Jan 15, 2024. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
In recent weeks, the Houthi armed group has reportedly launched anti-ship missiles and anti-ship ballistic missile targeting international merchant vessels purportedly en route to ports in Israel.
Regional
observers assert that almost all of these missiles in possession of the Houthi
group were supplied by Iran.
Upon
capturing the northern regions of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, in late
2014 and early 2015, the group obtained older anti-ship missiles of Soviet
origin, namely the P-21 and P-22 (RS-SSC-3 Styx).
Additionally,
they were equipped with more modern anti-ship missiles from China, such as the
C-801, acquired from Yemen’s military stock, and the Rubezh B21/B22.
In military
parades in 2022 and 2023, the Houthi armed group showcased various anti-ship
missiles, including the “Quds” and “Sayyad,” believed to have been supplied by
Iran.
Both “Quds”
and “Sayyad” are reported to have a range of up to 800km.
Furthermore,
the military parades featured anti-ship ballistic missiles employing infrared
and imaging infrared seeker technology.
Among those
publicly displayed by the Houthi is the “Asef,” with a range of 450km,
repurposed from Iran’s “Fateh 313” guided missile.
Simultaneously,
they exhibited the “Tankil,” also repurposed from the anti-ship missile
“Zohayr” of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, with a range of 500km.
Both missiles, “Asef” and “Tankil,” repurposed
from Iranian missiles, are noted for their powerful payloads of 300kg each.
The Houthi
group also possesses smaller anti-ship ballistic missiles like “Faleq,”
“Mayun,” and “Bahr al-Ahmar,” with a range of 140km, based on Iranian
technology.
Mastering
the technology of anti-ship ballisti missiles is complex, and Iranian military
officials acknowledge the challenges involved in developing such capabilities.
Despite
targeting merchant ships and U.S. and allied warships in the Red Sea, the
Houthi group faces challenges due to a lack of Intelligence, Surveillance, and
Reconnaissance (ISR) assets, such as maritime patrol aircraft and satellites,
crucial for providing targeting information for the missiles.
However,
the diversity of anti-ship guided missile systems owned by the Houthi group
raises questions about Iran’s strategy in the region.
It
underscores Iran’s long-term focus on strengthening the Houthi group’s
anti-ship capabilities and Tehran’s efforts to export its maritime strategy
from the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea and the Bab
el-Mandeb Strait.
—
DSA