What is Iran’s Castle Breaker missile, used against US bases?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Iran’s Kheibar Shekan, or “Castle Breaker,” has become a prominent part of the latest round of US-Iran and US-Israel tensions. The medium-range ballistic missile, developed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was unveiled in 2022 and is described as a solid-fuel weapon with a range of roughly 1,450 km and a payload capacity of up to about 590 kg. Its solid-fuel design means it can be launched more quickly than liquid-fuel missiles, which makes it harder to prepare for and easier to move.

According to the report, Iran says it has used the missile in retaliatory strikes on US military targets in the Middle East during the current escalation. The article says Iranian state media and the IRGC have linked the weapon to attacks on US positions in Jordan, including a command-and-control centre and a maintenance facility, as well as other regional assets. The US has also carried out strikes on Iranian targets, including IRGC sites in southern Iran, while Tehran says American attacks have hit civilian areas.

The article places the missile in a broader regional conflict that has renewed concern over the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for global energy shipments. It also notes that Kheibar Shekan is part of a wider Iranian missile arsenal that includes short-, medium- and long-range systems capable of reaching Israeli targets and US-linked sites in the Gulf. In Al Jazeera’s framing, the missile matters because it highlights Iran’s ability to respond militarily despite months of pressure and repeated strikes.