Revolutionary Guard personnel stand under an Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle, the Shahed-136, while participating in a military rally in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 10, 2025.

Six weeks of U.S. and Israeli bombardment have served to degrade Iran’s nuclear facilities and cripple parts of its military.

But the Islamic Republic’s offensive capabilities have been built up over nearly 50 years, during which Iran has been either at war or under the threat of conflict.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.