Could Iran actually stage the attack?

In response to the U.S.-Israel joint strikes on Feb. 28, Iran has fired missiles and drones at Israel and neighboring Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain.

Iran has deployed an arsenal of Shahed drones since the war broke out. Iran’s Shahed drones were designed by the Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center, an Iranian company that works with the country’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to a U.S. government report.

These drones, which carry up to 50 kg of explosives, are considerably cheaper than ballistic missiles–ranging between $20,000 and $50,000 per drone–and can be particularly damaging when used in large swarms. (The U.S. Central Command recently said that it had launched its own low-cost drones–modeled on the Iranian Shaheds–in combat against Iran.)  

Speaking to the New York Times, Stacie Pettyjohn, senior fellow and director of the defense program at the D.C.-based think tank Center for a New American Security, said the Shahed-136, a long-range version, can travel roughly 1,200 mi., allowing it to reach targets across the Middle East.