Iran fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles towards a US-UK military base on Friday — marking what could well become a pivotal point in the war. The strike alters many previous assumptions about the Iranian military strength and puts multiple European capitals within ‘range’. The attack also marks the first escalation in the Indian Ocean since fighting began more than three weeks ago.
The strikes came hours after the British government allowed US bombers to use UK bases, including Diego Garcia, in operations to prevent Iran from attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran launched two ‘unsuccessful’ strikes late on Friday or during the early hours of Saturday — with one missile reportedly failing in flight.
A US warship fired an SM-3 interceptor at the other missile as it sped towards the small island some 4,000 kms from Iran. Both Iranian state media and western officials have confirmed that it was intercepted. But it remains unclear how close the missiles came to the base.
Drastic alteration of Iranian military might
The threat of escalation beyond the Middle East increased sharply on Saturday as Tehran launched two missiles towards the Indian Ocean. Its range was well beyond previous estimations of Iranian military might — double the previously accepted ceiling of around 2,000 kilometres. The development creates an air of uncertainty for other countries amid the widening war about the ‘hidden’ range and capabilities of Iranian missiles.
Iranian semi-official Mehr news agency added that targeting the base was a “significant step … that shows that the range of Iran’s missiles is beyond what the enemy previously imagined”. Meanwhile the British Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that Iran “lashing out across the region and holding hostage the Strait of Hormuz” was a threat to its interests and allies.
Iran has been revealed to be in possession of Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBMs) with a range of at least 4,000 klometers. This effectively puts parts of Europe (including cities like Athens or Rome) and the entirety of the Indian Ocean within their strike zone. It is also one of only two critical US bomber bases in the Indo-Pacific region — previously considered a ‘safe haven’ because of its remote location. The decision was taken almost immediately after the US shifted its policy towards the war, and appears to send out a clear message that no Western base in this area is out of Iranian reach.