Iran Targets Diego Garcia with Ballistic Missiles

In the early hours of Day 22 (March 21), Iran fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia — the joint US-UK military atoll in the British Indian Ocean Territory some 3,700 km from Iranian territory. One missile failed in flight. A US warship fired an SM-3 interceptor at the second; whether it succeeded was not immediately confirmed. The base was not hit. Diego Garcia hosts the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers and B-52 Stratofortresses that have been conducting strikes on Iran throughout the war. Targeting it directly is Iran's most geographically ambitious strike since the conflict began. It also demonstrates an IRBM range the Iranian regime had publicly denied — Foreign Minister Araghchi claimed last month that Iran had limited its missiles to 2,000 km.

Key facts

• •Two IRBMs fired at Diego Garcia — ~3,700 km from Iran
• •One failed in flight; US warship fired SM-3 interceptor at second
• •Base not hit; interception outcome unconfirmed
• •Diego Garcia hosts B-2 and B-52 bombers used in Iran strikes
• •Iran claimed in February its missiles were limited to 2,000 km — today's strike contradicts that