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Lebanon and Iraq are frequently linked as key nodes in Iran's regional 'Axis of Resistance' and proxy network, as evidenced by their shared mention in strategic military and political contexts [1], [2], [3], [4], and [5]. They are also commonly grouped together in reports regarding regional conflict, humanitarian appeals, and the broader geopolitical influence of Iranian-backed militias [6], [7], [8], [9], and [10].
Facts (86)
Sources
Opportunities for Collective Regional Security in the Middle East carnegieendowment.org 21 facts
accountIsrael conducted targeted strikes against Palestinian factions and Iranian-backed forces in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.
claimThe violent escalation of hostilities across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and the southern Red Sea disrupted Saudi Arabia's modernization goals and exposed the country to risks such as the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
perspectiveRegional actors share a crucial interest in establishing a collective security framework encompassing Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq to prevent the cycle of conflict from endangering regional and global interests.
accountThe Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) mobilized Shiite militias in Iraq to counter United States influence, while Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria actively targeted Israeli assets and interests.
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.
claimIran's traditional strategies to regain influence, such as reasserting the power of its allies in Gaza and Lebanon, rallying the Assad regime in Syria, or deploying Iraqi and Yemeni militias in cross-border operations against Israel, have proven inadequate.
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.
claimBetween 2011 and 2020, Iranian policies, specifically the reliance on militias to execute regional aims, contributed to the destabilization of Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.
claimSaudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates sought to contain Iranian regional expansion in Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
accountFollowing the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran established a network of armed militias by cultivating allies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, and Shiite parties in Iraq.
accountThe Islamic Republic of Iran supported Hezbollah during the Lebanese protests of 2019–2021 and supported Iraq’s ruling Shiite factions during the mass protests of 2019, allowing these allies to maintain their grip on power through 2023.
claimDespite strategic retreats, Iran 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.
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 and Israel have played central roles in perpetuating violence across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
accountFollowing the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran established a network of armed militias, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, and various Shiite parties in Iraq, to serve as a protective shield against American and Israeli adversaries.
accountThe Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) mobilized Shiite militias in Iraq to counter United States influence, while Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria actively targeted Israeli assets and interests.
claimIran and Israel have played central roles in perpetuating violence across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
perspectiveRegional actors share a crucial interest in establishing a collective security framework encompassing Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq to prevent the cycle of conflict from endangering regional and global interests.
accountIsrael conducted targeted military strikes against Palestinian factions and Iranian-backed forces located in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.
War by Proxy: Iran's Growing Footprint in the Middle East - CSIS csis.org 18 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.
claimThere are indications that Iran may move some of its missiles and missile parts to Iraq to avoid Israeli pressure in Lebanon and Syria.
claimThe 'Axis of Resistance' is a network of forces supported by the IRGC-QF that extends from the Persian Gulf through Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq to the eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea to counter Iran's state adversaries.
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 southern route of Iran's land bridge passes through Iran, the Iraqi border town of Al-Walid, Al-Tanf in Syria, Damascus, and into Lebanon.
claimThe central route of Iran's land bridge passes through Iran, central Iraq, the Iraqi border town of Al-Qaim, Syria's Abu Kamal and Dayr az Zawr, and into Lebanon.
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 IRGC-QF is organized into regional sections including the Ramazan Corps (Iraq), Levant Corps (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel), Rasulallah Corps (Arabian Peninsula), and Ansar Corps (Afghanistan).
claimThe Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) maintains partnerships with foreign forces in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan.
claimThere are indications that Iran may move some of its missiles and missile parts to Iraq due to Israeli pressure in Lebanon and Syria.
claimThe Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) maintains partnerships with foreign forces in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan.
claimThe northern route of Iran's land bridge passes through Iran, Iraq's Kurdish region, the Iraqi city of Sinjar, northeastern Syrian cities like Al-Hasakah, and into Lebanon.
claimThe IRGC-QF is organized into regional corps, including the Ramazan Corps (Iraq), Levant Corps (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel), Rasulallah Corps (Arabian Peninsula), and Ansar Corps (Afghanistan).
claimThe 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War demonstrated the difficulty for the Israeli military in rooting out Hezbollah sites within Lebanon's heavily urbanized environment, a challenge that has expanded to include Syria and Iraq.
claimThe 'Axis of Resistance' is a network of forces supported by the IRGC-QF that extends from the Persian Gulf through Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon to the eastern Mediterranean Sea to counter Iran's state adversaries.
The crises in the Middle East: reshaping the region's geopolitical ... link.springer.com 5 facts
claimIran utilizes regional proxy powers, including the Shia militia Hizbulla in Lebanon and various groups in Iraq and Syria, to deepen regional crises and reduce opportunities for diplomacy, according to a 2023 DW News report.
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.
claimHizbulla and Hamas in Lebanon and Palestine, and Kurdish liberation movements in Syria, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, have a crucial impact on the balance of power in regional rivalries.
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.
After the War: Rethinking Regional Security in the Middle ... arab-reform.net 3 facts
claimGulf states, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen are identified as pressure points through which Iran can threaten the wider regional and international system.
accountDuring his 2023 address to the UN General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu displayed a map of a 'new Middle East' that erased Palestine and sidelined Lebanon, Syria, Oman, Yemen, and Iraq.
accountThe Middle East has incurred significant human, economic, and environmental costs over the last two decades, including the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the war in Syria, state collapse in Libya, Yemen, and Sudan, the genocide in Gaza, wars in Lebanon, mass displacement, and insecurity in the Gulf and Red Sea.
Iran's Geopolitical Footprint: Regional Power or Global Contender? moderndiplomacy.eu 3 facts
claimIran maintains the 'Axis of Resistance,' a coalition including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, and various Iraqi Shiite militias, to counter Israeli and Western influence.
claimIran supports various political and militant groups across the Middle East, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Palestine, and various Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, to challenge the regional dominance of its adversaries.
claimIran expands its influence in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon to secure its western flank and limit the influence of hostile powers near its borders.
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.
Iran's Proxy Strategy and the Extent of Surrogate Autonomy - AHS alexanderhamiltonsociety.org 3 facts
claimIran's closest proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and groups in Iraq, have at various times embraced the religious principle of Velayat-e Faqih.
claimIn Syria, the Sunni-majority demographic forced Iran to rely on sectarian-aligned proxies from Lebanon and Iraq rather than indigenous actors.
claimIran's 'Shi'a Crescent' ideology encompasses the geopolitical mass of Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon to the west, and Yemen to the south, nominally including Gulf States like Bahrain.
Iran's 'Axis of Resistance': The proxy forces shaping Mideast conflicts latimes.com 3 facts
claimMost groups within the 'Axis of Resistance' are composed of members of the Shiite branch of Islam, which forms major populations in the 'Shiite Crescent' stretching from Iran through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon.
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."
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.
Iran in crisis: the landscape after the Twelve-Day War - OSW osw.waw.pl 2 facts
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.
claimThe United States is actively working to dismantle the structures and support networks of pro-Iranian forces in the Middle East, specifically Hezbollah in Lebanon and various Shia militias in Iraq, through unilateral action and pressure on the governments of Lebanon and Iraq.
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.
The Iran Proxy Shield and Its Automated Axis of Resistence specialeurasia.com 2 facts
claimIraqi and Lebanese proxy groups demonstrated an increased ability to intercept, recover, or jam Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) drones in 2025.
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.
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.
Miscellanea: The War in Iran - A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry acoup.blog 1 fact
measurementThe war has resulted in the deaths of 13 American soldiers, 290 American soldiers wounded in action, 24 Israeli deaths, thousands of Israeli injuries, at least 1,000 civilian deaths in neutral countries (including Lebanon, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia), and at least 1,000 Iranian civilian deaths plus Iranian military losses.
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.
Ethnobotanical and Food Composition Monographs of Selected ... ouci.dntb.gov.ua 1 fact
referenceRivera D, Matilla-Riquer G, Obón C, and Alcaraz F (2012) published a diachronic ethnobotanical review of ancient and traditional plant uses for food and medicine in the Near East and the Caucasus, covering Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey.
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.
ACT Alliance Statement on the Escalating Conflict in ... actalliance.org 1 fact
accountACT Alliance Forums maintain active humanitarian appeals in Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Gaza.
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.
Editorials Supporting an Iran Nuclear Deal, January - September 2015 armscontrol.org 1 fact
claimThe Sacramento Bee editorial board stated on June 30, 2015, that Iran is currently fomenting conflict in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and across the region, but would be a greater global threat if armed with nuclear weapons.
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.
An Integrated U.S. Strategy to Address Iran's Nuclear and Regional ... carnegieendowment.org 1 fact
claimHanin Ghaddar argued in a November 23, 2016, Washington Institute for Near East Policy analysis that Iran may be utilizing Iraq and Syria as a bridge to reach Lebanon.
Escalation in the Middle East | MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES msf-me.org 1 fact
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.
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.