What is Iran’s axis of resistance?

AMERICA SAYS THAT its troops in Syria and Iraq have been attacked at least 55 times since Hamas’s assault on Israel on October 7th. Blaming Iran and its proxies across the Middle East, it has been hitting back: on November 12th America launched its third set of air strikes in eastern Syria since late October. Iran’s proxies have so far stopped short of launching attacks that could drag America into full-scale war. But their firepower poses a clear threat to America as well as its allies. What is this self-proclaimed axis of resistance, and how powerful is it?

After the Islamic revolution of 1979, Iran sought to export its ideology and build its political heft throughout the Middle East. One of its tools for doing so was a network of violent proxies and allies that spans Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere. Although not every member of this group shares Iran’s religious fundamentalism—Sunni members do not even share its creed—they do have common goals: resisting Western influence and confronting Israel.