Iran fires 2 ballistic missiles at US-UK base in first long-range strike attempt

Iran has attempted to strike a joint US-UK military installation in the Indian Ocean, about 2,500 miles away from Iran.

Two intermediate-range ballistic missiles were launched toward Diego Garcia, a strategically vital base used by both the United States and the United Kingdom. Reports indicate neither missile reached its target. 

One failed during flight, while a US naval vessel responded by firing an SM-3 interceptor at the second missile. It remains unclear whether that interceptor successfully destroyed the incoming threat.

The attempted strike is notable as Iran’s first known operational use of intermediate-range ballistic missiles, weapons capable of traveling much greater distances than those typically used in prior attacks. Iran later confirmed the attack and said this step "shows that the range of Iran’s missiles is beyond what the enemy had previously imagined"

The attack comes amid an intensifying cycle of hostilities. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says its on the “70th wave” of operations since the start of the conflict, claiming responsibility for targeting more than 55 sites across the Middle East. Iranian officials said this 'wave' is a turning point, declaring that it “ushers in a new phase in the balance of power in the region.”

The IRGC also issued a rare public warning to civilians in Ras Al Khaimah City in the United Arab Emirates, stating the area could be targeted “in the near future.” The group alleged that the location had been used to support attacks against Iranian-controlled islands, though it provided no evidence.