Why Iran named its cruise missile that hit Tel Aviv Khaybar-Breaker
Amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, following the US' strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, Tehran launched its 20th wave of missile and drone offensives against Israel under Operation True Promise 3. The latest attack saw the use of multi-warhead missile Kheibar Shekan, piercing Israel's famed air defence system, the Iron Dome.The solid-fuel, medium-range ballistic missile, operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, has an intriguing etymology, laden with historical significance for Iran and Israel.advertisementKheibar Shekan translates to "Kheibar Breaker" in Arabic. It refers to the 7th-century Battle of Khaybar between Muslims and Jews in Arabia, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Though the place is spelt as Khaybar, the name of Iran's missile is Kheibar.When the missile was first manufactured in 2022, Iran's media did not directly link it to the "anti-Jewish battle", reported The Jerusalem Post.However, references to the Khaybar massacre of Jews have reportedly been used in the region as a battle cry against Israel and the Jewish people.WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KHAYBAR IN ISLAM?Professor Ali Nadeem Rezavi of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) said, "The Battle of Khaybar was fought in 629 AH, between the army of the Prophet and the Jews of Khaybar."According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the Battle of Khaybar occurred during a period of complex interactions between early Muslims and Jewish tribes in the Arabian Peninsula.advertisementAfter Prophet Muhammad's migration to Medina in 622 CE, he sought to establish alliances with local Jewish tribes. However, tensions arose due to political rivalries, broken agreements, and alliances formed by some Jewish tribes with the Quraysh tribe of Mecca against the Muslims."From the Prophet's side, Imam Ali was sent to conquer the fort. In the battle, not only was a famous Jewish commander, Marhab, killed by the sword (named Zulfiqar) of Ali, but the fort was also captured. Ali is said to have lifted both doors of the fortress from their hinges, climbed into the moat, and held them up to create a bridge, allowing the attackers to gain access to the redoubt," Rezavi, from AMU's history department, told India Today Digital.After the Islamic victory, "The Jews", said Rezavi, "were made to pay tribute to the victors and were allowed to emigrate from there. Jewish tribes like Banu Ghatafan and Banu Quraiza were all humiliated. Despite forces consisting of 10,000–20,000 Jews versus 1,400 Muslims, deaths were remarkably low, with 93 Jews and 18 Muslims killed, and 50 injured between both parties.""The battle is considered the greatest victory of Islam over Jewish people," he added.MENTIONS OF KHAYBAR IN ANTI-JEWISH PROTESTSadvertisementThe chant "Khaybar, Khaybar ya yahud" is often used in anti-Israel and anti-Jewish protests in the Middle East, according to The Jerusalem Post.The chant is considered anti-Semitic.The American Jewish Committee (AJC) noted that chants of this nature were used in the anti-Semitic protests that swept Europe and the US in May 2022 against the backdrop of the conflict between Israel and Hamas."Anti-Semitic protesters in Brussels chanted 'Khaybar, Khaybar, ya yahud! Jaysh Muhammad sa-ya'ud,' or, "Remember Khaybar, Oh you Jews, Muhammad's army will come back to you'," the AJC report said.KHAMENEI USED KHAYBAR BATTLE IMAGERY TO WARN ISRAELEven Ayatollah Ali Khamenei invoked the imagery of Imam Ali with his sword Zulfiqar, brandishing it in front of a Jewish fort in the Battle of Khaybar, in a post on X on the fifth day of the Iran-Israel conflict.While the 20th wave of missiles included other missiles besides Kheibar Shekan, nine buildings were reportedly destroyed in the Ramat Gan district of Tel Aviv, and explosions were reported in Haifa too. Reports suggest this damage was mainly caused by Kheiber Shekan missiles.Grounded in ideological legacy, the missile, built for speed, stealth, and accuracy, is proving to be a key weapon for Iran against Israel.- End
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