Military Threat
Key moment
Iran Breaks 45 Years of Shadow War, Launches First Direct Strike on Israel
After Israel bombed Iran's consular building in Damascus on 1 April — killing seven IRGC officers including two generals — Iran crossed a historic threshold on 13 April by launching its first-ever direct military attack on Israeli territory: more than 300 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles fired from Iranian soil. Nearly all were intercepted by Israel, the US, Jordan, and the UK. The strike was framed by Tehran as a proportionate, one-time response, but it shattered the decades-long norm of Iran fighting Israel exclusively through proxies.
Source Events (2)
- Israel Bombs Iranian Consulate in Damascus, Killing Senior IRGC Commanders Israeli airstrikes destroy Iran's consular building in Damascus, killing seven IRGC officers including a senior commander, in a strike that dramatically escalated the shadow war between Israel and Iran. View event details →
- Iran Directly Attacks Israel for First Time, Firing 300+ Drones and Missiles Iran launches its first-ever direct military strike against Israel over 300 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles in retaliation for the Damascus consulate attack, breaking decades of proxy-only warfare. View event details →