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| Mojtaba Khamenei |
The Escalation in the Gulf
Friday marked a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. After the US renewed its bombing campaign by targeting vital infrastructure like airport facilities and bridge networks , Tehran's response was swift and devastating. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched coordinated salvoes of advanced ballistic missiles and drone swarms against US forward bases across the Middle East, spanning five nations: Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Syria, and Bahrain .
Tehran has attributed these attacks directly to the "heavy US bombardment and blockade measures," framing them as a necessary retaliation for American aggression. This isn't just a minor flare-up; it’s a demonstration of Iran's military reach and its willingness to escalate. The attacks have put the entire region on high alert, raising uncomfortable questions about the vulnerability of long-established US military installations .
Which Missiles Were Used?
According to military analysts and state media, the missiles used in this latest barrage are among the most advanced in Iran’s arsenal. We saw the deployment of the Fattah, Khaibar Shekan, Zolfaghar, and Fateh missiles . The IRGC's tactics appear to be highly calculated. By launching these weapons in mixed salvoes, they are attempting to overwhelm and defeat American multi-layered air defences in the region . The effectiveness of this new "two-for-one" doctrine is being closely watched by military experts worldwide .
Let's break down the technology behind these names:
According to military analysts and state media, the missiles used in this latest barrage are among the most advanced in Iran’s arsenal. We saw the deployment of the Fattah, Khaibar Shekan, Zolfaghar, and Fateh missiles . The IRGC's tactics appear to be highly calculated. By launching these weapons in mixed salvoes, they are attempting to overwhelm and defeat American multi-layered air defences in the region . The effectiveness of this new "two-for-one" doctrine is being closely watched by military experts worldwide .
Let's break down the technology behind these names:
Khaibar Shekan
The Khaibar Shekan is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), and its name translates to "Khaibar Breaker," a clear signal of its intended potency. Based on expert analysis, this missile is a solid-propellant MRBM with a range of approximately 1,450 kilometres . This puts it in a crucial bracket, allowing Iran to strike deep into the region from safe positions within its own borders.
What makes it particularly dangerous is its accuracy. The Khaibar Shekan is often fitted with manoeuvrable re-entry vehicles equipped with control fins and satellite navigation . This enhances its precision and allows it to make slight adjustments during its terminal phase, making it harder for conventional defence systems to intercept .
The Khaibar Shekan is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), and its name translates to "Khaibar Breaker," a clear signal of its intended potency. Based on expert analysis, this missile is a solid-propellant MRBM with a range of approximately 1,450 kilometres . This puts it in a crucial bracket, allowing Iran to strike deep into the region from safe positions within its own borders.
What makes it particularly dangerous is its accuracy. The Khaibar Shekan is often fitted with manoeuvrable re-entry vehicles equipped with control fins and satellite navigation . This enhances its precision and allows it to make slight adjustments during its terminal phase, making it harder for conventional defence systems to intercept .
Fattah
The Fattah is arguably the headline act of Iran's missile programme. It is widely believed to be a hypersonic variant of the Khaibar Shekan . The development of hypersonic missiles represents a game-changing leap in military technology.
These weapons travel at speeds greater than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) and, crucially, can follow non-ballistic trajectories through the atmosphere . Unlike traditional ballistic missiles that follow a predictable parabolic arc, hypersonic missiles can glide and manoeuvre. This unpredictability makes them exceptionally difficult to track and intercept, putting high-value US assets in the region at a greatly increased risk.
The Fattah is arguably the headline act of Iran's missile programme. It is widely believed to be a hypersonic variant of the Khaibar Shekan . The development of hypersonic missiles represents a game-changing leap in military technology.
These weapons travel at speeds greater than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) and, crucially, can follow non-ballistic trajectories through the atmosphere . Unlike traditional ballistic missiles that follow a predictable parabolic arc, hypersonic missiles can glide and manoeuvre. This unpredictability makes them exceptionally difficult to track and intercept, putting high-value US assets in the region at a greatly increased risk.
Fateh and Zolfaghar
The Fateh and Zolfaghar are reliable workhorses of Iran's short-range arsenal. The Fateh family (such as the Fateh-110) are solid-propellant short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) with a range of around 300 kilometres . They are agile, quick to launch, and carry a warhead mass of approximately 448 kilograms . They are often used for tactical strikes against high-value targets like airbases, fuel depots, and radar installations .
The Zolfaghar sits in a slightly longer-range bracket among the SRBMs, with a range of up to 700 kilometres . It is considered one of Iran's more advanced short-range options, boasting a heavier warhead of around 579 kilograms and improved accuracy . Its range means that it can be launched from inside Iranian territory and easily reach targets in Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
The Fateh and Zolfaghar are reliable workhorses of Iran's short-range arsenal. The Fateh family (such as the Fateh-110) are solid-propellant short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) with a range of around 300 kilometres . They are agile, quick to launch, and carry a warhead mass of approximately 448 kilograms . They are often used for tactical strikes against high-value targets like airbases, fuel depots, and radar installations .
The Zolfaghar sits in a slightly longer-range bracket among the SRBMs, with a range of up to 700 kilometres . It is considered one of Iran's more advanced short-range options, boasting a heavier warhead of around 579 kilograms and improved accuracy . Its range means that it can be launched from inside Iranian territory and easily reach targets in Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
The Strategic Impact and the "New Reality"
Beyond the physical destruction, the psychological and strategic message of these strikes is profound. Iran has demonstrated that it can not only strike widely across the region but also impose significant costs on the United States.
The most worrying aspect for the Pentagon is the demonstration that Iran can still hit American assets, even after months of a heavy US bombing campaign designed to "destroy" Iranian military capability . As Sam Lair, a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, noted, the US has "failed to successfully attrit their forces to the extent where they can no longer do these types of attacks" .
These recent attacks have forced the Pentagon to confront a harsh reality: the decades-old strategy of relying on large, concentrated military bases close to Iran may be obsolete . The US is now reportedly reconsidering its entire Middle East military footprint . Options include dispersing forces away from a handful of giant bases, relocating facilities further west, and even moving some command structures underground .
The fact that Iran can strike at the heart of US military power—such as the Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain or the massive Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar—creates a new strategic calculus. They are effectively trying to turn the size and concentration of US forces from an asset into a liability, just as they are threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil shipments .
Beyond the physical destruction, the psychological and strategic message of these strikes is profound. Iran has demonstrated that it can not only strike widely across the region but also impose significant costs on the United States.
The most worrying aspect for the Pentagon is the demonstration that Iran can still hit American assets, even after months of a heavy US bombing campaign designed to "destroy" Iranian military capability . As Sam Lair, a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, noted, the US has "failed to successfully attrit their forces to the extent where they can no longer do these types of attacks" .
These recent attacks have forced the Pentagon to confront a harsh reality: the decades-old strategy of relying on large, concentrated military bases close to Iran may be obsolete . The US is now reportedly reconsidering its entire Middle East military footprint . Options include dispersing forces away from a handful of giant bases, relocating facilities further west, and even moving some command structures underground .
The fact that Iran can strike at the heart of US military power—such as the Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain or the massive Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar—creates a new strategic calculus. They are effectively trying to turn the size and concentration of US forces from an asset into a liability, just as they are threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil shipments .
Conclusion
The use of these sophisticated missiles—the hypersonic Fattah, the precise Khaibar Shekan, and the widely deployed Fateh and Zolfaghar—marks a new chapter in modern warfare. Iran is signalling that it has the tools and the will to fight a prolonged campaign that can target American interests across the region. While the operational damage from these specific strikes may be limited, they serve as a clear warning to Washington and its allies: Iran is not a threat to be easily contained, and the cost of continued conflict may escalate far beyond what was originally anticipated. The situation remains fluid, and the world is watching to see how Washington will adapt to this new reality.
The use of these sophisticated missiles—the hypersonic Fattah, the precise Khaibar Shekan, and the widely deployed Fateh and Zolfaghar—marks a new chapter in modern warfare. Iran is signalling that it has the tools and the will to fight a prolonged campaign that can target American interests across the region. While the operational damage from these specific strikes may be limited, they serve as a clear warning to Washington and its allies: Iran is not a threat to be easily contained, and the cost of continued conflict may escalate far beyond what was originally anticipated. The situation remains fluid, and the world is watching to see how Washington will adapt to this new reality.
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