For the casual observer, it can be difficult to keep track of events in the Middle East. After October 7, the war seemingly was between Hamas and Israel, before Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen and other groups joined in. But all these terrorist groups are not independent, but mere proxies, often called tentacles of the same octopus: the Islamic Republic of Iran. Hezbollah, by far, is the strongest of these terror proxies, and while it has suffered many setbacks in recent weeks, it remains a serious threat to Israel. So what, if anything, will force Iran to cease its relentless war against Israel? To help navigate this complex reality behind the headlines, we are joined by Hanin Ghaddar. She is a journalist and the Friedmann Senior Fellow in The Washington Institute's Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics, where she focuses on Shia politics throughout the Levant. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.