Iran's Kheibar Shekan missile threatens US bases with long range and advanced maneuverability
Iran has been repeatedly employing the medium‑range ballistic missile Kheibar Shekan in attacks on United States military installations across the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal reports that the missile can strike targets up to 1,450 km (about 900 mi) away, covering both Persian Gulf states and Israel, and that it carries a warhead of roughly 450‑590 kg.
The weapon is built with solid‑fuel motors, allowing it to be stored in a launch‑ready state and rapidly mounted on trucks or mobile launchers. New variants are equipped with a small terminal‑stage engine that enables high‑speed course corrections—up to 9,600 km/h—making interception by sophisticated air‑defence systems more difficult. Although U.S. and allied forces say they have shot down the majority of Kheibar Shekan missiles, a number have penetrated defenses and reached their intended locations.
Analysts note the missile’s relatively low production cost compared with other ballistic systems, giving Tehran a cost‑effective way to challenge the expensive interceptor stocks of the United States and its partners. Iran also layers these missile attacks with high‑speed drones and older rockets to overload regional air‑defence networks.
Entities: Islamic Republic of Iran · Israel · Kheibar Shekan missile · U.S. military bases in the Middle East · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The missile is relatively inexpensive to produce, allowing Iran to field large numbers against costly interceptor stocks. (Articles note low production cost compared with other ballistic missiles.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The missile uses solid‑fuel motors and can be stored fuelled for rapid launch. (Articles describe solid‑fuel design and ready‑to‑fire capability.)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Kheibar Shekan warheads weigh between 450 kg and 590 kg and travel at roughly 6,100 km/h during descent. (Technical specifications reported in articles.)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Kheibar Shekan missile has a range of at least 1,450 km (900 mi). (Wall Street Journal reports; multiple articles cite 1,400‑1,450 km range.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] U.S. and allied forces have intercepted most Kheibar Shekan missiles, but a number have successfully penetrated air‑defence systems. (Statements from U.S. officials quoted in articles.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Iran has repeatedly launched Kheibar Shekan missiles at U.S. bases in the Middle East since the conflict resumed in early July 2024. (Multiple reports cite attacks on U.S. installations.)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Some Kheibar Shekan variants can execute terminal‑stage maneuvers with a small engine, reaching speeds up to about 9,600 km/h. (Technical descriptions in several articles.)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Iran combines Kheibar Shekan missile strikes with high‑speed drones and older rockets to overload regional air‑defence networks. (Reports of multi‑layered attacks.)