LONDON

A British minister on Monday rejected Israeli claims that Iran could target London, saying there is "no assessment to substantiate" this suggestion.

There was "no specific assessment that Tehran is targeting the UK or even could if they wanted to," Housing Secretary Steve Reed told the BBC after the Israeli army claimed on Saturday that Iran had weapons that could reach up to 4,000 km (2,485 miles).

His remarks came following reports that Iran targeted the joint US-UK military base on the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, which is some 3,800 km (2,361 miles) from Iran.

Meanwhile, he refused to say how close the missiles came to the British territory, mentioning he could not share "operational details."

"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," he added.

Regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far over 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting “US military assets,” causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.