Iran's proxy network — often called the "Axis of Resistance" — is the most extensive state-sponsored militia system in the world. It allows Tehran to project military pressure across five countries without committing conventional forces directly.
Houthis in Yemen have demonstrated the ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Red Sea and launch ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia and Israel, disrupting 12% of global trade. Hezbollah in Lebanon fields an estimated 150,000+ rockets and missiles aimed at Israel, making it the most heavily armed non-state actor on Earth. Shia militias in Iraq have repeatedly attacked U.S. military facilities with drones and rockets. Syrian operations provide a land corridor connecting Iran to Lebanon through Iraqi and Syrian territory. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, while not under direct Iranian command, receive funding, weapons, and training from Tehran.
This proxy architecture allows Iran to fight on multiple fronts simultaneously while maintaining plausible deniability — though the risk of escalation to direct conflict remains ever-present. See escalation pathways on our WW3 risk map.