Battle Lines

Israel and Iran are trading missiles. A hospital’s been hit. Thirty injured. Israel’s fired back — hard — targeting Iran’s nuclear sites. Inside Iran? Chaos. Power’s out. Hackers hijack state TV, urging revolt. And Donald Trump? He’s green-lit Pentagon war plans — but is holding fire. For now.We’ve got The Telegraph’s best on the ground: Sophia Yan in Beirut, Paul Nuki in Tel Aviv, and David Blair in the studio. Lebanon’s on edge. Israel’s braced. And the big question — will Trump strike? Or let Israel go it alone? The team also debates the broader stakes: Can Israel halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions without American help? Could the regime in Tehran collapse? And what happens if Hezbollah stays silent? With so many moving parts, this episode dives deep into the decisions and dangers shaping what may become the defining war of the decade.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

In a bumper, bonus edition of Battle Lines, we are talking to Iranians themselves, those both inside and outside the country, pro and anti regime, to get a sense of how the nation is responding to these missile strikes, what the war could mean for both the regime and ordinary people, and what comes next.Emotions on the ground and among the diaspora are running high, and the stakes are even higher. Israeli strikes have hit targets across the country, in populated parts of Tehran and other cities. Huge traffic jams have formed as people have tried to flee the capitol. There are petrol shortages and shops are closed. Iran hasn't seen this kind of attack since the war with Iraq in the 1980s.Fereshteh Sadeghi is a freelance Iranian journalist based in Tehran, who considers herself a supporter of the regime. She shares the conversations she's had on the streets of her city about this war. Giving a very different perspective, we hear from Holly Dagres, author of The Iranist, a foreign policy newsletter for Iran watchers.Plus we hear from Ali Vaez, the Iranian born Director of the Iran programme at Crisis Group,who tells us why the diplomacy had fallen apart so suddenly and dramatically, and whether there is any hope it could restart. And author of What Iranians Want, historian Arash Azizi, joins us to attempt to explain exactly that; what do the Iranian people want?https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

It’s day four of Israel’s relentless bombing campaign against Iran, and the death toll is spiralling. Iran says 224 of its citizens are dead. Israel reports 24 lives lost and over 500 injured in a barrage of Iranian retaliatory strikes. And this war is only just getting started. The Israeli airstrikes have gone far beyond nuclear sites. Government buildings, intelligence headquarters, the ministries of justice and foreign affairs—obliterated. Tehran is being shaken to its core. Is this really just about nukes? Or are we watching an attempt to bring the regime to its knees?On the streets of Israel, the mood is grim but defiant. Iranian missiles have struck Tel Aviv and other cities hard. So how much more can Israel’s famed Iron Dome take? We speak to The Telegraph's man in Jerusalem, Henry Bodkin, who’s been reporting from the sites of the Iranian attacks. His frontline insights give us a chilling look at the damage—and the determination of a country under fire.Then we hear from two men who know what they’re talking about. David Albright has spent years analysing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He tells us how close they really are to the bomb—and whether Israeli jets can stop it. And Frank Ledwidge, former intelligence officer and expert on air campaigns, tells us why this war will drag on, and what Israel’s real endgame might be. https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

This episode was recorded before the strikes on Iran — a major development we’ll be discussing in detail in Monday’s episode.Los Angeles has descended into chaos. A wave of ICE immigration raids has sparked mass protests, violent clashes with police, and nights of looting, fires, and fear. Now, President Trump has overridden Governor Gavin Newsom using a little-known legal loophole to send in the National Guard — and Marines are on the way.The move has ignited a fierce political battle between California and the White House, raising questions about federal power, state rights, and the limits of presidential authority.The Telegraph’s U.S. correspondent Susie Coen has spent the week in LA, documenting the unrest and capturing the mood of a city on the edge. And LA author Ryan Gattis joins us to reflect on how today’s turmoil compares to the 1992 riots — and what history tells us about what comes next.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

On today’s episode, we confront the brutal realities of two of the world’s most controversial flashpoints.First, our man on the ground, Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin, joins Israeli troops in Gaza for a rare and eye-opening embed. He takes us inside the tunnel where Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar was allegedly hiding before an Israeli airstrike on May 13th — one that struck the entrance of the European Hospital, sparking outrage and headlines around the world. We cut through the noise and get straight to what really happened.Then, we turn to the pariah state of North Korea. Despite suffocating sanctions, Pyongyang is now in its strongest strategic position in decades, doubling its nuclear arsenal and quietly amassing the world’s fourth largest military. How did that happen — and why isn't the West doing more about it? Our new Asia correspondent Allegra Mendelson explains all.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/08/inside-khan-younis-tunnel-gaza-european-hospital-sinwar/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/08/hamas-last-man-standing-faces-fight-keep-control-gaza/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/07/west-tried-make-north-korea-pariah-but-now-never-stronger/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

Lord George Robertson, former Nato Secretary General and lead author of the UK's new Strategic Defence Review, talks to Roland about what it will take for Britain to be warfighting ready. His message is a vital clarion call for the British government and general public to wake up to the very real threat posed by Russia and the scale of change that needs to be undertaken: "This is not business as usual."But with President Donald Trump's call for spending 5% of GDP on defence likely to be adopted by Nato later this month, is a commitment of 2.5% and an ambition of 3% by 2034 enough? And are ordinary British people ready for the sacrifices involved in creating a credible deterrence to protect the UK?https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

After nearly a year of waiting, the UK's Strategic Defence Review has been published. If that means nothing to you - don’t worry, we explain it all on today’s show. The SDR was intended to be a root-and-branch review of the UK Armed Forces that would provide a road map to keep the country safe for decades to come - especially in the face of the growing threat of Russia.But already there are questions over funding and how to boost recruitment. Venetia chats to Lord Richard Dannatt, former chief of the army, about what the review is missing, and Alistair Carns, minister for people and veterans at the Ministry of Defence. Plus Roland Oliphant goes through the report's highlights and the outstanding questions. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/02/strategic-defence-review-royal-navy/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/01/strategic-defence-review-lord-robertson-fiona-hill-barrons/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

Today’s episode has it all — political drama, military build-ups, and yes, Elon Musk with a chainsaw.We kick off with Musk’s big exit from his headline-hogging political role. He endorsed Trump, handed out millions to get out the vote, ran DOGE and even made time for a little on-stage lumberjacking. But now? He’s out. We’re playing some of his highlights.Then we’re off to Washington, where things are heating up in more serious ways. Fiona Hill, Russia expert and former Trump adviser, gives US reporter Cameron Henderson a rare glimpse into how Putin plays the game — and why a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine still feels a long way off.And if that’s not enough international intrigue for you, we’re off to Poland, where the country’s been rearming at a record pace. Why? Our Berlin correspondent James Rothwell is in Warsaw and will explain all. Plus, Trump’s making waves again — this time in Poland’s crucial presidential election runoff.Read Cameron Henderson's full interview with Fiona Hill: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/05/25/fiona-hill-interview-trump-terrified-putin-seen-firsthand/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant

In this special episode of Battle Lines, we’re joined by Lally Snow — a seasoned war reporter and photographer who has spent years covering conflict zones around the world. From the frontlines of Afghanistan to other war-torn regions, Lally has witnessed the brutal realities of war. But amidst the chaos, she discovered something unexpected: people tending to gardens.Her fascination with this quiet act of resilience led to her 2018 book, War Gardens, where she explored how individuals in the midst of conflict use gardening as a form of solace and survival. Now, years later, Lally returns to some of the same places and people to see how their stories — and their gardens — have endured.Tune in as Lally shares her unique perspective on conflict, resilience, and the human instinct to create beauty in the darkest of times.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant