Iran denies launching ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia base

For the first time since the start of the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, Iran has launched a long-range missile reportedly capable of reaching distances up to 4,000 kilometres (km), according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

For the first time since the start of the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, Iran has launched a long-range missile reportedly capable of reaching distances up to 4,000 kilometres (km), according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

This claim comes amid media reports that Iran had launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that Iran had launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Neither missile struck the US-UK military base on the island.

Diego Garcia air base is located approximately 4,000km from Iran, according to Times of Israel.

In June last year, IDF claimed that Tehran is working to develop missiles with extended ranges that could endanger multiple countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Iranian authorities, however, have rejected these accusations.

“The Iranian terrorist regime poses a global threat. Now, with missiles that can reach London, Paris, or Berlin,” the IDF stated in a post on X.

However, UK officials have expressed scepticism regarding these claims.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed told the BBC that there is “no assessment to substantiate” Israel’s assertion that Iran possesses missiles capable of striking London.

Reed emphasised that there is “no specific assessment that the Iranians are targeting the UK—or even could if they wanted to.”

The attempted strike reportedly occurred before the UK government announced it would permit the US to use some British bases for operations targeting Iranian sites involved in attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The UK Government condemned what it described as “reckless Iranian threats”.

In response to these reports, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied any involvement in launching ballistic missiles towards Diego Garcia.

The US has not issued an official statement regarding the incident.

Iran’s pursuit of advanced missile technology dates back to the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. Since then, Tehran has made significant progress in developing various classes of ballistic missiles including Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles (MRBMs) covering distances from 1,000 km to 3,000 km.

According to Iran Watch, a publication by the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control, Iran currently possesses at least five missile types with ranges exceeding 2,000km.

Notably, the Khorramshahr-1, -2, and -4 (BM-25/Musudan) MRBMs, with reach between 2,000 and 3,000km, are reported to be deployed possibly.

Additionally, the Ghaem-100 SLV is reported to be operational with a range of 3,000 to 4,000km is claimed to be operational.