Rania Khalek Dispatches

Journalist and lawyer Dimitri Lascaris just returned from Iran, where he traveled from Tehran to the Strait of Hormuz, witnessing firsthand the impact of the US-Israeli war.From hospitals treating the wounded to the world’s most important oil chokepoint, Lascaris saw a side of this war that Western media is barely covering.The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most critical waterways on earth, responsible for a massive share of global energy flows.  But today, it has become a frontline in a rapidly escalating conflict. Trump says only with its opening would he consider a ceasefire.In this episode of Dispatches, Rania Khalek speaks with Dimitri Lascaris about:What he witnessed inside Iran during wartimeThe situation on the ground at the Strait of HormuzCivilian infrastructure and the human toll of the warWhether US and Israeli actions constitute war crimesHow Iran is responding and what comes nextThis is a rare, on-the-ground account from inside a country under attack.You can follow Dimitri’s work on his YouTube channel Reason2Resist https://www.youtube.com/@reason2resist Support independent media, become a Breakthrough News member today:  Patreon.com/BreakthroughNews

Speaking from Tehran, Al Jazeera correspondent and columnist Ali Hashem explains how Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq are all part of a single, interconnected battlefield, a coordinated confrontation between the axis of resistance and the United States and Israel.That means what happens in Lebanon is directly tied to what happens in Iran, and vice versa.Despite months of attacks, Hezbollah remains operational and has restored its ability to strike deep into Israel, underscoring that this front is far from contained.At the same time, the war is becoming increasingly unpredictable.With no clear endgame and contradictory signals coming from Washington, both sides appear to be embracing escalation, what some describe as a “madman strategy”, signaling they are willing to go to the brink with no limits.So what happens when multiple fronts become one war?And what happens when no one is playing by predictable rules?Support independent media, become a Breakthrough News member today:  Patreon.com/BreakthroughNews

As the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran escalates into a second month, the situation is becoming increasingly unpredictable and uncontrollable.Iranian missiles are hitting Israeli targets at higher rates than expected, while the U.S. is deploying massive firepower, including 2,000-pound bombs.At the same time, conflicting signals are emerging from Washington, with reports that Trump may be seeking an off-ramp even as the war intensifies.So what is the strategy? Who is actually winning? And how far could this go?In this episode of Dispatches, Rania Khalek speaks with Trita Parsi to break down:-The real military balance in the war-Whether the U.S. has a coherent strategy-Iran’s position and whether it’s overplaying its hand-The risk of regional escalation-And whether there is any off-ramp left

As Israel expands its war across the region, Lebanon is once again in the crosshairs.Israeli officials are openly calling for pushing the border to the Litani River, annexing southern Lebanon, and preventing displaced civilians from returning. At the same time, the country is being bombed, depopulated, and pushed toward internal collapse.So what is Israel actually trying to achieve?In this episode of Dispatches, Rania Khalek speaks with Karim Makdisi, co-host of the Makdisi Street podcast and Associate Professor of International Politics at the American University of Beirut.They discuss: -Israel’s long-term ambitions in southern Lebanon-Whether this is a plan for annexation or permanent control-Hezbollah’s actual strength after 2024-Lebanon’s internal divisions and the role of the army-The risk of civil strife and regional escalationThis isn’t Israel’s first invasion of Lebanon, but the stakes may be higher than ever.

The United States and Israel are pushing the region toward a dangerous escalation with Iran, threatening strikes on energy infrastructure and even raising the possibility of a ground invasion.But Iran isn’t backing down.As the war expands across the region and the global economy, the risk of a wider conflict is growing by the day.So what is the real strategy here? Is this brinkmanship, or the early stages of a war that could spiral far beyond anyone’s control? Have the U.S. and Israel fundamentally misjudged Iran?Rania Khalek is joined by Mohammad Marandi, professor at the University of Tehran, to break it all down.

In week 4 of the U.S.-Israeli war of aggression on Iran, the global economy has been pushed to the brink. Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz shows just how key it is to global energy markets, supply chains, and food systems, putting millions at risk.So what happens when the U.S. no longer has a monopoly on economic coercion?Has Trump overplayed his hand?Are we witnessing the limits of American power and the beginning of a more chaotic global order?To break it all down, Rania Khalek is joined by Marxist economist Prabhat Patnaik, professor emeritus at Jawaharlal Nehru University and co-author of Capital and Imperialism: Theory, History, and the Present.

Three weeks into the war on Iran, the conflict is expanding more than ever.The Strait of Hormuz is closed, energy infrastructure is under attack, and U.S. bases are increasingly vulnerable. Israel and Washington are escalating.According to Middle East expert Vali Nasr, this is actually all part of Iran's strategy.Iran isn’t trying to win quickly. To “win” is to survive — and for that it wants to make the war longer, more expensive, and politically unsustainable for the United States.In this conversation with Rania Khalek, Nasr explains:-Why Trump gets weaker the longer the war extends-How energy and Hormuz became the central battlefield-What Washington fundamentally miscalculated-Why regime change is unlikely-The role of Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi factions-And whether any real off-ramp still exists-If this war continues, the consequences won’t just be regional, they will be global.

Israel has expanded its war across the region, bombing Lebanon and Iran while preparing a potential ground invasion into southern Lebanon.Israeli officials claim the goal is simply to create a “buffer zone” for security. But many Israeli politicians and commentators are openly discussing something much bigger: territorial expansion to the Litani River and beyond.This is not about security, it’s part of much longer historical Greater Israel projectOn this live episode of Dispatches, Rania Khalek is joined by historian Zachary Foster to examine the long history of Israeli invasions of Lebanon, the ideological roots of the “Greater Israel” concept, and how the Gaza model of destruction is now spreading across the region.

The war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran could send shockwaves through the global economy.Energy markets, shipping routes, fertilizer supply, and cloud infrastructure are all at risk. Even a short disruption could drive inflation, food shortages, and economic instability worldwide.Rania Khalek speaks with economist Yanis Varoufakis, former Finance Minister of Greece, about why this conflict could become one of the most economically disruptive wars in decades.

As war between Iran, Israel, and the United States escalates, what’s actually happening on the battlefield, and how is the conflict being viewed inside the U.S. military itself?On this live episode of Dispatches, Rania Khalek is joined by two guests to break down both the military realities of the war and the growing opposition to it inside the United States.Jon Elmer, contributing editor at The Electronic Intifada, joins the show to analyze the military dynamics of the US-Israeli war on Iran — including Iran’s strategy, the effectiveness of Israeli and U.S. defenses, and who appears to have the strategic advantage so far.Then Mike Prysner, Executive Director of the Center on Conscience and War and a U.S. Army veteran, discusses widespread opposition to war on Iran among American soldiers and what it reveals about morale, public opinion, and the limits of U.S. war-making power.