Answer:
A proxy war is an armed conflict in which two countries use third parties as intermediaries or substitutes, so that they do not directly fight each other.
Although superpowers have often used national governments like proxies, insurgent groups or others are more commonly employed. It is hoped that such groups can defeat the opponent without escalating into a major war.
Proxy wars can also occur in parallel with major conflicts. During the Iran-Iraq War, for example, both nations armed rival factions in the Civil War of Lebanon and incited them against each other.
