Lebanese Hezbollah, formed in the early 1980s by Lebanese Shia disciples of the leader of Iran’s Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, is Iran’s closest “Axis of Resistance” partner and a key instrument through which Iran projects power throughout the region.| The Soufan Center
In the forty-five years since Iran’s Islamic Republic came to power, economic sanctions have been used as a key U.S. tool to try to change Iran’s behavior and curb Iran’s ability to fund and arm its wide network of regional armed factions.| The Soufan Center
Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, U.S. and allied officials have used all available tools of national power to counter efforts by Iran and the regional armed factions it supports to help Hamas battle Israel.| The Soufan Center
U.S. and global officials are assessing the effectiveness of their efforts to date to prevent the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza from expanding into a sustained conflict that encompasses the entire region.| The Soufan Center
