Yemen's Houthi Rebels' Hypersonic Missile Claims Raise Tensions in the Middle East

 

The recent claim by Yemen’s Houthi rebels that they now possess hypersonic missiles capable of breaching Israel's defense systems has escalated tensions in the Middle East. This development has prompted Saudi Arabia to call for stronger measures to cut off the Houthi's supply of weapons.

Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen's government in its fight against the Houthi rebels, believes that Iran has been supplying weapons to the group, including those used in attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. These attacks have caused shipping traffic in the area to drop by half, increasing transport costs and negatively impacting Egypt's economy due to disruptions in the Suez Canal.

In Sana’a, the Houthi stronghold, the leadership celebrated the recent missile attack on Israel, which reportedly landed near Ben Gurion International Airport. The Houthis claim the missile technology was developed by Yemeni technicians and promised further strikes. Prior to the attack, the group had issued warnings of an impending strike on Israel.

Previous Houthi missile attacks have had limited success in penetrating Israeli airspace, with one missile falling near the Red Sea port of Eilat earlier this year. A drone attack on Tel Aviv in July killed one person and injured several others. Israel deployed its Arrow and Iron Dome defense systems in response to the latest missile attack but has not confirmed whether the interception attempts were successful.

The Houthis, a Shia group that has controlled Sana’a since 2014, may have used the Qadr F variant of Iran’s Qadr-110 or Ghadr-110 medium-range ballistic missile in the recent attack. Iran has long been accused of supplying weapons to the Houthis, with the UN among those raising concerns. Despite heavy bombing by Saudi forces in 2016, the Houthis have remained resilient, even launching drone strikes into Saudi Arabia.

Although a ceasefire exists in Yemen, the UN special envoy, Hans Grundberg, has warned that the situation could return to full-scale civil war at any moment.

Former Saudi intelligence chief, Turki al-Faisal, voiced his frustration over Iran's continued support of the Houthis during a speech at Chatham House in London. He called for more international efforts to block Iran's assistance to the group and criticized the current military response as insufficient. Al-Faisal urged for greater pressure on Iran, which he believes could positively influence the Houthis' ability to launch missiles and drones that disrupt international trade.

Faisal also criticized Iran's interference in Arab countries such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, accusing Tehran of failing to uphold its diplomatic commitments following the 2021 agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has refrained from joining U.S. military actions, focusing instead on diplomatic efforts to form a national government in Yemen. However, Vice Admiral George Wikoff of the U.S. 5th Fleet confirmed that ongoing bombardments of Houthi positions along the Yemen coast have not yet restored normal shipping traffic through the Red Sea.

The Houthi attacks have caused a 50% reduction in ship traffic in the region, forcing shipping companies to reroute vessels around Africa, adding substantial fuel costs and travel time to journeys. Despite several strikes on Houthi positions by U.S. and Israeli forces in recent months, the group’s attacks on international commerce have continued.