Prof. Kobi Michael: Israel’s latest measures are aimed at pressuring Hamas — not to reduce the size of the Gaza Strip for the sake of annexation or something like that.

Still, it was likely that Israel would maintain control of buffer zones and seized territory indefinitely, or at least until Hamas’ rule in Gaza is brought to an end, with a new system of authority ushered in.

We are still in a war against Hamas. And this is part of the war.

No safe place left in Gaza as Israel’s ‘humanitarian zones’ shrink.

Published in NBC NEWS, May 04, 2025.

Noa Lazimi: Israel’s efforts to protect its border with Syria are motivated by legitimate security needs, not expansionism.

It is a vital key interest for Israel to ensure that southern Syria remains demilitarized, so the Golan and Galilee aren’t endangered. And by having operational freedom over Syrian airspace, Israel can prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands and thwart attempts by pro-Turkish militia groups from attacking Israel’s border,

Published in Washington Examiner, April 26, 2025.

Noa Lazimi reviews the recent developments with the Houthi terror group in Yemen. She discusses the impact that the US airstrikes have had on their infrastructure and the possibly of a ground incursion led by the Yemeni Government to combat the massive strike executed by the Houthis. Noa explains what the general policy has been towards the Houthis and whether things need to change moving forward. She also addresses the other regional threats and how they connect to the terror group in Yemen and the interests of the United States and Israel.

April 23, 2025.

David M. Weinberg: After all, the insistence on Palestinian statehood—after 30 years of Oslo process failures and the Oct. 7 attacks—flies in the face of logic, justice, history, and basic security realities.
The Palestinian national movement, Fatah and Hamas wings alike, largely have shown themselves to be committed to Israel’s debilitation and destruction, not to a peaceful two-state solution.

Published in JNS, April  22, 2025.

Col. (res.) Dr. Hanan Shai: Statements by Lebanese officials and the activities of the Lebanese army are unequivocally an achievement for Israel.

The weakness of the Lebanese army, the IDF cannot rely on it and must back it up with its own parallel defense— mainly through detailed intelligence monitoring and targeted thwarting of any violation not only in Southern Lebanon but also [deep] within it, including at sea and air ports.

Published in JNS, April  18, 2025.

Prof. Kobi Michael: The Houthi’s military capability has been damaged but not yet eliminated. More time and effort—complementary to the military effort—will be required to bring about their disintegration from most of their capabilities in a more significant way.

The American effort must be assisted by social-political efforts within Yemen itself.
These efforts should be aimed at weakening and fragmenting the Houthis and their regime in northern Yemen, he said, “to assist the government of southern Yemen in cooperation with tribes rival to the Houthi tribes in northern Yemen to regain effective control of the area, alongside the military effort.”

It does not exist in the kinetic context. it does exist in the intelligence context and perhaps in assisting thought and consultations in the political context. The U.S. coordinates and updates, but acts quite independently and very much prefers that there be no Israeli involvement, which can only complicate matters.

Published in JNS, April  14, 2025.

Prof. Kobi Michael: Israel was beginning to doubt Trump’s determination vis a vis Iran. I don’t think prime minister Netanyahu believes that negotiations with Iran can lead to a successful agreement that will prevent Iran from advancing its military nuclear capabilities.

At the same time, I think the prime minister is very concerned about the skillful negotiating capabilities of Iran and the possibility that Israel might find itself in a dangerous strategic stalemate with regard to Iran’s military nuclear capabilities.

Published in The Washington Free Beacon, April  11, 2025.

Prof. Kobi Michael: An uprising against Hamas could be a way to avoid a full Israeli occupation of Gaza.
Occupation is the more probable scenario, unless the protesters reach 100,000 which would be a tipping point to convince Hamas to accept the Witkoff proposal.

Israel’s increased military pressure was to force Hamas to not only free the remaining hostages it seized during the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war, but to also lay down its arms and for its leaders to leave Gaza. However, he sees “no indication” that Hamas would agree to this.

Published in The National,  April  08, 2025.

Noa Lazimi: The base would enable Turkey to establish air superiority in this area, and this poses a serious concern for Israel because it undermines its operational freedom in the region.

Published in Reuters, April  04, 2025.

Dr. Yossi Mansharof: Trump wants Tehran to negotiate seeks to bring Iran to a point where the regime understands that the nuclear program not only fails to advance its goals but actually endangers it and Iran’s national security.

That being said Trump has made it clear that if Iran does not respond to his offer to negotiate, the U.S. itself will attack Iran.

I believes Trump wants to make Iran understand that continuing the current course—progress in the nuclear program, regional entrenchment, sponsoring Iran’s proxy network and developing the missile program—will harm the regime, and therefore, it would be in Iran’s own interest to reach an agreement with the U.S. in these three areas.

Published in JNS, April 04, 2025.