The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

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.
Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
As Iranian officers briefed Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon, Fabian discusses assessments regarding the Iranian proxy in Lebanon attacking Israel if the US strikes Iran and Iran strikes Israel, and the concurrent uptick in IDF attacks against Hezbollah in recent weeks.
Fabian reports that the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, is about to reach the region, offering another stage of readiness for a possible US strike against Iran.
After dozens of settler activists entered the closed military zone of the Gaza border on Thursday night, Fabian notes that the political action diverted the army’s attention away from defending against potential attacks.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Report: IRGC running Hezbollah, preparing it for war with Israel if US strikes Iran
Israeli strikes in Lebanon kill at least 12, including senior Hezbollah official
Israeli officials believe US, Iran at unbridgeable impasse as they near open conflict
Dozens of settler activists, including far-right MK, illegally cross into Gaza
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Hezbollah supporters chant slogans during a ceremony marking the first anniversary of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in Israeli airstrikes, at Nasrallah's grave in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, the head of Realign For Palestine, an Atlantic Council project that challenges entrenched narratives in the Israel and Palestine discourse.
We begin the conversation with a bleak update on how Gazans are faring on the ground and hear anecdotes of poor hygiene and price gouging in the Strip. As the festive holy month of Ramadan begins, the lack of basic necessities becomes more stark for those who must fast all day but cannot feast at night.
We then turn to the sudden announcement this week from Doctors Without Borders that it has suspended non-critical medical activities at Nasser Hospital in Gaza’s Khan Younis due to the presence of armed men at the medical facility and “a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons.”
Alkhatib brings multiple examples of prior knowledge of the "armed men" in the hospital since Hamas's October 7, 2023, onslaught on southern Israel. He accuses the NGO of looking the other way as the terror organization took over hospital wings and turned them into prisons and torture chambers. So why did the international humanitarian group in Gaza decide to take notice now?
And so this week, we ask Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, what matters now.
What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Palestinians hang decorations beside the rubble of destroyed homes as they prepare for the holy month of Ramadan in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.
Movie maven Hoffman begins with a tribute to master documentarian Frederick Wiseman, who died this week, aged 96.
We then hear about the Israeli film “Children No More: Were and Are Gone,” directed by Hila Medalia, which is nominated for Best Documentary Short Film. The film documents a vigil that began in March 2025 in Tel Aviv, as a handful of left-wing protesters held photos of children killed in Gaza.
And in the final segment, the pair rewind the 50-year-old masterpiece, "All the President's Men." In addition to appreciating the film's 1976 fashions and antiquated good manners, they note parallels to today's deep exploration into the trove of documents connected with the Epstein case.
Check out the "oy," the "meh" and "not bad" marks given to films in this week's The Reel Schmooze.
The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel has never been stronger. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has steadily rolled back its enemies in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. A staunch friend of Israel is in the White House, and he might well launch a second wave of strikes on Israel's archenemy in Tehran.
Or is Israel historically vulnerable? None of the adversaries it has taken on since the Hamas invasion are defeated. US President Donald Trump is an ally, but both the Democratic and Republican parties have influential and growing wings that are hostile to Israel, if not antisemitic.

To make sense of this moment, one needs a grasp of military strategy, Middle East geopolitics, and the workings of the US-Israel relationship.
Michael Oren, Israel's former envoy in Jerusalem and a leading Middle East historian, says that the post-October 7 wars represent "one of the greatest military victories in modern history, perhaps in all history." However, it remains to be seen whether Israel can translate the military victories into permanent strategic and diplomatic gains.
On the potential for a US strike in Iran, Oren stresses the importance of missile defense for the US Navy, as Iran's greatest achievement would be the sinking of an American aircraft carrier. He predicts that after Trump issued clear threats and put his reputation on the line, he is not going to back down and leave a legacy that could be compared to that of Barack Obama.
Looking at the future of the US-Israeli relationship, Oren notes that the US is going through domestic processes that Israel has no control over, but often use Israel to score political points. Given those trends, Israel should diversify its diplomatic relationships, but there will never be a replacement for American support.
Oren firmly supports Israel moving off of US military aid, and transforming its relationship with Washington into one of equal partners working together to develop capabilities.
Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.
Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
With reports of the US building firepower in the Middle East ahead of a possible strike against Iran, Berman discusses the possible timing and latest indicators, including US President Donald Trump's characterization of the recently concluded nuclear talks in Geneva.
Berman details several of the latest locations of the US aircraft carriers, their offensive and defensive power in the region, and the ability of the US and Israel to carry out an extended campaign if necessary.
He also reports on a brief visit of right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson to Israel to interview US ambassador Mike Huckabee, following Carlson's repeated claims that Israel oppresses Christians.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
White House: There are many arguments for striking Iran, they’d be wise to make a deal
Iran atomic energy chief says no country can deprive Tehran of enrichment rights
Israel, US envoy reject Tucker Carlson’s claim he was detained and interrogated at airport
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Demonstrators wave Iranian and Hezbollah flags as one holds a poster of the late Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. strike in Iraq in 2020, during the Muslim Shiite holiday of Eid al-Ghadir, which commemorates the Prophet Muhammad naming Ali, revered as the first Shiite imam, as his successor, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.