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Bibi on board? Iran, America and Israel’s campaign in Lebanon

·25 min·2 clips
Netanyahu says Israel will talk peace with Lebanon, then vows to keep bombing Hezbollah after strikes kill 300 in Beirut.
The episode opens with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu making contradictory statements about Lebanon—first suggesting peace talks, then vowing continued strikes against Hezbollah. Recent airstrikes on Beirut resulted in approximately 300 deaths. Correspondent Anshul Pfeffer explains the central conflict: Iran demands Lebanon be included in the US-Iran ceasefire, while Israel insists it's separate. The US-negotiated ceasefire excluded Israel, creating diplomatic strain. Pfeffer analyzes Netanyahu's domestic political pressures as he faces elections without achieving Israel's war aims against Iran. The episode then shifts to NASA's Artemis II mission, with editor Oliver Morton explaining its primary purpose was testing the Orion spacecraft and creating symbolic media moments rather than scientific discovery. The crew included the first woman and first black man to travel that far, emphasizing diversity. Morton discusses the emotional impact of naming a lunar crater after the commander's deceased wife. The final segment profiles Soviet psychiatrist Semyon Gluzman, who was imprisoned for exposing political abuse of psychiatry. While in the Perm 35 gulag, he produced approximately 600 pieces of samizdat literature. He developed the concept of 'sluggish schizophrenia' used to diagnose dissidents. After release, he continued activism in Ukraine, refusing to leave during Russia's 2022 invasion. The episode concludes by previewing next week's story about lithium mining in California.

As heard by us

A compact review of how Israel's aims in Lebanon sit uneasily beside a ceasefire agreement between America and Iran.

Israel's campaign in Lebanon comes through as a test of stated intent as much as military pressure. Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will begin talks with Lebanon on peaceful relations, while also saying strikes on Hezbollah will continue until the Iran-backed group disarms.

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Why you'd press play

You want Israel's Lebanon campaign explained through Netanyahu's shifting signals and the heavy toll in Beirut.

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