Has the US lost the war against Iran and its bases in the Middle East? Here’s how Tehran’s Kheibar Shekan ‘Castle Breaker’ missiles are raining down on American forces

Iran’s latest missile and drone attacks on US military facilities across the Middle East have brought a new threatening question for the Trump administration’s war policy in the Middle East. More strikingly, it pointed out to Tehran’s most formidable weapons: the Kheibar Shekan ballistic missile.

The latest exchange followed US strikes on Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz, after which Iran launched missiles and drones toward facilities hosting American forces across the region, including in Jordan and Bahrain, a sharp escalation after a relatively calmer period.

These attacks have once again raised questions about the vulnerability of America's vast network of military bases in the Middle East. Until now, these installations have formed the backbone of Washington's ability to project military power across the Persian Gulf and maintain its grip in the whole Middle East. But repeated Iranian missile and drone attacks are now testing whether those fixed bases can remain secure and operational, in a war where Tehran can strike them from hundreds of miles away.


Defense experts in America are questioning whether Tehran's ability to threaten American bases throughout the Middle East is undermining one of the United States' key strategic advantages in the region.

Known as the “Castle Breaker,” the solid-fuel ballistic missile has reportedly been used repeatedly against US military targets during the six-month conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Iranian forces have allegedly altered their flight paths, speeds and trajectories during attacks, complicating efforts by American and allied air-defense systems to intercept them.

Iran says Kheibar Shekan missiles used in latest attacks

Iran has used solid-fuel Kheibar Shekan ballistic missiles in attacks targeting US bases across the Middle East on August 31, The Wall Street Journal reported, quoting unnamed US officials. According to reports, Iranian forces have attempted to complicate interception by varying missile flight paths and speeds, and by conducting mid-air maneuvers.

An Iranian state-run outlet also confirmed the use of Kheibar Shekan missiles in attacks targeting Muwaffaq Salti Air Base and King Hussein Air Base in Jordan. Tehran said the attacks came in response to a US military operation against Iran's strategic Larak Island the previous night.

USA TODAY reported, citing interviews with former US military and intelligence officials and weapons analysts, that Iran's military has used the missile extensively in attacks on US targets, including the American naval hub in Bahrain and other military installations. Some analysts even believe Iran also used Kheibar Shekan missiles in the July 17 attack on the US Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Al-Azraq, Jordan, which killed three American service members.

Iran has fielded a new generation of ballistic missiles capable of striking targets across the Middle East with greater precision, while presenting a difficult challenge for air-defense systems. The Kheibar Shekan is a highly mobile ballistic missile with an estimated range of about 900 miles and a maneuverable warhead.

Has Iran’s missile campaign changed America’s position in the Persian Gulf?

The growing missile threat has prompted a public debate about whether Iran's attacks have permanently altered the United States' ability to maintain and operate its network of military bases in the Persian Gulf.

Retired four-star Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, who served for 32 years in service added fuel to that debate in an August 23 post on X, saying the United States had “probably permanently lost access to 15 Persian Gulf bases” because of Iranian missile and drone strikes. McCaffrey's post drew millions of views and sparked broader discussion about the war's direction and the strategic consequences of Iran's counterattacks.

McCaffrey was responding to claims that Iranian counterattacks had all but destroyed the Bahrain base, a critical hub for American naval operations in the Persian Gulf.

The installation serves as a major anchor for US naval power in the region and provides logistical, supply and operational support to American and coalition ships, aircraft and personnel across the Middle East.

As a result of the counterattack and other Iranian strikes, McCaffrey wrote, “Iran now poised to control access the Gulf States. US will have to negotiate new access in western Saudi Arabia, Israel, southern Europe.”

What is Iran’s Kheibar Shekan ballistic missile?

Iran unveiled the Kheibar Shekan ballistic missile in 2022. The weapon has an estimated range of about 900 miles, or a little over 1,400 kilometers, putting much of the Middle East, including Israel, within striking distance.

The missile's name refers to the Battle of Khaybar in 628 AD, when the forces of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad conquered the fortified oasis of Khaybar, located about 150 kilometers northwest of Medina, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

Iran’s missile factories and solid-fuel facilities could become major targets

The growing importance of Kheibar Shekan missiles also makes Iran's ability to manufacture and maintain solid-fuel systems a major strategic concern.

After Iran fired 181 ballistic missiles at Israel in October 2024 following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC Commander Abbas Nilforoushan, Israel launched extensive airstrikes against military targets inside Iran.

Among the targets were facilities associated with the manufacturing and storage of solid propellant used for missiles such as the Kheibar Shekan.

Iran manufactures solid rocket fuel and missile components at several key industrial sites, including complexes in Khojir and Parchin, near Tehran, and in Shahroud, roughly 220 miles northeast of the Iranian capital.

Storage and final assembly are also believed to occur within dispersed underground tunnel networks and hardened military facilities operated by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Khojir Complex, located in rugged terrain east of Tehran, is considered an important industrial hub associated with solid-propellant production and rocket-motor manufacturing.

The Parchin Facility is a long-established military-industrial complex near Tehran associated with defense research, chemical production and missile-component testing.