Two of Saudi Arabia’s largest oil facilities were attacked on September 14, setting fire to and severely damaging the world’s largest oil refinery. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the strikes, but the US has said there is no evidence the attacks came from Yemen, instead blaming Iran. So who’s really responsible? And should the US respond?

As world leaders try to make sense of the recent attacks, Dany and Marc sat down with Katherine Zimmerman to learn more about the different actors and rivalries in the region, and the Saudi and Iranian roles in Yemen’s ongoing civil war. They also speculate over how the strikes will affect the US-Saudi alliance and already fragile US-Iran relations.

Antisemitism is on the rise once again both in the United States and abroad. Worse yet, this awful hatred manifests itself not only in the depths of Twitter, but also within the governments of vibrant democracies. Just last week, Israel barred two US congresswomen from entering the country, citing their anti-Semitic comments.

What explains this renewed phenomenon? While in Europe, Dany and Marc interviewed Piotr Cywinski, the director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. Conducted from the former concentration camp, the three discuss the rise of antisemitism today and the importance of preserving the memory of those who lost their lives in the Holocaust.

Protests in Hong Kong turned violent this week, with police officers firing tear gas and rubber bullets, and demonstrators vandalizing a Chinese government building. How long will Beijing tolerate democratic rumblings from Hong Kong without a major crackdown? Could this be the next Tiananmen? And will the United States react if Beijing responds with force?

Hong Kong expert Gordon Chang joined Dany and Marc to explain what’s going on in Hong Kong, and what it all might mean for the Chinese Communist Party. Chang also discusses the relationship between Hong Kong and mainland China, how protests could affect the US-China trade relationship, and whether the US should be doing more to support the people of Hong Kong.

Last week, President Trump decided to call off a military strike on Iran after the country downed an unmanned US drone. Numerous news outlets reported that the president stood down from that decision because he saw General Jack Keane point out on television that it was possible that Iran’s strike was a fluke.

On this episode of “What the Hell Is Going On?” Danielle Pletka and Marc Thiessen address recent Iranian provocations and US cyber strategy with General Jack Keane. They also discuss Trump’s visit to North Korea and the president’s relationships with dictators such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.

What the hell is going on in North Korea? Is Kim Jong Un really executing people using piranha-filled tanks? Recent reports state that the North Korean regime is carrying out executions and purges over the failure to reach a nuclear agreement with the Trump administration.

On their second episode of “What the Hell Is Going On?” Danielle Pletka and Marc Thiessen discuss North Korea with AEI’s Nicholas Eberstadt. The three cover what might happen to someone who falls out of favor with the North Korean regime, the future of US-North Korea nuclear talks, life in one of Kim’s gulags, and the likelihood of North Korean denuclearization.

Ever look at the mess across the world and wonder what the hell is going on?

Then tune in to the American Enterprise Institute’s new podcast “What the Hell Is Going On?” In informative and irreverent episodes, Danielle Pletka and Marc Thiessen interview the most interesting and knowledgeable guests who will help us make sense of the world — one issue at a time. You can find all episodes at AEI, Ricochet, and wherever podcasts are downloaded.