Iran's Revolutionary Guards have consolidated control over wartime decision-making following the assassination of top commanders, driving a hardline strategy across the region, according to senior sources. The elite force has implemented a decentralization strategy developed over nearly two decades, enabling mid-ranking officers to launch attacks on neighboring states while maintaining resilience against leadership decapitation.

Anticipating targeted strikes, the Guards delegated authority down three ranks, with each commander naming successors ready to replace them. This approach proved crucial after Israeli and U.S. attacks killed multiple high-ranking officials, including the latest head Mohammad Pakpour. The strategy, refined after observing Iraqi forces' collapse in 2003, ensures the Guards can simultaneously wage external military campaigns and maintain internal security.

The Guards' enhanced wartime role appears to be suppressing potential protests, undermining hopes that external pressure might trigger regime change. With Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death, the succession of his son Mojtaba—who maintains close ties with the Guards—could further entrench their influence. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi indicated that Iran's response units operate on pre-planned instructions rather than real-time political command, suggesting the Guards' autonomous authority has become institutionalized within Iran's power structure.