Proxy relationship

Iraq appears to delay militia disarmament as Iran-backed factions pressure Baghdad - analysis

Now Iraq appears to be backtracking on the deadline for placing militia weapons under state control.

Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a parliamentary session to vote in a new government headed by Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister, at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, May 14, 2026.
Iranian Shi'ite pilgrims walk along a road to enter Iraq through the Shalamcheh border crossing between Iran and Iraq to make their way to the holy city of Karbala to attend the Arbaeen pilgrimage, following US strikes on the Iranian side of the border crossing, in Basra, Iraq, July 23, 2026.

Iran plans to weaken Kurdish forces in Iraq to prevent disarmament of militias - analysis

A member of Houthi security forces mans a machine gun mounted on the back of a patrol vehicle at the site of an anti-Saudi rally amid an escalation with the kingdom in Sanaa, Yemen, last month.

Are the Houthis Iran’s last gaming card? – opinion

Boats float near the coast of Bab el-Mandeb, Yemen, April 2, 2026.

Yemen's Houthis considering fees for ships sailing through Red Sea, sources say


Houthis claim missiles forced Saudi warplane from Yemeni airspace amid weapons testing

The Houthis warned Saudi Arabia against further incursions and threatened to target Saudi airports and other vital interests. 

A Houthi protester with a poster of Ali Khamenei demonstrates amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Sanaa, Yemen, March 6, 2026

Why Israeli officials fear Iran-backed Hezbollah could still rearm despite Lebanon deal - exclusive

The Post assesses Hezbollah's remaining capabilities, Iran's role in rebuilding the group, and whether Israel could have reached the Lebanon deal three months earlier.

A boy holds a yellow Hezbollah flag while walking among a crowd during a mourning ceremony in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, June 26, 2026

Trump demands Iran stop Hezbollah from 'causing trouble,' threatens new strikes

"If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again," he added.

US President Donald Trump speaks next to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room at the White House, in Washington, DC, US, May 27, 2026.

Iran expert warns Israel-US relation similar to Iran's relation with terror proxy groups

Beni Sabti, an Iranian researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), said that “President Trump is playing into their [Iran] hands because he is creating South Lebanon or Vietnam.

 U.S. President Donald Trump points his finger towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they shake hands during a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, US, December 29, 2025.

New UK law could pave way for tougher action against Iranian terror groups, including IRGC

The legislation would make it illegal to express support for designated proxies or to take money from them, providing for jail terms of up to 14 years.

British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood looks on during a statement at Crumpsall Lane, after a man drove a car into pedestrians and stabbed a security guard in an attack at a synagogue where worshippers were marking Yom Kippur.  Manchester, Britain, October 2, 2025.

As Iran weakens, Gulf states are looking beyond the Strait of Hormuz - analysis

The big question in the Gulf is whether Iran will continue to carry out missile and drone attacks on Gulf countries. This includes threats to all the countries Iran has hit.

Kuwaiti officials inspect damage inside a terminal at Kuwait International Airport following a drone and missile attack, in Kuwait City, Kuwait, June 3, 2026.

US pressure limits Israel as Iran steps in to save a weakened Hezbollah, experts say - analysis

Iran expert Dr. Menahem Merhavy explains that Iran has created a “ring of fire” of terrorist proxies surrounding Israel that's “currently stuttering, but Iran won’t abandon Hezbollah.

 Hezbollah members parade during a rally marking al-Quds Day, (Jerusalem Day) in Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon April 5, 2024.

Red Sea arena: Yemen’s Houthis open fourth front in Iran war, with global implications

BEHIND THE LINES: By joining Iran’s war, the Houthis have opened a dangerous new arena – one that could hit global trade, oil flows, and the wider regional balance.

A protester salutes as Houthi supporters demonstrate in solidarity with Iran, in Sana'a, Yemen, March 27, 2026

Lebanon’s internal strength tested as Iranian ambassador refuses to leave - analysis

Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, was expelled in mid-March for meddling in Lebanon’s internal affairs.

Then-Iran’s ambassador-designate to Lebanon Mohammad Reza Sheibani Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Iran warns its ready to open new front in Yemen, close Bab al-Mandab Strait with Houthis - report

"The Bab al-Mandab Strait is considered one of the strategic straits in the world, and Iran has the will to produce a completely credible threat against it," an Iranian official told Tasnim.

A Houthi protester with a poster of Ali Khamenei demonstrates amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Sanaa, Yemen, March 6, 2026