Generation Jihad

Bill and Joe catch up on the latest headlines related to Israel’s defensive war, including a possible ceasefire, more terror tunnels uncovered and destroyed, the Hezbollah attack that killed an IDF soldier, and the suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.

Bill and Will Selber are joined by friend of the show Jerry Dunleavy. Jerry was the senior investigator for the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s investigation of the withdrawal from Afghanistan until he shared his letter of resignation on X earlier this week. Why did Jerry resign? The answer requires revisiting how events leading up to the fall of Kabul and withdrawal from Afghanistan unfolded and played out — and the ever-expanding black hole of accountability.

Joining the discussion are Edmund Fitton-Brown, a noted expert on jihadi threats, and Caleb Weiss, an analyst specializing in jihadist activities. They dive deep into the latest UN report detailing the rise of jihadist groups in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Key topics include the complexities of Islamic State leadership transitions and the implications of non-Arab leaders. They also address the growing influence of Al-Shabaab, the expansion of jihadist operations in West Africa, and the evolving strategies of militant groups, raising concerns about global security.

Bill and Joe unpack Iran's strategy of keeping Israel and partners on their toes in anticipation of some form of retaliation for Israel's recent assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Preston Stewart, a social media influencer and war correspondent, shares his insights on the complexities of global conflict and the role of social media in shaping public perceptions. He dives into his experiences in Afghanistan and the challenges of navigating misinformation about groups like Hamas and the Taliban. Stewart also discusses the implications of recent events in the Israel-Hamas conflict, Iran's influence through proxy groups, and the tactical dynamics in Ukraine and Mali, shedding light on how these conflicts interconnect.

Co-host worlds collide today as Bill and Wednesday CH Will Selber are joined by Monday CH Joe Truzman and Friday CH Behnam Ben Taleblu to discuss the at least two high-profile assassinations carried out in the last 24 hours presumably by Israel: one in southern Beirut that killed top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, and another in Tehran that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Bill and Joe are joined by David Daoud to unpack this weekend’s Hezbollah rocket attack on a Druze community in Israel’s Golan Heights that killed 12 Israeli children — and whether we should soon expect an all-out Israel-Hezbollah war.

Bill and Joe discuss Israel’s retaliatory strike against Houthi targets in Yemen following the Iranian-backed terror group’s drone strike in Tel Aviv, the CENTCOM Commander’s surprisingly honest letter to the Secretary of Defense, and the irony of Pakistan designating Prime Minister Netanyahu as a terrorist (congrats to him on his new villa in Abbottabad).

Bill and Behnam are joined by fellow FDD expert and friend of the show David David to talk about the drone strike in Tel Aviv — what we know so far and what it means for the broader war. 

The UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team has released its latest report on Afghanistan and the myriad of jihadist activity therein. To discuss, Bill is joined by former director of this team at the UN and longtime friend of the show Edmund Fitton-Brown. Edmund is now a senior advisor to the Counter Extremism Project and previously served as the UK's ambassador to Yemen.