Yemen missile claim tests Red Sea security concerns

Yemen’s internationally recognised government has accused the Houthis of modifying Iranian air-defence weapons into loitering cruise missiles with help from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The claim raises concerns about civilian aviation and shipping around Yemen and the Red Sea, but the reported capability has not been independently established.

Government forces spokesperson Majed al-Nazili said the missiles could remain airborne for up to 25 minutes and track heat sources without distinguishing between military and civilian aircraft. He warned that aircraft operated by the United Nations and humanitarian organisations could be at risk.

Eleonora Ardemagni, a research fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, told Al Jazeera there was no conclusive evidence of the alleged modification. She said the Houthis’ record of assembling Iranian-origin components meant the claim could not be ruled out.

The allegations come as fighting between the Houthis and government forces has reportedly reignited in recent weeks, following a UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted six ballistic missiles aimed at Taif and the Yanbu port area; the Houthis said they attacked targets in Riyadh and Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu. Those accounts were not independently verified in Al Jazeera’s report.

Analysts cited by Al Jazeera said that, if demonstrated, the missiles could complicate security around Saudi airspace and the Red Sea. The report describes potential risks to aircraft and vessels, but records no confirmed incident involving the alleged weapons.