The Short Answer
Iran leads the "Axis of Resistance," funding and arming Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq and Syria to attack Israel from all sides. After the October 7 attack, these proxies opened multiple fronts. Israel and the U.S. struck Iran's nuclear program in June 2025, and a wider U.S.–Israeli war with Iran began in February 2026; Hezbollah and the Houthis joined in, and the situation remains unsettled.
Iran's proxy network
Iran's leaders have repeatedly called for Israel's destruction. Through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran supplies money, missiles, drones and training to its partners. Hezbollah fired thousands of rockets at northern Israel after October 8, 2023, forcing tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes; the Houthis attacked Israel and international shipping in the Red Sea.
In 2024, Israel decapitated Hezbollah's leadership, and a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon took effect in November 2024. In June 2025, during the Twelve-Day War, Israel and then the United States struck Iranian military and nuclear sites.
The 2026 war with Iran
On February 28, 2026, the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran (Israel's "Operation Roaring Lion"), killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones against Israel, Gulf states and U.S. bases, and disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Hezbollah resumed fire on March 2, leading to a renewed Israeli campaign in Lebanon, and the Houthis entered the war in late March.
A series of ceasefires and negotiations followed in April and June 2026, with partial Israeli withdrawals in southern Lebanon and Lebanese army deployments, but the conflict has not been fully resolved. Notably, several Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, also struck Iran after Iranian attacks on their territory — a sign of how widely Iran is seen as the region's main destabilizing force.
Key Facts
- Iran funds and arms Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis
- Twelve-Day War with Iran: June 2025
- U.S.–Israel war with Iran began February 28, 2026
- Hezbollah resumed attacks March 2, 2026
Sources & Further Reading
- 2026 Iran war — overview (Wikipedia)
- What Is Hezbollah? — Council on Foreign Relations
- 2026 Lebanon war — overview (Wikipedia)
- 2026 Houthi strikes on Israel — overview (Wikipedia)
This answer reflects publicly available information as of October 2026.