SANAA: Yemen’s Houthi rebels, long dependent on Iran for arms, are reportedly beginning to build their own missiles using components sourced from China, according to a report by the research group Conflict Armament Research. The report says the Houthis have been covertly obtaining parts from a Chinese aerospace company. The link emerged from two arms shipments previously seized by Yemeni authorities, which contained missile motors, airframe sections, wings and heat-resistant shields. The report says Chinese companies have continued to supply such items despite international sanctions.
The Houthis are said to be modelling the new weapons on Iran’s Khaibar Shekan missile, which has a reported range of about 1,900 kilometres. Launched from Yemen, it could reach Saudi Arabia and Israel. The missile is said to travel at roughly 9,656 kilometres per hour, which would make it hypersonic, and to be able to change course as it nears its target. Analysts say this would make interception difficult even for advanced air defence systems, including those operated by the United States. US naval bases and warships in the Red Sea would be among the potential targets.
The report says this is not the first time Chinese-made parts have turned up in Houthi weaponry. Engines in Shahed-type drones used in an attack on a US naval base last August were traced to Chinese factories, it says. Some Chinese private companies sell dual-use components with both civilian and military applications, and there are suspicions that China has in some cases provided targeting information to Iran, according to the report.
The Houthis already attack shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting trade. If they can produce missiles of this range themselves, they could strike independently of Iranian deliveries. A halt to Red Sea shipping, analysts warn, could drive oil prices sharply higher and raise the cost of essential goods worldwide.