Middle East Iran’s Allies Retreat: Axis of Resistance Withers Amid Growing Regional Pressure

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Iran’s Allies Retreat: Axis of Resistance Withers Amid Growing Regional Pressure

 

Iran’s once-formidable “Axis of Resistance” is now showing deep cracks, with many of its longtime militant allies distancing themselves from Tehran as the Islamic Republic grapples with dwindling regional influence and increasing isolation in its conflict with Israel.

 

 

Experts say that the constellation of Iran-backed groups across the Middle East — from Hezbollah in Lebanon to Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen to Shiite militias in Iraq — are more preoccupied with their own survival than defending their Iranian benefactor. Years of military losses and shifting political priorities have left them unwilling or unable to escalate the fight on Iran’s behalf.

 

 

“For all of these networks right now, it’s about survival. They all understand the wrath of these types of military campaigns,” said Renad Mansour, senior fellow and director of the Iraq Initiative at the Chatham House think tank, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. “Many of them question if this is the time for resistance or whether it’s the time to keep your head down and try to stay out of this conflict.”

 

 

Among the most striking examples of retreat is Hezbollah, once seen as Iran’s strongest and most loyal proxy. Following a devastating Israeli campaign in Lebanon last year that reportedly killed nearly all of the group’s senior leadership — including its founder Hassan Nasrallah — Hezbollah has significantly scaled back its operations. A surprise “pager” attack by Israel in September killed dozens of militants and injured thousands more, according to Arab diplomats. Since then, Hezbollah has not fired a single rocket following last week’s attacks on Iran.

 

 

Disillusionment is reportedly growing within Hezbollah’s ranks. Some members blame the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for intelligence failures that allowed Israel’s surprise assault, and believe Iran did little to protect them. Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have publicly insisted that their country will not be dragged into another war — further isolating Hezbollah from Tehran’s current regional ambitions.

 

 

The shift away from Iran is not limited to Lebanon. In Syria, the sudden ouster of longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad in a swift revolution late last year dealt a major blow to Iran’s regional ambitions. Assad had been one of Tehran’s key allies, but reports suggest Iran did not instruct its militias to defend him, instead urging them to evacuate. This perceived abandonment has sent a stark message across the resistance network.

 

In Iraq, the traditionally militant Iran-backed Shiite militias have adopted a notably cautious stance. Unlike previous conflicts, they have not launched attacks on U.S. bases — a sign of their reluctance to jeopardize their current political and economic gains. Many militia leaders are now embedded in Iraq’s government and benefiting from the country’s oil boom. “They’ve been sort of benefiting from Iraq’s stability, in a way, and the high oil prices to develop economic empires,” said Mansour.

 

So far, only Kataeb Hezbollah has commented on the current crisis, stating that it would only act if the United States directly enters the conflict.

Even the Houthis in Yemen — who have vowed to attack Israeli and U.S. ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in solidarity with Iran — are operating with diminished capability. After a series of intense U.S. and British airstrikes in March and April, their missile and drone infrastructure has been significantly degraded. According to American officials, these strikes, part of the so-called SignalGate operation, have severely limited the group’s ability to project force.

 

Iran now faces a strategic vacuum. Its “Axis of Resistance,” once seen as a powerful regional deterrent, is faltering. Beset by internal doubts, military losses, and shifting alliances, the proxies that once defined Tehran’s reach are increasingly choosing to lie low rather than stand by the Islamic Republic in its hour of need.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from NYP  2025-06-21

 

 

[AustinRacing]

I guess those groups purpose was for local actions and not strong enough for all out war anyway. Weakening them definitely a blow to Iran but not critical. Now you get big boys Russia, China that can significantly affect the outcome entering the arena. Israel and its backers are starting to see the writings on the wall. 🤔🤔🤔