Around 20:30, a target was acquired by radar, at a distance of over , and "Nirghat" fired two missiles. This target was the destroyer "Khaibar", sailing at . The crew of the ship saw a "bright light" in the sky, low on the water. Believing it to be the afterburner of a fighter aircraft, "Khaibar" opened fire with her Bofors guns, but these were not effective against such a small, fast target. The missile struck the starboard side at 22:45, destroying the electrical system. One of the boilers, possibly struck by the HEAT charge, also exploded. Despite thick smoke and a fire, "Khaibar" was still able to engage the second missile, again mistaking it for an enemy fighter. This missile struck the ship four minutes after the first, destroying and quickly sinking her.