Iran strike on Israel driven by pressure from hard-liners: expert

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel late Saturday reflects the political pressure its leadership faces from hard-liners to retaliate against a suspected Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus this month, according to a foreign policy expert specializing in Iranian affairs.

Barbara Slavin, distinguished fellow for the Middle East and North Africa at the Stimson Center in Washington, told Nikkei in an interview that the strikes appeared designed to not cause significant destruction, but had "served to shore up internal support for the regime" in Iran.