Escalation: Middle East war widens

<p>The <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/03/02/the-iran-war-is-rapidly-engulfing-the-region?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">war in Iran</a> has entered its fourth day with further American and Israeli strikes, and Iranian retaliation across the region. Now Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has launched a ground offensive in <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/03/02/hizbullah-the-reluctant-proxy-strikes-at-israel?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lebanon</a>. Attacks on Tehran involved the use of Artificial Intelligence, so why is the Pentagon picking a fight with <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2026/02/24/pete-hegseth-wages-war-on-anthropic?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Anthropic</a>, its supplier? And <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/02/26/thirty-years-on-pokemon-is-still-a-monster-hit?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pokémon</a> turns 30.</p><p>Watch “<a href="https://www.economist.com/insider?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Insider</a>” on Iran: Economist experts ask what will happen next</p><br /><p>Guests and host:</p><ul><li>Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent</li><li>Henry Tricks, US technology editor</li><li>Moeka Iida, Japan correspondent</li><li>Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”</li></ul><p><br /></p><p>Topics covered:&nbsp;</p><ul><li>War in Iran, America, Israel, Lebanon, Hizbullah, Middle East</li><li>Anthropic, OpenAI, Claude, Artificial Intelligence&nbsp;</li><li>Pokemon, media</li></ul><p><br /></p><p><em>Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—</em><a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</em></a></p><br /><p><em>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our </em><a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>FAQs page</em></a><em> or watch </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>our video</em></a><em> explaining how to link your account. </em></p><hr /><p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>