The deputy coordinator of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Friday announced a pivot to proxy warfare against Israel as Tehran finds itself in the spotlight following crippling setbacks suffered by Hezbollah and Hamas.
“Many inquire about the fate of Operation True Promise 3. That is not my concern,” Mohammad-Reza Naghdi said. “We, as Basij forces, are focused on pursuing Al-Aqsa Storm 2 to bring an end to Israel, and that day is fast approaching.”
Tehran refers to its direct strikes on Israel as Operation True Promise, with the first taking place in April and the second in October. Additionally, Tehran has referred to Hamas's attack on Israel last year as Al-Aqsa Storm.
Naghdi’s comments come after the IRGC’s leadership took a stronger tone last month. IRGC commander Hossein Salami hinted at the possibility of more direct involvement in actions against Israel, reflecting intense Israeli attacks in the region.
Meanwhile, the United States is preparing to renew strict measures against Iran under President-elect Donald Trump. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump’s administration plans to revive the “maximum pressure” campaign aimed at reducing Iran’s economic capacity to fund armed groups and other adversarial activities.
On Tuesday, Mike Waltz, Trump’s soon-to-be national security adviser, also said, “The change you’re going to see is more focus on Iran.” During his previous term, Trump’s administration implemented extensive sanctions targeting Iran’s oil industry, aimed at curbing its nuclear program and weakening its regional influence.
Iran’s proxies have faced notable losses over the past year. In September, a precision Israeli strike in Beirut killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and several senior commanders. Israeli military sources estimate that around 3,000 Hezbollah operatives have been killed since October 2023, while Reuters reports the figure could be as high as 4,000.
Meanwhile, Hamas has also faced significant challenges in Gaza. Over a year of Israeli bombardment has caused severe damage to the group’s infrastructure, reportedly killing more than 17,000 operatives since last year’s offensive began, according to Israeli military sources.
On Wednesday, a 60-day ceasefire brokered by the United States and France between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. This agreement aims to pause 14 months of fighting that began following Hamas’s October 2023 invasion of Israel. During this period, Hezbollah fired more than 17,000 projectiles at Israel in support of Hamas.