NASA
Diego Garcia Island
The attack, although failed, is particularly notable for revealing that Iranian missiles have a much greater range than previously thought.
Iranian forces attempted to attack a major joint US-UK military installation in the Indian Ocean.
According to British authorities, two ballistic missiles were launched towards Diego Garcia, a strategically vital base operated by the United States and the United Kingdom. THE attack was unsuccessfulwith one of the missiles developing a defect in mid-flight and the other being intercepted before reaching the target.
The incident is particularly notable because Diego Garcia is approximately 4000 kilometers from the Iranian coasta distance far beyond the 2000-kilometer range that Tehran previously claimed for its missile arsenal. Analysts say this suggests that Iran may have capabilities of greater range than those publicly recognized, meaning Iranian missiles could theoretically reach Europe.
Located in the Chagos Archipelago, Diego Garcia is one of the most important western military centers in the region. The base houses long range bomberssuch as the B-52 and B-1 aircraft, as well as naval assets including submarines and warships. It also serves as a logistics center, capable of quickly mobilizing forces, including a full brigade of marines if necessary.
The attempted attack occurred shortly before the British government confirmed that the United States could use bases controlled by the United Kingdom for operations related to ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where attacks on merchant ships have disrupted global trade.
Although the territory remains under British sovereignty, operational control is largely in the hands of the United Stateswith the United Kingdom maintaining administrative oversight.
In response to rising tensions, the United Kingdom has sought to balance military cooperation with efforts to avoid further escalation. London has authorized the use of Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford for what it describes as “defensive bombing missions”. However, it refused to allow offensive operations from RAF Akrotiri.
More movement at Base das Lajes
Meanwhile, the Lajes Base, in the Azores, once again registered an increase in the movement of North American military aircraft today, with the greater number of parked planes since the beginning of the attack on Iran.
This morning, Lusa noted at the scene, they were parked at Base das Lajes, on the island of Terceira, 32 aircraft of the United States Air Force and Navy, including 15 KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft, which have been in the infrastructure since February 18.
Since the beginning of the US and Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, several of these refuelers have taken off from Lajes almost every day on refueling missions.
Between Sunday and Monday, they arrived at the base 11 more aircraft of the North American Navy: six Boeing EA-18G Growler, combat aircraft primarily used in electronic warfare, and five Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, airborne early warning, tactical combat management command and control aircraft, which operate from aircraft carriers, in any weather condition.
Accompanying these aircraft came two more refuelers KC-46 Pegasus and throughout the week a third arrived, which increased the total number of these aircraft in the infrastructure to 18.
That night, two KC-130 planes from the American Navy also arrived, which also serve as refuelers.
In the infrastructure for some time there was also a C-130 plane from the North American Navy, usually used to transport troops and cargo.
During the morning, the movement of aircraft in Lajes was intense, with the departure of six combat planes and three of the five air warning planes. Eight of the 18 refuelers also took off.
On February 28, the United States and Israel started a war against Iranwhich has already had consequences in several countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, among others, which were hit by bombings.
O Portuguese government gave “conditional authorization” to the use of the Lajes Base, already after the start of the attack, pointing out as requirements that the infrastructure could only be used “in response to an attack, within a framework of defense or retaliation”, that the action had to be “necessary and proportionate” and that it could only “target targets of a military nature”.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, stated in parliament that, from what has been made known to the Government, the use of the Lajes Base by the United States of America “has met the underlying assumptions to the authorization” given by Portugal.
The United States and Israel held today attacks on Iran’s Natanz nuclear complexlocated in the center of the country, Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement.
Today’s attack comes after US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was considering “scaling down” military operations in the Middle East, even as the United States sent three more amphibious assault ships and approximately 2500 additional marines for the region.
