Iran backs several terrorist groups in the Middle East, including the Houthi rebels, Hezbollah and Hamas, all of which are threats to the U.S. and its allies.
Iran backs multiple terrorist groups in the Middle East, including Iraq’s Kata’ib Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
Each group, which receives support from Iran through a number of methods, have increasingly become a threat to members of the U.S. armed forces, U.S. allies, commercial global shipping and the regions in which they operate.WHAT IS KATA’IB HEZBOLLAH?
Kata’ib Hezbollah is an Iraq-based, Iran-backed terrorist group believed to be responsible for the recent attack that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan.
Originally formed in 2003, Kata’ib Hezbollah, which translates to “Brigades of the Party of God,” is responsible for a large majority of the more than 160 attacks against U.S. forces operating in Iraq and Syria since mid-October.
The group has an apparent headquarters in Baghdad and has operated across Iraq. Believed to have approximately 3,000 members, the group has also operated in Syria, both in Aleppo and Damascus, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).
The group was “an umbrella organization for several Shiite militant groups until 2007, when it issued a statement announcing a merger,” according to FDD.
The group, which has an allegiance to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, claimed it is suspending military activity in the region this week.
“We announce the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces — in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government,” the group’s leader, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, said in a statement late Tuesday.WHO ARE THE HOUTHIS?
Iran-funded proxy the Houthis have recently escalated their attacks against vessels in or near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and have stated their support of Hamas, which is engaged in a war with Israel. The group has also attempted to insert itself into the war by firing drones and missiles at Israel, resulting in fears the fighting could escalate into a regional conflict.
The attacks by the Houthi rebels have prompted some shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through the maritime route where the Houthis initiated attacks on commercial ships.
