The Iranian advance defense network

The 1979 Iranian Revolution
• The revolution led to the fall of the monarchy and the birth of a theocratic republic.
• Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the last king of Iran, was a close ally of the U.S. and Israel.
• The U.S. orchestrated a violent coup in Iran against Mohammad Mosaddegh, reinstating the authority of the Shah.

Theocratic Regime and the U.S.
• The theocratic regime, established by Ayatollah Khomeini, broke with the U.S. and the existing order in West Asia.
• The Islamic Republic was seen as an enemy by Sunni Arab states and the U.S.

The Axis of Resistance
• Iran turned to a new model of deterrence – forward defense or the formation of a network of militias across the region.

Hezbollah
• Iran helped create and co-opted groups into its orbit, including Hezbollah.
• The group was formed in 1982 after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
• Hezbollah transformed itself into a state within the state of Lebanon in the 1990s.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad
• Hamas, formed in Yemen by Badr al-Din alHouthi, emerged as a prominent actor after they captured Sana’a in 2015.
• Hamas and the Islamic Jihad get limited material support from Tehran but enjoy unlimited political support from Tehran.

Ansar Allah (Houthis)
• The Houthi movement, formed in the early 1990s, mobilized tribesmen against the government of Ali Abdullah Saleh.
• The government’s high-handedness only strengthened the Houthis, who declared war against Israel after Israel launched its retaliatory war on Gaza.

Hashad al-Shabi
• Iran offered direct support for Shia militias fighting in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State.
• The groups remain powerful across Iraq and Syria.

The Conflict in West Asia
• Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, and when Israel retaliated, Hezbollah and Houthis started attacking Israel.
• In response, the U.S. and allies carried out air strikes against Hashad and Houthis.