I - On Defense Podcast

For review: 1.  A senior Israeli official said Monday that a Hostage release and Ceasefire deal with Hamas has been rejected. The proposal- as reported by Lebanese outlet Al-Mayadeen- called for a ceasefire of about 70 days during which 10 living hostages would be released in two phases, modifying the so-called Witkoff outline, which laid out a shorter ceasefire for the release of about 10 living...

For review: 1. Houthis continue missile attacks on Israel. A ballistic missile launched at Israel by the Houthis was successfully intercepted by air defenses, the military said Sunday. It was the third attack in four days, and the fifth since last Sunday. 2. IDF Prepares for Ground Offensive in Gaza with 5 Divisions. When the major ground offensive is launched, the Palestinian population will be p...

For review: 1.  Updated Info on Strike that Targeted Hamas Leader.  The strike that targeted and possibly eliminated Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar in Gaza earlier this month was made possible when the terror chief made the rare mistake of moving without a defensive “hostage belt” protecting him, according to a Friday report.  2.  Israel will receive a “devastating and decisive response” if it attac...

For review: 1. US & Iran to Meet Friday in Rome for 5th Round of Talks.  2. Report: Israel Ready to Strike Iran if Nuclear Talks with US Break Down. Israel is getting ready to quickly strike Iran if ongoing talks between the United States and the Islamic Republic over the latter’s nuclear program break down, Axios reports, citing a pair of Israeli sources. 3. Israel and Turkey have reached an...

For review: 1. President Trump Phone Call with Russian President.  President Trump sought to emphasize what he described as an excellent “tone and spirit” shared with the Kremlin leader. President Putin, meanwhile, described the call as “meaningful and frank.”  2.  EU Preparing Sanctions Package. The EU is preparing an important sanctions package against Russia as Moscow continues to refuse a ceas...

For review: 1. Russia and Ukraine Istanbul Talks Last Under 2 Hours with Large Prisoner Exchange Agreement and Consensus to Meet Again. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called the POW swap as a “confidence-building measure” and said the parties had agreed in principle to meet again. 2. US President Donald Trump says he will be speaking to Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday about ending th...

For review: 1. President Trump on Last Leg of Middle East Visit. 2. Despite No President Putin- Russia & Ukraine Delegations Still to Meet on16 May. 3. US Army's First Unit Fielded with FLRAA will be 101st Airborne Division. 4. US Army High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) aircraft procurement down to 6 systems instead of 12, as originally thought.  Last year, the Sierra...

For review: 1. Russia - Ukraine Talks in Istanbul Thursday: Will Russian President Attend? In what may have been a surprise for the Russian leader, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy responded by accepting the invitation, saying he was ready to meet Putin in Turkey on 15 May. 2. President Trump said he might take a detour during his Mideast trip to visit Turkey for peace negotiations between Russia and...

For review: 1. Ukraine Agrees to Direct Talks with Russia in Istanbul. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he would agree to meet Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Turkey on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump told him immediately to accept Putin's proposal of direct talks. 2.  India & Pakistan Ceasefire. India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire Saturday after US-led talks...

For review: 1. Israeli Defense Minister (Israel Katz) warned Iran of consequences for sponsorship of Houthi Rebels.  Defense Minster Katz: “I also warn the Iranian leadership that funds, arms and operates the Houthi terror organization… You are directly responsible. What we did to Hezbollah in Beirut, Hamas in Gaza, to Assad in Damascus and the Houthis in Yemen, will also be done to you in Tehran....

For review: 1. US President Donald Trump indicated Wednesday that he is seeking to “blow up” Iran’s nuclear centrifuges through an agreement with Tehran, but is also prepared to blow them up in an attack if necessary. 2. UAE Facilitates Indirect Security Talks Between Israel & Syria. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday confirmed that his country was currently taking part in indirect...

1. IDF Airstrikes Disable Sanaa International Airport. Dozens of Israeli Air Force aircraft were involved in the strikes on Yemen on Tuesday, including fighter jets, refuelers, and spy planes. The IDF said the fighter jets dropped 50 munitions on the targets. 2.  President Trump Announces Truce with Houthis; Halts Bombing in Yemen. Oman revealed that it had mediated the ceasefire deal under which...

For review: 1. Israeli PM Vows Retaliation Against Iran & Houthis for Airport Missile Strike. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday vowed to retaliate against the Houthis in Yemen and to act against “their patron” Iran, hours after the rebel group struck Ben Gurion Airport with a ballistic missile.  2. President Trump said in an interview aired Sunday that the aim of his administration’s...

For review: 1. Update on Israel wildfires. 2.  Israel Strikes Damascus in Message to Syrian Regime.  Israel conducted airstrikes early on Friday near Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa’s official residential compound in Damascus in response to violence in Syria against the country’s Druze minority, the Israel Defense Forces said.  3. Lebanon has warned Hamas not to conduct operations that compromise th...

For review: 1. Israel seeks international aid in fighting wildfires across the country.  A statement from Israel's Foreign Ministry said the minister had spoken with the foreign ministers of the UK, France, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Argentina, Spain, North Macedonia, Azerbaijan, and other unspecified countries. 2. IDF's Drone Strike "Message" Supports Syrian Druze Community....

For review: 1. Iran Port Blast Caused by "Negligence". Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said Monday that a deadly explosion at the country’s largest commercial port two days earlier was caused by “negligence” and failure to comply with safety measures. 2.  An Israeli official said Monday that there is “no chance” Israel would accept the five-year truce proposal with the Hamas ter...

For review: 1. Iranian MP Blames Israel for Port Explosion. MP Mohammad Siraj: “Israel was involved in the explosion. It was not accidental. Clear evidence points to Israeli involvement.”  Israel’s leadership has not commented on the blast.  2. IDF strikes missile warehouse in Beirut suburbs.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that...

For review: 1. IDF strikes Hamas command center in Northern Gaza. 2. From interview with Time Magazine: US President Trump said he would not be dragged by Prime Minister Netanyahu into war with Iran, but vowed Washington could instead “be leading the pack” if diplomacy were to fail. 3.  President Trump: Russia & Ukraine Close to a Deal. 4. Estonia to Achieve Over 5% GDP on Defense Spending. 5....

For review: 1. Houthi rebels have downed 6 MQ-9 Reaper Drones since 15 March, and 15 Reapers since October 2023. The U.S. Air Force has about 280 Reapers in its inventory, each costing about $28 million, according to the Congressional Research Service. 2. Iran Fortifies Nuclear Sites. Commercial satellite images taken on March 29 showed hardened entrances to (nuclear) complexes beneath Mt. Kolang...

For review: 1. Latest US airstrikes target Farwa neighborhood in Sanaa. US Central Command declined to answer questions about the strike. 2. Israeli Air Force conducts drills that simulate Iranian missile attack on IAF bases. IAF bases were targeted in previous Iranian strikes in April and October 2024. 3. IDF Ground Operations in Rafah Continue. The IDF has not only cut off Rafah from Khan Younis...

For review: 1. US Strikes Houthi Oil Terminal.   The US military said it had destroyed Ras Isa terminal "to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue".  2. WSJ Report: Anti-Houthi militias are planning ground offensive against the terror organization.  American officials said the United States is “open to supporting a ground o...

For review: 1. NYT Report: President Trump Suspended Attack on Iranian Nuclear Sites Planned for May. 2. IDF continues pressure on Hamas during Gaza Strip operations with three Divisions. No deadline for major offensive yet. 3. US Secretary of State Traveling to Paris to Discuss Ukraine & Middle East. Separately, on Thursday, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu will travel to Washington...

For review: 1. President Trump On Iran's Nuclear Ambition: "I'll solve that problem."  US President Donald Trump vowed Monday to “solve” the issue of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, even if it means taking “very harsh” actions to thwart them. 2.  Israel - Hams Hostage Negotiations. The Haaretz daily, citing Palestinian sources involved in the talks, reported that Cairo and Doha are w...

For review: 1. US & Iran Talks in Oman: "Productive and Positive". Both countries agreed to hold a second round next week. 2. Rafah cut-off from rest of Gaza between two IDF Security Corridors. The IDF said Rafah was now surrounded by its forces, with the 36th Division holding the Morag Corridor and the Gaza Division operating in the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border a...

For review: 1. Aircraft Carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) Arrives in CENTCOM AOR. The USS Carl Vinson — which is armed with F-35C stealth warplanes — is now working alongside the USS Harry S. Truman in the region, US Central Command says. 2.  The Commander of Iran’s Army Ground Force revealed plans to set up the new unmanned-focused facilities in country's border regions. 3.  Israeli and Turki...