In light of the unprecedented assault by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli campaign on Gaza, we here at War on the Rocks have curated this list of articles and podcasts to help you gain a deeper understanding of the history, drivers, background, and events that define the Israeli-Arab conflict. Whether you are a soldier or a student, a policymaker or a pundit, a teacher or a techie, this will be useful for you.

These resources go back to 2014 and are organized by focus: strategy, military operation, diplomacy, regional responses, and more. Make sure to become a member today to seamlessly access all of these articles and podcasts.

An asterisk (*) indicates that a podcast or article is available to our members only.

Strategy & Policy

“Israel Responds to the Fall of al-Assad,” with Michael Koplow (12/24)*

“U.S. Balks on Threat to Withhold Military Aid from Israel,” with Khaled Elgindy (11/24)*

“Netanyahu Fires Defense Minister,” with Michael Koplow (11/24)*

“Israel’s Oct. 7 Early Warning Failure: Who Is to Blame?” by Ehud Eiran, Ofer Guterman, and David Simantov (10/24)

“Biden Speaks with Netanyahu as Fighting Escalates in the Middle East,” with Michael Koplow (10/24)*

“The United Kingdom Suspends Some Arms Sales to Israel,” with Matthew Savill (09/24)*

“Hostage Deaths Spark Widespread Protests in Israel,” with Michael Koplow (09/24)*

“In Brief: What Happens Next in Gaza?” with Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud, Oren Barak, Yousef Munayyer, Michael Koplow, and Bushra Khalidi (07/24)*

“Netanyahu Dissolves War Cabinet,” with Michael Koplow (06/24)*

“The Inevitable Role of Clans in Post-Conflict Stabilization in Gaza,” by Yaniv Voller (05/24)

“United States Pauses Arms Shipments to Israel,” with Michael Koplow (05/24)*

“International Criminal Court Requests Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas Leaders,” with Patryk Labuda (05/24)*

“Dereliction of Duty: Israeli Blunders on the Way to Oct. 7,” by Boaz Atzili (04/24)

“In Brief: U.S.-Israeli Tensions Over Gaza,” with Michael Koplow, Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud, Scott Paul, and Jesse Marks (03/24)*

“The U.S. Plan to Deliver Aid to Gaza,” with Scott Paul (03/24)*

“U.S.-Israeli Disagreement Over Gaza,” with Michael Koplow (03/24)*

“How Hamas Benefits from Political Impasse in Israel,” with Rob Geist Pinfold and Nick Danforth (02/24)*

“How Was Israel Caught Off-Guard?” by Ariel (Eli) Levite (02/24)

“Can Historical Cases of Negotiated Settlements Inform the Debate on Post-Conflict Gaza?” by Colin Clarke (01/24)

“South Africa’s Case Against Israel,” with Kelebogile Zvobgo (01/24)*

“Expelling Palestinians From Gaza Is Playing With Fire,” by Karim Haggag and Omar Auf (01/24)

“Remaking Mistakes in Gaza,” by Frank Sobchak (01/24)

“Netanyahu’s Unsustainable Oslo Ambivalence,” by Alex Lederman (12/23)

“United Nations Resolution on Gaza,” with Anjali Dayal (12/23)*

“The True Military Assistance Tradeoff Is Between Israel and Taiwan,” by Jennifer Kavanagh and Jordan Cohen (11/23)

“In Brief: Plans for a Post-War Gaza,” with Eyal Lurie-Pardes, Alexandra Saieh, Michael Koplow, and Farah Bdour (11/23)

“The Military Assistance Tradeoff Between Israel and Taiwan,” with Jennifer Kavanagh, Jordan Cohen, and Nick Danforth (11/23)*

“Don’t Rely on U.S. Law to Prevent Escalation in the Middle East,” by Brian Finucane and Michael Wahid Hanna (10/23)

“In Brief: How Will U.S. Support for Israel Impact Readiness?” with Carlton Haelig, Kimberly Jackson, and Michael Linick (10/23)*

“Israel’s Nuclear Doctrine,” with Ori Rabinowitz and Ankit Panda (10/23)

“Israel’s Strategic Choices,” with Sir Lawrence Freedman and Ryan Evans (10/23)*

“The Meaning of the Attack on Israel,” with Bruce Hoffman and Ryan Evans (10/23)

“Israel Attacked by Hamas Militants,” with Michael Koplow* (10/23)

“Why Hamas Attacked Israel,” with Devorah Margolin* (10/23)

“A Major Pivot in Hamas Strategy,” by Devorah Margolin (10/23)

“Building a Better Ceasefire for Gaza,” by Jonathan Lincoln (07/23)

“Israel’s Political Crisis,” with Michael Koplow (07/23)*

“An Unprecedented Crisis in Israel,” with Michael Koplow (03/23)*

“Israel’s New Right-wing Coalition Government,” with Michael Koplow (01/23)*

“Elections in Israel,” with Gabriel Mitchell (11/22)*

“Assessing the Israel-Palestine Crisis,” with Natan Sachs (05/21)*

“Israeli National Intelligence Culture and the Response to Covid-19,” by Itai Shapira (11/20)

“Annexing the West Bank Would Compromise Israel’s Security and Core Values,” by Gilead Sher and Tami Yakira (6/20)

“Israel’s Political and Constitutional Crisis,” with Shane Mason and Daniel Kurtzer (5/20)*

“Israel Goes to the Polls…Again,” with Shane Mason and Natan Sachs (3/20)*

“The Strategic Implications of Israel’s Turn to the Sea,” by Ehud Eiran and Aviad Rubin (9/19)

“Coercive Disclosure: Israel’s Weaponization of Intelligence,” by Ofek Riemer and Daniel Sobelman (8/19)

“Jerusalem, In Search of an Honest Broker,” by Beverley Milton-Edwards (12/17)

“Israel’s Forthcoming Security Dilemma,” by Nadav Pollak (7/17)

“Recognizing That Israel is Not an Occupying Power in Gaza is Good for Everyone,” by Gilead Sher and Dana Wolf (07/16)

“Israel’s Gaza Withdrawal 10 Years Later: More Successful Than You Think,” by Daniel Byman (8/15)

“The Rise of the Feral Adversary,” by Alon Paz (11/14)

“Towards a Gaza Cease-Fire: Talking and Shooting in Cairo,” by Michael Baskin (9/14)

“Why a Gaza Ceasefire is So Difficult,” by Jacob Stoil (8/14)

“Eyeless in Gaza – Are We Blind to an Enduring Reality of War?” by Michael Vlahos (8/14)

“Israel and the Demise of ‘Mowing the Grass,’” by T.X. Hammes (8/14)

“Israel and Gaza: Force is Futile,” by Clare Yorke (7/14)

 

Military Operation

“Intensified Military Operations in the West Bank,” with Khaled Elgindy (02/25)*

“Israeli Airstrikes on the Houthi Rebels in Yemen,” with April Alley (01/25)*

“Israel’s Shift to Low-Intensity Conflict,” with Michael Koplow (01/24)*

“Israel Kills Hizballah Commander,” with Joyce Karam (01/24)*

“The Next Phase of Israel’s War in Gaza,” with Michael Koplow (01/24)*

“Hamas leader Saleh Arouri Killed in Israeli Drone Strike,” with Hanin Ghaddar (01/24)*

“Israel Strikes Iran,” with Afshon Ostovar (10/24)*

“Iran Strikes Israel,” with Afshon Ostovar (10/24)*

“Israel Invades Lebanon,” with Faysal Itani (10/24)*

“The Aftermath of Yahya Sinwar’s Death,” with Khaled Elgindy (10/24)*

“US THAAD Missiles to Israel,” with Raphael Cohen (10/24)*

“A ‘Split Screen’ in Gaza,” with Michael Koplow (09/24)*

“Israel Steps Up Strikes in Syria,” with Natasha Hall (09/24)*

“Hizballah Communications Devices Detonate Throughout Lebanon,” with Hanin Ghaddar (09/24)*

“The ‘Two Day War’ Between Israel and Hizballah,” with Hanin Ghaddar (08/24)*

“Aftermath of an Assassination in Tehran,” with Afshon Ostovar (08/24)*

“Patterns of Iranian-Israeli Military Escalation,” with Hamidreza Azizi, Erwin Van Veen, and Erin O’Brien (07/24)*

“In Brief: The Threat of War Between Israel and Hizballah,” with Faysal Itani, Michael Koplow, Hanin Ghaddar, and Oren Barak (07/24)*

“Playing with Fire: Patterns of Iranian-Israeli Military Confrontation,” by Erwin van Veen and Hamidreza Azizi (06/24)

“Netanyahu Announces New Phase of War in Gaza,” with Michael Koplow (06/24)*

“Israeli Defense Minister Warns Netanyahu About ‘Day After’,” with Michael Koplow (05/24)*

“Israel Strikes Camp in Rafah, Killing Dozens,” with Scott Paul (05/24)*

“Netanyahu Pushes Forward with Planned Rafah Offensive,” with Michael Koplow (05/24)*

“Learning from the War on Terror,” with Karen Sudkamp and Erin O’Brein (04/24)*

“Israel Strikes Iran,” with Michael Koplow (04/24)*

“Iranian Embassy in Damascus Hit by Airstrike,” with Alex Vatanka (04/24)*

“Learning from the War on Terror,” by Karen M. Sudkamp (03/24)

“Israel’s Embrace of Total Victory,” with Michael Koplow (02/24)*

“Hamas Is Returning to Northern Gaza Because Israel Has No Plan for the ‘Day After’,” by Rob Geist Pinfold (02/24)

“Israel’s Gaza Ground Invasion and the Return of ‘Strategic Depth’,” by Rob Geist Pinfold (12/23)

“Israel Continues War in Gaza,” with Michael Koplow (12/23)*

“Rewind and Reconnoiter: Lessons from Israel’s Wars in Gaza,” with Raphael Cohen (12/23)*

“The Rise of Non-State Special Operations,” with Leo Blanken, Ian Rice, and Nick Danforth (11/23)*

“Israel Increases Control Over Northern Gaza,” with Michael Koplow (11/23)*

“Understanding Israel’s Ground Offensive,” with Raphael Cohen (11/23)*

“Israel’s Offensive in Gaza Continues,” with Michael Koplow (11/23)*

“Rewind and Reconnoiter: Israel and the Demise of ‘Mowing the Grass’,” with T.X. Hammes (11/23)*

“Rewind and Reconnoiter: Israel’s Urban Warfare,” with David Betz (11/23)*

“Al-Aqsa Storm Heralds the Rise of Non-state Special Operations,” by Leo Blanken, Ian Rice, and Craig Whiteside (11/23)

“In Brief: The Israeli Offensive Into Gaza,” with Amos Fox, Raphael S. Cohen, and Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud (11/23)

“Rewind and Reconnoiter: Hamas and the Dangerous Diffusion of Basic Infantry Tactics,” with Leo Blanken, Kai Thaxton, and Michael Alexander (10/23)

“Israel’s Strategic Challenge,” by Blaise Misztal (10/23)

“Prime Minister Netanyahu Signals Ground Invasion of Gaza,” with Michael Koplow (10/23)*

“Israel Prepares for a Ground Campaign in Gaza,” with Michael Koplow (10/23)*

“In Brief: The War in Gaza,” with Jonathan Lincoln, Hanin Ghaddar, and Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud (10/23)*

“Urban Warfare, Sieges, and Israel’s Looming Invasion of Gaza,” by Amos Fox (10/23)

“Understanding Israel’s War in Gaza,” with Raphael Cohen and Aaron Stein (11/23)*

“The Four Questions The U.S. Military Should Be Asking About Operation Swords of Iron,” by Raphael S. Cohen and Gian Gentile (10/23)

“How to Avoid a Second Front Between Israel and Hizballah,” by Nadav Pollak (10/23)

“Israel’s War Against Hamas,” with Michael Koplow (10/23)*

“Tech, Ethics, and the City in Israel’s Looming Urban Battlefield,” with John Amble and Ryan Evans (10/23)

“Israeli Operations in Jenin,” with Gabi Mitchell (07/23)*

“Israel Versus Islamic Jihad,” with Yael Mizrahi Arnaud (08/22)*

“Israel Targets the Head of the Octopus,” with Dion Nissenbaum (06/22)*

“Turn on the Light, Extinguish the Fire: Israel’s New Way of War,” by Eran Ortal (01/22)

“Israel’s Iron Dome,” with Ankit Panda (05/21)*

“Israel-Palestine Crisis,” with Khaled Elgindy (05/21)*

“The Role of Anti-Access/Area Denial in Controlling Escalation in Gaza,” by Shimon Arad (9/18)

“The Ties That Bind: Families, Clans, and Hizballah’s Military Effectiveness,” by Michael Eisenstadt and Kendall Bianchi (12/17)

“Five Lessons From Israel’s Wars in Gaza,” by Raphael S. Cohen (08/17)

“The Drone Threat to Israeli National Security,” by Michael Shkolnik (01/17)

“The War Doctrine Israel Does Not Talk About,” by Ron Tira (09/16)

“Israel’s Intelligence Wars,” by Shay Hershkovitz (3/16)

“Peering into the Past and Future of Urban Warfare in Israel,” by David Betz (12/15)

“More Than a Missile: Judging Iron Dome,” by Zachary Goldman (8/14)

“Israel’s Iron Maginot Line System,” by Mark Stout (8/14)

“Going At It in Gaza: New Realities in an Old Conflict,” by Jacob Stoil (7/14)

 

Diplomacy

“Gaza Ceasefire Holds but Risks Remain,” with Michael Koplow (02/25)*

“A Ceasefire in Gaza — For Now,” with Nathan Brown (01/25)*

“As Netanyahu Visits Washington, Israel Continues Offensive in Gaza,” with Khaled Elgindy (07/24)*

“Israel and Hizballah’s Fragile Ceasefire,” with Fadi Nicholas Nassar (12/24)*

“Palestinian Authority Fights Palestinian Militants in Jenin,” with Khaled Elgindy (12/24)*

“In Brief: The Conflict Between Israel and Hizballah,” with Faysal Itani, Michael Koplow, Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud, Oren Barak, and Hanin Ghaddar (10/24)*

“In Brief: Why the Gaza Peace Talks Have So Far Failed,” with Oren Barak, Zaha Hassan, Yousef Munayyer, and Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud (08/24)*

“Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations Reach An Impasse,” with Khaled Elgindy (08/24)*

“In Brief: The Prospect of a Ceasefire in Gaza,” with Michael Koplow, Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud, Oren Barak, and Raphael S. Cohen (06/24)*

“Amidst Peace Negotiations, Israel Begins Operation in Rafah,” with Michael Koplow (05/24)*

“The Bipartisan Consensus in Favor of Israel Is Broken, But When Will It Change U.S. Policy?” by Kerry Anderson (04/24)

“Rewind and Reconnoiter: Why a Gaza Ceasefire is So Difficult,” with Jacob Stoil (03/24)*

“Rewind and Reconnoiter: China’s Response to the War in Gaza,” with Mike Singh (01/24)*

“Reversing America’s Ruinous Support for Israel’s Assault on Gaza,” by Ryan Evans (12/2023)

“The Future of Gaza,” with Abe Silberstein and Nick Danforth (12/23)*

“After Israel Defeats Hamas, the United States Should Recognize Palestine,” by Abe Silberstein and Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud (12/23)

“Israel’s Temporary Ceasefire With Hamas,” with Michael Koplow (11/23)*

“However Difficult, The United States Should Still Pursue Israeli-Palestinian Peace,” by Galen Jackson and Andrew Leber (11/23)

“In Brief: The U.S.-Saudi-Israeli Deal,” with Alexandra Stark, Lina Khatib, and Khaled Elgindy (10/23)

“Rewind & Reconnoiter: Jennifer Spindel on the U.S.-Saudi-Israeli Deal,” with Jennifer Spindel (10/23)*

“U.S.-Saudi-Israeli Diplomacy,” with Khaled Elgindy (09/23)*

“Libya’s Foreign Minister Meets Israeli Counterpart,” with Nicholas Danforth and Jalel Harchaoui* (08/23)

“Compartmentalizing the American Alliance with Israel From the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” by Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud and Abe Silberstein (12/20)

“Putting Out to Sea: What the History of Lebanese-Israeli Negotiations Can Tell Us About Current Negotiations Over a Maritime Boundary,” by James R. Stocker (11/20)

“As Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates Normalize Ties, China Looks on Warily,” by Michael Singh (10/20)

“The F-35 Triangle: America, Israel, the United Arab Emirates,” by Barbara A. Leaf and Dana Stroul (9/20)

“The United Arab Emirates and Israel Just Came Clean on Their Extra-Marital Affair,” by Gilead Sher and Yoel Guzansky (8/20)

“Diplomatic Breakthrough: Israel, United Arab Emirates Normalize Ties,” with Shane Mason and Natan Sachs* (08/20)

“On a Collision Course: Avoiding a War Between Israel and the ‘Axis of Resistance,’” by Daniel Sobelman (12/17)

“Resetting the U.S.-Israel Alliance,” by Michael Eisenstadt (2/15)

“Is Israel Becoming a Strategic Liability for the United States?” by Richard Klass (1/15)

 

Regional Responses

“Tensions Between Israel and Iran Reach a Fever Pitch,” with Faysal Itani (07/24)*

“The Escalating Tensions Between Israel and the Houthis,” with Allison Minor (07/24)*

“Things Are Heating Up on the Israeli-Lebanese Border,” with Hanin Ghaddar (06/24)*

“How to Secure the Israel-Lebanon Border,” with Oren Barak and Nick Danforth (05/24)*

“The Case for Averting War Between Israel and Hizballah,” by Oren Barak (05/24)

“Israeli Soldiers Wounded in Lebanon,” with Hanin Ghaddar (04/24)*

“Unprecedented Iranian Strikes on Israel,” Alex Vatanka (04/24)*

“In Brief: Further Escalation Between Iran and Israel,” with Alex Vatanka, Mona Yacoubian, Michael Koplow, Naysan Rafati, and Hanin Ghaddar (04/24)*

“In Brief: The Conflict Between Israel and Hizballah,” with Faysal Itani, Hanin Ghaddar, Hamidreza Azizi, and Raphael S. Cohen (01/24)*

“Houthi Forces Seize Israeli-linked Cargo Ship,” with Thomas Juneau (11/23)*

“Jordan’s Response to the War in Gaza,” with Farah Bdour (11/23)*

“How Iran and Its Allies Hope to Save Hamas,” by Hamidreza Azizi (11/23)

“Egypt Grapples With The War in Gaza,” with Michael Wahid Hanna (11/23)*

“Turkey’s Response to the War in Gaza,” by Sinem Adar (11/23)

“Iran, Israel, and War in the Middle East,” by Afshon Ostovar (10/23)

“Clashes Between Hizballah and Israel,” with Hanin Ghaddar (10/23)*

“Rewind & Reconnoiter: Iran’s Axis of Resistance,” with Hamidreza Azizi and Nancy Ezzeddine (10/23)*

“Iran’s Support for Hamas and the Risk of Multi-Front Escalation,” by Raz Zimmt (10/23)

“Iran’s Options for Military Escalation with Israel,” with Afshon Ostovar and Aaron Stein (10/23)*

“Gaza and the Gulf,” with Faysal Itani, Joyce Karam, Nick Danforth, and Steven A. Cook (12/23)

“Israel’s 9/11? How Hamas Terrorist Attacks Will Change the Middle East,” by Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware (10/23)

“Iranian Drone Proliferation is Scaling Up and Turning More Lethal,” by Nakissa Jahanbani, Muhammad Najjar, Benjamin Johnson, Caleb Benjamin, and Muhammad Al-Ubaydi (09/23)

“Is the Israeli-Lebanese Maritime Boundary Agreement Replicable?” by Gabriel Mitchell (11/22)

“How to Make the Most of the Israeli-Lebanese Maritime Deal,” by Hanin Ghaddar (10/22)

“Israel and Lebanon Agree on a Maritime Border,” with Nicholas Danforth and Hanin Ghaddar (10/22)*

“Iran’s Increasingly Decentralized Axis of Resistance,” by Nancy Ezzedine and Hamidreza Azizi (07/22)

“Facing Up to Foreign Influence: How Outsiders Helped Create Lebanon’s Current Crisis,” by Nicholas Noe (12/21)

“How Iran Helped Houthis Expand Their Reach,” by Thomas Juneau (8/21)

“Iran, Its Partners, and the Balance of Effective Force,” by John Raine (03/20)

“A New ‘Good Fence?’: Turkey Should Learn Lessons from Israel’s Experience in Lebanon,” by Dylan Maguire (1/20)

“What Do U.S.-Iranian Tensions Mean for Israel,” by Amos Yadlin and Ari Heistein (6/19)

“Horns of a Dilemma: Middle East Realignment and Israel,” with Danielle Plekta (10/18)

“Israel’s Deepening Involvement with Syria’s Rebels,” by Elizabeth Tsurkov (2/18)

“From Marriage of Convenience to Bitter Divorce: The Unraveling of Ties Between Hamas and Isil’s Sinai Affiliate,” by Michael Shkolnik (1/18)

“Mini-Hizballahs, Revolutionary Guard Knock-Offs, and the Future of Iran’s Militant Proxies in Iraq,” by Michael Eisenstadt and Michael Knights (5/17)

“The Islamic State and Israel’s Arab Citizens,” by Elisabeth Marteu (12/16)

 

More

“Mid-Afternoon Map: Pick Your Palestine Monopoly,” by Nick Danforth (05/24)*

“The United States, the 1967 Lines, and the Future of the Arab-Israeli Conflict,” by Galen Jackson (5/20)

“Strength, Wisdom, and Israel’s Character,” with Ambassador Dennis Ross (2/20)

“Israel, Egypt, The Palestinians, and the Legacy of the Camp David Accords, 40 Years Later” by Gilead Sher (9/18)

“The Python Problem: Reflections on the War on Terror, 17 Years Later,” by David A. Brown, Timothy Hoyt, and Craig Whiteside (9/18)

“Gaza: And So it Begins,” by Jean-Pierre Filiu (09/14)

“(W)archives: With Allenby at Gaza,” by Mark Stout (08/14)