Joseph Rozen: Israel and Jordan should join and I believe it’s only a matter of time. Israel is already backing and connecting such connectivity initiatives in the Middle East.

The IMEC was very much based on regional plans for transportation first presented by Israel Katz, the state’s then transport minister and now defence minister.

I think that normalisation should be built up gradually and that means facilitating regional connectivity in energy, tech and trade.

Dialogue could be conducted through a working group, That alone will generate de facto normalisation without having the political burden of cutting ribbons in fancy ceremonies.

The Iran war had brought many countries in the region much closer. There were reports of Saudi privately encouraging the US in the conflict.

Published in The Telegraph, April 04,  2026.

*The opinions expressed in Misgav publications are the authors’ alone.

Prof. Kobi Michael argues that the conflicts involving Hezbollah and Iran should be viewed as a single, deeply coordinated war front where Iran utilizes its proxies to pressure Israeli social resilience.

He explains that because Hezbollah’s current leadership under Naim Qassem is weak, senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers have taken direct control, commanding and training units in Lebanon . Furthermore, he suggests that the United States may aim to isolate Tehran by destroying its infrastructure and communications to paralyze the regime and potentially facilitate its collapse from within.

The full interview took place on I24 Channel on April 2, 2026.

*The opinions expressed in Misgav publications are the authors’ alone.

Ruth Pines Feldman:The United States has currently assembled a significant military presence in the Middle East, creating a massive regional ‘armada’ that provides the flexibility to address multiple threats at once.

Such a move would inevitably divert critical military and diplomatic attention away from primary goals, contradicting the clear American preference to stabilise the region and drive toward a decisive conclusion of the military campaign.

Even so, the US would still want to build a “broad coalition, including Nato forces to join the effort: This is not because the US lacks the military capacity to handle it alone, but rather to send a powerful message of a united front against enemy forces.

Published in The Telegraph, March  30, 2026.

*The opinions expressed in Misgav publications are the authors’ alone.

Prof. Kobi Michael: I think that at the end of the day, if there are differences between Israel and President Trump, the differences are with regard to tactics, not even strategy. Both sides remain focused on outcomes. President Trump is fully devoted, he is fully invested in this war, and he will not finish the war without achieving significant achievements. He understands that beyond press conferences and tweets, there are facts on the ground, and people will judge whether this was a success or a fiasco.

Israel knew Trump’s intentions to opt for negotiations with Iran but for sure Israel won’t be able to face the Iranian threat and Hezbollah simultaneously. Trump is planning to do something else. This is the reason for the arrival in the region of the 82nd division and the Marines … in order to launch a very comprehensive ground military operation that will change the entire face of the war.

Published in The Media Line, March  27, 2026.

*The opinions expressed in Misgav publications are the authors’ alone.

Prof. Kobi Michael: All the land between the international border and the Litani River will be cleaned. There will be no Hezbollah there, and no Shiites will be there. There will be no Shia villages there anymore. And Hezbollah will weaken, it will be weakened to the degree that maybe the Lebanese Army will be able to take responsibility and control, and then this will be maybe the ripest moment to accelerate the negotiation between Israel and Lebanon for reaching peace between both countries.

Published in Washington Examiner, March  26, 2026.

*The opinions expressed in Misgav publications are the authors’ alone.

Prof. Kobi Michael argues that the current conflict is entering a new phase focused on dismantling Iran’s nuclear and proxy capabilities to prevent the regime from remaining a “spoiler” for regional peace.

He frames this struggle as a historic moral mission for the United States, essential for establishing a new regional architecture and defeating the radicalism supported by China and Russia

The full interview took place on ILTV on March 26, 2026.

*The opinions expressed in Misgav publications are the authors’ alone.

In this powerful and inspiring episode of Mideast Horizons, hosts Asher Fredman and Lahav Harkov are joined by Sana Ebrahimi, a prominent Iranian activist and AI researcher, to discuss the current state of the Islamic Republic, the Iranian opposition, and the growing momentum for regime change.

Sana shares her remarkable personal journey, from growing up in a religiously conservative family in Tehran and wearing the chador from age seven, to becoming an outspoken voice against the ayatollah regime. She explains why so many Iranians reject the regime, why she does not believe the war has produced a true “rally around the flag” phenomenon, and why public anger inside Iran remains intense.

Sana also provides a masterclass on the landscape of the Iranian opposition, from the “reformists” and the MEK to the evolving movement around Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. She argues that if the American and Israeli operations in Iran succeed in truly weakening the regime’s “killing machine,” a large-scale internal uprising could be on the horizon.

Sana also reveals how AI-generated propaganda, fake videos, and coordinated online campaigns are distorting global perceptions of Iran, and what social media platforms should do about it.

In the opening segment, Asher and Lahav analyze the current state of Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion, and the critical questions on the table regarding any potential deal to end the war. They also discuss the return of Hamas displays of power in Gaza and the new roadmap for disarming the terrorist group presented by U.S. and regional mediators.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Life Inside the Regime: Sana’s journey from a restricted life under the ayatollah regime to a leading voice in the global opposition.
• The Uprising Timeline: Why the Iranian people are outraged and waiting for the right moment to reclaim their country.
• Decoding the Opposition: A breakdown of the different groups vying for Iran’s future and why the Pahlavi camp is gaining traction.
• The First AI War: How generative AI is being used as a weapon of war, and the need for “Responsible AI” in online discourse.
• Gaza & Lebanon: Insights into the ongoing efforts to disarm Hamas and drive Hezbollah back from Israel’s border.

For critical insights on Iran and the changing Middle East, follow the Misgav Institute on X: @MisgavINSen.

 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0gNfCcZvCLp43dXMSrqfp5?si=A9nQTVn3ScCGxEhaWMmKeA&nd=1&dlsi=cb3d6e6bc17c4565

Apple:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/countdown-to-snapback-sanctions-on-iran/id1822734204?i=1000727151332

Prof. Kobi Michael: The campaigns against Iran and Lebanon were complementary and Israel was determined to see both of them through, even without US support. Even so, a major Israeli war with Hezbollah would be likely to rely on some degree of US support, as with the country’s other conflicts in recent years that have drawn heavily on American weaponry.

Published in Inews, March  25, 2026.

*The opinions expressed in Misgav publications are the authors’ alone.

Prof. Kobi Michael explains that Israel and the United States are pursuing parallel military and diplomatic tracks against Iran, with Trump reopening negotiations without halting ongoing strikes.

He argues that Iran’s core strategy is to gain time, increase pressure via threats to energy infrastructure and the Hormuz Strait, survive Western pressure, and emerge from the war still in power with the ability to rebuild its capabilities, warning that a failed negotiation could trigger a far more intense phase of the war.

The interview took place on Channel I24 on March 25, 2026.

*The opinions expressed in Misgav publications are the authors’ alone.

Prof. Zaki Shalom: The primary significance of a strike on the reactor would not lie in physical danger, but in a major psychological and symbolic achievement for Iran.

If such a sensitive security site were damaged, even minimally, it can be assumed that Israel would need to respond in an exceptional manner. It would not be able to suffice with a parallel strike on nuclear sites in Iran, since it is already doing so in any case.

The full interview was published in The Times of Israel on March 25, 2026.

*The opinions expressed in Misgav publications are the authors’ alone.