The White House is saying that Pres. Trump is to reiterate 2 – 3 week timetable for the end of the Iran operations.The president is to address the nation at 9 PM ET.Course how all this ends is anyone's guess. Israel if it had it's way would want it to go on until all of Iran was destroyed with the splinter terrorist groups.Iran doesn’t operate through a single group—it uses a network of proxy and splinter militias across the Middle East, often referred to as part of its broader “Axis of Resistance.”Core Iran-backed groups (primary proxies)Hezbollah (Lebanon)Iran’s most important and longest-standing proxyHighly trained, heavily armed, and politically integratedHamas (Gaza)Sunni group but receives funding, weapons, and training from IranPalestinian Islamic Jihad (Gaza)Smaller, but more directly aligned with Iran than HamasHouthis (Ansar Allah – Yemen)Control large parts of YemenUse missiles, drones, and maritime attacksIraq-based splinter militias (most fragmented network)Kataib HezbollahAsa'ib Ahl al-HaqHarakat Hezbollah al-NujabaBadr OrganizationOften operate under umbrella labels like:“Islamic Resistance in Iraq”Key point:These groups are loosely coordinated but semi-independent, which is why they are often considered splinter networks.Syria-based militiasLiwa Fatemiyoun (Afghan fighters backed by Iran)Liwa Zainebiyoun (Pakistani fighters)Other Shia militias supporting the Assad governmentMany are extensions of Iraqi or Hezbollah-linked forces.Lebanon & regional extensionsHezbollah-affiliated units operating beyond LebanonSyriaIraqBroader regional logistics and finance networksYemen (Houthis and sub-groups)Houthis are the main force, but include:Local tribal factions and sub-unitsIncreasing coordination with Iranian and Hezbollah supportHow Iran manages the networkCoordinated primarily through the IRGC Quds ForceProvides:WeaponsTrainingFundingStrategic directionBig picture takeawayIran’s approach is decentralized:Core proxies (Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis)Plus numerous splinter militias (especially in Iraq and Syria)This structure allows:Plausible deniabilityMultiple pressure points across the regionFlexibility in escalation without direct confrontationBottom lineThe most recognizable Iran-backed groups are:Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, HouthisThe real fragmentation comes from:Iraqi and Syrian militias, which function as splinter groups with varying degrees of independenceTogether, they form a distributed network that plays a central role in Middle East conflicts This article was written by Greg Michalowski at investinglive.com.