What is Proxy war?
A '''proxy war''', or '''proxy warfare''', is a [[war]] in which opposite sides use third parties as substitutes for fighting each other directly. States sometimes use less powerful states as proxies but more often use violent non-state actors, [[mercenary|mercenaries]], and other third parties, such as during a [[civil war]]. They may give their proxies money, weapons, training, or other help. The hope is to strike an opponent without a full-scale war, especially one that could involve the [[nuclear bomb]]. The [[United States]] and the [[Soviet Union]] used many proxies to fight each other during the [[Cold War]]. Both sides tried to increase their own influence and to decrease the other's influence. In 2023, the [[Red Sea Crisis]] began; a proxy war between the United States and [[Iran]]. [[Category:War]] {{military-stub}}