War by Proxy

September 9, 2024

by: Cheryl Hauer, BFP Writer

As I write this article on the 310th day of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, the nations are holding their collective breath, waiting to see if Iran or her proxies will make good on the threat of devastating direct missile attacks against the Jewish state. The United States, United Kingdom and France have all upgraded their military presence in the region even as intense international diplomatic efforts are being carried out.

The message from inside Iran is one of disunity. Newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian continues to express his opposition to military action, warning that a war with Israel will devastate the Iranian economy and further damage Iran’s international standing. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is holding his cards pretty close to his chest, although his hatred for Israel and the West is renowned. Meanwhile, leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) are demanding a severe response that “will teach Israel a lesson.” They have publicly stated they no long care if their actions trigger an all-out Middle East war. And amid this tug-of-war between those who anticipate catastrophic damage from direct conflict with Israel and those who are too embarrassed to back down, word has it that the man on the street in Tehran is enraged at the actions of the Iranian government and terrified that an unwinnable war with Israel will destroy their lives and their nation.

Israel’s Enemy on the Rise

Since Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979, the country has remained loyal to the original priorities of the fanatic Islamic regime, including exporting revolution throughout the globe. According to the US State Department, Iran holds the dubious distinction of being the world’s “foremost state sponsor of terrorism,” providing “a range of support, including financial, training and equipment to terrorist groups around the world, particularly Hezbollah.”

In the 45 years since the revolution, Iran has built a formidable army to protect the state’s sovereignty. That is in addition to the IRGC, which the US Council on Foreign Relations calls the “ideological custodian of Iran’s 1979 revolution,” and whose role it is to defend the Islamic Republic from internal and external threats.

More impressive, however, is Iran’s army of proxies, which includes more than a dozen militias and terror groups across the Middle East with outposts around the world. Their role is to foment instability and expand the scope of the Islamic Revolution. These groups are directly accountable to the IRGC.

Courtesy of Tehran

It has become increasingly apparent that Hamas’s horrific assault on Israel on October 7 was made possible by Iran. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, Iranian military leaders helped plot the attack and the IRGC approved the plan. Prior to the invasion, hundreds of Hamas operatives also received specialized training in Iran. Though they deny any knowledge of the incursion, it is a well-known fact that Tehran has armed, trained, provided intel and funded Hamas for decades to the tune of US $350 million a year.

But center stage in today’s global arena is another Iranian proxy and Hamas partner in the aftermath of October 7: Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah has the distinction of being the world’s most heavily armed non-state actor. It has often been called “a militia trained like an army and equipped like a state.” It is known for its extensive security apparatus, political organization and social service network. In areas of Lebanon where it is in control, it functions as a government, a state within a state—to the chagrin of its detractors. And much like other states, it has an army, this one made up of at least 20,000 active fighters and some 20,000 to 30,000 reserves. It is the highest funded Iranian proxy, receiving in excess of US $700 million per year in addition to arms, intel, military support and training.

The “Party of God” Is Born

Under an agreement signed in 1943, political power in Lebanon was divided among their predominant religious groups: a Sunni Muslim prime minister; a Maronite Christian president; and a Shiite Muslim speaker of parliament. Yet as Sunni Muslim Palestinian refugees arrived in the country, and under political rule by a Christian minority, Shiites felt increasingly marginalized. Meanwhile, Palestinian fighters used southern Lebanon as a base to attack Israel, forcing the Jewish State to invade the area in 1978 and again in 1982. Most historians agree that the Lebanese Civil War, which raged from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in 150,000 fatalities, was the result of animosity between those who supported the right of Palestinians to stage operations against Israel on Lebanese soil and those who didn’t.

Hezbollah was born in the midst of that civil war. Seeing an opportunity to extend its reach in the region, Iran influenced a group of Shiites to take up arms against the “Israeli occupation” and throw their support behind the “Palestinian cause.” With Iranian funding and training, the budding militia adopted the name Hezbollah, which means “Party of God,” and earned a reputation for extreme militancy. Hezbollah quickly became a vital asset to Iran and has retained its predominance as Tehran has built its proxy army.

Today, Israel sees Hezbollah as its most direct threat. Since October 8, the terror group has repeatedly shelled northern Israel, necessitating the evacuation of tens of thousands of Israelis. Despite insisting that they do not want war and will cease shelling when a cease-fire is reached in Gaza, Israel is anticipating an escalation at any moment.

And Hezbollah is a formidable enemy. Israel estimates their arsenal to contain in excess of 150,000 missiles and rockets. Among them are sophisticated precision-guided ballistic missiles and guided anti-tank, ship and air missiles. They also have a large stockpile of unguided artillery and surface-to-surface rockets, drones and other Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles with sophisticated double-guidance systems.

In a recent televised speech, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah told Israel to expect to witness the destruction of its forces in attacks from air, land and sea. Prime Minister Netanyahu responded that Israel is not cowering to Nasrallah’s threats, pointing out that the Hezbollah leader is rarely seen in public and does all of his broadcasting “from the depths of his bunker.” Despite the banter, the jury is out on what scenario will actually materialize. But it seems clear at this time that without a diplomatic miracle, war is right around the corner.

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