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Iran is reportedly preparing for a broad, coordinated attack against Israel involving multiple fronts simultaneously, according to Israeli assessments. The reported scenario resembles a future October 7-style assault but is designed from the outset to bring together all components of Iran’s regional axis.

According to the assessments, Iran is seeking to coordinate its own forces with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas, the Houthis in Yemen and pro-Iranian militias in Iraq as part of a single campaign.

Lessons From October 7

Hamas launched its October 7 attack without all other fronts opening simultaneously or operating under full coordination. However, the idea of expanding the conflict into a broader regional war against Israel had emerged earlier, Jerusalem Post reported.

Internal Hamas documents seized in the Gaza Strip after the attack indicated that former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had sought to widen the confrontation and draw additional arenas into the conflict.

One planning document stressed the need to “connect and prepare the external fronts”, including Lebanon, Syria and Sinai, while establishing communication mechanisms for both routine periods and wartime.

What emerged after the war, however, was that this ambition had not been matched by full coordination before the attack. According to published US and Israeli assessments, Iran and Hezbollah were not informed in advance of all the details of Hamas’ plan or the precise date of the assault.

Sinwar reportedly believed the success of the initial attack would subsequently draw Hezbollah and Iran into a broader campaign. Hezbollah opened fire in northern Israel, but did not launch a large-scale attack in parallel with Hamas that same morning.

Iran Reportedly Seeks Multi-Front Operation

According to reports in Arab media, Tehran is now allegedly seeking to address that gap. The reported plan is intended to enable several fronts to operate against Israel simultaneously, making a coordinated multi-front campaign part of the strategy from the outset.

The change in Hamas’ leadership could also be significant in this context. Khalil al-Hayya, elected Hamas’ overall leader in July, is considered to have close ties with Iran and has long been one of the organisation’s key figures in maintaining relations with Tehran.

Al-Hayya, a member of Hamas’ Gaza-based leadership who was close to Sinwar, strengthens within the organisation the faction seeking to preserve its strategic relationship with Iran.

Iran Seeks To Rebuild ‘Axis Of Resistance’

There have also been indications of an Iranian effort to rebuild the “Axis of Resistance” and revive coordination mechanisms among its various components.

A report published last month said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had identified renewed coordination between Hamas and Hezbollah with Iranian assistance, as part of efforts to increase pressure on Israel from the north and south simultaneously.

According to a published IDF assessment, Hamas and Hezbollah had begun coordinating an increase in their activities in recent weeks with Iranian assistance.

Iran Reportedly Revives Militant Coordination

Recent reports have also alleged that senior Quds Force officials held discussions with commanders from Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iraqi militias over expanding the confrontation.

Two senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officers claimed that during an earlier period of calm, senior Quds Force officials held conference calls with commanders from the three fronts. Iranian advisers also reportedly worked with them on the ground.

During the same period, reports emerged of Iranian efforts to accelerate missile and drone production and restore capabilities that had been damaged.

The rebuilding effort comes as the balance of power within the Iranian axis is also shifting. According to assessments, damage inflicted on Hezbollah and the fall of the Assad regime in Syria have increased the importance of Iraqi militias and the Houthis in Yemen.

Joint training exercises have also been recorded, while operational and personal ties have reportedly strengthened and coordination over political and military decisions among the various components has increased.

The Iranian axis is now operating in a regional environment different from the one that existed before October 7, with Iraq and Yemen playing a more prominent role.