Iran Targeted Diego Garcia Base With Ballistic Missiles [View all]

Source: Wall Street Journal

Iran fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia, a joint U.S.-U.K. military base in the middle of the Indian Ocean, according to multiple U.S. officials. Neither of the missiles hit the base, but the move marked Iran’s first operational use of IRBMs and a significant attempt to reach far beyond the Middle East and threaten U.S. interests.

One of the missiles failed in flight, and a U.S. warship fired an SM-3 interceptor at the other, according to two of the people. It couldn't be determined if an interception was made, according to one of the officials.

Iran’s targeting of Diego Garcia, about 4,000 kilometers from Iran, implies its missiles have a greater range than Tehran has previously acknowledged. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said last month that Iran has deliberately limited the range of its missiles to 2,000 kilometers.

Iran Watch, part of the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control, says Iran has operational missiles that can reach 4,000 kilometers. Israel’s Alma Research and Education Center put the top range for Iranian missiles at around 3,000 kilometers but said there are reports of their weapons being developed with longer ranges.
Located on a remote island in the British Indian Ocean Territory, Diego Garcia is a strategic base from which the U.S. hosts bombers, nuclear submarines and guided-missile destroyers.

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-us-israel-war-updates-2026/card/iran-targeted-diego-garcia-base-with-ballistic-missiles-rb7MdZW1CfwRTauDYHOt?