Trump’s Lebanon dilemma: Why Israel can't win this war

Trump’s Lebanon dilemma: Why Israel can't win this war

Author: The Telegraph July 26, 2026 Duration: 25:00

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met US President Donald Trump in Washington this week with a historic proposal: end the war between Lebanon and Israel, force an Israeli withdrawal from the south, and disarm Iran’s proxy group Hezbollah. Could it work? 


On today’s bonus episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to the arts director at local charity Seenaryo, about the reality for civilians caught up in the conflict in Lebanon, how people are worried the latest escalation in Iran will spillover, and why Hezbollah would just be replaced by a similar group if it was disarmed. 


Plus, first-person accounts of what it’s like to live under the shadow of war. Excerpts from pieces written for Seenaryo by Syrian refugee Eman Fisal Almodhi, read by Irish actor Jessie Buckley, and a WhatsApp conversation between Lebanese women displaced in south Lebanon, read by British-Lebanese-Palestinian actor Sirine Saba. 


Highlights



  • Trump’s Lebanon dilemma: Why Israel can't win this war
  • Voices from Lebanon on life under the shadow of war


WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk


CONTENT REFERENCED:

Lebanon’s leader seeks Trump’s help to end occupation and insurrection

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/21/lebanons-leader-seeks-trumps-help-end-occupation/


ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026

The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026

ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026


Producer: Max Bower

Video Producer: Peter Shevlin

Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh

Studio Operator: Andy Watson

Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey 


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


For those trying to understand the complex and rapidly shifting landscape of the Middle East, Iran: The Latest offers essential context. This Telegraph podcast moves beyond the headlines to examine the military, diplomatic, and strategic forces shaping the ongoing tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel. Hosted by veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey, each episode synthesizes frontline reporting from the paper's award-winning journalists with insightful conversations. You'll hear from specialists in areas like regional security architecture, covert operations, and geopolitical theory, providing a clearer picture of the stakes involved. The analysis considers historical grievances, economic pressures, and potential flashpoints, from proxy conflicts to direct confrontations. It’s a resource for anyone who wants to grasp not just what is happening, but why it matters and what might come next. By drawing on deep sourcing and expert commentary, this podcast delivers a nuanced perspective that is both timely and thoroughly researched, making sense of a critical and often misunderstood arena of global affairs.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Iran: The Latest
Podcast Episodes
Pentagon admits mass US aircraft losses and base damage from Iran war [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:21
A landmark Pentagon report has exposed the devastating cost of the Iran war for the US military: 59 aircraft damaged or destroyed, bases struck across the Middle East, and critical missile stockpiles depleted for up to 5…