Iran-backed armed factions in the Middle East have established a daily co-ordination process through a joint command since the start of the Gaza war, mainly focused on picking up targets and the timings of attacks against Israel and US forces, officials and militants have told The National.
While regional militias have co-ordinated in the past, the level of co-operation has sharply increased during Israel's assault on the Palestinian enclave since October 7. This would have probably pleased the late Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander Qassem Suleimani, who was assassinated by the US.
Suleimani, who once claimed to have been present with Hezbollah in Lebanon during the 2006 war with Israel, commanded the Quds Force, a branch of the IRGC tasked with working with irregular militia forces across the region, building Iran's proxy units as a bulwark against Israel.
Four years after the drone strike that killed him and others near Baghdad airport on January 3, 2020, his vision of an Iranian-led “united front”, from Lebanon to Yemen, looks more sensible.
Representatives of Iraqi militia groups – mainly the powerful Kata’ib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba and Kataib Sayyid Al Shuhada – said they have been attending meetings inside a joint operation command in southern Lebanon with Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas and Iranians.
“The co-ordination with Iran was daily routine before October, but it has increased since then with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and other factions in the region,” an Iraqi militia representative explained.
“Our role at this stage in our front is to focus on the US troops in Iraq and Syria, while our brothers in Yemen and Lebanon can do the other part,” he added.
“The co-ordination inside the joint command is mainly focusing on picking up the targets, the timing and on updating each other on developments in each area.”
Unlike other factions, the Iraqis have not been involved in direct military action with Israel. Instead their role has been limited to drone and missile attacks against US troops in Iraq and Syria, the officials said.
Although they have claimed minor attacks in the occupied Golan Heights and Eilat, their mission is to force US troops out of Iraq and Syria, a militia leader said. The US has about 2,500 troops in Iraq, training official Iraqi security forces, and around 9,000 in Syria.
They have come under a wave of rocket and drone attacks since the Gaza war erupted, provoking retaliatory US air strikes.
In a sign of co-ordination with Iran, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq honoured a seven-day ceasefire Hamas reached with Israel.
“The idea of the united front has become clearer and more evident than ever before,” said a lawmaker linked to the Co-ordination Framework, the biggest parliamentary bloc that includes representatives for militias.
“I think this level of co-ordination between Iran and the factions within the Resistance Axis will continue to grow,” he added. Iran’s power has “become stronger rather than weaker over time” as it sought to strengthen its various proxies across the region in the wake of Qassem Suleimani’s assassination.
The shadowy figure became a nemesis to coalition forces in Iraq during the US-led occupation of the country, helping to smuggle weapons such as the specially made roadside bomb, the Explosively Formed Penetrator (EEP), into the country, while closely co-ordinating with allied Iraqi politicians to undermine US goals.
Iranian influence
Analysts say the EFP – one of a number of Iranian weapons smuggled to Iraqi and other regional militias – has been used by Lebanese Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, Iraqi militias and now Hamas in Gaza.
“In the years following Suleimani’s death, Iran hasn’t budged to the several pressures imposed or created against its ambitions in the region … demonstrating significant force and might in its latest events in the fight between Hamas and Israel,” said Imad Salamey, an associate professor of political science and international affairs at the Lebanese American University in Beirut.
The war in Gaza revealed the extent to which Iran had strengthened itself through its proxies, acting as an “orchestrator” of the multiple fronts supporting Hamas in the fight against Israel, according to Mr Salamey. Its dispersal of strength throughout its various regional allies and proxies has made it “difficult for the US or Israel to concentrate military efforts on one front”.
“Rather, it has been able to distract the campaigns by initiating multiple attacks on US forces.”
Lebanon, where the powerful political party and paramilitary Hezbollah is active, has emerged as the seat of power for co-ordinating Iran’s proxies. The powerful Iran-backed group is commonly thought to rival the Lebanese army in strength.
The leadership of each group is responsible for orchestrating details with the aim of supporting the resistance in Palestine
Kassem Kassir,
Lebanese political analyst
Hezbollah has engaged Lebanese neighbour Israel in a cross-border conflict since October 8, in an attempt to draw Israel away from its assault on the Gaza Strip and in support of its strategic ally, Hamas, which also receives Iranian backing.
Since the start of the war in Gaza, Lebanon has by default – owing to proximity – become the hub of political co-ordination between Hezbollah, Iranian officials and representatives of Palestinian groups in exile – such as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Kassem Kassir, a Lebanese political analyst close to Hezbollah, said Iran-backed groups did not always necessarily co-ordinate in Lebanon through a physical operation room.
“Communication and co-ordination are controlled by multiple means. The leadership of each group is responsible for orchestrating details with the aim of supporting the resistance in Palestine,” he explained.
Still, while groups such as Hezbollah, the Iraqi Kataeb Hezbollah, or the Yemeni Houthis retain domestic autonomy over their affairs, “when it comes to regional calculations and strategies, that’s when their autonomy becomes limited and beholden to Iran’s interest”, Mr Salamey said.
Beyond Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, Iran's proxies have also flourished in Yemen, where Houthi rebels have taken over much of the east and north. After Suleimani's killing, the group said the US had committed a “war crime” and vowed revenge.
A Yemeni government official told The National: “Houthis' co-ordination with Iran proxies has been ongoing for a long time. They don't act without Tehran's blessing.”
After years of co-operation with the IRGC's Quds Force, Houthi militias now boast an arsenal of ballistic missiles, including anti-ship missiles, and drones, which they have launched at regional rivals.
Now they threaten to disrupt shipping in the Red Sea, a transit point for up to 15 per cent of global trade, aiming to damage Israel's economy.
The Yemeni official told The National: “Iran allies instructed Houthis leaders in Sanaa to refrain from making public appearances and avoid using the same mobile phones in fear of being targeted by the US and Israel.”
“This is an Iran-led front.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014%20PRO%20MAX
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Hot%20Seat
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20James%20Cullen%20Bressack%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Mel%20Gibson%2C%20Kevin%20Dillon%2C%20Shannen%20Doherty%2C%20Sam%20Asghari%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
Signs%20of%20%20%20%20%20%20%20heat%20stroke
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
Results
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Reem Baynounah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Mohamed Daggash (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Afham, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ghallieah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Yas Xmnsor, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Adrie de Vries, Jean de Roualle
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Haqeeqy, Dane O’Neill, John Hyde.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE%20SWIMMERS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESally%20El-Hosaini%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENathalie%20Issa%2C%20Manal%20Issa%2C%20Ahmed%20Malek%20and%20Ali%20Suliman%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
