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Relations (1)
related 6.51 — strongly supporting 63 facts
Iraq and Yemen are both central components of Iran's regional 'forward defense' strategy, where Tehran utilizes proxy networks and non-state actors to exert influence and destabilize governance [1], [2], [3]. They are frequently cited together as primary theaters of Iranian military and political involvement, including the support of militias and the coordination of multi-front conflicts against regional adversaries [4], [5], [6], [7].
Facts (63)
Sources
War by Proxy: Iran's Growing Footprint in the Middle East - CSIS csis.org 12 facts
claimThe IRGC-QF has expanded its operational areas beyond traditional partners in Lebanon and Iraq to include active operations in Yemen and Syria.
claimThe Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) has increased the size and capabilities of the militias it supports in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.
claimThe regional conflict involving Iran includes the war in Yemen, the Houthi use of ballistic missiles against Saudi Arabia, an escalating conflict with Israel in Syria, the growth of Shia militia forces in Iraq, targeted assassinations, and cyberattacks.
claimThe Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) is active in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria.
claimThe Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) has increased the size and capabilities of the militias it supports in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.
claimThe Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) is active in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria.
claimThe IRGC-QF has expanded its operational areas from traditional countries like Lebanon and Iraq to include countries like Yemen and Syria.
claimThe Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) maintains partnerships with foreign forces in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan.
claimForces supported by the IRGC-QF include Lebanese Hezbollah, the Hashd al-Sha’abi in Iraq (specifically the Badr Organization, Kata’ib Hezbollah, and Asaib Ahl al-Haq), militia forces in Syria, the Houthis in Yemen, Liwa Fatemiyoun from Afghanistan, Liwa Zainabyoun from Pakistan, and groups in Palestinian territory such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
claimThe Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) maintains partnerships with foreign forces in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan.
claimThe Arab Spring, beginning in 2011, created opportunities for Iran to expand its influence by exploiting the weakening of regimes and the onset of insurgencies in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq.
accountThe 2011 Arab Spring created opportunities for Iran to expand its influence due to the weakening of regimes and the onset or expansion of insurgencies in countries like Syria, Yemen, and Iraq.
Opportunities for Collective Regional Security in the Middle East carnegieendowment.org 11 facts
claimIsrael's current military focus is countering Shiite militias in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen to limit Iranian regional leverage.
claimTürkiye's support for Islamist movements in Libya, Syria, and Yemen caused its diplomatic, political, trade, and investment relations with most Gulf countries, Iraq, and Iran to shift into tensions and conflict.
claimIran is likely to leverage its military, financial, and organizational assets to rebuild cohesion among its proxies in Palestine and Lebanon, reinforce factions in Iraq and Yemen, and adapt to the situation in Syria.
claimSaudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates sought to contain Iranian regional expansion in Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
claimThe outbreak of hostilities across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and the southern Red Sea diverted Saudi Arabia's focus from its modernization goals and exposed the country to risks such as the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
claimBetween 2011 and 2020, Iranian policies helped destabilize Arab states such as Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen through the use of militias to execute regional aims.
claimCurrent regional policies often entangle Middle Eastern states in direct or proxy conflicts, such as Israel’s tensions with Iran, Türkiye’s intervention in Syria and Iraq, and the military involvement of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in Yemen.
claimIran's traditional strategies to regain influence—including reasserting the power of allies in Gaza and Lebanon, rallying the Assad regime in Syria, and deploying Iraqi and Yemeni militias against Israel—have proven inadequate.
claimIran sustains its regional leverage and thwarts Israel's ambitions by supporting its allies near Israel and reinforcing its militias in Iraq and Yemen.
claimIran and Israel have played central roles in perpetuating violence across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
claimIsrael escalated its military offensives against Iran and its proxies in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen in response to attacks from the Iranian bloc.
Iran's Regional Armed Network - Council on Foreign Relations cfr.org 3 facts
claimIran's proxy network includes groups from Shiite Muslim-majority countries like Iraq and Lebanon, as well as groups from Sunni-majority areas including the Palestinian territories, Syria, and Yemen.
accountDuring Iran's first direct attack on Israeli soil in April 2024, Iranian partners in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen launched drones and rockets at Israel to support Tehran's air strikes.
accountDuring Iran's first-ever direct attack on Israeli soil in April 2024, Iranian partners in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen launched drones and rockets at Israel to support Tehran's air strikes.
The crises in the Middle East: reshaping the region's geopolitical ... link.springer.com 3 facts
claimSaudi Arabia and Iran are competing for regional leadership and influence in conflicts occurring in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Iraq, which exacerbates sectarian divisions and undermines stability.
claimIran's involvement in regional conflicts in Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, and Syria has heightened tensions with Kurdish groups and complicated efforts to address the Kurdish question.
claimThe geopolitical rivalry between the Shia and Sunni blocs, represented by Iran and Saudi Arabia, has fueled sectarian tensions and proxy wars in Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain, Iraq, and Yemen, complicating peaceful conflict resolution.
Escalation in the Middle East | MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES msf-me.org 3 facts
claimMSF suspended medical evacuations to its Reconstructive Surgery Programme in Amman, Jordan, due to the current regional escalation, impacting patients from Gaza, Yemen, and Iraq.
claimMedecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) experiences indirect operational consequences from the regional conflict escalation in Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Yemen, and Syria.
claimMedecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) maintains a network of medical and humanitarian programs in Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Yemen, providing healthcare through hospitals, clinics, and mobile medical teams.
The Implications Of Iran's Failed Proxy Strategy - Hoover Institution hoover.org 2 facts
Iran War: Kinetic, Cyber, Electronic and Psychological Warfare ... resecurity.com 2 facts
claimThe United States advised American citizens to immediately leave Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen due to escalating Iranian strikes and planned US retaliatory strikes.
claimThe conflict involves geographic flashpoints within Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Gaza, and critical maritime zones including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
Iran's Islamist Proxies in the Middle East - Wilson Center wilsoncenter.org 2 facts
quotePresident Donald Trump stated in May 2017: "From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms, and trains terrorists, militias, and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region."
claimIran's Revolutionary Guards and the elite Qods Force provide arms, training, and financial support to militias and political movements in Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Syria, and Yemen.
Could Iran's Proxy Model Reach the Sahel? – HORN REVIEW hornreview.org 2 facts
claimOver the past two decades, the Islamic Republic of Iran has utilized a proxy model in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen that relies on non-state actors and layered systems of indirect control to shape conflict environments without appearing as the primary actor.
perspectiveThe Sahel region is structurally vulnerable to indirect strategies similar to those Iran has previously applied in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen.
An Integrated U.S. Strategy to Address Iran's Nuclear and Regional ... carnegieendowment.org 2 facts
perspectiveRussia has no compelling interests regarding Iranian activism in Iraq, the Gulf, and Yemen.
claimIran and Saudi Arabia are on opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, and their involvement, including the provision of weapons and money, has exacerbated these conflicts.
Twenty questions (and expert answers) about the Iran war atlanticcouncil.org 2 facts
claimIran's proxy network includes Lebanese Hezbollah, Palestinian militant organizations such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Shia militias in Iraq and Syria, and Yemen’s Houthi movement.
claimIran maintains a network of non-state armed organizations across the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, including Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Shia militias in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthi movement in Yemen.
Iran's 'Axis of Resistance': The proxy forces shaping Mideast conflicts latimes.com 2 facts
claimIran has established a network of allied militias and political movements across Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, and Yemen, which are collectively known as the 'Axis of Resistance'.
quotePresident Donald Trump stated: "From Lebanon to Yemen and Syria to Iraq, the regime has armed, trained and funded terrorist militias that have soaked the earth with blood and guts. The United States, Trump vowed, was determined to ensure that Iran’s proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces."
After Khamenei: Regional Reckoning and the Future of Iran's Proxy ... stimson.org 2 facts
claimA cornerstone of Ali Khamenei's foreign policy was the formation, funding, and weaponization of proxy networks in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, and Gaza.
claimIran formed, funded, and weaponized proxy networks in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, and Gaza as a cornerstone of its foreign policy.
Iran's Proxy Strategy and the Extent of Surrogate Autonomy - AHS alexanderhamiltonsociety.org 2 facts
Iran at a Historical Crossroads - E-International Relations e-ir.info 2 facts
claimIran utilizes a network of allied militias and proxy forces, collectively known as the Axis of Resistance, to project power and oppose Israel and the United States across Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.
claimIran's proxy network, which includes Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza/Palestine, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq, and the Houthi movement in Yemen, has historically functioned as a 'ring of fire' to provide strategic depth and a buffer against direct conflict on Iranian soil.
Beyond Missile Deterrence: The Rise of Algorithmic Superiority trendsresearch.org 1 fact
claimIran seeks to expand its strategic depth and strengthen its regional position through alliances and proxy networks in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.
Iran in crisis: the landscape after the Twelve-Day War - OSW osw.waw.pl 1 fact
accountDuring the 2010s, Iran successfully established a network of partners and clients in countries such as Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen, benefiting from the failure of US policies in Iraq and Afghanistan and the upheavals of the Arab Spring.
Iran Country Report 2026 - BTI Transformation Index bti-project.org 1 fact
claimIran's regional strategy of 'forward defense' is a pursuit of regional hegemony, involving a network of militias in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria (until December 2024).
The Axis of Instability: Iran, Proxy Warfare, and the Fragmenting ... meforum.org 1 fact
claimThe Islamic Republic of Iran's doctrine is calibrated confrontation, where Tehran projects power through a constellation of non-state actors and aligned militias operating across Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and the Palestinian arena.
How to Handle Iran's Nuclear Ambitions - New Lines Institute newlinesinstitute.org 1 fact
claimOver the last 30 years, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has gained extensive control over Iran's military, economy, political, and foreign policy, as well as proxy networks in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.
The Iran Proxy Shield and Its Automated Axis of Resistence specialeurasia.com 1 fact
claimIran has exported a 'kit & assembly' industrial logic to Ansar Allah in Yemen, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq, and Hezbollah in Lebanon, shifting logistics from smuggling finished missiles to transporting high-value, low-volume components like gyroscopes, sensors, and micro-engines.
Policy Steps to Prevent a Nuclear Iran | The Washington Institute washingtoninstitute.org 1 fact
claimIran maintains pressure on adversaries by creating threats near their borders, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shia militants in Iraq.
Iran's Global Posture Hides Domestic Insecurities carnegieendowment.org 1 fact
claimIran collaborates with regional groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Badr Organization and Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen, based on shared enmity toward Israel and the United States.
The Limits of Iran's Proxy Empire | The New Yorker newyorker.com 1 fact
accountHezbollah, Iraq's Shiite militias, and the Houthis largely refrained from joining the conflict against Israel, with the Houthis firing only a few missiles before turning silent following their own conflict with the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Yemen.
The Israel-Hamas War: Risks of Escalation and Scenarios for ... mei.edu 1 fact
claimThe unnamed subject has completed field deployments in Yemen, Iraq, Haiti, Northeast Nigeria, Mali, Cameroon, Niger, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic.
How active have Iran's proxy groups been since the start of the war? theconversation.com 1 fact
claimThe primary elements of Iran's proxy network include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Syrian government under the Assad family, Iran-aligned militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen.