Latest news with #KheibarShekan
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Iran's ‘monster missile' exposes Israel's Achilles' heel
It was the deadliest projectile Iran fired in its 12-day war with Israel – and it hit just before the ceasefire came into force. Targeted at the southern desert city of Beersheba, the ballistic missile ripped off the entire side of a residential apartment block shortly before 6am on Tuesday, going on to explode against one of the many 'safe' rooms nestling inside the building. The four people sheltering inside died instantly, bringing the total of Israeli fatalities to 28. Only the previous day, Tehran announced that it had begun using the multi-warhead Kheibar Shekan (Ghadr-H) weapon against Israel, a so-called 'monster missile'. While the IDF has not officially confirmed whether this munition was used in the Beersheba attack, Isaac Herzog, Israel's president, described the projectile in question as 'one of the heaviest missiles in the Iranian arsenal'. That Iran, forced into an ignominious ceasefire, chose to sign off its missile campaign with such brutality sends a clear message. Namely, should Israel decide to break the peace, its civilians will continue to die, and there is little that the Jewish state, despite its sophisticated air defence array, can do to stop it. Tuesday's deaths followed a similar strike in Petah Tikva, east of Tel Aviv, on the first Sunday of the campaign, in which two people who had been following the rules by taking cover in a certified above-ground shelter were killed. Two others also died in the attack. Despite staunch support for the war, these incidents have prompted deep soul-searching among civil society. Israelis know that future wars are probably a matter of when and not if. That newfound sense of vulnerability was obvious this week in a series of vast tented cities in the concrete jungle tens of metres below the streets of Tel Aviv. Shalhevet Freedman, 50, was just bedding down for the night, alongside her mother Claret, 75, and her 17-year-old daughter Daniella. She said: 'I was staying in Petah Tikva because I thought it would be safer than Tel Aviv. 'I was actually close to the direct hit – I realised we weren't safe at all. We are more safe here.' Ms Freedman was speaking four storeys below the Dizengoff Centre, a shopping mall in the heart of the city. Under the glare of bright lights, the hastily repurposed car park is full of small silver tents as far as the eye can see. Families, who either do not have access to a private shelter or no longer trust them, have carved out little corners where, previously, top-of-the-range electric cars would be charged up. Ronen Koehler, from the campaign group Brothers and Sisters in Arms, is one of the organisers. A former submarine captain, the 61-year-old knows a thing or two about encouraging people to work well together in confined spaces. He said: 'The outside world thinks that Tel Aviv is full of modern shelters, but that's absolutely not the case. 'A lot of the buildings here went up in the 40s, 50s and 60s, so they are not equipped.' Mr Koehler explained that the elderly and people with young children often struggle to make it to public shelters within the (approximately) 12 to 15 minutes provided by Israel's early warning system. 'You have young families, kids, being woken up two or three times a night, going down several storeys. Being able to sleep all night is a huge thing.' He added that many younger people living on their own, even those with private shelters, prefer to come underground for the whole night. 'They're terrified of dying alone,' he said. 'Being with other people relaxes them.' The inhabitants of the car park – a designated nuclear shelter – beneath the Dizengoff Centre is the Tel Aviv that the world does not see. The city – with some justification – has a global image as a hyper-modern place full of cool young people who largely shrug off the missile threat. But, on the final night of this round of Israel's decades-long confrontation with Iran, the people camping down for the night –many of whom are working class – look tired and frightened, refugees in their own city. The enormous blast doors are kept open during raids to encourage people to run in. Orit Baisa, a 41-year-old kindergarten medical worker, was cradling a pinscher rescue dog called Sandy. She explained that she had spent more than a year trying to work on the animal's anxiety and aggression issues with various trainers, but the missiles were now causing 'catastrophic' panic attacks, meaning her pet needed to be medicated at all times. A report submitted to the government shortly before Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear and missile programmes found that millions of Israeli citizens are without adequate protection from missiles. It found that some 56 per cent of homes do not have a shelter, and 12,000 of Israel's public shelters are in a state of disrepair. Most Israelis are probably unaware of the report's publication – but they would recognise its contents. Rinat Weinberg, a mechanical engineer from Haifa, 29, said the so-called 'safe' room in her building lacked a proper door and was fortified in parts with sacks of rocks and sand, rather than regulation reinforced concrete. She was down in the Dizengoff car park out of 'curiosity', but looked like she might stay for the night. Ms Weinberg said: 'In Haifa we ended up sleeping in an underground railway station with the trains still coming past the platforms. It was crazy. We're nomads now.' Following Saddam Hussein's Scud missile campaign in the first Gulf War, Israel passed a law mandating that all new residential apartments be built with a protected space. Overall, the options are now broadly categorised as: Mamads, reinforced rooms within apartments or homes; Mamaks, communal protected space on each floor of a residential building, often in its core; and Miklat, public bomb shelters, often underground. However, access to private shelters is heavily weighted away from the poor, the new report found. Ample evidence of this during the recent campaign was to be found in the sprawling, dark and fetid concrete labyrinth in the bowels of Tel Aviv's central bus shelter, in the less affluent south of the city, where another tented community had sprung up. Lyn Tagacay, a care worker from the Philippines, was trying to rock her 11-month-old son Kyle to sleep as midnight approached. She said: 'We didn't have a bomb shelter near us, which meant I couldn't get to it in time without running. 'It was scary and I couldn't deal with it. It's easier to be down here.' As the dust settles on the numerous missile strike sites, the debate over how Israel can better protect its civilians is getting started. Despite Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu's victory statements, it is not yet known to what extent Iran retains any nuclear weapons capability, and therefore the likelihood of future Israeli attacks which would provoke a response. But it is known that the Islamic Republic retains at least hundreds of ballistic missiles, against which Israel's air defence is capable, but not perfect. The hundreds of people underground in Tel Aviv this week, and the nearly 10,000 displaced across the country, know this could all happen again before too long.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
The Ghost Missile: How Iran's invisible Kheibar Shekan missile outran Israel's defences
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads IRGC confirms missile use, hints at more to come Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Technical specs and range Popular in Defence Guidance, precision, and speed A stealthy, streamlined design Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Built over time, hidden in plain sight A strike that landed and shook Airspace shut, schools closed, public stunned A warning shot for the wider region In its 20th and most sophisticated wave of attacks against Israel, Iran fired a barrage of missiles and drones at key Israeli targets on 22 June, including Ben Gurion Airport and military command centres. But it wasn't just the targets that made the first time, Iran deployed the Kheibar Shekan missile—its most advanced, homegrown ballistic weapon—to send a message loud and clear: escalation is now on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that it used the Kheibar Shekan missile in the attack, which it said was part of a broader 'strategic response to Israeli aggression.' The attack followed recent airstrikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian nuclear a direct quote reported by state news agency IRNA, the IRGC stated: 'This operation did not involve all armed capabilities yet,' indicating that more advanced systems may still be in to IRNA, the Kheibar Shekan missile belongs to the fourth generation of Iran's Khorramshahr missile family. It has a range of 1,450 kilometres and runs on solid fuel—giving it high mobility and faster launch times. IRGC engineers claim it can be made launch-ready in under 15 warhead weighs approximately 1,500 kilograms and is nearly four metres long. Its top speed exceeds 19,500 km/h outside the atmosphere and nearly 9,800 km/h within, which makes interception by Israeli defence systems like Iron Dome, David's Sling, or even the US-made Patriot systems extremely earlier Iranian missiles, the Kheibar Shekan uses satellite navigation and a new guidance system. It also features a Maneuverable Reentry Vehicle (MaRV) that allows it to zigzag through the atmosphere before hitting its makes it not only fast, but also hard to track and sources say it passes through three phases: an initial launch and flight, then warhead guidance using rear thrusters, and finally re-entry, where onboard engines adjust the final course while maintaining speeds above Mach have removed ailerons from its exterior, reducing drag and enhancing stealth. The engine—named 'Arond'—is built inside the fuel tank to make the missile shorter and harder to can be launched from a mobile platform and is believed to be deployable from multiple locations, complicating Israel's response development of this missile series started in 2017 with the unveiling of the Khorramshahr-1. Later versions included Khorramshahr-2 in 2019, and the Khorramshahr-4 in 2023. Iran has never publicly confirmed the third generation, Khorramshahr-3, though military officials have acknowledged its existence, hinting at 'advanced capabilities that have not been disclosed for security reasons.'Kheibar Shekan means 'Breaker of Khyber' in Arabic—a name loaded with historical significance for Iran. It refers to the 7th-century Battle of Khyber between Muslims and Jews in Arabia, where Imam Ali bin Abi Talib played a pivotal name, steeped in Shiite history, isn't just symbolism—it's part of how Iran frames its conflict with Israel. The missile was earlier used during 'Sadiq Promise 1' in April 2024 and again in 'Sadiq Promise 2' in October, as reported by Western to Iranian claims, this latest strike disrupted Israel's air traffic, damaged several military and research facilities, and triggered chaos in cities like Haifa and Tel buildings were reported destroyed in the Ramat Gan district of Tel Aviv, while explosions were reported in Haifa. Israeli emergency services confirmed 23 injuries, including three serious cases and a teenager. A woman died from a heart attack in Karmiel during the defence sources told local media that at least 18 out of 30 Iranian ballistic missiles evaded interception—'the highest percentage of successful hits this year.'Flights were suspended at Ben Gurion Airport. Schools were shut. Public gatherings were banned. Residents were urged to take shelter in underground bunkers as defence sirens rang across major Israel said no 'major damage' was caused to its military bases, the psychological and operational impact was strike wasn't just about Israel. It signals wider regional intentions. Tehran has long relied on allied militias—Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and armed groups in Iraq—to exert influence beyond its borders. Analysts believe these groups may soon ramp up pressure on US and allied forces across Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and even the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil passes, could be blocked. Oil prices would surge. Shipping lanes through the Red Sea and Persian Gulf would become unsafe. Rerouting global cargo would mean higher freight costs, delivery delays, and disrupted supply tensions rise, capital may flee the region, putting fragile economies at further Kheibar Shekan isn't just a missile—it's a declaration. Built for speed, stealth, and accuracy, and grounded in ideological legacy, it marks a leap in Iran's missile technology. Its battlefield debut, aimed at Israel's critical infrastructure, suggests Tehran is prepared for a longer, riskier game. And as the fallout spreads across defence systems, global trade, and diplomacy, the world is watching not just for what was fired—but for what might come next.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Israel assassinates IRGC members in Iran as missile strikes hit nuclear sites
Members of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) navy participate in an exercise in Abu Musa Island, in this picture obtained on August 2, 2023. IRGC/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Listen to article At least 10 members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were assassinated in Israeli air strikes on the central province of Yazd on Sunday, Iranian media stated. Iran has not yet responded publicly to the reported deaths in Yazd. The IRGC, a powerful branch of Iran's military reporting directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, plays a central role in the country's foreign operations and oversees its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes. It comprises around 190,000 active personnel and was designated a terrorist organisation by the United States in 2019. An unspecified number of other IRGC personnel were also wounded in the strikes, which mark one of the deadliest Israeli attacks on Iranian territory since tensions escalated earlier this month, reported semi-official Tasnim News Agency. Israel has not officially confirmed the strike in Yazd but claims it has assassinated around two dozen Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists since June 13. Israeli air strikes have killed several top Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists, including the commander of the IRGC Hossein Salami, in one of the most direct and deadly escalations between the two countries to date. IRGC has begun using the Kheibar Shekan missile—also known as the Khorramshahr-4—which was unveiled in 2022 and is believed to carry the heaviest payload among Iran's ballistic missiles. IRGC said its latest missile strikes targeted Ben Gurion International Airport and several research sites in Israel. Read: Timeline of Iran's nuclear programme Meanwhile, Iranian state media has confirmed the deaths of at least four senior military officials in Israeli strikes, including Salami, Armed Forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri, IRGC aerospace commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, and General Gholamali Rashid. The attacks also killed six prominent nuclear scientists and wounded hundreds, as Israel targeted key infrastructure sites across Iran, including the uranium enrichment facility in Natanz. After the assasinations, Khamenei appointed Ahmad Vahidi as the new IRGC chief and Majid Mousavi as head of its aerospace division. The initial wave of Israeli strikes, involving approximately 200 fighter jets, hit multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Arak, Tabriz, and Kermanshah. In Kermanshah, near the Iraqi border, an underground ballistic missile storage facility was reportedly destroyed. Iranian authorities initially reported at least 80 people killed and over 320 wounded in the first round of attacks. However, updated figures from Human Rights Activists (HRA), a Washington-based monitoring group, indicate that Israeli strikes have killed at least 950 people and injured more than 3,450 across Iran to date. Read more: Global turmoil If Iran shuts Strait of Hormuz — but Pakistan may get a pass HRA reported that among the dead are 380 civilians and 253 members of Iran's security forces. The group, known for documenting the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests, cross-checks local reports with an independent network inside the country. Iran's government has not issued consistent nationwide casualty updates during the conflict. Its most recent count, released by the Health Ministry, reported 400 deaths and over 3,000 injuries—figures significantly lower than HRA's estimates. Among the injured is senior Iranian diplomat Ali Shamkhani, who has been leading negotiations with the United States. He is reported to be in critical condition following the strikes.
India.com
5 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Meet the Ghost Missile, Iran's Kheibar Shekan that outran Israel's defences, it can destroy..., can travel..., built in...
Image for representational purposes only New Delhi: Iran launched a series of missiles and drones at key Israeli targets on 22 June, including Ben Gurion Airport and military command centres. According to the reports, Iran deployed the Kheibar Shekan missile—its most advanced, homegrown ballistic weapon. The attack comes after United States and Israel on Iranian launched brutal attacks on nuclear facilities in Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that it used the Kheibar Shekan missile in the attack, which it said was part of a broader 'strategic response to Israeli aggression.' In a direct quote reported by state news agency IRNA, the IRGC stated: 'This operation did not involve all armed capabilities yet,' indicating that more advanced systems may still be in reserve. Kheibar Shekan means 'Breaker of Khyber' in Arabic—a name rich with historical symbolism for Iran. It references the 7th-century Battle of Khyber in Arabia between Muslims and Jews, where Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib played a decisive role. Here are some of the key features of Kheibar Shekan missile: The Kheibar Shekan missile belongs to the fourth generation of Iran's Khorramshahr missile family. It has a range of 1,450 kilometres The missile runs on solid fuel—giving it high mobility and faster launch times. The warhead weighs approximately 1,500 kilograms and is nearly four metres long. Its top speed exceeds 19,500 km/h outside the atmosphere and nearly 9,800 km/h within The Kheibar Shekan uses satellite navigation and a new guidance system. It also features a Maneuverable Reentry Vehicle (MaRV) that allows it to zigzag through the atmosphere before hitting its target. The process of developing this missile series started in 2017 with the unveiling of the Khorramshahr-1. Later versions included Khorramshahr-2 in 2019, and the Khorramshahr-4 in 2023. Iran has never publicly confirmed the third generation, Khorramshahr-3, though military officials have acknowledged its existence, hinting at 'advanced capabilities that have not been disclosed for security reasons.'
Euronews
5 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
What is the Kheibar Shekan missile, the latest weapon used by Iran?
The IRGC today announced it had deployed the Kheibar Shekan, Iran's latest long-range solid-fuel ballistic missile, indicating that the attack did not include "all armed capabilities yet", signalling the possibility of future escalation. According to state-run news agency IRNA, the Kheibar Shekan missile belongs to the fourth generation of the Khorramshahr family of ballistic missiles, with a range of 1,450 kilometres. It is considered one of the most prominent technical developments in the Iranian missile system, boasting a high degree of accuracy thanks to a satellite guidance system, in addition to manoeuvrable warheads. The high-explosive warhead weighs about 1,500 kilograms and is up to four metres long. At the same time, the missile has a speed of more than 19,500 km/h outside the atmosphere and nearly 9,800 km/h inside it, making it very difficult to intercept even for advanced defence systems such as Patriot and David's Sling. Sequential development The first version of the missile dates back to 2017, when Tehran unveiled the Khorramshahr-1, which was 13 metres long and 1.5 metres in diameter, at a military parade on the occasion of "Holy Defence Week". The second generation "Khorramshahr-2" appeared in 2019, with guided warheads and a total weight of 20 tonnes, followed by the fourth generation "Khorramshahr-4" in May 2023, without Iran revealing the details of the third generation "Khorramshahr-3". However, military sources confirmed that it exists and has advanced capabilities that have not been disclosed for security reasons. The Kheibar Shekan is characterised by design features that reduce its ability to be monitored or intercepted, most notably the absence of ailerons, which reduces the area of friction and increases its speed and accuracy. The missile relies on a local engine called "Arond", which is integrated inside the fuel tank to reduce length and increase camouflage. It is launched from a mobile platform and can be prepared for launch in under 15 minutes. The missile operates in three operational phases: takeoff and flight, then guiding the warhead with rear engines after separation, and ending with entry into the atmosphere, where the final guidance engines are activated while maintaining a speed of more than Mach 8. Symbolic and ideological significance The Kheibar Shekan missile derives its name from Arabic, meaning "Breaker of Khyber", a reference to the historical battle of Khyber between Muslims and Jews in Arabia. Imam Ali bin Abi Talib played a prominent role in the battle, which gives the name special religious significance among the Shiite community, and reinforces the Iranian narratives couching the conflict with Israel in a "historical and ideological" context. The Kheibar Shekan was previously used in the "Sadiq Promise 1" attacks in April 2024 and "Sadiq Promise 2" in October of the same year, according to Western media reports, reflecting Iran's increasing reliance on this model in its long-range operations.
