Call Me Back - with Dan Senor

Ark Media
  • 4.9 (2.9K)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Presenting the challenges and dilemmas facing Israelis to a global audience.

  1. 8H AGO

    Trump’s Gamble - with Walter Russell Mead

    Subscribe here to Inside Call me Back ------- Please take 5 minutes to fill out Ark Media’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ Why would a president risk a war in the Middle East in an election year?  Dan is joined by Walter Russell Mead to unpack the strategic and political gamble behind the U.S. conflict with Iran. They discuss why Trump may have chosen this moment to act, how generational attitudes toward war shape the debate, and what success (or failure) could look like. The conversation also explores Iran’s potential strategy, its impact on Russia and China, and how countries like India are viewing the unfolding conflict. In this episode: - Trump’s High-Stakes Bet on War - Why the Case for the War Feels Unclear to Many Americans - The Generational Divide on U.S. Military Power - Why Trump Chose This Moment to Strike - What “Winning” the War Could Actually Look Like - Iran’s Endurance Strategy: Drag the U.S. Into a Quagmire - What Russia and China Want to See Happen - Why India Is Watching This War Closely See Rachel Goldberg-Polin in conversation with Dan at The Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center on April 20 to discuss her upcoming book "When We See You Again.” Purchase tickets before they sell out. More Ark Media: Want to join Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings. Explore Israel Votes Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What’s Your Number? Watch Call me Back on YouTube Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

    38 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Did Israel force America into war with Iran? - with Nadav Eyal and Mark Dubowitz

    Subscribe here to Inside Call me Back ------- Please take 5 minutes to fill out Ark Media’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ Was America dragged into the Iran war by Israel, as some commentators seem to suggest? An out-of-context statement by State Secretary Marco Rubio seems to give credence to the conspiratorial accusation that America is fighting Israel's war in Iran. Dan is joined by Nadav Eyal and Mark Dubowitz to discuss the truth behind these claims, the delicate politics behind the decision to launch the war, and how it all plays out in American public discourse. They also cover the possible succession of Iran’s Supreme Leader, the campaign against Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities, and the broader strategy shaping the conflict—along with what outcomes Israel and the U.S. would ultimately consider a victory. In this episode: - 04:20 – The strike in Qom and the disruption of Iran’s leadership succession - 06:05 – The possible rise of Mojtaba Khamenei - 11:05 – What the past 72 hours reveal about the military campaign - 13:25 – Why Qom is central to the Islamic Republic - 15:05 – The emerging strategy to pressure the regime from within - 20:05 – The debate in the U.S. over how the war began - 37:35 – Iran’s strategy for surviving the conflict - 40:05 – What Israel and the U.S. would consider a victory More Ark Media: Want to join Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings. Explore Israel Votes Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What’s Your Number? Watch Call me Back on YouTube Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

    46 min

  3. 3D AGO

    How Israel wiped out Iran's leadership in 10 minutes - with Ronen Bergman

    Subscribe here to Inside Call me Back ------- Please take 5 minutes to fill out Ark Media’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ How did Israel manage to eliminate Supreme Leader Khamenei and his top lieutenants within the opening strike of Operation Roaring Lion? How was the Iranian regime infiltrated? What tactical abilities were necessary to deliver the final blow? And how much of it was luck? Ronen Bergman, senior correspondent for Yedioth Ahronoth and The New York Times Magazine, takes Dan through the story of Khamenei’s killing from plan to execution, and through the many ways in which things could have gone differently. In this episode: 3:00 – How did Israel know where Khamenei was hiding? 8:43 – Was Iran careless? 14:50 – How did the plan to strike Khamenei take shape? 15:34 – 6am on the morning when it happened 22:01 – Sponsor break: United Hatzalah 22:57 – Immediate aftermath: What happened after the decapitation strike? 23:37 – The second and third waves of the attack 28:33 – Iran's attack on Arab states: another miscalculation? 33:25 – What's the mood in Iran? This episode was sponsored by United Hatzalah. Donate today at IsraelRescue.org/CallMeBack. Add this number to your phone right now if you live in Israel – 1221, and for those visiting it’s 972-2-5-383838. More Ark Media: Want to join the team at Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings. Explore Israel Votes Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What’s Your Number? Watch Call me Back on YouTube Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

    38 min

  4. 4D AGO

    What is the military strategy in Iran? - with Gen. David Petraeus

    Subscribe here to Inside Call me Back ------- Please take 5 minutes to fill out Ark Media’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ What's the state of play after the first day of operation Roaring Lion? What tactical resources have the United States and Israel deployed and what's their division of labor? What are the operation's risks and opportunities? General David Petraeus joins Dan to examine the strategic and tactical planning and goals of the war. General Petraeus is a retired four-star U.S. Army general and former CIA Director who led coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and is widely recognized for shaping modern U.S. counterinsurgency strategy. He's also co-author of 'Conflict' with Andrew Roberts. In this episode: - 1:00 – Khamenei killed: The decapitation strike - 3:00 – Day one of the war: Epic Fury and Roaring Lion - 5:00 – How a strike like this gets built - 8:00 – The daylight gamble - 12:00 – U.S. forces in position - 16:00 – Regime change or something else? - 20:00 – U.S.–Israel coordination - 28:00 – What comes next for Iran More Ark Media: Explore Israel Votes Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What’s Your Number? Watch Call me Back on YouTube Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

    34 min

  5. 4D AGO

    EMERGENCY EPISODE: WAR WITH IRAN - with Mark Dubowitz and Nadav Eyal

    Please take 5 minutes to fill out Ark Media’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ The United States and Israel have launched coordinated strikes against Iran, and the region is now at war. In this emergency episode of Call Me Back, Dan is joined by Nadav Eyal and Mark Dubowitz to break down the opening operation, Iran’s retaliation across the region, and the high-stakes question at the center of it all: Is this about degrading nuclear and missile capabilities, or is this the beginning of regime change? They discuss the decapitation strategy targeting Iran’s senior leadership, the possibility that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been killed, the international response, and what comes next. As sirens sound in Israel and ballistic missiles fly across the Gulf, this is real-time analysis of a historic turning point in the Middle East. In this episode: - Operation Epic Fury and Roaring Lion: How the war began - Iran’s regional retaliation and the widening battlefield - Targeting the leadership: Decapitation and the Khamenei question - Nuclear reconstitution, Pickaxe Mountain, and the missile threat - Regime change or strategic degradation? - International reaction and Gulf alignment - The American message and what it signals - How this ends and what comes next More Ark Media: Subscribe to Inside Call me Back Explore Israel Votes Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What’s Your Number? Watch Call me Back on YouTube Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

    47 min

  6. FEB 26

    Purim and Destiny - with Rachel Goldberg Polin

    Please take 5 minutes to fill out Ark Media’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ Rachel Goldberg-Polin joins Dan for a Purim special to explain why this is possibly the most misunderstood holiday in Jewish tradition. Rather than simply a fun masquerade for kids, Purim presents a profound meditation on hiddenness, courage, and stepping into one’s moment. Rachel walks Dan through the Book of Esther, unpacks its drama and philosophical depth, and explores why a story where God is never mentioned may be the most relevant text for a confusing, fractured age. In this episode: - The world of Persia and the backstory to Purim - Vashti, Esther, and the making of a queen - Haman, Amalek, and the logic of antisemitism - “For such a time as this” and the Esther moment - Where is God in a story without God? - Masks, hiddenness, and the illusion of randomness - Unity, generosity, and the mitzvot of Purim - Discovering your purpose when no one summons you More Ark Media: Subscribe to Inside Call me Back Explore Israel Votes Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What’s Your Number? Watch Call me Back on YouTube Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

    1h 3m

  7. FEB 22

    Trump’s Options on the Brink of War - with Mark Dubowitz and Nadav Eyal

    Please take 5 minutes to fill out Ark Media’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ As American military assets flow into the Middle East and Tehran prepares its response to Washington’s demands, Dan is joined by Nadav Eyal and Mark Dubowitz to assess whether President Trump is leaning toward diplomacy or decisive military action. They break down what’s real, what’s signaling, what would be the goals and scope of an American attack, and whether Israel is preparing to take part in it. In this episode: 3:00 - Is Trump leaning toward a strike or a deal? 3:30 - What “zero enrichment” really means and why it matters 9:30 - Pickaxe Mountain and Iran’s rebuilding nuclear infrastructure 11:00 - The scale of U.S. military deployments in the region 16:00 - Israel’s preparedness and the missile defense dilemma 22:30 - Hezbollah, Gulf states, and regional spillover risks 27:00 - Symbolic strike or regime-level operation? 39:00 - How politics, legacy, and red lines shape Trump’s decision More Ark Media: Subscribe to Inside Call me Back Explore Israel Votes Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What’s Your Number? Watch Call me Back on YouTube Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

    46 min

  8. FEB 21

    Amit on whether he’s ideologically closer to Bennett or Netanyahu, and more…(INSIDE Call me Back sneak peek)

    This is a sneak peek from the latest Inside Call Me Back, the members-only edition of the podcast. Amit Segal joins Dan to separate spin from substance and answer the question on everyone’s mind: is a military operation truly imminent, and how should Israelis think about what comes next? They also discuss Amit’s political worldview and how it compares to his father’s Jabotinskyite vision. To hear the full conversation, become a member by following the link in the description or visiting arkmedia.org. In the full episode:  Dan and Amit Segal take listener questions that dig deep into the Israeli divide. Will the election revolve around the Haredi draft crisis or the judicial reform? Should Antizionist Arab parties be able to run in Israeli elections? What is the future of Judea and Samaria and how long can Israel postpone the question of Palestinian statehood? And does Amit share his father's vision of a Jabotinsky right?  More Ark Media: Subscribe to Inside Call me Back Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What’s Your Number? Watch Call me Back on YouTube Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

    12 min
See All (469)

Hosts & Guests

4.9
out of 5
2,915 Ratings

About

Presenting the challenges and dilemmas facing Israelis to a global audience.

Information

More From Ark Media

You Might Also Like