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

Iran's Kheibar Shekan missile. It means Castle Breaker in Persian, has emerged as one of the most talked-about weapons in the US-Israel war on Iran.

Key points

• On July 20, the IRGC published footage showing Kheibar Shekan alongside Fateh-110, Zolfaghar and Emad ballistic missiles being employed in attacks on US military targets.
• It have a range of roughly 150km to 800km (93-500 miles), are built to reach nearby military targets in rapid regional strikes.
• The Kheibar Shekan was unveiled in 2022 and takes its name from Khaybar, the word for a fortified settlement associated with early Islamic history.
• Core systems include the Fateh variants: Zolfaghar, Qiam-1 and older Shahab-1/2 missiles.
• The US resumed attacks on Iranian targets on August 31, with US Central Command saying it had struck IRGC sites in southern Iran.

As Tehran seeks to demonstrate that its missile arsenal remains well-stocked after six months of intermittent US and Israeli attacks, the medium-range ballistic missile has been applied by Iran in strikes on US military targets and infrastructure in the Middle East this week.

When US forces struck rocket launchers on Iran's Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, close to the country's strategic port of Bandar Abbas, on Monday, the war entered a new phase this week after a lull in fighting for a month. That prompted Iran to strike back at US military assets in Jordan.

Since then, the United States has carried out more attacks on various Iranian targets, with Tehran again responding in kind, targeting a number of US bases in the region, including in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

So, what is the Castle Breaker, what is it capable of, and what is the latest in the US-Israel war on Iran? What is the Kheibar Shekan or Castle Breaker missile?

It is a medium-range ballistic missile which has been developed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as part of its wider range of missiles.

It is one of Iran's newer medium-range missile systems, with a range of roughly 1, 450km (901 miles), with a payload range (warhead capacity) of 449kg to 590kg (990 pounds to 1, 300 pounds).

In comparison, the US has introduced the Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) during the conflict, described by its producer Lockheed Martin as long-range precision-strike missiles that can hit targets ranging from 60km (37 miles) to more than 499km (310 miles) away.

Notably, the US has additionally employed Tomahawk cruise missiles. It are long-range, precision-guided weapons that can fly at low altitudes and hit targets up to 2, 500km (1, 550 miles) away.

Meanwhile, the Kheibar Shekan was unveiled in 2022 and takes its name from Khaybar, the word for a fortified settlement associated with early Islamic history. Shekan means breaker or destroyer.

One of the missile's key characteristics is its solid-fuel propulsion. It allows it to be introduced within minutes during a crisis. Solid-fuel missiles are preloaded with fuel, so they do not need to be fuelled just before launch – a process that can take a number of hours. This makes them easier and safer to operate, less probable to be detected, and they require less logistical backing for the transport of fuel.

Meanwhile, the fuel is dense and burns rapidly, producing a brief but powerful thrust. It can additionally be stored for long periods without degrading or breaking down, unlike liquid fuel. It is more prone to deterioration. Where has Iran applied its Castle Breaker missile?

According to Iran has repeatedly, it has been using Kheibar Shekan missiles against US military positions in the region since the six-month conflict began with US-Israeli strikes on Tehran and other sites around Iran on February 28.

State broadcaster IRIB documented that Iranian forces deployed the missile in retaliatory attacks on US assets in Jordan this week.

Four days prior, the IRGC remarked it had targeted a US jet maintenance facility and a new command-and-control centre in Jordan's Azraq with Kheibar Shekan missiles. What other missile systems does Iran have?

Iran has a combination of short-, medium- and long-range missiles at its disposal.

Short-range ballistic missiles. It have a range of roughly 150km to 800km (93-500 miles), are built to reach nearby military targets in rapid regional strikes.

Core systems include the Fateh variants: Zolfaghar, Qiam-1 and older Shahab-1/2 missiles. Their shorter range can be an advantage in a crisis as they can be introduced in volleys, compressing warning time and making pre-emption harder.

Medium-range ballistic missiles, with a range of roughly 1, 500km to 2, 000km (900-1, 200 miles), include systems such as Shahab-3, Emad, Ghadr-1, the Khorramshahr variants and Sejjil, alongside newer designs like Kheibar Shekan and Haj Qassem.

These missiles put Israeli targets and US-linked sites in the Gulf states within their range.

Iran additionally has an arsenal of cruise missiles such as Soumar, Ya-Ali, the Quds variants, Hoveyzeh, Paveh and Ra'ad. The Soumar has a range of 2, 500km (1, 553 miles).

Former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had previously limited Iranian missile ranges to 2, 200km (1, 367 miles) but removed that limit after Israel's 12-day war on Iran in June 2025. What's the latest in the US-Iran war?

For context, the latest escalation has brought a period of relative calm to an end.

In practice, the US resumed attacks on Iranian targets on August 31, with US Central Command saying it had struck IRGC sites in southern Iran.

Iran responded with missiles and drones against US forces and military assets located in the region. On Tuesday, the US military remarked it had completed another wave of strikes against Iranian military targets.

Tehran documented that the US had additionally struck civilian targets, including a house which was bombed during a wedding celebration in the city of Kuhestak, killing at least five individuals and injuring 68, including women and children.

Iran's military remarked it rolled out attacks on US bases and assets in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq's Erbil in response.

While Tehran remarked it would additionally respond to US attacks, US President Donald Trump previously threatened more attacks if Iran retaliated.

For context, the renewed fighting has additionally put the Strait of Hormuz back at the centre of the crisis as Iranian and US forces vie for control of the critical waterway.

Oil rates rose sharply this week as markets reacted to the renewed US-Iran fighting and the risk to energy shipments through the key waterway, through which 25 percent of the world's oil and petroleum products are shipped in peacetime.

Meanwhile, the US attacks come shortly after Washington confirmed an economic pressure campaign against Iran, declaring that it would target its financial interests throughout the world.

Taken together, the developments around what is Iran's Castle Breaker missile, used against US bases? Point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.