World · India Bureau
Houthis assembling medium-range missiles using Chinese components
Yemen's Houthi rebels are manufacturing Iran-style medium-range missiles using Chinese-origin parts, expanding their weapons capability to reach targets across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. The domestically-assembled missiles reportedly have a range extending to 1,900 kilometers.
LSN India ·
The Houthi movement has begun assembling medium-range ballistic missiles using components sourced from China, according to emerging reports on the group's expanding military capabilities. The weapons programme represents a significant escalation in the rebels' ability to strike distant targets across the region.
The missiles, which follow Iranian design principles, are believed to have an operational range of approximately 1,900 kilometers. This capability would theoretically allow the Houthis to target Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel from their strongholds in Yemen.
The use of Chinese-origin components underscores the complex supply chains that support non-state armed groups in the Middle East. While China has not been directly implicated in providing the parts, the availability of dual-use technology has enabled the Houthis to pursue indigenous missile manufacturing despite international sanctions and military pressure.
The Houthi missile programme has drawn international concern, with regional powers and Western nations monitoring the group's technical advances. The ability to domestically assemble advanced weapons systems reflects the rebels' growing technical sophistication and sustained access to external resources.