March 21, 2026

Iran unsuccessfully targeted a joint U.S.-U.K. military base in the Indian Ocean, the U.K. said Saturday.

“Iran’s unsuccessful targeting of Diego Garcia was before yesterday’s update on the use of U.K. bases by the U.S.,” the U.K.’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) told CNBC in an emailed statement.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said Friday that ministers had approved U.S. forces’ use of British bases to defend the region, including “U.S. defensive operations to degrade missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.”

 

Iran attempted to strike the joint U.S.-U.K. military base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean with two ballistic missiles but failed to hit the target, according to British and U.S. sources. The UK's Ministry of Defence confirmed the attack occurred before approving U.S. use of British bases for defensive measures against threats in the region, including missile site degradation linked to attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. One Iranian missile malfunctioned mid-flight, while a U.S. warship launched an SM-3 interceptor to neutralize the other, though the effectiveness of the interception remains unclear.

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