 "A member of a special force loyal to the Houthi rebels holds an RPG launcher in Sanaa, Yemen. The Houthis on Sunday launched a missile on Israel, putting the spotlight on its weapons arsenal. File image/Reuters")
“The Houthis launched a surface-to-surface missile from Yemen into our territory. They should have known by now that we charge a heavy price for any attempt to harm us. Anyone who attacks us will not escape from our arms,” said an indignant Benjamin Netanyahu as he vowed revenge against the Yemen-based group of rebels, after they fired a ballistic missile on Israel on Sunday.
Around 6.30 am (local time) on Sunday, air sirens rang out in Israel with local media showing footage of people racing towards shelters at Ben Gurion international airport south-east of Tel Aviv. The panic spread after a missile, claimed by the Houthis to be an advanced surface-to-surface hypersonic missile, hit an open area in the Ben Shemen forest, causing a fire near Kfar Daniel. Fortunately, there were no reports of damage or casualties.
This marks the latest escalation in the ongoing Israel war against Hamas, which has drawn in other groups such as the Houthis, the Hezbollah and others, which are collectively known as the Iran’s Axis of Resistance .
The strike also puts the spotlight on the weapons stockpile of the Houthis. What is in their arsenal? Where do they get their weapons? We take a closer look and get you the answers.
Who are the Houthis?
The Houthis are a Yemeni militia group named after their founder Hussein Badreddin al Houthi. They are allied and backed by Iran and are part of the “axis of resistance”. As per a US report, the Houthi-Iran relationship has evolved, with Iran viewing them as an extension of its regional power.
Their slogan has long been: “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.” As per Brookings, the group’s official name is Ansar Allah – meaning ‘supporters of God’.
What weapons do the Houthis have?
Initially, the Houthis were believed to be a primitive military force with ageing Kalashnikovs. However, that’s far from the truth. The Yemeni rebels have an arsenal, which includes advanced drones, cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as anti-ship weapons.
While there isn’t any precise information about the Houthis’ arsenal, their attacks reveal a glimpse of their weapons stockpiles. For instance, during the Yemeni civil war in 1994, the Houthis featured a Scud missile, which was sourced from the USSR. In the years between 2015 and 2021, the Houthis have also launched multiple unarmed vehicles (drones) and ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia targets.
Houthi spokespersons have also boasted of having multiple missiles in their arsenal, including the Toufan — a long-rang surface-to-surface ballistic missile, having a range of approximately 2,000 km. The Houthis also have the Tankeel, Aqeel and Quds-4 missiles in their stockpiles.
In addition, they also have the Sayad drone, which is used in one-way suicide missions, as well as the Shahed drones, which boast of a 900 km range and capable of carrying a payload of 20 kg.
As per a senior US defence official, the Houthis have weapons that can reach as far as the Mediterranean Sea.
Reports also state that the Houthis have missiles like the Burkan series, as well as the Fateh-110, which adds to the Yemeni group’s firepower.
However, some experts note that one should be a bit wary of the military might of the Houthis and their arsenal. As per a Counterextremism report, during the 2023 parade, the Houthis displayed the Zelzal-3 rocket. But, it seemed to be billowing in the wind, indicating that the Houthis were displaying a mock-up rather than a real rocket. The report does add, however, that one should be wary of the group and their weapons stockpile.
How do Houthis get their weapons?
According to the United States and Saudi Arabia, most of the weapons, including drones, and cruise and ballistic missiles come from Iran. Officials note that there’s evidence of debris with Iranian manufacturing labels, naval interdictions of missile smuggling dhows originating from Iran, and missile-related training and equipment materials in Farsi seized from Houthi-controlled territory. Additionally, missiles such as the Burkan, the Quds-1 all bear Iranian fingerprints in design and manufacturing.
A US Defence Department’s report states that Iran supports the Houthis as a cheap and effective way to challenge Saudi Arabia and other rivals.
As Dr Elisabeth Kendall, a Middle East specialist at Cambridge University, told the BBC, “The Houthis could not operate at this level without Iranian arms, training and intelligence.”
For Iran to send weapons to the Houthis, they usually smuggle them over land. . A senior Yemeni military source has been quoted as saying that one smuggling route runs through Shehen, an unpoliced zone along the Yemeni-Omani border.
Another method by which the Houthis are in possession of such weapons is through war. The Houthis have acquired military arms and armaments from other forces. A 2016 report showed that Houthi troops had captured at least 16 C-90C rocket launchers from either Saudi forces or local pro-Hadi fighters that Saudi Arabia had equipped.
In 2015, a Saudi coalition air-drop mishap led to the Houthis capturing a shipment of RPG-26 variants. The Yemeni grouped even posted a thank you note addressed to Saudi King Salman after the incident.
Interestingly, the Houthis have also taken advantage of the government’s weak control of its own armaments. Houthi forces have looted the government weapon caches in the past, gaining access to missiles and other heavy weaponry.
How have Houthis participated in the war?
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, the Houthis have reportedly fired drones and missiles towards Israel. However, most of these attacks have been intercepted.
They have also launched attack on commercial shipping vessels, which they believe to have links to Israel. These attacks forced several shipping companies to reroute their vessels to avoid the Red Sea . And as per a report, maritime trade through Egypt’s Suez Canal, the waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, dropped 42 per cent in the first two months of this year.
Commenting on Sunday’s attack, Nasruddin Amer, the deputy head of the Houthi media office, described it as the “beginning”, which has many concerned that an all-out war is on the horizon.
With inputs from agencies