The Islamic Republic of Iran has formed a coalition consisting mainly of Shiite militant proxies, known as the Axis of Resistance, as a response to a combined US-Israeli preemptive strike on Iranian military sites and leadership.
The most significant ally in this coalition is Hezbollah, the Lebanese group that poses a severe strategic threat. Before the US operation, named Operation Epic Fury, the Israeli military focused extensively on Hezbollah’s strongholds.
Hezbollah
According to a ceasefire agreement from November 2024, the Lebanese Armed Forces are required to disarm Hezbollah. Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Effie Defrin stated, “We continue to take daily action in Lebanon against Hezbollah’s efforts to rebuild and rearm.” An attack was reportedly conducted recently in Baalbek, targeting an ammunition depot linked to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah officials recently commented that they wouldn’t intervene militarily in the event of a limited US attack on Iran but clarified that any assault on Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, would be seen as a significant provocation.
Insights from the Israel-based Alma Research and Education Center indicate that Hezbollah has around 40,000 to 50,000 active combatants, with an additional 30,000 to 50,000 reservists. The so-called Radwan force is central to Hezbollah’s military strategy, which they are trying to strengthen.
Lt. Col. Sarit Zehabi (Res.), president of Alma, expressed concerns that the Lebanese army has made little effort to disarm Hezbollah, stating that good intentions haven’t produced tangible results. He noted a lack of systematic disarmament observed in northern Lebanon.
A researcher on Hezbollah, Eddie Cohen, pointed out that many Lebanese no longer view Hezbollah as a resistance force, especially after its failure in the recent conflict with Israel. He explained that attempts by Hezbollah to assist Hamas in combating Israel have not borne fruit since Hamas’s invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023.
Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces
A second Iranian-backed group is the Shiite militia in Iraq. Former Iraqi deputy prime minister spokesman Entifad Khanbal suggested that these militias would likely engage in combat, spurred by aspirations of rising within the ranks against older leadership. He noted that their ambitions seem to outweigh their judgment, describing them as overconfident and potentially reckless.
Pro-Iranian Iraqi militias have vowed retaliation against US strikes, with Kataeb Hezbollah asserting it will target US military installations as a response to attacks on Iraqi bases housing Iranian-affiliated forces.
Houthis
The Houthi movement in Yemen represents another faction in this Axis of Resistance. Senior Houthi officials have indicated intentions to renew missile and drone assaults on maritime lanes and Israel, although no formal announcement has been made. One official mentioned a potential attack might occur as soon as tonight.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, based in Gaza, joins Hezbollah and Hamas in the collective effort against Israel and is also part of this broader coalition supporting Iranian objectives.
