Yemen's Houthis claim new long-range strike capabilities
Shafaq News – Sanaa
The Houthis (Ansarallah) have developed missile and drone systems capable of reaching “deep into Israel,” a Yemeni official close to the group told Shafaq News on Friday.
Adel Rajeh, a member of the Justice and Construction Party’s Central Committee, said the upgrades came in response to the Gaza war and include expanded range, improved precision, and continued operations against Israel-linked vessels in the Red Sea.
“These developments reflect a transformation in Yemen’s military capabilities,” Rajeh said. “The group considers itself part of a regional axis supporting other factions in the area,” he added, referring to the so-called Axis of Resistance, a coalition of Iran-aligned armed groups.
The group’s arsenal now includes the Palestine 2, a hypersonic ballistic missile with a reported range above 2,100 km — enough to reach any point in Israel from Houthi-controlled territory, according to a source quoted by Newsweek months earlier. The outlet noted that much of the hardware resembles Iranian platforms, though both Tehran and the Houthis deny direct transfers.
Between October 2023 and September 2025, the Houthis launched more than 130 ballistic missiles and 150 drones at Israel, according to Israeli military figures. In September, a drone struck central Eilat, injuring 22 people in one of the most significant attacks since Houthi attacks began, framed as support for Gaza in the face of Tel Aviv’s war.
The city’s port, Israel’s only outlet to the Red Sea, declared bankruptcy and temporarily shut down in July 2025 after activity dropped by 85 percent due to the Houthi blockade.
Israel responded with airstrikes, including a wave on Sanaa in August 2025 that killed then-Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and several cabinet ministers.
