Proxy relationship

How the Houthis went from a small mountain militia in Yemen to a major regional threat - explainer

The Houthis evolved into a formidable fighting force with Iran's support, capable of disrupting vital shipping and striking regional infrastructure. The UN assesses that they have 350,000 fighters.

Supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement, brandish their weapons as they rally in solidarity with Iran and Lebanon, in Sanaa on April 8, 2026, following the announcement of a ceasefire in the Middle East war.
Iran-aligned Houthi fighters occupy a firing position in a screengrab from a video said to show Houthi fighters attacking Saudi-backed forces in the location given by the source as al Jawf governorate, Yemen.

Houthi Red Sea advance, drone strikes leave Saudi Arabia isolated in major conflict - analysis

Prime Minister Netanyahu on Mount Hermon, overlooking Syria during a tour briefing him and the Defense Minister Israel Katz on the situation with Syria.

Asserting control in Syria: Netanyahu pledges the defeat of Iran, defense of border from proxies

A boy holds up a toy weapon as he joins Houthi supporters during an anti-Saudi rally amid an escalation with the kingdom, in Sanaa, Yemen, July 31, 2026.

Iran's 'last man standing': Will weakening Houthis put Iran's Middle East plans to bed? - analysis


Al-Qaeda resurfaces in Afghanistan with new training camps, Islamic schools

A UN Security Council report has found that since the Taliban resumed ruling Afghanistan in 2021, the country has returned to being a shelter for terrorist organizations.

 Taliban fighters celebrate on the second anniversary of the fall of Kabul on a street near the US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 15, 2023.

Israel's deadly dance with Hezbollah has become a chess game - analysis

Iran sought to map out a new world order in the region by pushing its pawns, like Hezbollah, forward, and Israel will be challenged to return to a situation like the one that prevailed last year.

 Israeli soldiers guard in Metula, on the border between Israel and Lebanon, northern Israel, on May 14, 2021, after Lebanese protesters crossed the Israeli border fence.

How an Iranian ally in Iraq was made to stand down

In announcing the end of their attacks, Kataib Hezbollah said Iran and other allies "often object to the pressure and escalation against the American occupation forces."

 Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim men from the Iranian-backed group Kataib Hezbollah wave the party's flags as they walk along a street painted in the colours of the Israeli flag during a parade marking the annual Quds Day, or Jerusalem Day, on the last Friday of Ramadan, in Baghdad. July 25, 2014

New crypto front emerges in Israel's fight to defund Iranian proxies

The Financial Action Task Force, a Paris-based G7 body that fights illicit finance, warned last month that terrorist organizations were seeking to further boost donor anonymity.

 Hacker

The influence of bribery: how can leaders avoid taking bribes?

People in power who are prone to feel guilty are less likely to be corrupt, research shows.

 Person accepting a bribe

Iran has declared war on the US in Iraq through its proxies - analysis

Iran has done this before, using pro-Iranian groups in Iraq to wage an insurgency against America after the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq.

US Army soldiers keep watch on the US embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq January 1, 2020

Iran could activate proxies, up nuclear activities amid coronavirus crisis

President Trump’s hands may be tied due to upcoming November election and given scope of outbreak in US.

A marine from Iran takes part in the International Army Games 2019 in Kaliningrad Region

Libya’s proxy war comes out in the open

Turkey and UAE support different sides as foreign weapons flow into conflict.

Libyan National Army (LNA) members, commanded by Khalifa Haftar, head out of Benghazi to reinforce the troops advancing to Tripoli, in Benghazi, Libya April 7, 2019

PM: Israel will help open narrow strait in Red Sea if Iran closes it

In a multi-front confrontation, he said, “we’ll be less selective, and the damage to our enemies will be more difficult. I hope they will take this into account.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a Likud faction meeting, July 2 2018

Iran vs Saudi Arabia: The Next Middle-Eastern Conflict

The Jerusalem Post