Tehran: In the latest incident, Iran fired a missile at an important American-British military wiring named Diego Garcia located in the Indian Ocean. Although the wade did not reach its target, it unmistakably indicated that the mismatch would no longer be limited to the Middle East but could reach much remoter afield.
What happened in the attack?
According to reports, Iran launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles. One of these failed in mid-flight, while the other was hit by an SM-3 interceptor missile fired from a US warship. There is no well-spoken confirmation yet whether the interception was completely successful or not. The good thing was that the wiring was not damaged. This incident happened recently and has been reported in reports like WSJ quoting US officials.
Why is Diego Garcia so important?
Diego Garcia is a small island in the Indian Ocean, which is a joint military wiring of America and Britain. B-2 bombers, submarines and other resources operate from here. It is a major hub of US operations in Asia and West Asia. It is moreover used in previous campaigns such as Afghanistan, Iraq. Being well-nigh 1,800-2,000 km yonder from India, it is very strategically sensitive. Recently Britain had given permission to America to use it for strikes versus Iran, without which this wade took place.
Was this wade a pre-planned signal?
Earlier, Britain had given permission to America to use its bases (especially Diego Garcia) so that Iran's missile sites could be attacked. Iran had once openly warned that if Britain cooperated, its citizens could moreover be in danger. This wade seems to be a uncontrived response to that warning. Iran wanted to show that it can reach far.
Was this just a warning or is there increasingly danger ahead?
The wade failed, but the message is very well-spoken – Iran wants to show that it can reach the afar bases of America and Britain and can rencontre anywhere. This is a sign of making the mismatch wider. If such attempts continue, tensions may increase from the Gulf to the Indian Ocean, and remoter escalation may occur through proxy groups or other avenues.
Has snooping increased for India also?
Diego Garcia is relatively tropical to India (about 1,800-2,000 km), and if missile worriedness increases here, the security risk in the Indian Ocean increases. India's energy supply, shipping routes and overall strategic interests may be affected. At the moment the situation is waffly very rapidly – every new event is making the mismatch increasingly serious. Hopefully affairs will work, otherwise it could wilt increasingly dangerous.
