Iran Launches Its Most Advanced Ballistic Missile Khorramshahr-4 Against U.S. Bases in Qatar and Bahrain.

Iran has reportedly used the Khorramshahr-4, its most advanced domestically produced ballistic missile, to strike U.S. military bases in Qatar and Bahrain while simultaneously launching about 600 missiles and 2,000 drones toward Israel. The scale and geographic spread of the attacks signal a major escalation, directly threatening U.S. military infrastructure across the Gulf and highlighting the reach of Iran’s long-range strike forces.

Iran has reportedly carried out a large coordinated strike across the Middle East, using its most advanced ballistic missile, the Khorramshahr-4, to target U.S. military bases in Qatar and Bahrain while launching a massive barrage of roughly 600 missiles and 2,000 unmanned aerial systems toward Israel. The operation marks one of the largest combined missile and drone attacks attributed to Iran, significantly expanding the conflict’s geographic scope beyond Israel by striking Gulf states that host key U.S. military installations. Defense analysts note that the reported use of the Khorramshahr-4, believed to have a range approaching 2,000 km and capable of carrying a heavy payload, demonstrates the operational maturity of Iran’s strategic missile forces and their ability to threaten multiple regional targets simultaneously.
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Khorramshahr-4 medium-range ballistic missile displayed by Iran. The missile is reportedly used in the March 6, 2026, strikes targeting military bases in Qatar and Bahrain. (Picture source: Wikimedia)

According to information published on March 6, 2026, by the French television channel LCI through its correspondent Siavosh Ghazi in Iran, Iranian forces used the Khorramshahr-4 medium-range ballistic missile in attacks targeting military installations in Qatar and Bahrain. Both locations host key elements of the United States’ forward military posture in the Middle East. Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base serves as the largest U.S. military installation in the region and a central hub for air operations conducted by U.S. Central Command, while Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, responsible for maritime security across the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters.

The Khorramshahr-4, also known as the Kheibar missile, represents the most powerful and technologically advanced system within the Khorramshahr family of Iranian ballistic missiles. With an estimated operational range of approximately 2,000 km, the missile can strike targets across the Middle East, including Israel and most U.S. military facilities across the Gulf region. The missile is designed to carry a heavy warhead estimated between 1,500 and 1,800 kg, one of the largest payload capacities in Iran’s missile arsenal, making it particularly suitable for attacks against hardened infrastructure such as airbases, command centers, and logistical hubs.

The missile reportedly incorporates improvements in propulsion, guidance, and survivability compared with earlier Iranian systems. Analysts assess that the Khorramshahr-4 is equipped with a maneuverable re-entry vehicle capable of adjusting its trajectory during the terminal phase of flight, complicating interception by modern missile defense systems such as Patriot, THAAD, Arrow, and David’s Sling deployed across the region.

The reported attacks come as Iran launched what appears to be one of the largest coordinated missile and drone operations ever directed at Israel. According to emerging information cited by LCI, approximately 600 missiles and about 2,000 drones have been launched in waves against Israeli targets. Such a volume of incoming threats is designed to place intense pressure on Israel’s layered air defense network, forcing the simultaneous engagement of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and low-altitude drones.

The scale of the attack reflects the depth of Iran’s missile arsenal, widely considered the largest ballistic missile force in the Middle East. According to U.S. defense assessments, Iran possesses more than 3,000 ballistic missiles of various ranges currently in service within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force and other military units. These systems range from short-range battlefield missiles capable of striking targets within several hundred kilometers to medium-range systems capable of reaching across the entire Middle East.

Iran’s short-range ballistic missile inventory includes the Fateh-110 family, Fateh-313, Zolfaghar, Dezful, Qiam-1, and other derivatives designed primarily for regional strike missions against military bases and operational infrastructure in neighboring countries. These missiles typically have ranges of 300-1,000 km and are frequently deployed on mobile transporter-erector-launcher vehicles, enabling rapid relocation and launch.

At the medium-range level, Iran fields several strategic missile systems capable of striking Israel and U.S. military facilities across the Gulf region. These include the Shahab-3, Ghadr, Emad, Sejjil, Haj Qassem, Kheibar Shekan, and the Khorramshahr missile family. Many of these systems incorporate improved guidance packages and terminal maneuverability intended to increase accuracy and complicate interception.

A central component of Iran’s missile strategy is the extensive network of underground storage and launch facilities distributed throughout the country. Often referred to as “missile cities,” these hardened complexes consist of large underground tunnel networks carved into mountains and reinforced bunkers that can store missiles, transporter-launcher vehicles, fueling systems, and command infrastructure. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has repeatedly showcased footage of these underground facilities, which allow missiles to be concealed, protected from air strikes, and prepared for launch from hardened positions.

These underground missile bases form a critical element of Iran’s deterrence posture. By dispersing thousands of missiles across a wide network of concealed facilities, Tehran aims to ensure that a significant portion of its arsenal could survive a pre-emptive strike and retain the ability to conduct large retaliatory salvos. The network also enables rapid mass launches, allowing Iranian forces to fire dozens or hundreds of missiles within a short timeframe.

Operationally, the integration of underground missile storage, mobile launch platforms, and large missile inventories allows Iran to conduct saturation attacks designed to overwhelm advanced air defense systems. By combining ballistic missiles with large numbers of drones, Tehran can force defenders to allocate interceptors across multiple threat types simultaneously while maintaining pressure on strategic targets.

If confirmed, the use of the Khorramshahr-4 ballistic missile against Gulf military installations would represent one of the most direct demonstrations to date of Iran’s ability to threaten the regional basing architecture that supports U.S. military operations in the Middle East. The strikes would also underline the central role that ballistic missiles now play in Iran’s military doctrine, providing Tehran with a powerful asymmetric capability to project force across the region despite its limited conventional air power.

As further information emerges, confirmation of the exact missile types used, interception rates, and any damage to Gulf military facilities will be critical indicators of whether Iran intends to expand its campaign against regional military infrastructure or maintain the strikes primarily as strategic signaling within the broader confrontation.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.