Escalation or off-Ramp in the Gulf? And What Hope for a Ceasefire in Lebanon?

In this episode of Hold Your Fire! , Richard speaks with Crisis Group’s Lebanon expert David Wood and former Crisis Group President Rob Malley. Richard first talks with David about the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, why Hezbollah decided to launch attacks after the U.S.-Israel war on Iran began, Israel’s war aims in Lebanon and prospects for a ceasefire. Richard then turns to Rob to discuss the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, how closely Washington and Israel are aligned in their objectives, whether Iran is pacing itself for a drawn-out conflict, and how Gulf states are reacting as they look for ways to bring the war to an end. They also discuss the danger of further escalation, possible pathways out of the conflict and lessons from years of failed diplomacy with Iran. For more, check out Rob’s article in The New York Times, “ Of Course Trump Bombed Iran ”, our commentary “ A Sprawling Middle East War Explodes ” and our Middle East page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Escalation or off-Ramp in the Gulf? And What Hope for a Ceasefire in Lebanon? is an episode from Hold Your Fire! by International Crisis Group.

This episode is 52:21 long.

This episode was published on Mar 14, 2026.

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