Lebanon

The Iranian-Israeli Conflict Within the Syrian Civil War

For seven long years, Syria has been engulfed in civil war. The death toll now exceeds a half million. More than five million refugees have fled abroad, and millions more are internally displaced.
The dynastic dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad almost certainly would have fallen had it not been for the intervention of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, various Iranian-controlled Shia militias, and the Russian military.
Lately, Tehran also has been building a military machine in Syria aimed at Israel. And Israel is responding.
To examine how these conflicts are likely to evolve, FDD president and Foreign Podicy host Clifford D. May is joined by FDD Research Fellow and Levant expert Tony Badran, Security Studies Group Senior Fellow Matt Brodsky, and FDD Senior Vice President for Research Jonathan Schanzer.

Iraq, Lebanon, and Iran’s March Across the Middle East

Lebanon and Iraq both recently held elections, which is good news – or is it? Hezbollah, Iran's terrorist foreign legion, is now more firmly in control of Lebanon than ever before. Meanwhile, Iraq still faces many perils, not least from the Islamic Republic of Iran as it pursues its imperialist ambitions in the region.
In episode 14 of Foreign Podicy, host Clifford D. May discusses these developments with Tony Badran, an FDD research fellow born and raised in Lebanon who focuses on the Levant, and Zalmay Khalilzad, born and raised in Afghanistan who served as U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the UN.
Episode resources:
After an Iranian Missile Attack on the Golan Heights, Israel Strikes Syria – Tony Badran, Tablet Magazine
Where Iran’s terrorist representative is the big winner– Tony Badran and Jonathan Schanzer, The Washington Times
Hezbollah and its Allies Win more than Half the Seats in Lebanon’s Parliament– Romany Shaker, FDD Policy Brief
Our Incoherent Lebanon Policy–  Tony Badran, Tablet Magazine
Lebanon’s New Army Chief has History of Coordination with Hezbollah  – Tony Badran, FDD Policy Brief