Asked to comment on a Saturday IDF post claiming “the Iranian terrorist regime poses a global threat… with missiles that can reach London, Paris or Berlin,” UK Housing Secretary Steve Reed on Sunday told the BBC that the Israeli claim that Iranian missiles could strike London isn’t actually supported by any current intel. Reed said there’s “no specific assessment that the Iranians are targeting the UK or even could, if they wanted to. We are perfectly capable of protecting this country and keeping this country safe, whether it’s here at home, or whether it’s our assets and nationals across the region. There is no assessment to substantiate what’s being said.”
It’s not clear why Reed – a housing official – was qualified to comment on the matter, with the IDF’s claim based on an attempted missile attack on Diego Garcia, which is 2,360 miles away from the closest Iranian territory. The distance between London and the northwesternmost tip of Iran is about 100 miles closer. Still, the missiles were intercepted well before they got anywhere close to Diego.