Tug of War

As Israel continues to pound Gaza with airstrikes as retaliation for the deadly Hamas terror attacks, many are wondering how soon it will launch a full ground offensive into the enclave. However, two sources briefed on the discussions tell CNN that the US is seeking to delay that operation in hopes of getting more hostages out and aid into Gaza. In this episode, we examine what a ground incursion ...

Conditions on the ground in Gaza continue to deteriorate as Israel repeatedly bombards the strip with airstrikes in retaliation for the brutal Hamas terror attack. As the situation worsens, aid agencies are warning that hospitals are almost out of fuel. In this episode, we hear from four people on the ground who are fighting to survive the war: an aid worker running low on food and water, a 13-yea...

When Hamas launched its attack on Israel, many military experts were surprised by how well-organized it seemed. Now, CNN has reviewed documents that Israeli officials say were Hamas attack plans revealing granular details on its targets. This episode examines the context of those documents and how a group of volunteer guards in one kibbutz were able to help fight off a group of militants.  Learn m...

President Joe Biden’s trip to Tel Aviv was overshadowed by outrage over a devastating blast at a hospital in Gaza that is being highly contested in the region. In this episode, CNN’s International Diplomatic Editor, Nic Robertson explains how the US’ strong support for Israel could be tested, and what came out of this high stakes visit while the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens.  Learn more...

As fighting intensifies between Israel and Gaza, Hezbollah’s the third player on the sidelines that could shift how things turn out for Israel. What happens if they get involved? What would the cost be for Israel if another front opens on its border with Lebanon? CNN’s Ben Wedeman explains what a double-sided war could mean for Israel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adc...

Millions of Palestinians remain without basic supplies in Gaza ahead of a possible Israeli ground incursion. Meanwhile, those who want to evacuate find themselves with no way out while the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt remains closed. In today’s episode, we look at the diplomatic efforts to bring relief to those who need it as the death toll in Gaza continues to rise.  Learn more about yo...

Warning: what you’ll hear in this episode is disturbing.  With each passing day, the true brutality of Hamas’ attack on Israel is coming into sharper focus. At the same time, Israel says its troops carried out local raids in the Gaza strip. In this episode, CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward tells us stories of grief and strength out of the Be’eri kibbutz, which bore the brunt of...

Hamas’ latest attacks on Israel is once again making the international community pick sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But what is the militant organization’s end game? In this episode, CNN Senior International Correspondent Sam Kiley breaks down the history of Hamas and the calculations that could be behind the attacks.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoic...

Warning, this episode contains descriptions of violence. As the conflict enters the fifth day, Israel’s military continues to pound Gaza with airstrikes, while Israel forms an emergency government and war cabinet. In this episode, CNN's Hadas Gold explains what this move says about Israel’s military strategy, as fears of a regional conflict rise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoi...

As Israel and Hamas trade rocket fire over the skies of Israel, there is growing concern for the at least 100 hostages the terror group claims it has taken. In this episode, CNN International Anchor Becky Anderson tells us about the families of the missing she has met and what they are asking for from Israeli and US authorities.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Israel has formally declared war on Hamas - the Palestinian militant group - setting the stage for a major military operation in Gaza as fighting continues to rage on Israeli soil. Tanks and personnel carriers have been seen on the move near the Israel-Gaza border after Hamas launched an unprecedented and highly coordinated surprise assault on Saturday. CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robe...

In a new season, CNN reporters take us on-the-ground to cover this unprecedented moment in Israel and the repercussions in Gaza. We will unpack the escalating conflict and what it means for the rest of the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He was in Kyiv at the very start of the invasion - CNN Senior International correspondent Matthew Chance returns to find a city experiencing an uneasy calm. Meanwhile, brutal fighting continues in the South and East as the Ukrainians go on a counter-offensive, hoping to retake Russian-occupied territory. We examine what life is like for everyday Ukrainians who have returned to horror and look at w...

Ukrainian officials claim Russia has targeted numerous cultural and historical sites during its assault on the country. In response, artists and historians have been racing to save key artifacts in an effort to preserve Ukrainian culture. CNN Style Global Editor Fiona Sinclair Scott has the story of one such artist and examines how some Ukrainian residents have returned to the ballet in hopes of a...

Although US-Russia tensions have been at an all-time high, the two countries have been staying in touch on another issue. Trevor Reed, an American imprisoned in Russian territory has finally returned home after nearly 3 years and intense negotiation between the two countries. His fate is different from fellow Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, along with others imprisoned in multiple count...

After decades of neutrality, Finland and Sweden are set to file applications to join NATO, undermining Russian president Vladimir Putin’s aim of splintering the military alliance. CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson traces how the war in Ukraine convinced the Finnish government to take this step and examines how the world order could be impacted if other European countries follow the...

Russia’s war on Ukraine is causing a global scramble for essential commodities such as wheat, natural gas, and sunflower oil. But how are shortages on these goods resulting in an export ban on palm oil in Indonesia and skyrocketing dairy prices in the UK? CNN Business Senior Writer Julia Horowitz talks us through the economic domino effect rocking global markets and the civil unrest it could spark...

Before the war, Mariupol was a peaceful port town. Now, it’s the focal point of the biggest land war in Europe since 1945. CNN’s International Security Editor Nick Paton Walsh spoke to some evacuated residents who have spent the last two months holed up deep beneath a local steel plant - he tells us about their journey, what life is like for those who remain in Mariupol and why future evacuations...

Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, has been a strategic target since the earliest days of Russia’s invasion. Amidst constant bombardment and heavy losses, residents fear the worst could be yet to come should their city be encircled by Russian forces. CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward has seen both the rubble and the heroism on the ground in Kharkiv. She takes us inside the c...

The new CNN Films documentary “Navalny” chronicles the aftermath of top Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny’s poisoning, allegedly carried out by Russian agents (a charge the Kremlin denies). We talk with the film’s director, Daniel Roher, about how he was able to obtain intimate access to Navalny and his family, why it’s important to him for Russians to see the movie and what Putin’s respons...

When Russia invaded Ukraine, Western allies were quick to slap sanctions on the wealthy oligarchs closely aligned with Vladimir Putin. But are they having an impact? CNN Contributor and former CNN Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty examines who is in Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, how they work hand-in-hand with the Kremlin, and why Russia is so desperate for anything it can call a “victory” on th...

Last week, President Joe Biden described the atrocities being discovered in Ukraine as "genocide" for the first time. CNN Chief International Investigative Correspondent Nima Elbagir explains the legal ramifications around the label and also examines how Russian tactics compare to other conflicts she’s covered around the world.  This episode contains graphic descriptions of war.  Recorded on April...

After suffering a series of failures in the north of Ukraine around Kyiv, Russia is set to shift its focus to the east. There are fears that the assault could be even more relentless and indiscriminate as Vladimir Putin searches for some sort of victory. CNN Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen examines why Putin is so focused on this area, what dangers await residents coming back to t...

As Russia leaves behind a trail of dead civilians in Ukraine, the global outrage grows louder. Russian propaganda tries to hide the horrors of bombed cities and potential war crimes by Russian soldiers, but Ukrainian security services have released radio intercepts that counter that narrative. CNN Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance discusses how Russian soldiers are communicating wh...

For the past few days, the world has reacted in horror to the shocking images coming out of Bucha, Ukraine: dead civilian bodies in the streets, many with hands tied, and mass graves containing hundreds of unarmed people. Some believe the atrocities may even be a tipping point in the conflict with Russia. After visiting Bucha, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned peace talks with Russia w...