ELI5: What are proxies like the Houthis in Iran's strategy?

Proxies like the Houthis are like Iran's friends who help it achieve its goals without Iran directly getting into trouble.

Imagine Iran is a kid who wants the cool toy from another kid's house, but doesn't want to get caught taking it. The Houthis are like Iran's friends who live near that kid's house. Iran gives these friends some candy and maybe some cool gadgets (weapons and training) so they can go bother the kid with the toy.

• Iran doesn't directly go to the kid's house and steal the toy.
• Instead, the Houthis (Iran's friends) make things difficult for the kid.
• Maybe they throw rocks at the house, or keep the kid from playing with the toy.

The Houthis are a group in Yemen, a country near Saudi Arabia. Iran supports them with weapons and training. Saudi Arabia is like the kid with the cool toy (influence in the region). The Houthis, with Iran's support, attack Saudi Arabia and disrupt shipping in the Red Sea. This helps Iran challenge Saudi Arabia’s power and influence, and shows the world that Iran has friends who can cause problems for its rivals. Iran can deny direct involvement, making it harder for other countries to respond directly to Iran. This is how proxies work: they are tools used to project power and achieve goals indirectly.