Failure of Economic Statecraft Against Parasitic Hybrid Actors in the MENA Region

This article argues that traditional economic statecraft fails against hybrid actors such as Hezbollah and the Houthis (Ansar-Allah) due to the concept of “Parasitic Resilience.” It demonstrates how these groups adapt to sanctions and blockades by creating new forms of illicit revenue network, requiring a shift from economic statecraft to kinetic degradation.  

Introduction

The reliance on economic statecraft has long been a staple of Western foreign policy, serving as the primary non-kinetic tool to deter hostile actors.