Iran has developed long-range missiles capable of reaching major European cities, Israel has warned. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said Tehran launched a long-range missile for the first time since the start of the war, showing it can now reach cities like London, Paris or Berlin.
The Israeli military claimed the missiles could travel around 4,000km, posing a danger to dozens of countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. “We have been saying it: The Iranian terrorist regime poses a global threat,” the IDF said in a statement.
Iran targeted Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands before the UK gave the US permission to strike missile sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. One of the missiles was shot down by a US warship while the other failed in flight, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned Iran’s missile strikes on the joint US-UK base on Saturday, stressing that the UK will not be drawn into a wider conflict. She said ministers support defensive action only and want to see a swift resolution to the war.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to “come clean” about the details of the attack on British troops and explain why the public was not informed. The Ministry of Defence has declined to comment on when the attack was launched.
Diego Garcia, around 3,800km from Iran, is home to an airbase capable of accommodating long-range US bombers. The UK has agreed to cede sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius and lease back the base. The Prime Minister will hold a Cobra meeting next week to discuss cost of living issues caused by the war.
