The attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023, created a security shock that upset regional balances, and the impact of this shock was felt most strongly in Tehran's strategic calculations. As the process unfolded, the issue ceased to be, for Iran, merely a conflict in the Palestinian arena, and the resilience of the proxy networks woven over the years and the real reach of missile- and drone-based deterrence were tested at the same time. Within this framework, the sustainability of domestic legitimacy was also put to the test once again, and the effect of economic and security pressures on political communication became pronounced. The relationship between the proxy architecture and the threshold of direct engagement became more evident under decision-making pressures, and the limits of coordination capacity came to light. Ideological discourse, for its part, yielded variable results in terms of securing public support. ...
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