Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced plans to establish what it described as a new “Resistance Security Belt” extending from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab al-Mandab Strait off the coast of Yemen, spanning a strategic corridor from the Arabian Gulf to the Red Sea.
Esmail Qaani, commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force, said the initiative would form part of a broader unified resistance front aimed at responding to Israeli and American actions across the region.
Qaani stressed that what he called the “unified resistance front” would confront future Israeli and US attacks, adding that resistance fighters now oversee key maritime routes used by their adversaries and would continue increasing pressure on them.
He also praised Yemen’s recent actions, describing them as timely and decisive, and argued that they reflected the strategic judgement of the resistance front. Qaani further suggested that additional factions could be incorporated into the alliance if circumstances required.
Escalation Following Strikes on Lebanon
According to Israeli Army Radio, Israel was targeted by approximately 30 missiles launched from Iran and one missile fired from Yemen since Sunday evening.
The attacks came in response to an Israeli air strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of the Lebanese resistance movement. Israel later carried out retaliatory strikes inside Iran before both sides announced a halt to their exchange of attacks.
The latest developments have reinforced concerns that the conflict could expand beyond the direct Iranian-Israeli confrontation and increasingly involve regional actors aligned with Tehran.
Houthis Announce Full Ban on Israeli Shipping
Earlier on Monday, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced a complete ban on the passage of Israeli vessels through the Red Sea.
The declaration came only hours after hostilities resumed between Israel and Iran.
In a statement, Saree said that all Israeli movements had become legitimate military targets for the group’s armed forces from the moment the announcement was made.
He also confirmed the launch of a new wave of missiles against what he described as sensitive targets in the occupied Jaffa area, claiming the attacks achieved direct hits.
Saree warned that any escalation would be met with further escalation, stating that military operations would continue to expand in line with developments on the ground.
The Houthi movement also reaffirmed its participation in what it referred to as the “Axis of Jihad and Resistance”.
Regional Confrontation Expands
Analysts believe that the United States and Israel have sought to separate Lebanon, whose situation helped trigger the latest confrontation with Iran, from the wider negotiations taking place between Washington and Tehran.
Iran, however, maintains that its recent military actions are intended to prevent such a separation and to ensure that developments in Lebanon remain linked to the broader regional equation.
Tehran argues that the latest strikes demonstrate its willingness to respond beyond its own borders and to integrate multiple fronts into a single strategic framework if necessary.
The announcement of a new resistance security belt, coupled with Houthi threats against Israeli shipping and ongoing missile exchanges, suggests that key maritime chokepoints from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab al-Mandab Strait may become increasingly central to the evolving regional confrontation.
