Starving the militias: Washington’s smartest move against Iran’s proxies

Tehran’s regional hegemony was not forged through the deployment of its own conventional divisions, but through the cultivation of a sprawling network of proxies and paramilitary franchises, funded, trained, and commanded by Iran to wage its battles. In Iraq, these groups have lobbed missiles at Israel, sent drones across borders, and terrorised civilians. For years, the international community responded with kinetic strikes that often only served to martyr militia leaders and fuel recruitment. Now, however, Washington has found the pressure point that hurts most: their wallets. The Trump administration is withholding Iraq’s oil revenues, creating a financial strain aimed directly at the Iranian-backed militias that depend on those funds to pay fighters, buy weapons, and maintain influence. No dramatic military […]