In this episode, recorded during a BICOM media briefing, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Jonathan W. Hackett about the global reach of Iran’s intelligence and covert operations. Jonathan explains how the IRGC’s external apparatus evolved after 2009, outlines the shift from professionalised intelligence structures to more erratic and decentralised operations, and assesses the risks posed by Iranian networks. He also discusses the limitations of sanctions and the implications of proscribing the IRGC under UK counter-terror legislation. Jonathan W. Hackett is a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer with 20 years’ experience in signals, HUMINT and counterintelligence, and has served with the National Security Agency, the Defence Intelligence Agency, and Special Operations Command. He is the author of Iran’s Shadow Weapons: Covert Action, Intelligence Operations and Unconventional Warfare and The Theory of Irregular Warfare.

In this episode, recorded during a media briefing, Richard Pater speaks with Shiri Fein-Grossman about the evolution of the Abraham Accords on their five-year anniversary. Shiri reflects on the foundations of Israel’s normalisation with the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco. She outlines the mechanics that made the accords resilient through conflict and discusses the prospects for future expansion to Saudi Arabia and parts of Africa. Shiri Fein-Grossman is the CEO of the Israel-Africa Relations Institute and a board member of the Forum Dvorah. She previously served in a number of positions at Israel’s National Security Council culminating as the Head of the Foreign Policy Branch for Regional Affairs, where she played a central role in advancing Israel’s relations with the Abraham Accords countries.

In this episode, recorded during a media briefing, Richard Pater speaks with Lianne Pollak-David about the remaining challenges following the release of all living hostages and President Trump’s multilateral summit in Sharm el-Sheikh. Lianne outlines the debate over establishing an international Arab security force in Gaza, and the regional shift toward a new “Abraham Alliance”. Lianne Pollak-David is a Founding Partner of the Coalition for Regional Security and Strategic Consultant. She worked as an Adviser at the PM’s Office and the National Security Council, and is a former member of the Negotiation Team with the Palestinians.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Natalie Sanandaji, a New Yorker and survivor of the Nova Festival, who recounts her harrowing experience of that morning, from waking up to the sound of rockets to escaping Hamas terrorists on foot for hours. Natalie also discusses her work with the Combat Antisemitism Movement, her efforts to build alliances between Jewish and Iranian communities, and the importance of sharing the truth of October 7 with global audiences.

In this episode, we share a recording of a BICOM media briefing led by Richard Pater with Lt. Col. (res.) Sarit Zehavi, marking one year since Operation Northern Arrows in Lebanon. Sarit delivered a detailed assessment of Hezbollah’s capacity and capabilities, Israel’s campaign to degrade the organisation, and the challenges of the post-ceasefire environment. Lt. Col. (res.) Sarit Zehavi is the founder and president of the Alma Research and Education Center, with 15 years of experience as an IDF intelligence officer.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Yaakov Katz about his latest book While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East, co-authored with Amir Bohbot. They discuss the events of 7th October, the failures within Israel’s political and security establishments and the lessons Israel must draw to prevent such a catastrophe from recurring. Yaakov Katz is a journalist and the author of four books on the Israeli military. He is also a former Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post, having also served as a senior foreign policy advisor to then Minister of Education and Diaspora Affairs Naftali Bennett.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Edmund Fitton-Brown about Israel’s recent strikes on the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas leaders in Doha. They discuss the effectiveness of Israel’s operations, the role of Iran, and the reaction across the Gulf. Edmund also assesses the UK’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN, its implications for counter-terrorism, and the wider diplomatic fallout. Edmund Fitton-Brown is a veteran British diplomat who served at numerous postings in the Middle East culminating as the UK’s Ambassador to Yemen from 2015 to 2017 and later coordinated UN expert panels on counterterrorism. He is now a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Dr Michal Hatuel-Radoshitzky about the UK’s recent announcement on recognising a Palestinian state, the dynamics around the humanitarian aid, and the prospects for a hostage deal. Michal assesses the role of Egypt as a mediator and the challenges posed by Hamas. Dr Michal Hatuel-Radoshitzky is a senior adviser and programme director at Mind Israel, an adjunct lecturer at Tel Aviv University, and one of the founding members of the Forum Dvorah. She holds a PhD in political science from Tel Aviv University.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Dr Lynette Nusbacher about the history of Israeli military strategy and doctrine, as well as how it has manifested itself in recent conflicts. She is a is a former British Army intelligence officer and worked on developing two of the UK’s National Security Strategies as part of Britain’s National Security Secretariat. She has been Senior Lecturer in War Studies, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst; Head of the Strategic Horizons Unit in the UK Cabinet Office; and the Devil’s Advocate to Britain’s Joint Intelligence Committee. 

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Dr Jonathan Spyer about his recent visit to Yemen, and prospects of an Arab-supported campaign to push the Houthis away from their coastal strongholds.  Dr Jonathan Spyer is a British-Israeli analyst, writer, and journalist of Middle Eastern affairs. He is Director of Research at the Middle East Forum and Editor of Middle East Quarterly magazine. This is a follow-up interview from our earlier interview two weeks ago in Episode 264.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh about the escalating violence against the Druze community in southern Syria. Gadeer offers powerful insights into the nature of the attacks, the fractured post-Assad Syria and the complex identity, history and loyalty of the Druze minority. She also explores the role of Israel and the international community in responding to the emerging threat of Islamist militias and reflects on the deep bond between Israel and the Druze. Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh, director of Eastern Mediterranean Affairs at the Middle East Forum, is a Druze-Israeli broadcaster, politician, and consultant. She was Israel’s first non-Jewish anchorwoman for main evening news in Hebrew and Arabic and, in 2019, became the first Druze woman elected to the Knesset with Blue and White, serving until 2022. In 2021, Isaac Herzog appointed her the first non-Jewish Senior Envoy of the Jewish Agency in Washington, D.C.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Dr Jonathan Spyer about the aftermath of Iran’s regional setbacks and the evolving security picture in the Middle East. Dr Spyer offers first-hand insights from his recent trip to Yemen, assesses the trajectory of Iran’s proxy network post-Operation Rising Line, and examines the implications of the Assad regime’s collapse in Syria. Jonathan Spyer is a British-Israeli analyst, writer, and journalist of Middle Eastern affairs. He is director of research at the Middle East Forum and editor of Middle East Quarterly magazine.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Oz Noy, a former senior security official, about Israel’s current strategy in Gaza and the prospects for a ceasefire with Hamas. In the conversation – recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM – Oz Noy unpacks the tension between Israel’s declared objective of dismantling Hamas and the parallel goal of returning the remaining hostages. He assesses the security risks of a potential prisoner release, the strategic leverage of hostage diplomacy, and the role of Egypt and other regional powers. Oz Noy served as a divisional head in Shin Bet (ISA – Israel Security Agency), equivalent in rank to a Major General in the IDF, before retiring in 2020. He now lectures at Reichman University in Tel Aviv.

In this episode, Richard Pater speak with Professor Kobi Michael about the trajectory of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. In the conversation, recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM, Professor Michael outlines the emerging trilateral cooperation between Israel, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority, reflects on Qatari involvement, and discusses the prospects for further hostage releases. Prof. Kobi Michael is a senior researcher at INSS and a visiting professor at the International Centre for Policing and Security at the University of South Wales. He served as the Deputy Director-General at Israel’s Ministry for Strategic Affairs and as the Head of the Palestinian division at Israel's National Security Council. Please note that this episode was recorded before the Twelve-Day War with Iran.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Professor Amichai Cohen about the IDF’s conduct in the war against Hamas. They explore Israel’s approach to the rules of engagement, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and how Israel’s accountability mechanisms compare internationally.Professor Amichai Cohen is Professor of Law at Ono Academic College and head of the Amnon Lipkin-Shahak Program on National Security and the Law at The Israel Democracy Institute. Cohen was also a visiting professor and scholar at Columbia Law School and Cambridge University. He is the author of several books on international humanitarian law and has advised both Israeli and international bodies on matters of war crimes and proportionality in armed conflict.Please note that this episode was recorded before the Twelve-Day War with Iran. 

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Behnam Ben Taleblu about the impact of Israel’s and the US’s recent strike on Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities. In this conversation – recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM – Ben Taleblu assesses the scale of the damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and explains why the strike may have lasting psychological and operational effects on the Iranian regime’s strategic planning. Behnam Ben Taleblu is senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he oversees the organisation’s work on Iranian political and security affairs. He specialises in nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missiles, the IRGC and its proxies, and internal Iranian dynamics. He has testified before the US Congress, the Canadian Parliament, and the UK House of Commons.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Helit Barel about Israel’s recent strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. In this conversation – recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM – Barel explains the objectives and scope of the strike, how Israeli intelligence and Mossad operated with extraordinary precision on the ground in Iran, and the technical vulnerabilities Israel aimed to exploit within Iran’s nuclear facilities. Helit served as a Director at the Israel National Security Council, heading the U.S.-Israeli bilateral desk and is a former Managing Director of the Council for Peace and Security. She also worked at the Congressional Research Service in Washington DC authoring several reports for Congress on issues related to weapons of mass destruction.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Edmund Fitton-Brown, former UK Ambassador to Yemen, about the evolving Houthi threat and its implications for Israel, the Gulf states, and the broader regional balance of power. They explore the role of the Houthis in Iran’s attempts to project power in the region and in ongoing talks about the Iranian nuclear programme. Edmund Fitton-Brown is a veteran British diplomat who served as the UK’s Ambassador to Yemen from 2015 to 2017 and later coordinated UN expert panels on ISIL, Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban. He holds advisory or fellowship positions with the Counter Extremism Project, the Middle East Institute, The Soufan Center and New America.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Dr Lynette Nusbacher about the future of UK–Israel relations, as viewed from a British strategic perspective. They explore how the Labour government’s evolving stance – including threats of sanctions and the suspension of trade talks – is reshaping bilateral ties, and what this means for defence, intelligence and cyber cooperation. Dr Lynette Nusbacher is a strategic consultant and former British Army intelligence officer who was Head of the Strategic Horizons Unit in the UK Cabinet Office and Senior Lecturer in War Studies, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. She was part of Britain’s National Security Secretariat working on UK’s national security strategy.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with veteran journalist and Middle East expert Henrique Cymerman about his extraordinary 12-year relationship with Pope Francis. They discuss Cymerman’s unique role as an emissary between the Vatican and the Middle East, including organising the Pope’s historic visit to Israel, brokering interfaith peace initiatives, and advocating for Israeli hostages in Gaza. Henrique Cymerman is a multi-award-winning journalist, fluent in five languages, with over 30 years’ experience covering the Middle East. He is also President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry between Israel and the Gulf States and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize at the initiative of Pope Francis.