Cheap, accurate, and lethal: Iran's 'Kheibar Shekan' missile is becoming more dangerous

The Kheibar Shekan missile is the workhorse of Tehran's missile arsenal: a cheap, mobile, and accurate weapon with a range of at least 1,450 kilometers. Recently, Iran has been employing it in increasingly complex attacks, proving to be a significant challenge for the USA.

Since the resumption of hostilities in July, Iran has been firing Kheibar Shekan missiles at American bases, according to senior US officials. They report that the missile combines a dynamic flight path, maneuvers, and speed changes in an attempt to confuse air defense systems.

One official stated that while the US and its allies have managed to intercept most of the Kheibar missiles throughout the war, some have successfully penetrated defense systems.

Unlike older Iranian missiles that require lengthy fueling before launch, military analysts say that Kheibar Shekan missiles can be kept fueled and loaded quickly onto trucks or other vehicles. This mobility allows them to evade US and Israeli fighter jets tasked with destroying Iran's missile launch sites.

In some versions, the nose cone—which carries the warhead and detaches in the final flight stage—is equipped with a small engine. This allows it to change direction as it approaches the target at speeds of approximately 9,700 km/h, according to analysts and officials.

How it works

While ballistic missiles typically rise into the upper atmosphere before diving toward their target, not all are capable of mid-flight maneuvers. Military analysts who have studied the Kheibar Shekan state that it is capable of changing its trajectory more than other ballistic missiles, making it harder to detect and intercept.

US officials also report that Iran is launching fast attack drones and simpler missiles alongside Kheibar Shekan missiles to overwhelm targets, adapting its combat tactics throughout the war.

Since the collapse of the ceasefire, Iran has been attacking residential areas of American soldiers on bases across the Middle East. Officials also note that Iran is targeting radar systems essential for regional air defense, a strategy that increases the risk to personnel.

"I think it shows that Iran is learning and looking for ways to hit us," said General Joseph Votel, former commander of US Central Command. "This military has very developed capabilities in the field of drones, and it has been running programs to develop missiles and rockets for years. They have a lot of expertise in this area."

According to US and Israeli estimates, Iran possessed about 2,500 Kheibar Shekan and other medium-range missiles at the outbreak of the war. Fabian Hinz, an independent missile expert, notes that while Iran may continue to assemble new missiles from stored components, the production facilities for the missile engines have already been destroyed.

"During the war, the Iranians realized that Kheibar Shekan missiles are a significant asset because they are relatively cheap to produce, flexible in terms of launch systems, and quite effective," said Nicole Grajewski, an expert on Iranian strategy at the Sciences Po Institute in Paris.

Iran has launched Kheibar Shekan missiles at Israel, which claims to have intercepted most of them. Tehran has also claimed to have targeted the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the headquarters of the Air Force commander using these missiles, though the results of these attacks could not be verified.

The missile is named after the Battle of Khaybar, the 628 campaign led by the Prophet Muhammad, during which his forces conquered the fortified oasis of Khaybar, then under the control of Jewish tribes on the Arabian Peninsula.

While Iran has not released production costs, analysts suggest they are significantly lower than the American and Israeli interceptor missiles used against them, which range from $2 million to $15 million per unit.

According to Hinz, Iran appears to have improved its missile attacks by analyzing previous launches and drawing lessons to increase the probability of penetrating defense systems. "Iran has learned which maneuvers are most effective for overcoming missile defense systems," Hinz said. "Any operational use provides data, and this information is very useful to the Iranians."