Iran launched an attack on the Diego Garcia military base, a joint US-UK facility in the Indian Ocean, but did not strike the target, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The attack, which occurred hours after the UK announced it would allow the US to use the base for strikes on Iran, involved missiles that failed in flight. A US warship reportedly fired an SM-3 interceptor at one of the missiles, though it was unclear whether the interception succeeded. The report did not specify the exact timing of the attack. The incident has drawn attention to the vast distance between Iran and Diego Garcia, which lies approximately 4,118 kilometers from Tehran. This distance, far exceeding the previously known range of Iranian ballistic missiles, has sparked discussions about the potential capabilities of Iran’s missile arsenal. A social media post noted that the strike “far beyond any previously known Iranian ballistic missile range,” while another analyst highlighted that targeting Diego Garcia implies Iran’s missiles may have a greater range than officially acknowledged. Diego Garcia, located in the Chagos Archipelago, is a strategically vital base for the US and serves as a key staging point for bomber missions in the Middle East. Prior to this attack, it was believed to be beyond the reach of Iranian missiles. The base’s location, about 3,795 to 3,800 kilometers from Iran, has now become a focal point for assessing Iran’s military capabilities. Iran’s missile arsenal, according to the Alma Research and Education Center, includes approximately 3,000 ballistic missiles as of June 2025. This number dropped to around 2,500 by February 2026 following conflicts with Israel, during which many missiles were destroyed.#iran #diego_garcia #the_wall_street_journal #chagos_archipelago #alma_research_and_education_center
