Diego Garcia attack: Iran has expanded the Middle East war well beyond the region as it reportedly fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at the US-British military base in Diego Garcia, at least 4,000 kilometres away in the Indian Ocean.
Did Iran understate its missile capabilities?
According to geopolitical experts, the attack on Diego Garcia is a clear message from Iran that no destination is safe from its missiles, which were previously believed to have a maximum range of over 2,000 kilometers.
Military analysts believe Iran may have massively understated its ballistic missile capabilities as the Diego Garcia attack shows that Tehran’s missiles have at least a range of 4,000 km, more than double of what it had previously.
This implies that Iran might possess a secret missile force which even the Israeli and US intelligence agencies like CIA and Mossad are unaware of, and potentially allows Iranian forces to launch strikes well beyond the Middle East, even some parts of Europe.
Why Diego Garcia attack is significant?
The Diego Garcia attack is being viewed as more of intent and strength by Iran rather than precision as one missile failed during flight, while the other was intercepted, though its unclear whether the interception was successful.
The attempted strike is significant as Diego Garcia is located about 4,000 kilometres from Iran, suggesting that Iran’s missile range may be far greater than what it has publicly stated. Last month, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said last month that the country had limited its missile range to 2,000 kilometres.
The Diego Garcia base is a key strategic facility jointly operated by the United States and the United Kingdom, and is used to conduct long-range operations using heavy bombers, surveillance aircraft, and fighter jets, making it a high-value target.
This attack has expanded the battlefield from the Middle East to the Indian Ocean, and will force the US and its allies to reposition their missile defense systems, further straining their limited strategic advantage in West Asia.
Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency described the attack as a “major step,” claiming that the missiles’ range far exceeded the enemy’s expectations.
How Iran targeted Diego Garcia base?
According to The Wall Street Journal, Iran fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles towards the joint US-UK military base at Diego Garcia in the Chagos Archipelago, stating that one missile failed during flight, while a US warship launched an SM-3 interceptor at the second missile.
However, the report did not specify when the missiles were fired, or whether the the interception was successful.
The SM-3 interceptor is used by the US Navy to destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles, by using sheer force rather than an explosive warhead.
The interceptor’s “kill vehicle” hits targets with the force of a 10-ton truck travelling at 600 miles per hour. This method, known as “hit-to-kill”, has been likened to intercepting a bullet with another bullet, according to Raytheon.
