Who: Al-Qa‘ida
Founded: 1988 by Usama bin Ladin and associates
Region they operate: Transnational across Middle East, Africa, South Asia
Allies and enemies: Core for many jihadist allies; enemies include the U.S., Western states, and local regimes
Who: Al-Ashtar Brigades (AAB)
Founded: Early 2010s as a Bahraini Shia militant group
Region they operate: Bahrain and the wider Gulf region
Allies and enemies: Iran‑backed networks; attacks Bahraini government and security forces
Who: ‘Asa‘ib Ahl al-Haqq (AAH)
Founded: Mid‑2000s Iraqi Shia militia split from Jaysh al‑Mahdi
Region they operate: Iraq and into Syria
Allies and enemies: Iran‑backed; targets U.S. forces and Sunni extremist groups
Who: Harakat al-Nujaba’ (HAN)
Founded: Around 2013 from Iraqi Shia militia currents
Region they operate: Iraq and Syria
Allies and enemies: Iran‑aligned; fights ISIS and opposes U.S. presence and some Iraqi rivals
Who: Harakat al‑Muqawama al-Islamiyya (HAMAS)
Founded: 1987 during the First Intifada
Region they operate: Gaza, West Bank, and regional networks
Allies and enemies: Backed by Iran and others; enemies include Israel and some Palestinian factions
Who: Lebanese Hizballah
Founded: Early 1980s during the Lebanese civil war
Region they operate: Lebanon, Syria, and global support networks
Allies and enemies: Backed by Iran and often Syria; enemies include Israel and Western states
Who: Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ)
Founded: Late 1970s–early 1980s in Gaza
Region they operate: Gaza, West Bank, and external networks
Allies and enemies: Supported by Iran; main enemy is Israel, with friction with some Palestinian groups
Who: Huthi Movement (Ansarallah)
Founded: 1990s in northern Yemen
Region they operate: Northwestern Yemen, Red Sea coast, and cross‑border into Saudi Arabia
Allies and enemies: Supported by Iran‑linked actors; fights Yemeni government and Saudi‑led coalition
Who: Al-Qa‘ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Founded: 2009 from merger of Saudi and Yemeni branches
Region they operate: Yemen and Saudi Arabia, plus plots abroad
Allies and enemies: Part of the Al‑Qaida network; targets Yemeni government, Saudi Arabia, and U.S. interests
Who: Harakat Sawa‘d Misr (HASM)
Founded: Mid‑2010s as a clandestine Egyptian group
Region they operate: Egypt, mainly Nile Valley and urban centers
Allies and enemies: Accused of Islamist ties; targets Egyptian security personnel and officials
Who: ISIS‑Sinai
Founded: 2014 when Ansar Bayt al‑Maqdis pledged allegiance to ISIS
Region they operate: Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and occasionally mainland Egypt
Allies and enemies: Operates under ISIS banner; enemies are Egyptian security forces and Israel
Who: Asbat al-Ansar (AAA)
Founded: 1990s as a Palestinian Sunni extremist group in Lebanon
Region they operate: Primarily Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon
Allies and enemies: Salafi‑jihadist ties; opposes Israel and pro‑Western Lebanese actors
Who: ISIS (Islamic State)
Founded: Originated in 2000s Iraq; declared a “caliphate” in 2014
Region they operate: Iraq–Syria core with global branches
Allies and enemies: Oversees affiliated provinces; enemies include regional states and Western‑led coalitions
Who: Jama‘at Nusrat al‑Islam wal‑Muslimin (JNIM)
Founded: 2017 as a merger of Sahel jihadist groups
Region they operate: Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, with links into the wider Maghreb and Sahel
Allies and enemies: Al‑Qaida affiliate; fights Sahel governments and foreign military deployments
Who: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
Founded: 1979 after Iran’s Islamic Revolution
Region they operate: Throughout Iran, with Qods Force activities abroad
Allies and enemies: Backs Iranian proxy groups; opposes the U.S., Israel, and rival Gulf states
