Iran Missile Strike on UK Base; Tensions Escalate

0:00On March 21st, Iran launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at the joint U.S.-U.K. base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. This came right after U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer approved U.S. strikes on Iranian missile sites from British bases. Neither missile hit his target. One missile got taken down by a U.S. warship while the other failed during flight. The base sits about 3,800 kilometers from Iran and hosts U.S.-long-range bombers, fuel storage, radar, and a deep-water port. It's key for Middle East operations. Iran's foreign minister warned that British lives are now at risk and vowed self-defense. U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the U.K. for moving too slowly on permissions and slam NATO allies for holding back. U.K. opposition leaders called for a parliamentary vote before more approvals. The U.K. recently agreed to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing the base back. Earlier permissions were only for defensive actions, but this shift allows offensive strikes,

1:03and Iranian drone had previously hit a U.K. base in Cyprus. Tensions keep rising as the U.K. plans a co-ber meeting next week to tackle war-related cost of living pressures for households.