How the ‘Axis of Resistance’ Lets Iran Destabilize the Middle East

The Islamic Republic has built a powerful coalition of militias that operate across the region.

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A billboard celebrating the death of a martyred fighter in Syria is put up by Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed Shiite militia of Lebanon, in Nabatiyeh, Lebanon, on August 30, 2023. (Photo by Scott Peterson/Getty Images)

Hamas’ horrific October 7 attack on Israel has ignited a war that risks plunging the Middle East into broader conflict that could draw in the United States. The war has already expanded beyond Israel, as Iranian-backed militias in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and even Yemen have mobilized in support of Hamas and have begun attacking Israeli and U.S. targets throughout the region. These militias are part of a transnational coalition called the “Axis of Resistance,” built up over decades by Iran for the explicit purpose of attacking the United States and Israel on multiple fronts at the same time. 

The Axis of Resistance consists of state, semi-state, and non-state actors, including the Iranian regime, the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and myriad other militias made up of Afghan, Bahraini, Iraqi, Palestinian, Pakistani, and Syrian fighters deployed throughout the region. Iran directly founded some of the groups in the alliance after its revolution in 1979, while others emerged independently and later forged ties with Tehran. Iran furnishes these groups with varying levels of financial, military, and political support in exchange for some degree of influence or control over their actions. Some are traditional proxies that are highly responsive to Iranian direction while others are partner militias over which Iran exerts more limited influence.

Members of Axis of Resistance are united by their commitment to eroding and eventually expelling American influence from the Middle East, destroying the Israeli state, or both. Pursuing these objectives and supporting the Axis of Resistance to those ends have become cornerstones of Iranian regional strategy. 

Iranian leaders have invested immense energy, resources, and time over the past few decades into turning the Axis of Resistance into a formidable military power, one that allows it to apply and project force, deter and coerce foreign actors, and shape the regional environment. This military alliance helps Iran advance its campaigns against the United States and Israel, while also supporting its bid for regional hegemony.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is the primary organization for managing support to the network of militias. The IRGC reports directly to the Iranian supreme leader and operates with significant independence and minimal accountability and oversight. Iran—through the IRGC—provides direction, intelligence, logistical support, weapons, and other kinds of military hardware to the other members of the Axis of Resistance. The IRGC in more recent years has focused on outfitting the militias with advanced military capabilities, such as long-range drones and missiles, as well as promoting greater cohesion across its members, driving them to work alongside one another more closely. 

The best example of the axis functioning as a military coalition is the Syrian civil war, in which Iran brought its proxies together to preserve the Assad regime. The IRGC organized the deployment of thousands of fighters and put them under Iranian command to battle the Islamic State and Syrian opposition. It was the first time the IRGC rallied the parties of the Axis of Resistance to undertake protracted military campaigns at such a scale and even deployed its own combat units to fight abroad. This intervention to save a critical node in the alliance exemplified how the Axis of Resistance has prepared to fight high-intensity wars to secure its collective interests. 

Another example is how Iran has armed the Houthis in Yemen with drones and missiles that can reach most of the Middle East. The Houthis are a Zaydi Shiite movement that launched a coup in Yemen in 2014 and kicked off the civil war that has devastated the country since then. The Gulf states intervened in the war in 2015 to contain the Houthis, as they moved closer to and began receiving military support from Iran. The Houthis have enabled the axis to open another front—this time from the south—against U.S. and its partners, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and even Israel. The Axis of Resistance now threatens the U.S. and its partners from most cardinal directions in the region.

The Axis of Resistance is now working to preserve Hamas as Israel launches a ground operation into the Gaza Strip. Iran and its alliance are pursuing three strategic objectives: 1) deter Israel from trying to destroy Hamas in the Gaza Strip, 2) prevent Israel from destroying Hamas if deterrence fails, and 3) deter the United States from providing meaningful military support to Israel. To that end, Hezbollah and the Houthis have begun attacking Israel from the north and south, respectively, to draw Israeli attention and resources away from the Gaza Strip and threaten further escalation. Iranian-backed Iraqi militants have meanwhile conducted dozens of attacks on U.S. military positions in Iraq and Syria in recent weeks, demonstrating the capability and willingness to turn the war into a larger regional conflict. The potential for the war to escalate is high, as Iran could perceive opportunities and/or threats in the coming weeks that motivate it to turn up the pressure against both the United States and Israel.

The challenge that Iran and its proxies now pose to Washington underscores a broader lesson about U.S. policy in the Middle East: The past three administrations have sought to disentangle the United States from the region, only to discover it’s not really an option. Neglecting the imperative to promote stability and secure U.S. interests has led to an eruption of crises—not just in Syria, but civil war in Yemen, gradually expanding Iranian control in Iraq, and an enduring ISIS challenge that is not defeated. Deprioritizing the region has proved to be counterproductive, as the U.S. is inevitably dragged back in. Nothing illustrates that more than the current crisis, which demands attention and resources from U.S. policymakers at a time they are also contending with the war in Ukraine and threats from China. The threat from the Axis of Resistance demonstrates why it’s imperative for the United States to remain engaged in the Middle East in a proactive and sustained fashion.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Lchrisberg

    Every time I think of this issue, I am haunted by the answer to a critical unanswered question.

    Why now? Their nuke is not ready.

    Does the impending peace talks with the Saudis justify this kind of risk when the bomb is on the way?
    Are they having issues with developing a useable missile and bomb?
    Do they actually feel they are in a better position to fight without it?

    I don't get it.

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      Bill Dyer (aka Beldar)

      If they'd tested an atomic bomb, we would've known that. We knew when the North Koreans did.

      But recall that the uranium bomb was, comparatively, so simple in design that it was never tested before Little Boy was dropped: The Trinity Site test was of the more complicated plutonium bomb of the sort that was used in Fat Man. Sure enough, Little Boy's design worked exactly as predicted even without a test-run.

      Iran is working toward a uranium bomb. "Iran has enough highly enriched uranium to build 'several' nuclear weapons if it chooses, the United Nations’ top nuclear official is now [as of January 26, 2023] warning." Link: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/iran-could-build-several-nuclear-weapons-un-says

      They don't need a missile. They just need to get a cargo container in range of a target they'd like to use to announce their nuclear capability to the world.

      I therefore read their current aggression as confirmation that they believe their bombs can be ready when needed. But YMMV.

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        Lchrisberg

        Yes, I've seen the quote on the Uranium but there is a lot that needs done to deliver a bomb. I shudder to think they feel they will have one ready during this confronation but I'd rather not worry any more after seeing how the Israeli and US intelligence failed so badly. It's time to root out their program and destroy it. If that means boot on the ground in Iran, so be it. Just make sure that ground has been leveled first.

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  2. Dougrhon

    I am still not sure what is more remarkable, the Obama administration's bizarre attempt to promote Iran into a regional hegemon or Biden's decision to restart it after Trump rightly (Yes he did do some things right) put a halt to it. The incoherence and weakness of this administration makes me long for Jimmy Carter.

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  3. Avatar photo
    Lchrisberg

    --Iran and its alliance are pursuing three strategic objectives: --

    Yes, and all 3 are actively in the process of failing. Israel has now encircled Hamas in Gaza and will destroy them over the next month or so. There is no hope for Hamas. They are gone. Everything has changed with this war. Ending Hamas is Israel's primary objective and hostages and collateral damage are subordinate considerations - like they should always be.

    The fasicsts theocrats in Iran have a real problem with their stategy. They simply cannot support all of the Axis of Resistance elements concurrently.

    Were the US and Saudis to join the show, it would be lights out rather quickly for the Shiite thugs. The US and Israel can, with some help from the Kurds and others in Iraq/Syria, cripple Hezbollah and their allies in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. At the same time, the US could assist the Saudis in snuffing out the Houthis in Yemen.

    Without their oil production, Iran simply could not continue the war and would likely implode. Their citizens are not particularly fond on them. To make this work, Hamas needs to go down ASAP and the US make the decision that now is the time to put this to an end. Just as the collapse of the Sandanistas brought an end to the insurgents throughout Central America, the loss of Iran's oil and the combined efforts of Isreal, the US, Saudi Arabia and anti-Iranian forces in the ME will doom the Axis of Resistance organizations.

    As for Iran, it can finally be dismembered and the Persians rendered harmless. Grant the Baluchis a state on the Gulf, turn over the northern Azerbaijan dominated territory abutting the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, and carve out a Kurd state from Western Iran and NE Iraq/Syria for the Kurds.

    If Turkey doesn't like that....tough.

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  4. PatThomson

    "to remain engaged in the Middle East in a proactive and sustained fashion."

    Mr. Carl, that's a hard sell. Americans are war-weary, and have sent to Congress people who reflect that. Partly, that is because we haven't identified two things necessary to winning a war: an identifiable (political human) enemy, and what victory would look like.

    In the Middle East what is our goal? Safety for Israel? Prosperity and opportunity for all in the region? And who in the Middle East opposes either of those goals? Are there people who admit to opposing both goals? And why should American troops be fighting in the Middle East? We've been there for 20 years. We haven't achieved a victory. We don't even know what one would look like.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Bill Dyer (aka Beldar)

      Actually, we've been actively engaged in the Mediterranean and the Middle East since the founding of the American Republic. Responding to piracy and hostage-taking was the driving force behind the creation of the American Navy. On this topic I highly recommend Ian Toll's "Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy." Link: https://www.amazon.com/Six-Frigates-Epic-History-Founding-ebook/dp/B000W5MINK

      There's a reason the Marine Hymn refers to the shores of Tripoli.

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      1. PatThomson

        Yes, Mr. Dyer. In the early 1800s our goal was simple, easily visualized, and militarily achievable--if we had the fortitude to see it through. Victory was defined as "The pirates don't attack us, because it costs them too much blood."

        But now, how is victory defined? "They leave Israel alone."? If Hamas isn't eliminated from the earth, they will never leave Israel alone. Even if they are, then will there be enough armaments on Israel's side to deal with the Iranian mullahs? If Hamas is eliminated, will we have to deal with the mullahs? I don't know, and I'll bet you don't, either. It seems to me that Hamas is only one of the Jihad Hydra's heads. The Taliban, Hezbollah, ISIS are all Hydra heads. If I seem discouraged, it's because I am.

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      Lchrisberg

      --Mr. Carl, that's a hard sell. Americans are war-weary, and have sent to Congress people who reflect that. --

      Yes, these are the same people responsible for the current situation. Whether you like it or not, we must stay engaged in the world. We turned our backs after WWI and got WWII. After WWII, we stayed engaged and kept out of major wars as Pax Americana largely maintained the peace in the world reeling from two world wars.

      Trump decided to play ostrich in regards to Iran and we have this mess now with Biden at the helm. Both are responsible for the idiotic decision to bail on the Afghans - Bagram would look really helpful now, wouldn't it, and the presence was costing very little in treasure and nothing in blood for years.

      Its the Neville Chamberlains of the world that allow the evils of NAZIs, Communists, Khmer Rhouge, and Islamists massacre human beings.

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    3. Avatar photo
      Philbnichols

      Safety for Israel? Prosperity and opportunity for all in the region? And who in the Middle East opposes either of those goals?
      Pat, are you kidding? There's a majority across the Middle East and a growing minority in America who reject the very existence of Israel. Loudly and proudly powerful people and whole national communities oppose *both* of these goals.
      As for the level of American presence there, which the author is endorsing a strong one, that's an argument. But there are many, many in the Mid-East who oppose these goals.

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    4. Avatar photo
      AA

      Isolationist approaches haven’t really worked to the benefit of the US in the past.

      What do we care if some authoritarian, extremist regime takes over Europe, it doesn’t affect the US…

      We all know where this road ends

      Strategically, there are 2 sides (very broadly speaking) currently in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel are aligned with US interests.
      Let’s say the US bails on them and Iran controls the entire Middle East. What do you think is the next logical step?
      1. They look at all they accomplish and say: yeah, that’s good enough
      Or
      2. They do what they always claim to be doing, continue the religious war against “the infidels” into Europe and the US

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