I Could Have Been A Houthi with Luai Ahmed

In this powerful episode of Breaking the Narrative, Jesse sits down with Luai Ahmed, a Yemeni-born Muslim Zionist whose life could have taken a very different path. Raised in an environment shaped by extremism, indoctrination, and anti-Israel propaganda, Luai was taught from childhood to glorify martyrdom, hate the West, and embrace the ideology of groups like the Houthis.

Instead, he chose truth. He chose freedom. And he chose courage.

Luai shares the raw, unfiltered story of how he broke away from radical teachings, fled Yemen, rebuilt his identity in the West, and ultimately became one of the most outspoken voices calling for reform within the Muslim world. Jesse and Luai discuss extremism, the roots of antisemitism in the Middle East, the danger of Western naivety, the power of personal transformation, and what it truly takes to stand up for Israel in 2025.

This is one of our most gripping conversations yet. It offers a rare look inside the mindset of someone who could have become a Houthi fighter but instead became a champion for peace, truth, and human rights.