The Axis of Resistance

An unconventional alliance has come to define the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has been building a sprawling web of regional allies – from Hezbollah in Lebanon to Shiite militias in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza – all aimed at challenging what they see as a US-led regional order and Israel’s military supremacy. But, after decades of expansion, has this alliance – the Axis of Resistance – reached its breaking point? In this path-breaking book, leading foreign policy analyst Hamidreza Azizi traces the rise, transformation, and fragmentation of the Axis, from its roots in local resistance movements to its peak under Qasem Soleimani and its involvement in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The network now faces an existential threat. As regional dynamics continue to unfold, Azizi situates the Axis in its broader ideological and strategic context and examines competing visions for regional order in the Middle East. The Axis of Resistance offers a vital guide to one of the most consequential and misunderstood political-military alliances in contemporary international affairs.

Abbreviations Introduction: From the Axis of Evil to the Axis of Resistance 1. Resistance: From Ideology to Strategy 2. First Tier: Palestinian Territories 3. Second Tier: Lebanon and Syria 4. Third Tier: Iraq and Yemen 5. An Ever-Evolving Network 6. Clash of Orders Conclusion: Resistance without Axis? Acknowledgements Notes Index