Podcasts

One year ago on October 7th at 6:29 am, the Hamas terror organization initiated a surprising, brutal, and murderous attack on Israel, committing unimaginable war crimes against innocent civilian, firing thousands of rockets indiscriminately at major towns and cities, and abducting 251 people to the Gaza Strip. On that day alone, 1,200 Israelis were murdered. To this date, the war has claimed the lives of more than 1,700 Israelis. As Israel regrouped in the aftermath of the attack, the military launched a large-scale ground maneuver in Gaza with two primary objectives: dismantling Hamas’s military and governing structures, and securing the release of the hostages.  One year and one week after the October 7th massacre, Israel eliminated the mastermind behind the heinous attack, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. This critical point in history provides a turning point for not only the war in Gaza, but the war against Hezbollah in Lebanon as well. On this week’s episode of the National Security Podcast, Senior Researcher and Director of the Israel National Security Policy research program at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and former member of the Israeli Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Ofer Shelah, discusses how Israel should use these military successes to its strategic advantage.

Israel’s strategic lifeline is under increasing threat in the Red Sea, on Israel’s southern coastline. The ongoing Swords of Iron War has ignited a new wave of danger as Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen intensify their attacks on shipping routes critical to not only Israel’s economy, but the worldwide economy. Nearly 15% of global merchant traffic passes through the Red Sea, as well as 30% of global container traffic. The ripple effects of turbulence in these waters goes well beyond Israel, or the seven other bordering countries. The question remains if Israel can safeguard its vital trade routes in the Red Sea as Iranian-backed forces close in. Are Israel’s alliances and naval strategies enough to face the rising storm? Retired Rear Admiral Yuval Eylon, former head of the Israeli Naval Intelligence Division and senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), joins the National Security Podcast this week to discuss the rising threats lurking in the Red Sea.

INSS Director Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amos Yadlin and former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter of Harvard’s Belfer Center sat down to discuss US national security priorities, great power competition, and the “war of ideas.” In speaking about the US-China relationship, Dr. Carter noted that the rivalry with Beijing is a top priority for Washington and that it extends into the trade, diplomatic, technological, and military realms. He also explained that fatigue from “endless wars” in the Middle East is now prevalent among the US public, although the desire to disengage from the world is misguided and could have dangerous consequences. In their concluding remarks about the US-Israel relationship, Gen. Yadlin expressed his appreciation for Dr. Carter’s strong commitment to Israel’s security.