Iran projects military power through dozens of armed groups across the Middle East, but to what extent does it control their actions?
The issue has taken on new urgency as the United States considers its next steps following an attack on a U.S. military base in northwestern Jordan by Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. Sunday’s attack left three soldiers dead and dozens injured.
The Iranian-backed groups have different histories and ties to Iran, but they share Iran’s desire to withdraw U.S. troops from the region and reduce Israel’s power. Iranian rhetoric, echoed by its allies, often goes further by calling for the disappearance of the state of Israel.
Like Iran, most allied groups follow Shiite Islam. The exception is Hamas, whose members are primarily Sunni Muslims.
Evidence obtained through weapons seizures, forensic investigations, foreign asset tracking, and intelligence gathering indicates that Iran provides weapons, training, funding, and other support to this organization, particularly those in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. ing. Some of the training has been contracted out to Lebanon’s Hezbollah, according to U.S. and international experts.
More recently, Iran has allowed militias to acquire some weapon components on their own and to manufacture or modify some weapons themselves, Middle East and U.S. officials say. Moreover, for most groups like Hamas, their own large-scale money-making operations include both legal activities, such as construction, and illegal operations, such as kidnapping and drug smuggling.
Despite supporting militias, Iran does not necessarily control where and when it attacks Western or Israeli targets, according to numerous Middle East and European experts and U.S. intelligence officials. isn’t it. It seems to be affecting the group and, at least in some cases, preventing strikes.
The leadership and forces of Kataib Hezbollah, a group the Pentagon implicated after Iraq-based militants attacked a U.S. military base in Jordan on Sunday, are close to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, but at Iran’s request They announced that they would be temporarily suspending their activities. and the Iraqi government.
However, each militia also has its own objectives depending on its home country.
For example, the Houthi movement has achieved battlefield success in Yemen’s civil war and controls parts of the country. But now, unable to feed their people or create jobs, they are taking on great powers, attacking ships entering and exiting the Suez Canal, and provoking retaliatory attacks by the United States and its allies, which have a huge impact on domestic audiences. He shows off his strength and bravery.
This allows the Houthis to assert solidarity with the Palestinians, and also aligns the group with Iran’s goal of attacking Israel and its main ally, the United States.
In contrast, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has the longest ties to Iran, is part of the Lebanese government. Decisions about when and how much to attack Israel take into account the risk of Israeli retaliation against Lebanese civilians. 2020 US Department of State Report Estimation Iran’s aid to Hezbollah at the time was said to be $700 million a year.
The group’s weapons ranged from light weapons to rockets, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and an increasingly sophisticated array of unmanned aircraft, said Michael Knights of the Washington Institute, who has tracked the agents for years. It is said that it extends to
Experts say Iran has provided small direct cash subsidies to its proxies in recent years, in part because it is financially strained by U.S. and international sanctions. .
In addition to direct aid, some groups have received in-kind funds, including oil that can be sold and, as in the case of the Houthis, thousands of AK-47s that can be put on the market, officials said. November report From the United Nations.
One Yemeni political analyst, Hisham al-Omeisi, said of the Houthis: “They have very strong support from the Iranians, but they are not puppets on strings. They are agents of Iran. isn’t it.”
The same can be said for other groups.
Mohammed al-Sulami, who runs Rasana, a Saudi-based research organization focused on Iran that has long fought with Iran for influence in the region, said Iran itself has made a number of statements about militias to different audiences. He said he was sending a message.
When speaking to domestic and Middle Eastern audiences, Iran tends to portray what it calls an “axis of resistance” as part of its regional strategy, under its guidance and control. However, when addressing Western audiences, Iran often claims that although the groups share similar views, the Islamic Republic does not lead them, al-Sulami said.
“Iran is cleverly taking advantage of this gray area to devise strategies,” he said.
Vivian Nereim Contributing to reporting from Saudi Arabia,
