What We're Watching
US braces for Iran-backed blowback
A Houthi militant attends a parade held by newly recruited Houthi fighters in Sanaa, Yemen, January 1, 2017.
REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
October 25, 2023
As Israel prepares to launch its widely expected invasion of the Gaza Strip, Washington is bracing for blowback against American troops from proxy groups supported by Iran. The US says it is now reinforcing its air defenses, naval presence, aircraft, and troop numbers in the region.
Iran has spent years constructing a powerful network of proxy groups, which include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi rebels in Yemen, an array of militias in Iraq and Syria, as well as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
In recent weeks, at least two dozen US troops stationed in Iraq and Syria have been wounded in a fresh wave of rocket and drone attacks attributed to Iran-backed groups, and last week US forces intercepted Houthi-launched missiles headed toward Israel. There are currently more than 30,000 US troops in the region. Most are based in the Persian Gulf monarchies and Iraq.
So far, both Iran and Israel have shown little appetite for a direct conflict, but proxy groups are a way for Tehran to indirectly harry the US and Israel.
The trouble is: Proxies are sometimes hard to control. If one of these groups goes further than Iran intends, a wider war could flare up fast.
From Your Site Articles
- Ian Explains: How Israel & Iran went from friends to enemies - GZERO Media ›
- Podcast: Iran's role in the Gaza war: is escalation inevitable? - GZERO Media ›
- What’s Iran’s next move? - GZERO Media ›
- Israel's war in Gaza has emboldened Iran, says Karim Sadjadpour - GZERO Media ›
- Iran thrives on Arab "misery", says expert Karim Sadjadpour - GZERO Media ›
- US-Iran tensions complicate Biden's Middle East strategy - GZERO Media ›
- Iran is protecting itself through restraint in Israel-Hamas war, says Kim Ghattas - GZERO Media ›
- Biden team struggles to define clear Iran strategy - GZERO Media ›
More For You
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with President of the European Council António Luís Santos da Costa, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi, India, on Jan. 27, 2026.
DPR PMO/ANI Photo
On Tuesday, the world’s largest single market and the world’s most populous country cinched a deal that will slash or reduce tariffs on the vast majority of the products they trade.
Most Popular
Sponsored posts
Five forces that shaped 2025
What's Good Wednesdays
What’s Good Wednesdays™, January 28, 2026
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo stands alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump during the 2026 World Cup draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on December 5, 2025.
Deccio Serrano/NurPhoto
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has repeatedly tussled with US President Donald Trump, whereas Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has tried to placate him. The discrepancy raises questions about the best way to approach the US leader.
Fighters of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, attend a rally marking the 35th anniversary of the group's foundation in Gaza City on December 14, 2022.
Photo by Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto
10,000: The number of Hamas officers that the militant group reportedly wants to incorporate into the US-backed Palestinian administration for Gaza, in the form of a police force.
Walmart is investing $350 billion in US manufacturing. Over two-thirds of the products Walmart buys are made, grown, or assembled in America, like healthy dried fruit from The Ugly Co. The sustainable fruit is sourced directly from fourth-generation farmers in Farmersville, California, and delivered to your neighborhood Walmart shelves. Discover how Walmart's investment is supporting communities and fueling jobs across the nation.
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.