Ep. 206 — The Hezbollah-Israel conflagration

According to the Taliban's self-assessment (what could go wrong), Afghanistan is "stable" — but according to reality, it's not. Terrorist groups still operate openly, al-Qaeda remains embedded, and the same extremists are now being trusted to “fight” other extremists.Bill Roggio and Edmund Fitton-Brown break down why outsourcing counterterrorism to jihadists is a fatal mistake — and why the so-called "peace of the Taliban" comes at an unbearable price: the erasure of half the country’s population and the return of Afghanistan as a global terror hub.

Bill is joined by Caleb Weiss to dissect the recently-viral claim that Osama bin Laden’s son, Hamza bin Laden (the one President Trump had previously announced was killed in a U.S. counterterrorism operation several years ago), is alive and secretly leading al-Qaeda from Afghanistan.

In a seismic policy shift after decades of Western indifference, the Trump administration has moved to designate key chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations.Bill is joined by FDD’s Edmund Fitton-Brown, who explains why this first round of designations is just the opening salvo — and how pulling this initial thread could eventually unravel the Brotherhood’s sprawling global network from Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon to Turkey, Qatar, and beyond.

A precision strike in southern Beirut wiped out Haitham al-Tabataba’i, Hezbollah’s chief of staff, longtime military leader, and architect of its elite Radwan force. He was also the man overseeing Hezbollah’s post-ceasefire rearmament. Bill is joined by FDD’s David Daoud and Joe Truzman to unpack who Tabataba’i was, why the Israelis chose to strike now and what it means for Hezbollah’s failed regeneration, Beirut politics, and Israel’s next moves. 

Ceasefire on paper. Chaos on the ground. Trump’s 20-point plan promises “peace” in Gaza — but Hamas is already violating the ceasefire, gaming hostage returns, killing rivals, and rearming in tunnels.Bill is joined by his FDD colleagues Samuel Ben-Ur and Aaron Goren to discuss why disarming Hamas is a fantasy, why an international force risks becoming UNIFIL 2.0, and why Israel may be forced to finish the war.

Washington is rolling out the red carpet for Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, now “President Shara.” Bill Roggio and Edmund Fitton-Brown ask the hard question: why is a former al-Qaeda leader who oversaw massacres and foreign-terror networks suddenly treated like Syria’s George Washington? They unpack the risks, the Taliban déjà vu, and what this means for Israel, minorities, and the next phase of the long war.

Bill and David Daoud examine how Israel’s near-daily strikes on Hezbollah barely register in the West while even minor flare-ups in Gaza seemingly become a global crisis. They unpack why Lebanon’s decades of incompetence paved the way for Hezbollah entrenchment and failed statehood — and Western exhaustion, which may help explain why the “belligerent occupation” narrative remains strong in Gaza.

Will the next phase of the Long War erupt inside a nuclear-armed state?The Taliban, a monster Islamabad built but can’t control, is waging a war against Pakistan — and it shouldn’t surprise anyone. After decades of Islamabad playing both arsonist and firefighter — nurturing the Taliban, harboring al Qaeda, and weaponizing jihad against India — Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn reunite to dissect why the blaze is finally backfiring on Pakistan. 

Guest host Behnam Ben Taleblu and FDD’s Janatan Sayeh delve into the complexities of Iran's internal politics, implications of the recent 12-day war, and ongoing discussions surrounding the truth about the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions. They unpack the regime's strategies, the impact of social media on public perception, and the challenges faced by regime leadership in maintaining “legitimacy” and control. 

There’s a ceasefire in Gaza — not a peace deal. Hamas won’t disarm, the Houthis won’t quit, and Iran’s already rebuilding. Bill Roggio and Edmund Fitton-Brown unpack the unfinished wars still burning from Yemen to Tehran and trace the next fronts in this Long War.