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Iran launched intermediate-range ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia, a joint US-UK military base, Friday morning local time, according to a US official.
Iran fired two missiles at the facility located in the Indian Ocean around 2,370 miles (3,810 kilometers) from Iran’s coast, but neither of them struck the base, the official said.
Diego Garcia — a key airfield for the US’ heavy bomber fleet — has long served as a crucial overseas US military staging post for operations far from home.
CNN has reached out for comment from the White House, Pentagon and the UK Ministry of Defense, as well as US Indo-Pacific Command, which counts the base at Diego Garcia among its areas of responsibilities.
Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency said on Saturday that Iran had “fired two ballistic missiles at the military base of the oppressors in Diego Garcia.” It described the move as “a significant step by the Islamic Republic of Iran in threatening the interests of the United States and its allies beyond the borders of West Asia.”
The news agency did not say whether the targeting had been successful.
Some background: Diego Garcia is part of the Chagos Islands, an archipelago more than 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) northeast of Mauritius. The UK took over the islands along with Mauritius in 1814 after the defeat of Napoleon.
Mauritius gained independence in 1968, but the Chagos Islands remain under British control.
Hoping to stave off Soviet military influence in the region, the US and UK built a major base on Diego Garcia in 1971.
The island has helped launch two invasions of Iraq, served as a vital landing spot for bombers that fly missions across Asia and has been linked to US rendition efforts.
Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump accused the UK of “stupidity” over its plan to hand over ownership of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Under the terms of a treaty, the UK will transfer sovereignty over all the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The UK will pay Mauritius $136 million each year for a 99-year lease on the military base at Diego Garcia, meaning the UK and US can still use the facility.
This post has been updated with additional information.
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