Iran's Proxy War Strategy.

This article analyzes Iran's Shia Imamate project that shapes its proxy war strategy. The Islamic Republic of Iran's (IRI) indirect surrogate warfare doctrine is discussed in three stages. First, the historical forces behind Tehran's proxy war approach and ideological factors that drive it are analyzed. Second, the historical execution of its militia strategy is examined; and third, the consequences of the Iranian-Hezbollah military entrenchment in Syria and its impact on the October 2023 Gaza War are assessed. The author concludes that Iran and its Shia proxies are poorly positioned to sustain a regional war against Israel to save Hamas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]