Generation Jihad

Another co-host takeover ("Freaky Friday edition"): Behnam is joined by his friend, former FDD colleague, and top expert on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ali Alfoneh, now with The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. They discuss this week's historic conflagration between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Israel.

In a special co-host takeover, Behnam and Joe discuss the Islamic Republic's unprecedented attack on Israel this weekend.

Bill is joined by LWJ’s Seth Frantzman just after the six-month mark of Israel’s defensive war in Gaza resulting from the October 7 attack by Hamas. They discuss Seth’s latest visit to border communities in Israel and whether there’s a realistic timeline for still-evacuated citizens to return, disturbing reports that Hamas has apparently lost track of which hostages are dead or alive, and Tehran’s possible response to Israel’s April 1 assassination of an IRGC-QF commander in Damascus as we enter day ~seven of bracing for an imminent Iranian attack against Israel within 24-48 hours.

Bill and Joe read between the lines and try to make sense of the IDF's withdrawal from Khan Younis.

Bill, Behnam, and Joe discuss the Israeli airstrike in Damascus that took out a senior IRGC-QF commander, Israel on high-alert after Iran vows revenge, Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s statement about the slain leader, whether the Biden administration has finally turned on Israel, and today’s holiday: Quds Day. 

Recent topics of the podcast include the Islamic State's Moscow attack, Shabaab's activities in Somalia, rumors about Saif al-Adel's son, and Pakistan's airstrikes targeting Taliban groups. The discussion also covers conspiracy theories, militant training in Yemen, and state sponsors of terrorism in Iran and Pakistan.

Sinan Ciddi and Melissa Sacks discuss Hamas in Turkey, the complex trade relationships with Israel, and the extensive Hamas network in Turkey involving real estate and financial transactions. They explore Treasury designations, the importance of financial figures, security concerns, and potential scenarios regarding leadership changes in Turkey.

Bill, co-host Behnam, and long-time friend of the show Edmund Fitton-Brown preview and share insights from a project they’ve been working on concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran’s axis of resistance. They discuss Tehran’s extensive track record of not playing by the rules — and not paying a price for it — as well as the origins of conflict between Iran and the West from before the 1979 revolution to tapping their regional proxies on and after October 7, 2023 to target Israeli and American interests in the Middle East — and everything in between. 

Bill and Joe catch up on a few important headlines related to Israel’s defensive war in Gaza, including U.S. claims that a senior leader of Hamas has been killed while Israel and Hamas have both remained mum; the Rafah operation hold-up; the ramifications of abstaining from the UN Security Council vote on a ceasefire and other recent actions by the U.S. that ultimately help Hamas.

Flying solo for this episode, Bill shares his thoughts on yesterday's House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing with Generals Milley and McKenzie — including the questions they *should* have asked (but failed to).