Daily Briefing Oct. 15 – Why are the Saudis so poor at war despite spending billions?

The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing podcast, hosted by Amanda Borschel-Dan, features diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman. The episode covers Prime Minister Netanyahu's opposition to an attack on Iran before the October 27 election, an analysis of Saudi military struggles against the Houthis despite high spending, and allegations from former military secretary Avi Gil that Netanyahu prioritized his political career over bringing hostages home from Gaza alive. The discussion highlights key geopolitical and domestic issues.

The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing podcast for October 15, 2026, hosted by deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan, features diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman. The episode covers three main stories. First, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Wednesday that he is against a US or Israeli attack on Iran in the coming days, ahead of the Israeli election on October 27, amid rising inflammatory rhetoric from the United States and Iran. Second, Berman discusses the apparent war between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, analyzing how technology does not make a warrior and how the Saudi military is attempting to fight through Yemeni proxies. Third, the episode turns to increasing allegations against Netanyahu regarding what he did and did not know leading up to the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught. In an explosive television interview last week, former military secretary Avi Gil charged that the prime minister passed up clear-cut opportunities to bring more hostages home from Gaza alive because doing so would have put his political career at risk.