Iran Planned to Escalate Conflict Through Proxies During Ceasefire, Report Reveals

According to a New York Times report published on Saturday, Iran covertly prepared to escalate the conflict during the ceasefire by coordinating with its proxy forces across the Middle East. The plan aimed to increase the cost for the United States and then-President Donald Trump if military strikes against Iran resumed.

During the ceasefire, senior commanders from Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force held coordination talks with leaders of Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Shiite militias in Iraq to devise scenarios for a broader escalation should the US intensify military actions against Iran. The Quds Force also continued to operate alongside these militias on the ground, assisting Hezbollah in replenishing fighters lost in clashes with Israel.

Mehdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Iran's negotiation team, described on social media how the Revolutionary Guards are creating new conditions and platforms for war, aiming to alter the rules of engagement. He noted the emergence of a new resistance axis with new players, operating in a coordinated yet independent manner across multiple fronts.

Iranian analyst Mehdi Rahmati likened the strategy to a chess game, with militias serving as chess pieces to be moved wisely to maximize impact. Experts told the New York Times that while Iran coordinates its proxies, groups like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi Shiite militias maintain varying degrees of autonomy and distinct interests. Nevertheless, they share the common goal of pressuring the US and Israel and expanding Iran's influence in the region.