Iran-linked armed groups in the region

Iran and its regional partners describe the network of allied armed groups as the "Axis of Resistance" — a legitimate "liberation" movement against Israeli "occupation" of Palestinian and Lebanese territory and against Western "imperial" presence in the region. Hezbollah is framed as Lebanon's defender against Israeli aggression and the only force that liberated southern Lebanon from Israeli occupation in 2000. Hamas is framed as the legitimate Palestinian resistance to occupation and the Gaza siege. The Houthis are framed as defenders of Yemen against Saudi and UAE aggression and as actors in solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli "genocide". The IRGC Quds Force, Iraqi PMF, and Syrian-aligned militias are framed as defenders of regional sovereignty against US "foreign occupation" — including the 28,500 US troops in Iraq and Syria and the 5,500 in Lebanon-region naval presence. Iranian state framing positions the support of these groups as a "moral duty" of solidarity with oppressed Muslims and as Iran's contribution to regional self-determination. Western and Israeli operations against the network — assassinations of commanders, drone strikes, the 2025-2026 escalation — are framed as "state terrorism" and "war crimes" against legitimate political-military actors. The narrative prescribes: continued material support to the network, refusal of any framework that designates these groups as terrorist, and political-diplomatic pressure for international recognition of Palestinian and Lebanese resistance rights.