Washington: The night of April 13, 2024, marked a turning point in decades of tension between Israel and Iran. Earlier that April, Israel had struck the Iranian commercial embassy in Damascus, killing senior officers of the Revolutionary Guards. Tehran described that assault as a violation of its sovereignty and vowed retaliation. On April 13, Iranian drones and missiles struck Israeli targets under Operation True Promise, signalling strength rather than intending civilian casualties.

Some Iranian missiles hit their targets, but militarily the operation achieved limited success. Israeli air defense systems played a crucial role, but American pilots were equally pivotal. U.S. Central Command confirmed that more than 80 Iranian drones and six ballistic missiles were destroyed that night.

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