Via proxies: Iran planned to escalate the war during the ceasefire

According to a report in The New York Times, Iran worked behind the scenes during the ceasefire to formulate a plan to escalate the conflict through its proxies in the Middle East. The plan aimed to raise the cost for the US and President Trump in case of renewed strikes. Quds Force commanders held coordination talks with Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Shia militias in Iraq, and helped Hezbollah replenish its depleted ranks. A senior Iranian adviser said: "We are creating new conditions and platforms for war."

According to a report published yesterday (Saturday) in The New York Times, Iran worked behind the scenes during the ceasefire to formulate a plan to escalate the conflict through its proxies in the Middle East. The plan aimed to raise the cost for the United States and President Donald Trump in case of renewed strikes against Iran. During the ceasefire, Quds Force commanders of the Revolutionary Guards held a series of coordination talks with Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Shia militias in Iraq, aiming to prepare a scenario of broader escalation if the US increased its military activity against Iran. Meanwhile, Quds Force operatives continued to operate alongside the militias on the ground and even helped Hezbollah replenish its ranks that were depleted during the fighting against Israel. Mehdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Iran's negotiating team, said on social media: "The fronts are multiplying from different directions in the region; they are coordinated but operate independently. A new axis of resistance is emerging with new actors." Iranian analyst Mehdi Rahmati described the strategy as a chess game: "We are playing a big chess game." Experts noted that although Iran coordinates its proxies' activities, these are not organizations fully controlled from Tehran, and each has its own interests, but they all share a common goal: exerting pressure on the US and Israel.