The War Over the Narrative

What does “winning” a war with Iran actually mean? Dennis Ross breaks down the possible endgames - from nuclear concessions to control of the Strait of Hormuz - and what the conflict means for U.S. politics and regional normalization.

As Israel continues to fight a war on multiple fronts, a critical question is emerging at home: What kind of country is it becoming in the process? In this episode, Yaakov speaks with Prof. Dan Ben-David of the Shoresh Institute and Tel Aviv University about the government’s decision to allocate 5 billion shekels to the Haredi sector in the middle of the war — and what that reveals about Israel’s priorities.

As Israel fights a historic war with Iran, deeper questions are emerging about the country’s future. What kind of Israel will take shape after this conflict? What does the war reveal about Israel’s strengths and limits? And as the country moves toward another election cycle, how might the war reshape its politics and leadership? To unpack these questions, Yakkov is joined by Dr. Einat Wilf - former Knesset member, political thinker, and one of the most insightful voices in Israel’s strategic debate.

On day 13 of the war with Iran, where does the campaign stand? Have Israel and the United States achieved their core objectives, and what still remains unresolved? Yaakov Katz is joined by JPPI senior fellows Shmuel Rosner and LTC (Ret.) Or Horvitz for a strategic look at the war so far, the pressure points ahead, and whether there is any risk of divergence between Jerusalem and the Trump administration as the conflict continues.

As the war continues to reshape the Middle East, a critical question remains: what happened to the 450 kg of highly enriched uranium Iran reportedly buried under Isfahan? To explore the strategic and technical realities of this challenge, Yaakov speaks with Avner Vilan, who spent two decades inside Israel’s intelligence and defense communities focused on disrupting Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He provides a rare, expert perspective on the resilience of the Iranian program and what its survival means for the day after the war.For a list of Avner's recent X posts about Iran: https://x.com/avner_vilan/status/2031335524670026014?s=20

Former IDF international spokesperson Lt. Col. (res.) Peter Lerner joins the podcast to discuss Israel’s wartime communication strategy. We discuss why Israel communicates differently than the US, how misinformation and AI videos shape coverage, and what questions the media should really be asking.

Gil Troy and Shmuel Rosner join Yaakov to discuss the latest developments in the war with Iran, the resilience of the Trump–Netanyahu relationship, and new polling on American Jewish support for the war - and what it could mean for Israel’s growing election debate.

Missiles are flying across the Middle East - and American defense systems are stopping many of them. But interceptors are limited. Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joins Yaakov to examine whether the U.S. and its allies have enough missile defense capabilities to sustain a long war with Iran.

Hezbollah has joined the war, firing rockets into Israel and widening the conflict with Iran. On day three of the campaign, what are the objectives, what has been achieved, and how deep is US–Israel coordination? LTC (Ret.) Or Horvitz, a former senior intelligence officer, joins Yaakov to break it down.

Elliott Abrams joins the podcast to discuss the joint Israeli-American operation aimed at weakening the Iranian regime, degrading its military capabilities, and creating an opening for the Iranian people to seize the reins of power and topple the ayatollahs.