Israel-Hamas war and the new “Axis of Evil”

Israel-Hamas war and the new “Axis of Evil” On October 7th, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel’s western region, resulting in a horrific massacre of over 1200 casualties (most of them civilians) and kidnapping of 240 people. The next day, Israel retaliated in a full-scale military offensive, resulting in, as of right now, with over 15,000 casualties. Many see those events in the context of the long-lasting Israeli-Arab or Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Still, the evidence shows that Israel is not fighting Hamas solely. We see a second clash between the West and the new “Axis of Evil”. Who are the members of the “Axis of Evil” The term "Axis of Evil" was originally coined by former U.S. President George W. Bush in his State of the Union Address on January 29, 2002. In that speech, he referred to Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as part of an "Axis of Evil" due to their alleged support for terrorism and the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. Today, State and security officials say there is a “new” Axis of Evil' comprising China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, along with numerous organizations and terror groups who operate as Iranian proxies, like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. China and Russia The alliance between China and Russia, often called the "China-Russia strategic partnership," was characterized by growing cooperation in various areas, including politics, economics, and defense.  Geopolitical Alignment: China and Russia shared common interests in countering what they perceived as the influence and dominance of the United States in international affairs. They frequently aligned their positions in international forums on issues such as opposition to U.S. unilateralism, support for multipolarity, and resistance to interference in the internal affairs of other countries. Economic Ties: Economic cooperation between China and Russia has expanded, with increased trade, investment, and energy partnerships. Both countries were working on infrastructure projects, such as pipelines and transportation networks, to facilitate the movement of goods and resources between them. Military and Defense Cooperation: China and Russia engaged in joint military exercises and technology exchanges, including arms sales. They conducted regular joint military drills, and there were reports of deepening defense ties, although they did not form a formal military alliance. Diplomatic Collaboration: Both countries often collaborated in diplomatic efforts to address global challenges, such as climate change and regional conflicts. They also supported each other on key regional issues, such as China's position on Taiwan and Russia's stance on Ukraine. Russia and Iran Russia's involvement in the Ukraine conflict was a source of tension between Russia and Western countries, particularly the United States and the European Union. These Western powers imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its actions in Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea and alleged support for separatist groups in eastern Ukraine. Due to the Western sanctions on Russia, Iran became a prominent ally and logistic and military supplier for the Russian armed forces. Russia and Iran's relations go back to the civil war in Syria when both countries rushed to help Bashar el-Assad regime against the internal foes. The war in Ukraine made those relations even tighter.  Iran and Jihadi Proxies Iran has been funding, supplying, and training numerous terror groups and affiliates all over the Middle East. Iran has been involved in almost all the recent conflict in the region, sending the Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah for the aid of Assad in Syria , arming and training militias in Iraq and Syria, backing the extremist Houthi movement in their campaign against Saudi Arabia and supporting Hamas in its endless conflict against Israel (alongside with Qatar) Funding and arming proxies is part of Iran’s grand strategy to dominate the Middle East against the Suni alignment led by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the State of Israel. Iran framed this strategy as cultivating and nurturing the “ Axis of Resistance ” to encircle Israel and weaken the US influence in the Middle East. Since the Abraham Accords , which normalized the relations between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain, there has been a peak in activity by those factions, culminating in the attack of October 7th. Ties of the Axis of Evil to the October 7th attack Since the attack by Hamas, numerous evidence has shown an involvement of Iran before the massacre. As the war intensifies, other Iranian proxies have launched attacks against Israel and American targets throughout the region, including daily barrage by Hezbollah on Israel’s northern border, attacks on US bases in Iraq, and Houthi assaults on maritime vessels in the entrance to the Suez canal.  Hamas even acknowledged the Russian and Chinese linkage in an interview with Khaled Mashal, Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau.  There has also been an alarming increase in anti-Israel online publications coming from Russian and Chinese-backed networks and a hostile attitude towards Israel from both the Russian and Chinese regimes. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war is not merely as it seems and many classify it as the second attack of the “Axis of Evil” against the West after the Russian invasion of Ukraine being the first.