Iran fired ballistic missiles at the Diego Garcia base, showing the longer range of its weapons. The attack increases tensions in the region and uncertainty in the Pentagon.
Iran recently fired two ballistic missiles toward a joint US-British military base on Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.
None of the missiles hit the target, which is located approximately 4,000 kilometers from Iranian territory. However, according to the report, the attack itself indicates that Tehran has missiles with a longer range than previously thought. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.
One rocket failed
One of the missiles failed in flight and the other was attempted to be intercepted by a missile fired from a US warship, although it is unclear whether it hit it. The Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands is one of two bases Britain provides to the United States for Iran-related operations.
American forces deployed bombers and other equipment on it. It is a key node for operations in Asia, in the past American bombing campaigns were also conducted in Afghanistan and Iraq. At the same time, Britain agreed to return the Chagos Islands, which it has controlled since the 1960s, to Mauritius, while retaining the lease of a base on the island of Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands. US President Donald Trump sharply criticized this decision.
