Iran’s Kheibar Shekan, or “Castle Breaker”, is a medium-range ballistic missile developed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It has a reported range of roughly 1,450km (901 miles) and has been used in strikes on US military targets and infrastructure in the Middle East this week, according to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB and the IRGC.
The missile is part of Iran’s effort to show that its missile arsenal remains available after six months of intermittent US and Israeli attacks. The latest escalation followed a month-long lull in fighting.
How the missile is designed to operate
The Kheibar Shekan uses solid fuel, which is loaded before launch. That removes the need for a lengthy fuelling process during a crisis and reduces the logistical support needed to transport fuel. Solid fuel can also be stored for long periods without the deterioration associated with liquid fuel.
Iranian missile systems cover different distances and roles. Its short-range ballistic missiles have reported ranges of about 150km to 800km, while medium-range systems generally reach about 1,500km to 2,000km. The Fateh variants, including Zolfaghar and Qiam-1, are among its shorter-range systems; Shahab-3, Emad, Ghadr-1, Khorramshahr, Sejjil and Haj Qassem are among the medium-range systems. For additional context, see “Why the Strait of Hormuz crisis is reshaping global shipping”.
Key points
- Payload capacity: roughly 449kg to 590kg (990 to 1,300 pounds).
- Unveiled in 2022 and named after Khaybar, a fortified settlement associated with early Islamic history.
- Solid-fuel propulsion allows the missile to be launched within minutes without pre-launch fuelling.
- Iran has a wider missile inventory spanning short-, medium- and long-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
Where Iran says it has used Kheibar Shekan
Iran has repeatedly said it has used Kheibar Shekan missiles against US military positions since the conflict began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. IRIB reported that Iranian forces used the missile in retaliatory attacks on US assets in Jordan this week.
The IRGC said on July 16 that Kheibar Shekan missiles targeted a US jet-maintenance facility and a new command-and-control centre in Jordan’s Azraq. Four days later, the IRGC released footage showing the missile alongside Fateh-110, Zolfaghar and Emad ballistic missiles in attacks on US military targets.
What changed in the latest escalation
The renewed fighting began after US forces struck rocket launchers on Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, near Bandar Abbas. Iran then struck US military assets in Jordan, followed by further US attacks on Iranian targets and Iranian attacks on US bases in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. A related part of this story is covered in “Iran and Oman weigh a temporary shipping route through Hormuz”.
The United States resumed attacks on Iranian targets on August 31, with US Central Command saying it had struck IRGC sites in southern Iran. Iran responded with missiles and drones against US forces and military assets, and its military said it attacked US bases and assets in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Erbil in Iraq.
Iran also reported that US attacks hit civilian targets, including a house in Kuhestak during a wedding celebration, killing at least five people and injuring 68, including women and children. The US military said it had completed another wave of strikes against Iranian military targets. The development of this issue can be followed in “Temporary Hormuz shipping corridor agreed, Iran says”.
What happens next
The renewed conflict has returned the Strait of Hormuz to the centre of the crisis. Oil prices rose sharply as markets reacted to the fighting and the risk to energy shipments through the waterway, through which 25 percent of the world’s oil and petroleum products are shipped in peacetime.
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