Yemen’s Houthi rebels have revealed a new solid-fuel missile, dubbed the “Palestine,” which bears similarities to a previously displayed Iranian missile claimed to fly at hypersonic speeds. The Houthis launched the missile at the southern Gulf of Aqaba port of Eilat in Israel on Monday. The attack triggered air raid sirens but resulted in no reported damage or injuries.
Footage released by the Houthis on Wednesday showed the missile being elevated on a mobile launcher before rapidly ascending, emitting white smoke—a characteristic of solid-fuel missiles. These missiles can be deployed and fired more swiftly than liquid-fuel counterparts, an advantage for the Houthis whose launch sites have been frequently targeted by U.S. and allied forces.
The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, stated that the “Palestine” missile was a locally made weapon. Despite these claims, the technical sophistication required for such missile and guidance systems suggests external support, likely from Iran. The Houthis have consistently received armaments from Iran throughout the conflict, despite a U.N. arms embargo. Seized shipments have contained Iranian weaponry, missile components, and fuel, contradicting Iran’s public denials of arming the Houthis.
Iranian media have echoed the Houthis’ claim of local manufacturing, but the missile’s design features align with those of the Fattah missile developed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The Fattah missile, unveiled last year, is reported to reach speeds of Mach 15 and has a range of up to 1,400 kilometers, slightly less than the distance from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen to Eilat.
Hypersonic missiles, traveling faster than Mach 5, pose significant challenges to missile defense systems due to their speed and ability to maneuver unpredictably. This makes them difficult to intercept compared to traditional ballistic missiles with predictable trajectories.
The launch is part of a broader pattern of Houthi attacks in solidarity with Palestinians amidst the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Houthis have also conducted joint operations with the Iraqi Islamic Resistance, targeting ships in Israel’s Haifa port. These operations have intensified international shipping risks through the Red Sea corridor, drawing retaliatory strikes from the U.S. and Britain since February.
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