JD - Iran recently launched two ballistic missiles toward a joint U.S.-British military base on Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal citing U.S. officials.
While neither missile struck its intended target, located approximately 4,000 kilometers from Iranian territory, the launch demonstrates Tehran's possession of missiles with a longer range than previously believed, the report stated.
One of the missiles malfunctioned mid-flight. The other was targeted by an interceptor missile launched from a U.S. warship. It remains unclear whether the interceptor successfully hit its target.
The Diego Garcia base, situated in the Chagos Archipelago, is one of two bases that Britain has authorized the United States to use for defensive operations relating to Iran.
The U.S. military has deployed bombers and other equipment at the base, which serves as a key hub for operations in Asia, including past American bombing campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Britain has agreed to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, which has been under its control since the 1960s, while retaining the right to lease the military base on Diego Garcia. U.S. President Donald Trump had strongly criticized London's decision to relinquish the island.
