The Middle East Forum cordially invites you to this week's podcasts.

The Houthis' Rise from Local Gang to Global Menace
with Michael Knights

Monday, December 16, 2024
1:00PM Eastern Time

The Houthis of Yemen, once a minor Iran-backed militia, have emerged since Oct. 7 as a major force within Tehran’s “axis of resistance” due to their drone and missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea, their alliances with al-Shabaab and other jihadis, and their arms deals with Russia. This transformation raises urgent questions: What enabled it? How does the Houthis’ power affect regional dynamics? How have they managed to impede international trade for over a year? How best to counter this threat?

Michael Knights, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, specializes in the military and security issues. He has directed intelligence teams in Iraq, Libya, and Yemen, served as a defense journalist, and led analysis for security and oil companies. Mr. Knights holds a doctorate from King’s College London.

Israel Insider with Ashley Perry

Wednesday, December 18, 2024
3:00PM Eastern Time

Israel's air force has destroyed most advanced weaponry systems in Syria. Might this serve to clear a path for it to attack Iran's nuclear program?

Alex Selsky is a senior adviser to MEF's Israel Victory Project, and lecturer at Hadassah Academic College. He is currently serving as Homefront Command reserve major in the Israel Defense Forces. Formerly, he served as advisor to Prime Minister Netanyahu and as CEO of the International Israel Beytenu Movement. He holds a B.A. in Business and Executive M.A. in Public Policy from Hebrew University.

A Conversation with Ribal al-Assad

Friday, December 20, 2024
1:00PM Eastern Time

Ribal Al-Assad is first cousin to Bashar Al-Assad (their fathers were brothers) and a fierce opponent of the now-toppled regime that his family ruled for fifty-four years. In conversation with MEF’s president, Daniel Pipes, he will discuss his personal journey, his career, his family, its hidden wealth, dangers facing the Alawi community, and his hopes for Syria’s future.

Ribal Al-Assad is founder and director of the Organization for Democracy and Freedom in Syria and Chairman of the Iman Foundation, dedicated to promoting interfaith dialogue and countering extremism. Born in Damascus in 1975, he was exiled to Paris in 1984. At 16, he moved to the United States, where he attended high school in New York and Houston, then received a BBA from the InterAmerican University in New York and an MA from the University of Leicester. He currently lives in London.

The Middle East Forum, an activist think tank, deals with the Middle East, Islamism, U.S. foreign policy, and related topics, urging bold measures to protect Americans and their allies. Pursuing its goals via intellectual and operational means, the Forum recurrently has policy ideas adopted by the U.S. government.