Iran Coordinates with Allies to Expand Conflict During Ceasefire

Two high-ranking officials in Iran's Revolutionary Guard told The New York Times that Iranian military leaders had used the ceasefire to secretly coordinate with Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran-backed militias in Iraq about expanding the war and increasing the cost for the United States. Reports said senior leaders of the Quds Force held video conferences with militia leaders, deployed advisors alongside them, and sought to fill the leadership vacuum in Hezbollah by placing Revolutionary Guard commanders directly on its administrative council, giving Tehran more control over the group's operations. The planned attacks were designed to avoid direct confrontation with American or Israeli forces.