Friday, the 13th of June 2025, proved deadly for Tehran, as the Islamic Republic of Iran suffered a catastrophic blow when Israeli strikes devastated the capital and other cities, assassinating top military commanders and nuclear scientists—including Iranian military chief Mohammad Bagheri and IRGC Chief Commander General Hossein Salami.
The scale, precision and brazenness of the attack shocked observers worldwide. However, a closer look at Iran’s trajectory leading up to the strike suggests the country may have invited its own devastation through a posture of overconfidence.