For decades, Iran’s network of proxies—Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and others—formed a formidable "Axis of Resistance," projecting Tehran’s influence across the Middle East. Yet, Israel’s 2025 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and IRGC leadership, followed by devastating retaliatory campaigns, have left these groups reeling. From Hezbollah’s decimation in Lebanon to Hamas’s weakened grip in Gaza, Iran’s once-mighty proxies face an uncertain future. How did Iran’s strategy of proxy warfare shape the region’s conflicts? What do these setbacks mean for Tehran’s regional ambitions, its proxies’ survival, and the shifting balance of power?David Daoud is a senior fellow at FDD focused on Lebanon and Hezbollah. He previously worked as a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, director of Israel, Lebanon, and Syria research at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), and a research analyst at FDD. David also has experience working as a staff member on Capitol Hill providing analysis on matters related to the Middle East, Israel, and Iran. His work has been cited or published in outlets including Haaretz, Foreign Policy, Newsweek, New York Times, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal. David holds a JD with a concentration in International Law and the Laws of Armed Conflict from Suffolk University in Boston.

In a perplexing twist, segments of the LGBTQ+ community have aligned with Islamist terrorist organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, despite these Islamist groups’ brutal persecution of individuals from this community. From Pride parades chanting “Queers for Hamas” to slogans like “Gays for Gaza,” some activists champion pro-Palestinian causes while ignoring the imprisonment, torture, and execution of LGBTQ+ people in territories governed by these groups. In Gaza, Hamas enforces strict anti-LGBTQ+ doctrines, rooted in ideologies that deem homosexuality a sin punishable by death. Palestinian refugees like Ahmad Abu Murkhiyeh, a gay man decapitated after seeking asylum in Israel, highlight the deadly consequences. Why are parts of the LGBTQ+ community embracing groups that oppose their very existence? What are the risks of this paradoxical alliance?Yuval David is an Emmy Award–winning journalist, filmmaker, and actor, as well as a prominent advocate for Jewish and LGBTQ rights. His career in film and television includes FX’s “Feud,” NBC’s “Madam Secretary,” ABC’s “What Would You Do,” and his own award winning films and series such as “One Actor Short” and “Wonderfully Made - LGBTQ+R(eligion). Yuval channels his work in the entertainment industry towards the craft of storytelling and imparting factual narratives in media and advocacy.  He serves as a strategic advisor to international NGOs, policy institutes, and advocacy organizations, bringing expertise in media, communications, and sociopolitical analysis. His commentary appears across leading global news networks and publications, including Fox, NewsNation, Sky News, ABC, i24, Ynet, and Israel’s news networks; and his writings appear in The Hill, Jerusalem Post, JNS, Jewish Journal, Out Magazine, New York Post, Algemeiner, among others. Yuval addresses Jewish, Israeli, LGBT, civil rights, and social justice issues in political advocacy initiatives, media and in the workshops he leads. His work and efforts have included partnerships with JNF, A Wider Bridge, StandWithUs, World Zionist Organization, and dozens of other American, Israeli, and Jewish organizations.  He studied at the University of Maryland, where he was named a Maryland Distinguished Scholar. Yuval is active across social media, where you can follow his impactful content.For more information and to follow his work:Website: https://www.yuvaldavid.com (https://www.yuvaldavid.com/)Instagram:   / yuval_david_  X: https://x.com/YuvalDavidFacebook:   / yuvaldavid  YouTube:    / yuvaldavid  TikTok:   / yuval.david  Website: https://www.yuvaldavid.com (https://www.yuvaldavid.com/)