IDF launches ‘Mission Brief’ podcast

The Israeli army announced on Wednesday that it had launched a podcast which is part of its broader strategy to “engage directly with people around the world.”

The “Mission Brief” media brand is made up of two digital media channels that can engage directly with people. The first is a podcast hosted by Major (res.) Libby Weiss, an IDF spokesperson and the former head of the Digital Media Desk.

“The IDF has always led when it comes to digital media. It’s critical for us to be able to explain to the world exactly what, how and why we do what we do. We were one of the first militaries to embrace social media, whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Tiktok,” IDF spokesperson Richard Hecht told Jewish News.

“The Mission Brief podcast and newsletter both aim to provide more nuanced long-form information and updates, directly to people around the world. Like so many other things that happen within the military, they were driven by some of the outstanding officers and soldiers within our unit and the results already speak for themselves. Our story needs to be told; we will make sure we use every platform to do that,” he added.
The IDF said the podcast had become a top 50 global podcast in the news category after its first episode. It features in-depth interviews “with a range of soldiers and officers across within the IDF. The newsletter, hosted on Substack, provides direct updates from Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, the IDF Spokesperson, melding his own personal updates with operational updates.”

Listen to the podcast here