On Thursday, June 6, the Associated Press announced that the Houthis in Yemen, who are supported by the Iranian government, unveiled a new solid-fuel missile in their arsenal, which resembles a missile previously showcased by the Iranian regime and described as “hypersonic.”
The Houthis launched this new missile, named “Palestine,” towards the port of Eilat in Israel on Monday, triggering air raid sirens, but no reports of damage or casualties have been released.
Images released by the Houthis late Wednesday, June 5, show the missile rising on a mobile launcher and rapidly firing with white smoke emanating from its engine. According to the Associated Press, white smoke is common in solid-fuel missiles.
Solid-fuel missiles, which are faster than liquid-fuel missiles, are more efficient for Houthi missile attacks because their launch sites have been repeatedly targeted by the United States and its allies in recent months due to attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
The Houthis claim that the “Palestine” missile is their own creation. However, this militia, which controls parts of Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world, does not have the capability to manufacture complex guided missile systems.
The Iranian regime has armed the Houthis despite the UN arms embargo during the Gaza war. While the regime claims it does not supply weapons to the Houthis, weapons, missile fuel, and parts manufactured by the Iranian regime have been found on ships seized by the United States and its allies.
Although Iranian media described the “Palestine” missile as Houthi-made, the design elements on the missile resemble other missiles manufactured by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including the “Fattah” missile.
The Iranian regime’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to the Associated Press’s request for comment on the resemblance between the “Palestine” missile and the “Fattah” missile.
