Image: from Sprinter Press X @SprinterPress
By Open Chronicle | March 22, 2026
LONDON — Tensions in the Middle East have reached a critical flashpoint following reports of a significant escalation in Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities. Evidence from a recent military operation suggests that major European capitals, including Berlin, Paris, and Rome, may now be within direct range of Tehran’s arsenal.
The alarm was raised following “Operation Epic Fury” on February 28, during which Iran reportedly launched two medium-range ballistic missiles targeting the joint U.S.-UK military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. While Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had previously insisted that Tehran deliberately capped its missile range at 2,000 kilometers to avoid appearing hostile to Europe, recent data suggests otherwise.
According to Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the missiles used in the attack were two-stage intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with an estimated range of 4,000 kilometers, double what Iranian officials had previously claimed.
“These missiles were not intended for Israel,” Gen. Zamir stated in a briefing. Their range reaches European capitals. Berlin, Paris, and Rome are now within direct threat range.”
The launch has sparked a wave of international condemnation and skepticism regarding Iran’s diplomatic assurances. IDF spokesperson Nadav Shoshani took to social media to highlight what he described as a calculated deception. “Just three days before the war, the Iranian regime said it did not possess long-range missiles,” Shoshani wrote. “Today, that claim has been exposed as false.”
The reaching of Diego Garcia, located roughly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) from Iranian territory, serves as a “proof of concept” for Tehran’s extended reach. The escalation comes amid a flurry of diplomatic and military maneuvers, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to strike Iranian energy facilities and the evacuation of NATO missions from Iraq.
As the reach of Iranian weaponry expands, European leaders are facing mounting pressure to reassess their security postures. With the “2,000km limit” now seemingly a thing of the past, the geopolitical map of the conflict has shifted, placing the heart of Europe squarely within the theater of operations.