Author Archives: Joe Truzman & Bill Roggio

Joe Truzman is a research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian militant groups and Hezbollah. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Generation Jihad Ep. 162 — Something went boom in Isfahan

| April 22, 2024

Bill is back and leaning on co-host Joe Truzman to help him piece together the events of last week. They revisit Iran’s historic strike on Israel and Israel’s retaliatory strike in Isfahan, Iran — including what targets they hit, what message they wanted to send by hitting them, and whether this was the right move. They contemplate whether Israel’s relatively tempered response is indicative of U.S. restraint and if Israel will continue to go after IRGC-QF targets.

They also discuss reports of an attack on an Iranian-backed militia outside of Baghdad as well as allegations of Hezbollah Brigade forces launching an attack on U.S. forces in Syria.

Generation Jihad Ep. 155 — Hamas in Turkey

| April 1, 2024

Bill and Joe are joined by their FDD colleagues Sinan Ciddi and Melissa Sacks to discuss Turkey’s status as a permissive jurisdiction for terrorist organizations, particularly Hamas — and why the outcome of yesterday’s elections in Turkey might signal that a change is coming.

Generation Jihad Ep. 153 — Why is the U.S. helping Hamas?

| March 25, 2024

Bill and Joe catch up on a few important headlines related to Israel’s defensive war in Gaza, including U.S. claims that a senior leader of Hamas has been killed while Israel and Hamas have both remained mum; the Rafah operation hold-up; the ramifications of abstaining from the UN Security Council vote on a ceasefire and other recent actions by the U.S. that ultimately help Hamas.

Generation Jihad Ep. 150 — Red lines, ceasefires, and humanitarian aid piers

| March 11, 2024

Bill and Joe unpack the undertaking of the pier to be built by the U.S. off the coast of Gaza for the purpose of distributing aid (but without boots on the ground?) including some of their general concerns like, “Who is the aid handed off to, Hamas? Who the hell is going to secure this thing?”

They also discuss President Biden’s statement that Israel operating inside Rafah would be “a red line,” how Ramadan has started with no ceasefire in sight, and details surrounding a high-value target that Israel has gone after.

Generation Jihad Ep. 145 — Israel is winning, but it hasn’t won yet.

| February 26, 2024

Bill and Joe discuss the latest updates from Israel’s defensive war in Gaza, including a potentially dwindling supply of ammunition for Hamas and its subsequent cooperation with other Palestinian terror groups; Egypt “fortifying” its border (but only above-ground and only because they want to keep Gazans out); whether Yahya Sinwar is still hiding out in a tunnel somewhere under Khan Younis (“with pneumonia”); the possibility and consequences of a ceasefire during Ramadan; and why Israel is indeed “winning” but will only win if it to continues its ground operation in Gaza, including in Rafah.

Generation Jihad Ep. 142 — With Israel’s friends like these…

| February 12, 2024

Bill and Joe catch up on the latest headlines from the war in Gaza. They discuss the IDF’s operation along Gaza’s border with Egypt in Rafa, which last night included the rescuing of two hostages; how Hamas fighters are resurfacing in Khan Younis; and the uncomfortably palpable uptick in international pressure on Israel as it continues its defensive war, most notably from the U.S. They also start to unpack some of this UNRWA baggage, like the newly-discovered Hamas operations hub found beneath an UNRWA school (to ironically quote DJ Khaled: “another one”); the UNRWA chief’s subsequent statement about “alleged tunnels” (which Bill points out is interesting, given that something either is or is not a tunnel); new consequences for the UN organization still reeling from funding cuts after it was revealed that several of its employees participated in the October 7 attack on Israel; and whether (and how) Israel might continue to work with UNRWA to facilitate the transfer of aid into Gaza.

Generation Jihad Ep. 136 — H is for Hamas… and Hezbollah (and Houthi)

| January 24, 2024

Bill and Joe catch up on the latest news from the Middle East, including U.S. pressure on Israel (led by Secretary of State Blinken) to come to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza while the U.S. also considers withdrawing its own troops from Syria; Israeli casualties in Gaza (including suffering the recent historic loss of 24 IDF reservists); Israeli strikes inside Lebanon; and, yes, more Houthi drama.