The Israeli-Iranian War: How We Got Here & What It Means

The Israeli-Iranian War: How We Got Here & What It Means

Author: Ryan Evans June 17, 2025 Duration: 27:53

Israel's strikes against Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure, as well as its key military and security leadership, shocked the world. How did we arrive here? What did the Israeli strikes accomplish? What options does Iran have? How did the Iranian-U.S. nuclear talks fail to forestall this? Will the United States become a party to the conflict? What about the Russian and Iraqi dimensions? Nicole Grajewski of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Rachel Brandenburg of the Israel Policy Forum joined Ryan to answer these questions and more. 

This episode was recorded the morning of June 17, and events are fast-moving, but this is still worth listening to in order to understand how we arrived here. 


Hosted by Ryan Evans, War on the Rocks feels less like a formal briefing and more like pulling up a chair at a bar where the most consequential global issues are being debated. The conversations, often accompanied by the clink of a glass, dive into the gritty realities of security, defense, and foreign policy with the people who shape and study them. You’ll hear from a wide range of insiders and experts-from seasoned diplomats and military officers to sharp-eyed academics and journalists-who break down complex topics without the usual jargon. This podcast thrives on candid analysis and spirited discussion, exploring not just the "what" of current events, but the underlying "why" and "how" of international power dynamics. Each episode is designed to give you a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the forces shaping our world, moving beyond headlines to examine strategy, history, and the human decisions behind the news. It’s the original series from the platform, offering listeners a direct line to thoughtful, often provocative, perspectives that are usually reserved for closed-door meetings. Tuning in provides a consistently engaging and informative look at the challenges and intrigues defining global affairs today.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

War on the Rocks
Podcast Episodes
Can the U.S.-Ukrainian Rift Be Healed? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:34
Last week, a meeting with President Zelensky of Ukraine at the White House exploded into acrimony in front of the cameras. Since then, an era-defining drama has been unfolding across the West as Europe prepares for a wor…
Lt. Gen. Sklenka on Staying in the Fight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:27
The Marine general and deputy commandant in charge of installations and logistics was kind enough to join Ryan for a wide-ranging conversation on military service, logistics, and so much more. Whether you are a serviceme…
The Puzzling Diplomacy over Ukraine's Future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:34
Nothing about the war in Ukraine is simple — including the diplomacy, which might be even messier than the battlefield. Michael Kofman, Justin Logan (Cato), and Liana Fix (the Council on Foreign Relations) joined Ryan to…
Transforming NATO for the Future Fight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:12
Will NATO be able to innovate and adapt before a crisis? Adm. Pierre Vandier popped into War on the Rocks HQ for a most interesting chat about this very question. He serves as Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. A s…
Assessing Ukraine's Prospects in 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:34
Mike Kofman joined Ryan for a wide-ranging conversation on the challenges faced by both Ukraine and Russia this year. They discuss losses on both sides, manpower challenges, the importance of following the discourse in U…
Championing NATO's Digital Transformation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:54
On the sidelines of I/ITSEC in Orlando, we hosted a live podcast recording. Our guest for this very special episode was Maj. Gen. Dominique Luzeaux of France, currently championing NATO's digital transformation. This wid…
Waiting for a Theory of Victory in Ukraine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:06
Mike Kofman and Ryan have a high-level conversation on strategy in this war, or the lack thereof. From Ukraine's mobilization reluctance to the Biden administration's curious approach to sequencing authorities and capabi…
Technology, the Battlefield, and Beyond in Ukraine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:34
We are sharing a free Thanksgiving episode of the Russia Contingency with you all to express our gratitude for your listenership and support. This episode, brought to you by OneBrief, features Michael Kofman and Rob Lee…