The Israel Defense Forces continued operations in eastern Rafah on May 9, eliminating up to 50 terrorists and uncovering ten tunnel shafts. Meanwhile, Israel’s military and political leadership reacted to comments from President Biden about the potential for pausing more munitions deliveries if Israel expands into the rest of Rafah. In Zaytun in northern Gaza, the IDF carried out its third raid in six months of ground maneuver. The post Israel’s Rafah operation met with US warning of munitions pause first appeared on FDD's Long War Journal ..read more

On November 8, 2023, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs conducted a closed-door interview with Zalmay Khalilzad, the Former Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation and master architect of the Doha Agreement which cemented the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. Many items of interest came up during the marathon meeting, including Long War Journal. If you know, you know. Bill poured over transcripts of the nearly ten hours-long interview, and he had help from none other than LWJ OG Tom Joscelyn. Bill and Tom discuss the highlights. The post Generation Jihad ..read more

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited the IDF’s 91st division in northern Israel on May 8, where he met with the commander of the division responsible for defending the Lebanon border and vowed that Israel would return evacuated civilians to their communities along the northern border. The IDF evacuated 80,000 Israelis from the north in October 2023 due to Hezbollah attacks, and approximately 50,000 remain evacuated. The post Israel’s Defense Minister visits north amid Hezbollah attacks first appeared on FDD's Long War Journal ..read more

Evidence of foreign fighters operating in southern Lebanon continues to mount as the Israeli military recently killed three Syrian members of Islamic Jihad. The post Syrian fighters belonging to Islamic Jihad killed in southern Lebanon first appeared on FDD's Long War Journal ..read more

Israeli tanks took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt on May 7, 2024. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited IDF artillery supporting the operation and said Israel was still open to a compromise with Hamas, but that Israel would intensify operations if Hamas did not make a hostage deal. Hezbollah and Iraqi militias escalated attacks on Israel as the IDF operation in Rafah began. The post IDF tanks take Rafah crossing, forces target eastern Rafah first appeared on FDD's Long War Journal ..read more

The Israel Defense Forces called for the evacuation of around 100,000 civilians in eastern Rafah to a designated humanitarian zone near Khan Younis. These efforts to keep civilians safe from possible fighting occur as Israel has reiterated a months-long vow to launch an operation into Rafah where an estimated four Hamas battalions remain. The post IDF asks Gazans to evacuate eastern Rafah ahead of offensive first appeared on FDD's Long War Journal ..read more

Hamas fired ten projectiles at Kerem Shalom in Israel near the Egyptian border on May 5. Hamas took credit for the attack and claimed it targeted IDF troops. In addition, Hezbollah fired dozens of projectiles at communities in northern Israel. Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also visited Gaza on May 5, where he vowed that Israel would continue with its planned Rafah operation. The post Israel faces rocket fire on two fronts first appeared on FDD's Long War Journal ..read more

Zalmay Khalilzad, the former Special Repressive for Afghanistan Reconciliation and the key architect of the Doha Agreement, continues to maintain that the Taliban "dismantled" Al Qaeda, despite evidence to the contrary from the UN and CENTCOM. The post Architect of Doha agreement wrongly claims: ‘Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent has been dismantled’ first appeared on FDD's Long War Journal ..read more

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant spoke with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the evening of May 1. Israel’s Chief of Staff went to northern Israel to meet commanders on the northern front facing Hezbollah. Israel announced several wartime promotions for commanders amid ongoing political discussions surrounding the Rafah offensive. The post Israel faces multi-front challenges amid internal discussions on war first appeared on FDD's Long War Journal ..read more

Bill is joined again by his FDD colleague and show regular David Daoud to unpack issues raised in David’s latest piece for The Wall Street Journal, “Hezbollah Stumbles Into a War of Attrition.” They also catch up on adjacent matters concerning Israel’s ground war in Gaza and the dumpster fire engulfing American "institutions of higher education.” The post Generation Jihad Ep. 164 — Hezbollah Hold ‘Em first appeared on FDD's Long War Journal ..read more