Missile Strike Against Diego Garcia: Iran Unveils its Threat Against Europe

Three major developments, undeniably strategic in dimension, have marked the last twenty-four hours of the war between the American-Israeli alliance and the Republic of the Mullahs in Tehran.

Iran thus launched for the first time two intermediate-range ballistic missiles towards the American-British base of Diego Garcia, located in the Indian Ocean, some 4000 kilometers from Iran. The two missiles did not reach their target, but the importance of this launch lies in its geopolitical significance. The range of Iranian missiles was generally estimated at 2000 kilometers. The fact that these two ballistic devices had a range of nearly 4000 kilometers constitutes tangible proof that the Islamic Republic was genuinely working to acquire a missile arsenal potentially capable of reaching European capitals, including Paris and London, located respectively 4200 and 4400 kilometers from Tehran.

Such data therefore delivers a stinging rebuke to certain Western circles and observers who campaign against the battle engaged against the Islamic Republic by claiming that the Iranian regime posed no threat to European countries and Western interests.

Another major development on Saturday, March 21: the bombing by American aviation, for the second time in three weeks, of the Natanz nuclear power plant and its uranium enrichment facility. Bunker-buster bombs were used during this bombing to hit underground targets buried at great depths. No radioactive leak was reported following this operation, indicated the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). On Saturday afternoon, American aviation was flying over the Isfahan area, where another important nuclear power plant is located.

Twenty countries commit to unblock Hormuz

The other issue that has focused the attention of Western chancellories and international economic circles manifests itself in the threats that the Islamic Republic poses to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The new development on this front on Saturday is the commitment made by about twenty countries, including France, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom, to join efforts to ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump, it should be noted in this regard, had in recent days intensified his call for active participation of Western countries in the action advocated to guarantee the free movement of ships on this maritime route. As part of their contribution on this front, the United States deployed A-10 Warthog aircraft equipped with advanced military equipment capable of particularly effectively targeting vessels posing a threat to maritime traffic. Simultaneously, American and Israeli air forces intensified their pounding of missile warehouses and launch pads located in the Strait of Hormuz area on Saturday and over the past twenty-four hours.

All these developments lend credence to the theory, reported for several days by various circles, that the American army is preparing a landing on the Iranian island of Kharg, whose highly strategic importance lies in the fact that 90 percent of Iranian oil exports transit through this island, which benefits from deep waters allowing the docking of giant supertankers.

The Israeli army continues its advance in South Lebanon

On the Lebanese front, the Israeli army continued its slow, and cautious, advance into Lebanese territory on Saturday, occupying new strategic positions that would allow it to consolidate its plan to establish a buffer zone between the Litani and the border with Lebanon.

This territorial encroachment, particularly noticeable on Saturday in the Nakoura region, is accompanied by intensive shelling of several villages in the southern region. Simultaneously, clashes were reported Saturday in the locality of Khiam where the Israeli army is facing two pockets of resistance held by Hezbollah militiamen.

Meanwhile, the Israeli air force continued its intermittent bombing of Hezbollah militia infrastructures in several southern Beirut suburbs, including Haret Hreik and Bourj Brajneh, during the night of Friday and throughout Saturday.