Iran fires ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia base in escalation

Saturday 21 March 2026 - 08:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Iran fires ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia base in escalation

Iran launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia, a US and UK military base in the Indian Ocean, marking a significant escalation and the first known operational use of such missiles by Tehran, according to US officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.

Neither missile reached its target. One failed during flight, while a US warship fired an SM-3 interceptor at the second, though it remains unclear whether the interception was successful.

The strike came hours after the British government confirmed it would allow the United States to use Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford in England for operations targeting Iranian missile sites that threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The attempted strike highlights a capability Iran has not publicly acknowledged. Diego Garcia lies about 4,000 kilometers from Iranian territory, exceeding the range Tehran has previously claimed for its missile arsenal. Iranian officials had stated that missile ranges were intentionally limited to around 2,000 kilometers.

Earlier reports from Iranian state media suggested newer versions of the Khorramshahr missile could reach distances beyond 4,000 kilometers, though such claims had been widely questioned before the launch.

The timing of the attack suggests a direct response to the UK decision. British officials had met to assess Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz before confirming that US access to British bases would support defensive operations aimed at degrading missile capabilities used against maritime traffic.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer had initially resisted US requests to use British bases when the conflict began on February 28, citing legal concerns. He later reversed his position after Iranian strikes on UK allies across the Middle East, while maintaining that Britain would avoid deeper involvement in a broader war.

The United States had reinforced Diego Garcia in late February with F-16 fighter jets, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and B-2 stealth bombers capable of carrying bunker-busting munitions. Neither the White House nor the UK Ministry of Defence has publicly commented on the missile launch.