logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
27m 14s

Israel’s escalation

Vox
About this episode

Tanks, rockets, missiles, and the death of Hassan Nasrallah. Israel is asserting itself as the most powerful player in the Middle East.

This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Amanda Lewellyn with help from Miles Bryan, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast

Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members

An Israeli tank on the Israeli-Lebanese border. Photo by Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance via Getty Images.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
Saudi Arabia is no joke
The Riyadh Comedy Festival was billed as “two weeks of laughs in the desert” but has comics asking, “At what cost?” This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King. A poster f ... Show More
26 m
Oct 8
Trump deploys the National Guard
The president is attempting to send the National Guard into two American cities for two (seemingly) different reasons with two (for now) different results. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Danielle Hewitt, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and K ... Show More
25m 55s
Oct 7
We're in our AI slop era
Meta just dropped Vibes and OpenAI just dropped Sora 2. Both social media platforms are filled with AI videos that warp our sense of reality. This episode was made in collaboration with Vox's Future Perfect. It was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by ... Show More
26m 23s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
Why is Israel cracking down on the West Bank after Gaza ceasefire?
There is no ceasefire in the occupied West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the start of a “large-scale military operation” in Jenin targeting a hospital and refugee camp. Meanwhile, a new US administration has endorsed Israel’s “biblical dominion” and li ... Show More
18m 47s
Aug 11
Bibi Doubles Down on Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is doubling down on his threat to capture Gaza City, despite a growing chorus of condemnation. This comes as Gaza faces heavy bombardment, with targeted Israeli strikes on Sunday killing several journalists, including one of Al Jazeera's ... Show More
56m 10s
Jun 2025
Greta’s mission to Gaza
On Monday a boat of twelve activists, including Greta Thunberg, was intercepted by Israel on its way to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza. More than a humanitarian mission, its aim was to keep the world's attention on what the UN calls "the hungriest place on earth". Israe ... Show More
31m 20s
Sep 28
Brief: Netanyahu at UN, Lebanon marks Nasrallah assassination
This week: Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly as Israel continued its destruction of Gaza City. Lebanon marked one year since Israel's assassination of Hassan Nasrallah. It is day 723 of the war on Gaza, where more than 65,926 Palestinians have been killed. In t ... Show More
6m 2s
Aug 28
"AIPAC Shakur" - August 27, 2025
Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial and start selling today at ⁠shopify.com/tyt A tragic shooting unfolds at a Minneapolis Catholic school. The Israeli military claims a strike on a Gaza hospital targeted a Hamas camera — but provides no evidence. Charlamagne tha ... Show More
1h 7m
Sep 2024
What’s behind the massive protests in Israel?
A general strike and massive protests took place in Tel Aviv after the bodies of six Israeli captives were found in a Gaza tunnel by Israeli forces. Huge numbers of protesters are calling for Netanyahu to sign a deal to return the remaining captives. What do these protests signif ... Show More
18m 52s
Sep 12
Day 707 - Lazar Berman: After five years, are the Abraham Accords a success?
Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. It’s September 15, 2020, and on the South Law ... Show More
32m 42s
Feb 2025
500 days on, how Hamas survived Israel’s war on Gaza
Hamas has survived 500 days of relentless bombardment, defying Israel's repeated vows to destroy it. Despite its losses, including assassinations of prominent leaders, Hamas is intact, manning checkpoints, coordinating aid, and releasing Israeli captives. How does Hamas continue ... Show More
23m 4s
Sep 30
White House Unveils 20-Point Gaza Peace Plan
President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a plan that could yield an end to the war in Gaza. But Hamas was not involved in crafting the 20-point plan, and it’s not clear whether they will agree to it. We discuss what benefits the plan has for each si ... Show More
15m 7s
Aug 27
Day 691 - Cabinet ignores Hamas deal as Trump plans postwar Gaza
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Political correspondent Tal Schneider and health editor Diana Bletter join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Schneider discu ... Show More
17m 24s