Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthis - How Iran built its 'Axis of Resistance' against Israel
Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthis¡ªthe three militant groups have several things in common. Their names start with the letter 'H', they are backed by Iran, and they hate Israel. The three militant groups, spread across Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen, are at the forefront of Iran's proxy war with Israel.
Iran's Axis of Resistance
With its ideological influence, financial backing, and supply of arms, Iran has turned the three militias in the Middle East into what is called the 'Axis of Resistance', a counterforce to Israel and the growing US influence in the region.
Hezbollah
Ever since its inception in 1982, Hezbollah, which means "Party of God", has had the backing of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. The Shia militia, which was also inspired by the Iranian Revolution, has emerged as one of the most formidable political and military forces in the region. It has a well-trained army of around 20,000 active personnel and at least the same number or more in reserves, making it more powerful than the Lebanese Army. What makes Hezbollah even deadlier is its arsenal, which, according to conservative estimates, includes over 150,000 rockets.
Hezbollah gets its weapons mostly from Iran and Syria. Apart from the projectiles, Hezbollah also has conventional arms such as rifles, machine guns, mortars, and other infantry weapons, mostly made in Iran, Russia, and China, from where they are smuggled into Lebanon. Hezbollah has stepped up its attacks against Israel ever since the Hamas air and ground assault in October 2023.
Hamas??
The second piece of Iran's Axis of Resistance is the Islamic Resistance Movement, popularly known as Hamas. The militant group seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 and has been ruling the area ever since.?
Though it is a Sunni militant outfit, Hamas has enjoyed the backing of Iran since the 1990s, with military aid, training, and financial aid in its resistance against Israel.
Houthi rebels
The latest member of Iran's Axis of Resistance is the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Houthi movement was inspired by Hezbollah and is a Shia militant group. Though it was founded in the 1990s, it gained prominence in 2014, during the Yemeni civil war.
Due to their ideological links, the Houthis have enjoyed the backing of Iran when it comes to arms and finances. The Houthis are also well-armed, including with ballistic missiles that fell into their hands after they took control of the capital, Sanaa, and all of former North Yemen in 2014.
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