Iran reportedly launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia, a joint US-UK military base in the central Indian Ocean, signaling a potential expansion of its strike capability far beyond the Middle East.
The reported strike comes amid escalating tensions following Israeli attacks on Iran's South Pars gas field. Tehran has since intensified its retaliatory actions, including targeting energy infrastructure in Qatar, adding to pressure on global energy markets and prompting the US to recalibrate its response.
According to a Wall Street Journal report citing multiple US officials, neither missile struck the base, which lies about 4,000 km from Iran. One missile is believed to have failed mid-flight, while the other was reportedly intercepted by an SM-3 interceptor launched from a US warship.
However, at least one official said it remains unclear whether the interception was successful.
Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands is one of two bases Britain has allowed the United States to use for 'defensive' operations related to Iran, the other being RAF Fairford.
The reported attempt to strike the base is significant given its distance - about 4,000 kilometres from Iran, suggesting Tehran's missile capabilities may extend well beyond its publicly stated limits, the WSJ report said.
The move could mark Iran's first known operational use of intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) and signal an intent to target far-flung US-linked military assets.
According to the report, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said last month that the country had capped its missile range at 2,000 kilometres.
Diego Garcia, located in the Chagos Islands, is one of the most strategically important, and secretive, military installations operated jointly by the United States and the United Kingdom.
It has long served as a hub for American military operations, including campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, and currently hosts bombers and other critical assets, according to an Al Jazeera report.
The island is administered from London but sits at the centre of a long-running territorial dispute between the UK and Mauritius.
Under an agreement tied to Mauritius' independence from Britain in 1968, the country abandoned its claim to sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago.
In return, Mauritius agreed to allow the US base on Diego Garcia to continue operating for 99 years - a term that is renewable.
A more recent agreement between the UK and Mauritius has reaffirmed that the US can retain the military facility it has used for more than five decades.
