Middle East. Casey Kustin:   in the hours days that followed the US deciding to engage here. A lot of the conversation focused on the possibility of triggering now broader regional escalation, but we didn't see that, and it sort of shattered that myth that if Israel or the US were to go after Iran, that it would spiral into a broader Middle East conflict. Why did we not see that happen? Why did this remain so controlled? John Spencer:   So many reasons that really go back a few months, if not years? Mean going back to the first the Abraham Accords, President Trump's recent tour of the Gulf states and his story. Turic financial deals Israel's like we talked about with the Arab nations that were part of protecting it, the fact that the so on, that very geopolitical aspect. And we saw Iran turn to Russia, because there's always geopolitical considerations. Iran turned to Russia. Said, you're going to help us out. We signed this security agreement last year. We've been helping you in Ukraine do the awful things you're doing there.  And Russia said, No, that's not what we said. And it called called President Trump. President Trump says, how about you worry about mediating a ceasefire in Ukraine? And well, so they turned to China and the fact that there was nobody again, and that all the work that had been done with all the people that also disagree, nation states like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, all those others. Those are many of the contributing factors.  But war also, I wrote this piece about, this isn't Iraq, this isn't Afghanistan, this isn't Libya. I really hate the lazy comparisons. This was contained and not able to spill out by constant communication from day one of what the goals were. Limited objective to roll back a threat to the world nuclear program and the ballistic program as well. That prevents the ability for even the Islamic regime to say, you know, my survival is at risk, I need to escalate this, right? So, being clear, having strategic clarity from Israel, and when the United States assisted, from the United States. You know, war is a contest of wills, not just between the military is fighting it, but the political element and the population element. So, you know, being able to communicate to the population in Israel and like, what's the goal here? Like, how long are we gonna have to do this? And to the United States. Like, what are our interests? Keeping it the goal limited, which all parties did.  And even, in fact, you had the G7 meeting during this and they signed an agreement, we agree Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That is a big part of how you permit the spill out. But it does have many contextual elements of the broader, this isn't black and white between Israel and Iran. It's much bigger than that. And that, and we saw all that work that has been done to show strength through peace, or peace through strength, in all the forms of national power that have been rallied against what is chaos that the Islamic regime wants in the Middle East. Casey Kustin:   So now that we've had a few days to begin to assess the impact of both the US and the Israeli strikes based on what's publicly available. I think you wrote that the nuclear timeline has been pushed back years. We saw some reporting in the New York Times yesterday saying it's only set back months. It seems this morning, the US is concurring with the Israeli assessment that it's been set back years. A lot of talk about where certain Where did certain stockpiles of enriched uranium, and how confident can we be at this point in any of these assessments? John Spencer:   So yes, as we're talking, people are trying to make it political. This should be a non partisan, non political issue. I'm an objective analyst of war. If you just write down all the things that Israel destroyed, validated by satellite imagery. then the fact that somebody And even the spinning of words where like we saw with that leaked report, which was the preliminary thoughts about something, it isn't comprehensive, right?  So one, BDA has never come that fast. Two, we do know, and Iran has validated, like all these scientists dead, all these generals dead, all these components of the nuclear program, damaged or destroyed. The idea that somebody would say, well, you only set it back a couple months to me, it's just anti-intellectual. Look, Natanz, Esfahan, Fordo, we can debate about how much stuff is inside of that mountain that was destroyed, although 14 of the world's best bunker buster munitions, 30,000 pounds punching through.  I just think, it's not a silly argument, because this is very serious. And yes, there could be, you know, hundreds of pounds of enriched uranium up there, a certain percentage that got floated around. That's not the, the things that set the timeline of breakout. Breakout included all the components of the knowledge and capability to reach breakout and then weaponization of a nuclear bomb. There's nobody, I think, who can comprehensively, without nuancing the words say that Israel wasn't very effective, and the United States assistance in only what the United States could do, at setting this program back and actually stopping the immediate danger. Of course, Iran is still a danger. The program is still a danger, but I just think it's so political that they're trying to say that, well, you only said it back a couple months. That's like, that's ridiculous. Casey Kustin:   So as an objective analyst of war, but also as someone who's really been a voice of moral clarity and has called out the international media over the last 18 months for a lot of this disinformation, misinformation, bias reporting. Before we go, John, what is one consequence of this operation that the international media is just missing? John Spencer:   One is that, I think the international media who are debating whether Iran was literally using an opposing opinion against global thought that Iran was close to a nuclear bomb, they missed that completely and tried to politicize it to where, just giving disinformation agents that tidbit of a headline that they need. I do believe in journalistic standards, fact checking, those elements and holding those people accountable. I live in the world of experts. People on the platform X who think they're experts.  But when you have national media running headlines for sensationalism, for clicks, for you know, struggling for opposition to just political administration, we should learn to really question a single report as valid when there's overwhelming opposition. I don't know how to put that succinctly, but you think we would learn over the last, you know, 20 months of this lies, disinformation, statistical warfare, the things like that that, yeah, it's just crazy that that somebody would think in any way this wasn't an overwhelming success for the world, that this program was set back and a new doctrine for treating the program was established. Casey Kustin:   Finally, John, before we wrap up here, the question on everyone's mind: can the ceasefire really hold? John Spencer:   So, you know, I don't do predictions, because I understand wars uncertainty. It's human. It's political. It looks by all signs, because of how Iran was dominated, and how the United States showed that if it isn't contained, then immense amounts of force and of course, Israel's superiority, I believe that the ceasefire will hold. It was normal. And I made some some posts about the historical examples of wars coming to an end, from the Korean War, to the Yom Kippur war, Bosnia War, where you had this transition period where you're rolling back forces and everything. But the by the fact that Iran has said, Yeah, we agreed. We have stopped our operation. All signs for me are saying that this ceasefire will hold, and now the world's in a better place. Casey Kustin:   John, thank you so much for the insight, for, as I said, your moral clarity that you bring to this conversation. We appreciate you joining us today on People of the Pod. John Spencer:   Thank you so much.   

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comNo listener mail this time. We'll double up on the next Members Only. Just an hour-long conversation about Iran…(Moynihan note upon relisten: Qasem Soleimani was the commander of the Quds Force within the IRGC, not the IRGC itself)

Israel-Iran War - 22 Suspected Spies Arrested In Qomhttps://osazuwaakonedo.news/israel-iran-war-22-suspected-spies-arrested-in-qom/21/06/2025/#World News #Iran #Israel #Putin #Trump ©June 21st, 2025 ®June 21, 2025 2:19 pm 22 persons suspected to be spies have been arrested in the Iranian province of Qom, with an apparent military insider media that operate with a verified X social media handle, Iran Armed Forces stating that the 22 Individuals were linked to Israeli Intelligent Services, and Police authority in Qom according to AFP confirmed the arrest of the 22 persons the police said are Israeli spies, this, Israel Defense Forces, IDF in a statement issued on Saturday morning said that Israeli troops in a precise attack killed the commander of the Palestine Corps of the Quds Force, Saeed Izadi in Qom. #OsazuwaAkonedo

Since Israel launched Operation Rising Lion—a precise and defensive military campaign aimed at preventing the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons—Iran has responded with a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones, indiscriminately targeting Israeli civilians. Dr. Matthew Levitt, director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and a leading expert on Iran's global terror network, explains what's at stake—and what could come next. Take Action: We must stop a regime that vows to murder millions of Israelis from gaining the weapons to do it. Urge your elected leaders to assure that Israel has all the necessary support to end Iran's nuclear threat. Resources and Analysis: Iranian Regime vs. Israel War Explained: What You Should Know AJC Advocacy Anywhere: Israel and Iran: Latest Updates, Global Responses, and the Path Ahead 5 Key Reasons Behind Israel's Defensive Strike on Iran's Imminent Nuclear Threat Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the Pod: Latest Episodes: Why Israel Had No Choice: Inside the Defensive Strike That Shook Iran's Nuclear Program What Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks' State of the Jewish World Teaches Us Today Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: Israel's shadow war with the Iranian regime, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, erupted into open conflict last week following a stunning report from the International Atomic Energy Agency that confirmed Iran was much closer to obtaining nuclear weapons than previously known. Since Israel launched a wave of attacks on nuclear sites and facilities, Iran has fired missiles toward Israel's most populated cities. Joining us to discuss what this all means is one of the foremost experts on Iran and its global threats, and a regular guest when trouble arises with Iran. Dr. Matthew Levitt, director of the Reinhard Counterterrorism Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.  Matt, welcome back to People of the Pod. Matthew Levitt:   It's a pleasure to be back, but I need to come sometime when the world's okay.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   That would be nice. That'd be nice. But what will we talk about? Matthew Levitt:   Yeah, just call me one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, you are one of the foremost experts on the dangers posed by Iran, especially its terror proxies. And you've written the definitive book on Hezbollah, titled Hezbollah: the Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God. And I say that whole title, I want to get in there, because we are talking about global threats here.  Can you explain the scale of Iran's global threat and the critical role that its terror proxies, like Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, play in advancing that strategy? Matthew Levitt:   So I really appreciate the question, because it's really important to remind listeners that the Israel Iran war did not start Thursday night US time, Friday morning, Israel time. In fact, it's just the latest salvo where the Israelis, after years and years and years of Iranian we call it malign activity, but that's too soft a term. We're talking about Iran sending weapons and funds to proxies like Hamas to carry out October 7, like Hezbollah to fire rockets at Israel almost daily for almost a year. Like the Houthis, who were much more than a thorn in the Saudi backside until the Iranians came and gave them more sophisticated capabilities.  We're talking about an Iran that a few years ago decided that instead of making sure that every gun that it sent to the West Bank had to go to Hamas or Islamic Jihad. They decided to just flood the West Bank with guns. Who cares who's shooting at the Israelis so long as somebody is. And an Iran that not only carries out human rights abuses of all kinds at home, but that threatens Israel and its neighbors with drones, low altitude cruise missiles, short range ballistic missiles, and medium and long range ballistic missiles.  And so the totality of this, much like the totality of Hezbollah's striking Israel for almost a year, ultimately led Israel to do what most people thought couldn't be done, and just tear Hezbollah apart, that the Israel war on Hezbollah is the prequel to what we've been seeing over the past few days in Iran. Similarly, for the Israelis, it got to be too much. It wasn't even really that President Trump's 60 days expired and Israel attacked on day 61. It wasn't only that the IAEA came out with a report saying that the Iranians have refused to explain certain activities that can only be explained as nuclear weaponization activities.  It was that the Israelis had information that two things were happening. One, that Iran was working very, very hard to rebuild its capability to manufacture medium, long range ballistic missiles that can hit Israel. After the Israeli reprisal attack last October took out a key component of that program, the mixers that are important for the solid propellant, without which you can't make ballistic missiles. And Iran is believed to have, at least the beginning of this recent round of the conflict –Thursday, Friday–about 2000 such missiles. Far fewer now, the Israelis say they've taken out about a third of them, plus launchers, plus radars, et cetera. But that Iran had a plan within just a few years to develop as many as 8000 of these. And that simply was not tolerable for the Israelis.  And the second is that the Israelis say that they compiled evidence that Iran had a secret, secret nuclear weapons program that had been going on predating October 7, but was fast tracked after October 7, that they were planning to maintain this program, even as they were negotiating over the more overt program with the Trump administration. President Trump has even taken issue with his own Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who testified in March that the US intelligence committee does not assess that Iran is weaponizing. And President says, I don't care what she says, I think they were very close to weaponizing.  The Israelis say they have shared this information at least recently with their US counterparts and that was not tolerable. So the primary goals that Israel has set out for itself with this campaign is beyond the critically important shattering the glass ceiling. Think where people in particular, in Iran thought this would never happen, was two things, one, addressing and significantly degrading and setting back the Iranian ballistic missile production program, and second, doing the same to the nuclear program. They've already carried out strikes at Isfahan, Natanz, even at the upper parts of Fordow. And there is an expectation that the Israelis are going to do something more. The Israeli national security advisor said on Israeli television today, We are not going to stop without addressing the nuclear activities at Fordow. Manya Brachear Pashman:   You know, you called it a prequel, Israel's operations against Hezbollah last year. Did you know that it was a prequel at the time and to what extent did it weaken Iran and leave it more vulnerable in this particular war? Matthew Levitt:   I'm going to be the last person in Washington, D.C. who tells you when he doesn't know. And anybody who tells you they did know is lying to you. None of us saw what Israel did to Hezbollah coming. None of us saw that and said, Oh, they did it to a non-state actor right across their border. So they'll definitely be able to do it to Iran, 1000+ kilometers away, big nation state with massive arsenals and a nuclear program and lots of proxies. One plus one does not equal three in this.  In other words, the fact that Israel developed mind boggling capabilities and incredible intelligence, dominance and then special tools, pagers and walkie talkies, in the case of Hezbollah, did not mean that they were going to be able to do the same vis a vis Iran. And they did. The same type of intelligence dominance, the same type of intelligence, knowing where somebody was at a certain time, that the protocols would be that certain leaders would get in a certain secret bunker once hostilities started, and they'd be able to take them out in that bunker. As they did to a bunch of senior Hezbollah commanders just months ago. Drone operations from within Iran, Iran being hit with missiles that were fired at Iran from within Iran, all of it. One case did not necessarily translate into the other. It is exponentially impressive. And Israel's enemies have to be saying, you know, that the Israelis are just all capable. Now you're absolutely right. You hit the nail on the head on one critical issue. For a very long time, Israel was at least somewhat deterred, I would say very deterred, from targeting Iran. Because Iran had made very, very clear if Israel or the United States or anybody else targeted Iran or its nuclear program, one of the first things that would happen would be that Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel, Iran's first, most important proxy would rain hellfire in Israel in the form of 1000s upon 1000s of rockets. Until Israel addressed the problem, Hezbollah is believed to have had 150 to 200,000 different types of projectiles, up to and including precision guided munitions.  Not only have the overwhelming majority of those been destroyed, Hezbollah still has 1000s of rockets, but Hezbollah leadership has been decimated. There's a new sheriff in town in Lebanon. There's a new government that immediately, when hostility started with Iran's, went to Hezbollah and said, You're not doing this, not dragging Lebanon back into a war that nobody wanted again. We are finally coming out of this economic crisis. And so Iran was faced with a situation where it didn't have Hezbollah to deter Israel.  Israel, you know, paved the way for a highway in the air to Iran, taking out air defense systems. It was able to fly over and through Syria. The Syrians are not shedding any tears as they see the Quds Force and the IRGC getting beaten down after what Iran did in Syria. And the Israelis have air dominance now. President Trump said, We, using the we term, air dominance now, earlier today. And they're able to slowly and methodically continue to target the ballistic missile program. Primarily, the medium and long range missiles that target Israel, but sometimes it's the same production lines that produce the short range missiles that Iran uses to target U.S. Forces in the region, and our allies in the Gulf. So Israel is not just protecting itself, it's protecting the region. And then also taking out key military security intelligence personnel, sometimes taking out one person, then a couple days later, taking out the person who succeeded that person, and then also taking out key scientists who had the know-how to potentially rebuild all the things that Israel is now destroying. Manya Brachear Pashman:   But Israel is also not hearing from the Houthis, is not hearing from Hamas. It's not hearing from other terror proxies either. Very few attacks from Iran's terror proxies in the aftermath of this wave. Why? Why do you think that is? Matthew Levitt:   The crickets are loud. The crickets are loud. Look, we've discussed Hezbollah. Hezbollah understands that if it were to do something, the Israelis will come in even harder and destroy what's left. Hamas is still holding hostages. This is still an open wound, but it doesn't have the capabilities that it once had, and so there have been a couple of short range things that they tried to shoot, but it's not anything that's going to do huge damage, and the Israeli systems can deal with those.  The Houthis did fire something, and it hurt some Palestinians near Hebron. You know, the Houthis and the Iranians in particular, in this conflict have killed Palestinians, and in one case, Syrians. They're continuing to hurt people that are not Israelis. One of the things that I think people are hopeful for is that as Iran tries to sue for peace, and it already is, it's been reaching out to Cyprus to pass messages, etcetera. The hope is that Iran will recognize that it's in a position whereby A) there has to be zero enrichment and the facilities have to be destroyed, whatever's left of them. And B) there's a hope that Israel and the United States together will be able to use this diplomatic moment to truly end the conflict in Gaza and get the hostages home. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, that was what I was going to ask. I mean, if Israel achieves its objectives in this war, primarily eliminating Iran's nuclear threat, how significant a setback would that be for Hamas and Iran's other terror proxies, and could it indeed pave the way for an end of the war in Gaza and the return of the hostages? Matthew Levitt:   Like everybody else, I'm so scarred, I don't want to get my hopes up, but I do see this as a distinct possibility, and here's why. Not Hezbollah, not the Houthis, not Hamas, none of them, and plenty of other proxies that don't start in the letter H, none of them could have been anywhere as capable as they've proven to be, were it not for Iranian money and weapons. Also some training, some intelligence, but primarily money and weapons.  And so Hamas is already on its back foot in this regard. It can still get some money in. It's still being able to make money off of humanitarian aid. Iran is still sending money in through money exchange houses and hawaladars, but not weapons. Their ability to manufacture weapons, their military industrial complex within Gaza, this is destroyed. Hezbollah, we've discussed, discussed, and a lot of their capabilities have been destroyed. And those that remain are largely deterred. The Houthis did shoot up some rockets, and the Israelis did carry out one significant retaliatory attack. But I think people are beginning to see the writing on the wall. The Israelis are kicking the stuffing out of Iran with pinprick attacks that are targeting the worst of the bad guys, including people who have carried out some of the worst human rights transgressions against Iranians. Let's not pretend that this is not affecting the average Iranian. It is. The president says, Everybody get out of Tehran. That's just not possible. People, average Iranians, good people. It must be just an absolute terror.  But Israel's not bombing, you know, apartment buildings, as Iran is doing in Israel, or as Russia is doing in Ukraine. And so it really is a different type of thing. And when the Houthis, when Hamas, when Hezbollah, look at this, you don't you don't poke the tiger when it's angry. I think they also understand now's the time to get into survival mode. What you want is for the regime in Iran not to be destroyed. This is no longer a moment, as it's been since long before October 7, but certainly since then, of how Iran as proxies, export Iran's revolution. This is now a question of how they maintain and preserve the revolution at home. And it's extremely important to the proxies that Iran remain, so that even if it's knocked down over time, hopefully, theoretically, from their perspective, it can regain its footing. It will still have, they hope, its oil and gas, etcetera, and they will get back to a point where they can continue to fund and arm the proxies in. Maybe even prioritize them as it takes them longer to rebuild their ballistic missile, drone, and nuclear programs. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Which is a scary prospect as well to know that terror proxies could be spread throughout the world and empowered even a little bit more. President Trump left the G7 summit a day early to meet with security advisors, and just a few hours ago, prior to this interview, President Trump called for Iran's, quote, unconditional surrender, saying that the US knows where the Supreme Leader is, and some other threatening language. But I mean, this appears to be a kind of a clear commitment to Israel. So I'm curious how you assess his administration's actions before and during the war thus far, and do you see the United States edging toward direct involvement? Matthew Levitt:   All politics is local, and there is a tug of war within the MAGA movement over whether or not the US should be getting involved. Not only in supporting an important ally, but in removing a critical threat. The President is clearly frustrated that Iran was not being more forthcoming in the negotiations. He said many times, we'd offered you a great deal, you should have taken the deal. He's very aware that his deadline ended, and they didn't particularly seem to care. There's also the background that once upon a time, they tried to assassinate him, I think, after the Israelis did what they did, the President appreciates capabilities. He appreciates success. He likes backing the winning horse. And so the New York Times is reporting that after getting off the phone with Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Trump reportedly turned to some aides and said, maybe we need to help him. Now it's not clear that's what's going to happen, and my understanding is that the Israelis have plans of their own for things like the heavily fortified facility at Fordow, which is the most important and highly fortified, protected of the nuclear installations. The Israeli National Security Advisor spoke today and said, you know, we're not going to be done until we do something with Fordow.  The United States can do multiple things only the United States has the MOP: the Massive Ordinance Penetrator, and the airplanes to deliver it, and they could end Fordow if they wanted. Short of that, they could do other things to support Israel. There's been defensive support for the State of Israel already, but there's other things they could do, refueling and other things if they wanted to. And at a minimum, I don't see the president restraining Israel at all. Now, I've heard some people say that so far, the President has fired nothing more than some social media postings, some of them even in all caps.  But the truth is, those do have an effect, and so long as Israel is not restrained. I think the Israelis went into this with a plan. That plan is not necessarily to entirely destroy the entire nuclear program, but if the ballistic missile program and the nuclear program are sufficiently degraded so that it will take them years and a tremendous amount of time and money to rebuild, knowing that Israel has broken the glass ceiling on this idea of targeting Iran, that if the Israelis feel they need to, they will come back. If the Iranians rebuild their air defense systems, the Israelis will address them and create a new highway going if they need to. I think the Israelis are making that clear. Knowing that it's going to be a little bit of a road for Iran, especially when it will have to deal with some domestic issues coming out of this.  Finally, the Israelis have started signaling there's other things they could do. The Israelis have not yet fully targeted oil and gas fields and facilities. For example, they had one set of attacks where they basically knocked at the front door of some of these facilities without walking in the house. That's signaling, and I think it's one of the reasons you're seeing Iran quietly trying to reach out for some type of a ceasefire. Other signaling, for example, is the Israelis deciding to fly all the way to Mashhad, which is in far eastern Iran, to take out an airplane. That airplane was not particularly important. It was the message. There is nowhere in Iran we can't go. It's not a question of distance, it's not a question of refueling, it's not a question of air defense systems. We can do what we need to do. And I think the Iranians understand that now. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So we talked about the commitment to Israel, and how clear, how important it is to clarify that commitment to Israel. How important is it to clarify the United States commitment to Arab partners in the Middle East to help defend them in other words, if this conflict escalates? Matthew Levitt:   This is critically important. You know, one of the individuals who was taken out, for example, was the person who was in charge of the drone attack on the Abqaiq oil facility in Saudi Arabia. If you look, for example, at the Saudi statement condemning the Israeli actions, it was issued by the Foreign Ministry without a single name attached to it. Wasn't issued by the Crown Prince, wasn't issued by the foreign minister. So I think you should expect a whole lot of public criticism. I imagine there's a different conversation going on behind closed doors. It's not necessarily, you know, pom-poming. This makes the Gulf states very, very nervous, in part because they understand that one way Iran could try and get out of this is to expand the conflict.  And that the reason they haven't is because, short of trying to prevent Iranians from taking to the streets and potentially doing something to maybe overthrow the regime, short of that, the number one thing that the Iranian regime is most desperate to avoid is getting the United States involved militarily. And I think the Iranians really understand and the messaging's been clear. If you target US Forces in the region, if you target our allies in the region, we'll get involved. If you don't, then we might not.  Now the President now is talking about potentially doing that, and as a lot of maybe this, maybe that, nothing very clear. I think what is clear is that the Israelis are going to continue doing what they need to do for another one to two weeks. Even going so far as doing something, though they haven't made clear what to address the really complicated problem of the fortified facility at Fordow. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So how important is it for global security if Israel is successful in eliminating the nuclear threat in Iran? Matthew Levitt:   Look, Iran has been the single most destabilizing factor in the region for a long time now. Imagine a region without a destabilizing revolutionary regime in Iran without a regime that is supporting Shia militants in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.  Imagine the Shia militias in Iraq suddenly without a funder and a patron, enabling the Shia government in Iraq to actually be able to take control of the country and establish a monopoly over the use of force. At a time when the Shia militias, because of Iran's backing, are becoming more dangerous and more powerful in Iraq.  Imagine the Lebanese government being able to be more forward leaning in their effort to establish a monopoly over the use of force in that country, reclaim bases that Hezbollah has used for all this time, and establish a new Lebanon that is not beholden to Iran and Hezbollah.  And imagine an Israeli-Palestinian situation where you didn't have Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad as spoilers. Recall that October 7 happened in large part because Hamas and Hezbollah and Iran could not tolerate the prospect of Israeli-Saudi normalization. For most Palestinians, this was great news. The Saudis were demanding real dividends for the Palestinians from the Netanyahu government, which was likely going to do them. This was great for Palestinians, bad for Hamas.  Imagine Hamas no longer getting that support from Iran. Imagine Iran no longer able to send or being interested in sending millions upon millions of dollars to its proxies, and instead spending what money it has on helping its population, instead of cracking down on it with human rights violations. You could have a very, very different region, let alone imagine Iran no longer carrying out acts of terrorism, kidnapping plots, abduction plots of dissidents and Jews and Israelis and others around the world of the type that we've seen throughout Europe and throughout the Middle East and even in the United States over the past few years. Manya Brachear Pashman:   That's quite an imagination you have. But I take your point. Let me ask you this then. Did you ever imagine that Israel would take this dramatic step?  Matthew Levitt:   What the Israelis have achieved, when you are so against the wall and you're forced to come up with solutions, because it's a matter of life or death – you make the impossible possible. And I think that perhaps the Iranians assumed that the Israeli post-October 7 doctrine applied to non-state actors only. And that doctrine is very simple. Israel will no longer allow adversaries who are openly committed to its destruction to build up weapons, arsenals that they can then use at some point to actually try and destroy Israel. They will not allow that to happen.  They allowed it to happen with Hamas. It was a mistake. They allowed it to happen with Hezbollah. It was a mistake that they corrected. And Iran is the biggest, arguably, really, the only existential threat as huge, as a tasking as that was, clearly they invested in doing it. And the question became, not, why can't it be done? What is it that has to be overcome? And I don't think sitting here with you right now, you know, what is it, 3:30 on Tuesday, the 17th, that we've seen the last of the tricks up Israel's sleeve.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   I only have one last question for you, and that is about the United States. The importance of the United States getting directly involved. I mean, we've talked about previously undisclosed nuclear sites, and who knows how many there could be. We're talking about more than what, 600,000 square miles of Iran. If the goal is a non nuclear Iran, can Israel finish this war without the United States, or does it even matter? I mean, is this just a step to force Iran back to the negotiating table with virtually zero leverage? Matthew Levitt:   So look, I don't think the goal here is completely destroying the Iranian nuclear program, or even completely destroying the Iranian ballistic missile program. The goal is to so degrade it that it is set back many, many years, and break that ceiling. People now understand if Israelis need to come back, they're coming back. I think they would like to do as much damage to these destructive programs as possible, of course, and I don't think we've seen the end of it. I think there are more tricks up Israel's sleeve when it comes to some of these complicated problems.  Judged by this yardstick, by the way, the Israeli operation is a tremendous success, tremendous success, even though there have been some significant casualties back in Israel, and even though this has caused tremendous trauma for innocent Iranians who have no love for the regime. This is a situation that the Iranian regime has brought down on all of us.  I do think that the Israelis have made very, very clear that this doesn't end until something is done to further disrupt and dismantle Fordow, which is the most important and the most heavily fortified, underground, under a mountain facility. It's not clear what the Israelis have in mind. It seems they have something in mind of their own. It's clear they would love for the United States to get involved, because the United States could do real damage to that facility and potentially end the Iranian nuclear program. But at the end of the day, if it can't be completely destroyed, I anticipate it's going to be damaged enough to significantly set it back. This phase of the Israel-Iran war, which didn't start last week, is not about pushing them back a week or a month or two months. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, Matt, thank you so much for your wise counsel and perspective on this matter, and yes, hopefully we can have you back another time to talk about peace and love and things that have nothing to do with war and conflict with Iran or its terror proxies. Matthew Levitt:   I would really look forward to prepping for that interview. In the meantime, I want to thank AJC for all the important work it does, and thank you guys for having me on the podcast. Manya Brachear Pashman:   If you missed last week's episodes, be sure to tune in for our crossover episode with Books and Beyond: The Rabbi Sacks Podcast, a podcast of the Rabbi Sacks Legacy, and my conversation with AJC's Jerusalem Director Avital Liebovich. During a special breaking news episode the day after Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, the latest in Israel's ongoing war of self-defense against the Iranian regime.  

With Donald j. Trump two weeks away from returning to the White House, Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) fear that recent setbacks could open a Pandora's box. Israel's puncturing of Swiss cheese-sized holes in the Iran-backed Axis of Resistance has upended the Islamic Republic's forward defence strategy, raised questions about the future of the IRGC's Quds Force, its foreign operations arm, and risks turning Iran into a tradeable geopolitical commodity.

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:   We'll begin with the ongoing internal turmoil gripping Iran, as reports emerge that the head of the IRGC's elite Quds Force has been detained over suspicions of involvement in Israel's infiltration of Hezbollah. Then, Russian President Vladimir Putin is cementing Moscow's close military and economic ties with Iran, meeting with the Islamic regime's new president for the first time Friday, while promising to create a "new world order" of allies to counter the west. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.  Email: PDB@TheFirstTV.com.  Patriot Gold: Call 1-888-870-5457 for a free investor guide. Say Mike Baker sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preview: Comment by colleague David Daoud of FDD re the commander of Iran's Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, who has not been seen in public since a strike in Beirut that decapitated the Hezbollah leadership yet again; and there is speculation that Qaani may have been in the target zone. more later. 1914 Beirut

For review:1. US Navy identifies vessels with faulty welds in Secretary of Navy letter to HASC & SASC. The impacted ships include the aircraft carrier George Washington and the brand-new attack submarines Hyman G. Rickover and New Jersey.2. IDF Combat Data from One Year of War.The Israel Defense Forces on Monday published new data on its operations in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Lebanon.3. Hezbollah Chief Presumed Dead in Beirut Strike.  The chances that Hashem Safieddine  was killed by an Israeli strike in southern Beirut on Friday are increasing, an unnamed official told Sky News Arabia.4. Iran Denies Quds Force Commander in Missing From Beirut Strike. 5. Brasil pauses deal with Elbit Systems (Israel) for 36 x ATMOS 2000 155mm Howitzers- due to Israeli operations in Gaza.6. Netherlands: Ukraine F-16s Can Strike Targets in Russia.Dutch Chief of Defence General Otto Eichelsheim said Dutch leaders had placed no restrictions on how Ukrainian pilots can use them, including striking military targets in Russia.7. Sweden & NATO Operations in 2025.Based upon Swedish Parliament's approval- up to 1,200 ground troops; six warships complete with crew; and a fleet of up to 24 fighter jets — to back NATO deterrence operations in the North Atlantic.8. Lithuania to procure more NASAMS Air Defense systems.This is the Baltic nation's third NASAMS purchase, following acquisitions in 2017 and 2023.9. USAF lists possible basing locations for KC-46A Pegasus Tankers.- Bangor Air National Guard Base in Maine- Forbes Field Air National Guard Base (Topeka) in Kansas- Key Field Air National Guard Base (Meridian) in Missouri- McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base (Knoxville) in Tennessee- Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Ohio- Scott Air Force Base in Illinois- Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base (Birmingham) in Alabama. 

From: January 5, 2022: Two years ago this week, the head of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Qassem Soleimani, was killed in an American strike. At the time, we convened a group of Brookings and Lawfare experts to talk about the potential benefits and risks of the strike, and two years later, we got the gang back together. Benjamin Wittes sat down with Suzanne Maloney, the head of Foreign Policy program at Brookings and an Iran specialist; Dan Byman, terrorism expert, Middle East scholar and Lawfare's foreign policy editor; and Scott R. Anderson, Lawfare senior editor and Brookings fellow, to talk about what two years has wrought. They discussed whether the threat of terrorism and escalation in response to the strike was overstated, if U.S. interests were harmed in Iraq as a result of the strike, and what may have kept the Iranian regime from taking stronger action than it eventually took.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/c/trumptrials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Sherwood interviews General Kenneth F. “Frank” McKenzie Jr., USMC Ret. about his new book The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century.  General McKenzie served as the commander of CENTCOM from March 2019 to April 2022. In that role, he oversaw the 2020 strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the leader of the Iranian Quds Force; and America's final withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.  

Should we worry that the complex dynamics between Israel and Iran might ignite WWIII? Intelligence analyst Ryan McBeth brings us in from Out of the Loop. Welcome to what we're calling our "Out of the Loop" episodes, where we dig a little deeper into fascinating current events that may only register as a blip on the media's news cycle and have conversations with the people who find themselves immersed in them. On This Episode of Out of the Loop: Israel and Iran have been engaged in recent attacks on each other, with Israel striking Iranian officers in Syria, Iran launching drones at Israel, and Israel firing missiles back at Iran. However, neither side seems to want a wider conflict. Iran's military is split between the regular Artesh forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC gets better equipment and training and has a Quds Force that specializes in unconventional warfare. Iran and Israel both lack strong expeditionary capabilities to directly attack each other. Iran's navy is mostly small fast attack boats, while Israel has a defensive-oriented military. Many ordinary Iranian citizens oppose their government and the Ayatollahs. The people should not be conflated with the regime. Iran has a large young population that is quite pro-Western. Overall, a massive conventional war between Israel and Iran remains unlikely due to the geographic and military constraints on both sides, despite the harsh rhetoric. However, proxy conflicts and tit-for-tat strikes may continue. And much more! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/982 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Last month's spectacular terrorist attack on a concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow, which left 144 people dead, was quickly followed by startling news that US intelligence had warned the Russians about the impending assault. When the Kremlin said the warnings hadn't been specific, moreover, US officials pushed back, saying, in effect, “Oh yes they were,” and added details to its rejoinder. Likewise, it turned out that back in January, US intelligence had warned Iran about an impending Islamic State terrorist attack at a gathering to honor its fallen Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani, who had been killed by a US drone strike in Baghdad.  The revelations that our spy services had actually warned two of our greatest mortal enemies astounded many people and triggered a lot of acidic commentary, confusion and the inevitable conspiracy theories on social media. Today's guest, former CIA case officer and base chief Laura Thomas, who held a number of senior intelligence positions during her nearly 16 years of government service, says those actions followed a standard practice in American intelligence. It's called “a duty to warn.” And she's here to explain how that seemingly esoteric, even confounding, practice is not only a staple of the spy world—at least on the American side—but it has some espionage benefits as well. Laura Thomashttps://twitter.com/laurae_thomashttps://www.lauraethomas.com/   Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_spySubscribe to SpyTalk on Substackhttps://www.spytalk.co/Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback.http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 103-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 20,521 on turnover of 8.4-billion N-T. The market staged a technical rebound on Monday following last Wednesday's slump prior to the four-day Tomb Sweeping holiday. However, the gains were capped amid lingering investor concerns over when the U-S Federal Reserve's a rate-cut cycle will kick-in. 42 Buildings Listed as 'Code Red' Damage The National Land Management Agency says 42 buildings suffered severe damage from last week's earthquake. They have been listed as "code red." The agency's "code red" is the highest level of damage. Of the 42 buildings, 32 are in Hualien, two in Taipei, four in New Taipei, and four are in Taoyuan. According to land management agency, 70 buildings have been listed as "code yellow" for secondary damage. That includes 35 in Hualien, 13 in Taipei, seven in New Taipei City, 14 in Taoyuan, and one in Keelung. 690 other buildings don't currently (目前) fall into the color-coded warnings listing. But they are still being checked. UAV Makes 2nd Attempt to Pass Combat Readiness Tests A redesigned version of the locally developed Teng Yun 2 U-A-V has been undergoing (經歷、進行) combat readiness tests. The UAVs failed the tests last year. Sources are being cited as saying the "Cloud Rider 2" combat and reconnaissance drone entered the final testing stage for the second time in mid-March. However, the defense ministry has not released any information concerning when the testing will be completed. Reports have said results from the Teng Yun 2's unsuccessful first attempt to pass the final testing in March of last year indicated that there was "still room for improvement" in the drone's design. Iraq FM Accuses US of Greenlighting Strike on Consulate in Syria Iran's foreign minister has accused the United States of giving Israel the “green light” for a strike on its consulate building in Syria. The strike killed seven Iranian military officials, including two generals. The minister reiterated Tehran's vows that it will respond to the attack, widely blamed on Israel. The attack killed a senior military official in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force. It appeared to signify (表示、象征) an escalation of Israel's targeting of military officials from Iran. And the incident worsened fears of the war spiraling into the rest of the Middle East. The Biden administration has insisted that it had no advance knowledge of the airstrike. Vatican doubles down on opposition to gender theory and sex changes The Vatican has doubled down (堅持) on its opposition to gender theory and sex changes. Giles Gibson has more from Rome. Haiti Recovers Hijacked Cargo Ship Haiti's National Police says it has recovered a hijacked cargo ship laden with (裝滿的) rice following a gun battle with gangs that lasted more than five hours. Authorities said Sunday that two policemen were injured and an undetermined number of gang members killed in the shootout off the coast of the Port-au-Prince capital. Local media reports that the gangs kidnapped everyone aboard the ship and stole some 10,000 sacks of rice out of the 60,000 sacks it was carrying. Saturday's recovery was a rare victory for Haiti's underfunded police department. The department has struggled to stop gang violence following a spate of attacks that began Feb. 29. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

The Israeli airstrike next to Iran's embassy in Damascus on April 1 targeted several high-ranking members of Iran's Quds Force — an elite division of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, which is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization. Among those killed: top IRGC-QF commander in Syria and Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Zahedi. The regime in Tehran has vowed revenge, and Israel is on high-alert for escalation by Iran's proxies on seven possible fronts.To discuss the strategic thinking behind Israel's strike and possible Iranian responses, host Cliff May is joined by FDD experts Behnam Ben Taleblu and Hussain Abdul Hussain. They explain why diplomatic immunity was not in play in Damascus, and revisit Iran's history of not respecting such diplomatic niceties and protocols; analyze reactions from the Biden administration and “international community” — including at the United Nations where the Russian Federation protects and defends Tehran, where Security Council resolutions beneficial to Israel are not enforced, and where“international law” seems to only apply to Israel and the U.S.

The Israeli airstrike next to Iran's embassy in Damascus on April 1 targeted several high-ranking members of Iran's Quds Force — an elite division of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, which is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization. Among those killed: top IRGC-QF commander in Syria and Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Zahedi. The regime in Tehran has vowed revenge, and Israel is on high-alert for escalation by Iran's proxies on seven possible fronts.To discuss the strategic thinking behind Israel's strike and possible Iranian responses, host Cliff May is joined by FDD experts Behnam Ben Taleblu and Hussain Abdul Hussain. They explain why diplomatic immunity was not in play in Damascus, and revisit Iran's history of not respecting such diplomatic niceties and protocols; analyze reactions from the Biden administration and “international community” — including at the United Nations where the Russian Federation protects and defends Tehran, where Security Council resolutions beneficial to Israel are not enforced, and where“international law” seems to only apply to Israel and the U.S.

In this episode, Ignacio Ayala discusses the recent alleged Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria with Middle East and North Africa analyst, Noam Ostfeld. The strike killed three top commanders of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, of the IRGC's Quds Force', a figure responsible for all operations in Syria and Lebanon. This marks a significant escalation in the region, as Israel had previously targeted lower-level IRGC personnel to disrupt Iran's support to its proxies. The episode delves into the potential repercussions of the strike, including Iran's vow to retaliate, concerns for Israeli assets and individuals, and the possibility of heightened tensions with Hezbollah along Israel's northern border.    Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sibyllic Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sibyllineltd/?hl=en Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sibylline-ltd/ Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sibyllineTV For more information visit our website: www.sibylline.co.uk E-mail us at: info@sibylline.co.uk  

Seven aid workers in Gaza have been killed in an Israeli air strike. The US based-charity World Central Kitchen and other aid groups will suspend their operations. Also in the programme: Iran has vowed to avenge the killing of one of the senior commanders of its elite Quds Force in Damascus; and French theatre-goers speak up after an actress is accused of mumbling. (Photo: Seven aid workers killed as missile strike hits World Central Kitchen convoy in Deir al Balah - 02 Apr 2024. MOHAMMED SABER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

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. Today is day 173 of the war with Hamas. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. A 25-year-old man has been declared dead after being pulled out of a building struck by a Hezbollah rocket in Kiryat Shmona's industrial zone after yesterday, the IDF conducted its deepest strike in Lebanon amid the Israel-Hamas war, some 110 kilometers from Israel's border. Fabian gives updates. The Israeli Air Force also carried out airstrikes in the predawn hours of Tuesday morning in eastern Syria, targeting Iranian assets and operatives involved in a recent plot to smuggle advanced arms to West Bank terrorists. We learn how members of Iran's Unit 4000, the Special Operations Division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' Intelligence Organization, and the special operations unit of the IRGC's Quds Force in Syria, known as Unit 18840, were eliminated. The Palestinian death toll in routine overnight clashes with Israeli forces in Jenin has risen to three. Fabian weighs in on how the operations in the West Banks have shifted since the beginning of Operation Breaking the Wave two years ago. This morning the IDF said its raid on Gaza City's Shifa Hospital is ongoing, with the military saying troops killed dozens of gunmen and captured weapons over the past day. Yesterday, the IDF released video footage of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives detailing how the terror groups used the hospital as a base for terror operations. What else does the IDF hope to learn? The Israel Defense Forces' top spokesman on Tuesday confirmed that the deputy commander of Hamas's military wing, Marwan Issa, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the central Gaza Strip earlier this month. What do we know about the power structure of Hamas now? For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog March 26, 2024 IDF strikes Hezbollah deep in Lebanon after missile fire on base, border community IDF strikes Iran-linked operatives, assets in eastern Syria; more than 15 said killed In interrogations, Hamas, PIJ operatives describe using Shifa hospital as terror hub IDF confirms Marwan Issa, Hamas's No. 3, was killed in central Gaza strike THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown 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 forces check a building that was hit by a Hezbollah rocket in Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel near the Lebanon border, on March 27, 2024. (Jalaa MAREY / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week President Biden re-designated Yemen's Houthis as a global terrorist group amid its increasing attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, the Hezbollah terror group continues to threaten Israel's northern border, and the Israel-Hamas war continues as Hamas still holds more than 100 Israeli hostages taken on 10/7. Matthew Levitt, Fromer-Wexler Fellow & Director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute, joins us to help make sense of the renewed terror threat, how these terror groups are coordinating their strategy and attacks, and what the U.S., Israel, and its allies are doing to fight back against Iran and its terror proxies. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Matthew Levitt Show Notes: Learn: 5 Things to Know About the Houthis, Their Attacks on Israel and the U.S., and Their Treatment of Yemen's Jews Listen – People of the Pod on the Israel-Hamas War: Unpacking South Africa's Baseless Genocide Charge Against Israel Countering the Denial and Distortion of the 10/7 Hamas Attack 4-Year-Old Hostage Abigail Idan is Free–Her Family is On a Mission to #BringThemAllHome What Would You Do If Your Son Was Kidnapped by Hamas? Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Transcript of Interview with Matthew Levitt: Manya Brachear Pashman:   This week the US military struck a Houthi arsenal in Yemen that had threatened US Navy vessels in the Red Sea. It was America's fourth strike on Houthi turf since November 19. Meanwhile, the Hezbollah terror group continues to violate a UN Security Resolution and threaten Israel's border, and Hamas still holds more than 100 Israeli hostages taken during the October 7th invasion and massacre.  What do all these terror groups have in common? Returning here to discuss is Matthew Levitt, the Fromer-Wexler Fellow & Director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute.  Matt, welcome back to People of the Pod. Matthew Levitt:   Thank you so much for having me. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So let's start with the terror group making the latest headlines. The Houthis? Who are they and why has the Biden administration just re-designated them a terrorist organization? Matthew Levitt:   So the Houthis are a separatist group in Yemen, based in the north of the country. They are Shia, and they get support from Iran. But they're not exactly the same kind of Shia as Iran. And they aren't exactly the kind of proxy that says jump when Iran says how high.  This is a relationship of convenience and my enemy's enemy. And they both hate the United States and the west and hate Israel. And the Houthis have been for years an ineffective, and for the Iranians an inexpensive and risk free way to complicate things for the Saudis. So for years, the Houthis were shooting at the Saudis when the Saudis were involved in the Yemeni war, after the Houthis had taken over.  And that's one of the reasons why things are a little sensitive right now, because there have been efforts to try and negotiate a ceasefire between the Houthis and the Saudis. The Saudis aren't happy with what the Houthis are doing right now in the Red Sea. But they also don't want to rock the boat.  The Houthis have as part of their mantra printed on their flag, Death to Israel, Death to America, Death to Jews, all three, they're not particularly, you know, unclear. And so they have flown drones towards Israel that have been shot down, they have fired ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which have been shut down by US Navy vessels, at least one was shut down by the Saudis. Just pause to think about that for a minute. The Saudis weren't thinking this was aimed at them, the Saudis shut down a Houthi missile aimed at Israel, which suggests that the Israel-Saudi reconciliation track, while very much on pause, is not over. And the Israelis have shot down some including for the first time ever using the arrow anti-missile system, which shot down a ballistic missile in lower outer space.  Now, the Houthis have tried to leverage their position geographically by targeting ships in the Red Sea. They claim that they are targeting only those ships that are owned in whole or in part by Israel or have serviced Israeli ports. They've hit some American ships as well. They're clearly getting intelligence from the Iranians on this. And it has disruptive international freedom of navigation.  And you have now a new problem in terms of getting things where we need them to be to stock our shelves, because boats that would normally go up the Red Sea and through the canal are now going around South Africa. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And this volatility on the part of the Houthis is also compounded by what's going on with Hamas, and also Hezbollah. Is Iran the common denominator here, Matt? I mean, is that what all these terror groups have in common, or is there much more? Matthew Levitt:   So it's true, the Houthis claimed that what they're doing is in support of the Palestinians. But what we are seeing for the first time put into action is the strategy that was developed by the late Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Quds Force, who was killed in Iraq several years ago. And that strategy was what he called uniting the fronts. And so this idea that across the spectrum, and it really is a spectrum of proxy, activity of sponsorship.  Hezbollah is at one end very, very close to Iran, the Houthis, I would argue, are at the other end, and Hamas is kind of somewhere in between. Getting them all to be able to coordinate their activities, when push comes to shove. Now, Hamas for its part is very happy with the Houthis. They're quite disappointed with Hezbollah.  There are reports in the Arabic press, that Hamas expected that Hezbollah would get much more involved and Hezbollah didn't when they saw the US naval presence, you know, two aircraft carriers. Whatever the specifics, Hamas have been very vocal about how displeased they are with the level of support they're getting from Hezbollah, though that has been significant. And they're pretty pleased with the support they're getting from the Houthis, which is outsized what might have otherwise been expected from the Houthis. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So the alignment of these groups with Iran, what exactly does that mean? Does that mean that Iran is pulling the strings? Are they funding the activities? All of the above? I mean, you mentioned the goal of coordinating all these proxies, but does coordinating go as far as collaborating? Matthew Levitt:   So I don't want to get into a semantic discussion of what exactly is the difference between collaborating and coordinating. I think what's important to understand here is that it's not like in the movies, where everybody's getting together at a meeting with evil laughs, coordinating all that they're doing. There have been some meetings, we know that for at least the past few years. Iranian Quds Force, Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad had been meeting at what they call, their term not mine, a joint operations room in Beirut. What all is coordinated is not entirely clear. You've had Iranian and some Shia militants from Iraq, the Ḥashd ash-Shaʿbī making statements recently about how, you know, generally things are coordinated right now.  Frankly, the level of coordination took a hit with the assassination of Qasem Soleimani. And there was no one with the gravitas to kind of bring all these proxies together. So they actually leaned on Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary General of Lebanese Hezbollah to come in and serve that role not only kind of mediating between the various Iraqi Shia militant groups, but also the others, the Hamas is that Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Houthis. So they're not all sitting around a big conference table. And you'll do this and you'll do this, but they're all getting support–financial and often weapons from Iran. There is some significant cross pollination in some personalities.  So for example, for the first time this week I've seen in the open source, Israelis say that the head of the Redwan special forces unit in southern Lebanon that has been firing anti tank guided missiles into Israel multiple times a day is a guy known as Abu ‘Ali Al- Tabataba'i. He was in southern Lebanon for many years. Then he was sent to Syria, where he worked with Iraqi Shia militants and Quds Force. Then he was moved from there to Yemen, where Hezbollah had a very, very small contingent, maybe a couple of dozen.  But the fact that they sent someone that senior was telling. I actually wrote a piece of Foreign Affairs about this years ago, when it came out that he was sent to Yemen. He was designated by the US Treasury, there's a Rewards for Justice from the State Department to reward out for his head. Well, he now is back from Yemen, got a promotion and is the overall head of the Redwan unit. And he has at this point, all kinds of personal relationships.  And so there's a little bit of cross pollination, you might talk about the people you know, from back when you went to college together. And back in the day the Al Qaeda would talk, did you go to the duranta camp in Afghanistan? Do you remember that trainer? Well, now there's a similar thing going on in the Shia extremists milieu? Did you go to the camps together? Were you in Iran at the same time, or Iraq or Lebanon at the same time? Which trainer did you have, who did they send to you? And so there is coordination happening, but I don't think it's Houthis. Sometime this morning, you're going to be targeting a ship.  On the flip side, there is some open source information about ships that you can find and their ownership. But it's clear that the Iranians are also providing them information that is not public. And they're also clearly working with Hezbollah. If you go back to October 7 itself, the plotline of October 7, fire a bunch of missiles under that cover, infiltrate across the border, take as many civilian communities as possible, kill a bunch of people, kidnap others across the border.  That was the Hezbollah plan that the IDF Northern Command was preparing and training to deal with for years. And it was Hamas who used it, so you can see some of that connectivity. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Ah, exchanges of strategy. Matthew Levitt:   Strategy and more. It's not every tactic. It's not every every instance, but there is certainly overall strategy that they're coordinating. There certainly is communication. There certainly is movement of funds and of weapons. And, and this is the first time we're seeing that type of coordinated effort involving militants from Iraq, Iranian assets in Syria. You know, at one point, the Iranians flew a drone and crashed it into a school and a lot. The drone flew down. Jordan didn't cross into Israel until the very end went into a lot. It was a school where children evacuated from communities in the south, are being educated. I don't know if it's luck. I think it is. I don't think the Iranians had intelligence to know exactly what time class got out. But it was, you know, a couple of hours after class got out could have been much, much worse. And even just today, there are reports of things being shot towards Israel, around the Red Sea. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So are we at risk of a wider war? Or does anything stand in the way of that? Matthew Levitt:   Yes. We really are at the brink of a regional war. And I see a lot of people, a lot of press saying that Israel has done something which brings us to the brink of a regional war. And I challenge that Israel is responding to not only the attack on October 7, but to all kinds of attacks. Still, the United States also is not bringing the region to the brink of war, when United Kingdom strike Houthi assets in an effort to prevent them from being able or to deter them from carrying out attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. Ultimately, this really comes down to how far do Iran and its spectrum of proxies want to push the envelope.  I think at the end of the day, they're actually quite happy with what's going on. So long as the fighting in the Gaza Strip continues, I think they feel justified in saying this can go on. They have said, Hezbollah and others have said, that this can stop when the fighting of the Gaza Strip stops. Whether that is what they actually mean or not is something only time will tell. But I think at the end of the day, the decision about whether or not this spills into a broader regional war doesn't rest with Israel or the United States or the United Kingdom, those that are responding to the aggression.  But it's the aggressors. How far does Hezbollah want to push this? For a long time, Hezbollah was only hitting military targets in the north and now they're selectively hitting some civilian targets. Killed a mother and her son in their home in northern Israel just a few days ago. Generally, they're still hitting military targets but it's escalating a little bit in response to the Israeli assassination of Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri, which was a big deal because they killed him in Hezbollah stronghold.  They hit some pretty significant Israeli military targets, a radar installation on the Hermon mountains and Northern Command Headquarters near Safed.  Those appear to be one offs. Do the Shia militias do something more? Do Iranian assets in Syria try and infiltrate more drones or rockets? Do the Houthis get lucky and hit something particularly big and bark something more. There's lots of ways for this to unintentionally, to escalate. But I do think that all parties right now don't want a regional war.  That said, Hezbollah, Iran, the Houthis, the Shia militias in Iraq, certainly Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, some of the groups that we're seeing very active in the West Bank right now are quite happy to see this level of pressure on Israel and starting the first of what I think they want to be a trend, of these types of coordinated assaults.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So why don't they want a wider war? What is their goal? Matthew Levitt:   They all have as part of their goal, their raison d'etre, destroying Israel, kicking the United States out of the region, undermining Western powers in the region, etc. But they all also understand that you go too far, and you open up this to a much broader conflict. The United States has barely gotten involved. They've done a few very, very small things in Yemen. They have been very supportive to Israel's effort to defend itself. While the US has sent significant forces to the region, they have not done anything, for example, regarding Hezbollah in Lebanon. They've not done anything in terms of the Hashed al-Shaabi in Iraq attacking Israel, though they have responded very, very, very few times, I might add, to the significant number of times Iraqi Shia militants have struck at US military targets in Iraq and Syria. They understand that this could get much bigger. And ultimately, Iran understands that if things escalate too much, that the fight is going to come to Iran. And it won't stop.  They also really don't want Hezbollah in particular, to go too far in the moment. Because all those rockets that the Iranians have provided to Hezbollah in violation of UN Security Council resolution 1701, since the 2006 war, they're not there primarily for this. They're there to deter Israel and anybody else from attacking Iran's nuclear program, which by the way, the Iranians have been pushing the envelope on throughout this period of conflict since October 7.  And if anybody should attack Iran or its nuclear program, this is seen as Iran's best second strike capability. It's why Hezbollah has basically not fired almost anything other than the Kornet anti tank guided missiles, fired a couple of other short range things. But none of the precision guided missiles under the longer range missiles, that's all, but that powder is dry. That's all for now. And I think Iran doesn't want those spent right now, and also doesn't want these to escalate to the point where the Israelis go ahead and try and take them out under the cover, or in the context of this current conflict.  So there's a strategic set of goals and they believe in, you know, the concept of muqawima, of resistance. There's this idea of muqawima patience, right? This, from their perspective is what God wants, it will eventually happen.  This past three months, this is a huge step on the road to resistance victory. This is a huge success in terms of galvanizing multiple forces to unite the fronts. Doesn't all have to happen right now. But they believe that this is very much a sign that they're on the right path, and it's a step in what they would consider to be the right direction. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, Matt, thank you so much. I appreciate you explaining who these terror groups actually are and helping our listeners better understand the headlines.  Matthew Levitt:   It's always a pleasure. Thanks so much for having me. And if you want more, there's plenty more at WashingtonInstitute.org. Thank you for the work you're doing and for having me on the show.

At least 100 people have been killed by two bomb explosions near the tomb of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on the fourth anniversary of his assassination by the US, Iran's state media report.State broadcaster Irib said another 171 people were wounded when the blasts hit a procession in the southern city of Kerman. A video circulated online appeared to show several bodies on a road. We'll get the latest.Also in the programme: Hamas tells us that there will be consequences after the killing of one of its leaders in Lebanon - Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvementl and as a teenage sensation blazes his way through to the final of the World Darts Championship, what does the success of the sport tell us about modern Britain?(File photo of an Iranian holding a picture of late General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, who was killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, as people gather to mourn him in Tehran, Iran on 4 January 2020. Credit: Nazanin Tabatabaee/West Asia News Agency via Reuters)

[This blog will always be free to read, but it's also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com.]Friends, as I write this, the country is savoring every second of these last 72 hours of the traditional holiday break. The next twelve months are widely expected to be history-shaping and globally pivotal on an unprecedented level. How tired have y'all become of hearing that? The same thing, more or less, has been said about each of the past four years, and yet: it's been no less true each time. (Some might argue that could be said for the past seven years, and I wouldn't be inclined to disagree.)When I was much younger, the new year didn't really get kicked up until a few weeks into January; current events had the decency to wait until we had a cup of coffee and caught a few NFL playoff games. Recent history has blown that typically reasonable expectation into oblivion. There's no longer a guarantee of entering the shallow end, down some friendly steps, and working our way to the deep end. Now, each year, we're all marched straight to the high dive and can only hope for a relatively peaceful splash into the depths below.Just as an example:Four years ago, on New Year's Eve, in the early hours of the morning, Reuters first reported on a mysterious, viral pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, a major city in central China. Outside of a relatively small group of infectious disease experts and national security practitioners, few were paying attention, partly because we had other worries.Because on the evening of January 2nd, news came that Trump had ordered the successful assassination of Qasem Soleimani, who was then the commander of the Quds Force in Iran and considered the most powerful person in the country outside of Ayatollah Khamenei. For a few days there, you'd be forgiven for believing that 2020 would be defined by a regional conflict—perhaps even a world war—instigated by the United States and Iran, and… well… that fear was very misplaced. We were about to fight a very different war against an enemy invisible to the naked eye, and meanwhile, in the midst of that: grappling with the horrific consequences of white supremacy after the murder of George Floyd.I would like to believe that the big surprise of 2024 will be that it's relatively smooth, and yet, that would be quite foolish, no? It's gonna be a rough year, folks. We're gonna learn a lot about ourselves and our collective future. I have guarded optimism that we'll get through it, but it sure as hell ain't gonna be painless. Okay, that's the chaos bit. Let's get to the gratitude. Two and a half years ago, I left a nice communications job to start this blog and make a full-court push to achieve my dream of being a writer for a living. So many of you were there at the very start, immediately becoming paid subscribers and allowing me to take care of my bills by writing whatever I want.I am immensely grateful to all of you for the support. I can't begin to adequately explain how life-changing it's been to be a writer on my own terms, without worrying about how I'm gonna make my rent. And that is solely because of y'all.This year, Charlotte's Web Thoughts was named a finalist for Outstanding Blog at the GLAAD Media Awards and a finalist for Best Blog at the Shorty Awards. It's been cited or referenced in various national outlets and motivated some substantial radio and television hits across the calendar.It was a big factor at the end of this summer when I became the first openly-transgender person elected to the Council on Foreign Relations as a term member in its 102-year history. Having the freedom to write about foreign policy (among my many other topics) with a large platform, bypassing traditional outlets, was essential for that.Seriously, I'm grateful to y'all. Here are ten standout pieces from the dozens I wrote this year that make me particularly proud: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Announces a Ban on Pink Floyd” (January 27th)As DeSantis kept escalating his attacks against LGBTQ people, including an unwise and ill-fated war with Disney, I kept wondering to myself: why aren't journalists doing more to call this out for what it is? I sat down and wrote this satirical piece about a fictional press conference in which DeSantis announces a ban on Pink Floyd because of their rainbow logo. My hand to god, I initially thought it was way too blunt, not subtle enough. I was very wrong. The piece went viral as many folks, including a number of journalists, readily believed it. Snopes even wrote an article on it. “It's Time to Ban Cis People From Owning Guns” (March 30th)In March, a transgender man murdered three children and three adults in a mass shooting at a private elementary school in Nashville. Police arrived on the scene and killed the piece-of-s**t before he could murder other innocents. In the wake of the tragedy, social conservatives attempted to exploit it as a vehicle for their transphobic propaganda. So, I wrote this viral piece pointing out that cis people are many times more likely to be mass shooters, and therefore, wouldn't it make sense to ban cis people from owning firearms? I also appeared on MSNBC to chat about it with Joy Ann-Reid and Georgetown's Rev. Jim Wallis (full segment is in that link). Interestingly, the day after that appearance, far-right media were furious with me, not for my tongue-in-cheek argument to ban cis people from owning guns but because I referred to God with “she/her” pronouns during the segment. For real. That then led to this hilarious exchange with far-right reporter Tyler O'Neil, who reached out on LinkedIn, incredulous and apparently oblivious. And after that went viral, Fox News reached out asking me to publicly clarify that O'Neil no longer works for them.“Kid Rock Doesn't Know How to Shoot Straight” (April 4th)In the spring, social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who is a trans woman, was invited by Budweiser to collaborate on a cute Instagram project in which her likeness was printed on a few of their beer cans. Pretty uneventful… until the far-right launched a boycott over it. Kid Rock, a rich kid from Michigan who cosplays as trailer trash, then posted a video in which he (very poorly) shot at Bud Light beer cans in protest. So, wanting to be helpful, I wrote this viral essay of advice for him on how to shoot accurately and pointed out his long history of being a redneck poser.“Why I Declined $10,000 to Debate Michael Knowles” (April 10th)This one is technically cheating. It's not an essay. It's two screenshots of two emails.Earlier this year, far-right extremist Michael Knowles called for the “eradication” of trans ideology, which, in effect, was calling for the eradication of trans people. Openly genocidal language. Knowles, through a conservative campus group, reached out to offer me $10,000 to debate him at the University of Pittsburgh about the validity of trans people.And look, $10,000 is a lot of money to me. It would have paid off my car and provided several months of rent. But rejecting the offer was an easy decision. Within an hour, I had written back a long email response and then decided to post it, which went viral.I then took part in a segment on the incident for CNN put together quite fairly and professionally by journalist Elle Reeves.“What Target Needs to Understand” (May 15th)Unfortunately, the conservative boycott against Anheuser-Busch (the parent company of Budweiser) over Dylan Mulvaney gathered steam and scared other corporations into folding against anti-LGBTQ extremism. In May, Target announced they would be removing some items from their celebrated Pride Month collection after receiving violent threats. I wrote this essay explaining to corporate marketing executives that giving into these extremists would only exacerbate their revenue losses for a simple reason: anti-LGBTQ a******s aren't looking for tangible results. The whole point is to be angry. They crave outrage. The essay went viral—particularly on LinkedIn—and was adapted as an op-ed for Newsweek.“To the Man on the Northeast Regional” (May 30th)In late May, I had a really bad interaction with a transphobic Christian man on an Amtrak ride, and instead of getting angry over it, I decided to approach the man and talk about God after recognizing that he was clearly not in a great place. When I got home, I wrote an open letter to the man—whose name I don't know—to reclaim what would otherwise have been a not-so-great memory. This essay resonated with a lot of folks, and out of all the things I've written this year, it's proven to be one of the most popular pieces I've produced. Seven months later, I still get emails from strangers who have read it. “When Lance Armstrong Speaks, Why Does Anyone Listen?” (June 26th)This summer, Lance Armstrong, the most infamous cheater in the history of sports, decided to team up with chronic liar and hypocrite Caitlyn Jenner in an interview that took dead aim at trans kid in sports. In a way, writing this kinda felt shooting fish in a barrel. Contextualizing Armstrong's jaw-dropping history of cheating and Jenner's shameless flip-flopping on this issue was quite easy. But much more difficult was getting across the urgency of what's happening in American media on trans rights: the vacuum created by lazy and uncaring journalists has permitted charlatans like Armstrong and Jenner to fill that void with vile disinformation.“Please Read About Hitler Before Quoting Him” (July 10th)Months before one of the co-founders of extremist group Moms for Liberty was implicated in a sex scandal, I wrote this essay contextualizing the organization's many ties to white supremacist organizations and their boneheaded use of quotes by Hitler, Stalin, and Mao in anti-LGBTQ propaganda. I was surprised by just how many folks didn't know about the group's history, which is probably why this went viral.“What ‘Small Town' Actually Means” (July 26th)Country music star Jason Aldean is one of these redneck cosplayers who tries to exploit conservative outrage to sell his music. He released a song about small towns that basically winked at white supremacists. This is all the more hilarious when you learn that Aldean not only didn't come from a small town but has never lived in one. It gets funnier: Aldean is a prep school kid who was raised in a big city and used Canadian stock footage for his music video about American small towns. Pretty embarrassing.“When Both Silence and Statement Become Complicity” (Oct. 23rd)After the terrorist attack against innocent civilians in Israel on Oct. 7th, I was honestly lost. I wanted to be helpful to my Jewish and Muslim friends who were suffering and speak up against all forms of hatred, but what could I say that wouldn't give the impression I was taking sides? It felt impossible. And then one night, while taking a shower, it hit me: just be completely honest about all of it. I stayed up all night writing. The resulting essay is one of the best things I've ever written, and I'm quite proud of it. It was a timely reminder for myself on the responsibility I have with a large platform, and it made me less fearful to say hard truths.I have spent much of this year wondering about my next chapter. In February, I got an offer to lead a small nonprofit as its executive director, but I knew I would probably have to stop writing in order to take it. I wasn't ready for that. At the time, it was a hard choice, but in the many months since, it's a decision that's aged well. I don't know what I'll do next. Sometimes, I think it would be pretty amazing to be a columnist at The New York Times or The Washington Post. I've thought a few times about running for office, but I've never been fully confident I'm the best person for the job. Maybe leading an organization is my future calling. What I do know is that I am enormously fortunate to do what I do for a living, and for the time being, I am very happy writing this blog. I'm grateful. And I intend to enjoy this season in my life as much as possible, doing what I love, and using it to help others.Again, I can't thank you all enough for subscribing to my little blog and allowing me to do this work with your financial support. Sometimes, I have to pinch myself to confirm its real. I wish you all a Happy New Year, and may the next twelve months be far more peaceful than what we're probably expecting.And yes, I would love for you to buy me coffee.

3 IDF soldiers killed in Gaza Strip. In north, several interceptions in rocket barrage from Lebanon, no injuries. Hamas denies Iran's claim that October 7th attack was revenge for assassination of Quds Force commander  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teaching AI to misbehave. Ransomware's effect on healthcare downtime. Two reports on the state of cybersecurity in the financial services sector. Possible connections between Hamas and Quds Force. Ukrainian cyber authorities report a rise in privateering Smokeloader attacks. Russian hacktivist auxiliaries strike Czech targets. My conversation with Sherrod DeGrippo, host of The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast. Jay Bhalodia from Microsoft Federal shares insights on multi-cloud security. And Winter Vivern exploits a mail service 0-day. For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news briefing: https://thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/12/204 Selected reading. AI vs. human deceit: Unravelling the new age of phishing tactics (Security Intelligence) Ransomware attacks on US healthcare organizations cost $20.8bn in 2020 (Comparitech)  Cyberattack at 5 southwestern Ontario hospitals leaves patients awaiting care (CBC News)  State of Security for Financial Services (Swimlane) Veracode Reveals Automation and Training Are Key Drivers of Software Security for Financial Services (Business Wire) Hamas' online infrastructure reveals ties to Iran APT, researchers say (CSO Online)  Hamas Application Infrastructure Reveals Possible Overlap With TAG-63 and Iranian Threat Activity | Recorded Future (Recorded Future) Ukraine cyber officials warn of a ‘surge' in Smokeloader attacks on financial, government entities (Record)  Bloomberg: Russia steps up cyberattacks to disrupt Ukraine's key services (Euromaidan)  Pro-Russia group behind today's mass cyberattack against Czech institutions (Expats.cz) Winter Vivern exploits zero-day vulnerability in Roundcube Webmail servers (We Live Security) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is presented by Carolina Readiness Supply – The New York Times reports that the leader of Iran's Quds Force "repeatedly traveled to Lebanon for covert sessions with leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah" over the past year. Get exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The legacy of Qassem Soleimani, the legendary commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Al Quds Force, continues to reverberate across the region, says his biographer Arash Azizi. He has left a vacuum that has yet to be filled.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Israel uncovers attempts by Iran's Quds Force to recruit Palestinians for terror activity against Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu's corruption trial resumes. Son of deposed Iranian Shah to attend official Holocaust remembrance commemorations during Israel visit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde discussed the role of spyware and offensive cyber weapons in geopolitics.TimestampsPart 1: "Authoritarian governments are cutting people off from the internet." (2:26)Part 2: "A full-fledged defense partnership." (7:34)Part 3: "Friends with benefits." (12:34)Part 4: "A blinking red light national security threat." (17:42)=======Organize your work and life, finally.Become focused, organized, and calm with Todoist. The world's #1 task manager and to-do list app.Start for free=======Receive $25 off orders of $149+ with code SWAPSRF at Snake River Farms!Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a beginner to beef, the pioneers of American Wagyu have got you covered with $25 off your order.Shop Delicious Meats Now=======Turn your Airtable or Google Sheets into modern business tools you need.Softr lets you stop waiting for developers. Build software without devs. Blazingly fast. Trusted by 100,000+ teams worldwide.Start building now.=======Sesame Care - Doctor appointments as low as $19.Find the best price for the highest quality physicians. Book an appointment in minutes.Get Started=======Compliantly hire anyone, anywhere, in 5 minutes with Deel.Deel is your one-stop shop for hiring, paying, and managing your remote team. We stay on top of local labor laws across the world to ensure compliance and mitigate risk so that you don't have to.Get Started=======Shut The Box Game.Dating back to 12th century France, sailors cherished playing Shut The Box Game. In modern times whether you're camping with friends or relaxing with family, you'll have endless fun with this easy-to-learn game! Buy 2, Get 1 Free, plus free shipping within the United States.Get Started=======Support the show

The top news stories for 3/31/23Support the show: Antiwar.com/donate BUY MERCH: https://www.toplobsta.com/pages/antiwar-com Contact the show: News@antiwar.com Sign up for our newsletters: Antiwar.com/newsletter Support the show: Antiwar.com/Donate Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuGQ0-iW7CPj-ul-DKHmh2A/videosWatch on Odysee: https://odysee.com/@AntiWarNews:fWatch on Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-1996424  

CDC's VAERS safety signal analysis based on reports from Dec. 14, 2020 – July 29, 2022 for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines shows clear safety signals for death and a range of highly concerning thrombo-embolic, cardiac, neurological, hemorrhagic, hematological, immune-system and menstrual adverse events (AEs) among U.S. adults. Iraq's Supreme Court has issued an arrest warrant for former President Donald Trump over the death of Iran's Quds Force commander, Gen. Qasem Soleimani, on Iraqi soil, according to a state-run media outlet based in Baghdad. On his first trip to the southern border since he's been in office, President Joe Biden met with Democratic officials in El Paso but didn't actually visit the border, where record apprehensions are taking place. He also didn't visit the downtown area overrun by homeless migrants, and more on today's episode.

PM Duda addresses Verkhovna Rada North Korea reports mysterious fever Monkeypox .. Next Pandemic? Quds Force officer assassinate Support The Show: https://patreon.bpmg.us See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PM Duda addresses Verkhovna RadaNorth Korea reports mysterious feverMonkeypox .. Next Pandemic?Quds Force officer assassinated

As Democrats face increasingly bleak projections in 2022 and 2024, a group of Democratic lawmakers is reportedly plotting to stop former President Donald Trump from ever holding office again. It's not just New York prioritizing non-white residents for COVID-19 treatments, Utah and Minnesota are also doing it. Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, threatened this week that the revenge Iran will seek for the death of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, will happen “within” the United States. On Saturday, two transgender contestants, one born male claiming to be female and the other born female claiming to be male, competed in an Ivy League swim meet — both in the women's bracket featuring Yale University, Dartmouth College, and University of Pennsylvania competitors. Fire & Flavor: https://shareasale.com/r.cfmb=1591029&u=2425692&m=95002&urllink=&afftrack= Blue Coolers: https://shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=669629&m=83450&u=2425692&afftrack=  

As Democrats face increasingly bleak projections in 2022 and 2024, a group of Democratic lawmakers is reportedly plotting to stop former President Donald Trump from ever holding office again. It's not just New York prioritizing non-white residents for COVID-19 treatments, Utah and Minnesota are also doing it. Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, threatened this week that the revenge Iran will seek for the death of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, will happen “within” the United States. On Saturday, two transgender contestants, one born male claiming to be female and the other born female claiming to be male, competed in an Ivy League swim meet — both in the women's bracket featuring Yale University, Dartmouth College, and University of Pennsylvania competitors.  Fire & Flavor: https://shareasale.com/r.cfmb=1591029&u=2425692&m=95002&urllink=&afftrack=  Blue Coolers: https://shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=669629&m=83450&u=2425692&afftrack=  

Two years ago this week, the head of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Qassem Soleimani, was killed in an American strike. At the time, we convened a group of Brookings and Lawfare experts to talk about the potential benefits and risks of the strike, and two years later, we got the gang back together. Benjamin Wittes sat down with Suzanne Maloney, the head of Foreign Policy program at Brookings and an Iran specialist; Dan Byman, terrorism expert, Middle East scholar and Lawfare's foreign policy editor; and Scott R. Anderson, Lawfare senior editor and Brookings fellow, to talk about what two years has wrought. They discussed whether the threat of terrorism and escalation in response to the strike was overstated, if U.S. interests were harmed in Iraq as a result of the strike, and what may have kept the Iranian regime from taking stronger action than it eventually took.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From February 11, 2020: Afshon Ostovar is the associate chair for research and an assistant professor of national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School. He is also the author of "Vanguard of the Imam: Religion, Politics, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards." The IRGC has been in the news of late because of the killing of the head of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, Qassem Soleimani. Benjamin Wittes spoke with Ostovar about the fallout from the Soleimani killing, how it is all playing in Iran, and why things are so quiet. They talked about whether people made a mountain out of a molehill at the time the killing happened, or whether the blowback just hasn't happened yet.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Every so often there are reports of aerial strikes in Syria, for which the Damascus regime attributes responsibility to Jerusalem. Less frequently, purported Israeli action involves surface-to-surface missiles rather than aircraft, because the targets are presumably closer to the Golan Heights' armistice line. Whichever tool is utilized; the reality is clear. Iran, without whose help Syrian President Bashar Al Assad could not survive a decade of domestic conflict, is being compensated by exploiting territory in the Arab Republic to position its own ‘Quds Force' assets as well as proxies against Israel. These launching pads, intelligence outposts and munitions depots are immediately added to the Israeli Air Force target-bank. Panel: - Jonathan Hessen, Host. - Amir Oren, TV7 Analyst and Host of Watchmen Talk. - Brigadier General (Res.) Yossi Kuperwasser – Project Director on Middle East Developments, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. - Dr. Nir Boms, Research Fellow, Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University. Articles on the topic: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/idf-probes-possible-syrian-missile-strike/ https://www.tv7israelnews.com/syria-alleges-overnight-idf-airstrikes/ https://www.tv7israelnews.com/iran-vows-to-crush-israel-over-syria-strikes/ You are welcome to join our audience and watch all of our programs - free of charge! TV7 Israel News: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/563/ Jerusalem Studio: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/18738/ TV7 Israel News Editor's Note: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/76269/ TV7 Israel: Watchmen Talk: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/76256/ Jerusalem Prays: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/135790/ TV7's Times Observer: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/97531/ TV7's Middle East Review: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/997755/ My Brother's Keeper: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/53719/ This week in 60 seconds: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/123456/ Those who wish can send prayer requests to TV7 Israel News in the following ways: Facebook Messenger: https://www.facebook.com/tv7israelnews Email: israelnews@tv7.fi Please be sure to mention your first name and country of residence. Any attached videos should not exceed 20 seconds in duration. #IsraelNews #tv7israelnews #newsupdates Rally behind our vision - https://www.tv7israelnews.com/donate/ To purchase TV7 Israel News merchandise: https://teespring.com/stores/tv7-israel-news-store Live view of Jerusalem - https://www.tv7israelnews.com/jerusalem-live-feed/ Visit our website - http://www.tv7israelnews.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/tv7israelnews Like TV7 Israel News on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/tv7israelnews Follow TV7 Israel News on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tv7israelnews/ Follow TV7 Israel News on Twitter - https://twitter.com/tv7israelnews

While most eyes have been on Afghanistan lately, it is her neighbor to the west which concerns Israel on several fronts. The nuclear project, the military presence in Syria by its own Quds Force as well as proxies and militias, its precision munitions supply to Hezbollah and the maritime blows it absorbs and tries to land. This was a major topic in Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's meeting with President Joe Biden last week, as Israel is trying to shore up a global coalition against Iranian actions. How successful is it, so far? Panel: - Jonathan Hessen, Host - Amir Oren, TV7 Analysts and Host of Watchmen Talk - Amb. Danny Ayalon, co-host TV7 Middle East Review and Israel's Former Ambassador to the United States and Deputy Foreign Minister & Lecturer at NYU. - Dr. Uzi Arad, Former Israeli National Security Advisor and Mossad Division Chief You are welcome to join our audience and watch all of our programs - free of charge! TV7 Israel News: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/563/ Jerusalem Studio: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/18738/ TV7 Israel News Editor's Note: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/76269/ TV7 Israel: Watchmen Talk: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/76256/ Jerusalem Prays: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/135790/ TV7's Times Observer: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/97531/ TV7's Middle East Review: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/997755/ My Brother's Keeper: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/53719/ This week in 60 seconds: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/123456/ Those who wish can send prayer requests to TV7 Israel News in the following ways: Facebook Messenger: https://www.facebook.com/tv7israelnews Email: israelnews@tv7.fi Please be sure to mention your first name and country of residence. Any attached videos should not exceed 20 seconds in duration. #IsraelNews #tv7israelnews #newsupdates Rally behind our vision - https://www.tv7israelnews.com/donate/ To purchase TV7 Israel News merchandise: https://teespring.com/stores/tv7-israel-news-store Live view of Jerusalem - https://www.tv7israelnews.com/jerusalem-live-feed/ Visit our website - http://www.tv7israelnews.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/tv7israelnews Like TV7 Israel News on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/tv7israelnews Follow TV7 Israel News on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tv7israelnews/ Follow TV7 Israel News on Twitter - https://twitter.com/tv7israelnews

When former President Donald Trump ordered the drone strike which claimed the life of General Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran's elite Quds Force, it irrecoverably changed the future path of the country and region at large. This week we are proud to have a special guest, the Iranian historian and NYU professor Arash Azizi to discuss his new book, "The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the US, and Iran's Global Ambitions," which provides a riveting account of the life of one of the most influential figures in modern Middle Eastern history. According to Azizi, had Soleimani not been killed in that drone strike, it would be very likely that he would emerge as the next presidential candidate - a role that his daughter is now appearing to fulfill. The military career of Soleimani was outstanding in several respects, but notably for the level of hubris he displayed which was uncommon among Iran's military leadership. "He published Game of Thrones-themed memes against Donald Trump prepared by his team on Twitter, he threatened Pakistan with a military incursion over some issues, and even threatened the Sunni king of Bahrain with a coup," Azizi says. "These were things that the top military commanders in Iran had never done, they had learned to be more diplomatic. But that's the level of confidence and hubris that Soleimani displayed."

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Dr. Arash Aziz, author of 'Shadow Commander: Soleimani, The US and Iran's Global Ambitions'. He discusses the assassination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and why heavy Iranian retaliation is not likely with Joe Biden coming to power in the United States, plus the EU’s lack of foreign policy independence from the US under Donald Trump with regards to Iran, and the life of Qassem Soleimani – from his early years in Kerman to his rise through the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, his role in forging alliances with Shia groups allied to the Iranian revolution such as Hezbollah, his role in Iraq, and why the United States ultimately targeted him for assassination. Also discussed is the role of the IRGC in Iranian politics, society, and the economy, and much more! Finally, we speak to former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters. He discusses the election of Joe Biden and his lack of optimism, recent suspensions in the Labour Party – including that of Jeremy Corbyn – over anti-Semitism allegations, the persecution and trial of Julian Assange, why policy towards Israel is unlikely to change under Joe Biden despite violations of international law, why he believes Joe Biden is the ultimate ‘Yes Man’, why he thinks Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer should resign, and much more!

In his final days, Trump is trying to pull off one last win, and the establishment is trying everything they can to stop him. Plus, my current thoughts on the renewed lock downs around the country and at home, and my two favorite moments from this week’s big tech hearing. Links: GOP senators slam Democrats on COVID-19 stimulus, presidential transition - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CquOI645db0) Video: Joe Biden Candid Talk on Whether to Prosecute Trump (https://www.mediaite.com/opinion/scoop-unearthed-videos-show-joe-biden-speaking-candidly-about-whether-or-not-to-prosecute-trump/) Security officials worry Israel and Saudi Arabia may see the end of Trump as their last chance to go to war with Iran (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/security-officials-worry-israel-and-saudi-arabia-may-see-the-end-of-trump-as-their-last-chance-to-go-to-war-with-iran/ar-BB1b68rX) Iran fires up advanced uranium centrifuges installed at Natanz site | Daily Mail Online (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8961327/Iran-fires-advanced-uranium-centrifuges-installed-Natanz-site.html) Israel says IDF targeted sites related to Iran's Quds Force,... (https://news.trust.org/item/20201118014143-ilk23) Fears of foreign policy chaos in Trump's final days fueled by Iran bombing report (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/fears-of-foreign-policy-chaos-in-trump-s-final-days-fueled-by-iran-bombing-report/ar-BB1b6qaK) COVID cases are spiking, but our attention isn’t - Axios (https://www.axios.com/covid-attention-social-media-661ecdc3-0669-459a-a491-ed7fb069ab29.html) GOP breaks with Trump firing of cyber chief: Adds to 'confusion and chaos' | TheHill (https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/526524-gop-breaks-with-trump-firing-of-cyber-chief-adds-to-confusion-and-chaos) Fed's Powell signals emergency credit programs should be extended | Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fed-powell-idUSKBN27X2LT) PPP funds are being laundered through popular apps - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwtgXYdZo8o) The post-election media divide in the US | The Listening Post - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxxVB4F7XpA) Will Thanksgiving be a superspreading event? Look to Canada for answers - CNN (https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/02/us/thanksgiving-superspreading-canada/index.html) Canadian Thanksgiving could be a cautionary tale for Americans amid coronavirus surge - The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/) Experts say CDC's Thanksgiving guidelines are too lenient (https://www.fastcompany.com/90575313/experts-say-the-cdcs-thanksgiving-guidelines-are-too-lenient) Celebrating Thanksgiving | CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html) Petition circulating at Harvard to stop former Trump administration officials from attending, teaching or speaking at the university | Fox Business (https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/harvard-petition-ban-trump-officials) Facebook's tracking tools are even worse than we feared (https://www.inputmag.com/tech/facebooks-tracking-tools-are-even-worse-than-we-feared) What is 'Centra?' Josh Hawley Explains Alleged Facebook Program (https://www.mediaite.com/news/watch-sen-hawley-claims-facebook-program-called-centra-is-tracking-users-across-the-web-zuckerberg-denies-knowledge/) Pentagon shakeup means more civilian oversight for special operations (https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/11/18/pentagon-shakeup-means-more-civilian-oversight-for-special-operations/) Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller: Special operations civilian leadership will report to me | Raleigh News & Observer (https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article247259784.html) Trump seizes on local Nevada race to raise suspicions of wider problem | Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-seizes-on-nevadas-clark-county-commission-race-to-raise-suspicions-of-wider-problem) Trump Tweets Today: Pulls Back From Concession, Says Vote Was ‘Rigged’ - Bloomberg (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-15/trump-tweets-that-biden-won-election-says-vote-was-rigged) Dominion confirms Clinton Foundation donation, Pelosi staffer tie but disputes other claims | Just The News (https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/trump-lawyer-forthcoming-evidence-shows-dominion-vote-count-manipulated) Trump campaign files Nevada lawsuit arguing mass 'discrepancies and irregularities' mean Biden loss (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-campaign-files-nevada-lawsuit-arguing-mass-discrepancies-and-irregularities-mean-biden-loss) Nevada GOP plans another legal challenge to election results | Las Vegas Review-Journal (https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/nevada/nevada-gop-announces-another-legal-challenge-to-state-election-results-2185335/) Second Georgia county finds previously uncounted votes (https://apnews.com/article/2nd-georgia-county-find-uncounted-votes-018eac6ac24733d63d356ee76f485530) Georgia election audit finds 3,039 more uncounted ballots in 2 counties | Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/georgia-election-audit-uncounted-ballots-two-counties) 'Months and months' before large-scale COVID-19 vaccinations can be rolled out (https://www-wcvb-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.wcvb.com/amp/article/months-and-months-before-large-scale-covid-19-vaccinations-can-be-rolled-out/34701326) Pfizer says vaccine is 95 percent effective in updated data - POLITICO (https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/18/pfizer-vaccine-95-percent-effective-437440) 1% of people cause half of global aviation emissions – study | Business | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/nov/17/people-cause-global-aviation-emissions-study-covid-19) Susan Rice, Scourge of Africa, May Become Secretary of State | Black Agenda Report (https://www.blackagendareport.com/susan-rice-scourge-africa-may-become-secretary-state) Under Donald Trump, drone strikes far exceed Obama's numbers - Chicago Sun-Times (https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2019/5/8/18619206/under-donald-trump-drone-strikes-far-exceed-obama-s-numbers) Trump’s Drone War Is Less Accountable Than Ever (https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/05/22/obama-drones-trump-killings-count/) US attacks on Somalia's al-Shabab increase under Trump - BBC News (https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-africa-46612542) Civilian Casualties Are Skyrocketing Under Trump, Don’t Forget (https://theintercept.com/2019/10/02/trump-impeachment-civilian-casualties-war/) Report Finds Much Higher Civilian Death Toll in Raqqa, Syria (https://theintercept.com/2019/04/25/coalition-airstrikes-in-raqqa-killed-at-least-1600-civilians-more-than-10-times-u-s-tally-report-finds/) The Uncounted - The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/11/16/magazine/uncounted-civilian-casualties-iraq-airstrikes.html) Trump revokes Obama rule on reporting drone strike deaths - BBC News (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47480207) The Great Reset | World Economic Forum (https://www.weforum.org/great-reset/) “You’ll own nothing, and you’ll be happy”: World Economic Forum propaganda video gets deleted — but we’ve got a copy - Rebel News (https://www.rebelnews.com/ezra_levant_show_november_10_2020) The Disposable Society | DAVOS 2020 - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAbY7-ni07Q) World Economic Forum Presents: The Great Reset—"You'll own nothing, and you'll be happy." - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zUjsEaKbkM) Transforming Jobs, Wages and Work | Jobs Reset Summit 2020 - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95__g-6jxAw) The Great Reset Launch | Highlights - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5pxhSnDr4U) Joe Biden Just Appointed His Climate Movement Liaison. 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Four-star general - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPhQZ-xPRN8) Chairman of Joint Chiefs appears to send subtle message to Trump - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8juZWHHJgYE) Top US general stands firm amid Pentagon turmoil - CNNPolitics (https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/12/politics/mark-milley-pentagon-turmoil/index.html) Israeli, US military chiefs speak after Trump fires top Pentagon officials | The Times of Israel (https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-us-military-chiefs-speak-after-trump-fires-top-pentagon-officials/) Remark | Remarks | THE NEWSROOM | Republican Leader (https://www.republicanleader.senate.gov/newsroom/remarks/premature-afghanistan-exit-would-jeopardize-trump-administrations-record-of-success) Newsmax CEO: 'We Are Not Actively Selling,' Won't Be 'Trump TV' - Variety (https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/newsmax-ceo-christopher-ruddy-fox-news-trump-tv-1234832336/) Trump Allies Explored Buyout of Newsmax TV as Fox News Alternative - WSJ (https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-allies-explored-buyout-of-newsmax-tv-as-fox-news-alternative-11605464737) As Covid-19 Surges, the Big Unknown Is Where People Are Getting Infected - WSJ (https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-covid-19-surges-the-big-unknown-is-where-people-are-getting-infected-11605474874) Trump lawyer complains of harassing call from attorney at opposing firm - POLITICO (https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/16/trump-lawyer-harassing-call-opposing-attorney-436764) Trump campaign jettisons major parts of its legal challenge against Pennsylvania’s election results - The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/) Moderna says its coronavirus vaccine is nearly 95% effective - Axios (https://www.axios.com/moderna-coronavirus-vaccine-95-percent-effective-a57270c4-fd4a-4f7c-b4a8-784759ae041a.html) Podcast: Moderna's chief medical officer on its blockbuster vaccine news - Axios (https://www.axios.com/modernas-chief-medical-officer-on-its-blockbuster-vaccine-news-5af3b9f0-50c4-4361-9897-4c104ac161cc.html) https://twitter.com/VFreedoms/status/1328331240336986112 (https://twitter.com/VFreedoms/status/1328331240336986112) The Ongoing Death of Free Speech: Prominent ACLU Lawyer Cheers Suppression of a New Book - 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But They Have Killed Millions of Jobs. | Mises Wire (https://mises.org/wire/lockdowns-havent-brought-down-covid-mortality-they-have-killed-millions-jobs) UK to ban sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030: FT | Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/article/britain-autos/uk-to-ban-sale-of-new-petrol-and-diesel-cars-from-2030-ft-idUSKBN27U0DG) COVID-19: Psychiatrists warn of coronavirus lockdown's toll on mental health | UK News | Sky News (https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-psychiatrists-warn-of-coronavirus-lockdowns-toll-on-mental-health-12131309) Opinion | Goodbye, Golden Goose - The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/14/opinion/sunday/donald-trump-defeat.html) Trump mulls a future outside the White House as 2020 options... 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Gavin Newsom Attended Party Against His Own Rules (https://www.mediaite.com/news/ca-gov-gavin-newsom-apologizes-after-getting-busted-attending-birthday-party-that-flouted-his-own-strict-covid-guidelines/) Hypocrites and #COVID19 - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiyAB4x0544&feature=emb_logo) Super-spreader wedding party shows COVID holiday dangers - Los Angeles Times (https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-11-12/covid-19-spread-at-thanksgiving-holiday-gatherings-could-be-like-maine-wedding) More than 130 Secret Service officers are said to be infected with coronavirus or quarantining in wake of Trump’s campaign travel - The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/) Elon Musk Says He Tested Positive for Covid-19 - WSJ (https://www.wsj.com/articles/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-says-he-tested-both-positive-and-negative-for-covid-19-11605251724) As Covid-19 Surges to New Levels Across U.S., States Impose Flurry of Measures - WSJ (https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-covid-surges-to-new-levels-across-u-s-states-impose-flurry-of-measures-11605199815) Delusional Trump Staffers Threw Victory Party, Report Says - Rolling Stone (https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-staffers-threw-victory-party-report-says-1089591/) One in 5 COVID-19 patients develop mental illness within 90 days - study | Reuters (https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-mental-illness-idUKKBN27P34P) Biden's transition is stacked with Big Tech players | Fox Business (https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/bidens-transition-is-stacked-with-big-tech-players) JPMorgan Finds No Benefits From COVID Lockdowns | Zero Hedge (https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/jpmorgan-finds-no-benefits-covid-lockdowns) Less Than Half Of Americans Likely To Comply With New COVID Lockdown: Gallup | Zero Hedge (https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/less-half-americans-likely-comply-new-covid-lockdown-gallup)

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan start the countdown to Election Day. We are one short week from finding out who will be the president of the US for the next four years.Guests:Yaakov Shapiro - Author and Rabbi | Jews for TrumpMichael Maloof - Former Senior Security Policy Analyst | US/Iran Relations Post Election Ted Rall - Political Cartoonist | It's the Talking PointsIt seems like uprisings are happening all over the world right now. So many protests and divides. In America, all you have to do is wear something that promotes Trump for 2020 and the drama will get started. On Sunday in Times Square, a large 'Jews for Trump' convoy clashed with Trump protestors. Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro explains what happened.On Monday, according to the US Treasury Department, the US imposed fresh Iran-related sanctions on key actors in Iran's oil sector for supporting the Quds Force. Former Senior Security Policy Analyst Michael Maloof explains the relationship between the US and Iran.If you watched any of the Trump versus Biden programs, it is very clear that the talking points are focused on gossip rather than policy. Political cartoonist Ted Rall joins the show to discuss the importance of Biden's "soft corruption" story.

140 – Welcome to the Republic Keeper Broadcast Support the Show Give the phone # 866-988-8311 info@republickeeper.com Iran More Audio/Video and Documents coming now. 8/22/2020 -Kenneth R. Timmerman US intelligence agencies are sitting on a treasure trove of documents that detail Iran’s direct, material involvement in the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks in Benghazi, Libya, that cost the lives of four Americans. But until now, deep state bureaucrats have buried them under layers of classification, often without reason. From CIA officers, military contractors, and sources within US Special Forces, I have learned of the existence of at least 50 briefing documents that warned of Iranian intelligence operations in Benghazi. Some specifically predicted an Iranian attack on US diplomats and US facilities. Those documents have remained inaccessible, including to the Select Committee on Benghazi chaired by former US Representative Trey Gowdy. The CIA, the NSA, and Joint Special Forces Operations Command operatives in Benghazi and in Tripoli were actively monitoring Iranian operations in Benghazi in the months leading up to the attacks. Indeed, according to a private military contractor who contacted me from Benghazi in February 2011, Quds Force operatives were openly walking the streets of Benghazi in the early days of the anti-Gaddafi uprising. At the time, their presence was an open secret. By the summer of 2012, US intelligence and security officers in Benghazi and Tripoli warned their chain of command — including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens — that the Iranians were preparing a terrorist attack on the US compound in Benghazi. These increased Iranian preparations prompted the head of security for Stevens, Green Beret Colonel Andy Wood, to send a cable to his commanding officer in June 2012 that the Iranian-backed militia — Ansar al Sharia — had received their funding from Iran and were now sending their wives and children to Benghazi, as I reported in these pages previously. Until now, the government has released just a handfulof heavily redacted documents relating to Iran’s Benghazi operations. Throughout the Obama administration, officials with knowledge of the Quds Force presence in Benghazi, including security contractors who defended the CIA Annex in a 13-hour battle with the jihadis, were repeatedly threatened with prosecution if they revealed what they knew. Among them was the then-director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Gen. Michael Flynn. But financial documents provided by an Iranian source, and thus not subject to US classification efforts, shed significant new light on the extent of Iranian government involvement in the attacks. The documents, which include a wire transfer for 1.9 million euros from a known Quds Force money-laundering operation in Malaysia, have never before been made public. Only recently did the Iranian source give me permission to release the documents, which clearly show how Iran used the international financial system to funnel money to its Benghazi operations. The person the Iranians put in charge of recruiting, training and equipping the Ansar al Sharia jihadi militia was a Lebanese man named Khalil Harb. He was a senior Hezbollah operative, well-known to Western intelligence agencies. Not long after the Benghazi attacks, the State Department issued a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture — not because of his role in Benghazi, but for what seemed like plain vanilla terrorist operations in Lebanon. For the State Department under Hillary Clinton or John Kerry to admit that this Iranian operative was involved in the Benghazi attacks would have blown the lid off their extraordinary cover-up of Iran’s deadly schemes, which is continued today by deep state operatives who have stonewalled multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to release the Iran Benghazi documents. Early on, Harb set out to identify and recruit Libyan jihadis. My Iranian source says that a courier arrived in Benghazi carrying the equivalent of $8 million to $10 million in 500 Euro notes around three weeks before the attacks. The money came from Quds Force accounts in Malaysia at the First Islamic Investment Bank, an IRGC front proudly operated by Babak Zanjani, a 41-year-old billionaire who called himself a “financial bassiji” [militiaman]. https://nypost.com/2020/08/22/why-wont-the-us-government-admit-iran-funded-the-benghazi-attacks/ “The CIA, the NSA, and Joint Special Forces Operations Command operatives in Benghazi and in Tripoli were actively monitoring Iranian operations in Benghazi in the months leading up to the attacks.” 6/20/2014 - Green Beret Colonel Andy Wood sent a cable to his commanding officer in June 2012 that the Iran-backed militia—Ansar al Sharia—had received their funding from Iran and were sending their wives and children to Benghazi. https://nypost.com/2014/06/20/how-irans-spy-chief-paid-for-the-benghazi-attack/ 3/20/2016 Throughout the Obama admin, officials with knowledge of Iran’s presence in Benghazi, including security contractors who defended the CIA Annex in a 13-hour battle, were repeatedly threatened with prosecution if they revealed what they knew. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/20/kenneth-timmerman-the-iranian-connection-to-the-be/ In the aftermath of the 2012 Benghazi attack that killed four Americans, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn tasked the intelligence community for information on Iran’s involvement in the attack. Until now, government officials have refused to acknowledge any Iranian involvement in Benghazi. But the Flynn memo indicates that at least some in the U.S. intelligence community suspected Tehran from the very beginning. A top secret Sept. 21 memo responding to the director’s inquiry and disclosed as the result of a Freedom of Information Act request from the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch includes fragmentary information on al Qaeda affiliates. But its conclusions regarding Iran’s notorious Quds Force, a deadly hybrid of intelligence and special operations, have been totally redacted. Now retired, Gen. Flynn told The Washington Times that, for classification reasons, he could not discuss the memo’s redacted contents or talk about his four hours of secret testimony for the House Special Benghazi committee. He did note, however, that a recently declassified trove of letters from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden reveal that Shiite Iran was willing to help Sunni militants if the common foe was the United States. The U.S. military has crossed swords with Iran’s Quds Force in Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yemen where the Quds Force used a similar tactic to what sources believe they use in Benghazi: infiltrating a paramilitary operations team into a hostile environment under cover of humanitarian aide workers for the Red Crescent Society, the Muslim equivalent of the Red Cross. A Red Crescent team from Iran arrived in Benghazi, Libya on July 30, 2012, ostensibly to provide humanitarian aide to the post-Gadhafi revolutionary regime. The secret CIA Annex operating in Benghazi had been tipped off and dispatched local “watchers” to track their movements, according to Dylan Davies, a British security contractor in charge of the local guards protecting the Benghazi facility. As operational plans for the Benghazi attacks accelerated during the summer of 2012, Iran dispatched IRGC Maj. Gen. Mehdi Rabbani to Benghazi under cover of an Islamic Red Crescent medical team. “Everyone knew the Iranians were in Benghazi,” former CIA security officer Kris “Tanto” Paranto said in an interview. “Especially once the Red Cross [Red Crescent] team from Iran was ‘kidnapped’ by Ansar al-Shariah, we knew about them and were tracking them.” Iran’s media claimed the Red Crescent team was “abducted” to cover their tracks.1st report: August 1, 2012 - 2nd report: August 29, 2012 -Benghazi attack: September 11, 2012 The “kidnapping” was reported in the Libyan press as the result of a feud between Sunni militiamen and an Iranian Shiite medical team, but in fact was a carefully staged deception operation to lead the CIA off the track. “The kidnapping of the Red Crescent team in Benghazi was a false flag operation,” a U.S. Special Forces flag officer who was then providing intelligence support for overseas operations said. “They were actually Quds Force operatives. The kidnapping was arranged to make it look like they were being taken hostages, when actually they were being taken off the street so they could covertly direct the attack on the U.S. compound. “We know from liaison relationships that Iranians did the training. They organized the militia and taught them how to zero in the mortars. They set up sophisticated surveillance of the consulate — and they did it all while they were ‘hostages,’” he said. “The team in operational command in Benghazi were Qassem Suleimani’s people,” according to former Baghdad deputy chief of station John Maguire. “They were a mature, experienced, operational element from Iran. These guys are the first-string varsity squad.” Iran used recruits from Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Turkey & Egypt to finance, train & equip the radical group Ansar al-Sharia in Libya, careful to show their hand only to a select few. To those on the ground, the Iranian operatives would look & speak just like Arabs or Turks. This information was reported “up the food chain” by the CIA Chief of Base in Benghazi, a former U.S. Army officer. “He was later told, don’t talk about the Iranian connection, with threat of sanction,” the flag officer said in an exclusive interview. Two defectors from Iranian intelligence organizations later revealed the role played by the Red Crescent operational team in Benghazi. They claimed that a courier carrying between $8 million to $10 million in 500-euro notes arrived three weeks before the attack, and that a senior Quds Force operative, Ibrahim Mohammad Joudaki, distributed the money to Ansar al-Shariah leaders controlled by Iran. Multiple intelligence and operations officers at U.S.-Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Stuttgart have acknowledged an “ongoing awareness” of the Iranian Quds Force presence in Benghazi and elsewhere in Eastern Libya. Among them is Lt. Col. Andrew Wood, the chief of the 18-man Site Security Team assigned to guard Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens at the U.S. embassy in Tripoli. After seeing a PowerPoint flow chart from Africom headquarters at a June 2012 security briefing at the U.S. embassy in Tripoli that showed Iranian weapons and money flowing into Libya, Col. Wood sent an email back to his commander, Rear Adm. Brian Losey, asking for additional support. “Sir, Ansar al-Shariah has had their funding approved,” he wrote. Documents, which include a wire transfer for 1.9 million euros from a known Quds Force money-laundering operation in Malaysia, clearly show how Iran used the international financial system to funnel money to its Benghazi operations. The person the Iranians put in charge of recruiting, training and equipping the Ansar al Sharia jihadi militia was a Lebanese man named Khalil Harb. He was a senior Hezbollah operative, well-known to Western intelligence agencies. A US Africa Command (AFRICOM) briefing slide from the summer of 2012 shows money and weapons flowing from Iran into Egypt and Libya, but it and other AFRICOM documents relating to Iran’s presence in Benghazi have consistently been denied to journalists and outside groups Qassem Soleimani was involved in the Benghazi attack. “In Libya, Iran wanted to block US influence, which they saw as a threat… They saw the uprising against Khadafy — and the Arab Spring more generally — as an opportunity to accomplish this.” Evidence suggests that the Benghazi attacks were acts of state-sponsored terrorism against America ordered by Iran’s highest authorities, financed by Iran’s oil sales, and involving multiple Iranian regime agencies & banking/commercial entities in Malaysia, France & Libya. The big picture: around 35,000 declassified emails show Obama/Biden administration knew of Iran supporting Assad oppressing Syrian people appeased Iran, Iraqi militias, Iran’s puppet government in Iraq collaborated with Soleimani that led to crises across the Middle East knew of -Iran’s role in a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington Hezbollah directly coordinating its role in Syria with Iran Iran’s secret nuclear activities in underground sites knew of Iran’s rigged 2009 presidential election knew of Hezbollah’s role in the Thailand terror attack sought “direct diplomacy” with Iran in January 2009 described “engagement” with Iran as “very interesting” in August 2010 "... the Obama administration granted citizenship to 2,500 Iranians, including family members of government officials, while negotiating the Iran nuclear deal..." Obama & Biden provided $1.8 billion in unmarked cash that "has been traced to Iran’s backing of Houthi rebels seeking to take power in Yemen." CBS was to reveal that Osama bin Laden was hiding out in Iran for years after 9/11 and operating al-Qaeda. However, the White House had it shut down in late 2010 & early 2011 while Obama was gearing up for his 2012 re-election campaign. "With Iran on its heels and peace spreading in the Middle East, now is the time for America to press its advantages and ratchet up the pressure against its declared enemy."

In this episode, I speak with Afshon Ostovar, a historian, author and a foremost expert on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Afshon and I cover a lot of ground. We start by talking about the historical context around the IRGC, when and how it was started, its role in the Iran-Iraq war, how the organization evolved through the years, how it is different than Iran's regular military, its Quds Force and the Islamic Republic's foreign involvements, where Qasem Soleimani fit into the picture, his relationships with various Shia militia groups and other groups such as the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the mythology surrounding Soleimani and his role in ISIS's rise and fall. We also discuss the recent events surrounding Trump's decision to kill Soleimani, the legality of and the logic behind the killing, the downing of the Ukrainian jetliner and its implications on the survival of the Islamic Republic as a system, whether the system would have been strengthened as a result of Soleimani's killing if the downing of the jetliner hadn't happened, protests in Iran and their frequency, the possibility of an all-out collapse of the Islamic Republic and other topics. 

Tensions between the US and Iran have been growing in response to the US killing of General Qassem Solomeini and the retaliations that followed by Iran. This episode delves into the most relevant event regarding the conflict. Leader of the Iranian Quds Force, General Qassem Soleimani, was killed by a US airstrike while leaving the Baghdad Airport. Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles at 2 Iraqi bases housing US forces and claims it is revenge for the Killing Of General Soleimani. The same night as the ballistic missile attack on American and Iraqi troops, Iran accidentally shot down a Ukranian airliner which had just lifted off from Tehran's main airportThe US imposes further economic sanctions on Iran to apply more pressure to come back to the negotiating table about a revised Nuclear Deal. 

Episode 21, 1984 "Round and Round” Ratt is an American heavy metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s, with their albums having been certified as gold, platinum, and multi-platinum by the RIAA. The group is perhaps best known for hit singles such as "Round and Round" and "Lay It Down" tracks that ranked on Billboard's top 40. Friday January 3rd 2020. President Trump ordered an airstrike on Thursday evening that killed the Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad, a man he said was "plotting imminent and sinister attacks" against Americans in the region.Soleimani was the leader of the Quds Force, a covert section of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The White House said he was the mastermind behind attacks on Americans during the past two decades — including two recent attacks. Cost of Living 1984: How Much things cost in 1984 Yearly Inflation Rate USA4.3 % Average Cost of new house $86,730 Median Price Of and Existing Home $72,400 Average Income per year $21,600.00 Average Monthly Rent $350.00 Movie Ticket $2.50 1gallon of gas $1.10 Dodge RAM 50 Truck $8,995.00 Dodge RAM 50 Truck $8,995.00 Chrysler New Yorker $13,045 Chevrolet Corvette $23,392 Apples Lb. 43 cents Bacon Lb. $1.69 Chicago, Illinois Brick Tudor 3 bedroom all modern appliances double garage sundeck $119,000. Popular Culture 1984 U.S.A. Beauty Queen Killer Captured and dies during the arrest The serial killer Christopher Bernard Wilder ( Beauty Queen Killer ) who went on a six-week cross-country crime spree starting in Florida on February 26, 1984 abducted and murdering his first victim Rosario Gonzalez he continued across the country through Georgia Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nevada, Utah, California and New York before he was killed during a struggle with police in New Hampshire on April 13, 1984. There were 8 confirmed Murders and 12 Rapes , he is known as the Beauty Queen Killer because all the women were attractive. This is one of the first confirmed serial killers and was studied to provide insight into the minds of serial killers.  Carnival Corp and its subsidiaries have a long history of illegally dumping everything from single-use plastics to oil into the oceans they sail in. In 2017 the same subsidiary Princess Cruises pleaded guilty to illegally dumping oil from the Caribbean Princess cruise ship and intentionally trying to cover it up. Again, the fine of $40 million paid in 2017 amounted to just 0.2 percent of the $17.51 billion Carnival Corp made in 2017. Carnival Corporation has agreed to pay $20 million after pleading guilty to releasing food and plastic waste into the ocean off the Bahamas. Environmental groups and customers have argued that fines on the order of $20 million are not significant enough to force Carnival Corp to change its long-held dumping practices. The fine of $20 million is equivalent to just 0.1% of the $18.88 billion Carnival Corp. brought in for 2018. Help support the show!! www.etsy.com/shop/thebobbycoutoshow --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebobbycoutoshow/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebobbycoutoshow/support

Episode 21, 1984 "Round and Round” Ratt is an American heavy metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s, with their albums having been certified as gold, platinum, and multi-platinum by the RIAA. The group is perhaps best known for hit singles such as "Round and Round" and "Lay It Down" tracks that ranked on Billboard's top 40. Friday January 3rd 2020. President Trump ordered an airstrike on Thursday evening that killed the Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad, a man he said was "plotting imminent and sinister attacks" against Americans in the region.Soleimani was the leader of the Quds Force, a covert section of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The White House said he was the mastermind behind attacks on Americans during the past two decades — including two recent attacks. Cost of Living 1984: How Much things cost in 1984 Yearly Inflation Rate USA4.3 % Average Cost of new house $86,730 Median Price Of and Existing Home $72,400 Average Income per year $21,600.00 Average Monthly Rent $350.00 Movie Ticket $2.50 1gallon of gas $1.10 Dodge RAM 50 Truck $8,995.00 Dodge RAM 50 Truck $8,995.00 Chrysler New Yorker $13,045 Chevrolet Corvette $23,392 Apples Lb. 43 cents Bacon Lb. $1.69 Chicago, Illinois Brick Tudor 3 bedroom all modern appliances double garage sundeck $119,000. Popular Culture 1984 U.S.A. Beauty Queen Killer Captured and dies during the arrest The serial killer Christopher Bernard Wilder ( Beauty Queen Killer ) who went on a six-week cross-country crime spree starting in Florida on February 26, 1984 abducted and murdering his first victim Rosario Gonzalez he continued across the country through Georgia Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nevada, Utah, California and New York before he was killed during a struggle with police in New Hampshire on April 13, 1984. There were 8 confirmed Murders and 12 Rapes , he is known as the Beauty Queen Killer because all the women were attractive. This is one of the first confirmed serial killers and was studied to provide insight into the minds of serial killers.  Carnival Corp and its subsidiaries have a long history of illegally dumping everything from single-use plastics to oil into the oceans they sail in. In 2017 the same subsidiary Princess Cruises pleaded guilty to illegally dumping oil from the Caribbean Princess cruise ship and intentionally trying to cover it up. Again, the fine of $40 million paid in 2017 amounted to just 0.2 percent of the $17.51 billion Carnival Corp made in 2017. Carnival Corporation has agreed to pay $20 million after pleading guilty to releasing food and plastic waste into the ocean off the Bahamas. Environmental groups and customers have argued that fines on the order of $20 million are not significant enough to force Carnival Corp to change its long-held dumping practices. The fine of $20 million is equivalent to just 0.1% of the $18.88 billion Carnival Corp. brought in for 2018. Help support the show!! www.etsy.com/shop/thebobbycoutoshow --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebobbycoutoshow/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebobbycoutoshow/support

Trump greased the commander of Iran’s Quds Force and terrorist mastermind Qaseem Soleimani. Jon invites Kurt Schlichter to spike the football in the mullahs’ face, propose next steps, and ask why the media and Democrats are rooting for the bad guys. Kurt has authored several books, writes for Townhall Media, and hosts his own podcast, “Unredacted.” The intro/outro song of the week is “The Queen Is... Source

Trump greased the commander of Iran's Quds Force and terrorist mastermind Qaseem Soleimani. Jon invites Kurt Schlichter to spike the football in the mullahs' face, propose next steps, and ask why the media and Democrats are rooting for the bad guys. Kurt has authored several books, writes for Townhall Media, and hosts his own podcast, “Unredacted.” The intro/outro song of the week is “The Queen Is... Source

President Donald Trump ordered a U.S. military airstrike Thursday that killed Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the leader of Iran's elite Quds Force, in an airstrike near Baghdad's airport, the Pentagon said in a statement. “At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization,” the Pentagon said in a statement. The Pentagon said that Soleimani was “actively developing plans” to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq. Please Consider Supporting us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/TheBoldConservative