Axis of resistance

About Axis of resistance: 

• It is a coalition of Iranian-backed groups.
• The coalition’s name is said to be inspired by former US President George W Bush’s use of the term ‘axis of evil’ — referring to Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
• Formation
  • The roots of the ‘axis of resistance’ go back to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which paved the way for radical Shia Muslim clerics to come to power.
  • To expand its political and military influence in a region where most powers — such as US-ally Saudi Arabia — are Sunni-majority nations, Iran’s new regime began to support non-state actors.
  • Another reason for this was to deter threats from Israel and the US — Iran has seen Israel’s creation in 1948 as a means for the US (and the West) to influence the region for its strategic interests.
• Group members
  • Hezbollah - Shiite militant organization
  • Hamas - Palestinian Sunni militant group in Gaza
  • Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) - Sunni Islamist militant group, Palestine
  • Houthis - Zaydi Shia militant group, Yemen

Q1: What is Hamas?

It is a Palestinian Islamist organisation, currently governs the Gaza Strip. It took control in 2007after it won elections there the year before. Since then, no elections have been held.

Source: Explained: The ‘Axis of resistance’, which includes Iran-backed groups like Hamas, Hezbollah