DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has grown into a powerful force within the country's theocracy, answering only to its supreme leader and overseeing its ballistic missile arsenal and missions overseas.

The force was in the spotlight Tuesday when Australia accused Iran of organizing two antisemitic attacks in the country. The allegation recalls earlier attacks and attempted assaults linked back to the Guard’s Quds Force, its expeditionary arm. “Quds” is a word in both Arabic and Farsi for Jerusalem and reflects one of the force's key missions: confronting Israel.

Here's more to know about the Guard.

Born out of a revolution

The Guard was born from Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution as a force meant to protect its Shiite cleric-overseen governmen

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