Iran has launched missiles at Diego Garcia, a vital U.K.-U.S. military base in the Indian Ocean. This attack, which targets a base crucial for U.S. operations across the Middle East, South Asia, and East Africa, comes amidst escalating tensions and controversy over the island's sovereignty and the UK's permitting of U.S. military actions against Iran.
Iran has reportedly launched missiles at Diego Garcia, a strategic U.K.-U.S. military base located in the Indian Ocean's Chagos Archipelago. This base is considered an indispensable platform for U.S. security operations across the Middle East, South Asia, and East Africa, having supported various military campaigns from Vietnam to Afghanistan and even used for clandestine rendition flights. The attack follows the UK's decision to allow American bombers to use Diego Garcia, and another British base, for "specific and limited defensive operations" against Iranian missile sites, including those targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz, after initially refusing permission for U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the UK's decision, stating it endangers British lives. The missile launch is significant as Diego Garcia is well beyond Iran's previously self-imposed 1,240-mile ballistic missile range. Experts suggest Iran might have improvised its Simorgh space launch rocket to achieve greater range, albeit with reduced accuracy, potentially indicating an advancement in its missile capabilities. Diego Garcia is part of the Chagos Archipelago, under British control since 1814. The UK controversially evicted up to 2,000 islanders in the 1960s and 70s to build the base. In recent years, the UN and International Court of Justice have urged the UK to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius. A deal was struck last year for the UK to hand over sovereignty to Mauritius and then lease back the base for at least 99 years, aiming to safeguard its future from legal challenges. However, this agreement has faced criticism from British opposition politicians concerned about potential interference from China and Russia, and from displaced Chagos islanders who were not consulted and whose right to return remains unclear. U.S. President Donald Trump, after initially welcoming the deal, later called it "an act of GREAT STUPIDITY" and criticized the UK for being "uncooperative" regarding the base, leading to the deal's parliamentary passage being put on hold.
