By The Houthi rebels in Yemen have revealed a new solid-fuel missile in their arsenal that bears similarities to a prior missile seen by Iran, which Tehran claimed was capable of reaching hypersonic speeds.
At the southern Gulf of Aqaba port of Eilat in Israel on Monday, the rebels launched their latest “Palestine” rocket, complete with a warhead painted like a Palestinian keffiyeh checkered scarf. Air raid sirens were triggered by the strike, although no damage or casualties were reported.
The Palestine was seen being lifted on what looked to be a mobile launcher and ascending swiftly into the air with plumes of white smoke pouring from its engine in footage that the Houthis published late on Wednesday. With solid-fuel missiles, white smoke is typical.
Compared to missiles using liquid fuel, solid-fuel missiles can be assembled and fired more quickly. This is a major worry for the Houthis since in recent months, US and ally forces have targeted their missile launch sites on multiple occasions due to the rebels’ strikes on cargo passing via the Red Sea corridor. The Houthis were struck by one of these strikes even before they could fire their missile.
The Houthis, for their part, called the Palestine rocket “locally made.” The Houthis, however, are not believed to be able to produce sophisticated missile and guidance systems domestically in Yemen, the poorest nation in the Arab world. Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since the rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, almost ten years ago.
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