In the Heat of the Israel-Hamas War, Iran's Allies in the Middle East Prepare

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that if Israel does not cease its attacks, Tehran's allies will take further actions. As the war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas has spread to wider areas, posing a risk of further escalation, Tehran supports armed groups with heavy weapons. Since the war began on October 7, Hezbollah in Lebanon has launched operations against Israel with the support of the Islamic Republic, and other armed groups in the Middle East backed by the Iranian government have threatened U.S. interests in the region. On Tuesday, October 17, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that if Israel does not stop its attacks, Tehran's allies will take further actions. Reuters has published a detailed report on the activities of Tehran-backed groups and threats against U.S. forces in the region. Lebanon Since Hamas's attack on Israel, Hezbollah has exchanged fire with Israeli forces in the most serious escalation of tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border since 2006. This group, established in 1982 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to fight against Israeli forces that invaded Lebanon, is a sworn enemy of Israel, which sees it as the greatest threat along its borders. Nearly 20 years after the bloody 2006 war, Hezbollah's arsenal has expanded, and its forces, estimated to number in the tens of thousands, are fighting in support of Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, in that country's civil war. Hezbollah has trained militia groups in Syria and Iraq and has been an 'inspiration' for other forces such as the Houthis, Iran's allies in Yemen. Washington considers Hezbollah a terrorist group. Iraq Two U.S. officials reported that in the early hours of October 18, the U.S. military thwarted an attack targeting its forces in Iraq and intercepted two drones before the attack. Iran-backed Shia groups in Iraq emerged as powerful players with tens of thousands of militants following the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2003. They played a leading role in the battle against the Islamic State as part of the Popular Mobilization Forces. Syria The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was deployed to Syria during the civil war to assist its ally, Bashar al-Assad, in fighting against the rebels. Tehran has always stated that Iranian forces are present in the country at the invitation of Syria for advisory purposes. Forces supported by the Iranian government have been stationed in many areas under the control of the Syrian government during the war, including near the Iraqi border and close to the Golan Heights, which is occupied by Israel. Other Shia groups supported by Tehran, including groups from Afghanistan and Iraq, have played a vital role in the Syrian civil war. Yemen The leader of the Houthis in Yemen stated on October 10 that if U.S. forces intervene directly in the Gaza conflict, the group will respond with drone and missile fire. The Houthis have been fighting against a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen since 2015 as part of their regional 'Resistance Axis.' Saudi Arabia and its allies accuse the Islamic Republic of arming and training the Houthis. Tehran has denied sending weapons to Yemen. The Houthis have attacked Saudi energy facilities using heavy weaponry, including ballistic missiles. They deny any connection with the Iranian government, claiming they manufacture their own weapons. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has also accused them of attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea using boats laden with explosives. The Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack in September 2019 that temporarily reduced more than half of Saudi oil production. The U.S. pointed the finger at the Islamic Republic, but Tehran denied the accusation. Gulf Waters Tensions between the Iranian government and the West in the Gulf waters, through which much of the world's oil is transported, have long existed. Since 2019, during tensions between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic, a series of attacks on commercial ships have occurred there. The U.S. Fifth Fleet, stationed in Bahrain, is responsible for protecting commercial vessels in the region. Part of the Iranian Navy in the Gulf waters consists of speedboats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In July, the U.S. Navy announced that it intervened to prevent the seizure of two commercial tankers by the Islamic Republic in the Gulf of Oman. * This report is based on a text published by Reuters.