**Analysis: Iran’s Proxy Strategy Ineffective in Preventing Hamas’ Setbacks**
In the complex geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, Iran has long employed a strategy of supporting proxy groups to extend its influence and counterbalance regional adversaries. Among these proxies, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist organization that controls the Gaza Strip, has been a key recipient of Iranian financial, military, and logistical support. However, despite this backing, Hamas has faced significant setbacks in recent years, raising questions about the effectiveness of Iran’s proxy strategy in achieving its broader regional objectives.
### Iran’s Proxy Strategy: A Brief Overview
Iran’s proxy strategy is rooted in its desire to project power beyond its borders, particularly in regions where it seeks to challenge the influence of Israel, the United States, and Sunni Arab states like Saudi Arabia. By supporting non-state actors such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza, Iran aims to create a network of loyal militias and political movements that can act as force multipliers in its regional ambitions.
Hamas, which shares Iran’s opposition to Israel, has been a natural ally in this strategy. Since the early 1990s, Iran has provided Hamas with financial aid, weapons, and training, helping the group build its military capabilities and maintain its grip on Gaza. In return, Hamas has served as a thorn in Israel’s side, launching periodic rocket attacks and engaging in asymmetric warfare that diverts Israeli attention and resources.
### Hamas’ Setbacks: A Growing Challenge
Despite Iran’s support, Hamas has faced a series of setbacks that have undermined its ability to achieve its goals and, by extension, Iran’s broader regional strategy. These setbacks can be attributed to several factors:
1. **Military Failures**: While Hamas has developed a significant arsenal of rockets and other weapons, its military campaigns against Israel have largely failed to achieve lasting strategic gains. The most recent conflict in May 2021, known as the “11-Day War,” saw Hamas launch thousands of rockets into Israel, but the Israeli military’s Iron Dome defense system intercepted the vast majority of them. In response, Israel conducted a series of devastating airstrikes on Gaza, severely damaging Hamas’ infrastructure and killing several of its key commanders. Despite the heavy toll on Gaza’s civilian population, Hamas was unable to secure any meaningful concessions from Israel.
2. **Internal Divisions**: Hamas has also been plagued by internal divisions, particularly between its political and military wings. While the political leadership, based in Gaza and abroad, has sought to maintain a degree of pragmatism in its dealings with other Palestinian factions and regional actors, the military wing has often pursued a more hardline approach. These divisions have weakened Hamas’ ability to present a unified front and have complicated its efforts to govern Gaza effectively.
3. **Economic and Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza**: The dire economic and humanitarian situation in Gaza has further eroded Hamas’ standing. The Israeli-Egyptian blockade, combined with internal mismanagement and corruption, has left Gaza’s population in a state of perpetual crisis. Unemployment is rampant, infrastructure is crumbling, and basic services like electricity and clean water are in short supply. While Hamas has tried to blame Israel for these conditions, many Gazans hold the group responsible for their suffering, leading to growing discontent and protests against its rule.
4. **Regional Isolation**: In recent years, Hamas has found itself increasingly isolated in the region. The normalization of relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, as part of the Abraham Accords, has weakened Hamas’ position. These agreements have shifted the regional balance of power, with several Arab governments prioritizing economic and security ties with Israel over solidarity with the Palestinian cause. While Iran remains a steadfast supporter of Hamas, the group’s diminishing regional support has limited its ability to operate effectively.
### Iran’s Limitations in Supporting Hamas
Iran’s support for Hamas, while significant, has its limitations. Tehran’s ability to provide direct military assistance to Hamas is constrained by geography and the Israeli-Egyptian blockade of Gaza. Unlike Hezbollah in Lebanon, which shares a border with Israel and can receive direct shipments of weapons from Iran, Hamas is geographically isolated. This has forced Iran to rely on smuggling routes through Sudan, the Sinai Peninsula, and tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border, all of which are vulnerable to Israeli and Egyptian interdiction.
Moreover, Iran’s financial support for Hamas has fluctuated over the years, particularly during periods of economic hardship in Iran itself. U.S. sanctions, coupled with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, have strained Iran’s resources, limiting its ability to provide consistent financial aid to its proxies. While Iran has continued to supply Hamas with weapons and technical expertise, the group’s financial woes have hampered its ability to govern Gaza and maintain its military capabilities.
### The Broader Implications for Iran’s Regional Strategy
Hamas’