UK minister Steve Reed said one missile launched by Iran targeting a joint UK-US military base in the Indian Ocean “fell short” while another missile was “intercepted”, AFP reports.

“Our assessment is that the Iranians certainly targeted Diego Garcia,” a military base some 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) away from Iran, Reed told the BBC.

“As we understand it, one missile fell short, failed, the other was intercepted and prevented,” said the housing minister.