Explained: The ‘Axis of resistance’, which includes Iran-backed groups like Hamas, Hezbollah
The roots of the ‘axis of resistance’ go back to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which paved the way for radical Shia Muslim clerics to come to power.
Hours before his killing, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh (centre), and Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Ziad Nakhaleh, met Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (right) Tuesday. (AP) Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in an air strike in Tehran in the early hours of Wednesday (July 31). Although Israel has not claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s killing, Hamas and Iran have blamed Israel for the strike, and promised “major repercussions”.
Experts believe that Iran could hike up attacks against Israel through its allies — a coalition of Iranian-backed groups known as the ‘axis of resistance’. Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the Houthis are some of the major groups in the alliance.
How was the coalition formed?
The roots of the ‘axis of resistance’ go back to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which paved the way for radical Shia Muslim clerics to come to power. To expand its political and military influence in a region where most powers — such as US-ally Saudi Arabia — are Sunni-majority nations, Iran’s new regime began to support non-state actors. Another reason for this was to deter threats from Israel and the US — Iran has seen Israel’s creation in 1948 as a means for the US (and the West) to influence the region for its strategic interests.
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