The UK's Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has stated that the UK will continue to provide defensive support against 'reckless Iranian threats', following reports of two ballistic missiles being fired at the joint US-UK military base in the Chagos Islands.
According to The Wall Street Journal and CNN, citing unnamed US officials, the missiles were fired at the island of Diego Garcia, but neither reached its target. One missile reportedly failed in flight, while the other was intercepted by a US warship.
The BBC understands these reports are accurate, although the US military has declined to comment on the incident. The attempted air strike occurred before the UK agreed to let the US use British military bases to hit Iranian sites targeting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Background on the Conflict
The conflict in the Middle East has been escalating since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February. Iran has launched waves of strikes on nations in the Middle East hosting US facilities, as well as Israel, which is also striking Iran.
The UK's approach to the conflict has drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump, who said the UK 'should have acted a lot faster' to help secure the waterway and temper skyrocketing oil prices. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also warned that the UK's participation is 'putting British lives in danger'.
UK Government Response
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will hold a Cobra meeting next week on plans to help mitigate a rise in the cost of living caused by the war. The British government has agreed to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back the base on Diego Garcia.
The UK has dispatched HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, to the region to protect the base, as part of wider defensive efforts. The government has also expanded its targets to include Iranian sites being used to threaten vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.
