Iran Launches Ballistic Missiles at Diego Garcia Base
The 4,000-kilometre strike marks a significant technological leap as the UK grants the United States permission to launch defensive operations from British territories.
Image: Matt Weston / AI
Carla Rooney
Tehran has deployed intermediate-range ballistic missiles for the first time in the current conflict, targeting the joint US-UK military facility on Diego Garcia.
The UK government granted the United States explicit permission to utilize British sovereign bases for defensive operations immediately following the strike. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi countered by stating Prime Minister Keir Starmer places British lives in danger by facilitating this aggression.
Araghchi confirmed Iran will exercise its right to self-defence following the engagement at Diego Garcia. He claimed the vast majority of the British public rejects involvement in what he described as a war of choice against the Iranian state.
Foreign affairs expert Nawaf Al-Thani noted that a missile reaching the Chagos Islands indicates a range of approximately 4,000 kilometres. This data point pushes the hardware into the intermediate-range class, doubling the previously accepted ceiling of 2,000 kilometres for Iranian ballistics.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials stated the Iranian regime intends to develop missiles with this 4,000 km range to threaten dozens of countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Such a capability alters the security architecture of three continents.
The Iranian regime intends to develop missiles with this 4,000 km range to threaten dozens of countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch described the Prime Minister’s decision to support American military action as the mother of all U-turns. She claimed the UK is being dragged into the conflict regardless of public or parliamentary consent.
Badenoch demanded the Prime Minister explain why the public was not informed about the attack on the Chagos Islands sooner. She accused the government of dithering and delaying on the Iran conflict since its inception.
US President Donald Trump stated the UK should have acted faster in providing permission for base usage. He characterized the UK's previous stance regarding the island as uncooperative during a critical window of engagement.
Trump indicated on Truth Social that the US is getting close to meeting its objectives against the regime. He suggested the military is considering winding down efforts in the Middle East as focus shifts toward specific Iranian infrastructure.
The Pentagon has drawn up plans for US troops to seize Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf. This location serves as the primary hub for Iran's oil industry and the backbone of its export infrastructure.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed it was informed by Tehran that the Natanz uranium enrichment facility was attacked. Iranian media alleged that the US and Israel were responsible for the strike on the sensitive site.
The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) confirmed technical assessments are underway regarding radioactive contamination at the Natanz facility. Conversely, Israel’s military stated it is unaware of any strike on that location.
HMS Dragon has deployed to the region as part of the UK's naval task force. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson stated that Iran’s reckless attacks and its actions in the Strait of Hormuz are a direct threat to British interests.
Iran’s reckless attacks and its actions in the Strait of Hormuz are a direct threat to British interests.
The Foreign Office maintained that defensive UK operations were a necessary response to Iranian aggression against Gulf partner countries. These partners had not attacked Iran prior to the recent escalations in the region.
This military friction occurs as the UK and Mauritius recently reached a deal for the transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. Opposition politicians in Britain claimed that giving up the islands puts them at risk of interference by China and Russia.
US Senator Marco Rubio stated that Iran is trying to achieve intercontinental ballistic missiles. He noted that Tehran’s nuclear capabilities are on a pathway to developing weapons that can reach the continental United States.
The International Energy Agency expects the ongoing disruption to oil supply to affect wider energy markets. This follows the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims of pounding air bases in Kuwait and the UAE.
Tehran launched unmanned drones at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus earlier this month. One drone struck the runway, though officials reported the resulting damage was minimal and did not halt operations.
General Sir Richard Barrons, former head of the Joint Forces Command, stated that Iran's regime has been serially underestimated. Military analysts suggested Tehran may be using space launch vehicles to enable these greater strike distances.
Sir Keir Starmer stated that the best way forward remains a negotiated settlement with Iran despite the recent strikes. The Green Party of England and Wales has called for the government to immediately withdraw permission for the US to use military bases for attacks.