On the morning of March 20, Iran launched strikes targeting Diego Garcia, a joint US-UK base in the Indian Ocean located more than 3,000 km (2,000 mi) from its coast.
Although the two intermediate-range ballistic missiles did not manage to hit the base, the attempt itself has raised questions about Iran’s military capabilities and how far its actual missile range is. Moreover, this attack suggests that Tehran may not be adhering to its self-imposed missile range limit of 2,000 km (around 1,240 mi), creating cause for concern for the US and Europe in particular.
The strikes mark the first known attempt to target the remote military base. But what else do we know about Diego Garcia, really?
The island of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Archipelago, home to one of the world's most mysterious military bases, is plagued by controversy and entangled in many high-profile conspiracy theories. Exiled natives have been protesting for years for the right to return to the island after they were forced to leave and make way for secret military operations. Some theorists even believe that the missing Malaysia Airline Flight 370 was hidden on the island.
Intrigued? Click through the following gallery to learn more about this mysterious military base.