Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have initiated a series of drone and missile attacks aimed at Israel due to its involvement in the conflict with Hamas. However, the majority of these attacks have failed to reach their intended targets.
Here are some key facts on the group’s military capabilities:
The Houthis, an Iran-backed militia that took over the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, must launch munitions capable of travelling at least 1,600 kilometers (994 miles) away to hit Israel’s southernmost tip.
The Houthis have an arsenal of ballistic missiles they call Typhoon, a rebranded version of the Iranian Qadr missile, according to Fabian Hinz of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
It has a range of 1,600-1,900 kilometers, says Hinz, a research fellow for defense and military analysis.
“It is very inaccurate, at least in the version they’ve shown us, but it should be able to reach Israel,” Hinz told the media.
Iran carried out tests of its Qadr missiles in 2016, hitting targets about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) away.
Mohammed Albasha, senior Middle East Analyst for the US-based Navanti Group, said that the Houthis unveiled their Typhoon missile arsenal only weeks before the October 7 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.
The rebels, who control much of north Yemen, also have Iran’s Quds cruise missile, according to Hinz.
There are different versions of the Quds, some of which have a range of about 1,650 kilometers, enough to reach Israel, he said.
In 2022, the Houthis said they used Quds 2 cruise missiles to hit oil facilities in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The powered guided missiles traversed more than 1,126 kilometers from northern Yemen.
The Houthis also used the Quds 2 missile in 2020 to strike facilities in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia and the United States have repeatedly accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with drones, missiles and other weapons, a charge that Tehran denies.
The Houthis say they manufacture their drones domestically, although analysts say they contain smuggled Iranian components.
Their arsenal also includes the Iranian Shahed-136 drones that Russia is using in its war on Ukraine, according to Hinz.
They have a range of about 2,000 kilometers, Hinz said.
Another drone model, the Samad-3, is also available to them, according to Hinz.
“We don’t know the exact range but it should be about 1,600 kilometers,” he said.
The Houthis have used the Samad-3 drones in attacks on the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The Samad-3 can be fitted with 18 kilograms (40 pounds) of explosives, according to rebel media sources and analysts.
The Houthis’ drones use GPS guidance and “fly autonomously along pre-programmed waypoints” towards their targets, experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies wrote in a 2020 report.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
