Iran Uses Advanced Ballistic Missile in Deadly Strike on US Base in Jordan

A deadly Iranian attack on the Muwaffaq Salti base in Jordan, which killed three American soldiers, was reportedly carried out using an advanced and highly lethal ballistic missile, according to a Wall Street Journal report published overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday. The recent series of Iranian attacks indicates that Tehran has maintained, and possibly enhanced, its missile launch capabilities despite facing strikes against its facilities.

Military experts estimate that Iran used the medium-range ballistic missile "Khaibar Shekan" in the Friday attack in Jordan. This missile is considered one of Iran's most effective and is part of a missile arsenal stored in large underground facilities known as Iran's "missile cities." These sites were targeted by prolonged US and Israeli bombings during the conflict in March and April. Nevertheless, Iran has managed to reopen some entrances and restore operations at these facilities.

The Khaibar Shekan missile, introduced in 2022, has a range of at least 1,500 kilometers, is powered by solid fuel, and features satellite guidance. Iran claims it is equipped with a maneuverable warhead designed to evade air defense systems. This missile has previously been launched toward Israel during earlier rounds of fighting.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated during a Senate hearing that Russia and China might be assisting Iran in its attacks against Gulf countries and US military targets in the Middle East. Austin confirmed, "Yes, there are ways in which Russia and China enable what Iran is doing."

In recent videos, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that other ballistic missiles, including Fateh, Zulfiqar, Fateh-110, and Qiam, as well as Shahed drones and Paveh cruise missiles, were also used in recent attacks.