Hamas, Hezbollah, Proxies...?

Hamas, Hezbollah, Proxies…?

Who is supporting weapon stocks under the hospital, missiles, and tunnel infrastructures, weaponizing media manipulation, and financing the costly war…?? “Proxification” for war to achieve the end goal…??? Hmmm.? ?

Iranian leaders have warned the world is closer to a regional war in the Middle East and that Israel has crossed red lines, which, in the words of President Ebrahim Raisi, “may force everyone to take action”.? But Iran is walking a tightrope, keen to avoid a direct confrontation and therefore blurring its red lines to avoid walking into a trap. Instead, it leans on proxy militias around the region from its “axis of resistance” to launch limited strikes aimed at Israel and US military bases in Iraq and Syria.? The use of proxy forces, chief among them Hezbollah in Lebanon but also Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, has been a trademark of Iranian foreign policy. Iran says that while it supports such “resistance forces”, they act independently.

But according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Iran of providing 90% of the funds to Hamas.? And, Is there any evidence that Iran plotted the 7 October attacks??? The US has been assiduous in denying it has intelligence to support this claim. A report by the Wall Street Journal claimed the attacks were planned at meetings in Beirut attended by Hamas and Hezbollah, and that these regular meetings were attended twice by Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. But Iran had itself publicized the minister’s visit to Beirut, and it seems unlikely that Iranian news agencies would make public a meeting at which the attack on Israel was being discussed.

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Who are the Proxies? ????? ?Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, …

Lebanon.? Hezbollah is often described as the jewel in the crown, with its longtime spiritual leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah has both a political party and a military force that has, over three decades, built a relationship with Iran founded on trust and mutual interest. Its campaign of attacks, bombings, hijackings, and direct military confrontations with Israel in the 1990s and 2000s has served Tehran’s strategic objectives in the Middle East without any direct military confrontations with Israel. Since 7 October the rocket fire from southern Lebanon has increased, and Hezbollah fighters have been killed. But Iran would be reluctant to commit to a second war such as the one in 2006 that devastated Lebanon.

Yemen.?? At little cost to itself, Iran has been providing weapons to the Shia Houthi rebel forces known as “Ansar Allah” that have for years tied down Saudi Arabia – and to a lesser extent, the United Arab Emirates.

Syria.??? Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, owes his survival to Iran since Tehran supplied the ground forces – as many as 80,000 men, many from Hezbollah – that in conjunction with the Russian air force crushed the uprising. A study by the Joosor Centre showed Iran had 98 military sites in eastern Syria.

Iraq.??? The powerful Iran-backed Shia paramilitary Nujaba Movement has criticized the opposition of the Iraqi prime minister, Muhammad Shia’ Al-Sudani, to attacks on US military bases in the country – claiming there “is a sufficient legal and religious authorization for resistance”. But there is a strong constituency inside Iraq – mainly a younger generation – that want Iranian influence to end.

Is the “axis of resistance” interested in all-out war? Hmmmm.

It would mark a total break in strategy. Michael Knights from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said the two sides have played a deadly game since about 2019 when Iraqi Shia militias were provided with drones by Tehran, so long as they did not kill too many Americans. “What the Iranians have done is perfect a way of prodding the Americans and demonstrating resistance to their regional presence without drawing heavy US military retaliation.” An all-out war would end this strategy.

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Hamas and Hezbollah Origin????????? Hamas and Hezbollah are two separate Islamist militant organizations with different origins and objectives.

Hamas:??? Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement, was established in 1987 during the First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule in the occupied territories. It originated as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood and gained popularity for its resistance against Israeli occupation. Hamas operates primarily in the Gaza Strip and is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, and several other countries. Its charter calls for the establishment of an Islamic state in historic Palestine, including present-day Israel.

Hezbollah:? Hezbollah, or the Party of God, emerged in the early 1980s in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. It was formed with the support of Iran and modeled after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Hezbollah's primary goal is to resist Israeli influence and establish an Islamic state in Lebanon. It has evolved into a powerful political and military force in Lebanon, with a significant presence in the Lebanese government. Like Hamas, Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, and others.

Relations with Israel:????? Both Hamas and Hezbollah have been involved in armed conflicts with Israel. They reject the existence of the state of Israel and have engaged in acts of terrorism, guerrilla warfare, and rocket attacks against Israeli targets. The Israeli government views both organizations as direct threats to its security. The conflicts involving Hamas and Hezbollah have contributed to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Lebanese tensions. International efforts to address these issues have been challenging, with the situation remaining complex and contentious.

Chaotic internal struggles in the Middle East, Historically Deep-Rooted Hatred, Religious and Political Delusions, Economic Imbalances, and Vested Media Manipulations… are all contributing factors prolonging the inhumane existential struggle.? NOT going to stop anytime soon, regardless of who wins…? Need a miracle now and stop killing.? Meanwhile, prayers… ??

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~S. Vincent Shin,??? www.dhirubhai.net/in/vshin

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Be Vigilant. Be Safe.

“Stay Curious” and “Think for Yourself.”?? Always decide on your terms.? This is my research and analysis. Perhaps you should take a closer look at them and do additional investigation and scrutiny if they interest you. (SVS)

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References (Not limited to):

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2023/nov/01/how-iran-uses-proxy-forces-across-the-region-to-strike-israel-and-us

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/09/why-israel-palestine-conflict-history

https://youtu.be/9zqJ4SqS2aU?si=hgcybZ6n5-bUTZCv

https://youtu.be/ymOTXoLlOQ0?si=HrKeh0u6ZQ1NcLBG

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