Yemen's Houthis make extensive use of weapons of Iranian origin
Thursday, 17 September 2026 18:08
A new Conflict Armament Research report found Iranian support and foreign-made components continue to sustain Houthi missile, drone and maritime weapons programs in Yemen, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Rob Hunter-Perkins, Head of Research at CAR, said “external support remains a key factor in the [Houthis] ’ ability to sustain operations, and the evidence suggests that there is a high degree of planning and coordination on these supplies.” He said the Houthis in some cases receive missiles in ready-made kits with assembly instructions and labels using Iranian missile designations.
Fabian Hinz, a Senior Analyst at CAR, said Iranian support had been crucial to the buildup of Houthi military capabilities. He said Iran had secured a seemingly steady flow of technology to the group and had shared advanced capabilities, including the Kheybarshekan medium-range ballistic missile.
CAR said the Houthis have also built up systems for fighting inside Yemen, including loitering munitions, first-person view drones, artillery rockets, close-range ballistic missiles and anti-tank guided missiles. The report also cited evidence of experimentation with navigation modules and propellers that may be used in loitering torpedoes, which could extend attacks on maritime targets.
The report said the Houthis’ capture of the Red Sea coast “would significantly improve their maritime posture” by allowing launch sites for short-range reconnaissance and strike assets closer to maritime traffic through the strait. The article said the Houthis have anti-ship, surface-to-air and ballistic missiles, have attacked cities in Saudi Arabia, and recently claimed to shoot down an F-15.
Hunter-Perkins said CAR analyzed more than 800 weapon components from Yemen in the past year and found that the vast majority in Iranian missiles and drones there were foreign. The CAR report said the components came from “16 countries and territories, and include commercially available components,” adding that Iran depends on critical foreign technology to sustain missile and drone production.
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