NatSec Matters

Michael is joined by retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan to examine frontline developments in Israel and Ukraine, as well as the rapidly evolving nature of modern warfare. Fresh off a research trip to Israel, General Ryan details the IDF's shift toward an enduring, lower-tempo security posture in Gaza alongside emerging operational threats like Hezbollah's fiber-optic drones. He also dissects the operational breakthrough of Ukraine's Operation Vivaldi, the strategic realities behind Starlink reliance, and why tactical sensor coverage does not equate to a truly "transparent battlefield."

Former Jerusalem Post Editor-in-Chief Yaakov Katz returns to NatSec Matters to break down the surprise results of the Israeli elections, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party defied pre-election polling to emerge as the largest faction. Yaakov explains to Michael how deep-seated tribal loyalties and a late campaign surge centered on the existential threats of Iran and international sanctions propelled Netanyahu ahead of Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc. Despite Likud's strong showing, neither major bloc secured a clear 61-seat majority, leaving the Knesset paralyzed amid unprecedented turnout and historic seat gains by Arab parties. Yaakov maps out the narrow paths forward—ranging from a fragile caretaker government rolling into another snap election to a broad centrist unity coalition that would require major compromises on Haredi conscription and an October 7 commission of inquiry.

Michael is joined by European defense expert Nico Lange to analyze the state of European politics, troubled transatlantic relations, and the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran. Nico—a senior fellow with the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) and the Munich Security Conference, as well as the founder and director of the Institute for Risk Analysis and International Security (IRIS)—critiques U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff's backchannel diplomacy in Moscow and explains how Ukrainian deep strikes against Russian refineries are driving talks toward a potential sectoral "energy ceasefire". He also examines domestic political strains across the continent, from Chancellor Friedrich Merz's implementation challenges in Germany to the economic vulnerabilities and political volatility gripping France. Finally, Nico assesses Europe's strategic reluctance to deploy naval power to the Middle East, growing friction with China over industrial overcapacity, and the need to counter Russia's escalating hybrid "shadow war" of sabotage across NATO's flank.

Former Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief Yaakov Katz returns to the podcast to preview Israel's upcoming elections and examine how the post–October 7 security consensus shapes the race. Yaakov dispels the belief that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's departure would suddenly reverse Israel's forward-leaning defense posture. He also unpacks key electoral dynamics for Michael—from Netanyahu leveraging national security debates and anti-Arab party rhetoric to rising public anxiety over European sanctions and Haredi conscription. Finally, Yaakov forecasts potential governing scenarios, including a narrow right-wing majority, an unprecedented centrist minority government, and the lingering prospect of another protracted political stalemate.

Michael is joined by Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute Dr. April Longley Alley to explain the sudden return to full-scale war in Yemen following a lightning Houthi offensive that seized the strategic Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint. In response to the Saudi-backed counteroffensive, the Houthis have unleashed an escalatory barrage of cross-border missile and drone strikes targeting critical Saudi oil infrastructure and Riyadh Airport. Dr. Alley explores why the Houthis act as autonomous partners of Tehran rather than mere proxies, leveraging asymmetric warfare to demand a maximalist "victor's peace" from Riyadh. She also analyzes Washington's reluctance to launch offensive airstrikes, the fractures between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over southern separatists, and why lasting deterrence requires political power-sharing rather than military force alone.