The peaceful military routine on Diego Garcia island, operated jointly by the United States and the United Kingdom, was shaken when According to information released by the international press, Tehran launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles towards the base on Friday night (20).
However, the attack failed. One of the missiles failed in flight, while an American warship fired an SM-3 interceptor at the other, although it could not be determined whether the intercept was successful, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Although the attack caused no damage, the incident raised alarm bells in the West. Diego Garcia is approximately 3,780 kilometers away from Iranian territory. Until then, Western estimates indicated that Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal was limited to a maximum range of 2,000 kilometers. The attempt to target the island highlights a worrying increase in Tehran’s military capacity and reinforces diplomatic tension between Iran, the USA and the United Kingdom.
Non-Indian Fortress
Diego Garcia is important to the Pentagon. The island is a crucial platform for projecting American power in the Middle East and Asia. Its infrastructure is impressive in its size: the base has a 3.6 kilometer long airstrip, capable of receiving B-52 strategic bombers.
The island has around 20 ships permanently anchored. The vessels function as floating warehouses, with tanks, armored vehicles, ammunition and even mobile field hospitals.
The facility houses a fuel reservoir with a capacity of 213,000 cubic meters and dozens of freshwater wells.
Continues after advertising
The island is not just a military support point, it hosts one of the four ground stations essential worldwide for the functioning of the Global Positioning System (GPS).
It was from this base that the US military launched decisive operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Until the 1960s, Diego Garcia was inhabited by the Chagossian people. Between 1967 and 1973, the British government expelled the entire native population. The inhabitants were forced to board cargo ships and taken to other territories, such as Mauritius and Seychelles, where many ended up living in conditions of extreme poverty.
Historical reports show that even the island’s pets were exterminated to prevent people from returning. The Chagossians continue a long battle in international courts, fighting for the right to return to the territory that was taken from them.
