'True Promise': Why and how did Iran launch a historic attack on Israel?

Tehran, Iran – Iran's use of hundreds of drones and missiles to directly target Israel on Saturday night and Sunday morning set a number of major political and military precedents. It was the single largest drone attack ever carried out by any country, and it was the first time Iran directly attacked Israel after almost a half-century of being archenemies. Here's a look at what political, military and economic considerations Tehran might have factored in while deciding on the attack that has amplified fears of a larger regional war and that could also affect the direction of Israel's war on Gaza. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dubbed the operation "True Promise" to show that top leaders in Tehran, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, intend to make good on their vows of "punishment" for attacks by Israel and others. The attack was a direct retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1 that killed seven IRGC members, including two generals in charge of leading operations in Syria and Lebanon, along with six other people.