Iran Threatens Retaliatory Strike on Diego Garcia if Attacked by the U.S.

Iran has warned that if the United States attacks, its first retaliatory strike will target the American military base in Diego Garcia, located 700 kilometers south of the Maldives.

The warning comes amid reports that the U.S. may use Diego Garcia to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities. The U.S. military has recently deployed B-2 stealth bombers—capable of precision strikes and evading air defense systems—to the base.

Satellite data from Planet Labs and other open-source sources confirm the presence of at least five B-2 bombers, along with C-17 cargo aircraft and 10 aerial refueling tankers at the base.

Tensions Escalate Over Iran’s Nuclear Program

U.S. President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warning of military action if Iran refuses to negotiate its nuclear program. However, Iran insists it will not engage in discussions beyond the 2015 nuclear agreement and refuses to compromise on its ballistic missile program.

Meanwhile, U.S. forces continue airstrikes against Iran-linked Houthi fighters in Yemen, with Washington maintaining that any attack by the Houthis will be considered an attack by Iran.