The Take

The US is mobilizing ground troops, while saying it has a 15-point plan to end the US-Israel war on Iran. Tehran denies negotiations and continues to control the Strait of Hormuz. So what does reality spell for the US strategy - and what would it take to end the war rather than escalate it?
In this episode:
Alex Gatopoulos (@AlexGatopoulos), Al Jazeera Defence Editor
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz and Chloe K. Li, with Catherine Nouhan, Marcos Bartolomé, Tuleen Barakat, Monah Hamade, Ibrahim Abdelfattah, Adhil Veettil, Sreechand Sugathan, Gerard Baladad, Shreshtha Sanghvi, Hanna Nasser, Adlan Abdalla, Mile Trifunovski, and our guest host, David Enders. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
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War has spread into Iraq, where strikes by the United States and Israel hit Iran-backed groups, and the militias fire back. Oil has stopped flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, and the state’s grip on power is already fragile. As the war rages on, what will it mean for Iraq?
In this episode:
Abdulla Hawez, Researcher
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Tamara Khandaker with Chloe K. Li, Tuleen Barakat and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
Connect with us:
@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

International convoys are bringing aid to Cuba to protest the US fuel blockade, as Cuba continues to fend off US threats of a takeover. With Cubans continuing to live under prolonged blackouts and the government preparing for military confrontation, can the Cuban government again survive the latest US effort to overthrow it?
In this episode:
Ed Augustin (@EdAugReporter), Journalist
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li and Sarí el-Khalili, with Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke and Sarí el-Khalili.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
Connect with us:
@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Black rain fell over Tehran after oil depot strikes in the US-Israel war on Iran filled the sky with toxic petrochemical smoke. The contamination can seep into lungs, soil and water, with long-term risks from cancer to lasting environmental damage. What happens when the air people breathe becomes part of the battlefield?
In this episode:
Narges Bajoghli, Cultural Anthropologist, Johns Hopkins University
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz, Marcos Bartolomé and Sarí el-Khalili with Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, and our guest host, Tamara Khandaker. It was edited by Sarí el-Khalili.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
Connect with us:
@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Strikes on gas sites are now part of the US-Israel war with Iran. But its effect will echo far beyond the Gulf, hitting power, food, and prices worldwide. As gas supply shrinks and costs rise, who will feel it most, and how far could the shock spread?
In this episode:
Justin Dargin (@justindargin), Energy Expert, Middle East Council on Global Affairs
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Tamara Khandaker, Sarí el-Khalili, Chloe K. Li, Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Sarí el-Khalili. Alex Roldan is our sound designer.
The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Chloe K. Li, Alexandra Locke, Catherine Nouhan, Alex Roldan, and Noor Wazwaz. Our host is Malika Bilal.
Our editorial intern is Tuleen Barakat. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
Connect with us:
@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube