This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Lebanese journalist Dalal Mawad about her new book, All She Lost. The book weaves together women’s stories as they grapple with the 2020 explosion at the Port of Beirut, its aftermath, and the underlying pathologies that have contributed to Lebanon’s troubles. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman ... Show More
May 2025
Babel Special: Jon Alterman's Next Chapter
This week on a special edition of Babel, Will Todman speaks with Jon Alterman, the creator of Babel and the show’s host since it began in 2019. They discuss Jon’s reflections on 22 years directing the CSIS Middle East Program, his analysis of how the Middle East policy ecosystem ... Show More
34m 59s
May 2025
Mohanad Hage Ali: Hezbollah and the Captagon Trade
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director for research at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. Mohanad's latest paper for Carnegie investigates the rise of a new form of drug smuggling in Lebanon. Together, they discuss Hezbollah’s i ... Show More
50m 16s
May 2025
Analysis: Will Trump’s Houthi Deal Stick?
On Tuesday, May 6, President Trump declared that the United States would immediately halt its bombing of Houthi targets, bringing an end to months of intensified U.S. strikes across Yemen. The president linked the policy reversal to what he described as the Iran-backed Houthis’ c ... Show More
6m 13s
Sep 30
Hezbollah's Existential Crisis: Lebanon's effort to disarm the resistance and the future of the Party of God
It has been annus horribilis for Hezbollah.They were struck by a deadly pager attack, Israel launched a devastating air and ground campaign against the group, and their long-time leader was killed in an Israeli airstrike. The war left Hezbollah battered and broken, and now, the L ... Show More
29m 46s
Oct 2024
The Tragedy of the Middle East: A Letter from Lebanon
In this episode, we turn our focus to the Middle East, specifically Lebanon, a country currently at the epicentre of political and economic turmoil. Joined by Lebanese economist Carole Nakhle, we dive into the complexities of Lebanese society, a nation shaped by hyperinflation, w ... Show More
44m 34s
Mar 2025
Introducing Sanaa's Odyssey
Subscribe now to be notified when new episodes are available.Available on Apple, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcast.Sanaa Kamal is a freelance journalist, who was born and raised in Gaza.She has lived through a series of wars in Gaza, but nothing like the war that fo ... Show More
1m 15s
Sep 13
Another Take: Deadly pager attacks leave Lebanon in shock
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on September 18, 2024. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. Lebanon is reeling after two days of coordinated attacks attributed to Israel that detonated thousan ... Show More
17m 12s