Iran has characterized its recent missile strike on Israel as "legal, rational, and legitimate." This high-stakes attack reflects the Iranian leadership's belief that their previous restraint following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh was a strategic error. The Iranian government stated that the decision to launch dozens of missiles at Israel was made by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the recent killings of key leaders from Hezbollah and Hamas, both of which are integral to Iran's so-called axis of resistance. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) confirmed that this decision was supported by the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and the Iranian defense ministry.