In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Iran reportedly launched two ballistic missiles targeting the joint US-UK military base at Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing US officials. The incident marks a notable expansion of the war into the Indian Ocean region.
Neither missile successfully hit the target. One missile failed mid-flight, while the second was intercepted by a US warship’s missile defense system. It remains unclear whether the interception was successful. The base, located approximately 4,000 kilometers from Iranian territory, now appears within Iran’s missile range—signaling a substantial strategic leap that could threaten European military assets in the future.
The Pentagon has yet to issue an official statement regarding the attack. Former Union Minister Manish Tewari commented on the incident, stating, “If reports are correct that Iran attempted to hit the Island of Diego Garcia deep in the Central Indian Ocean, then Iran has just widened the war and sent a very clear message towards the West while striking South.”
This attack follows a previous engagement in the Indian Ocean, where a US submarine sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena south of Sri Lanka, resulting in over 85 casualties. The warship was en route from participating in India-hosted MILAN 2026 exercises. The Pentagon has indicated that neutralizing Iran’s navy remains a core objective in the ongoing conflict, which began on February 28.
The Diego Garcia base has historically served as a strategic staging point for US military operations, including bombing campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is one of two British facilities currently used by the US for what London describes as “defensive” operations against Iran. Though Britain has agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius, it retained a lease for Diego Garcia, a move opposed publicly by US President Donald Trump.
As tensions continue to escalate, the Indian Ocean region has become an increasingly active theater in the broader conflict, with military actions signaling a potential for further regional destabilization.